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Archive Magazine 1996
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ARCHIVE_96.iso
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volume_9
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issue_05
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ReadMe
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1996-01-11
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9KB
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202 lines
***************************************************
This ReadMe file is normally distributed with the
complete set of ArcScan files available on our
Utilities disc 3. Unfortunately it was not
possible to fit all of the data files described
here onto this program disc, but what follows will
be useful if you have ArcScan and wish to update
it with the data files which we DID manage to fit
on. If you would like the full set, Utility disc 3
is just ú2.
***************************************************
ARCHIVE Magazine Index Data for ArcScan II or III Filing Systems
================================================================
[C] E.W.Ayers Update to Nov 1995
ArcScan is a trademark of Beebug Ltd.
1. Organisation of ArcScan II & III
ArcScan II or III provides for two types of files:
Type 0 Magazine Files - With regular Volume and Issue numbers
Type 1 Others
The files are held within Directories, and a !Custom file tells ArcScan
what files to offer in its menu display, where to find them, and how to
display the information contained in them. To add new sets of data to
ArcScan, the appropriate directories must be created to contain the data,
and the !Custom file must be extended to specify them. There is a limit
of 8 directories in any one embodiment of ArcScan.
Once this has been done, files may be updated/extended, or further files
may be added to any existing DIRECTORIES. Provided they conform to the
format prescribed in the !Custom file, no further changes to the
latter will be needed.
The files listed below are compatible with both the current version -
ArcScan III and with the earlier non-multitasking version ArcScan II
2. Data on this Disc
The ARCHIVE data on this disc includes four sets of files:
ARCHIVE Magazine contents - Type 0
- Directory 'Archive'
- Files ARvol01 (Vol1, 1-12)
ARvol02 (Vol2, 1-12)
ARvol03 (Vol3, 1-12)
ARvol04 (Vol4, 1-12)
ARvol05 (Vol5, 1-12)
ARvol06 (Vol6, 1-12)
ARvol07 (Vol7, 1-12)
ARvol08 (Vol8, 1-12)
ARvol09 (Vol9, 1-3)
ARCHIVE Monthly Discs - Type 0
- Directory 'ArDiscs'
- Files Advol01 (Vol1, 1-12)
Advol02 (Vol2, 1-12)
Advol03 (Vol3, 1-12)
Advol04 (Vol4, 1-12)
Advol05 (Vol5, 1-12)
Advol06 (Vol6, 1-12)
Advol07 (Vol7, 1-12)
Advol08 (Vol8, 1-12)
Advol09 (Vol9, 1-3)
To add any of these to your ArcScan disc, or to update it, it is necessary
only to make any appropriate changes to the !Custom file (see below), and
then to copy the relevant DIRECTORY, along with its files, replacing any
existing directories bearing the same names.
Bear in mind however the ArcScan limit of 8 directories. If you need more
you will have to instal a further complete copy of ArcScan with its own
!Custom file etc.
3. The !Custom File
3.1 The Length parameter
The !Custom file provides for specifying the maximum length of each entry
in a file, and this is used to organise the 'paging' of the ArcScan
display. For the Type 0 files above, the length is set to 6, so that
several entries appear on each 'page' of the display. For the Type 1 files
above, the length is set to 25 so that the display usually shows one disc
at a time. Setting this parameter wrongly, or exceeding the specified
length for an entry, may result in parts of a record scrolling off the
ArcScan display or being overwritten before they can be read.
3.2 Modifying the !Custom file
**** BACKUP your ArcScan Disc before proceeding! ****
To modify your !Custom file, get !Edit installed on the DeskTop Icon Bar.
Insert your ArcScan disc (or select the appropriate Hard Disc directory),
and open a filer window containing the !ArcScan application. HOLDING DOWN
SHIFT, double-click on !ArcScan to open a sub-window, which should
contain the !Custom file. Drag this to !Edit. The latter should open a
window displaying the file contents. Click MEN (centre button) on this
window, and select Edit -> CR-LF, which should make the file readable.
Go to the foot of the list, using the scroll bars, and examine the last
block of entries - it will start with '#' plus a number. NOTE THIS NUMBER
- your entry will be the next number. At the end of the file you should
find '##'. Position the cursor (SELect on the mouse pointer) to the
immediate LEFT of this entry, and press RETURN. This should insert a blank
line before the '##' file terminator. Move the cursor up to the start of
it.
You now have to key in the entries for your new data. The formats are
shown below for each of the four data sets. You may choose to enter just
one, or more, but each entry must be matched by later creating or loading
the appropriate directory, else ArcScan is liable to have a nervous
breakdown!
3.3 New Entries in !Custom file
The tables below show the entries for each of the four data sets. The
parameter shown as <n> is to be replaced by the next entry number (without
the '< >' ). The tabulated entries should be inserted between the last
existing entry and the end-of-file marker '##', with no blank lines,
extra spaces or other characters. NB no RETURN after the last item in the
list!
NB : If necessary to stay within the 8 directories limit, you can delete
any unwanted old entries in the !Custom file - removing the 7-line groups
starting with #<n>, similar to those in the tables below. The #(n)
values can then be altered to preserve the sequence of numbering. Make
sure that there are no blank lines left! The directories themselves will
not then be accessed by ArcScan, and may be removed if no longer wanted.
***SPECIAL NOTE***
If you have already entered the 'ShareCare' directory and data from
earlier discs, please check your !Custom file complies with the form given
below, as the LENGTH parameter has had to be altered to accommodate the
larger number of items on some later discs.
ARCHIVE Magazine Monthly Discs Utilities Discs Share/Careware Discs
---------------- ------------- --------------- --------------------
#<n> #<n> #(n0 #<n>
Archive ArDiscs ArUtils ShareCare
Archive ArDiscs ArUtils ShareCare
Archive ArDiscs ArUtils Sharecare
ARvol Advol * *
0 0 1 1
6 6 25 25
3.4 Saving the Amended !Custom File
Now again select Edit -> CR-LF by the MEN button, to compact the data.
Click MEN on your !ArcScan sub-window, select 'File !Custom -> ' and then
the DELETE option to remove the old file. Click MEN on the !Edit window
and select SAVE which will open a save box and an Icon. Check that the box
still shows the filename as ....!Custom, and drag the Icon to your
!ArcScan sub-window.
4. Loading Data Files
This is merely a matter of copying from this disc into your !ArcScan
sub-window those directories that you have specified in the !Custom file.
If you have earlier directories bearing the same names, these should first
be deleted as described in section 3.4 for the !Custom file.
The copying may be done by leaving the DeskTop and using *COPY with the
appropriate pathnames (and Option 'P' to prompt disc changes if you have
only a single floppy drive).
The easier way however is to stay in the DeskTop and create (temporarily)
a RAM Disk. Click MEN on the 'A' icon or ACORN symbol at the right of the
icon bar. and select 'Task display'. A window will open showing memory
allocations. Scroll down until you can see 'RAM disc'. Click SEL to the
right of this and drag a red bar out to give, say, 256 K of RAM disk.
Open the RAM disk filer by clicking on the icon that should now be visible
at the left of the icon bar.
Now insert this disk and open the filer window containing the directories
you want. Drag the required directory to the RAM Disk window (it will
carry all the contained files with it). Re-insert your ArcScan disk and
re-open the !ArcScan sub-window (remember to hold down SHIFT!). Drag the
directory from the RAM disc window back into it.
You should now be in business, and double clicking on the !ArcScan icon in
the MAIN ArcScan window should instal ArcScan on the icon bar. A SEL click
on the icon should start ArcScan up, and your new directory(-ies) should
appear in the list (On ArcScanII, click on 'NEW DATA' to display this).
The right-hand window should confirm the files actually loaded.
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