The World of Computer Software/The World of Computer Software.iso/dccad.zip/HELP.TXT

Text File | 1990-10-18 | 21KB | 842 lines

@1
Click any mouse button to begin.

@2
To get help on a particular item, click on the
box for the item - then click on Help.

Click on RETURN to go back to the main drawing
screen.

@3
To get help on any item, click on the item and
then click on Help.  Click on $3=highlighted words
to get more help.

$6=General  $7=Tools  $9=Rulers  $95=Coordinates
$22=Fonts  $30=Linewidth  $8=Demo  $99=Trouble?
$101=More_layers  $132=Help++

@6
This program has several SCREENS as follows -

MAIN      Where you do your drawing.
OPTIONS   To setup video, printing, and mouse
          parameters etc.
PRINTERS  For selecting a printer or installing
          a new printer.
ICON EDIT Where you can modify and create ICONS.

$3=(back)

@7
The TOOL controls are on the left side of the
screen.  To get help on using a tool, first
select it by clicking on the tool symbol, then
click on Help.

$3=(back)

@8
The demo version of the program does not save
drawing files.  It does save icon files, printer
setups and the program configuration file.

To obtain a copy of the full program and printed
manual ( for just $8=$99 ), call AEROUX Engineering
at -

     805/962-9695  9:am to 5:pm PST M-F


@9
The ruler lines show where you are in the drawing
relative to the printed page.  The scales on the
rulers depend on the type of printer you have
selected.

$3=(back)

@4
Select a new printer by clicking on its title in
printer list.

SELECT - Printer selection (if changed) is
written to disk and you are returned to the main
drawing screen.

MODIFY - Sends you to the Printer Setup screen to
modify the print driver or create a new one.

@5
To get help on a particular item, click on the
box for the item - then click on Help.

SAVE  - Saves changes to disk.
ABORT - Abandon all changes.
NEW   - Adds new printer to printer list.

@10
LINE drawing tool: Draws line of currently
selected $30=LINEWIDTH.

LEFT button: draws a line that terminates when
it encounters an object at either end.

RIGHT button: draws a complete line from end to
end extending across all objects.

$3=(help)
@11
BOX drawing tool: Draws boxes from corner
to corner.

LEFT button: Draws in $51=NORMAL mode.

RIGHT button: Draws in $51=REVERSAL mode.

@12
Eraser: Erases whatever it touches while any
button is held down.  It moves freely, ignoring
the state of the $21=GRID-toggle.  The mouse
ballistics are controlled while any button is
held down to prevent skipping.

LEFT button  - erases on current plane
RIGHT button - erases on both planes

$3=(help)
@21
The GRID toggle forces the cursor to move only on
the current grid.  The $40=grid-spacing and the
grid-display functions are set on the $2=OPTIONS
screen.

$3=(help)

@51
A NORMAL line is one which is solid and
continuous as it crosses other objects on the
screen.

A REVERSAL line blanks out the areas of objects
it crosses.

$11=(back)

@40
The grid spacing is entered in this box. Values
of 2 to 60 are allowed.


@43
The FILE PACKING option enables dual-axis file
compression when a file is written out.

Either type of file is read in automatically.

@44
The PRINT WIDTH setting should be set to the
maximum width (in whole inches) of your printer.

@45
BIDIRECTIONAL printing is usually selected along
with the $46=DRAFT option for fast test
printouts.

@46
DRAFT printing does not perform overlaps on the
printed output.

@47
VERTICAL printing prints sideways.  If your
printer is only 8 inches wide, you can print a
drawing that is up to 8 by 15 inches using
continuous feed paper.

@57
NEGATIVE printouts are useful if your board is
mostly copper due to heavy flooding.  It can also
save a step in making a negative transparency.

@48
Setting the MOUSE number HIGHER causes the cursor
to move SLOWER relative to the mouse.  Valid
values here are 1 to 99.  Other values may cause
$84=problems.

@49
Setting the THRESHHOLD higher means you must move
the mouse faster to get the double-speed effect.

@84
Range checking is not performed on some options
and parameters.

@50
The two empty square boxes are used to select one
of the video modes.

@52
This is the actual value (in decimal) that
activates a specific video mode.  Non-standard
video modes (such as 800 by 600) can be engaged
if the proper code (see your video card
documentation) is entered here.  You must also
set the $53=horizontal and $54=vertical
resolution.

@53
Enter the horizontal resolution for the video
$52=mode here.

@54
Enter the vertical resolution of the video
$52=mode here.

@13
The TEXT tool writes text on the screen.
  LEFT button places cursor.
  RIGHT button sets direction.
When placing text on the rear drawing plane, all
text is written in mirror-image.

@14
The OUTLINE tool moves,copies,and deletes
rectangular areas.  Press $120=button on one
corner of the area and $77=drag the mouse to the
opposite corner.  An outline will appear.
Now position the cursor inside the outline and
hold down -
  LEFT button to move the area
  RIGHT button to copy the area

See: $35=Edit  $120=(more)
@120
In LAYOUT mode, use LEFT button to select area on
currently active plane.  Use RIGHT button to
select area on both planes.

The size of the area you can outline is
determined by the amount of free memory
available.

$14=(back)

@75
If you are using a 2 button mouse, press the
SPACEBAR when the MIDDLE button is needed.

$3=(help)

@15
The ICON tool places ready-made patterns on the
screen in any one of 8 $31=orientations.  These
include your own $83=custom icons.

LEFT   put icon on current plane
RIGHT  put icon on both planes
MIDDLE erase icon

$3=(help)

@16
The PAGE mover slides the drawing around.

LEFT  button - repositions $116=view of drawing.
RIGHT button - repositions $117=drawing itself.

$3=(help)

@116
To move the viewing screen -

Position the cursor anywhere on the drawing.
$77=Drag the mouse to the new position.
Release the button.

$16=(back)

@117
To reposition the drawing -
Position the cursor and $77=drag the mouse to the
new position.  Note: This operation takes several
seconds.  An $115=error condition may result.

$16=(back)

@115
If the repositioning would cause some of the
drawing to be lost,  the operation is aborted and
a beep will sound.

$117=(back)

@17
The LINE MOVER repositions lines and traces.  Be
sure the $30=linewidth is set to match the line
you want to move.  Position the cursor directly
on a vertical or horizontal line and press the
LEFT button.  Drag the cursor to the new position
and release the button.  There are some
$78=limitations to using this tool.

$3=(help)

@78
The LINE MOVER is handy but not infallible.
If you attempt to move a line to where it
collides with something, you hear a beep and the
move is aborted. (Use RIGHT button to override)

Other lines connecting at right angles to your
original line are lengthened or shortened
appropriately.  Collisions are not detected on
these other line.
$17=(back)  $122=(more)
@122
When any 2 lines are moved or drawn to coincide
with each other, as opposed to crossing each
other, the lines become indistinguishable to the
program, and cannot be later separated.

$78=(back)

@18
The line KILLER removes vertical & horizontal
lines and traces.  The $30=linewidth must be set
to match line you want to remove.  Position the
cursor directly on the line and use the -
   LEFT button to remove just that line
   RIGHT button to remove (deroute) the whole set
   of connecting (vertical & horizontal) lines.

$3=(help)

@19
The PENCIL writes and erases individual dots.
  LEFT button writes
  RIGHT button erases
  $75=MIDDLE button $79=expands the drawing

$3=(help)

@20
The PLANE toggle switches you between the front
and rear drawing planes.  This tool only
functions when in LAYOUT mode.  This is not the
same as the SWAP function on the $33=Special
menu.

$3=(help)

@30
The LINEWIDTH control (short line just below
drawing tool controls) sets the width of lines
and boxes.  It is also used by the program in
moving or killing lines.

  LEFT button   wider (max = 10)
  RIGHT button  narrower

See tools under: $10=line $11=box $18=kill $17=move $23=flood

@31
Cliking directly on the ICON image (lower left
corner of screen), rotates it through all 8
orientations.

@22
Clicking directly on the "ABC" selects and
displays the available fonts.

$3=(help)

@23
The FLOOD tool fills in a region of the drawing
while keeping a distance (set by $30=LINEWIDTH)
from the existing pads and traces.

First outline the region in the same way as when
using the $14=outline tool.  Then move inside the
region.  You can flood the entire $24=rectange,
or just one floodable $25=section, or $26=remove
a flooded section.
@24
Position the cursor anywhere inside the outlined
region and press the RIGHT button to fill all
blank spaces inside the region.

$23=(back)

@25
Position the cursor to a blank floodable section
inside the outlined region and press the LEFT
button.  Flooding will be restricted to the
outline of the region.

$23=(back)

@26
Position the cursor over a flooded section
inside the outlined region and press the $75=MIDDLE
button.  The deflooding operation will be limited
to the area inside the outline.

$23=(back)

@27
The UNDO tool is a small window that shows you
what the "undone" image will be at any place on
the screen.  Using any MENU or using the PAGE
MOVER updates the memory image of your drawing.
Changes made to the drawing since it was last
updated may be restored with this tool.

$28=(more)

@28
Pressing any button will restore the drawing with
what you see in the window.  This tool employs
controlled mouse ballistics to prevent skipping
as the window is dragged around.

@35
For help on individual Edit menu functions,
click on one of the following:

$80=CUT        $80=COPY        $80=PASTE
$90=FILL       $90=INVERT      $91=FLIP-H
$91=FLIP-V     $123=ROTATE-R    $123=ROTATE-L
$83=EDIT_ICON  $83=NEW_ICON

See:$14=outline

@123
The outlined area will be rotated either left or
right 90 degrees.

$35=(back)

@80
After outlining an area using the $14=OUTLINE tool,
go to the Edit menu and select -

CUT   to capture the outlined area and then
      clears it.
COPY  to capture the area but not clear it.
PASTE to put the previously captured area into the
      current drawing and $81=plane.

$35=(back)

@90
After outlining an area using the $14=OUTLINE tool,
go to the Edit menu and select -

FILL   to fill in the entire area
INVERT to reverse the entire area

$35=(back)

@91
After outlining an area using the $14=OUTLINE tool,
go to the Edit menu and select -

FLIP-H to reverse the area left to right
FLIP-V to reverse the area top to bottom

$35=(back)

@40
Set the grid spacing to a number between
2 and 60.  To activate the grid, use the
$21=GRID-toggle on the main drawing screen.

@33
The Special menu has the following functions -

OPTIONS   sends you to the options screen.
PRINTER   sends you to printer selection screen.
$76=PRINT     begins printing.
$94=SWAP      swaps front and rear $81=planes.
$93=OVERLAY   toggles between single and dual mode.
$101=CLEAR     Clears current drawing plane.
QUIT      exits the program and abandons changes.
DONE/SAVE save current drawing and exits.
@101
You can create additional drawing layers (for
solder masks or silkscreens) by:

  Using SAVE AS to copy a layout into a new file.
  Clearing the front plane of the new file.
  Drawing on the front plane.
  Printing the front plane.

$33=(back) $3=help

@93
The OVERLAY function toggles between displaying
one side of the layout at a time and displaying
both sides superimposed.

$33=(back)

@94
This swaps the front and rear drawing planes.

If you have completed a layout only to find that
you had the planes switched, this will fix the
problem.

$33=(back)

@76
The type of printout is controlled by settings on
the OPTIONS screen (accessed via the $33=Special
menu).

Hit any key on the keyboard to abort printing.

@34
The ICON menu is used to select an icon.  Once
selected, its name appears as the menu title and
its image appears in the lower left corner.

$3=(help)

@36
Drawing files (schematics and layouts) are loaded
by selecting form the D-File menu.  The currently
loaded filename is displayed as the menu title.
The ICON file tagged to the drawing will also be
loaded.

SAVE AS  $38=Saves the current drawing under a
         new name.
CLEAR    Clears drawing from screen (any changes
         will be lost).

@38
When saving a file under a new name, you will be
prompted for a filename.  Enter just the BASE
name of the file (no .ext) or just hit ENTER to
not save the file.

@37
The I-File menu loads an icon file directly.

SAVE AS  Saves the current icon file under a new
         name.
NEW      Creates an empty icon file.

$3=(help)

@81
Drawing Plane:

One of the 2 superimposed drawings used in the
layout mode for double sided circuit boards.

@79
The expanded drawing function of the $19=PENCIL
tool allows you to click individual dots on and
off.  LEFT button writes; RIGHT button erases;
$75=MIDDLE button returns to normal view.

@77
Drag means:

  Press and hold a mouse button.
  Move the mouse.
  Release the button.

@62
Put the name (any characters) in the box marked
PRINTER.  This is the name that will be displayed
on the PRINTERS selection screen.

@63
Enter the $85=codes here that put your printer
into unidirectional print mode.  Or, for a
$68=laser printer, put the codes here for
PORTRAIT mode.

@64
Enter the $85=codes here that put your printer
into bidirectional print mode.  Or, for a
$68=laser printer, put the codes here for
LANDSCAPE mode.

@65
Select one of the printer ports for this printer.
LPT1 or LPT2 for parallel (centronics)
interfaces.  Select COM1-COM4 for serial
interfaces.  If connecting a serial printer, be
sure to set the $66=baud rate.

@66
Enter the BAUD RATE for your $65=serial
printer.  All data is sent as -

  8 data bits
  1 stop bit
  no parity

@67
Some printers assign bits to the print wires in
reverse order.  This control reverses the bits as
they go out to the printer.

@68
The LASER control causes the data to be sent
to the printer as a single line of dots rather
than as a set of bytes for 8 lines of dots.  When
this option is enabled, see special use of the
$63=unidirectional and $64=bidirectional boxes.

@69
Put the $85=codes that enable graphics printing in
the box marked PRINT INIT.

@70
Put the $85=codes that are to be sent to the
printer at the start of each graphics line in the
box marked PRINT SEQ.

@71
Put the $85=codes (if any) that cause your
printer to move down for the next line in the box
marked NEXT LINE.

@72
This number tells the PROGRAM how many dots per
inch are printed by this printer. (Used by the
program to position horizontal dots in such a way
as to make the vertical and horizontal scales
equal)

@73
This number tells the PROGRAM what the vertical
resolution of your printer is.  This number is
used in conjuntion with the $72=horizontal
resolution in scaleing the printout.  It also
sets the scales of the rulers on the main drawing
screen.

@74
This number tells the PROGRAM what the
$69=PRINT-INIT has told the PRINTER about how far
to move down the drawing on each successive line.
In this way the program can do overlapping
printouts.

@83
The ICON editing screen lets you modify or $89=create
new icons.
     LEFT button    writes a dot
     RIGHT button   clears a dot
     $75=MIDDLE button  moves hotspot
CLEAR   clears display
SAVE    saves icon with same name
SAVE AS saves with new name
DELETE  removes icon from list
ABORT   abandons changes
@89
There is a limit of 60 icons per file.  An icon
created with the same name as an existing icon
will not replace it.  If you have two icons with
the same name, choose EDIT ICON from the $35=Edit
menu and then SAVE AS on the icon editing screen.

$83=(back)
@86
These options work the same as the normal
printing options.  Return and click on the
corresponding print option to get help.

@85
You may enter byte codes in the boxes in decimal,
hexidecimal, or ascii form as follows:

ddd    1 to 4 decimal digits
Xdd    2 hexidicimal digits preceded by an X
'ccc'  Ascii characters in single quotes

You may also enter special print $87=length codes.

@87
Print length codes are special values sent to the
printer that represent the number of graphics
charaters per line that are being sent.

*H     high byte of data length
*L     low byte of data length
*      4 ascii decimal digits representing the
       data length

$85=(back)

@88
Click inside of box to abandon changes made to
this drawing. If you want to save the changes,
click outside of box and choose DONE/SAVE from
the $33=Special menu.

$3=(help)

@95
The X and Y cursor coordinates are displayed at
the right side of the menu bar.  Relative
movement values are shown while any mouse button
is held down.

Clicking directly on these numbers will cycle the
display format thru $96=pixels, $97=print inches,
and $98=board inches.

$3=(help)
@96
Pixel coordinates are the exact 'dot' position on
the screen displayed as a whole number.

$95=(back)

@97
Print inch coordinates show the exact position on
the printed output displayed to 2 decimal places.


$95=(back)

@98
Board inch coordinates show what the position on
the artwork will be once it is reduced - diplayed
to 2 decimal places.  This mode assumes that your
grid spacing is intended to represent 1/20th of
an inch.  That is, 2 grid spacings are 1/10th
inch - the usual setting to allow running traces
between pads with the grid active.

$95=(back)
@99
Should the screen fail to replot after using
Help, try clicking Help again.

If something goes wrong in the menu bar or the
tool selection area, select OPTIONS from the
Special menu - then return to the main drawing
screen.  This forces a complete screen replot.

$92=more  $3=(help)

@92
If the mouse is not responding, hit F2 to reset
the mouse driver.

Use F9 in extreme emergency - this saves your
drawing under the name ABORT.EC and your icons
(if modified) under the name ABORT.ECI without
overwriting your currently active files.

$99=(back)  $3=(help)

@100
In the LAYOUT mode, a matrix of dots is displayed
on the screen every 2 grid spacings.  Grid
spacing is usually set to represent 1/20th inch,
so the grid dots are at 1/10th inch.

@114
All 64 colors are accessible with each of the
color controls.  All of these controls "wrap
around" at both ends.

  LEFT   next color
  RIGHT  previous color
  $75=MIDDLE first color (black)

@105
Sets $114=color of FRONT layer of double sided board.

@106
Sets $114=color of REAR layer of double sided board.

@107
Sets $114=color of SCHEMATIC drawings.

@108
Sets $114=color of intersection of FRONT and REAR
data on board layout.

@109
Sets BOARDER $114=color.
This is also the color of the GRID (in layout
mode), and background (off) color for tool
controls.

@110
Sets CURSOR $114=color.

@111
Sets HILITE $114=color for menus and color for
pop-up windows.

@112
Sets Menu bar $114=color.
Alse sets color for coordinate display and ruler
legends.

@113
These seven boxes set the remaining $114=colors
used on the various auxiliary screens.
Numbers 1-4 are used for ICON editing and should
all be distinct.

@125
Sets BACKGROUND $114=color.

Note: This control is diplayed in the HILITE
color so that it is visible when BLACK background
is selected.

@130
Select from one of the drawing formats provided.
This option is disabled when a drawing is present.
Choose <clear> from the D-File menu if you get an
error beep here.

The SCHEMATIC formats are twice as large as the
LAYOUT formats.

See also: $131=LAYOUT

@131
The LAYOUT formats are used for double-sided
circuit boards.  As with the $130=SCHEMATIC
formats, you cannot change the format of an
existing drawing.

@132
You may extend or modify the file HELP.TXT using
a text editor.  The program scans the help file
for "at" signs followed by a number from 1 to 199.
All of the text up to the next "at" sign appears
in the help window. You must limit the number of
lines (including blank lines) to 10 and the
number of characters per line to 49.

$133=more  $3=(back)
@133
To tag a word to vector to another help screen,
place a "dollar" sign followed by the help number
and an "equal" sign before the word. The program
is context-sensitive to go directly to certain
help numbers. Putting extra tag words in these
places will allow access to your additional help
screens. The end of the help file is marked with
number 999.

$132=(back)
@999