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Text File | 1993-01-22 | 15.5 KB | 330 lines

QLIB.TXT : Copyright 1993 QUART, Inc. Users' Manual for QLIB.EXE - QCDRUN (TM) CD-ROM Database Editor QCDRUN CD-ROM Library System for Microsoft Windows is a database management utility and automatic CD-ROM launcher for the Windows Multimedia and CD-ROM user with an extensive library of CD-ROMs. QCDRUN gives you true click-and-load convenience. QLIB.EXE creates and edits the master database files that allow QCD and the other programs of the QCDRUN system to identify and run CD-ROMs from catalogued information. QLIB can run as a standalone Windows application, and will be called by QCD if it cannot identify the CD-ROM currently in the drive. All QCDRUN programs automatically locate the main Windows working directory on your hard drive and search there for .PIF and .INI files and major Windows operational files. Certain operating options in QCDRUN rely on the availability of the Windows utilities WINFILE (File Manager), WRITE (for on-screen filling out and printing of the registration form), and NOTEPAD (to read documentation), in your main Windows working directory. These functions will not operate correctly if these utilities are absent or located elsewhere. QLIB accepts data base information from direct keyboard entry or from selection menus and saves this in two database files - QCD.INI in your Windows directory, and CDLIST.INI in the QCDRUN working directory. QLIB can shell at your request to QDOC to read documentation and write registration forms. QLIB : Initial Operation: a. From Windows Program Manager menu - select File Run b. Enter the Command Line h:\dir\qlib, where h is your working hard drive; and dir is the working directory containing the QCDRUN system. (Default path is c:\qcd.) If you have installed the QCDRUN working directory into your DOS path, you need only enter QLIB at the File Run command line. c. Press ENTER (from the keyboard) or click OK (left mouse button) QLIB : General Instructions and Operations Please be aware: At any prompt in QLIB - Clicking "Cancel" unconditionally terminates the program. To accept defaults (when shown in prompts) - press "ENTER" or click "OK" To change from defaults - enter from the keyboard, then press "ENTER" or click "OK" All mouse operations in QLIB use the (standard) left mouse button. Any timed Message or Display window (without an "OK" button) can be closed, allowing the program to continue before the set time (which is a maximum of 5 seconds), by placing the cursor in the window and clicking the left mouse button. Step by step: PRELIMINARY TESTING: a. QLIB opens with a copyright notice that clears in 5 seconds. b. QLIB tests for installation in WIN.INI. If you try to simply copy the QCDRUN distribution files to your hard drive and run QLIB without completing the QINSTALL procedure, QCD and QLIB will not find the appropriate entries in WIN.INI or the QCD.INI file, and will be unable to operate. If the {QCD} section is not present in WIN.INI, QLIB tells you to run QINSTALL and terminates. FILE BACKUP and DOCUMENTATION VIEWER: c. QLIB makes backup copies of existing CD-ROM library files QCD.INI and CDLIST.INI in the QCDRUN working directory. QLIB then shells out to QDOC to allow you to view or print program documentation (click "Yes"). This also allows you to generate your Registration Form on-screen. If you do not wish to view or print out documentation but wish to continue in QLIB and edit a CD-ROM, click "No" and QLIB will resume. EDITING FUNCTIONS: d. QLIB performs three basic database operations: - install new CD-ROM; - edit existing installation; and - uninstall CD-ROM. Successful installation of new CD-ROMs or editing of existing installations requires that the CD-ROM in question be present in the CD-ROM drive. In setting up the database structure in QCD.INI, QLIB recognizes four basic types of CD-ROM, each of which is handled slightly differently: 1. CD-ROM runs from single executable file (example - PC-SIG Library edition 11); 2. CD-ROM runs from several executable files (example - CorelDraw version 3.0); 3. CD-ROM contains a mixture of executable files and archived files that must be accessed directly (example - HamCall); and 4. CD-ROM contains archived files only with no executable files or shell (example - GIFs Galore). In each case, the executable file may run from the CD-ROM itself, may have been installed previously on your hard drive, or may (rarely) require a floppy disk. Additionally, the executable file may run appropriately after a command consisting of path:\filename only, or may require specification or additional parameters. All these possibilities are acceptable in QLIB. INSTALLING A NEW CD-ROM: e. Information on a new CD-ROM will normally be appended to the end of QCD.INI, increasing the total number of CDs included in the library by 1. However, if a CD-ROM has previously been deleted from the library, its place in numerical sequence is held (the [CDTitle] section of QCD.INI, and CDLIST.INI, both contain the word "Deleted" at that number in sequence; see below for further details or the CD-ROM deletion process). In that case, the next new installation will take the place in numerical sequence of the deleted CD-ROM and the index for the total number of CD-ROMs in the library (NCD in the [main] section of QCD.INI) will not be incremented. f. QLIB requires the CD-ROM to be installed in the CD-ROM drive. It will ask for confirmation that the correct CD-ROM is in place, and will prompt for a change and eject the current CD-ROM (if drive design permits) if the CD-ROM for installation is not in place. (In many systems, ejecting the CD-ROM may produce an "Unable to Read Drive" System Error message that clears by clicking "Retry" after the new CD-ROM is inserted.) g. Many CD-ROMs (especially those that are DOS-based rather than native Windows applications) require separate and unique setup procedures to copy files from (usually) the CD-ROM or (rarely) a floppy disk onto your hard drive to allow the CD-ROM to run. QLIB asks if you need to run the CD-ROMs setup procedure. In all cases where this is necessary, this should be completed before the QLIB database is established. (You don't need to if you've completed setting up the CD-ROM before running QLIB, if the CD-ROM is archival only with no executable files, or if the CD-ROM executable files explicitly require no specific setup.) A menu shell appears at this point to allow you to run the CD-ROM's setup routines without leaving QLIB. Answering the questions, you create the installation directory for the CD-ROM; and select the setup path, program, and additional parameters from the files on the CD-ROM. When this is complete, QLIB will run the setup procedures to install the CD-ROM to your hard drive before continuing with the QLIB database functions. (Note that many CD-ROM's have unusual or unique setup procedures. Some, especially those that shell from Windows to DOS, may conflict unpredictably with QLIB or your Windows system. While the CD-ROM setup procedure from within QLIB is convenient, it may prove unstable. If time permits you are better off running the CD-ROM setup procedures before entering QLIB; OR exiting QLIB at this point, performing the setup, and returning to QLIB for database management only.) h. QLIB then prompts for entry of a working title for the CD-ROM. This will be recorded in the CD-ROM library file QCD.INI section [CDTitle] and in CDLIST.INI and be used as the name or title by which the CD-ROM is normally referred to. A blank entry is not acceptable. i. QLIB then creates a shell of subdirectories and files on the CD-ROM to allow you select a single file on the CD-ROM that will be recorded in QCD.INI and used by QCD as a unique identifier for the CD-ROM. You may select any file from any subdirectory - but are best to select a subdirectory and file that are unlikely to be found on another CD-ROM. Blank entries are not acceptable. Before accepting the identifier file, QLIB scans QCD.INI to ensure that no other CD-ROM is using a file of the same path and name as its identifier. If a file of the same path and name IS found in QCD.INI, QLIB generates an error message ("Identifier File is Not Unique") and returns to the file shell menus to allow selection of another identifier file. j. QLIB then asks you to select from a menu to identify the CD-ROM as one of the four basic types (see d. above). QLIB operation from this point on varies slightly according to the CD-ROM type. k. If the CD-ROM runs from a single executable file, QLIB asks if the CD-ROM is a native Windows application. If not, it advises you to select from existing Windows .PIF file or to create a new Windows .PIF file for best application execution. If an existing .PIF file is available, QLIB shows a menu shell to allow its selection. If you wish to create a new .PIF file, QLIB shells to the Windows .PIF editor to allow you to create it and automatically accepts that new file name as the path and file name for the CD-ROM executable file. If you do not use a .PIF file at this time, or if this is a native Windows application, QLIB prompts you to enter the path and file name for the file. This is a mandatory entry. You are then prompted to enter any optional parameters that the CD-ROM executable file will need to run correctly. These are stored in a separate section of QCD.INI for each CD-ROM in the format: [CDx] - where x=sequential CD number in QCD.INI u=1 (CD-ROM type is single executable file); a=identifier file path:\filename x=executable file path:\filename p=optional parameters l. If the CD-ROM is an archive only without an operating shell or other executable files, QLIB automatically creates an entry in the format: [CDx] u=4 a=identifier file path:\filename x=Search Archival Files p= m. If the CD-ROM contains multiple executable files, QLIB requests the same information as in k. above, as well as a working title for each executable file. This then creates two new sections of QCD.INI in the format: [CDx] - where x=sequential CD number in QCD.INI u=2 a=identifier file path:\filename [CDxmenu] title1=executable file path:\filename optional parameters title2=... etc. for all the individual executable files If no optional parameter is specified, QLIB concatenates an ampersand ("&") following the executable file path:\filename as a place-holder. n. If the CD-ROM mixes executable and archival files, QLIB requests the same information as in m. above, and creates two new sections in QCD.INI in the format: [CDx] u=3 a=identifier file path:\filename [CDxmenu] title1=executable file path:\filename optional parameters title2=... etc. for all executable files Search Archival Files= o. At the completion of each successful installation, the index NCD for total number of CDs installed in the [main] section of QCD.INI is incremented by 1 - unless the new CD-ROM has been installed in place of a prior deletion. A brief message window confirms successful installation. QLIB then asks if you wish to install or edit another CD-ROM. The program exits if you click "No". "Yes" returns you to QDOC and to the full installation procedure from step c. above. UNINSTALLING a CD-ROM: p. QLIB does not require you to place the CD-ROM to be uninstalled into the CD-ROM drive. Selecting the "Uninstall CD-ROM" option from the main menu brings up a master menu (from CDLIST.INI) showing CD-ROM index number and title for all CD-ROMs currently installed. Click the mouse on the title of the CD-ROM you wish to be deleted from QCD.INI and CDLIST.INI. q. QLIB asks you to confirm your selection for deletion. If you click "yes" to confirm, QLIB proceeds to: - back-up QCD.INI and CDLIST.INI in the QCD working directory as QCD.REM and CDLIST.REM for recovery in case of malfunction; - delete the [CDx] and [CDxmenu] sections from QCD.INI (x is the CD-ROM index number); - delete the CD-ROM title from the [installed] section of CDLIST.INI and the [CDTitle] section of QCD.INI, in each case replacing the title after the index number with the place-holder "Deleted"; - if not already present, creates a section [deleted] in QCD.INI; - increments the total number of deletions "nd=" in section [deleted] of QCD.INI by 1; - adds a new line to the [deleted] section cross-referencing the CD-ROM index number (x) to the corresponding value of the deletion index (nd), in the form "del(nd)=x"; and - confirms successful deletion. r. QLIB then asks if you wish to edit or install another CD-ROM. Clicking "yes" returns you to the main operating menu of QLIB. Clicking "no" concludes the program. s. Installation of a new CD-ROM in place of one that has been deleted reverses the order of operations in q, above. Specifically, - new [CDx] and (if appropriate) [CDxmenu] sections are built in QCD.INI; - the new CD-ROM title is substituted for "Deleted" in [CDTitle] in QCD.INI and in [installed] in CDLIST.INI; - the index nd in the [deleted] section of QCD.INI decrements by 1; - the last line for del(nd)=x is removed from the [deleted] section of QCD.INI; and - the index value x is assigned to the new CD-ROM. EDIT EXISTING INSTALLATION: t. The basic menu structure for CD-ROM access is determined by QLIB in the installation and removal routines already described. QLIB allows all CD-ROM installation parameters to be edited or modified separately. These include modification of the CD-ROM title and identifier file; modification of the title or path\fileneame for individual executable files; and addition of new executable files or archival search capabilities or deletion of existing executable files or search capabilities in current installations. The sequence steps and messages presented to the user are as described in sections f through o, above, for installation of a new CD-ROM. The CD-ROM whose installation is to be edited must be in the CD-ROM drive for QLIB to run. At each step, QLIB prompts the user for confirmation before making any modifications. COMPLETION and EXIT: u. When you complete your editing or installation operations, QLIB resumes control to ask if you wish to change CD-ROMs and load another. Click "No" to exit QLIB. If you click "Yes", QLIB shells to QDOC (see c. above) so you may review documentation if you wish. It then prompts for selection of a new editing or installation operation. If you choose no new operation, QLIB terminates. ENJOY YOUR CD-ROMs!