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1996-07-10
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SERIAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
presents
"PC BLACKBOARD VGA"
The "PC Blackboard VGA" program is a simple point-to-point interactive
communication program that can be used on any IBM "XT/AT" compatible PC.
It allows two PCs to interact over a standard telephone line. Data transfer
and interaction may be achieved at varying speeds, depending on the type of
modem being used. Quite simply, it provides the same flexibility a teacher
would have in a classroom, and more. It allows users to free hand draw and
add text from the keyboard on a blank screen. Drawing tools are also
available to create geometric shapes and lines for flowcharts, diagrams or
any other conceivable purpose. Further, the user may send and receive faxes.
With those received, one may interact on those documents with the interactive
tools. Finally, text files created in word processing programs, can be read
directly into the program. The document may then be interacted upon.
The idea behind "PC Blackboard VGA" is twofold. First, it provides a
complete software solution to enhance a standard phone call. In this way,
the user could take the floppy disk to any "XT/AT" compatible machine with a
modem. The program then allows the users to interact, so that ambiguous or
intangible ideas and concepts can expressed more concretely through the use
of our interactive functions.
Second, with the addition of a fax modem, users can now receive faxes
directly into their PC. Simply stated, whatever document you wish to discuss
is faxed to your computer, displayed on screen, and then annotated upon as
desired. Sites on-line can then use the interactive capabilities to
highlight points of the document, or to add notes to the document. Moreover,
anything you put to your screen may be faxed to a fax machine.
The interactive functions include:
- free hand draw
- drawing of squares, rectangles, lines, and circles
- ability to change drawing attributes, such as changing of line widths
and having filled or non-filled shapes.
- keyboard input
- ability to point
- screen transfer
- file transfer. The file is sent and saved at the remote site.
- clearing local and remote screen
- loading and saving of PCX images
- loading of .TXT files
- receiving, sending, and loading of fax documents
- Ability to change drawing color and background color.
- ability to undo your annotations.
- ability to selectively erase your annotations.
- ability to print out your screen, images, and/or faxes.
We at Serial Solutions feel this will help diminish those frustrating calls
where it takes hours to explain ideas and concepts, that should only take
minutes. Also, this cuts down on unnecessary business travel, which is
necessitated by the inability to explain ideas thoroughly through language
alone. This is accomplished most through the ability to control what is on
both screens. That is, for a multi-page document it is very difficult to get
people on the correct page, paragraph, and/or sentence. Now, since the
document is displayed at both sites, this confusion factor is eliminated.
The users all see the same portion of the document and may then interact on
those portions together. Then as one site scrolls through the document, the
document is automatically scrolled through at the remote site.
Technical Requirements
The only requirements for this program are:
1) An IBM "XT/AT" compatible PC
2) A VGA card or higher
3) A pointing device (mouse or graphics tablet) is necessary for free hand
draw, and the drawing of shapes.
4) A fax modem board
CURSOR ACTION VIA INPUT DEVICES
Movement is achieved by moving your pointing device (mouse or stylus) or by
using the arrow keys on the keyboard. All the functionality of this program
can be reached via pop-up menus through the keyboard, a mouse, and/or a Summa
compatible graphics tablet. You may use both a mouse and a tablet in the
program; you are not limited to one or the other. However, additional serial
ports may be necessary.
Keyboard
The keyboard can be used to move the cursor, pop-up the main menu, select and
change options within the main menu and submenus, use function keys for
special options, and enter text. The location of the cursor on the screen
determines where text will be placed on the screen. If you have a tablet
installed, make sure that the stylus is not on the tablet, or your text will
all occur in the same location. In other words, you will keep putting each
character on top of the preceding character.
The arrow keys will move the cursor to the left, right, up, or down,
depending on which arrow key is pushed. However, the cursor will only move
one pixel at a time, so it will be very slow to move around the screen. The
keys to remember are:
Escape <Esc> - The Escape key has three uses. First, it will call up the
main menu if there are no menus on the screen. Second, it will
exit from any menu that you are currently in. Third, it will
cancel the drawing of a circle, line, square, or rectangle if
hit while the ghost image is on the screen. (This third action
will only take place while you are either holding the left
button of a mouse down, or while holding down on the stylus.
Enter - The <Enter> key has three uses. First, if a menu is on the screen, it
will activate the highlighted option, or change the option in which
the cursor is located. This depends on the type of menu which exists
on the screen. Second, if there are no menus on the screen, this
will move your cursor to the left side of the screen, and down one
text line. This is used mostly for the entering of text. Third, the
<Enter> key is required to follow the name inputted for the name of a
file which is to be loaded, saved, or transmitted. You do not have to
enter the name, because you can find all files with your pointing
device, but it may be quicker to simply enter the file name. Further,
after entering the phone number of a remote site, you must hit the
<Enter> key to complete the call.
Mouse
The mouse allows you to access all menus, access all items within those
menus, and utilize all tools. To move the cursor, simply move your mouse.
To pull up the main menu, click the middle button of a three button mouse, or
the first and second buttons simultaneously of a two button mouse. To select
an option within a menu, click the left button when the desired option is
highlighted or when the cursor is in a location to change an option,
depending on the type of menu. To leave or escape from a menu, hit the
right button.
When there are no menus on the screen, you can change your drawing tool by
clicking the right button. This will scroll through the available tools.
Your cursor will change to the shape of the new tool.
Tablet
The tablet allows you to access all items within menus and to utilize all
tools. To move the cursor, simply move your stylus without actually pressing
down. The only way to pull up the main menu if you only have a tablet, is to
hit the <Esc> key on the keyboard. To select an option within a menu, push
the stylus down on the tablet when the desired option is highlighted, or when
the cursor is in a location to change an option. To leave or escape from a
menu, push the button on the stylus.
When there are no menus on the screen, you can change your drawing tool by
pushing the button on the stylus. This will scroll through the available
tools. Your cursor will change to the shape of the new tool.
To use a tool, position your cursor where you wish to start, then push the
stylus down on the tablet. This is the same as clicking the left button on
the mouse.
See mouse section for further instructions.
Select\Deselect
Before proceeding, some terms need to be defined. The term "select" means to
(1) hit the Enter key from the keyboard, (2) click on the left button of the
mouse, and/or (3) push down on the stylus.
The term "deselect" means to (1) hit Escape on the keyboard, (2) click the
right button of the mouse, and/or (3) push the button on the stylus.
Drawing Tools
This program provides six drawing tools, all represented by different cursors.
The shape of the cursor determines which tool you are using. These tools are
changed by either clicking on the right button of your mouse or by pushing
the button on the stylus when there are no menus on the screen.
To use a tool, position your cursor where you wish to start. Then click on
your left button. The following lists what happens for each tool:
Free hand draw: This is represented by the Pencil Icon. As you move while
holding down the left button of a mouse or holding down the
pen, you will draw a continuous line.
Rectangle : This is represented by the Rectangle Icon, which is more
elongated than the third drawing tool. As you move while holding
down the left button of a mouse or holding down the pen, you will
see a ghost box. You may move this ghost box above or below your
starting point, as well as to the left or to the right of your
starting point. If you let up on the left button of the mouse
or let up the pen, the rectangle will be drawn with the present
attributes, with the coordinates you have specified by the ghost
box. If you do not wish to draw the rectangle, simply deselect
it. This will erase the ghost box.
Square: This allows you to draw perfect squares. Square is exactly like
rectangle except that you can only move the ghost box to the right
and below of your starting point.
Line: The fourth drawing tool is the line drawing tool. It is represented by
the angled line, similar to back slash on the keyboard ("/"). As you
move while holding the left button of the mouse down or holding down
the pen, a ghost line will appear that extends to your new position on
the screen. If you release the left button or let up on the pen, the
line will be drawn with its current attributes between the points
specified by your ghost line. If you do not wish to draw the line,
simply deselect. This will erase the ghost line.
Circle: The fifth tool is the circle tool. This allows the user to draw
circles. As you move while holding the left button of a mouse down
or by holding down the pen, a ghost circle will appear that grows as
you move your pointing device. If you wish to draw the circle, just
let up the left button or the pen. If you do not wish to draw the
circle, deselect it. This will erase the ghost circle.
Point: The final tool is the pointer. It is represented by the upward arrow.
Point is slightly different than the other tools. Locally, you always
see the pointer. But if connected, the remote will only see the
pointer while you push the left button or hold down the pen. As long
as you hold down the left button, the pointer will be displayed at the
remote site.
Selective Erase: This feature allows the user to remove annotation from a
user defined area on the screen. It is represented by the
cross cursor. The user then positions this cross where
he/she wishes to remove annotation. A ghost box will
appear. Drag the box to enclose the desired area to be
erased and let up on the pen or release the left button of
the mouse. This works just like the rectangle drawing tool.
Any annotation within the box will now be removed from the
image. If you do not wish to erase that particular area on
the screen, deselect it. If you had previously saved the
image with the annotation, you will not be able to erase
those annotations. Therefore, you may only erase annotation
marks since the last save.
NOTE: if using a mouse and you wish to deselect the ghost box with the mouse,
you must click the right button while you are holding down the left
button. If you wish to deselect the ghost box with the pen, you must
push the blue button while holding the pen down.
MAIN MENU OPTIONS
The Main Menu provides you with all the functionality that the "PC Blackboard
VGA" program offers. This is the first menu that the user will encounter.
It can be accessed by: (1) hitting the Escape key on the keyboard, (2)
clicking the middle button of a three button mouse, or (3) clicking the left
and right buttons of a mouse simultaneously. If using a tablet, the stylus
can not bring up the main menu. Each option of the main menu will be
explained in detail later. The option is chosen by moving the highlight bar
to the desired function. This can be done with the arrow keys on the
keyboard, by moving the mouse, or by moving the stylus. Once you are at the
desired option, select it. Then, depending on the chosen option, it will
either complete the function or go to a submenu. The main menu provides the
user with ten options: attributes, communications, configuration, print menu,
files menu, fax menu, text menu, send screen, undo, clear screen, and exit.
ATTRIBUTES
The attribute option allows you to change the features for the presently
chosen tool. Some tools have more attributes than others. For draw and
line, you have the options to change the color and the line width. For
rectangle, square, and circle, you can change the color, the line width, and
you may have the object be filled or not. If you choose fill, the line width
will not have any effect. For pointer, you can only change the color. Erase
does not have any attributes.
You can change the color by selecting the "Palette" box. You may now choose
one of the sixteen shades of grey by selecting on the box containing your
desired color. You will notice that your currently selected color is
displayed in the big box to the left of the palette.
You can change the line width by moving your cursor along the grid. As the
box in the grid moves to the right, your line width will increase. The
actual line width is represented above this grid. As you move to the left,
your line width will decrease. The minimum line width is one, and the
maximum line width is four.
For tools having the fill option, you can toggle between having filled on or
off by positioning your cursor on the box where the word "ON" or "OFF"
appears. By selecting on this box, you will toggle to the opposite of what
is currently displayed. That is, if the word "ON" appears, by selecting on
this, the word "OFF" will appear. This means that previously the tool had
fill turned on, now it has fill turned off. Thus, your shape will just be
an outline.
Once you have set the attributes, you can leave the attribute menu by
deselecting it. If you have fill "OFF", the width of the outline will then
be determined by the line width you chose.
COMMUNICATIONS
This menu allows you to establish a call, disconnect a call, and toggle
between on-line and off-line.
1) Call Status
Call status tells you whether you are on-line or off-line with your remote
site. This can only be selected if you have already established a connection.
If you are connected, but wish to do something locally that you do not want
the remote to see, you may want to go off-line without disconnecting. By
selecting on this box, it will toggle between off-line and on-line. If you
go off-line, you will be able to do everything except send or receive data.
If you go off-line and wish to go back on-line, just select on this box again.
A message will occur in the middle of your screen with the word "On-Line" or
"Off-Line", depending on which state the modem is in.
NOTE: F1 does the same thing and it is much quicker to access.
2) Connect
Connect allows you to interact with a remote PC. Connect works differently
for a modem and for a Null modem.
A) Null Modem
If you are using a Null modem, this will call the other PC automatically.
You will not need to input a phone number. If the connection is made,
both sites will be notified.
B) Normal Modem
This process works differently for a modem. The user will be asked to
enter the phone number of the remote site. You may enter the phone number
just as you usually would, with or without hyphens. For example,
303-347-8547 and 3034478547 are handled the same.
Once you have entered the number, hit the Enter key and the modem will call
the remote. If a connection is made, you will get a message that either says
which modem is connected or at which baud rate you are connected. If you are
using the Telebit Trailblazer or the AT&T Comsphere, the message will say
"Connect Fast" or "Comsphere Connection" respectively. Otherwise, the
message will give the baud rate value at which you've actually connected.
Further, the Call Status box will change from "Off-line" to "On-line".
An important dial command to know is the comma.
, - a comma is a two second pause. A pause may be necessary when you
have to wait for an outside line. This command is useful when
dialing out of a PBX (Private Branch Exchange), or when making a
long distance call. If you have to dial a 9 before dialing the
phone number, or a 1 for a long distance call, the comma would
follow the 9 and 1. Example of a long distance call through a PBX,
9,1,303-347-8547 If the delay is not long enough with one comma, you
may enter multiple commas.
Before making a call, both sites must verify that they have each chosen the
same communication device and are at the same baud rate. If both sites are
not setup the same, there is a good chance that the connection will fail. If
you are using a modem and both sites do not have the same modem, then select
Hayes compatible. This will allow different types of modems to communicate
with one another. Remember, if you are using a Telebit Trailblazer in Hayes
Compatible mode, you must manually set it to conventional mode.
IMPORTANT: While attempting to call another PC, the other PC should not have
any menus on the screen. This will allow the receiving site to see
the "Incoming Message" signal, as well as the connection message.
This tells the receiver that a call is coming in, and that a
connection has occurred.
3) Disconnect
Disconnect does exactly what it says. If you are connected to a remote site,
this will disconnect the call. This is done by simply selecting on the
DISCONNECT box. If the call is disconnected, the word "Off-line" will appear
in the CALL STATUS box. The calling site will get a message in the middle of
their screen telling the user that he/she is going off-line. The user will
then have a message displayed to his/her screen that the call has been
disconnected. The receiving site will also have a message saying that the
call is being disconnected.
CONFIGURATION
This menu allows you to setup both your communication device and tablet. The
first two items listed in the menu show which graphics card you are using,
and if a mouse has been installed. The second two options allow you to
change your communication parameters and/or your tablet parameters. To
change your communication parameters, select "Modem Setup". To change your
tablet parameters, select "Tablet Setup".
MODEM SETUP
Modem setup has six options: device type, com port, baud rate, address,
interrupt number, and initialize.
1) Device
The device option allows you to choose your specific mode of communication.
Generally, this contains the type of modem you are going to use. This
program supports all Hayes compatible modems, the Telebit Trailblazer modem,
and the AT&T Comsphere 3820. The software allows a NULL Modem, which is a
special cable used to allow two PCs to communicate with one another at the
same site. The final choice is "None", which means that neither a modem or
cable exists. You may choose the modem type of your choice by selecting on
the box to the right of DEVICE. This will scroll through your options. The
following is a list of acceptable modems and their capabilities.
Null Modem: Select this if you are using a direct connection (a special
cable) from one PC to another.
Hayes Compatible: If you are not using a Telebit Trailblazer or AT&T
Comsphere modem, you must select Hayes Compatible. You
should also verify that your modem is truly Hayes
Compatible. (See your specific modem manual)
Telebit Trailblazer: The Telebit Trailblazer allows you to transmit at speeds
of up to 19200 bits per second (bps). For the Telebit
Trailblazer to work in Hayes Compatible mode, you must
manually set it to conventional mode. (See your Telebit
manual)
AT&T Comsphere 3820: This modem allows you to communicate with your modem at
speeds up to 115,200 bps.
2) Com Port
This is where you tell the program where your communication device (modem or
Null modem) is connected. You have a possibility of four com ports.
Therefore, by selecting on the box to the right of COM PORT, you will scroll
through your options. It is up to the user to determine which port the
communication device is connected. If you choose an incorrect com port, the
word "None" will appear in the DEVICE box and you will get a message saying
"Modem Not Found". If a tablet is connected, you will not be allowed to
change the com port to the tablet com port.
3) Baud Rate
Baud rate determines the rate at which data is sent. The software allows for
data rates from 1200 bps to 115,200 bps. Although these speeds are available,
not all modems can use the high-end speeds. It is up to the user to know
what speeds your modem handles. If you set a baud rate which the modem
cannot handle, you will get a message saying "Modem Not Found" and "None"
will appear in the DEVICE box.
4) Address
Address shows where the chosen com port can be located within the machine.
This option is for experienced users. A default address will appear for each
com port. If you are using a device (such as a fax modem) that uses unique
addresses for their comports, this default value will need to be changed.
Your particular communication device manual will list these values. If a
change is required, select on the box next to "Address". A box will appear
waiting for you to input the desired address. If after choosing this box you
wish to keep the old address, just deselect the box. Otherwise, type in the
address and hit the <ENTER> key.
5) Interrupt Number
Each com port must have a unique interrupt request number. A default value
will appear for the com port chosen, but if you are using a device, such as a
fax modem, that allows the user to manually change interrupt values, the user
will need to enter this new interrupt number. Again, this is used for
experienced users. An invalid value can create serious problems. If you do
wish to change the address, select the box to the right of "Interrupt #". A
box will appear awaiting the user to enter the new interrupt value. If after
choosing this box, you wish to keep the old interrupt number, just deselect
the box. Otherwise, type in the interrupt number and hit the <Enter> key.
6) Initialize
The initialize button allows you to initialize the modem. The modem will
automatically be initialized when you leave the modem setup after changing
one of the above options. However, there may be a case in which you need to
initialize the modem without changing any of the above options. To do so,
select the "Initialize" box. The messages displayed will tell you if the
modem was installed or not.
NOTE: You cannot change any of the parameters within the modem setup if you
are already on-line. Furthermore, if DEVICE is set to none, ADDRESS is
set to zero, or INTERRUPT NUMBER is zero you will not be able to select
any box until you select a communication device. If you have changed
any of the above options, you will be notified that the new parameters
are being used to setup the com port and modem.
TABLET SETUP
Tablet setup has six options: size, com port, baud rate, address, interrupt
number, and initialize.
1) Size
The size option allows you to select the size of graphics tablet you are
using. If no tablet exists, the box will be labeled "None". The two sizes
available are "12 x 12" and "6 x 9." You may choose the tablet size of your
choice by selecting on the box to the right of SIZE. This will scroll
through your options.
2) Com Port
This is where you tell the program where your graphics tablet is connected.
You have a possibility of four com ports. Therefore, by selecting on the box
to the right of COM PORT, you will scroll through your options. It is up to
the user to determine which port the communication device is connected. If
you choose an incorrect com port, the word "None" will appear in the SIZE box
and you will get a message saying "Tablet Not Found". If a modem is selected,
you will not be allowed to change the com port to the modem com port.
3) Baud Rate
Baud rate determines the rate at which data is sent. The software allows for
data rates from 1200 bps to 115,200 bps. Although these speeds are available,
you are advised not to change the default value of 9600. Most graphic
tablets use a baud rate of 9600, and if you change this value the tablet will
most likely not work. If you set a baud rate which the tablet cannot handle,
you will get a message saying "Tablet Not Found" and "None" will appear in
the SIZE box.
4) Address
Address shows where the chosen com port can be located. This option is for
experienced users. A default address will appear for each com port. In most
cases, the default value will be correct for the tablet. If a change is
required, select on the box next to "Address". A box will appear waiting for
you to input the desired address. If after choosing this box, you wish to
keep the old address, simply deselect the box. Otherwise, type in the
address and hit the <ENTER> key.
5) Interrupt Number
Each com port must have a unique interrupt request number. A default value
will appear for the com port chosen. Again, this is for experienced users.
An invalid value can create serious problems. If you do wish to change the
address, select the box to the right of "Interrupt #". A box will appear
awaiting the user to enter the new interrupt value. If after choosing this
box, you wish to keep the old interrupt number, just deselect the box.
Otherwise, type in the interrupt number and hit the <ENTER> key.
6) Initialize
The initialize button allows you to initialize the tablet. The tablet will
automatically be initialized when you leave the Tablet Setup after changing
one of the above options. However, there may be a case in which you need to
initialize the tablet without changing any of the above options. One such
example would be if you shock the tablet. This will, in some cases, "knock
out" the tablet. Thus, you will need to re-initialize the tablet. To do so,
select the "Initialize" box. The messages displayed will tell you if the
tablet is installed or not.
NOTE: The tablet will not be initialized if "NONE" appears in the SIZE box,
if the ADDRESS is zero, and/or if the INTERRUPT # is zero. Furthermore,
if SIZE is set to none, you will not be able to select any box until you
select a tablet size. If you have changed any of the above options, you
will be notified if the tablet is installed.
To leave the configuration menu, simply deselect it.
PRINT MENU
1) Print File
Print file allows you to print any .PCX images, .TXT or .FAX files. Select
the file of your choice just as you would for load file. You can either
scroll through the possible files or enter the file name. You must add the
file extension if you manually input the file name. Once you have selected a
file to be printed, you will see a box in the middle of your screen which says
"SAVING PRINT FILE." If you wish to stop printing the document for any
reason, hit the <Esc> button on your keyboard. This will bring up an error
box on your screen, notifying you that the printing was aborted. Otherwise,
the document will be printed.
2) Print Screen/Page
Print screen allows you to print the currently displayed page or image. If
you have annotated on the currently displayed page, those annotations will
also be included.
If you wish to stop printing the screen or page for any reason, hit the <Esc>
button on your keyboard. This will bring up an error box on your screen,
notifying you that the printing was aborted. Otherwise, the document will be
printed.
FILES
The files menu provides the user with six options. It allows you to save and
load any screens created in this program and/or received faxes, send any file
to a remote location, change the current drive and directory, and delete any
.PCX, .TXT and .FAX files.
1) Save File
To save your screen or currently displayed page of a document, select on the
save box. You may save the screen to the file name of your choice, or to an
existing .PCX file.
A) Save a File via the Scrolling Box
To save your screen to an existing file, just select that file name when
it is highlighted.
A maximum of five files will appear in the box. To see the remaining
files, move your cursor to the down arrow and select it, and it will scroll
through the files. To see files that were at the top your list, just move
your cursor to the up arrow. This will scroll through the files.
B) Manually Entering File Name
To save the screen to a new file name or to a file name that already
exists, just enter the new file name via the keyboard. You may wish to
simply type in the name of the file, even if it already exists, since it
may take time to find the correct file by scrolling through all the .PCX
images. A window will pop-up and your file name will appear as you type
it. You do not need to give a file extension, since .PCX will be
automatically appended to the name.
If you do not wish to save the image, deselect it.
NOTE: F4 will do the same. It allows you to save the screen to a filename of
your choice. A window will appear for your input.
2) Save As
A window will appear waiting for you to enter your desired file name. Once
you have entered the name, hit the <Enter> key. You do not need to give a
file extension, since .PCX will be automatically appended to the name. If
you do not wish to save the image, deselect it.
NOTE: F4 will allow you to save the screen to a filename of your choice. A
window will appear waiting for your input.
3) Load File
You can load any .PCX, .TXT, or .FAX files that exist in the current
directory. To load, select on the load box. If there are none of these
files, you will be told so.
A) Load a File via the Scrolling Box
If you wish to load one of these, move the highlight bar to the desired
file and select it.
A maximum of five files will be in the window at one time. If there are
more in the directory, then by moving your cursor to the down arrow and
selecting it will scroll through the other files.
B) Entering the File Name Manually
If you wish to enter the name of the file without trying to locate it by
scrolling through all the files, enter the file name when the window of
all possible images is on the screen. A window will pop up and the name
of the file will occur as you type it. You will need to add the correct
extension. When you have completed the title, hit the <Enter> key.
If you do not wish to select a file, deselect this window.
If you are connected to another PC and this image also exists on that machine,
you will automatically load this image on the remote screen.
NOTE: If you have loaded a fax file, a .TXT file, or a .PCX image that was
previously a fax or .TXT page, you will notice that only a portion of
the page is on the screen. (See the Document Pages section on page for
a discussion on individual pages.)
4) Send File
Send file allows you to send any file to another PC, if you have already
established a connection. It will be saved in the remote's current directory.
You select the file of your choice just as you would for load and save file.
You can either scroll through the possible files or enter the filename. In
this case, you must add the file extension if you manually input the file
name. Once you have selected a file, a window will pop up with the file to
be sent, as well as the total number of packets to be sent and a running
count of the number of packets sent. The remote site will have the same
window on their screen, so that the remote site realizes that a file is
being received. It too, will have a running count of received packets.
Thus, this is a very useful file transfer feature. The remote site cannot
have any menus on the screen, or the file will not be received.
If you wish to stop sending the file for any reason, hit the Escape button on
your keyboard. This will bring up an error box on your screen, notifying you
that the transmission was aborted.
5) Directory
The directory option allows you to change your current drive and directory to
any existing drive and directory.
A) Change Drive
To change the drive, select drive when it is highlighted. This will then
bring up a window with all available drives. Just select the desired one.
To leave the drive menu, deselect it.
NOTE: If you choose drive "A" or "B", make sure that a disk is in the desired
drive and that the door is shut if it is a 5 1/4 drive. Otherwise, you
will be notified by an error message.
B) Change Directory
To change directory, move the highlight bar to the desired directory and
select it. The ".." option will take you to the parent directory of the
current directory. To leave the directory menu, deselect it.
To leave the Directory Menu, simply deselect it. You will notice that when
you return to the main directory menu, that your current path is shown below
the menu. This is to help you make sure that you are in the path of your
choice.
6) Delete
The delete option allows you to delete .PCX, .TXT, and .FAX files from your
current directory. This will bring up all .PCX, .TXT, and .FAX images in the
current directory. If there are none, you will be told so.
A) Delete a File via the Scrolling Box
If you wish to delete one of these, move the highlight bar to the desired
file and select it. A maximum of five files will be in the window at one
time. If there are more in the directory, then by moving your cursor to
the down arrow and selecting it will continue scrolling through the other
files.
B) Entering the File Name Manually
If you wish to enter the name of the file without locating it by scrolling
through all the files, enter the filename when the window of all possible
images is on the screen. A window will pop up and the name of the file
will occur as you type it. You will need to add the correct extension.
When you have completed the title, hit the <Enter> key.
Once you have selected a file, a window will appear asking to verify if you
wish to delete the file. If you are sure that this is the file you wish to
delete, select "YES". Otherwise, select "NO". If you select "YES", the file
will be deleted. If you select "NO", nothing will happen.
If you do not wish to select a file, deselect this window.
FAX MENU
The Fax Menu provides the user with four options. It allows you to send a
.FAX or .PCX file to a fax machine, fax a screen to a fax machine, rename a
received fax, and change the current drive and directory.
1) Fax File
Fax file allows you to send any .FAX, .TXT, or .PCX images to a fax machine.
You select the file of your choice just as you would for load fax file. You
can either scroll through the possible files or enter the file name. You
must add the file extension if you manually input the file name. To use this
feature, you must first select "FAX BOARD" in your communications menu as
your communications device. Once you have selected a file to be faxed, you
will see a box in the middle of your screen which says "CONVERTING TO FAX
FORMAT." Depending on the complexity of the image and the number of pages in
the file, this could take a few minutes to get set-up. Once the conversion
is complete, a window will appear with the number of pages to be sent and a
running count of the number of pages sent. Further, a window will appear
asking you to enter the fax machine's phone number. If you do not wish to
fax this document at this time, deselect. Otherwise, after the number has
been entered, your PC will call the fax machine and send the document page
by page.
If you wish to stop sending the document to the fax machine for any reason,
hit the Escape button on your keyboard. This will bring up an error box on
your screen, notifying you that the transmission was aborted. Otherwise,
after the document has been faxed completely, the Fax box will disappear, and
you will return to the Fax Menu.
2) Fax Screen
Fax screen allows you to send your screen, or particular page, to a fax
machine. When this feature is selected, you may have two options. If you
are displaying a page of a multi-page document, you will be asked if you wish
to send the entire document. To answer "YES", you can either highlight the
"YES" and select it, or hit 'Y' or 'y' on your keyboard.
To answer "NO", you may highlight the "NO" and select it, hit 'N' or 'n' on
the keyboard, or simply deselect this box.
If you answered "YES", the entire document will be faxed. If you have
annotated on the currently displayed page, those annotations will also be
included. If you answered "NO", only the current page, with its annotation,
will be faxed.
NOTE: If you are displaying a screen image (one that does not go beyond the
limits of the screen), or a single page fax, you will not be prompted
with this question.
To use this feature, you must first select "FAX BOARD" in your communications
menu as your communications device. Once you have selected a file to be
faxed, you will see a box in the middle of your screen which says "CONVERTING
TO FAX FORMAT." Depending on the complexity of the image and the number of
pages in the file, this could take a few minutes to get setup. Once the
conversion is complete, a window will appear with the number of pages to be
sent and a running count of the number of pages sent. Further, another
window will appear, asking you to enter the fax machine's phone number. If
you do not wish to fax your screen at this time, deselect. Otherwise, after
the number has been entered, your PC will call the fax machine and send your
current screen page by page.
If you wish to stop sending the document to the fax machine for any reason,
hit the <Esc> button on your keyboard. This will bring up an error box on
your screen, notifying you that the transmission was aborted. Otherwise,
after the screen has been faxed completely, the Fax box will disappear, and
you will return to the Fax Menu.
3) Rename Fax
Rename fax allows you to rename a fax document to another fax document. The
reason for this is due to the way "PC Blackboard VGA" saves incoming faxes.
"PC Blackboard VGA" will provide a unique name to each received fax. It will
consist of six numbers and two characters. The first six numbers are a
combination of the day, month, and hour. The last two characters are created
to insure uniqueness. It is recommended that you rename these files with a
name which is more descriptive of the fax itself.
4) Directory
The directory option allows you to change your current drive and directory to
any existing drive and directory.
A) Change Drive
To change the drive, select drive when it is highlighted. This will then
bring up a window with all available drives. Select the desired one. To
leave the drive menu, deselect it.
NOTE: If you choose drive "A" or "B", make sure that a disk is in the desired
drive and that the door is shut if it is a 5 1/4 drive. Otherwise, you
will be notified by an error message.
B) Change Directory
To change directory, move the highlight bar to the desired directory and
select it. The ".." option will take you to the parent directory of the
current directory. To leave the directory menu, deselect it.
To leave the Directory Menu, simply deselect it. You will notice that when
you return to the main directory menu, that your current path is shown below
the menu. This is ensure that you are in the path of your choice.
TEXT MENU
The text menu allows you to change the color and size of your text. After
choosing Text Menu from the main menu, a window will appear with a palette
button, and an "X" and "Y" box.
To change the color, select Palette and select your desired color just as you
would do from the attribute menu.
For size, you may change the either the "X" (width) or "Y" (height). To
change these, select on the white box, which contains the current size, to
the right of the "X" or "Y".
X (width) Directly to the right of the x button is a window that has the
numerical value for the current x text size. To change the x text value,
position your cursor over the window containing the current size and select
it. Now, as you move your pointing device to the left and right, the value
will change. If you get to the desired size value, select it. If you do not
wish to change the value, deselect it.
Y (height) Directly to the right of the y button is a window that has the
numerical value for the current y text size. To change the y text value,
position your cursor over the window containing the current size and select
it. Now, as you move your pointing device to the left and right, the value
will change. If you get to the desired size value, select it. If you do not
wish to change the value, deselect it.
Once you have set the text attributes, deselect the text menu. Now when you
put text to the screen, it will take on the attributes you setup.
SEND SCREEN
If you are connected to a another PC, this will send your screen to the
remote's screen. Once again, the remote cannot have any menus on the screen,
or the screen will not be received. A box will appear at both sites showing
the users the percentage of data sent and received.
NOTE: Hitting the F3 key on the keyboard will also send your screen to the
other PC. This is usually more convenient than going back to the main
menu to send your screen.
If you wish to stop sending the screen for any reason, hit the Escape button
on your keyboard. This will bring up an error box on your screen, notifying
you that the transmission was aborted.
UNDO
The undo feature will remove all annotations from the screen since the last
save of the image. This includes free hand draw, shapes, and text. This
means that the original image will now be in place, without the annotation.
If you wish to make any annotation permanent, save the image via the files
menu. If you do save the image, UNDO will not remove the marks made prior to
saving the image.
To UNDO, simply select "UNDO" from the Main Menu. If there is not enough
disk space for UNDO, you will get an error message and be returned to the
Main Menu. If there is enough disk space, all annotation marks made since
the last save will be removed.
CLEAR SCREEN
You may clear your screen to anyone of the sixteen shades of grey. If you
select the "Clear" box, your screen will be cleared to your currently chosen
background color. If you wish to select a new background color, select the
"Palette" box. This will bring up the sixteen available colors. Your
currently chosen background, will be displayed in the big box to the left of
the sixteen grey shades. If you wish to change the color, select the box
that contains your desired color. You must now exit the "Palette" by
deselecting it. You may then select "Clear" to clear your screen to your new
color. If you are connected to another PC, it will clear their screen also.
NOTE: Hitting the F2 key on the keyboard will also clear your screen. This
is usually more convenient than going back to the main menu to clear
your screen.
EXIT
The final option on the menu is Exit. This will exit you from the "PC
Blackboard VGA" program and return you to DOS. If you are connected, it will
disconnect the call first, then exit to DOS.
NOTE: All drawing tool attributes and all parameters for communications and
the tablet are saved so that the next time you enter the "PC Blackboard
VGA" program, they will all be just as you left them.
DOCUMENT PAGES
Documents received from a fax machine, as well as .TXT files and any
oversized .PCX images are displayed differently than images created in the
"PC Blackboard VGA" program. Only a portion of each page can be shown at one
time. This is due to the fact that it would be impossible to comprehend the
information if it was constrained by the area on your monitor. Therefore, we
have created a virtual page. That is, each page extends below the screen.
Through the document queue, the user can then scroll through the document.
The options will appear in a queue in the bottom, right hand corner of the
screen. This queue will allow you to scroll up and down, jump to the top of
the page, jump to the bottom of the page, and go to a particular page of a
multi-page document. This queue is the interface for the document pages. As
you move your cursor towards the bottom of the screen, your cursor will change
to a CROSS. As you position your cursor over the desired icon and select it,
the function associated with that icon will occur. The following list
provides a description of the document queue's options.
A) Scroll Up: This is represented by the arrow pointing up. This will allow
you to scroll toward the top of the document. That is, portions
of the page that lie above your currently displayed page will
now be displayed, while less of the bottom portion will be
displayed. When you have reached the top of the document, this
function will have no effect.
B) Scroll Down: This is represented by the arrow pointing down. This will
allow you to scroll towards the bottom of the document. That
is, portions of the page which are below your currently
displayed portion will now be displayed, while less of the
currently displayed portion will be on the screen. When you
have reached the bottom of the document page, this function
will have no effect.
C) Top of Page: This is represented by the capitol 'T'. This will
automatically jump to top of the image. This is more
convenient than continually scrolling to the top of the page.
Basically, this is used to save the user the time of
scrolling.
D) Bottom of Page: This is represented by the capitol 'B'. This is similar to
the Top of Page function, except that it jumps to the
bottom of the page. Again, this is meant to save the user
from continually scrolling down the page.
E) Change Page: This is represented by the current page number. When you
first load a document, the number '1' will appear in this box.
If you touch on this box, another box will appear in the
middle of your screen. This box will allow you to display
any page that exists in the document. As you move your
pointing device, the available pages will appear. When you
come to the desired page number, select it. The program will
then load this page to your screen. If this is only a one
page document, selecting this option will do nothing.
If the document queue is in your way, hit the F6 key on the keyboard to take
the queue away. You can now use your drawing tools within this area.
However, you will not be able to scroll or change pages until you bring the
queue back. To bring it back, you must hit the F6 key once again.
FUNCTION KEYS
F1 - If you are connected to a remote site, this will toggle between off-line
and on-line. If you are on-line, you will go off-line, and if you are
off-line, you will go on-line. A message will appear on the screen with
the word "On-Line" or "Off- Line", depending on which state the modem is
in currently. (See the Call Status portion of the Communications section
for an understanding of on-line and off-line.)
F2 - This will clear your screen to the current background color. If you
are connected to a remote site, this will clear their screen to their
background color.
F3 - If you are connected to a remote site, this will send your screen to
the remote's screen.
F4 - This will fax your screen, current page of a .FAX or .PCX file, or the
entire .FAX or .PCX file. (See part 3: Fax Screen in the Fax Menu
section.)
F5 - Allows you to save the screen to a filename of your choice. The
maximum number of characters in the filename is eight. The filename
will automatically become a .PCX image, so you do not need to add an
extension. This is quicker than accessing the save option under the
Files menu. A window will appear and wait for the file name to be
typed. When you are finished, hit the <Enter> key and the screen will
be saved to the file name you just typed. If you do not wish to save
the screen after hitting the F4 key, deselect it.
F6 - This will toggle the document queue. If the queue is displayed, this
will take it away. If it is not displayed, it will display it. This
is a useful feature, when the queue is covering something you wish to
discuss, or when you wish to draw within the area occupied by the queue.
F7 - This is allows the user to change his/her drawing tool by the keyboard.
It is the same action as deselecting with the pointing device while in
the drawing space.
F8 - Provides the user with a quick way to change the attributes of the
currently chosen tool. Hitting F7 will bring up the attribute menu for
the current tool. This saves the user the time of going through the
main menu.
F10 - This will bring up the information screen. It contains the version
number and revision number of the program, as well as the serial number.
It also contains Serial Solutions' address and phone number. This is
valuable for registration information.
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM
To start the program, type "PCBBVGA" at the DOS prompt.
EG: D>PCBBVGA
When you start the program, a window will appear with information in it. It
contains the program version as well as information concerning peripheral
devices. It will indicate if a mouse is installed, whether a tablet is
installed, the kind of graphic card you have, the type of modem being
installed if one exists, and if there was any expanded memory found. You may
want to keep an eye on these as they are displayed to confirm that everything
you want installed is installed.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Mouse: First, if it does not install, make sure you install the mouse driver
for the correct com port from DOS. Second, make sure the mouse is
connected to the PC, and that it does not conflict with any device.
That is, make sure you have not assigned another device to the same
com port.
Tablet: If it does not install, make sure it is turned on. Second, make sure
it is connected to the PC. Third, check the configuration screen to
make sure it is setup for the correct com port. If it is not, follow
the steps outlined in the configuration section to re-install it.
Modem: If it is not found, make sure it is turned on. Second, make sure it is
connected to the PC at the correct com port. Third, make sure your
modem can handle the baud rate for which you are attempting to use it.
ERROR MESSAGES
There are 38 possible errors that can occur while in the "PC Blackboard VGA"
program.
Error 1: "Board Detected not supported"
This error occurs at the beginning of the program when a card is
detected that cannot be set to the mode that this program requires.
If this error occurs, the program will exit to DOS. Generally, this
would mean you have a faulty graphics card, or you are attempting to
use a monochrome card.
Error 2: "Tool File Corrupted - Using Default"
This error occurs at the beginning of the program when the program
attempts to read the tool file. The tool file holds the previously
set attributes for all the tools, as well as the communication and
tablet parameters. When this error occurs, the tool attributes, the
communication parameters, and the tablet parameters will be set to
their default values.
Error 3: "Unable to Create Tool File"
This error occurs when exiting from the program. If this error
occurs, it means that the program was unable to create a tool file.
Thus, any changes made to the tool attributes, communication
parameters, and tablet parameters will not be saved. Therefore,
they will take on their default values the next time you enter the
"PC Blackboard VGA" program.
Error 4: "Not Enough Memory For Data Allocation"
This error occurs when the program cannot allocate memory for
internal buffers that will be used for reading and writing to disk.
Error 5: "Not Enough Memory For Menu Allocation"
This error occurs when the program cannot allocate memory for a
menu which is to be displayed to the screen.
Error 6: "Error Saving Tool File"
This error is similar to Error 3, except that the file was created,
but the Tool file could not be addressed. Again, since the
attributes and parameters could not be saved, the tool attributes,
communication parameters, and tablet parameters, will take on their
default values.
Error 7: "Time-Out Error"
This error occurs when sending or receiving a file or screen. If
data is not received in a time determined by the baud rate being
used, this error will occur. It means that the data was not sent
or received in its entirety. If this error occurs, attempt to
re-send. It may have been a problem in the telephone line. If the
error persists, you should try two things. First, disconnect the
call, and attempt the call again. This should clear up any
problems that may have been occurring with the telephone line or
com port. Or second, verify that both sites are setup at the same
baud rate. If you are not, the time-out value will not be correct
for the actual baud rate. The one with the highest baud rate will
time-out to early.
Error 8: "Unable To Open File"
This error occurs when the "PC Blackboard VGA" program attempts to
load a file to the screen, but is unable. If this error occurs,
attempt to reload it. If it continues to fail, the file is likely
to be corrupted.
Error 9: "Invalid Response Code"
This error occurs when a file or screen is being sent to a remote
site. It means an error has occurred in transmission. You should
attempt to re-send the file or screen.
Error 10: "Unable To Read From File"
This error occurs when the "PC Blackboard VGA" program is unable
to read a file from disk. If this error occurs, attempt to reload
it. If it continues to fail, the file is likely to be corrupted.
Error 12: "Unable To Write To File"
This error occurs when attempting to write to disk If this error
occurs, attempt to re-save the screen. If it continues to fail,
you may want to check your hard drive or floppy disk to make sure
enough memory exists to save the image.
Error 13: "Graphic Card Does Not Handle This Image"
This error occurs when the program attempts to load a .PCX image
which is too complex for the mode being utilized.
Error 14: "Invalid File or Path"
This error occurs when the user attempts to change his/her current
directory to a directory that does not exist.
Error 15: "Unable to Rename File"
This error occurs when you attempt to rename a .FAX to a new name
of your choice, and the PC is unable to perform this action. You
may be using illegal characters, so try to rename it again.
Error 16: "Unable to Delete File"
This error occurs when the PC is unable to delete the file you have
selected to be deleted from the File Menu.
Error 17: "Not a Valid PCX Image"
The .PCX image that you are attempting to load is not in the correct
.PCX format.
Error 18: "Fax Response Error"
This will occur during the "handshake" between the fax board and a
fax machine. It means that an invalid response was given, which
means an error has occurred between the two devices. Transmission
will either not take place, or cease to continue. You should try
the action again.
Error 19: "User Aborted Transmission"
This error occurs when the user aborted the transmission of a file
or screen. This occurs when the sender of the data hits the <ESC>
key during transmission.
Error 20: "Fax Board Not Installed"
This will occur when the user tries to fax an image or file, and
the fax board has not been selected as your communication device in
the Configuration Menu. You should change your device type.
Error 21: "Unable to Continue, Already On-Line"
This error occurs when the user attempts to "Connect" in the
Communication Menu, when he/she is already connected, or if you
attempt to change parameters in the configuration menu.
Error 22: "Unable to Continue, Not On-Line"
This occurs when the user is trying to access send screen and/or
send file when not on-line.
Error 23: "No Modem Defined"
This error will occur in the Configuration Menu if you attempt to
change a communication parameter and a communication device has not
been chosen. This error will also occur if the user attempts to
enter the Communication Menu when no communication device has been
chosen in the Configuration Menu.
Error 24: "Fax Board Cannot Utilize This Menu"
This error will occur if you attempt to enter the Communication
Menu when your communications device is "Fax Board". This is to
inform the user that the "Fax Board" does not use this menu option.
Error 26: "Drive Not Ready"
This error will occur if you attempt to change your drive to a
floppy drive that is not ready; that is, if there is either no
disk in the drive, or the drive door is open on a 5 1/4 floppy
drive. You should check the drive, and try again.
Error 28: "Not Connected To Another PC"
This error occurs when the user tries to toggle between On-Line and
Off-Line when he/she is not connected to another PC.
Error 29: "User Aborted The Receiving of Data"
This error occurs when the receiver of data from another PC has hit
the <ESC> key to abort the reception of data. This is mostly to
tell the user that he/she was successful in aborting the receiving
of data.
Error 30: "Not Enough Disk Memory For Undo"
This error occurs when the directory you are working in does not
have enough disk space to hold the "Undo" file.
Error 31: "User Aborted The Printing of Data"
This occurs when the user hits the <ESC> key while printing an
image. If the user accidently hit the <ESC> key, he/she will need
to print the image again.
Error 32: "Document Queue Does Not Exist"
This error occurs if the user attempts to use the F6 key when a
document has not been loaded. This is not a serious error, but
more of an information message.
Error 33: "Printer Error - Not Connected or Not On"
This error will occur if the user attempts to enter the Print Menu
when either the printer is not connected or not on. The user
should check the cable, make sure the printer is on, and finally,
make sure the printer is on-line.
Error 34: "No Tablet Defined"
This error occurs if the user tries to change an option within the
Tablet Setup when a tablet size has not been specified. The user
should select a tablet size at this time.
Error 35: "No Address is Assigned"
This error will occur if the user tries to install either a modem
or tablet when an address value of zero has been selected. The
user must select a valid address before installing the modem or
tablet.
Error 36: "No Interrupt Number is Assigned"
This error will occur if the user tries to install either a modem
or tablet when an interrupt number of zero has been selected. The
user must select a valid interrupt number before installing the
modem or tablet.
Error 37: "Unable to Access EMS"
This error occurs when the PC attempts to Read or Write to EMS, but
is unable to.
Error 38: "Erase Has No Attributes"
This error occurs if you try to access the attribute menu while the
erase tool is chosen. This is due to the fact that erase has no
user definable attributes. If you had previously saved the image
with the annotation, you will not be able to erase those
annotations. Therefore, you may only erase annotation marks since
the last save.
