The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-387-Vol-3of3.iso/p/pmis30.zip/PROG.ZIP/14.INF

Text File | 1991-12-16 | 15KB | 397 lines

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       13.  HOUSEKEEPING

       13.1  Set Up

       The set up screen is the means used to customize the PMIS
       environment to suit the user's needs.  Note that none of the
       changes are permanently recorded until the user selects the
       Save Set Up function.  So experiment to your heart's content
       until you find the set up that pleases you and best suits
       your needs.  There are thirteen separate features that are
       available for customization from the set up menu as follows:

       13.1.1  Use Password

       A password scheme is available to the user to provide a
       level of security for PMIS.  Prior to entering the main menu
       screen, a password is requested from the user, if this
       feature is turned on.  Initially, this feature is turned
       off.  To turn it on, respond with a Y.  Turning the password
       feature on, automatically invokes the Change the Password
       feature described below.

       When the password feature is turned on, the password screen
       is presented to the user upon entry to the PMIS.  Three
       chances given to enter the correct password.  If none are
       successful, the program exits and returns to DOS.

       13.1.2  Modify Password

       If the password feature is turned on, a password must be
       input to PMIS.  The password is requested from the user and
       displayed back with the reminder to make a record of it, so
       it is not forgotten.  The password must contain at least one
       character and no more than 18 characters.  Any alpha or
       numeric characters may be used in the password string, both
       upper and lower case.  An empty password string is not
       allowed.  If the the password is lost or forgotten, the user
       can edit the database file user.dbf using any string or
       screen editor and look for it there.  This file is a hybrid
       ASCII and binary file, so lots of strange characters will be
       displayed along with the ASCII text.  As the password owner,
       the user should be able to recognize the "lost" password.
       If a lost password cannot be found by the above means, the
       user can re-install PMIS using the installation instructions
       found in the readme.1st file for the ShareWare version, or
       by running the INSTALL program for the Registered version.
       Doing this, PMIS no longer has password protection and the
       user can gain access to the system.  A note of warning.  Re
       installing PMIS will OVERWRITE ALL DATA FILES.  Do a manual
       backup of all files with the .dbf suffix before attempting a
       re-installation.  See Section 13.2 for some hints on backing











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       up the data files for different installations.

       The initial value of the password is set to "scheck" in
       order to keep a new user from locking himself out of the
       program while initially experimenting with the feature.

       13.1.3  Confirm

       The confirm status feature allows the user to require a
       carriage return <CR> in order for PMIS to accept an input
       command.  Initially, the confirm status is turned on.  To
       turn it off, enter a N.  In turning off the confirm status
       feature, the user loses the ability to see selections and
       correct them before they are executed.  The only advantage
       of turning off the confirm status is increased execution
       speed.  A disadvantage is the execution of of unwanted
       actions due to keyboard entry errors.


       13.1.4  Video Screen

       Initially, the screen colors are set to blue background,
       high intensity white text, a white light bar and black light
       bar text.  Monochrome monitors will see shades of gray.  To
       change this setting select monochrome or color as desired.
       There are two options on the monochrome selection, normal or
       reverse video. Choose one.  The reverse video option is
       somewhat of a useless option, since the light bars on the
       menu are unreadable.  In this case menu selection must be
       done by entering the first letter of the menu item.  The
       color selection screen allows four choices.  First is the
       choice of the screen background color followed by the text
       color.  Next is the color of the light bars and finally, the
       color of the text in the light bars.  The available colors
       are displayed for each choice.  Experiment with several
       combinations until you find a pleasing combination.

       13.1.5  Print Format

       Selecting the Set Check Print Format feature first requests
       the user to select a format.  Choose one.  Its format is
       displayed.  Almost all pin feed checks fall into one of
       these formats.  Choose the one that matches your needs.
       Once a format is selected, the user is asked if any change
       of the settings is desired.  After the settings are
       selected, the user is asked if a printout is desired.
       Answer Y or N as desired.  It is recommended that plain
       paper be used in setting up the check print format and use a
       strong light to view the trial efforts through blank pin
       feed checks.  This step may require a few iterations until
       everything lines up.  Another hint.  Print at least two











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       checks in a row to verify that the succeeding checks are
       spaced properly.

       Options are provided to print either the payee account
       number in Format A or the account number or a Memo in Format
       B.

       If you are using Format A, you are asked if you want to
       print the account number of the payee.  If you choose Yes,
       the account number will print directly under the payee
       address as illustrated on the screen.  You are also asked if
       you want to print the address of the payee on the face of
       the check.  Select Y or N.  The address and account number
       are separately selectable, so either, none or both can be
       printed.

       If you are using Format B, you are asked if you want to
       print a memo or the account number of the payee on the face
       of the check.  If you select Yes, an account number, if one
       exists, will appear on the face of the check display screen.
       You then have the choice of printing the account number, or
       you may overwrite it with your own personal memo.  This
       option gives you the ability to print or not print the payee
       account number or a personal memo on the face of the check.

       If you have a pin feed check that does not fit the two
       formats, send a voided check or copy to the author with your
       order for the registered version.  The new format will be
       incorporated into the program prior to shipment.

       13.1.6  Banner

       All screens have a banner that includes a user selected
       portion along with the screen name.  Initially, this banner
       is set to "ShareWare Ver. 2.0".  Selecting Banner on the Set
       Up Screen allows the user to change the banner.  Any
       combination of letters or numbers of up to eighteen can be
       specified.

       13.1.7  Save

       Saves the current set up.  Any changes made on the Set Up
       Screen are permanently written onto the program disk.
       Future invocations of the program will use the new
       parameters.

       13.1.8  Disk Drives

       Setting the disk drives is used for determining where the
       program files will reside, where the PMIS user data will
       reside and where backups will be made.  The initial settings











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       are intended for hard drive user with the the program drive
       set to drive C, the data drive also set to drive C and the
       backup drive set to drive A.

       If you are a hard disk user and your drive letters
       correspond the initial settings, you should leave them
       unchanged.  If you have different drive names, or you are a
       dual floppy user, make the corresponding disk drive settings
       prior to using PMIS.  Failure to do so will cause errors
       when entering transactions into the system.

       A typical hard drive set up is to have the program and data
       reside on the hard drive, usually drive C, and to perform
       backups on the floppy drive, usually drive A.  A typical set
       up for a dual floppy user is to have the program reside on
       drive A, and the data reside on drive B.  The backup drive
       should be set to the same drive name as the data drive, in
       this case drive B.

       When changing the disk drive set up, the user is first asked
       if the set up is for a hard drive or dual floppy drives.
       Make the choice appropriate for your application.  This
       information is required to insure meaningful configurations
       for the dual floppy user.

       13.8.1.9  Auto Back Up

       If the user would like a data backup to be done each time
       they exit the program, set the auto backup feature to yes.
       Initially, this feature is not set.

       13.1.10  Incorporate Budget

       The Incorporate Budget selection allows the user to
       incorporate the budget feature into the check book program
       as previously described in Section 12.3 for Check and Cash
       Withdrawl transactions and queries.  If the user wishes to
       tie the budget and check book features together set the
       budget feature to On.  Turning off the budget feature stops
       the queries for choosing a budget category when recording
       check and cash withdrawl transactions and queries.

       13.1.11  Tones

       The user has a choice of hearing tones as a confirmation of
       inputting the correct data and to indicate that an error was
       made.  Both are separately selectable.  Follow the
       directions to set them on or off as desired.

       13.1.12  Format Date












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       Six different date formats can be used in PMIS.  Select one
       from the examples shown.

       13.1.13  Equip Printer

       The equip printer selection asks the user if their
       installation is equipped with a printer.  Initially, this
       parameter is set to indicate that a printer is equipped.  If
       your installation does not have a printer available, set
       this parameter to No.  With the printer option set to no,
       you will not be bothered with queries to print a check or
       print any of the available reports.

       A user that has no printer cannot print checks or reports;
       however, all other PMIS features are still available.

       If the user has a printer and selects "Y", he or she is then
       queried to enter a print mode set and reset sequence, to
       leave the sequence as displayed, or to not enter any printer
       mode sequence.  The current set and reset modes are
       displayed.  The user needs to consult their printer manual
       to select the escape code sequences to choose the desirable
       print mode that both sets and resets this mode.  All printed
       output will be in the selected print mode.  The default
       settings that initially are set are the code sequence to set
       and reset NLQ mode for an IBM (tm) Proprinter II.

       If the user selects the no print mode option, the printer
       will print in its default mode.  This option allows the user
       to select a print mode from the printer console if so
       desired.

       13.1.14  Help/Calculator Keys

       The F1 key is used to summon on-line help, and the F2 key
       pulls up the built in calculator.  If you would like to see
       banners which remind you of the the key assignments, select
       Yes.  Selecting Yes will display the key assignments on the
       top of every user screen.  If you do not want to see these
       banners, select No.

       13.1.15  Review Modem Settings

       The addressbook feature can be used to dial telephone
       numbers that the user has requested; however, a modem must
       be equipped and connected to one of the PC's ports.  If you
       do not have a modem, indicate so when asked, and PMIS will
       not allow access to the telephone dialer function.  If you
       have modem, indicate yes and provide the necessary
       information requested.












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       You will be asked where the modem is connected.  Usually it
       is connected to the serial port COM1.  If yours is connected
       elsewhere, indicate where.  For example, COM3.  You will
       then asked if you want to use the default Hayes
       initialization string.  You should answer yes unless you
       have found that this string is unusable by your modem.  In
       that case, you should enter the initialization string needed
       by your modem.  Next, PMIS needs to know your telephone area
       code, so that dialing is done correctly for both local and
       long distance calls.  Finally, you must indicate what type
       of telephone signalling your line is equipped for:  tone or
       dial pulse.

       The current version of PMIS only supports dialing of seven
       or eleven digits.  People that use special prefix codes to
       access long distance companies are out of luck.

       The telephone dialer function only works with Hayes or Hayes
       compatible modems.  Also, the port, usually a serial port
       must have been initialized prior to the PMIS program being
       entered.  The DOS MODE command should be executed to set up
       the port for communication.  An example of the MODE command
       to set up port COM1 is as follows:


                            MODE COM1:24,n,8,1,,


       This example sets up COM1 to communicate at 2400 baud with
       no parity, eight data bits and one stop bit.  See your DOS
       manual for more details.  It is recommended that your
       autoexec.bat file contain the above or similiar MODE command
       sequence to insure that your COM port is properly
       initialized for communication with your modem.  Some
       communication programs used with modems leave their COM
       Ports in unpredictable states after they have completed
       their execution.

       13.1.16  Quit

       Return to the Main Menu Screen.  Note that none of the
       changes made on the Set Up Screen will be permanently
       recorded unless the Save feature is selected to write the
       new environment onto the program disk, prior to exiting this
       screen.