Select a new book to read. To select a new drive\directory, choose Utilities, File·Path.
:Contents
Flip to an author-defined table of contents.
:Notes
Pop up the built-in notetaker. Notes creates or revises a file with your book name and a .NTS extention. Use [Alt-Z] (Zoom) to move or size the note window.
:Keys
[Back Space] or [PgUp] for prior screen. [Enter] or [PgDn] for next screen. [Esc] or [F10] to show or exit menu. [Ins] to move menu. Use [Arrows] and [Enter] to hilite and select items.
:Help
The Help text is kept in a file named Iris.MSG. This file must be available to display Help. Some books may also offer help for their own menu items, but this is optional.
:Index
Flip to an author-defined index.
:Print
Send the current topic to your default printer. "Lines per page" means the total lines that will fit on a sheet of your paper. Usually 66 lines.
:Recall
Recall the place you last saved. (See Save).
:Save
Save your place in this book for later Recall.
:Topics
Flip to another topic. The menu lists all available topics in alphabetical order.
:Utilities
Select to change colors, run dos commands, et cetera.
:View·List
Flip back to a recently viewed topic. Use [BackSpace] to backup by a single screen or topic.
:X·Exit
Quit application and return to dos.
:Screen
Backup by a single screen.
:Topic
Backup by a full topic.
:View
Display the View·List.
:Borders
Select a default border for text, when a book does not specify one.
:Colors
Select a default color for text, when a book does not specify one.
:Dos
Drop to dos (for some house keeping).
:File·Path
List the drives and directories where Iris should look for your books. Format is identical to the dos PATH command.
:Keep·Defaults
Save your selections for later use (colors,borders,file path) to an Iris.CFG file.
:Rate
Select a default Rate for timed pauses.
:Sound
Enable or disable use of the speaker.
:Update·Screen
Enable or disable speech compatibility. Leave off if you are not using a synthesizer.
! -- prism only section --
:AutoPlay■
Program will select items by random until [Escape] is pressed.
:Edit■
Run a text editor. To use the internal notetaker, enter .NOTES as the editor name. The notetaker can only edit plain ascii files, 60K or smaller.
:Inventory■
Show the topic and variable count. The maximum is 400 per book.
:Labels■
Flip to any topic (even when Contents is off).
:Trace■
Step-thru commands and watch variables change.
:Variables■
List variables and their current values.
:X·Command■
Type in and execute any book command.
! program variables
:Book
Name of the current book file.
:BookLn#
Current line of book file.
:ExitCode#
Dos exit code from an .exec[] program.
:FromTopic
The topic displayed before this one.
:Key
First letter of the menu item to default. Use Key=# to generate a random item. Use Key=@ to hilite last item selected.
:MaxCol#
Maximum column used by this monitor. Usually 80.
:MaxRow#
Maximum row used by this monitor. Usually 25.
:Random#
Arbitrary number generated between topics. See RandomBase#.
:RandomBase#
Highest range for Random#. RandomBase#=100 returns a Random# between 1 and 100.
:Test
Outcome of last comparison.
:Topic
Current (or next) topic name.
:Topic#
Total number of topics displayed to this reader so far.
:TopicFrom
The topic shown before this topic.
:TopicPath#
Topic# when current topic first displayed.
:TopicReps#
Number of times this topic was displayed.
:TopicZero
First physical topic name in the book.
:Version
Release number of program. 12 = 1.2x.
! -- error message section --
:*
A program file could not be found.
:#
A number was expected.
:$
Keyword expected. It might be misspelled or not supported by this version of the program.
:!
There is a problem with the user menu. Either there are no items or one is blank.
:@
The book you selected was created under another version of the program. If difficulties occur, this may be the cause.
:^
A ^Lookup variable was expected.
:b
The requested book is not in the current drive\directory. You can switch disks if appropriate.
:d
The variable name is already in use. Use a different name or protect this command with the $V_Exist keyword.
:e
Commands expected. Command line is empty.
:f
"Label" expected. Each book must have at least one :Label.
:g
A requested file has not been found. You may change disks or alter the file path, if necessary.
:i
Identifier expected. Identifiers include names of Borders, Colors, and Windows.
:m
Sorry, but the maximum number of topics or variables is already in use.
:o
An operator symbol was expected.
:p
A topic name was expected here.
:q
A variable name was expected on the left-side of this calculation.
:r
A variable name was expected on the right-side of this calculation.
:u
User Break.
:w
A problem occurred when trying to write information to disk. Maybe its already full.
:D
There seems to be a problem with the disk drive.
:P
There are no virtual books ( *.PGE ) in the current drive\directory or the requested book is missing. You can switch disks, if appropriate.
:R
A problem occured while trying to read information from the disk.
:W
A problem occurred when trying to write information to disk. Maybe its already full.
:X
The index file ( *.MRK ) seems damaged. You might want to delete or rename it.
