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-
-
-
- GRTXT (tm)
-
- the GRABBER (tm) ASCII Text Subset
-
- Version 0.50 Shareware Issue
-
- ----------------------------------
-
- The ASCII Screen Capture Program
- for the IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2
- and Compatibles
-
-
- DOCUMENTATION
- November 27, 1991
-
-
- Copyright 1991 by
- Gerald A. Monroe
- All rights reserved.
-
-
-
-
- YOUR LICENSE TO USE THIS SOFTWARE
- ----------------------------------
-
- GRTXT.EXE and GRTXT.DOC are Copyright 1991 by Gerald A. Monroe.
- All rights are reserved except those expressly granted here.
-
- The GRTXT program and this documentation file are distributed as an
- integral part of the GRABBER (tm) screen capture package under the
- terms of a shareware license that is fully set forth in the file
- GRABBER.DOC, which is the instruction manual for GRABBER.EXE, the
- main program module in the package.
-
- The shareware license terms in the GRABBER.DOC file are incorporated
- here by reference. This license permits you to copy and distribute
- the files GRTXT.EXE and GRTXT.DOC (this file) freely, provided that:
- these files are always distributed together with each other and with
- the GRABBER.EXE and GRABBER.DOC files; none of the files is modified
- in any way; and no fee, premium or donation of any kind is charged
- or requested for their distribution except as permitted on the terms
- described in the GRABBER.DOC file.
-
- Continued use of the GRTXT program for more than a 10-day trial
- period requires you to register your use of the software with the
- author. For more information about the benefits of registration
- and how to go about registering, please refer to the full licensing
- and ordering information in the GRABBER.DOC file.
-
-
-
- GRTXT (tm) Documentation Page 2 of 5
-
-
-
-
- ABOUT GRTXT.EXE -- GRABBER's "TEXT" VERSION
- --------------------------------------------
-
- GRTXT is an alternative version of the GRABBER screen capture
- program. It is an especially valuable tool for users who need to
- capture character-based text images from the video screen directly
- to plain ASCII text files on disk.
-
- While GRABBER can be used to capture both character-based text
- screens as well as pixel-based graphic images to your disk in the
- form of executable image files, GRTXT is designed to capture
- character-based text screens exclusively. GRTXT also differs from
- GRABBER in that GRTXT captures your screens directly to plain-ASCII
- text files, instead of to the .exe format.
-
- GRTXT is installed and operated in much the same way as GRABBER, and
- the two programs have a very similar look and feel. For the most
- part, this documentation for GRTXT covers only the aspects of GRTXT
- which differ from GRABBER. It is assumed here that you have already
- browsed the GRABBER documentation file (GRABBER.DOC) and become
- familiar with how GRABBER works.
-
-
- USING GRABBER and GRTXT SIMULTANEOUSLY
- ---------------------------------------
-
- GRTXT is designed to be compatible with GRABBER. Both programs
- can be installed in memory at the same time.
-
- The default "hotkey" sequence for GRTXT is [Alt =]. That is, you
- hold down the [Alt] key, press the equal sign key [=], then release
- the [Alt] key.
-
- GRTXT is designed to capture character-based text images exclusively.
- If you press GRTXT's hotkey and hear a single low-pitched tone on the
- computer speaker, this means that the video screen is running in a
- pixel-based graphics mode, and GRTXT is unable to capture the screen.
-
- GRTXT allows you to modify your hotkey sequence from the default
- [Alt =] to practically any other key sequence you choose. In this
- respect, GRTXT is exactly like GRABBER. There is no separate docu-
- mentation here which covers the procedure for changing your GRTXT
- hotkey. GRTXT uses the exact same hotkey procedures as GRABBER.
- You can read about these in the GRABBER.DOC manual, at page 29 and
- at Appendices A and B. (To view a list of valid KEY= codes for
- GRTXT, use the command GRTXT KEY=?. To view a list of valid SHIFT=
- codes, enter GRTXT SHIFT=?.)
-
-
-
- GRTXT (tm) Documentation Page 3 of 5
-
-
-
-
- INSTALLATION OPTIONS
- ---------------------
-
- GRTXT accepts the following command-line switches. Each of these
- optional switches (except for the /A option) is also available in the
- GRABBER program. For more complete details concerning the purpose of
- these optional switches and how they work, consult the section on
- page 16 of your GRABBER documentation which is headed "Grabber
- Installation Options."
-
-
- Option: /D
-
- Purpose: Tells GRTXT to capture text screens to whatever drive and
- directory path is the current DOS default. As with
- GRABBER, this switch can substitute for the drive/path
- parameter which is required to make GRTXT stay resident
- in memory.
-
-
- Option: /M+ and /M- (for Microsoft-compatible mice only)
-
- Purpose: To enable and disable, respectively, GRTXT's recognition
- of the "mouse hotkey," which allows you to capture your
- text screens by holding down both the left and right mouse
- buttons for about two seconds.
-
- Please note: The mouse hotkey function is available in the
- GRABBER program as well as in GRTXT. If you have installed
- both programs in memory simultaneously, do not use the /M+
- switch to enable the mouse hotkey with both programs.
- Strange results are almost guaranteed to occur, and it may
- even lock up your computer when you use the mouse hotkey.
- It is acceptable to use the /M+ switch with either GRTXT or
- GRABBER, but not both.
-
-
- Option: /U
-
- Purpose: Removes, or "uninstalls," GRTXT from your computer's
- memory. GRTXT cannot be removed from memory if, after you
- initially installed it, you loaded other memory-resident
- software which uses any of the same hardware or software
- interrupts which GRTXT uses. If you are using GRTXT and
- GRABBER simultaneously, both programs can be removed from
- memory, but only in the reverse order in which they were
- initially installed. In other words, "last in, first out."
-
-
-
- GRTXT (tm) Documentation Page 4 of 5
-
-
-
-
- Option: /S+ and /S-
-
- Purpose: To enable and disable, respectively, GRTXT's use of sounds
- through the computer's speaker. When enabled, the sounds
- accompany the on-screen filename prompts, and are also
- issued to indicate the successful completion of a screen-
- capture operation.
-
-
- Option: /P+ and /P-
-
- Purpose: To enable and disable, respectively, GRTXT's on-screen
- filename prompts. When the prompts are disabled, GRTXT
- creates ASCII text files on your disk without asking you
- first what the file should be called. Instead, the program
- assigns a sort of "serial number" name to each file that is
- created. These files are named GRTXT000.TXT, GRTXT001.TXT,
- and so forth up to GRTXT999.TXT, at which point they "turn
- over" again, back to GRTXT000. Please see also the section
- below dealing with the /A command switch, and consult the
- description of the /P options in your GRABBER documentation
- for more information.
-
-
- Option: /A
-
- Purpose: To enable the "Append Mode" when you have told GRTXT not
- to use on-screen filename prompts by issuing the /P-
- command switch. This option has no effect when the file-
- name prompts are enabled. If you do not combine the /P-
- option with this /A option, then GRTXT will work in its
- "Overwrite Mode," which means that it will create a
- separate .TXT file for each screen capture you request.
- However, when you do use the /A switch, GRTXT creates only
- one GRTXTXXX file, and appends each subsequent screen
- capture to it.
-
- For a complete explanation of the filename options avail-
- able to you when the on-screen prompts are disabled, please
- see the next section, "Grtxt and Filename Prompts."
-
-
-
- GRTXT (tm) Documentation Page 5 of 5
-
-
-
- Option: /W
-
- Purpose: To enable "DOS Swap Mode" of operation, which can eliminate
- some of the delays you may experience in getting GRTXT to
- pop up after you press the hotkey. The /W switch is valid
- only when you are initially installing GRTXT in memory, and
- has no effect after the program is already resident. For
- more information about this option, see page 18 of the
- GRABBER.DOC file.
-
-
-
-
- GRTXT AND FILENAME PROMPTS
- ---------------------------
-
- Probably the most significant difference you will notice between
- GRTXT's interface and GRABBER's is in the area of the on-screen
- filename prompts.
-
- Unlike GRABBER, GRTXT does not offer a default filename sequence
- such as GRTXT000, GRTXT001, etc., when it displays the prompts on
- your screen. The first time you call up GRTXT after installing it,
- there is no default filename present. You must supply your own.
-
- After your first .TXT screen capture, however, subsequent filename
- prompts will offer you a default filename which is identical to the
- previous one you specified. You may accept this default filename
- by pressing <Return>, or you can enter another name. After you press
- <Return>, you will then see this additional prompt, which is not
- present in GRABBER:
-
- FILENAME exists -- (A)ppend, (O)verwrite, (C)ancel ?
-
- If you wish to retain the contents of FILENAME.TXT and simply append
- the current screen to the bottom of it, just press <A> or <Return>.
- If you wish to overwrite (i.e., erase and replace) the contents of
- the original FILENAME.TXT file, then press <O>. If you decide not
- to work with this name and wish to enter a different name instead,
- press <C>.
-
-
-
-
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- * * * End of GRTXT.DOC * * *
-