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Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 4
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Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume 4 (1993).iso
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ccf20.exe
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1992-07-22
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FRACTURED FEMUR SOFTWARE
Presents
T H E C O I N C O L L E C T O R ' S F R I E N D
Version 2.00
Written By Ross Contino
Copyrighted 1992
I. INTRODUCTION
DISCLAIMER
THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED "AS IS," FRACTURED FEMUR SOFTWARE MAKES NO
WARRANTY, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. FRACTURED FEMUR SOFTWARE DOES NOT
WARRANT THAT THE PROGRAM WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT THE
OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. YOU ARE
SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SELECTION OF THE PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE YOUR
INTENDED RESULTS AND FOR THE RESULTS ACTUALLY OBTAINED.
Now that the necessary evil disclaimers are out of the way
-- WELCOME TO THE COIN COLLECTORS FRIEND (CCF)!
CCF began when a coin collector approached me expressing his particular needs
with a coin collection database. That gentleman was Rich Lewis. Thanks to
Rich's suggestions and beta testing, you see CCF before you. I hope you find
the program useful, and easy to use.
What exactly does CCF do?
1. Creates an unlimited number of coin collection database files.
Each of those files may contain an unlimited number of coin data files.
2. Prints reports:
a) User filtered queries
b) Complete coin registers
c) Complete collection summaries
d) User selected Price Listings
This last feature seems to be the most unique and important to collectors who
have tested the program.
3. Tracks current market values of each coin by two different trends
4. Allows inventory maintenance
5. Allows sales pricing
6. Provides the user with complete on-line help
II. SETUP
System Requirements - IBM compatible -- 512K RAM (640k RAM/Hard disk preferred).
CCF is usually passed from user to user in an archived format -- i.e.
CCF20.ZIP, CCF20.ARC, etc. To install CCF, make a DOS directory and expand
the archived file to that directory. For example, at the DOS prompt:
MD C:\CCF
PKUNZIP A:\CCF20.ZIP C:\CCF
CCF requires three files to run:
COINS.EXE -- DOS Executable file
COINS.HLP -- On-line help files
CCF.DOC -- The Directions!!!
CCF will also create and delete several files during normal operation. The
names will vary, and are dependent on user input.
The above example makes several assumptions: User is installing a ZIP archive
from Floppy Drive A to Hard Drive C. Please alter the drives and materials as
appropriate.
That's it! CCF should be installed and running. One final note: Always run
COINS.EXE from the CCF directory specifically. Otherwise, CCF will be unable
to find its data files and will attempt to create new ones.
III. TUTORIAL
STARTING THE PROGRAM
Change to the directory where CCF resides. Type COINS.EXE at the DOS prompt.
Execution should begin immediately. Several data files will be created on
first time use.
MAIN MENU
Upon entry to the Main Menu, the user will find six possible options:
1. Access Coin Files -- Enter the Coin Listing of a specific collection
2. Collections - Creates/Edits/Deletes collection files. Also provides an
overview of all current collections and their value.
3. Setup - Allows configuration of report device (i.e. LPT1, LPT2, CON, etc.)
4. Total Overview -- Prints a report to selected device summarizing all
current collections
5. Breakdowns - Allows the user to print reports based on a filtered query
for a specific coins
6. Register-Single -- Prints a complete listing of all the coins in a
specified collection
Use your cursor keys to move around the menu, highlighting various options.
Pressing the key corresponding to the first letter in any menu selection
will cause immediate execution of that option.
CREATE A COIN COLLECTION
If this is the first time you have run COINS.EXE, your screen will appear to
be doing some gymnastics. CCF is designed to require the user to specify a
report device before it will run. Assuming this is a first time tutorial, you
are probably surprised to find yourself sitting in front of a red and white
screen with port names on it. Use your cursor keys to select where you wish
all reports from CCF to be printed. For the time being, select CON (the
computer monitor) and press <Enter>. Now a small purple screen is displayed
showing CON as the active report device. Hit <Esc> and exit to the Main Menu.
We will attempt to conserve paper through the tutorial! If you wish to change
the output device later, select setup from the Main Menu.
Select Collections from the Main Menu. A blue on black screen will appear
prompting for information relative to creating a new coin collection file.
As an example, enter the following:
NAME: Jefferson Nickels (hit the <Enter> key - enter the collection name
DATA FILE JEFFNICK (hit the <Enter> key - enters the DOS data file name
Each name must be unique. CCF will double check
you. If the field is beeping and not accepting input
the file name is a duplicate. Enter a new name.
TREND VALUE1: COIN WORLD (hit the <Enter> key - enters the name of the first
trade journal Trend you wish to follow
TREND VALUE2: GRAY SHEET (hit the <Enter> key - enters the name of the second
trade journal Trend you wish to follow
With the completion of TREND VALUE2, you will be returned to a cyan colored
table listing your newest coin collection. From this screen, you may create
other coin collections by striking the <Ins> key. You may also edit exiting
collections by highlighting an entry and pressing the <Enter> key. Finally,
deletion of a collection may be performed by striking the <Del> key. WARNING:
deleting a collection also deletes all of the related coin files as well!
If you are following the tutorial, you should now have one Jefferson Nickel
collection highlighted on the collection table. Hit the <Esc> key to return to
the Main Menu
ACCESS COIN FILES
At the Main Menu select "Access Coin Files" and press <Enter>. A line will
appear at the top of the screen prompting you to input a file name. You should
also see a table listing your newly created data base - JEFFERSON NICKELS. Use
the cursor to highlight JEFFERSON NICKELS and press <Enter>. This action
instructs CCF to open the data files specific for the Jefferson Nickel file.
The program displays a coin file table listing all coins in the Jefferson
Nickel collection. Since the file is empty, an entry form is automatically
called. Follow the prompts on the entry form, and enter the data as you desire
for each category. For purposes of example, enter:
CATALOG NO: JN1992S
DATE: 1992
MINT MARK S
TYPE: A nice little coin
GRADE: (Use your cursor keys to select a type from the prompts and
strike <Enter>. At this point the user will be asked if
he/she wishes to enter a numeric value for Mint State. For
example select UNC with the cursor, hit <Enter>, and type
60/60 for mint state. Reflecting the front and back of the
coin. If no mint state is desired, enter a blank.
SLAB: Type either the slab designation or desired description. For
this example, enter a blank. CCF will automatically type NO
in the blank field.
SOURCE "A gift from Mom" (hit the <Enter> key )
COST 0.00 after all, you said it was a gift!
COIN WORLD 1.00 Notice the Trend is prompted from what you entered
as your TREND 1 in the collection file
GRAY SHEET 1.02 TREND 2 value
SALES PRICE 1.01 Placed between the two trends
STATUS STOCK Highlight the stock option with the cursor
MINTAGE 3.4 Million Enter the number of this coin minted
NOTES A place to enter notes
Your screen should now be displaying a cyan table with your new coin entry
highlighted in the first position. Note the bottom of the table. In
particular, there is a breakdown of "HOT KEYS" for this screen. Let us pursue
their function.
Starting with the <Ins>, <Enter>, and <Del> keys. Convention throughout CCF is
followed where the <Ins> key enters a new item into the current database,
<Enter> edits the highlighted item, and <Del> removes the highlighted item
from the database. These are your main keys for database maintenance.
Other unique hot keys:
<Space> marks the highlighted coin with a check mark
<Alt-C> clears all checks from all marked coins
<Alt-V> view the all details of the highlighted coin
<Alt-P> prints a price listing to the desired report device. This price
list includes ONLY MARKED (CHECKED) COINS
OK, lets try some of the keys. Your first coin should still be highlighted.
Press <Alt-V>. A screen displaying a complete information listing about the
coin should be displayed. Hit any key to exit this screen. Now let's push
the space bar. A check mark now is present in front of our coin. It is
marked. Press <Alt-P>, and if your system is configured for the screen, as in
the tutorial, you will see a price listing displayed on screen containing our
coin. Press the Page Down key to cycle to the end of the report. At the end
of the page, you will be returned to the coin table. The coin remains marked.
Press <Alt-C> (all clear), to clear the mark. And there your are! You
successfully ran through the main engine of CCF!
Hit the <Esc> key to return to the Main Menu. Just for interest, select
Collections. You should now see the Jefferson Nickel file has been updated
with grand total values for each trend. Hit <Esc> and exit the collection
table.
REPORTS
Lastly, let us explore the reports available from CCF. You have already
experimented with the price listing feature, but CCF also provide three other
report features:
Total Overview: Selecting this option from the main menu will print a
report of all collections and their current trend values
Breakdowns: Selecting this option will allow the user to select a
collection and make filtered queries - regarding collection,
date, and mint mark
Registry - Single: Allows the user to print a complete listing of a
specified collection.
Each of these reports will create an ASCII file which will be printed on
your output device configured in the Setup command.
ON-LINE HELP
On-line help is available for nearly every screen in CCF. Pressing the <F1>
key on a screen should provide you with help.
EXITING THE PROGRAM
Help!!! I'm trapped at the main menu! Simply hit <Alt-X> to exit CCF and
return to DOS.
Very good. You have finished the whirlwind tour of CCF. I hope I have written
the details clear enough for any user to be able to use the program.
Experiment!
III MISCELLANEOUS
RUNNING UNDER MICROSOFT WINDOWS OR IBM OS/2:
Unfortunately, I do not have a system running IBM OS/2 to test the program.
From what I have read, and only from reading, I feel CCF will probably run
under OS/2 version 2.0 on a virtual DOS machine. I have no evidence to base
this assumption. I would like to hear from anyone who may attempt running CCF
under OS/2.
Microsoft Windows is another story. CCF is a DOS program. If you are running
Windows 3.0 or higher and are in standard mode - CCF will run well in full
screen mode. I have been running CCF in Windows 386 mode with the _DEFAULT.PIF
very successfully. I run it in a DOS window and have not had any difficulties.
I CANNOT ASSURE PROPER PERFORMANCE UNDER MICROSOFT WINDOWS. CCF IS A DOS
PROGRAM. My results have been excellent under Microsoft Windows 3.1, but
your mileage may vary! <g>
WHERE CAN I FIND THE AUTHOR?
That's me Ross Contino! I am easily accessible via modem, or US mail.
MODEM Compuserve: Send all Mail to ID# 73327,1271
GENIE Send all Mail to Address R.CONTINO
Microbe II BBS -- (717)252-4543
L & T's BBS (War College BBS) -- (717)243-0055
I also monitor shareware conferences on RIME and FIDONET echo mail networks
Finally, for those of you who wish to write me a note:
Ross Contino
Fractured Femur Software
407 Deerfield Drive
Hanover, PA 17331
Thanks for looking at CCF! If you like it don't forget to register it. Help
to support small time shareware authors everywhere!
PLEASE NOTE:
To further the advancement of shareware development, CCF is provided to you
free from any crippling devices. This is the full working version. Please do
your part. If you are using the program frequently, help support the
programmer!
REGISTRATION FORM
CCF VERSION 2.0
Please send $25.00 (US) via check or money order payable to:
Ross Contino
407 Deerfield Drive
Hanover, PA 17331
NAME:
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