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****************************************** * COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS * * Copyright 1989 * * Decisions Christian Software * ****************************************** This version of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS (1.1) is released as Shareware. The user may make copies of the program, data files and documentation and distribute them freely as long as no changes are made to those files. This is a copyrighted work, NOT in the public domain. The registered version (1.2) includes some differences from this Shareware version. They are: 1. The Shareware information screen is not displayed when starting the program. 2. An ASCII editor, specifically designed for COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS and used to create your own Bible study topics and lessons, is included with the registered version. (Note: Shareware version users may still use any ASCII editor to create topics/lessons but their editor will not be accessible from the program.) 3. In addition to the pull-down menu, the registered version has a series of quick-key alternatives for ultra-fast menu selection. 4. Shareware version users may display only two topics with maximum of 5 lessons each at a time. A maximum of 10 interactive input statements (questions) is allowed per lesson. The registered version allows 20 topics with a maximum of 5 lessons each to be displayed at a time. The registered version also allows a maximum of 100 interactive input statements (questions) per lesson. To receive the registered version of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS, send only $29.95 plus $3.50 for shipping/handling to DECISIONS, P.O. Box 31418, Phoenix, AZ 85046. Registered users may choose 3 additional topic/lessons at no charge. The easiest way to order is to print the order form. You may do this right from the COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS program. Simply choose the print menu, and then select Order Form. The form will be sent to your line printer. Computer Bible Class Page 2. INTRODUCTION COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS is an interactive Bible Study program. We know that people learn best when they have the opportunity to interact with in- struction. They may answer direct questions or relate their own feelings and understanding on queried issues. The interaction may be passive or active. Programs that feature passive interactions do not require a right or wrong answer, nor is the answer timed or scored. Active interaction, on the other hand, may time and score the user's response. We have included both types in this Shareware version. The QUIZ topic is a series (3 lessons) of Bible Trivia questions that demonstrates active interaction. Each lesson contains 10 questions. The user has 15 seconds to answer each question. A score is displayed at the conclusion of each lesson. On the other hand, the DEITY topic is a passive interactive Bible Study. Users will study Scripture, comments and conclusions while examining the deity of Jesus Christ. They will have the opportunity to respond to specific questions or make general observations and opinions. Responses are not timed, scored or even mandatory. The real power of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS is -YOU- may create your own Bible studies using our special dot command language with any ASCII editor/word processor. We will thoroughly cover this aspect in the "Creating Your Own Topics/Lessons" section of this documentation. You also have the option of printing all studies/lessons for distribution in group Bible studies, Sunday School classes and so forth. COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS is intuitive and very simply to use. And, for $29.95 it is a terrific bargain. Use and experiment with this Shareware version and then order your own registered version of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS. Computer Bible Class Page 3. GETTING STARTED All files, except for this documentation, PRINTDOC.BAT and READ.ME files, should be kept in the same drive/directory/path on your hard drive. For floppy users, all files will fit on one 5.25, 360K disk. To begin the program type CBS at the prompt and press the Enter key. The program will try to determine whether you are using a color or mono system and then load the appropriate attributes. The color combinations may be permanently changed. We'll cover that in the "Options" section of this documentation. First you will see a copyright screen. Press any key. Next you will see the Shareware Information screen. This screen only pops up in the Shareware version of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS. After reading this screen, press any key. Now you are at the main, top-line, pull-down menu system of COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS. There are five top-line menus and a help screen. The help screen is available by pressing the F1 key. Each top-line menu has pull-down menu choices. To navigate the top-line menu use the left and right arrow keys. To navigate the pull-down menu, use the up and down arrow keys. When you have highlighted (reverse video) the pull-down selection desired, simply press the Enter key. We will detail all menu selections in the "Menu/Program Choices" section. Next, you will choose the View/Load Topic selection from the File Menu. A window will appear with the topics available (2 in the Shareware version). Using the up/down arrow keys, highlight the desired topic and press Enter key. The lesson will begin with an introduction screen. From this screen you may choose to begin Lesson 1 by pressing the enter key or by returning to the main menu by pressing the Esc key. Why would you want to return to the menu? Two possible reasons. To choose a lesson other than #1 or to create or load a user file. A user file simply retains your responses to any questions asked during the course of the lesson. You may save, print or clear that file at a later time. If you do not choose to create a user file, you will still have the opportunity to respond, but, those responses will not be permanently saved. The bottom line of your screen will inform you of the topic loaded and if you have created a user file for this lesson. Now you are up and running. The next section of this documentation covers all menu items in more detail. Computer Bible Class Page 4. MENU/PROGRAM CHOICES FILE: From this top-line menu you have the following pull-down choices: View/Load Topic Files: This option allows you to choose a specific topic. This version contains two. They are DEITY.TPC and QUIZ.TPC. Create User File: When you choose this selection you will be asked to type in your name. The user file is now active and your responses will be saved at the conclusion of this lesson. A separate user file must be created for each lesson of each topic. Load User File: This loads a previously saved User File. Save User File: Choose this option only if you have exited from the lesson before completion and want to save the responses entered up to that point. Clear User File: Clear user name and answers. Run Editor: This selection is not active in the Shareware version. LESSON: You will choose the lesson you wish from this top-line menu. The number of lessons available, depend upon the topic chosen. Obviously, you must first load a topic before you may choose a lesson. PRINT: This top-line menu has several different print options available: Lesson: You may print the currently loaded lesson. Answers will not be printed, however, blank spaces will be printed so answers may be written at a later time. Entire Study: This will print the Topic introduction and all lessons under the topic in one fell swoop. User Answers: This will print only the responses associated with the lesson currently loaded in memory. Order Form: This will print out a very handy order form for COMPUTER BIBLE STUDY and associated programs and studies. Use this when ordering your registered version. Form Feed: This simply sends a form feed to your printer. Computer Bible Class Page 4. OPTIONS: From this top-line menu you have the following pull-down choices: Color Option Menu: This selection allows you to configure your favorite screen color combinations from dozens and dozens of choices. After you have selected your colors, press Esc. You will be asked if you want to make this choice permanent. If you answer yes, those colors will be in effect each time you use COMPUTER BIBLE WORKS. If you answer no, then the colors will be used for that session only. You may, of course, change colors as often as you like. Color Screen 1-3: These are three pre-determined color combinations from which you may choose. Mono Screen: This loads mono screen compatible attributes. Toggle Sound: During active interactive questions there are specific sounds for correct, incorrect answers and when time expires. You may toggle those on or off using this menu selection. DOS Shell: This takes you to the DOS prompt where you may perform normal DOS routines or load your editor. To return to COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS, simply type EXIT at the DOS prompt. Quit: Exit the program. You also may exit by continually pressing the Esc key until you see the exit window query. INFORMATION: From this top-line menu, you will be able to obtain further information on the subjects listed in the pull-down menu. Computer Bible Class Page 5. CREATING YOUR OWN TOPICS/LESSONS COMPUTER BIBLE CLASS allows you to create your own Bible study on any topic you desire. To accomplish this task you only need a word processor/editor that saves files to the ASCII format and a little patience to learn the dot command language and class parameters. You will be able to view exactly how we constructed the Bible studies included with this version by loading the associated files in your editor and studying the commands. IMPORTANT: Be sure you have made a back-up of all files so that when you make changes or experiment you may later restore the original files. There are three file types you will need to learn to construct your Bible study. We will take a look at each one in detail. TOPIC.DTA FILE This is the file that is displayed when you choose the View/Load Topic Files from the main File menu in the program. This Shareware version only allows you to view two topics. You may name and describe them as you choose. Even if you enter more than two topics/descriptions, the program will only show the first two topics as being available. The registered version allows you 20 topics per screen. Do NOT change the name of the TOPIC.DTA file. When you load the TOPIC.DTA file into your editor you will see: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2 DEITY.TPC A study on the Deity of Jesus Christ. QUIZ.TPC A Bible Trivia Quiz ---------------------------------------------------------------- The very first line contains the number two. That tells the program how many topics are available. That number must be on a line by itself with no other information. (Remember, even if you change that, this version will only load the first two topics.) The next line contains the DOS file name of the topic file. In this case it is DEITY.TPC. Whatever filename you choose, it must conform to the DOS file standard of a maximum of 8 characters to the left of the dot and the extension should always be TPC. The next line is a brief description of the Bible study. Keep this description to about 25 characters. Then you will see the DOS file name of the next topic file (QUIZ.TPC) followed by a brief description. You must have at least one topic to successfully run the program. The names and descriptions used are entirely up to you just so long as they conform to the above referred standards. Computer Bible Class Page 6. *.TPC FILES This is the file referred to in the TOPIC.DTA file. It contains information on how many lessons are included in this topic along with a brief description and an introduction to the study. The name of this file will depend on what you chose but remember, the extension should always be .TPC. Load the file QUIZ.TPC into your editor. Here's what you should see: --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 BIBLE TRIVIA QUIZ B I B L E T R I V I A Q U I Z This is a series of Bible Trivia. There are 10 questions in each of the lessons. Lesson (Quiz) number one is moderately easy. The second lesson is somewhat more difficult. The third lesson is the hardest of the three lessons included in this series. You will have 15 seconds to answer each question. If you fail to give the correct answer, or time expires, the correct answer will be shown on your screen. At the conclusion of each quiz you will see your score. Spelling does count. Good luck and have fun! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The very first line contains the number 3. That tells the program how many lessons there are in this study. That number must be on a line by itself with no other information. You may have as many as 5 lessons per topic. You must have at least one lesson per topic to successfully run the program. The next line is a brief description of the file that will appear on the bottom line of your screen during the program. Keep this description to about 25 characters. From that point forward all information, including blank spaces, will be the introduction to your Bible study that appears on your screen immediately after you load a topic. The maximum parameters of your introduction screen are: 70 characters per line. 20 screen lines. Finally, we will examine the heart of creating your own studies with a look at the special dot command language of the lesson files. Computer Bible Class Page 7. .TP# FILES AND DOT COMMAND LANGUAGE This is the final step in creating your new study file and is the most complex. All lesson files are identified with the same DOS filename as your topic file with the exception that the last character in the file extension must be a number. That number corresponds to the lesson number the file contains. For example: QUIZ.TP1 is the first lesson file of the topic QUIZ.TPC. QUIZ.TP2 is the second lesson file of the topic QUIZ.TPC. We have included every dot command available in the QUIZ and DEITY lesson files. The best way to learn these commands is to go through a lesson in the COMPUTER BIBLE STUDY program. Then load that lesson file in your editor to see how we accomplished the display and commands. When you load a lesson file (.TP# file) you will immediately see the dot commands. These are alpha characters preceded by a period. A dot command is always on a line by itself with nothing (not even a space) preceding it or following it. The dot command simply tells the program what you want to do. The following is a list and explanation of all dot commands available in this version of COMPUTER BIBLE STUDY. All dot commands must be entered in upper case letter(s) and preceded by a period. Dot command parameters, such as a row or column number also must be on a line by itself immediately following the dot command. Do not place a period in front of these parameter numbers. DOT COMMAND EXPLANATION ----------- --------------------------------------------------------- .R Specifies which row you want your next text to appear. If you do not include this command the default row is 4. The last text row in your lesson window is 18. On the very next line you will enter the desired row number. This number must be between 4 and 18. .C Specifies which column you want to begin your text. If you do not include this command the default column is 7. The last text column is 75. On the very next line you will enter the desired column start number. This number must be between 5 and 75. .OT This tells the program you want to time the input response of the user. On the very next line you will enter the desired time. For example, if you want to give the user fifteen seconds to respond to a question you simply type the number 15 on the next line immediately following the .OT command. .C1 This clears all text from the Lesson window. .C2 This clears all text from the Input window. .SF This will display text in the first lesson window color. Your line printer will print all text that follows in italics font. Computer Bible Class Page 8. DOT COMMAND EXPLANATION ----------- --------------------------------------------------------- .IF This will display text in the second lesson window color. Your line printer will print all text that follows in standard font. .WT This will cause the program to pause without requiring a user response. .?? This is the command that tells the program you want a passive response from the user. A flashing cursor will appear in the input window and the user will be prompted to type a response. The maximum length of that response is 72 characters. This response is passive and therefore NOT timed or scored. .Q This is the command that tells the program you want an active response from the user. A flashing cursor will appear in the input window and the user will be prompted to type a response. The maximum length of that response is 72 characters. This response is active and therefore may be timed and scored. A .Q dot command is normally accompanied by an .OT and .A command. .A This prompts the program to check the latest answer entered by the user. This command is immediately followed on the next line with the correct answer to the question. This command is generally used with the .Q command.and .OT and .SC commands. .SC This tells the program to and display the score. It generally is used only once (at the conclusion) in a lesson. .DP This command is for your line printer. Your screen display and printed layout are obviously different. This and the .PB, .TB, .PT and .SP commands will allow you to achieve the printed format you desire. .DP simply means don't print the next line. .PB This command is for your line printer. It means page break. When the program encounters this command it will begin a new printed page. .TB Line printer only command that sets the left margin. The default is 7. .PT Line printer only command. Text immediately following this command will be sent to printer but ignored on computer display screen. .SP This command is for your line printer. It means print a blank line. .30 This is the last command given in every lesson file. It simply tells the program that the lesson has concluded. Computer Bible Class Page 9. LESSON WINDOW PARAMETERS: The following are the parameters for the lesson window in this version of COMPUTER BIBLE STUDY. Total Rows available for text: 15 rows (Row 4 - 18) Total characters per row: 69 characters Length of Input Response: 72 characters Obviously you can create as many different windows as you desire. The text for each window, however, must be within these parameters. PRINT PARAMETERS: The left margin default is 7. This will allow you to punch holes on the left side of each page for inclusion in a binder. Each page is approximately 55 print lines long. How long each page appears depends on whether you suppress or add print lines with those dot commands. There are 5 special printer only dot commands that aid in formatting your printed lesson(s). Be sure to review the .DP, .PB, .TB, .PT AND .SP dot commands. TIP When creating your own study, it works best if you first create a lesson for screen display, ignoring any print commands. Once you've created an acceptable computer display, send what you've created to your line printer. Then go through and mark that copy with the various printer dot commands that will format the printed version as desired. WHAT HAPPENS IF I MESS UP? The worst is that the program will lock up your computer and you will have to re-boot. This would happen, as an example, if you tried to create more than 5 lessons per topic or more than 10 questions per lesson. Most mistakes are more forgiving. They just simply mess up the display screen or printed material. In any event, you can't hurt your computer, printer or this software even if you does lock. You learn by experiment- tion. Jump in! You'll like it.