Boot MS-DOS from your hard disk. Insert On Disk Monthly in Drive A, then type "A:" and press Enter (return). Finally, type "GO" and press Enter (return).
GETTING USED TO THE MAIN SCREEN
The main screen of On Disk Monthly was carefully designed to be as easy to use as possible. It's easy to run On Disk Monthly with the keyboard or the mouse.
* Mouse Users - You can use the mouse to click on any part of the screen, including the menu bar across the top. When you click on a menu title, a "pull down" menu will appear on top of the main screen. You can then click on any of the menu items listed to perform that function. For example, to copy programs or the entire issue, click on the "Issue" menu title, then click on the "Copy Programs or Entire Issue" menu item. A dialog box will appear allowing you to copy the files you want. You can also click on the icons on the main screen to run programs, or to pull up information about features which cannot be run.
* Keyboard Users - You can access any menu item simply by holding down the "Alt" key and pressing the underlined letter in the menu title. You can then press the "hot" key to select any item in a currently available menu list. To run a program, or to call up a text file for a featured item, simply press the number key which corresponds to the item you are interested in.
* Dialog Boxes - By now most users should be familiar with dialog boxes, but just in case you aren't... Dialog boxes are user input devices. When the program needs a decision from the user, a dialog box will appear. The copy function, as described above, uses a dialog box. Dialog boxes are also used to display messages and to ask the user to confirm actions. Mouse users can always use the mouse to click on buttons or other items in dialog boxes. Keyboard users can press the underlined letter of any button that they wish to access.
COPYING ON DISK MONTHLY
To copy individual programs or the complete issue, select "Copy Programs or Entire Issue" from the "Issue menu," set the drive and path, choose a file or the entire issue, then press Enter to copy or Esc to cancel. Use arrow keys or mouse to move to and set the following options:
* SET DESTINATION DRIVE - Allows user to choose the drive that files or the entire issue will be copied to. Use arrow keys or mouse to select drive. If you are running on a floppy system you may not copy to the drive you are running from.
* SET DESTINATION PATH - Gives a default path (a new one that will be created when Enter is pressed), but may be changed by the user while selected (cursor will appear).
* FILES - Lists each program separately and entire issue as copy choices. When chosen, a highlight will appear in the list of files. Arrow up/down to or click on a selection to be copied.
* INFORMATION - Shows program/file sizes and the number of files per program as user scrolls through FILES list.
MAIN SCREEN OPTIONS
A. Programs - Each program or featured item is visually represented by a small icon on the main screen. When an icon is selected (with the mouse, tab or arrow keys), it will either be launched immediately, or a text window will appear with information that we think is important to know before you run the program. Some featured items cannot be run, so selecting them will bring up a text window describing how to use the items.
B. Columns - The list of monthly columns will appear in the Columns menu in the main menu bar at the top of the main screen. When you select a menu item from the Columns menu a text window will appear with the contents of that item for you to read or print.
C. Just For Fun - We have a monthly collection of humorous or puzzling items to help you relax from your daily grind. They include cartoons, humorous (we hope) text articles, cryptograms, word puzzles, crosswords and more.
