Copyright: Copyright 1994 ® by Arthur Wells, Jr.


You can print these instructions by choosing Print Topic from the File menu. (Alt-F, P)

SHAREWARE

This program is not free. It is Shareware. This means that you may try it out before you decide whether or not to buy it. After you have tried it out, if you intend to keep using it you must register it by sending $19.95 plus $1.75 for postage and supplies to

         Cragmont Services Ltd.

         1171 Cragmont Ave.

         Berkeley, CA  94708

When you register you will receive files with approximately 3500 vocabulary words and phrases (750 for French, German, Italian and Spanish; 500 for Russian), more general data files, and two games which you have never played before. One game, called Smiles,  will help you learn what is in the files created with this program. The other is a fun way to waste time.

You may give the program to as many people as you wish. When you do so, you must transfer all the files on the disk or in the .ZIP file. Each user must send in registration fees and costs unless they are members of the same household or family as someone who has registered.

You can pay be check or charge the fees and costs to your Visa or Mastercard. If you charge it, use the orderform (orderfrm.txt) or send me your card number, card expiration date and signature.

 I receive no other income from my programming. Equipment costs, supplies, mailings and BBS upload time are all paid out of my pocket. Therefore, if you use and enjoy the program, please send the registration fee.

Instructions  for  GO LEARN IT!

Overview

Use this program to study French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian, or any other subject where there are equivalent things that can be matched. With this program you can use your computer to study foreign vocabulary words, verb forms, idioms, phrases and sentences from any textbook, study guide, story, newspaper or article. If you are studying from a textbook you can make a separate file for each chapter. For any subject, you can make files of dates and events, persons and their significance, things and their characteristics, etc. Or, you can just learn the words and phrases in the files you receive when you register.

This program is very straight forward. It is easy to learn and easy to run. It has features that no other language learning program has, including the ability to deal with multiple correct  answers and the option of having your answer count as correct even if your capitalization, punctuation and spacing is not exactly the same as the answer stored in the computer.

The instructions are contained in a Help file which you can get to with the click of a button. You can keep the instructions on the screen while you learn how to use the program.

You start by choosing a foreign language or other data to study. Then you can test yourself, make new files, edit existing files, add to files, look at files and print files.

When you test yourself you can choose a multiple choice test or you can type in the answers. You can switch between the two during the test. You can do translation from English to a foreign language or from a foreign language to English or both.

Each time you test yourself the entries are randomly mixed ( and if you are doing a multiple choice test so are the answer choices). So the tests are the same but different each time.

There are other options, such as timing yourself, setting a time limit, seeing a variety of icons with your answers, and scrambling the entries.

You can retest yourself on your mistakes and print them out for further study.

.

Under normal circumstances, you will make data or vocabulary files before you use the test option. However, everyone is usually interested in seeing how the test option works first, so I have included some files made with this program so that you can immediately see how the test option works if you want to. Also, the included files will give you ideas of how you can use this program.

The included files are:

               1.) Three vocabulary files each for French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian.

               2.) Data files with states and their capitol cities, some varied and simple arithmetic problems ( mostly for kids), stars who have won Oscars and the pictures they won it for, authors, synonyms and antonyms.

The included files will give you an idea of the kinds of files you can create yourself.

If you register you will receive files with approximately 3500 vocabulary words and phrases , more data files and two games. One, called Smiles, will help you learn what is in the files created with this program.. The other is a fun way to waste time.

RUNNING THE PROGRAM

This program requires Windows 3.1, the True Type font option enabled, and an unzipping utility. If you have Windows 3.1 you can run True Type fonts. See the Install.txt file if you have doubts.

After installing the program, start the program by clicking on its icon or by running it from Program Manager or File Manager. The first thing you will see will be the title window. The Instructions button will bring up these instructions. The instructions come up as a Help file. You can keep the instructions on the screen while you learn to use the program. To do so, click the Help menu at the top of the window containing the  instructions. You will see an Always on Top option. Click it. Now the instructions window will always stay on top of every other open window. Resize the instruction window so that you will be able to see the program windows as they appear. Of course, you can print the instructions at this time, if you want to.

To continue with the program, select the Continue button. You can do this in several ways. Hold the Alt key down and press C. Or press the Tab button until a dotted box appears around the word Continue, then press the Enter key. If you have not called up the instructions, then you can just press Enter when the title window opens and you will get the next window.

This is a good place to emphasize that in this program, as well as in most Windows programs, there is usually more than one way to perform a task. Clicking buttons, clicking choices, double clicking, pressing Alt and another key at the same time are the typical options. When one key is to be held down while another is pressed I will show them with a connecting plus sign. So Alt + C means hold down the Alt key and press the C key. A sequence of key strokes will be separated by commas. So Alt + F, H means hold down the Alt key and press the F key, then press the H key.

Choosing a language or General Data

The next window allows you to pick a language or choose the General Data option, by double clicking on one of the options, using the arrow keys to select the your choice and pressing Enter, or clicking your choice and then clicking the Continue button.

If you choose Russian, and you have not installed the Russian font, you will be given the opportunity to do so. The Russian font is included with the permission of William N. Tavolga, (813) 349-6221, who created the font and has other Russian products for sale.

Once the Russian font is installed, choosing Russian will also allow you a choice of keyboards. Choose phonetic or standard. Phonetic is the default. If you don't want to see the keyboard map, click the appropriate option.

The Main Menu

The next window is the main menu. From this menu you can choose to make, edit, add to, look at or print a file, or to test yourself. If you are using the unregistered version, then some of the options are not available.

If you want to see these instructions again, press the F1 key, or  click the Stuff menu and then the Help option, or type Alt + F, H. Remember, you can keep the instructions on the screen if you want to.

Testing yourself

Before you test yourself, it is wise to look at the contents of the file you intend to test yourself on. Do this by using the Look at a File option.

Choose the Test Yourself option, by double clicking it, or click it and click the Continue button, or type Alt + T and press Enter.

You will now be asked to choose a file for testing. If you chose a foreign language, all the files with the suffix for the language you chose will show up in the list box. The suffixes are .frn for French, .grm for German, .ita for Italian, .spa for Spanish and .rus for Russian. .dat files will show up if you choose the general data option. You can choose a file by double clicking it. Or you can click it and then click the OK button. Or you can type it in the file name box and press Enter. If you want to see the names of other files, then type their pattern (such as *.*) in the file name box and press Enter. You can also change the files in the list box by clicking the List Files of Type box and making a choice.

You can also change drives and directories if the files you want are elsewhere.

Each time you test yourself the entries are randomly mixed ( and if you are doing a multiple choice test so are the answer choices).

Choices

Having chosen your file, you now have other choices to make. You can choose a multiple choice or fill-in test. Click on your choice or type Alt + U for multiple choice or Alt + T for a fill-in test. (Notice that the letter you need to press with the Alt key held down is underlined. This is true throughout the program.)

If you have chosen a fill-in test, then you need to decide if you want the Exact Answer option. If you choose this option, you must type the exact translation for the chosen word or phrase; punctuation, capitalization and spaces count.  If you do not choose this option, then  the program will ignore punctuation, capitalization and spaces. If several correct answers are possible, then you will be judged correct if you answer with one of correct answers, unless you have chosen the Exact Answer option, in which case your answer must be the same as the computer's in every respect. Obviously, if you choose a multiple choice test this option will be ignored by the program.

Now choose the direction of translation: English to the foreign language (Alt + E) or the foreign language to English (Alt + F). You will get tested in both directions by the program, but you have a choice of which way you want first. For general data files, you have a similar choice.

Also choose whether you want to see icons with your answers, by clicking  the Show Icons box or pressing Alt + I  until an X appears in the box. Leave this box checked for now so you can see how the icons work. Do the same with the Organic Icon option, which shows an image that grows and shrinks depending on your answers.

Other choices are:

        1.) Total Time. If you want to see how long it takes you to test yourself on a file then leave this option checked. The program counts only the time that you are actually testing yourself. It does not count the time you take to look at right or wrong answers or when the menu is showing. This feature keeps track of the total time even if it is not showing. So you can't start it late or shut it off in the middle of a test with the hope of getting a miraculous but phony score.

        2.) Time Limit. If you want to impose a time limit on yourself for each guess then select this option. You can then pick a time limit from 3 to 30 seconds. If you haven't guessed correctly within the time limit the Wrong screen will come up and show you the correct answer.

        3.) Show Only Wrong. If you choose this option you will only see the screen with the icons and the wrong sign when you make a mistake. You will not see the screen which confirms right answers. Use this choice to speed through a file that you  are familiar with or if you want to save time.

        4.) Scramble. This choice is available with the multiple choice option. You can scramble the test words and phrases or the answers or both. Every time this option is chosen, the computer scrambles the words and phrases differently. This option is not available in the unregistered version.

        5.) Pronunciation Guide. This option brings up a pronunciation guide such as you would find at the beginning of a foreign language text book. Good for beginners.

If you don't make your own choices the test will start as a multiple choice foreign language to English test, with icons and total time showing.

You can change any of the options in the middle of a test by calling up the menu with all of the options from within the test. However, if you call up the main menu then it's just like starting all over.

To continue, click the Continue button or press Alt + C.

Multiple Choice Test

 At the top you will see the word or expression to translate or to match with its equivalent. Underneath it are four choices. You can make your choice in one of several ways: click on a number button on the left side of the panel; click on the answer itself; click on the number button of your choice on the lower right of the panel. (These buttons are for the convenience of mouse users.) You can also press the number of your choice while holding down the Alt key.

Depending on the wisdom of your choice  the program will tell you whether you are right or wrong. If wrong, you will be told the correct answer. Unless you disabled the icon feature by unchecking the Show Icon box, you will see the computer's opinion of your answer, and if your answer is correct your organic icon will grow. If not, it will shrink.

 Fill-in Test

The word or expression to translate or to match with its equivalent appears at the top of the panel. You type in your answer and press the Enter key.

If you going from English to French, German, Italian or Spanish, the computer will show you which function keys to press to type the letters which are not on the keyboard. If you are going from English to Russian, you will see a keyboard map with either the phonetic or standard layout, depending on which you chose earlier. For data files, some arithmetic characters will show. These are mainly for parents who want to make files for their children.

If you have chosen the Exact Answer option, the computer compares your answer with the answer it has on file, and punctuation, capitalization and spacing all count. If you have not chosen that option then punctuation, capitalization and spacing do not count. If there is more than one correct answer, then you must supply all of the correct answers if you have chosen the Exact Answer option; otherwise, you must type only  one of the correct answers. If the file contains multiple answers for an entry, don't check this box unless you can type in all of the answers perfectly.

The program tells you your percent of correct answers and how many things remain to be tested, because that's the kind of thing computers are great at.

After the test

After the test, you will be back at the main menu. You can look at you mistakes, print your mistakes and retest yourself. These choices don't really need an explanation. Printing is not available in the unregistered version.

The utility options

Using these utilities you can create, change, add to, print and look at files of the words and phrases on which you will test yourself.

Making a file

To make a new file, choose the Make a New File option from the main menu, by double-clicking that option, or clicking that option and then clicking the Continue button, or by typing Alt + M and pressing Enter. You will then see a panel where you type your English entry or first data entry. Then press Enter, then type your foreign language or second data entry, and press Enter. The panel will show you which function keys to press to print the letters which are not on your keyboard. If you are typing something long, the print will get smaller to accommodate the longer length.

If you are trying the unregistered version of this program, you will be limited to ten words or phrases per file.

The files made with this program can be used to play Smiles, one of the games you will receive if you register this program.

When you are making a language file and you want verbs and nouns in the same file, you can distinguish between the English forms by using the article with the nouns and the full infinitive form with verbs. So play as a verb will be to play, and play as a noun will be the play. If you do it this way, you won't be left trying to remember whether to type a foreign language infinitive or a noun with its article. Of course, you can always put nouns in one file and verbs in another, and then you can shorten the answers by leaving out the article and the infinitive indicator "to".

You can enter more than one correct answer for any entry. If you want to have more than one correct answer for an entry, then you must separate them by semicolons. When you test yourself entering any one of the correct answers will get you a happy icon, if you have not checked the Exact Answer box. Both parts of an entry can have multiple answers.

After you press Enter you will then see a panel which lets  you accept or reject your entry. And the process will repeat itself until you are done.

When you are done, select the Finished button, by clicking it or by typing Alt + F. You will then select a name for your new file.

If you wish to quit making a new file without saving it, choose the Quit button, by clicking it or by typing Alt + Q.

Editing a file

To edit a file, choose the Edit a File option from the Main menu, by double-clicking that option, or clicking that option and then clicking the Continue button, or typing Alt + E and pressing Enter. Then choose the file to edit.

When the Edit panel comes up, you will be shown the first word or phrase in the file and its foreign language translation or its data equivalent. Your choices are to keep, delete or edit the entry, selected by clicking the appropriate button, or pressing Alt plus the underlined letter of your choice.

If you choose to edit an entry, you will be shown the same screen as that used for making entries in a new file. Type in the English entry or the first data entry, press Enter, type the foreign language equivalent or the equivalent data entry, and press Enter again.

The edit function is useful for deleting words and expressions you have already learned, so that you don't waste your time with them.

Adding to an existing file

If you want to add entries to an existing file, choose the Add to a File option. The procedure for adding to a file is the same as that for creating a file. The program automatically adds your entries to the existing file chosen by you. This function is not available in the unregistered version.

Looking at a file

To look at a file, choose that option. The operation of this option is obvious.

Reviewing a file

This option permits you to cycle back and forth through the file one entry at a time.

Printing a file

This option is also obvious. See the Printing information below. This option is not available for  Russian.

This option is not available in the unregistered version.

Printing

This program will print to whichever printer you have currently selected as your default Windows printer. With most printers the program will automatically print the accented letters which you have already typed with a function key. If not, then you will probably get a blank space, a period, or some totally irrelevant letter or symbol in place of the expected letter. If this happens, then choose the Generic Printer option from the Stuff menu on the Main menu screen. Use the mouse or type Alt + F, G. This will print the letter without an accent mark and you can add the necessary accents.

Send comments and questions.

                  WARRANTY DISCLAIMER

You should carefully read the following terms and conditions before using this software.  Use of this software indicates your acceptance of these terms and conditions.  If you do not agree with them, do not use the software.

This software and the accompanying files are sold "as is" and without warranties of performance or merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this software may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.

The user assumes the entire risk of using the program. In no event shall Arthur Wells, Jr. or Cragmont Financial Services, Ltd. have any liability for any damages whatsoever, including but not limited to consequential damages, exceeding the price paid for the right to use the software, regardless of the form of the claim.

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of California, excluding its conflict of interest laws and shall inure to the benefit of author's,  distributors' and users' and successors, administrators, heirs, and assigns. Any action or proceeding brought by either party

against the other arising out of or related to this agreement or use of the software shall be brought only in a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction located in Alameda County, California. The parties hereby consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts.

Copyright 1995 by

Arthur Wells, Jr.

1171 Cragmont Ave.

Berkeley, CA  94708

All Rights Reserved