Copyright: Carlton Card Game ®1992-96 Philip B. Cook


Index
Carlton Index

Help is available on the following topics

Introduction

Menu commands
Playing the game
Rules
Variants
Options

Registration

The Carlton Program and Help file are Copyright ©1992-96 Philip B. Cook

The appearance of the symbol on a help screen indicates the availability of a visual display relating to the topic.  Click the mouse button on the symbol to reveal the display.

  Click on the book icon to display the full Product Catalog.


Menu Commands

The menu contains the following command structure

Game	Deal	Help

Undo	Help Index
Options	Rules
New	About
Exit

You may select a main menu by clicking on its title with a mouse or typing <ALT> plus the underlined letter of the topics title. Then select the required sub menu command by mouse clicking or using the underlined letter key


New command

Restarts the game by gathering all the cards from the table, shuffling the deck and re-dealing a new game.

You may not Undo this command.

You may use the F2 key to select the Game/New command with a single key press.


Deal command

Deals eight new cards to the tableau, one on the end of each column of cards.

There is no sub-menu for this command.


Undo command

Reverses the last move made by the player.

Only one level of undo is supported by this program (after all it is cheating!)

You may also use the BkSp (Backspace) key to undo a move with a single key press.


Options command

Calls up a dialog box to select

Variants
Card Displacement
Outline Drag
Visual Hints
Save as defaults


Exit command

Ends the program.

The same result is achieved by selecting Close from the System Menu.


Help command
Help Index command

Executes the Windows Help Engine and loads this Help File.

This command may also be selected by using the F1 key.


About Carlton command
About command

Displays a dialog box containing

Copyright information
Version data
Registration status


Variants

The Carlton program provides a total of four patience games, each with similar layout and rules of play. The Variants are called

Carlton
Miss Milligan
Giant
Milligan Harp

Select the Variant you wish to have described.

For general information common to each game see Rules


Card Displacement option

By default the columns of cards in tableau are displaced by 15 pixels vertically from one another to allow the player to see all the cards easily. If a pile of cards becomes to long to be visible using this displacement then the program will automatically adjust the card displacement to keep the whole of the uppermost card visible.

You may adjust the standard spacing using this option.

The current value of the displacement is shown and may be modified by clicking on the Change ... button.  You are prompted with a dialog showing two cards using the current displacement.  The displacement may be modified by dragging the top card to the required position or directly typing the displacement in the displacement box.

Users with other display adaptors may wish to change the default displacement to something more comfortable in which case set the Save as Default option before leaving the main options dialog. The setting is recorded in the CARLTON.INI file.


Outline Drag option

When moving the cards around the playing area you may select to either draw the full stack of cards or an outline only.

Drawing Outlines is much faster.

When using outline drawing if the stack of cards being dragged passes over another stack on which they may be played then the stack will invert to provide a visual cue.


Visual Hints option

When selected you may use the right hand mouse button to determine if a card or sequence of cards in a column of the tableau will play.

Click on a card in a column with the right hand mouse button.

If that card or any packed sequence on top of the card will play then both it and its destination will flip into inverse video for a moment.

Warning	This hint process will only display the first location that it finds to play the card or sequence. This may not be the only possible play or the most desirable play. That is for the player to decide.


Save as Defaults option

When checked, this option causes your selections to be recorded in the CARLTON.INI file for future use. The next time you start the game it will use these recorded settings.

Without this option all changes to the options remain in force only until you close the program.


Rules

The game of Carlton is a two pack patience game.

It is laid out in two areas

1.	Eight Building Piles at the top of the playing area.
2.	A tableau of eight columns of cards at the bottom of the area.

The object of the game is to found all eight aces as and when they appear and to build them upward in suit to the King.

The tableau may be used to pack cards ready for transfer to the building piles.  The tableau is packed in descending sequence and alternating colour.

Cards may be moved singly or in correctly stacked sequences

When play is exhausted select the Deal command from the menu to add new cards from the deck to the tableau.

The rules for filling a space in the tableau vary from variant to variant.

There are four Variants of the game all included in the one program, each has slightly differing rules.

see also

Playing the Game,  Carlton,  Miss Millgan,  Giant,  Milligan Harp


Playing the Game

The mechanics of playing Carlton is designed to be as alike to Solitaire (supplied with Windows) as possible. The following mouse actions are valid.

Click once with the left mouse button to turn over a facedown card.

Click and drag any upturned card or correctly packed sequence from its location. Release the mouse button to drop the card on its destination. If the move is not valid then the card will return to their start location.

You may double click the mouse on a single card to transfer it to the Build Piles.

Click with the right mouse button on a card to see if it will play (see Visual Hints option)

When play is exhausted select the Deal command from the menu to add new cards from the deck to the tableau.

see also
Rules


Order Form
Carlton Order Form

[   ]	I wish to register my copy of Carlton. I enclose the registration fee of FIVE Pounds Sterling (£5). Cheques should be payable to P.B. Cook and be drawable on a United Kingdom Bank.

[   ]	Please supply the latest version of Carlton. I enclose a blank formatted disk plus return postage and packaging for my location.

Name	_________________________________

Address	_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Tel Number	_________________________________

Carlton Version Number

  as reported by Help/About	___________________ and

  CARLTON.EXE date/time stamp	___________________

Signed	____________________________

Please help my investigation into distribution channels by also supplying the following information.

I got my Shareware copy of Carlton from (please delete as appropriate)

Vendor / Friend / Bulletin Board / Magazine Cover Disk / Me / Other (please specify)

Name of Source	__________________________________

Please send the completed order form to

Mr. Philip B. Cook,
( CARLTON )

7 Deaf Hill Terrace,

Trimdon Station,

County Durham, UK

TS29 6BZ.


Entering Registration Information

You may enter your registration information by selecting the Register command from the Shareware reminder dialog box.

Your registration is recorded in the CARLTON.INI file. Please do not interfere with the registration information in the INI file. Should the file become corrupted you should delete the file and re-enter the information provided on your Registration Certificate.


Carlton

The game is dealt in a triangular array of eight columns.

A vacancy in the tableau may be filled by any card or packed sequence.

The tableau is packed in descending sequence and alternating colour.

Cards on the Build Piles may not be returned to play.

see also
Rules


Miss Milligan

The game is dealt as a single card atop eight columns in the tableau.

A vacancy in the tableau may only be filled by a King or a packed sequence headed by a King.

The tableau is packed in descending sequence and alternating colour.

Cards on the Build Piles may not be returned to play.

When the deck is exhausted, an extra playing stack is available to park single cards or packed sequences to help you continue the game. You may not pack extra cards on this stack.

see also
Rules


Giant

The game is dealt as a single card atop eight columns in the tableau.

A vacancy in the tableau may be filled by any card or packed sequence.

The tableau is packed in descending sequence and alternating colour.

Cards on the Build Piles may be returned to the tableau at need.

see also
Rules


Milligan Harp

The game is dealt in a triangular array of eight columns. Only the topmost card on each column is turned face up.

A vacancy in the tableau may be filled by any card or packed sequence.

The tableau is packed in descending sequence and alternating colour.

Cards on the Build Piles may not be returned to play.

see also
Rules


INI file settings

The Carlton program stores all its default settings in the file CARLTON.INI in the WINDOWS directory. The following settings are documented.

[Carlton]

Variant=n	pecifies the default variant game to be played (0-3)

DragMode=n	specifies the drawing mode for cards when being dragged
0 = draw full card.
1 = draw outline only

Hints=n	specifies the visual hints option
0 = off
1 = on

UserName=	the name of the user (when registered)

Reg.ID=	an encrypted code to confirm registration

DeckOffset=n	sets the vertical displacement of cards on the tableau.
The default value is 15.

Background=	$bbggrr where
bb is a hex number (00-FF) indicating Blue Intensity
gg is a hex number (00-FF) indicating Green Intensity
rr is a hex number (00-FF) indicating Red Intensity
don't forget the $ on the front.
This sets the desired background colour of the playing area. The program will select the nearest colour supported on your display.
The default colour is green ($008800) on colour displays and White ($FFFFFF) on B&W displays.

EndGameTime=n	Reduces the speed of the End Game display for those with fast graphics adaptors. The higher the number the slower the end-game display.  The value is calculated automatically when the program is first successfully completed it is adjusted to achieve an End Game display time of between 30 and 60 seconds in total.
Those with slow adaptors should set this to 0 (which switches off the timing function and allows the display to be as fast as possible, given the hardware constraints.


Background Colour

The background colour of the display area may be adjusted by including a command in the CARLTON.INI file. Any change of colour will only come into effect after restarting the game.

You should use the Notepad accessory program or other simple text editor to insert the necessary commands.


Introduction

The Carlton Card Game is a two pack patience game described by David Pelter in his book 'The Penguin Book of Patience'. Carlton is one of a family of related games with slightly varying rules and layouts. The principle variants described in the book have all been implemented in this program.

The program is written using Turbo Pascal for Windows from Borland (an excellent language product which I can thoroughly recommend).

see also
Requirements


Requirements

An IBM PC AT or compatible.
Microsoft Windows V3.0 or above
A mouse.

The program has been tested running under Microsoft Windows V3.1, V3.11 and Windows 95.

The program is designed around a VGA screen resolution or better and is not as easy to play on adaptors with a vertical resolution lower than around 400, since some of the columns of cards go off the bottom of the screen if they get very long. If you run out of space you may adjust the vertical spacing of the cards in the playing area by using the Game/Options dialog.


Tableau

An arrangement of cards on the playing area, usually consisting of several columns of overlapping cards, whose distinguishing feature is the fact that packing takes place on the exposed cards of the columns.


Packing

To place cards on top of one another (overlapping) in a temporary part of the layout called the tableau, in accordance with the rules specifying a sequence which is usually the reverse of that required for building the suites.


Building

The object of most patiences is to build piles of cards in sequence.

Building is the act of adding cards to such a sequence.


Build Piles

The piles of cards on which building takes place.


Options dialog


Card Displacement dialog


Shareware

A marketing/distribution concept which permits the user to try a piece of software before making a purchase. The software may be used for a limited period of time for evaluation.

Use after the evaluation period requires Registration with the Author.

Registration rewards the author for his efforts and encourages further work.


Registration

This product is distributed as Shareware. You may try the software for a period of 30 days. If you wish to continue to use it after this period then you must register with the author.

Registration costs Five Pounds Sterling (or equivalent in readily convertible currency or money order).  Registration Payments should be made payable to P.B. Cook, written in pounds sterling and drawable on a United Kingdom bank.

Send your registration form and money to

Mr Philip B. Cook
( Insert Program Name here )
5 Carpenter Close
Yarm
Stockton-on-Tees
TS15 9UT
ENGLAND

see also

Order Form
US Registrations
Commonwealth Registrations
Entering Registration Information


Registration Payment

The following are the forms of payment acceptable in declining order of desirability

United Kingdom Bank Cheque
Eurocheques
US$ Bank Checks
Postal Money Order (written in UK Pounds Sterling)
International Money Order (written in UK Pounds Sterling)
UK Pounds Sterling Currency
US$ Currency

Payment in currency is not desirable since it is not secure from theft in the post.  I am unable to handle currency other than the above (it costs too much to convert in small quantities).

I am not able to accept payment by credit card.


US Registrations

If you would like to register this program, please do the following:

Go to your local Post Office and ask for an Authorization to issue an International Money Order in the amount equivalent to the requirement payment in UK Pounds Sterling.  You must put your own name and address on the front of the form. On the back of the form, put my name and address (including the program name) in the Payee's box as follows

Mr Philip B. Cook
( Insert Program Name here )
5 Carpenter Close
Yarm
Stockton-on-Tees
TS15 9UT
ENGLAND

The completed form must be mailed to:

International Money Orders,
Box 14964,
St. Louis, MO 63182-9421

In St. Louis, the money is converted into British pounds and mailed to me.  When I get it, I will send your registration code and certificate by return.  This may sound complicated but it works and it avoids the ridiculous over-the-top bank commission fees that I would have to pay over here.  My heartfelt thanks to Carolyn Z. Gillay of California for pioneering the system and Dave Jewel (author of TimeFrame) for telling me about it.


Commonwealth Registrations

Most parts of the Commonwealth have reciprocal arrangements with the UK for handling Postal Money Orders.  Please ensure the Money order is written in UK Pounds Sterling.

Most Banks in the Commonwealth have branches in London, they can often issue a cheque for you in UK Pounds Sterling drawable on the UK Branch.

Both of these arrangements are acceptable for payment of the registration and disk fees.


Printing Help Topics

To print a help topic (eg to Print the Order Form) select  File, Print Topic from the menu bar of the Help Program.