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#1# EZ-Forms Lite by EZX Corporation and MaeDae Enterprises EZ-Forms Lite gives you the capability to use your computer to create forms tailor-made to suit your unique needs. Once created, these forms can be filled out and stored under code names pertaining to their use (i.e. billing, invoice, comments, etc). EZ-Forms Lite also gives you the capability to print and/or store completed or master forms. Comments or suggestions for improving EZ-Forms Lite will be appreciated. EZ-Forms Lite requires an IBM PC or compatible with at least 320K of RAM. Printers supported include the Epson graphics printers and most other dot matrix and laser printers. Display adapters known to work with EZ-Forms Lite are the IBM monochrome, color, and enhanced graphics adapters. #5# You are currently using the On-Line Manual. Normal commands: ════════════════ Escape -- Escape from the on-line manual. Home -- First page of the on-line manual. End -- Last page of the on-line manual. PgUp -- Previous page (will wrap from first page to last page). PgDn -- Next page (will wrap from last page to first page). Any key -- Proceed thru the manual one page at a time, exit on-line manual after the last page. Possible errors: ════════════════ 1. No manual screen defined for your selected area. 2. Couldn't find EZFLMAN.TXT. Are both the manual (EZFLMAN.TXT) and the index (EZFLMAN.INX) in the subdirectory specified under the installation portion of EZ-Forms? From the main EZ-Forms menu use Installation Misc section to check the default help/manual path. #10# A file input/output error has just occurred. This could be caused by many different situations. EZ-Forms Lite has caught the error and is giving you a general description of the error. Often you will need to just press a key a few times to allow EZ-Forms Lite to execute the next command. This will probably result in several additional warning messages but eventually they will stop. Things that can result in an error are running out of disk space while saving a form. Trying to export a form to a name that is the same as the name of a subdirectory will also cause an error. Many other things can also cause errors. Most of the common errors are checked for and add many extra lines of code to EZ-Forms Lite. If you don't understand why you got this error then please write up a software performance report describing the steps leading up to this problem. Please enclose a shift print screen of the error screen. Sorry for the problem you are having in this area. #20# General help for all menus: This menu is broken up into two basic windows. The window at the top of your screen shows several options to choose from. The window at the bottom of the screen expands on what will occur if you choose the highlighted option (the one that has a different background color). Options may be selected in one of two ways. You can either press the first letter of the desired command or move the highlight bar over the desired option and press enter. To move the highlight bar use either the space bar, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, or right arrow. You can also use home to move to the first top line item on the menu. Using the first letter of a command only works in the ACTIVE window. If you don't have any pulldown then the active window is the top window. Once you pulldown one of the options that becomes the active window. You must use one of the commands in the pulldown once it is active. You can always use Escape to back out of the pulldown and return to the top menu. #21# You are now using the EZ-Forms Lite Main Menu. From here you can access the main functional areas of EZ-Forms. Refer to the On-Line Manual to get a feel for what a fully featured forms manager can do. We have tried to design EZ-Forms to let you get your job done quickly and easily. Please feel free to forward any suggestions for improvement to us at EZX Corporation, Attn: EZ-Forms Lite Author. #22# You are currently using the Editor Menu. From it you can execute many of the editor commands. When you highlight one of the editor commands the help at the bottom of the screen will provide additional information on the option. If you see a command (ex. (Alt+S) ) at the end of the help, use that command next time instead of the editor menu. The command is a short hand method of using the editor without the pulldown menu. There are two ways to call up the Editor Menu. 1. Escape - Means "I want to go to the Main Menu". The exit pulldown will be used allowing you to quickly exit. 2. F10 - This is the normal method. EZ-Forms will remember the last menu command and automatically highlight it. This allows easy access to groups of close commands. Example: Working with blocks you could use F10 and the block operations pulldown to mark the start of a block. The next time you press F10 you will find the block operations pulldown is automatically highlighted to allow you to easily mark the end of a block. #100# This screen provides basic information on the status of the EZ-Forms' Editor, your printer defaults, etc. Under the "Current printer related defaults" you will find the user function names. If you take a close look at the bottom of the editor screen you will notice a character attribute area. When you see a 1, 2, 3, or 4 pop up this is what it is referring to. The user functions are defined to contain specific information for each printer and can be customized by the user. See the printer installation area for more details. #110# Field markers are used in two ways: ═══════════════════════════════════ In master forms you insert field markers (the ~ character) to mark areas you want protected in the completed form. By filling the unused areas of a form with the field markers you limit the area of the form that can be filled out later. In completed forms this option inserts the field markers into unprotected areas of your form to show where you can type. Field markers will be inserted into the form but won't print or in any way affect operation of EZ-Forms Lite. They only show you where you can type. The tab key will jump you between unprotected areas in the completed form (the fields). Note: Field markers can be entered and deleted using the keyboard keys. #111# This option gives you an easy way to draw a border around the outer edge of your form. The line will be solid, adding the correct characters at the corners of the form. Whatever was in the first character space around the outer edge of the form WILL be overwritten unless it is protected. The default line drawing palette will be used. Use Alt+L to alter the default palette. #112# This option allows you to remove the entire border from your form with a single keystroke. The first character position around the entire outer edge of the form will be erased unless it is protected. #113# The clear form option allows you to start again with a clean slate. It can be used in both master and completed forms. In a master form it will erase everything in the form. In a completed form it will erase only the information you have entered into the form since you called it up to fill it out. This is a easy way to start over if you really don't like the way a form looks. #114# EZ-Forms Lite allows you to use your computer's system clock to obtain the current date and time for use in your form. If you choose either date or time feed then the computer's clock will be checked for the current time or date and then inserted into your form at the current cursor position. This option can be used in both master and completed forms. EZ-Forms Lite will insert as much of the date or time as it can into the available form space. So, be careful when you try to insert the date or time close to the right margin or have protected characters close by. Date formats: 0 mm/dd/yy 06/15/88 Time formats: 24 hour formats (Example 1 mm-dd-yy 06-15-88 (Example 0 hh:mm:ss 13:30:15 using 2 yy-mm-dd 88-06-15 using 1 hh:mm 13:30 15 Jun 1988) 3 mmddyy 061588 1:30:15 PM) 12 hour AM/PM formats 4 yymmdd 880615 2 hh:mm:ss 01:30:15 PM 5 dd mmm yy 15 Jun 88 3 hh:mm 01:30 PM 6 Julian 8167 #115# The commands for block operations in EZ-Forms Lite are laid out differently than earlier versions. The basic reason for the change was to make a command set that was logical and easy to use. To make the transition easier we have included this Ctrl+K menu to translate as many of the old commands as possible into their exact duplicate in the commands for this new version of EZ-Forms. Sometimes that wasn't possible so you won't find them on this menu. Example: block fill for tilde ~. This is now part of the Ctrl+A, block attribute add command. It does much more than the old command but is not an exact replacement for Ctrl+K then I. All previous capability has been retained and greatly enhanced! Refer to the on-line manual under the block operations area for more information on how to use the new commands. #117# You can create many different sizes of forms in EZ-Forms Lite. One of the most common is 64 lines by 80 columns. Text 80 columns wide at 10 cpi will just fill a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper. Most printers use 66 lines per page vertically. So allowing for a little leeway on positioning the printer head at the VERY top of the page, things should fit well. If you have a 80 column printer like the Epson MX80 you can print a form as large as 88 lines by 132 columns by using compressed print and 8 lines per vertical inch. #118# Press G to start the graphics drawing. The default is N to prevent errors. You are now in a full screen graphics walk-around mode. Depending on the mode selected (see the characters in the lower right hand and upper right corner of the screen) different things will happen. Options are: G Graphics - A full screen walk-around mode where you use the cursor keys to draw figures. Whatever character is needed will be substituted to make the lines solid. N Neutral - You can walk around without affecting any characters. E Erase - Erase the character under where you move the cursor. D Drag - This mode will drag/repeat the character under the cursor as you move it around. Use N to position the cursor over the character to be repeated before using D. 1-4 Palette - Shorthand method to select the default graphics palette. Press either G, N, E, D, or 1-4 to select the function. The active mode is shown in the lower right corner of the screen. #119# Set the graphics palette with Alt+L. You can choose single line graphics, double line graphics, or a combination. As a short hand method press 1-4. A sample character based on the palette selected will appear in upper right corner of your screen. Esc will return you to the editor. #120# The patch function will try to connect any adjoining character graphics symbols. The symbols will be joined with one of the other character graphics symbols that best completes the form. ONLY the immediate four characters are scanned (characters left, above, right, and below). Based on these a character out of │ ─ ┌ └ ┐ ┘ ├ ┤ ┬ ┴ ┼ is picked. You MUST have already placed a character graphics symbol of some type in the scanned character space for it to be considered for patching. Example: │ │ ─────── will be patched to ─────┼─ │ │ Please note the first example had a character graphics symbol in the area and needed to be patched. If it had not been there, EZ-Forms would have left the space blank instead of substituting the intersection symbol. EZ-Forms Lite has to make a lot of assumptions when it is patching a form. Sometimes it won't choose the character you think it should. This command gives you a good start on the patching. You will sometimes have to add the final touches. #122# EZ-Forms is not a wordprocessor. It is a forms manager. Forms are a fixed length unlike wordprocessing files. If you want to insert a line something has to disappear (unless you use F2 to resize and lengthen the form first). EZ-Forms inserts lines by moving the line the cursor is on and every line below down by one. Where does the line go? It disappears. One inviolable rule in EZ-Forms is: Never allow a protected character to be altered! In any conflict between a protected character and a non- protected character, the protected character wins. If you force a line of unprotected text to move down over a line of protected text, the unprotected text loses. Use the block operation commands if you just want to move text around in your form. #124# Your form size will not decrease when you delete a line. The unprotected text is just moved up one line, overwriting any unprotected text on the cursor line. If you get tired of seeing these messages set the default help/message level to zero (command is Ctrl+V). #130# The delete block command deletes the unprotected text in the marked block. Please be careful with this command. Use the Ctrl+V command if you want to alter the default help/message level and get rid of these prompts. See the copy block (Alt+C) and move block (Alt+M) commands for other options. #132# The copy block command copies the unprotected text from the marked block to your current cursor location. Your cursor will be in the upper left of where the text will be copied. This is a copy (make a duplicate) so none of the text in the marked "source" block will be modified unless the blocks overlap. See the move block (Alt+M) and delete block (Alt+D) commands for other options. #134# The block move command moves the unprotected text from the marked block to your current cursor location. Your cursor location will be the upper left corner of where the text will be moved. This is a move (displace -- from one point to another) so all the unprotected text in the marked block will move. See the copy block (Alt+C) and delete block (Alt+D) commands for other options. #150# EZ-Forms Lite Editor Commands: FUNCTION KEYS ALT FUNCTION KEYS CTRL FUNCTION KEYS ═════════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ F1 - Help AF1 - ┌ ╒ ╓ ╔ CF1 - ┼ ╪ ╫ ╬ F2 - Resize Master Form AF2 - ┐ ╕ ╖ ╗ CF2 - N/A N/A N/A N/A F3 - Insert Field Markers AF3 - └ ╘ ╙ ╚ CF3 - ░ α Φ N/A F4 - Delete Field Markers AF4 - ┘ ╛ ╜ ╝ CF4 - ▒ ß Θ N/A F5 - Draw Line AF5 - ─ ═ ─ ═ CF5 - ▓ Γ Ω N/A F6 - Erase Line AF6 - │ │ ║ ║ CF6 - █ π δ N/A F7 - Draw Border AF7 - ├ ╞ ╟ ╠ CF7 - ▌ Σ ∞ N/A F8 - Erase Border AF8 - ┤ ╡ ╢ ╣ CF8 - ▐ σ φ N/A F9 - Clear Form AF9 - ┬ ╤ ╥ ╦ CF9 - ▀ µ ε N/A F10- Editor Menu AF10- ┴ ╧ ╨ ╩ CF10- ▄ τ N/A N/A Graphics set: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 NOTE: The Alternate and Control Function Keys have four different sets of codes depending on the palette selected using Alt+L. The Greek characters in palette 2-4 in the control function keys are used to send special escape sequences to the printer. See the manual for more details on this. Keys labeled N/A return a space (" "). #151# Single keystroke commands (many of these can also be executed thru F10): Block Operations: Text Attributes: ═════════════════ ════════════════ Alt+S - Start Block Alt+B - Bold Character Alt+E - End Block Alt+U - Underline Character Alt+C - Copy Marked Block Alt+M - Move Marked Block Alt+D - Delete Marked Block Alt+H - Hide Marked Block Alt+V - Make Marked Block Visible Graphic Operations: File Operations: ═══════════════════ ════════════════ Alt+G - Graphics Walk-Around Ctrl+S - Save Form and Resume Edit Alt+L - Line Graphics Palette (1-4) Alt+X - Exit Editor (Save Form) Alt+P - Patch Form Ctrl+R - Read Text from Disk (Import) Ctrl+W - Write Text to Disk (Export) Ctrl+P - Print Current Form Ctrl+X - Exit to DOS Shell (Global) #152# Single keystroke commands continued: Date, Time, and Numbering: ══════════════════════════ Ctrl+D - Date (Auto Date Setup) Ctrl+F - Feed Date/Time into form Ctrl+T - Time (Auto Time Setup) Ctrl+N - Number (Auto Number Setup) Additional Commands: ═════════════════════ Alt+I - Information about Form Alt+O - Override protect (completed forms only) Ctrl+V - Verbose (Help Message Level) Ctrl+Y - Delete Line Ctrl+Enter - Inserts a line in the form at the current cursor line. Make sure ALL text can move down a line without trying to overwrite a protected line or character. In this move a protected area won't change. #153# Most printers support printing of these characters. EZ-Forms Lite provides printer drivers to handle these characters. If you have a text only printer then EZ-Forms Lite provides a translation of these characters into something your printer can handle. The export function gives you the ability to translate these characters into normal ASCII characters that most word processors can handle. Cursor movement commands: ═════════════════════════ Use the keypad arrows to move Home Move to upper left of screen left, right, up, and down. End Move to lower left of screen Ctrl+Home Upper left of form Use the Control key with the Ctrl+End Lower left of form keypad left and right arrows Ctrl+PgUp Top of form - same column to move to left and right of form. Ctrl+PgDn Bottom of form-same column Note: Commands with a + in them are entered by holding down the first key and then pressing the second key. For example: to use the Ctrl+Home command you would hold down the Control key and then press Home once. #154# Note: Auto numbering, auto date, and auto time are set up only in master forms. When you "fill out" the master form this information is used to automatically insert the updated number, date, or time into the completed form. Special character oriented commands affecting only printing: Alt+U -- Underline the character under the cursor. NOT on graphics! Alt+B -- Bold the character under the cursor. NOT on graphics! Alt+1 -- User defined function 1. \ Alt+2 -- User defined function 2. \ Use the Alt+I command to see Alt+3 -- User defined function 3. / the installed names for these. Alt+4 -- User defined function 4. / Note: These affect only the printed form. A status of these commands is shown on the bottom of the screen. You can see the status updated as you move the cursor. Character status will toggle from U and B if you press the key again. The user defined functions can be altered thru the installation portion of EZ-Forms Lite. #160# This menu allows you to change all the colors used in EZ-Forms Lite. To change a default color - first use the up or down arrow key to select the color, then type in the new color. When you have changed all the colors press Ctrl+D to display these colors in a sample window. As with all installation options, these changes will not be used until you choose the retain option on the main menu. This allows you to experiment with the installation options and then not have to lose your original defaults. Please keep in mind the foreground text colors can be 0-15, the background 0-7. If you choose a text color the same as a background color then the text will disappear. You may notice some of your installed color combinations result in invisible lines on the Ctrl+D popup window. Please be careful not to choose this color for one of your text colors!! Note: For many of the EZ-Forms installable options and user inputs you will see a prompt containing the characters . If you count the number of 's you will find the maximum number of characters that can be entered. Also Escape is used throughout EZ-Forms to signal "I want out". Press Enter, up arrow, down arrow, or whatever is asked for to enter the desired value. Escape will throw away any immediate changes and get you out of the area you are in. #161# Please note that the background color (0-7) is one digit long and the foreground color (0-15) is two digits long. That is why you will see the input prompt (the s) change it's width as you go between the colors. #165# This screen shows the possible combinations of colors in EZ-Forms. The top set (Main EZ-Forms Lite colors) show you what the various menus will look like. The Editor colors are those used only while you are editing a form. These colors will show you what underline, block, protected, etc will look like. If you are using a non IBM display adapter you may have to "play" with the colors to get a pleasing combination. EZ-Forms defaults to colors that work well with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter, IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter, and IBM Monochrome Display Adapter. On some monochrome display adapter clones you may need to alter a foreground text color to get the background to change intensity. The default combination of colors will work on any 100% IBM PC compatible display adapter! #170# EZ-Forms supports virtually the entire IBM Extended ASCII Character Set. Your choice of what character to chose for borders, lines, boxes, etc. just became more complex. EZ-Forms has four basic graphic line sets or palettes to choose from: 1 ┌────┬────┐ 2 ╒════╤════╕ 3 ╓────╥────╖ 4 ╔════╦════╗ │ │ │ │ │ │ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ├────┼────┤ ╞════╪════╡ ╟────╫────╢ ╠════╬════╣ │ │ │ │ │ │ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ └────┴────┘ ╘════╧════╛ ╙────╨────╜ ╚════╩════╝ ░ ▒ ▓ █ ▌▐ ▀ ▄ α ß Γ π Σ σ µ τ Φ Θ Ω δ ∞ φ ε reserved │ │ │ │ ╘══════╤════════╛ ╘══════╤═══════╛ │ │ ╘══════════════════╧═══ Printer commands. The above boxes show you what the boxes and lines drawn with each palette look like. Below the boxes are some stand-alone characters which can be entered from the keyboard. The shaded block characters in palette 1 are useful in designing logos or just to emphasize a section of a form. The Greek characters in palettes 2 and 3 can be used to send commands to your printer during printing. #171# Enter these characters into your form thru the use of function keys. FUNCTION KEYS ALT FUNCTION KEYS CTRL FUNCTION KEYS ═════════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ ═════════════════════ F1 - Help AF1 - ┌ ╒ ╓ ╔ CF1 - ┼ ╪ ╫ ╬ F2 - Size Form AF2 - ┐ ╕ ╖ ╗ CF2 - N/A N/A N/A N/A F3 - Insert Field Markers AF3 - └ ╘ ╙ ╚ CF3 - ░ α Φ N/A F4 - Delete Field Markers AF4 - ┘ ╛ ╜ ╝ CF4 - ▒ ß Θ N/A F5 - Draw Line AF5 - ─ ═ ─ ═ CF5 - ▓ Γ Ω N/A F6 - Erase Line AF6 - │ │ ║ ║ CF6 - █ π δ N/A F7 - Draw Border AF7 - ├ ╞ ╟ ╠ CF7 - ▌ Σ ∞ N/A F8 - Erase Border AF8 - ┤ ╡ ╢ ╣ CF8 - ▐ σ φ N/A F9 - Clear Form AF9 - ┬ ╤ ╥ ╦ CF9 - ▀ µ ε N/A F10- Editor Menu AF10- ┴ ╧ ╨ ╩ CF10- ▄ τ N/A N/A Graphics set: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 NOTE: The Alternate and Control Function Keys have four different sets of codes depending on the palette selected using Alt+L. The Greek characters in palette 2-4 in the control function keys are used to send special escape sequences to the printer. See the manual for more details on this. Keys labeled N/A return a space (" "). #175# The marked block defines the area for the grid. All characters in the marked block will be erased. You will be asked for the vertical and horziontal spacing for the grid. If the desired spacing provides even spacing the grid will come out completely even. Otherwise you will be left with an off size block at the ends. See the examples below. ┌┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┐ ┌─┬─┬─┬─┬─┐ ┌──┬──┬──┬┐ ┌───┬───┬─┐ ┌────┬────┐ ┌┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┐ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ ├─┼─┼─┼─┼─┤ ├──┼──┼──┼┤ ├───┼───┼─┤ ├────┼────┤ │││││││││││ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ ├─┼─┼─┼─┼─┤ ├──┼──┼──┼┤ ├───┼───┼─┤ ├────┼────┤ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ └┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┘ └─┴─┴─┴─┴─┘ └──┴──┴──┴┘ └───┴───┴─┘ └────┴────┘ └┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┘ vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 2 horz 1 horz 2 horz 3 horz 4 horz 5 horz 1 #177# After you input the text press Enter to insert it into your form. Press Escape if you want to exit without altering your form. The text will be inserted vertically into your form. The first character will be at the current cursor location. The next character will be on the same column but one line down. Etc. If you input text longer than the number of lines to the bottom of your form, inserting will stop at the last line of the form. As with all editing commands, you can't use this to overwrite protected text. The length of the prompt using 's will vary depending on the number of lines from your current cursor location to the bottom of your form. #182# Want to save a EZ-Forms form in a format readable by virtually all the word processors? Choose this option. Of course you will lose the advantages of form compression, character attributes, and often the line drawing/character graphics. You will be given the option to translate the line drawing characters into symbols like - and +. Choose this option for maximum compatibility with other software packages. This command allows you to easily transfer sections of one form to another. Export all or a portion of this form. Call up the destination form and use the import command to retrieve the previously saved information. If a block is marked, EZ-Forms will give you the option of exporting only the marked portion of the form. #184# Want to read a text file into an EZ-Forms form? This command allows you to import text created under almost any other software program. The only requirement is the imported file must be in ASCII. If you have a block marked you will be given the option to import text into only the marked section of your form. #186# Many of the editing commands have optional prompt messages to provide information and serve as a safety catch in case of mistakes. The extent of the user help/interference offered by EZ-Forms is tied to the message level. The more potentially harmful a command, the lower the message level has to be set for the command's warning/prompt to disappear. Examples: Command Tied to Help/Message level ═══════ ══════════════════════════ Patch form 4 (no message 3 and below) Block delete 1 (no message at level 0) Various other commands 1-4 (level varies) Most of the block operations and some of the other editing commands provide this feature. The default (unless installed otherwise) is to provide the maximum level of user help messages. #196# The auto time command allows you to automatically add the time to a form as it is filled out. Steps for use: 1. Load a master form. 2. Add a auto time field to the form (use Ctrl+T). 3. Save the form. 4. Fill out the form. Did you notice how the form "came up" with the current time? This time is stored in your computer's clock. Please ensure your computer "knows" the correct time. The format for auto time is: hour hour : min min : sec sec. Our time format is commonly called military time (based on a 24 hour clock). The clock starts at midnight as 00:00:00, goes to 13:00:00 at 1PM, and continues counting up until 23:59:59. Add 12 to the hour if it is after noon. Please ensure there is at least eight characters between the start of the auto time field and the right edge of your form. That will allow all the auto time field to be seen. #198# EZ-Forms allows you to set up one auto number field within a master form that will automatically increment each time the form is filled out. If you desire a starting number other than 1, simply type it in. EZ-Forms will use the updated number as the starting point. When the form is saved EZ-Forms will read the auto number location and update all its pointers to contain your new number. The auto number will "roll over" from all 9s to 1 when you exceed the maximum number for the field. Any invalid character (non-numeric) will generate an error and cause the auto number to reset to 1. Example: auto number width is 5, the number 00A01, contains an invalid character (A). Ensure the form containing the auto number field can be updated with a new number when you fill it out. i.e. Don't put a write protect tab on a diskette containing the auto number form, etc. #199# This command allows you to automatically add a date to a form when you fill it out. Steps for use: ══════════════ 1. Load a master form. 2. Add an auto date field to the form (use Ctrl+D). 3. Save the form. 4. Fill out the form. Did you notice how the form "came up" with the current date? The date stored in your computer's clock provides this information. The date's format is: Month / Day / Year. Example: 12/30/87. Please ensure there is at least 8 characters between the start of the auto date field and the right edge of your form. This will allow the auto date field to be seen. #200# Help for Directory Screen: To edit a form use the up or down arrows on the numeric keypad to highlight a form name and then press enter. All files in the directory listing are sorted. EZ-Forms Lite can handle a directory containing up to 150 forms. If you have more master or completed forms than that in a SINGLE directory then please break the directory into smaller ones before running EZ-Forms Lite. EZ-Forms stores descriptions of forms, print attributes, etc. in the form. Because of this it takes longer to do a file directory. A basic rule of thumb for the time to read a form is 5 forms per second on floppy or 10 on hard disk. This means a hard disk with 100 master forms should take about 10 seconds to retrieve the directory. This delay is caused by the slowness of the drives and can be speeded up 3-5 times if you store the forms on a RAM disk! Directories are much faster if the default directory contains the forms. As your disk drive becomes fragmented the directories will take longer. See your local PC guru to find out how to de-fragment your hard disk. A disk cache of about 100k bytes will also greatly reduce the time needed to do a directory and help overcome the effects of a fragmented hard disk. Please ensure your Config.SYS contains sufficient buffers (20 or 30 -- see your DOS manual for details). #201# EZ-Forms Lite allows you to obtain an abbreviated directory by pressing any key during the time the additional form information is being read. Directory information is obtained in the following order: 1) All the form names are read along with their modification dates. 2) The form names are sorted. 3) The forms are opened one at a time to read the form size, print attributes, and description. This is the slow part of the directory process. When you do a directory the above three steps are done. You have the option to interrupt the process during step 3. All the forms before the interruption will contain full information. The forms after the interruption occurred will contain spaces in the unread information areas. This shortened method for reading the directory is provided to make it easier for you to handle large groups of forms. #202# Think about the organization of your hard disk. If your forms normally fall into categories like personal, business, auto, etc. consider setting up your hard disk to minimize the number of forms you have to work with at one time. Example: c:\ezfl -- The main EZ-Forms Lite program (be sure to save a config- uration file containing this as the default path). c:\ezfl\personal -- Your personal forms. You simply specify this is the default path when prompted by EZ-Forms Lite. c:\ezfl\business -- Your business related forms. c:\ezfl\auto -- Your car related forms. This directory allows you to use the +, -, and Ins keys to work with more than one form at a time. Printing in particular takes advantage of the tag option. Other operations may also take advantage of tagged forms. When you tag or untag a form the cursor will automatically advance to the next form allowing easy mass tags. A "T" in the left column of the directory shows you that the form is tagged. Don't forget Enter tags the form you are on and begins operation on all tagged forms. #203# To make tagging and untaging forms easier the functions have additional keys defined for their use. To tag a form use + or Tag, to untag use - or Untag, to switch the status of a form use Ins or Switch. Default print attributes are stored as part of the form. Further information on the default Prt Attr displayed on the directory: D - Draft (use characters instead of graphics for very fast printing) C - Clear Forms Overlay (Use preprinted forms and overlay new info) M - Multiple copies specified 6 - Six lines per inch (default of 66 lines per page) 8 - Eight lines per inch (default of 88 lines per page) L - L is displayed if 1) 6 lpi is selected and lines per page is anything other than 66 or 2) 8 lpi is selected and lines per page is anything other than 88 S - Small text (compressed). This allows 130 columns on normal paper. V - Very dark graphics. If you are using a bit image graphics printer and have a graphics driver installed then the form will print in double density graphics. #210# You are being asked to think of a name for this form. There are some things you should know about the form name and path. EZ-Forms Lite provides full access to all drives and directories on your system. Because of this, form names are a little complex. The first part of the form name is the drive and path (this part is optional). The last part of the form name is simply the designator or name for this form. Example: C:\EZFL\MyForm.FRM │││ ││ ││ │ ╞╛╞════╛╞════╛╞══╛ │ │ │ ╘═══ Extension (master forms use a .FRM extension) │ │ ╘═════════ Your form name for later reference │ ╘═══════════════ The working directory ╘═════════════════ The working drive Form names consist of up to 8 characters with only some of the keyboard characters valid. For example: a space isn't valid as part of a filename and neither is a @ character. If you would like to add a description to the form use the up arrow to move to the top line. When finished editing press enter or down arrow. #212# EZ-Forms Lite couldn't locate any forms in the specified directory. Master forms have a .FRM extension; completed forms have a .FOF extension. Do you have any forms like these in the specified directory? The computer uses a "mask" for directories. The mask used is either "*.FRM" or "*.FOF". EZ-Forms Lite automatically adds this mask to the path for you. #213# EZ-Forms Lite couldn't locate your form. Are you sure you entered the correct path to get to your form. Computers are dumb, you have to tell them everything. Try using the select form option on the main menu. EZ-Forms Lite will find all the forms in your specified directory and allow you to use a color bar to select the form. #215# You are being asked to think of a name for this form. There are some things you should know about the form name and path. EZ-Forms Lite provides full access to all drives and directories on your system. Because of this, form names are a little complex. The first part of the form name is the drive and path (this part is optional). The last part of the form name is simply the designator or name for this form. Example: C:\EZFL\MyForm.FOF │││ ││ ││ │ ╞╛╞════╛╞════╛╞══╛ │ │ │ ╘═══ Extension (completed forms use .FOF extension) │ │ ╘═════════ Your form name for later reference │ ╘═══════════════ The working directory ╘═════════════════ The working drive Form names consist of up to 8 characters with only some of the keyboard characters valid. For example: a space isn't valid as part of a filename and neither is a @ character. If you would like to add a description to the form use the up arrow to move to the top line. When finished editing press enter or down arrow. #220# This area allows you to specify the path EZ-Forms Lite will use to access master forms. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\EZFL │││ │ ╞╛╞═══╛ │ ╘════════ The working directory ╘══════════ The working drive Since ALL master forms have a .FRM extension, EZ-Forms Lite will ask the computer to tell it all the forms on drive C: in the subdirectory \EZFL. The "mask" used to get the directory is C:\EZFL\*.FRM. If there are no forms in the directory you specified you may see the error message that says "Could not find C:\EZFL\*.FRM". If you are not sure what you should use just press enter without changing any of the information. Chances are that the default is what you want (that is why we made it the default). Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #225# This area allows you to specify the path EZ-Forms Lite will use to access master forms. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\EZFL │││ │ ╞╛╞═══╛ │ ╘════════ The working directory ╘══════════ The working drive Since ALL completed forms have a .FOF extension, EZ-Forms Lite will ask the computer to tell it all the forms on drive C: in the subdirectory \EZFL. The "mask" used to get the directory is C:\EZFL\*.FOF. If there are no forms in the directory you specified you may see the error message that says "Could not find C:\EZFL\*.FOF". If you are not sure what you should use just press enter without changing any of the information. Chances are that the default is what you want (that is why we made it the default). Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #228# EZ-Forms is looking for a new unique form name with an optional drive and directory path. When creating a form use a unique name to ensure you don't overwrite another of your master forms when you save it. Example: C:\EZFL\NewForm.FRM │││ ││ │ ╞╛╞════╛╘═════════╧═ The new master form you want to create │ ╘═════════════════ The working directory ╘═══════════════════ The working drive If you don't specify the .FRM extension EZ-Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a master form is .FRM! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #230# EZ-Forms is looking for a master form name with an optional drive and directory path. Example: C:\EZFL\YourForm.FRM │││ ││ │ ╞╛╞════╛╘══════════╧═ The master form you want to edit │ ╘══════════════════ The working directory ╘════════════════════ The working drive If you don't specify the .FRM extension EZ-Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a master form is .FRM! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #235# EZ-Forms is looking for a completed form name with an optional drive and directory path. Example: C:\EZFL\YourForm.FOF │││ ││ │ ╞╛╞════╛╘══════════╧═ The completed form you want to edit │ ╘══════════════════ The working directory ╘════════════════════ The working drive If you don't specify the .FOF extension EZ-Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a completed form is .FOF! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #240# Do you want to save this form? If so, answer yes otherwise answer no. EZ-Forms Lite will retain the current form in memory for a limited time. You will be able to resume editing if you accidentally say no. The pulldown for this editing operation will be extended one deeper to allow this temporary option. The ability to resume editing will remain until you use another main menu command that forces EZ-Forms to overwrite some of the in-memory form information. #300# Your options are: U Select a printer by pressing U and going thru the use a predefined printer type. This must be done before you can customize a printer driver. This first step sets up the basic printer defaults. M Modify a predefined printer type. This allows you to customize the printer driver for things like initialization string, user defined functions, etc. You should first choose a basic printer type with the U option. C Change the printer and user defined function names. This option allows you to alter the default names displayed for these. S Show the installed printer defaults. This screen will display a number on the left side to number each string. These numbers correspond to the numbers on the "Modify predefined printer type" section. EZ-Forms Lite will support almost any printer on the market. Some of the printers like the Epson are so numerous we have taken the time to really customize EZ-Forms Lite to provide many print options. #301# EZ-Forms Lite provides two basic categories of support for printers: 1) Text drivers for those printers that support the Extended ASCII character set and a translated draft mode for generic printers. This driver will support: IBM Graphics printer compatible codes (ASCII codes above 127 like ┌ ┼ ┐ etc). EZ-Forms Lite sends the same character graphics symbols as you see on the screen to the printer. NO bit-image graphics escape sequences are used. Use of other escape sequences is optional. - Works with Epson FX-85 in the IBM mode and many laser printers. HP LaserJet MUST use font cartridge Y or our optional soft fonts disk. - Supports printing of forms in 4 sizes (with cartridge Y). - Soft fonts disk also supports landscape/sideways fonts. - HPGraph provides a static 10 cpi, 66 lpi font with graphics symbols. Plain dot matrix/daisywheel. Only standard ASCII (like 1, 2, Z, -, etc.) are sent to this printer. No control codes. ALL character graphics symbols are translated to a standard symbol like -, |, and +. This type should work with ANY printer. #302# IBM Quietwriter Model 2 (user provided info - see if it works for you). - Use IBM Graphics Printer type with NO Escape sequences. - Regular forms (up to 8" wide), ALL dip switches must be OFF/DOWN. - Wide forms (over 8" wide), ONLY dip switch 3 is ON/UP. 2) Bit-image graphics driver for fully Epson compatibles. - Able to take FULL advantage of all print capabilities in EZ-Forms Lite. This includes solid vertical and horizontal lines in 4 sizes and 2 graphics densities. - Printers in this category are: (1) Epson RX-80, MX-80, FX-80, FX-85, MX100, FX100, FX185, LQ1500, etc. (2) Panasonic 1080, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1592, and 1595 (3) IBM Proprinter (4) Star Gemini-10X and Radix-10 (5) Plus many others Others: - Capability varies with other printer types. - Most of them do not support solid graphic lines. #303# Notes: 1. The HP LaserJet using Font Cartridge Y will handle only about 80 lines on a page when using 8 lines per the inch. Six lines per inch comes out perfect. Using the same method as described in note 1, choose 80 lines per the page. 2. To save the print attributes you must use the install option (I) on the print menu AND then save the form to disk. If you fail to save your form after editing it, then all new print attributes will be lost! 3. Some printers using the text driver may substitute single line graphic characters for the double line version (example: ┼ verses ╬). #305# These codes are broken into five basic groups. 1. Codes 1-8: Printer initialization/exit, form initialization/exit, and and the 6 lines per inch (6 lpi) and 10 characters per inch (10 cpi) codes. The drawing below shows you how they are used. ╒═════ Printer Initialization │ ╒═══ Form Initialization │ │ ╒═ Print one line │ │ │ -- Send text quality codes to printer (see 19 & 20) │ │ │ -- If 6 lpi use 6 lpi codes else use 8 lpi codes │ │ │ -- If 10 cpi use 10 cpi codes else use 17 cpi codes │ │ ╘═ End printing line and loop back to print another line │ ╘═══ Form Exit ╘═════ Printer Exit 2. Codes 9-16: User defined character attributes. These codes are used for editor Alt 1-4 functions that can attach to characters. 3. Codes 19-20: Selects either high quality or draft quality text. #306# 4. Codes 21-68: Character graphics symbols. If you are using a text driver this string will be sent to the printer to print the the character shown. On some printers you can get them to print character graphics symbols but they aren't in the same order as the IBM Extended ASCII Symbols. These codes allow you to translate the order to match your printer. Also you can install an escape sequence for each one of these symbols to get your printer into graphics, draw the character, then return to normal text mode. These translate strings offer you a means to really customize EZ-Forms Lite. These codes do not affect the graphics drivers. In the bit-image graphics drivers, a graphics escape sequence is used to draw the entire line at one time instead of using these translate strings. 5. Codes 69-98: Greek characters. These are user defined commands to direct the printer to do something. They are defaulted to spaces to maintain correct form spacing. Add any printer commands you want for these special characters. The first time EZ-Forms encounters the symbol in a form it will send the on sequence. The second time it will send the off sequence (they toggle states each time used). #307# EZ-Forms Lite allows you to customize the "translate strings" it uses to work with your printer. These printer command strings consist of up to 18 (24 decimal) characters to be sent to the printer plus a length character you use to tell EZ-Forms how many of the characters to send. All codes are displayed in hex (base 16). If you are changing codes in this area you probably are already used to working in hex. If not, then most computer books provide a quick tutorial on working with hex and may even provide a conversion table between decimal and hex. We include a form for this (HEX-DEC.FRM). Please be careful when modifying these codes. You can easily install codes that have your printer doing all sorts of strange things. Nuff said. #310# This menu gives you complete control over the way you print a form. It also places a lot of responsibility on you to know how your printer works. In particular you need to know how wide the form is and whether it will fit on the width of paper in your printer. Most Epson series printers can only print 80 characters per line normally or 132 characters per line using compressed print. This is the type of information you will need to refer to your printer manual for or see a PC Guru in your area. Warnings: ═════════ Epson series printers can't print both compressed and bold at the same time. Because of this conflict, EZ-Forms disables bold when printing a compressed form. #315# High level problem description: EZ-Forms Lite has sensed an error while trying to initialize your printer. The percieved error may or may not be real. The most common problem here is that someone forgot to turn on their printer. The second most common problem is that the printer is off-line. If you are fairly sure that everything is all right with your printer, then tell EZ-Forms Lite to NOT abandon printing and to try printing anyways. If there really is an error/problem in your system then your system may lock up! Technical problem description: Interupt 24 (Abort, Retry, Ignore) checking has been vectored thru the EZ-Forms Lite code disabling that message. The result of an interupt call indicates that there is a serious printer problem in your system. You will no longer have the option to abort thru the Int 24 handler. If you choose to proceed with printing, ALL further error messages will be disabled. This will cause one of three things to happen. One - if there is no problem, then printing will work as normal. Two - you may be able to "print thru" the error with EZ-Forms Lite continually ignoring the errors (nothing to the printer). Three - your system locks up forever, there really is a serious problem! #320# The "Status" on the left reflects the selected options for printing. These options can be changed by pressing the key shown under the "Select" heading. Some combinations of the options are not valid. That is why some of the selected options under "Status" switch their condition. For example, when you press 8 for 8 lines per vertical inch - the 6 will be deleted from the "Status" area. You can't have both 6 and 8 lines per inch selected at the same time. Many printers do not support the full range of options shown. A summary of printer capability is shown below. Plain dot matrix - Only D, C, M, L, and P. Epson compatible - ALL options are supported. HP LaserJet - D, C, 6, 8, and L. IBM Graphics - ALL options are supported. Epson LQ1500 24 pin printer - ALL options are supported. This printer also supports both high quality and draft quality text thru the draft option when printing. The default is high quality text. #321# To change the default printer type use the installation portion of EZ-Forms Lite located off the main menu. Don't forget to tell EZ-Forms Lite to retain the new printer type. Notes: 1. Some options are not compatible with others. For example -- if you choose D for draft, then you CAN'T also have high quality dark lines and vice versa! The draft option also selects the text quality mode. 2. Using preprinted forms. EZ-Forms Lite has a clear forms overlay selection on the "Print Options" menu allows you to easily use many of the preprinted forms. To use this feature you first create a master form to act as the template. Make sure that all the "fields" match or align with those on your preprinted form. Fill out the master form. When you go to print, select C for clear forms overlay. This will ensure only the unprotected area (the text you just typed in) will be printed. The master form outline is protected in completed forms, so it doesn't print! See the form CFO-GRID.FRM for a template. 3. For the installed print options to be stored in the form you must first call the form up in the editor, choose the desired options from the print menu, press I to install the options in the form header and most important SAVE the form to disk. #330# You are being asked to input in HEX the byte you would like to enter at this location. Don't forget the length byte has to contain the number of characters you want to send to the printer. The length byte doesn't count against the total so the maximum is 18 (24 in decimal). These codes are sent to the printer during printing. #335# EZ-Forms allows you to download custom fonts to your printer before printing a form. Steps in the process: ═════════════════════ 1. You select any font other than 0. Assume Font 1. 2. Tell EZ-Forms to print. 3. EZ-Forms will run a DOS shell to execute FONT1.BAT (place the commands for downloading your font in FONT1.BAT). 4. After FONT1.BAT executes, normal printing of your form will take place. The batch file's name is built up of 'FONT' plus the 'font number you select' plus '.BAT'. Example: You select font 27, then EZ-Forms will execute FONT27.BAT before printing your form. #340# This option refers to the actual number of lines on the paper in your printer. Normally a 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper using 6 lines per contains 66 lines (6x11=66) or 88 lines using 8 lines per inch (8x11=88). EZ-Forms will print blank lines at the end of your form to advance the paper to the top of the next page. Examples: Form length L setting Additional line feeds ═══════════ ═════════ ═════════════════════ 64 66 2 80 80 0 Formula for additional line feeds (ALF) ALF = Form length - L setting. If ALF is 0 or negative, no additional line feeds will be printed. A few printers may require "tweeking" of these numbers to compensate for nonstandard paper or unusual print size. The default minimum lines per page setting is the length of your form. The maximum is set to the maximum lines supported by EZ-Forms (88 lines or a full page at 88 lines per page). #345# EZ-Forms allows you to print more than one copy at a time. Enter the number of copies desired at the prompt. Please ensure you have the "lines per page" option set for the correct value to advance your printer after printing a form to the top of the next page. The default value will work for most printers. A few printers may require the number of lines under "lines per page" option to be modified. You may abandon the printing of multiple copies just like a single copy. By pressing a key on your keyboard you can signal to EZ-Forms to give you this option. If selected, all further copies will be abandoned. #350# Only the editor has access to the routines necessary to save a form. Please call up a form for modification before trying to customize the default print attributes. The directory gives you a summary of what print defaults are stored in each form. Help behind the directory screen describes in detail what each character in the print attribute summary means. Steps to save a custom print configuration: ═══════════════════════════════════════════ 1. Call up a form for modification. 2. Press Ctrl+P to print the form. 3. Customize the print attributes. 4. Press I to install the defaults into the form header. 5. Press Escape to return to the editor. 6. SAVE THE FORM! #370# EZ-Forms allows you to customize the name of the printer and user defined print functions/attributes. When you chose a basic printer type (under Use Printer), EZ-Forms installs a generic set of text labels. As you customize the printer driver you should modify these names to document the changes. Example: If you customize user function 4 to switch your printer into double high then install the user function 4 name to say "Double High Character". The names you install can be called up for review while you are in the editor. Call up any form and press Alt+I for information. You will be able to see what the user defined functions will do from their names. Use the modify printer driver option to modify the command codes sent to your printer when a user defined function is attached to a character. #375# This very confusing screen shows you the codes contained in the user configurable printer command strings. These strings control many of the operations during printing. See the modify option on the printer selection menu for a breakdown of what each command string does. The format for the information is: Location 1 2 3-26 What it is [Command string number] [length] [printer commands] Number base (in decimal) (in hex) (in hex) The first byte of the command tells EZ-Forms how many of the possible 24 bytes to send to the printer. Hex (base 16) was chosen for the commands to reduce the display space and to allow more commands per string (example: 255 is hex FF). If you have trouble with hex don't despair. We have included a form containing a hex to decimal conversion table. #400# This installation area allows you to define: 1) The default master form path. This is where EZ-Forms will look for your master forms (the ones ending with a .FRM extension). 2) The default completed form path. This is where EZ-Forms will look for your completed forms (the ones ending with a .FOF extension). Note: When you fill out a form it will be read from the master form area and saved to the completed form area. Example: Master path: C:\EZFL Completed path: A:\ If we fill out C:\EZFL\YourForm.FRM the name will be converted to A:\YourForm.FOF and be saved on drive A. This is ONLY the default. You can override the default form name and path at save time. The .FRM or .FOF extension cannot be changed! #401# 3. The default path for accessing the on-line manual and context sensitive help. Make sure you include the index files (.INX) along with the help and manual files (.TXT) in the specified directory. 4. Default message level. This is used in the editor to determine the extent of interference EZ-Forms presents to the user trying to execute a command (or help if you would prefer to look at it from that side). A message level of 4 will ensure all messages are displayed. Level 0 should be reserved for the expert user since this will take the safety (Are you sure (Y/N)?) off several potentially dangerous commands. 5. Sound/beep on errors. Some people find programs that beep on errors to be annoying (me for one). This option will allow you to disable ALL warning beeps in EZ-Forms. #410# EZ-Forms Lite allows the default form paths, program colors, etc. to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>EZFL MyConfg.CNF) when you call up EZ-Forms then EZ-Forms will use the default name of EZ-Forms.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to load. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: Epson.CNF (for Epson printers), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please make sure that the configuration file you are asking EZ-Forms to use is really an EZ-Forms configuration file! Remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #411# EZ-Forms Lite allows the default form paths, program colors, etc to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>EZFL MyConfg.CNF) when you call up EZ-Forms then EZ-Forms will use the default name of EZFL.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to save all the program defaults to. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: Epson.CNF (for Epson printers), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #END#