^ Its main purpose is to store baseball card information in a format
that can be used at anytime and manipulated quickly. Primarily
designed to be used by collectors and investors in the hobby of
baseball cards. Its functions and power rivaling other similar
$ programs.
m The program is distributed under the Shareware concept, if you
continue to use this program on a regular basis then I ask that you
please register. As always, registering has its advantages. Check
the documentation for further information.
Thank you... Pat Ordona.
= (Author)
Help: Main Menu Display #1
J The Main Menu is broken down into several sections:
] First: information - Program name and current version.
' Current DOS date and time.
. Title of the menu or operation you are in.
Q Second: Available - [A]dd, [D]isplay, [F]ind/Search, [P]rint, or
operations [Q]uick display list of Baseball Card Entries.
[U]tilties for Baseball Card Entries.
# [C]onfigure program operations.
) [M]aintain or [R]eindex Baseball Card Data Files.
J Third: Data File - Current number of Baseball Card entries in the
Information currently opened Baseball Card Data File.
The currently opened Baseball Card Data File.
Zippy Description of the Baseball Card Data File.
Help: Main Menu Display #2
J The Main Menu is broken down into several sections:
] Fourth: Addtional - [ESC]ape to DOS (quit to DOS)
commands
[S]hell to DOS
: [H]elp (you are now reading)
, [Z]ippy Description of the Baseball Card Data
file.
t Other hidden commands: [ALT]+[S] System Information
, [ALT]+[X] Quick Exit to DOS
Help: Main Menu Commands #1
J [ESC] - One of the most important and headache saving commands.
Y Pressing this key will allow you to safely exit or abort
any commands or operations you may not want to procede with.
T When you are at the card display, a dialog box will appear
asking if you are sure that you want to exit the program.
If you choose to exit, you will be returned to DOS.
] When you are in a dialog box, you will be returned to the
menu you were in without executing that dialog box job,
in otherwords, abort or exit that operation.
Help: Main Menu Commands #2
J The next few commands work while in the Main Menu:
^ [S]
- Instead of exiting the program to accomplish a small task
with DOS, you can SHELL to DOS to do the task and return to
the program where you left off.
h [H]
- Forgot or learning a command, help screens will give brief
help on the programs operations and commands.
Z [~]
- In any menu a line will be displayed showing free string
space and free available memory.
g [ALT]+[S] - Shows a brief listing of your computers equipment.
R [ALT]+[X] - Fast exit to DOS. Skips dialog box asking sure if you
want to exit to DOS.
Help: Main Menu Commands #3
J [A]dd - Adds a new baseball card entry to the currently opened
baseball card data file.
Information such as the card's: issue year, issue company, card
type, card number, player's name, position, team, price and
quantity can be entered.
Issue year defaults to the current year on your computer.
Issue Company and Card Type have defaults you set in the program
configuration section.
Player Position and Team have defaults you set from.
Z Basic editor commands apply when entering information.
Z [ESC]ape will abory entry. [ENTER] will save entry to the data file.
L If you save the entry, BCK will automatically sort the data file
before returning to the Main Menu if sort is set in the Config Menu.
Help: Main Menu Commands #4
J [D]isplay - display's each baseball card entry in the card data file.
K At the bottom of the screen are available these sub-commands:
Commands for showing the next and previous card entries.
[E]dit, [K]ill, [P]rint, or [C]opy the currently displayed entry.
[ALT]+[C]opy the current displayed entry to another card file.
[J]ump to the first entry of a specified card number.
Y [ESC]ape or [ENTER] will return you to the Main Menu.
[ If you should delete any entries, upon returning to the Main Menu BCK will pack the card data file to permanently remove entries marked for deletion.
Note more detailed help is available when in the Display screen.
Help: Main Menu Commands #5
J [F]ind/
- Search the Baseball Card Data File for entries that
Search
match the fields you enter data to find.
Z It appears as if you are adding an entry to the card file, but all
you need to do is enter any information to look for. When you are
done press [ENTER] to begin searching or [ESC]ape to return to the
Main Menu.
A Soundex "Sound-Alike" option is available in the program
Configuration section.
z Any entries that match ALL fields you entered information for will be displayed to you. Press the [SPACE BAR] will continue the search
until no more entries are found or [ESC]ape will return you to the
Main Menu.
Help: Main Menu Commands #6
J [P]rint - Print baseball card entries in various formats.
V Currently two different printouts are available:
` [1] A quick listing similar to the Quick listing command available
in the Main Menu.
Only the year, issue company, card type, card number, player,
mint price, and mint quantity are printed
c [2] A detailed listing. Same as above but also includes the player's
position, team, and part of the comment.
h Note that compressed mode is used for this printout.
Help: Main Menu Commands #11
J [C]onfiguration - You have various options available that you can
set to meet your needs.
Drive and path of BCK program files and data files.
Sort method for Baseball Card Data files.
The location of your printer port and print quality (draft, medium,
and near letter) depending on the type of printer used.
The editing of Issue Company and Card Type defaults used when
adding, editing, or searching baseball card entries.
The use of soundex "sound-alike" searches.
Automatic configuration save before exiting the program.
Create a backup of the currently opened baseball card data file.
N [ENTER] to save configuration settings to disk.
[ESC]ape to return to the Main Menu without saving the configuration.
K More detailed help on Configuration is available.
Help: Main Menu Commands #7
J [Q]uick List Display - To quickly view all baseball card entries
in the opened card data file.
\ Only basic information is shown, a "Quick List". Information such as
issue year, issue company, card type, card number, player name, mint
price and quantity is shown.
t [ESC]ape to abort listing and return to the Main Menu.
Z Any other key will pause the listing.
* This command available only while in the Main Menu and if there
are card entries in the card data file.
Help: Main Menu Commands #9
J [M]aintanence of Baseball Card Data Files - maintain order among your
/ data files.
[O]pen an existing baseball card data file.
[C]reate a new baseball card data file.
[D]elete an existing baseball card data file (CAREFUL!)
Select a [N]ew temporary drive and path for the location of data
files, the Card Data Files.
s [ESC]ape or [ENTER] will return you to the Main Menu.
You cannot leave this sub-menu unless a card file has been opened or
created.
[ Help: Installation Mode ]
BCK has a built in installation routine that will copy all necessary
files to the users choice of drive and path and prepare for the
initial load of the program.
The first item asked is a destination drive and path. [ESC]ape or
[ENTER] alone will abort. After entering a drive and path, BCK will
check if it exists. If the path does not exist, BCK will make it for
you. All necessary files are copied to the selected destination, if
not an error message will appear.
If installation was successful, then you are placed in the selected
destination. Upon the first load of BCK, go to the Configuration
Menu and setup as desired, making sure item [1] and [2] is configured.
[ESC]ape to exit help. (Note: Installation mode will reset)
[ Help: Registration Mode ]
Since this program is distributed under the Share-ware concept, it
is only natural that this program have a registration routine to
ensure that the author and the users that pay for the use of this
program are entitled some sort of fairness.
With paid registration of this program, the user is given a special
number that removes the opening screen and unlocks special features
that an unregistered copy cannot have. This number will work on all
future and past versions of this program.
You are first asked to enter you name AS YOU ENTERED IT IN THE
REGISTER.TXT OR IN SCRIPT ON MY BBS. Failure to do so will cause the
program to deny further attempts to register.
Afterwards, enter the special number sent to you. If successful, you
are displayed a message. The program is now registered to you.,
PLEASE DO NOT RE-DISTRIBUTE REGISTERED COPIES!
[ESC]ape to exit help. (Note: Registration Mode will reset)
Help: Main Menu Commands #10
J [R]e-Index Card Data File -
Help: Main Menu Commands #12
J [L]ists - Create Checklists
Help: The Display
J The Baseball Card Keeper (BCK) is based around a Main Menu display.
Various commands and operations can be selected from the Main Menu,
which you will return to after each operation is completed.
U Baseball card information is kept in "Card Data Files" that have
extensions of ".BCK" in DOS. An index file is also used to speed up
access to the information, ".NDX" in DOS.
g Currently up to 999 baseball card entries can be placed in one data
file. Basecall card data files contain various information, which
can be added to, edited, or used through various commands listed
throughout the display.
Major Commands are in RED, YELLOW, GREEN, or combinations of the
three and are usually found to the right and bottom of the display.
Help: Exiting
J There are two types of exits:
s From a menu, pressing [ESC] will cause the program to display a
dialog box. In this box you are asked if you want to exit the
program to DOS, in which there is no other way to return to the
program unless loaded up again.
q While in a dialog box, pressing [ESC] will cause that box to
disappear and you return to the current menu as if nothing happened.
In otherwords, you aborted that box's operation.
Help: Dialog Boxes #1
J A dialog box is a window displayed over the current menu that is
almost like a sub-program within the program.
c Within this box is displayed information, for you the user, to
decide on what further actions you want the program to do. In a way,
this is a way to communicate or talk with the program, telling it
what YOU want it to do... hence a dialog box.
c There are two types of dialog boxes: a YES/NO box or a user entered
data box.
A YES/NO box simple asks you YES or NO to the option asked. Use
either [Y] for YES or [N] for NO to answer. Or use the cursor keys
] or [
] to move the bar over the YES/NO blocks and press [ENTER]
to answer. Pressing [ESC] aborts any of the operations and returns
you to the menu as if you never opened the dialog box.
Help: Dialog Boxes #2
J There are two types of dialog boxes: a YES/NO box or a user entered
data box.
The user entered data box asks you you to enter data related to what
option you want to commence. Some boxes will ask for a number or a
path to be entered. Enter the data and press [ENTER] to proceed. Or
press [ESC] to abory any of the operations and return to the current
menu as if you never opened the dialog box.
e While in this type of box, you have typical editing commands and
functions available to you.
Help: Main Menu Commands #13
J [Z]ippy Description - A brief description of the baseball card data
file can be entered or modified.
Z A forty character limit is placed on the description.
[ This description is showed in the Main Menu with the baseball card
data information (total entries and current data file).
Y [ESC]ape aborts to the Main Menu. [ENTER] will save the description.
L All descriptions are kept in files with the extension ".DES"
Help: Editing Commands
J When adding or editing address cards, you have basic editing
commands, similar to some popular word processors. They are:
- To move up one line/field/entry.
] or [TAB] - To move down one line/field/entry.
- To move to the right within a line/field/entry.
- To move to the left within a line/field/entry.
S [ENTER]
- To save all changes made. All additions/changes will
written to the card data file.
[ESC]
- To abort all changes. Nothing is written to the card
data file.
w You have basic editor type commands when editing, other editing
information is placed at the bottom of the screen.
Help: Reserved
J This page reserved for future use.
Help: Display Commands
J Several commands are available while in the [D]isplay command mode
from the Main Menu:
] - for the previous card entry
] - for the next card entry
[PGUP] - for previous 10 entries
[PGDN] - for next 10 entries
[HOME] - for the first card entry
[END ] - for last card entry
N From the current displayed card entry:
$ [E]dit to fix, modify, or add additional information.
[K]ill to remove the entry from the card data file.
[P]rint to have a hardcopy.
- [C]opy as another entry, useful when adding cards of one player.
[ALT]+[C]opy to another Card File.
l [J]ump to the first entry to matches the card number you specify.
O [ESC]ape or [ENTER] will return you to the Main Menu.
Help: Configuration Commands #1
J Options available for configuration are as follows:
] [1] Drive and path of program files (.EXE/.CFG/.DAT files).
U [2] Drive and path of card data files (.BCK/.NDX/.DES files), allowing
you to store card data files separate from the program files.
O [3] Sort method for card data files. After adding or editing an entry
in a card data file, BCK sorts the data file according to your
choice: a) no sort, b) year/company/card number, c) company/card
number/year, and d) card number/year/company.
_ [4] Port location of your printer. Selectable ports LPT1 through LPT4.
J [5] Print text quality. Selectable from Draft, Medium, or Near Letter.
Help: Configuration Commands #2
J [6] Use of soundex "sound alike" during Find/Search operations, this
will help find matches similar to data you are looking for.
Q [7] The automatic backup of card data files upon exiting.
W [8] The automatic saving of the program's configuration (.CFG) to
disk upon exiting the program.
n [A] The addition/modification of "Issue Company" defaults used when
entering or editing a card entry. Examples would be Upper Deck,
Topps, etc.
[B] The addition/modification of "Card Type" defaults used when
entering or editing a card entry. Examples would be Rookie, Error,
Star, Corrected, etc.
w [ESC]ape returns to the Main Menu. [ENTER] save configuration to disk.
Help: Main Menu Commands #8
J [U]tilities - Utilities to update and maintain Baseball Card Entries.
List all card entries with mint/excellent quantities in excess of
of one.
List all card entries with identicial entries.
List all missing cards from a set.
Display the estimated total value of all card entries in the card
file using either the mint, excellent, or both prices.
Change/Update the prices of card entries matching the year, card
company, card type, and mint/excellent/or both prices.
X [ESC]ape or [ENTER] will return you to the Main Menu.
Help: Utilities Commands #1
J Utility Sub-Commands available:
q [1] Scans your card file for any and all card entries whose mint or
excellent quantities are in excess of one (duplicate cards).
P [2] Scans your card file for any and all card entries that have
entries that are identicial (duplicate entries).
\ [3] Scans your card file for all sets (card company and year).
You are asked for the highest number in that set, then lists
all card numbers you are missing from that set.
] [4] Finds the total estimated value of all the cards in the Card File
using both mint and excellent price values.
a [5] Finds the total estimated value of all the cards in the Card File
using only mint price values of the card entries.
Help: Utilities Commands #2
J Utility Sub-Commands available:
q [6] Change/Update any card entry prices that match the year, card
company, card type, and mint/excellent/or both prices.
Z You are asked:
the year to update.
the card company to update.
the card type to update.
the mint price to update and the new mint price to change to.
the excellent price to update and the new excelletn price to
change to.
You need not update both mint or excellent prices.
^ This is an ideal way to update the prices of the common cards.
Installation Mode
1. Enter the DRIVE and PATH where you wish to install/copy this program.
If not found, the program will create the directory.
Enter now:
[ESC]ape To DOS
[ALT]+[H]elp
Registration Mode
This program is already registered to:
[ESC]ape To DOS
[ALT]+[H]elp
Howdy, and welcome to...
"Baseball Card Keeper"
or "BCK" for short
Written in
Version 1.1
Microsoft's QuickBASIC.
Written by Pat Ordona
For and by Baseball Card
Collectors and Investors.
(C)opyright 1989-1990. All rights reserved.
Home at the Micro Images BBS of Virginia Beach, Virginia: (804) 474-1684
This program is distributed under the Shareware concept, if you like
and continue to use this program then please REGISTER!
Read the program's documentation for more information.
There are advantages to registering! Read the documentation!
Press any key to continue...
[PGUP]/[PGDN] for next/previous help page. [ESC]ape to exit help.
(.txt)