Shareware Supreme Volume 6 #1

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Shareware Supreme Volume 6 #1 / swsii.zip / swsii / 503 / PCFMS1.ZIP / PCFORMS.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-01-23 | 49.5 KB | 1,396 lines

- P C - F O R M S - DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY SYSTEM (The Electronic Forms Library) USERS' MANUAL for the PC-FORMS PROGRAM Copyright 1990-93 William W. Blackledge 3704 Edgewater Drive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116 (405) 840-3563 _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER ********************************* ** TABLE OF CONTENTS ** ********************************* Overview . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Summary of PC-FORMS' Features . 2 PC-FORMS Startup . . . . . . . 6 PC-FORMS Master Menu . . . . . 8 Text Menu . . . . . . . . . . 10 Variable Input Screen . . . . 11 Revised Text Screen . . . . . 13 Output Modes . . . . . . . . . 14 Variable Files . . . . . . . . 15 Color and Value Billing Codes. 16 Source Text Rules . . . . . . 17 PC-LIBRARY Program . . . . . . 21 ********************************* WordStar is a trademark of WordStar International Inc. WordPerfect is a trademark of WordPerfect Corporation. PC-Write is a trademark of Quicksoft. FriendlyWriter is a trademark of Friendly Soft Inc. Copyright 1990-91 William W. Blackledge 3704 Edgewater Drive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116 (405) 840-3563 PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL OVERVIEW The PC-FORMS document assembly system consists of two pro- grams, PC-FORMS and PC-LIBRARY, which automate the assembly of legal and business documents. They permit users to choose their own words for computer-prepared documents. The PC-FORMS program, PCFM.EXE, lets the user select from a text library furnished with the programs, or prepared by the user, text to be included in a document. If the selected text contains variable names, the user is prompted for variable responses to be inserted in lieu of those names. Responses are inserted in the text which is revised and displayed for acceptance or rejection. PC-FORMS eliminates repeated proof-reading of "boiler-plate" text. Variable information that does change is typed and proofed only once, even if used repeatedly in a document. The documents can be modified with a word processor for unusual situations. The programs may be linked to WordStar, WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, VDE, PC-Write, Friendly-Writer or other word processing programs. When linked, completed documents are automatically loaded by PC-FORMS into the user's word processor. As a document is prepared the program accumulates the re- vised text in a document file. It also accumulates, in - 1 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL another file, the variable responses entered and a record of the text selections made. This file may be used to "proof" the completed document or as a record of its contents. The PC-LIBRARY program is a companion program to the PC- FORMS program. It assists the user in creating and main- taining text libraries for the system. There is a separate manual which explains the operation of that program. After sections of text have been entered into a set of library files, PC-LIBRARY will prompt the user to enter a prompt for each variable name included in that text for which no prompt exists in the library variable file and will arrange the text headings in numerical and alphabetical sequence for the text selection indexes. The text library files (with suffixes of .VBL and .LEX) must be in the current working file directory. The program files (with the .EXE suffix) and the FMHELP.MSG and ORDER.MSG files may be in the same directory or any other directory included in the DOS "PATH" command. If the PCFM.EXE program is run from the same directory as WordStar, WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, VDE, PC-Write, or FriendlyWriter, it will automatically link to the word processing program or it can be linked using the Setup Menu. The program to convert from WordStar 3.3 must be in the same directory, for WordPerfect - CONVERT.EXE; for Microsoft Word - WS_RTF.EXE and for FriendlyWriter - FWCNV.EXE. - 2 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL SUMMARY OF PC-FORMS' FEATURES PC-FORMS is started by entering the command "PCFM" at the DOS prompt. The opening screen displays a list of the text libraries available in the current directory. After entering a library name, the user is prompted to enter a filename for the document to be assembled. This is a standard DOS filename of 8 or less characters, a dot, and a suffix of 3 or less characters, such as "JOHNSON.WIL". The filename may be preceded by a directory path such as "C:\MYDOCS\JOHNSON.WIL" if the user wants it to be stored in a specified directory. If the filename of a previous document is entered PC-FORMS informs the user that the file exists and asks whether to overwrite it or append to it. If neither option is selected the user may enter a new filename. A proof file is created for each document assembled using PC-FORMS. If there are any proof files for the text library selected by the user, the program asks the user if he, or she, desires to load the responses from the proof file of a previous document. This feature makes it unnecessary to re- enter responses for a series of documents for which variable responses will not change. If the user desires to load the variable responses from a proof file, the program displays a list of all previous - 3 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL proof files for the selected text library and requests the entry of the one from which to load responses. When these preliminary entries are completed, the first of 4 menu screens used to assemble documents is displayed. These screens are: 1 - The MASTER MENU screen, 2 - The TEXT SELECTION screen, 3 - The VARIABLE INPUT screen, and 4 - The REVISED TEXT screen. There are 9 selections on the MASTER MENU screen which are selected by entering the corresponding numeral. 1. Text Menu (to Start or Continue a Document) 2. Help, Order or Setup Menu 3. Text Selection Indexes (to Find Text) 4. Go to a Text Menu (to Skip to a Menu) 5. Display Document (to View the Document) 6. Line Spacing Toggle = SINGLE 7. Change from <library> to Another Library 8. Exit Program - Skip the Word Processor 9. Exit Program to the Word Processor Text selections may be made from the current Text Menu or from the Text Selection Indexes. Indexes of text selections are displayed in both numeric and alphabetical sequence. The numeric sequence is in logical sequence for document - 4 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL preparation except that some document headings and closings may be at the beginning or end of a text library. Each text-entry screen displays a highlighted line at the top showing the commands accessible from that screen. These are the commands used to access the menus and enter re- sponses during document preparation. The following is a summary of these commands: TEXT SELECTION screen: - (N)ext - to proceed to the next text menu. - (P)revious - to return to a previous text menu. - (ESC)Master Menu - to return to the MASTER MENU. INPUT VARIABLES screen: - (>)Center - to center the response on the page. - (ESC)Menu - to return to the Current Text Menu. - (?)Help - to display help for the variable response. NOTE: The user may skip a response by entering a <RETURN>. REVISED TEXT screen: - (R)eject text - to reject revised text & not store responses. - <RETURN> - to accept the revised text and append to document. At any time during document preparation the user may return to the Master Menu screen by entering <ESCAPE> one, or more, times. From that screen the user may view the general program help file or the Text Selection Index, skip to a menu, display the document being prepared, change to double- line or single-line spacing or change to a different text library. The latter feature permits the user to begin a letter in the library containing forms of address for digni- taries (LTRADR) and, after entering the address information - 5 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL shift over to one of the other letter libraries to complete the letter. This concludes the summary of PC-FORMS' features. The remainder of this manual consists of detailed instructions for the use of PC-FORMS users who want more information about how the program works. PC-FORMS START-UP PC-FORMS is started by entering PCFM at the DOS prompt. You may also enter the library name, the output file specifica- tion and a mode character D, N or R for Document, Non- Document or Right-Justified output. You will appreciate the ability to start the programs with a one-line command con- taining all of the required start-up information after becoming familiar with them. When the program is started with the "PCFM" command, the program displays a sorted list of the text libraries avail- able in the current working directory. A description of the libraries is available in the general help file which is displayed by selection 2 on the Main Menu. Examples of correct start-up entries at the DOS prompt for the PC-FORMS program are: C:\PCFORMS> pcfm C:\PCFORMS> pcfm wills C:\PCFORMS> pcfm wills testwill.doc C:\PCFORMS> pcfm wills testwill.doc d - 6 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL The program will request input of any of the above informa- tion not supplied on the command line. The first menu the program looks for is <LIBRARY>01.LEX, where <LIBRARY> is the name of the library. As text selections are made, it pro- ceeds through the series of text menus as directed by the user. If the file name entered for the document already exists you will be advised of that fact and asked if you want to over- write it or append your text selections to the end of it. A (N)o answer to this query will allow you to rename the proposed document. The program maintains a list of the proof files for each text library which have not been deleted from the disk in a file named with the library name plus the suffix ".VRS". When a text library is selected for which proof files exist the user is asked whether he, or she, wants to load the previous variable responses from one of those proof files. If so, the program displays a list of the proof files creat- ed using that library and prompts the user for the one to load. This makes it unnecessary to re-enter variable responses for a series of documents in which the same responses apply. This feature is especially helpful in connection with plead- ings and related documents in which the parties' names and - 7 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL other information does not change. It is also useful for doing different versions of a document for comparison pur- poses. Text selections are made from screen displays of the Text Menus or from the Text Selection Indexes. After inserting variable responses in the selected text it is revised and displayed. The user is permitted to either reject the re- vised text or append it to the output document. PC-FORMS MASTER MENU After the PC-FORMS program is started and the preliminary entries are completed the following Master Menu appears: 1. Text Menu (to Start or Continue Document) 2. Help, Order or Setup Menu 3. Text Selection Indexes (to Find Text) 4. Go to a Text Menu (to Skip to a Menu) 5. Display Document (to See Document) 6. Line Spacing Toggle = SINGLE 7. Change from <FORMNAME> to Another Library 8. Exit Program - Skip the Word Processor 9. Exit Program to the Word Processor A highlighted MASTER MENU heading is displayed at the top of your screen showing the name of the current text library file. This heading also shows the version of the program you are running and the copyright notice. Selection 6 on this menu lets you toggle back and forth - 8 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL between single and double-line spacing for the document being prepared. Selection 7 lets you change to a different text library and continue the assembly of your document. For example, this feature permits the user to begin a letter using the special 'forms of address' letter library called LTRADR and then switch to another letter library to complete the letter being assembled. Normally, you will select the first Text Menu. Before doing so you may wish to review the General Program Help screens or the Text Indexes. After these selections you can return to the Master Menu by entering <ESCAPE>. You can access the text selections in a text library either from the Text Selection Screen showing the current Text Menu or from the Text Selection Index. Text selections may be reviewed by selecting them and then returning to the current Text Menu by pressing <ESCAPE>. TEXT MENU When you select the Text Menu, the following screen heading line will appear: "TEXT SELECTION -(N)ext -(P)revious -(ESC)Master Menu -Text Menu: Text Selections for Library: <form>, Menu No. n -" This will be followed by a display of the text selections in - 9 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL the current menu. This menu describes one or more sections of text which may be added to the output document. Pressing <ESCAPE> will return you to the Master Menu. An N will select the next Text Menu, a P will select the previous one. The screen heading includes reminders of these com- mands for the user's convenience. After making your text selections from this menu, enter an N to continue to the next Text Menu. Continue this procedure until your document is finished. At any time you may <ESCAPE> to the Master Menu and display the document, switch to double spacing, change to another library or review the Text Selection Indexes. After you have become familiar with a particular text library you may return to the Master Menu to skip over menus from which no text is to be selected by using Option No. 4, - "Go to a Text Menu". VARIABLE INPUT SCREEN When you have entered your text selection, the text will be displayed with its variable names under a heading, as fol- lows: "VARIABLE INPUT -(CTRL-R)edo -(CR)Left Mrgn -(ESC)Menu -(>)Center -(?)Help" If the text contains variable names you will be prompted to enter the information you want to replace them in the head- - 10 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL ing to the bottom window of the screen. If there is more than a full window of text the program will show "- more -" at the bottom of the window and wait for a key to be pressed to continue scrolling. If the characters '->' appear before the cursor the program has entered the '>' character for you so that your entry will be centered on the page. This occurs when the variable name in the text begins with the '>' character. The '(>)Center' in the screen heading is a reminder that if you want to center your response you, or the program, must enter the '>' character before entering the response. If your response goes beyond the end of the format line the program will wrap your entry to the next line automatically. Your may use the Arrow and CTRL-Arrow keys to move around in that portion of your current response which has not scrolled out of the variable input window to make additions or other corrections. If you decide you do not want to include a particular sec- tion of text or if you find you have made a mistake in a previous entry you may return to the Text Menu by pressing <ESCAPE>. Pressing it twice will return you to the Master Menu. At any time during variable input you may cancel your entries and return to the Text Menu by pressing <ESCAPE>. "(?)Help" is a reminder that entry of a question mark at a - 11 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL variable prompt will result in the display of the help message for that variable. The prompts for the variable names in the selected text for which responses have not been stored in memory will appear in sequence. When all responses have been entered the text will be revised and displayed for your acceptance or rejec- tion. You can enter a <RETURN> at a variable prompt to skip over a variable name for which you want no response to appear in the final document (such as an extra address line in a form letter). REVISED TEXT SCREEN The heading for the revised text screen is an inverse video display followed by the current format line, as follows: "REVISED TEXT -(R)eject -(Return)Append to Document" After the revised text is displayed the program will wait for you to enter an 'R' to reject it or a Carriage Return to add it to the output file. When a section of text is re- jected the responses for global variables entered for that section of text are deleted. When a section is added to the document that text selection and the responses for any local variables in it is saved in a 'proof' file named <DOCUMENT>.PRF. - 12 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL If it becomes necessary to leave the program in the middle of a job, you may come back to it later and begin where you left off. If you load the variable responses in the proof file for the document it is unnecessary to re-enter that information. OUTPUT MODES Three output modes are available: Document, Non-Document and Right-Justified. Document mode text is revised to permit printing it right justified using micro-justification with the WordStar, Word or WordPerfect word processing program. Document mode output files are in WordStar format. They may be converted to the linked word processor format by the conversion program furnished with the particular word proc- essor or by an appropriate program selected by the user in the Setup Menu. In Non-Document mode the program revises each line of text by removing one of any duplicate spaces between words and all but two spaces after each punctuation mark. Each line of text is then terminated at the last space or hyphen before the right margin marker in the current format line. This results in the text having a ragged right margin with- out extra spaces. In Right-Justified mode the output is revised by inserting extra spaces to permit printing it right-justified on print- ers which do not support micro-justification. - 13 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL In Document mode the output files contain special non- printing characters used by WordStar to right-justify the text. They also contain special dot-command lines which are used to format the printed documents. The output files in both Non-Document and Right-Justified mode will contain only printable ASCII characters without special formatting characters or dot commands. If your printer does not support micro-justification or you do not use WordStar, Word or WordPerfect for document print- ing you will want to output non-document or right-justified documents. VARIABLE FILES There is one variable file for each text library. This file is named with the formname followed by the suffix ".VBL". The file contains a section of variable prompts headed by the dot command ".QN", a section of variable help messages headed by the dot command ".HP" and a section of the text heading lines in numeric and alphabetical sequence headed by the dot command .IX. Each prompt and help message is entered in this file on the line immediately after the line containing the variable name in curly braces. - 14 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL The help sections of variable files contain brief statements for each variable name explaining what data should be en- tered in response to the prompt for that variable. These messages must also be entered in the file on the line imme- diately following a line containing the variable name in curly braces. The variable help messages are not required for the program to run properly. If there is no help mes- sage for a variable name the user will be prompted to enter a variable respones to replace the variable name in the document. A copyright notice for a text library can be displayed by including that notice in the help section of the variable file under the variable name {~COPYRIGHT}. The tables below show the Background and Foreground colors and color codes used by IBM compatible computers. COLOR TABLES FOR BACKGROUND AND FOREGROUND COLORS:.PS OFF First HEX Digit = Background Color: 0 = Black 8 = Black Blinking 1 = Blue 9 = Blue Blinking 2 = Green A = Green Blinking 3 = Cyan B = Cyan Blinking 4 = Red C = Red Blinking 5 = Magenta D = Magenta Blinking 6 = Brown E = Yellow Blinking 7 = White F = White Blinking - 15 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL Second HEX Digit = Foreground Color: 0 = Black 8 = Gray 1 = Blue 9 = Light Blue 2 = Green A = Light Green 3 = Cyan B = Light Cyan 4 = Red C = Light Red 5 = Magenta D = Light Magenta 6 = Brown E = Yellow 7 = White F = Bright White SOURCE TEXT RULES The following are the rules which must be followed in the preparation of the source text section of text files: 1. ASCII CHARACTERS. The text must be in ASCII charac- ters. 2. PARAGRAPH TERMINATION. Paragraphs and lines which stand alone, such as formatting lines, MUST BE TERMI- NATED WITH A CARRIAGE RETURN IMMEDIATELY AFTER the last character or punctuation mark. 3. LINE TERMINATION. Each line within a paragraph, other than the last one, MUST END WITH A SPACE BEFORE THE CARRIAGE RETURN. 4. TEXT ARRANGEMENT. The text within a paragraph may be arranged for display right-justified by the insertion of not more than one extra space between words and an unlimited number after any period, colon, exclamation mark or question mark. These extra spaces are removed by the revision process. - 16 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL 5. VARIABLE NAMES. Variable names must be enclosed in curly braces and must not exceed 23 characters in length, including the curly braces. There are two major types of variable names, GLOBAL and LOCAL, which are distiguished by whether the first character after the initial curly brace is alphanumeric. GLOBAL varia- ble names begin with an alphanumeric character. 6. VARIABLE RESPONSE TREATMENT. The responses for GLOBAL variables are automatically substituted for those variable names in all later sections of text selected for the document. The responses for all LOCAL varia- bles other than those beginning with a question mark or tilde will be displayed when the name is encountered in later sections of text and the user given an opportuni- ty to change it for that section of text. The user will always be prompted for a response if the variable name begins with a question mark. 7. SPECIAL AND LOCAL VARIABLE USAGE. The following is a summary of how SPECIAL and LOCAL variables are used in text libraries: The latest responses for the following five SPECIAL variables are saved in the proof file of the Document being assembled. These variable names are used for the following purposes: - 17 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL 1st SPECIAL Variable Char Program Response > - Automatically inserts a ">" character to center the user response. (Indicated by -> on the variable input screen) ~ - Displays a 'Standard Response' for the Varia- ble Name and permits the user to retain it or change it. 0 or | - Adjusts the number of spaces after the varia- ble response to keep additional information on the same line in the same relative position as it was in the text library file. & - Displays the user's previous response to the Variable Prompt, if any, and permits the user to retain it or change it. REGULAR LOCAL variable names are used in sections of text where the response usually will not be repeated in later sections of text. The responses to these varia- ble names are NOT SAVED in the proof file of the docu- ment being assembled and are used, as follows: 1st REGULAR LOCAL Variable Char Program Response ? - Always displays the prompt for the Variable Name, since the previous response was not stored. ! - Displays the user's previous respones to the Variable Prompt, if any, and permits the user to retain it or change it. For the "!" character you can substitute any non- alphanumeric character other than one of those listed above. 8. SPECIAL GLOBAL VARIABLE. There is one special GLOBAL variable name available which is begun with the zero '0' character after the first curly brace. It is used - 18 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL to adjust the spaces after the variable response in the same way as the SPECIAL LOCAL variable beginning with the vertical bar '|'. 9. FORMAT COMMAND LINE. The .FT dot command, as explained above, is used in text libraries to establish the format of the following text. The characters which may be used in a format command line are shown below: L = Left Margin P = Paragraph Margin ! = Ordinary Tab Stop # = Decimal Tab Stop R = Right Margin (also a Tab Stop) - = Spacing (Fill) Characters 10. OTHER WORDSTAR DOT COMMANDS. Other dot commands may appear in the format section of the file or in a text section. Dot commands may not appear within a para- graph of text since, if placed there, they will be merged with the text when it is revised. If you use WordStar for revision and printing, you may use any dot command supported by the version being used. If your word processor supports hanging indents, as the latest versions of WordStar do, you can use the paragraph margin to begin the first line of each paragraph to the left of the left margin, leaving the paragraph number in the margin. You must remember to re-configure the word proces- sor for this style of paragraphs before revising the docu- - 19 - PC-FORMS USERS' MANUAL ment with it. The numbered paragraphs above are examples of text done with hanging indents. Sections of repeatable text (such as gifts of personal property in the wills library) will contain only LOCAL variable names for which the responses can be changed each time the text is appended to the document. PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM The PC-LIBRARY program may be used to create and update the variable file for a text library after the numbered text sections have been entered in a series of .LEX files. That program will ask the user to enter the prompt for variable names in the text files for which no prompt is found in the variable file. It will also save the text headings in numeric and alphabetical sequence and, when requested, will update the variable file for a library. See the manual for that program for an explanation of its operation. This program also generates files for printing the Text Indexes, the Text Library, the Variable Prompts and Variable Help messages in a PC-FORMS variable file. The program is very useful for those who wish to develop their own Forms Libraries. ### - 20 - INDEX FOR PC-FORMS MANUAL Acceptance of Revised Text, 12 Overwriting a Document File, 7 Accessing Text Selections, 9 Appending Revised Text, 8 PC-FORMS Program, 1 Appending to a Document File, 7 PC-LIBRARY Program, 2, 20 Arranging Text for Display, 16 Prompts for Variable Names, 12 Proof File, 2, 12 Changing Libraries, 6 Proof File for Document, 3 Changing to a Different Library, 9 Characters in Rejecting Revised Text, 8 Text Library Files, 16 Rejection of Revised Text, 12 Commands Renaming the Document File, 7 Accessible, 5 Return to Skip an Entry, 12 Command-Line Entries, 6 Returning to Master Menu, 9 Copyright Notice, 15 Returning to Text Menu, 11 Returning to the Description of Libraries, 6 Current Text Menu, 9 Document File Revised Text Naming, 3 Acceptance, 12 Document Mode Output, 13, 14 Rejection, 12 Dot Commands in Text Files, 19 Revised Text Screen Commands, 12 Double-Line Spacing, 5 Right-Justified Mode Output, 13, 14 Escaping to the Master Menu, 10 Extra Spaces in Single-Line Spacing, 5 Text Selections, 16 Skipping to a Text Menu, 10 Starting PC-FORMS, 3 Format Command Line, 19 Starting the Program, 6 Full Window of Text, 11 Start-Up Entries, 6 Help File, 6 Terminating Lines Help Message File, 2 within Paragraphs, 16 Help Messages Terminating Paragraphs, 16 Variable, 14 Text Centering Characters ->, 11 Text Entries Wrapped Leaving Program, 13 to Next Line, 11 Libraries Text Heading Lines Index, 14 Description of, 6 Text Library files, 2 Line Spacing Toggle, 9 Text Menus, 7 Linking to Word Processor, 2 Text Selection Menu Commands, 9 List of Libraries, 6 Text Selections, 8 List of Proof Files, 7 Loading Previous Responses, 7 Use of Hanging Indentation, 19 Loading Responses from Use of ? for Help, 11 Previous File, 3, 13 Variable Files, 14 Making Text Selections, 4 Variable Help Messages, 14, 15 Master Menu, 8 Variable Input Commands, 10 Master Screen Variable Names, 17 Returning to, 5 Variable Responses Menu Screens, 4 Treatment of, 17 Variables Non-Document Mode Output, 13, 14 Global, 17 Regular Local, 18 Output Modes, 13 Special Global, 18 OVERVIEW, 1 Special Local, 17