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- P C - F O R M S - DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY SYSTEM (The Electronic Forms Library) USERS' MANUAL for the PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM Copyright 1990-91 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-LIBRARY'S Features . . . . 2 PC-LIBRARY Program Startup . . . . . . . 4 Variable Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Source Text Rules . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ****************************************** 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-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL OVERVIEW PC-LIBRARY is a companion program to the PC-FORMS program. It is used to create and maintain the text libraries used with PC-FORMS for document assembly. The program assists the user in creating variable files for text libraries after the text sections have been entered in the ".LEX" files with their .TXn heading/index lines. It also assists in up-dating the variable file for a particular library after text and/or variable names have been added. In addition, the PC-LIBRARY program, PCLB.EXE, may be used to print, or to create files containing, the Text Indexes, the text library, the Variable Prompts and the Variable Help Messages from a PC-FORMS text library. These lists can be used to collect information from clients for a particular document. They may also be used to provide instructions to a secretary or typist for completing the document. This program automatically links to the WordStar, WordPer- fect, Microsoft Word, VDE, PC-Write or FriendlyWriter word processing program if it is in the same directory with one of those programs. Alternatively, the user may use the Setup Menu of the PC-FORMS program to link the system pro- grams to his, or her, word processing program. If linked with a word processor the appropriate conversion utility program must be in the same directory, viz: For WordPerfect - CONVERT.EXE - 1 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL For Microsoft Word - WS_RTF.EXE For FriendlyWriter - FWCNV.EXE. The program will access only those library files (with the .VBL and .LEX suffixes) which are in the current working directory so you must change to that directory before start- ing the program. SUMMARY OF PC-LIBRARY'S FEATURES PC-LIBRARY is started by entering the command "PCLB" at the DOS prompt. The opening screen displays a list of the text text libraries available in the current directory. The user is asked to enter a form name or, if help is desired, a question mark. Entering a question mark displays the general program help file FMHELP.MSG which may be browsed more conveniently from the PC-FORMS program. You may read the help messages a screen at a time in the PC-LIBRARY program but you cannot scroll backwards in the messages as is permitted in PC- FORMS. The <ESCAPE> key is used to exit the help screen. After entering a library name the PC-LIBRARY Master Menu screen appears with the following options: - 2 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL 1. Text Index for <library> 2. Text Library for <library> 3. Variable Prompts for <library> 4. Variable Help for <library> 5. Exit Program - Skip the Word Processor 6. Exit Program to the Word Processor Your selections are made from this menu by entering the appropriate numeral. Selections 1, 3 and 4 create files listing the contents of the index, prompt and help sections, respectively, of the variable file for the designated text library. The Text Library selection, (Selection 2), is used for creating a file of the text sections in the .LEX files of a text library. While doing so, a numbered blank is placed in the text for each variable name and the variable prompt for that name is numbered with the number of that blank. This makes it possible to dictate or list the responses for each variable by number. These prompt numbers are displayed as the document is being assembled. The program also saves the text heading lines in alphabeti- cal and numeric sequence as it proceeds through the .LEX files with the file and selection numbers related to them. This information is used to update the index section of the variable file. - 3 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL When the Text Library file is completed the program asks the user if he, or she, desires to update the variable file for the designated text library. A (Y)es answer results in the program renaming the old variable file with a .BAK suffix. It then creates a new variable file containing the following information: 1. In the Prompt section (.QN heading line) the variable prompts are numbered in sequence as they appear in the text sections. 2. In the Help section (.HP heading line) the variable help messages are listed in alphabetical sequence according to the first letter of the variable name. 3. In the Index section (.IX heading line) the text heading lines are listed in numeric and alphabetical sequence. These files can be revised to fit the needs of a particular text library using a word processor capable of producing a plain ASCII text file. For Example, the user may wish to include capitalized headings in the Text Indexes to assist the user in selecting text sections for inclusion in a document. This concludes the summary of PC-LIBRARY'S features. The remainder of this manual consists of detailed instructions for the use of PC-LIBRARY users who want more information about how the program works. PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM STARTUP The PC-LIBRARY program is started by entering "PCLB" at the DOS prompt. If you do not include a form name the program - 4 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL will ask for one. The following are correct start-up entries at the DOS prompt for the PC-LIBRARY program: C:\PCFORMS> pclb or C:\PCFORMS> pclb wills The PC-LIBRARY program will display on the screen and store in a file one or more sections of a text library variable file. The output file is named with the form name plus one of the following suffixes: .INX - for the Text Indexes, .TXT - for the Text Library, .PMT - for the Variable Prompts and .HLL - for the Variable Help Messages. If requested, these files may be printed as they are being prepared. If the user has a word processor, it is recom- mended that they be printed using it. After the PC-LIBRARY program is started and a form name entered the following menu is displayed: 1. Text Indexes for <library> 2. Text Library for <library> 3. Variable Prompts for <library> 4. Variable Help for <library> 5. Exit Program - Skip the Word Processor 6. Exit Program to the Word Processor - 5 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL The Text Library routine substitutes a numbered blank for each variable name in the library files. It assigns the number to the prompt for that variable. The text is then revised and saved in a file with its menu and text selection numbers shown in the heading. While doing this the program saves numeric and alphabetical listings of the text headings with which to up-date the variable file if asked to do so. This means that the language of the text headings should be selected carefully with the knowledge that it will be used as an index line to that section of text in the variable file. The Text Library routine of the PC-LIBRARY program also may be used to enter or update variable prompts in the variable file for a particular text library. That routine checks for a prompt for each variable name in the text library. If no prompt is found for a variable in the variable file the user is asked to enter one. At the end of the routine the user may then instruct the program to update the varia- ble file. After you have prepared new text files, or added variable names to existing ones, you should run the Text Library routine. It will number the variables in sequence and ask you to input prompts for those without prompts in the varia- ble file. After updating the prompt section of the file you - 6 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL can then add help messages in the help section of the varia- ble file for the new variables, if desired. VARIABLE FILES There is one variable file for each text library. This file is named with the library name 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 time a GLOBAL VARIABLE appears in the selected text, the prompt for that variable will be displayed unless a response for it was entered previously. Each time a LOCAL VARIABLE appears in the text the user will be prompted for a response for that variable in that text. If the variable name begins with a punctuation mark other than a question mark or the tilde (~) character, the user will be reminded of the previous entry for the variable and permitted to retain it or change it. If the variable name begins with the tilde (~) character the Standard Response shown in the prompt section of the variable file for that name will be displayed and the user permitted to retain or change it. Each prompt is entered in this file on the line immediately after the line containing the variable name in curly braces. - 7 - PC-LIBRARY 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 asked to enter a response to replace the variable name. TEXT FILES Text files are named with a form name of six or less charac- ters plus a two-digit number plus the suffix '.LEX'. The files supplied with the programs should demonstrate most of the features of the system. They may be used as templates for the development of other user-prepared files. There may also be a sample file called SAMPLE01.LEX on the disk which you may use as a template to create a Text Library. Text files may begin with one or more dot command lines for formatting the documents. A format line in this section of the text file will be applicable to all of the following text sections unless a different format line is included in them. Each text section of these files begins with a .TX number - 8 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL followed by one or more asterisks and a heading/index line in capital letters followed by one or more asterisks. The file may contain WordStar, Version 3.3, dot command lines for formatting the final document. If the PC-FORMS System programs are linked with a word processor these codes are converted to the proper codes when your listing or document is complete. If WordStar dot commands are used in the text files they will be passed through to the output document without modi- fication. In addition, the programs utilize the .FT command line to display a formatting ruler line consisting of a capital L for the Left Margin marker, a capital P for the Paragraph Margin marker, a capital R for the Right Margin marker, exclamation marks for regular tab stops and the number mark # for decimal tab stops. Following are some of the dot commands which may be incorpo- rated in the text files: .FT followed by a format ruler line. .HE followed by a header line for each page. .FO followed by a footing line for each page. .MTn for number of lines in top margin. .MBn for number of lines in bottom margin. .HMn for number of lines between heading and text. .FMn for number of lines between footing and text. .PLn for number of total lines per page. .POn for number of characters to offset left margin. - 9 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL Text files must be in ASCII characters. The document format section is not required in every file. In Versions prior to 4.0 the special ".FT" dot command was required to be the first line in the file or the first line after a ".TXn" command line. This is not required in later versions. 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 of the lines within a para- graph, 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 - 10 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL mark or question mark. These extra spaces are removed by the revision process. 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 will be displayed when the name is encountered in later sections of text and the user given an opportunity 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 - 11 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL being assembled. These variable names are used for the following purposes: 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 variable 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-alpha- numeric 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 - 12 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL '0' character after the first curly brace. It is used to adjust the spaces after the variable response in the same way as the SPECIAL LOCAL variable beginning with the vertical bar '|'. 9. 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. 10. 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: Permissable format line characters follow: L = Left Margin P = Paragraph Margin ! = Ordinary Tab Stop # = Decimal Tab Stop R = Right Margin (also a Tab Stop) - = Spacing (Fill) Characters 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- - 13 - PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL sor for this style of paragraphs before revising the docu- ment with it. The numbered paragraphs above are examples of text done with hanging indents. ### - 14 - INDEX FOR PC-LIBRARY MANUAL Arranging Text for Display, 10 PC-LIBRARY Menu, 5 Asterisks in Text Heading Lines, 9 PC-LIBRARY Output Files, 5 Beginning Text Sections Question Mark for Help, 2 in Variable Files, 8 Selection of Text Headings, 6 Characters in Selections from Menu, 3 Text Library Files, 10 Starting PC-LIBRARY, 2 Contents of Variable Files, 4 Suffixes of Output Files, 5 Coversion of Document to WordPerfect, 9 Terminating Lines Creating Variable Files, 1 within Paragraphs, 10 Terminating Paragraphs, 10 Dot Command Lines Text Headings WordStar Vers. 3.3, 9 Alphabetical Listings, 6 Dot Command Lines Numeric Listing, 6 in Variable Files, 8 Text Index Files, 1 Dot Commands in Text Files, 13 Text Libraries Available, 2 Text Library Files, 1 Entering or Updating Text Library Routine, 6 Variable Prompts, 6 Text Library Selection, 3 Entering Prompts in the Variable Files, 7 Updating Index Section Entering Variable Help of Variable Files, 3 Messages in Variable Files, 8 Updating the Variable File, 6 Exiting the Help Screen, 2 Updating Variable Files, 1 Extra Spaces Use of Hanging Indentation, 13 in Text Selections, 10 Variable Help Message Files, 1 Files Variable Help Section, 7 Text Index, 1 Variable Names, 11 Text Library, 1 Variable Prompt Files, 1 Variable Help, 1 Variable Prompts Numbered, 3 Variable Prompt, 1 Variable Prompts Section, 7 Format Command Line, 13 Variable Responses Format Line Treatment of, 11 in Variable Files, 8 Variables Global, 11 Global Variables, 7 Regular Local, 12 Special Global, 12 Heading/Index Lines, 1 Special Local, 11 Index Section, 7 WordStar Version 3.3 Dot Local Variables, 7 Command Lines, 9 Menu of PC-LIBRARY Program, 5 .FT Command Line Modifying Variable Files, 4 for Formatting, 9 Naming Text Files, 8 Numbered Blanks in Text Library, 3 Opening Screen, 2