Informática Multimedia 1995 April/Informatica Multimedia CD - Epimundo.iso/WIN/HOGAR/LWP_WIN.ZIP/LATINWIN.DOC

Text File | 1994-09-01 | 25.8 KB | 599 lines

                   Latin Word Power for Windows
                           Version 1.0

Program and supporting materials, including this documentation
file, are copyrighted 1993, by BC Enterprises Software Inc.

                     *** Shareware Notice ***

      Latin Word Power for Windows (Windows Latin) is marketed as
Shareware, which means that you can try the software before
purchasing it.  We suggest that you limit the evaluation period
to 30 days.  If, after that time, you wish to continue using
Latin Word Power for Windows, please send $24.95 to BC
Enterprises Software, P.O. Box 18, Front Royal, VA  22630.
Schools and educational institutions may buy single copies, or
may purchase a school site license for $125.

        When you register your program, you will be given the
registration code necessary to remove the reminders that you have
an un-registered version of the program. You will also receive an
additional 15 files in each word category, for a total of 1200
words and 400 sentences.  Additionally, the registered version
includes a pronunciation module with sound files that give sample
pronunciations.


I. Introduction

        Congratulations on your acquisition of Windows Latin from
BC Enterprises!  We have worked hard to bring a program to you
that helps you build your Latin vocabulary, but which is also
fun and easy to use.  We think Windows Latin fits this bill, and
we hope you will agree.

        This program is directed toward anyone who would like to
have a better working vocabulary in the Latin language.  The
program is not so much meant to teach you Latin as to give you
vocabulary drill.  However, the program does also include
sentences for each of the words used.  This will help you get an
idea of the real-world usage of the words.

        The testing program contains a total of 1200 words (all
with sentences), and 400 sentences for translation.  The words
are broken down into three categories: Nouns, Verbs,
Adjectives/Misc.  The third category is predominantly adjectives,
but several tests of adverbs, prepositions, and pronouns are
included.  The sentences for translation are sentences taken from
the first three word lists.  Up to 400 hundred new words can be
added in a category called User File.  Additionally, any or all
of the current words can be replaced or modified.  Each of the
categories is broken up into 20 tests of 20 words each.  The
program offers two separate testing formats for drill on these
words -- multiple choice and matching.

   *** Note: the shareware version contains only 300 words ***
                    *** and 100 sentences. ***

        You might think that learning 1200 Latin words is not
very much.  Compared to the total number of words in a language,
that is true.  But compared to the working vocabulary you would
need to be fairly fluent in Latin, 1200 words is a very large
number.  If you can learn the words in this program, and study
verb tenses and sentence construction, you will be well on your
way to a good working knowledge of Latin.  In fact, you will be
amazed at how soon you will be able to read in Latin.


II. Using Windows Latin

II.1. System Configuration

        Windows Latin is written in Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0,
and requires Windows 3.0 or higher, running in Standard or 386
Enhanced mode.  Any computer which can run in at least Standard
mode can run Windows Latin, although faster computers will
certainly have improved performance.

        Windows Latin is optimized for screen resolutions from 640
by 480 to 800 by 600.  Higher screen resolutions are not
recommended, and may cause the program display to be incorrect.
If you try to run the program at a resolution higher than 800 by
600, the program will ask you if you want to go on.


II.2. Program Installation

        Windows Latin comes with an easy to use setup program which
will copy all files to the proper directories and decompress the
word files.  Since most of the Windows Latin files are compressed,
you must use the installation program to install Windows Latin.

        If you downloaded the program from a BBS, then the
easiest thing to do is to copy all the files to a single
diskette, either a 3 1/2 inch diskette or a high-density 5 1/4
inch diskette, and install from a diskette.

        If you received the program on more than one diskette
from a disk vendor, then you should start installation with the
program marked disk 1 or disk A.

        Once you are ready to install the program, you should
choose the File, then Run... command from the Windows Program
Manager.  To install from the A: drive, type in "A:INSTALL".  To
install from the B: drive, type in "B:INSTALL".

        The Install program will ask you in what directory you
would like the Windows Latin files placed.  The default directory
is C:\Latin, but you can choose any valid drive and directory.
Once you specify a directory, the Install program will copy all
the files to that directory.  Windows Latin does not put any
files into your Windows or System directory.

        After the copying is completed, the Install program will
attempt to shell to DOS in order to decompress the word files
used by the program which are kept in the file LATINWRD.EXE.  If
the program does this successfully, the word files will be
decompressed and located in your Windows Latin subdirectory.  If
the Shell is unsuccessful, you will need to manually run the
LATINWRD program before you use Windows Latin.  All you need to
do is use File Manager to show you your Windows Latin directory,
and run the file LATINWRD.EXE.  Alternatively, you could exit
Windows, change to your Power Latin directory, and type LATINWRD
at the system prompt.

        Because of the way Windows runs in 386 enhanced mode, the
word decompression may actually occur in a background window while
the Windows Latin Install continues in the foreground.  This is
normal, and nothing to worry about.  In standard mode, the words
should normally decompress in the foreground.

        Next, the Install program will create group called
Education (if don't already have one), and place an icon for
Windows Latin in the group.


II.3. Setting a Current User

        One of the most helpful functions of Windows Latin is its
ability to graphically display your progress via a sophisticated
graphing package.  In order to keep track of the data needed to
generate the charts, the program allows you to enter up to 50
users.  At least one user must be entered for the program to run.

        The first time you run Windows Latin, you will be asked to
enter a user name.  The first name you enter will automatically
become the current user.  After that, you can enter other users,
if you wish, and choose a current user from among them.  You do
not need to enter more than one user, but you must enter one.

        When you exit the User window, the program will create
user data files for everyone you entered, as well as a general
user file which keeps track of the other files.  The list of the
users is kept in a file called LATNUSER.DTA.  The individual
user data is kept in files with the first eight (or fewer)
characters of the user name, plus .DTA.

        You can change and edit current users from many different
screens in Windows Latin.


II.4. The Main Menu Screen

        On the Main Menu Screen, you will notice that there are
listed five different categories of tests which you may select:
Verbs, Nouns, Adj./Misc., Sentences, and Custom.  Item number
six is Program Maintenance.  To choose any of the test categories
or Program Maintenance, use the mouse to click on the applicable
push button -- clicking on the words will not produce any result.

        Along the bottom of the screen is a section showing the
current user, and offering the buttons "User", "Stats",
"Pronunciation", "About", and "Exit".

II.5. Choosing Test Number and Format

        Once you decide which category of test you would like to
use, a new window will pop up in which you can choose the test
number (1 through 20), and the test format.  The three test
formats are multiple choice, which deals with one word at a time;
matching, which deals with five words at a time; and type word,
in which you are given an English word and you need to type the
Latin equivalent.

        To choose the test format, click the radio button of the
format you want.  To choose test number, click on the pull-down
box arrow, and choose a test number.  It is a very simple system
and you should have no trouble with it.

        If you choose the Sentences tests, you cannot choose test
type.  Only multiple choice is available.  You can, however,
choose Latin to English, or English to Latin.

        Note: Custom tests will not be available unless you enter
them yourself.  All twenty words in a custom file must be entered
before the file is usable.


II.6. The Word Tests

II.6.1. The Multiple Choice Test

        The Multiple Choice test is very straightforward, and
should not be difficult to understand.  The target word is
presented at the top of the screen.  Underneath the target word
are four definitions.  You must choose the number corresponding
to the definition of the target word.  The program will tell you
if you make the right choice.  If you miss a word, the program
will tell you this, and will also point to the number of the
correct definition.

        In the form title, the program notes which number and
category test you are taking.  At the bottom left, the program
notes the word you are currently on.

        To go to the next word, click on Next.  The program will
allow you to skip words without guessing their meaning, but it is
probably not a good idea to do so.  To exit from the test, click
the Exit button.


II.6.2. The Matching Test

        The Matching Test is just as simple as the Multiple
Choice Test.  On the left side of the screen are five target
words, with the letters A through E next to them.  On the right
side of the screen are the translations, with boxes next to them.
You must match up the correct word with the translation.  To do
this, use the drag-and-drop method.  (Click and hold the left
mouse button down on the letter, then, still holding the button
down, "drag" the letter to the box on the right.)  If you have
the sound turned on, then the program plays a few notes when you
drop the letter in the box.

        If you want to change a letter, then you can "undo" the
dropped letter by double-clicking on it.  Of course, each letter
can only be placed with one word at a time.

        In order to see the sentence associated with a word,
click on the word.

        When you are through entering your choices, click on the
OK button at the bottom right of the screen.  At that point the
program will display a happy face for each word you got right and
a "not-happy" face for each word wrong.  If you want to skip a
set of words, you can click the Next button.

        After the program displays which words are right and
wrong, the "Next" button changes to "PUSH ME!".  Click that button
to go to the next set of words.  If you want to end the test, use
the Exit button.


II.6.3. Type Word

        In the Type word test, a box comes up with an English
word at the top.  You need to type the Latin equivalent word in
the text box.  If you need to type an accent, push the tilde (~)
key, which will scroll through all possible accents for letters.

        The words which are correct will go into the box on the
left, and the incorrect words will be listed in the box on the
right.

        Sentences for words are not available during this test.

II.7. Stats

        Pushing the Stats button on the main menu screen will
bring up a sophisticated graphing package which helps you to see
your progress in learning words.

        The graphing package will show you many different types
of graphs.  The graph loaded when the function first comes up
shows you the percentage of right and wrong answers on all tests.
Other graphs, shown in the pick list under "Available Graphs",
shows you the percentage of right and wrong in each category, or
the number right and wrong for individual tests in a category.
Also, the program will show you how much you have worked with
each category of words, as well as which tests you have used, and
how many words you have attempted.  These last two graphs are
good for making sure that you have done all the tests.

        Below the Available Graphs pick list is a "Graph Types"
pick list, in which you can choose from several different types
of graphs, including bar graphs and pie graphs.  Which graph
types are available depends on what figures are being graphed.

        The last pick box on the left is the "Graph Background"
box, which changes the background, as well as the foreground,
colors of the graph.

        You can change users while in the graphing function by
pushing the User button in the bottom right hand corner.  You can
also erase the figures the program uses to generate graphs by
using the Reset function from the User window.

        Graphs generated by the program can be printed to a
printer, or copied to the clipboard.  If you are printing the
graph, it can be output in either color or black and white.  If
you are copying to the clipboard, the graph is copied in color,
in Windows metafile format.  Since metafiles can be stretched or
shrunk to any size, they are very convenient if you want to
include a graph in another application.

        The graphs generated by the program can help to show you
the areas in which you are weak and need to concentrate more.
This means that your study can be much more effective and
systematic.


II.8. About

        The About box tells a little bit about the Windows Latin
program, including the all-important matter of where
registrations should be sent, and how much they should be.


III. File Maintenance

III.1. Introduction

        The File Maintenance window offers an easy way for you to
customize the Windows Latin program to your tastes.  Through the
File Maintenance window, you can set many program options,
including the use of sound and fonts.  Additionally, you can add
to or modify the data files which come with the program.  You can
also print out any or all of the data files.

        When you load the File Maintenance window, the last word
file you used will be automatically loaded as well.  If you have
not used any word file, then the file Latin1.1 (first category,
first word file) will be loaded.  The name of the currently
loaded word file is displayed at the upper left corner of the
screen.  If, for some reason, the word file cannot be found, then
the program says "No File Loaded."  (If you ever go into file
maintenance and have "No File Loaded" show up, you probably need
to set a new path to data.)

        As mentioned, the name of the file you are working on is
displayed in the top left of the window.  You will notice that
this is a numerical file name.  For instance, if you choose to
change the third test in the verb category, the file name
displayed will be Latin1.3, rather than VERBS3.  Latin1.3 is
the actual file name on disk of the third test (or word file) in
the verbs category.  This is because "Verbs" is the first
category listed in the Windows Latin program and in all other
selection boxes.  All the data files on the disk are named in the
same way.  For example, the tenth data file in the category Nouns
is named Latin2.10.

        The File Maintenance window has a pulldown menu system
along the top, and a set of four pushbuttons along the bottom.
The four buttons are Next, Previous, Blank, and Restore.  These
buttons operate on the words in the currently loaded file.  The
Next and Previous buttons will show you the next or previous word
in the file.  The Blank button will erase all fields for the
current word.  The Restore button will restore all fields to
their previous contents, in case you make a change that you
decide you do not want.  Once you go to the next or previous
word, however, changes cannot be undone.

        To edit fields, simply click the mouse on the field you
want to change, or use the Tab key to change fields.  You can
easily see the current edit field because it has highlighted
colors.

        To enter an accent, type the basic letter first, then
push the "tilde" key.  This is generally located to the left of
the 1 key, and just above the tab key, on the top row of the
keyboard.  Pushing the tilde key repeatedly will scroll through
all possible accents for a letter.

III.2. The File Menu

        The File menu has four choices, Open, Print, Print Order
Form, and Quit Maintenance.


III.2.1. Open

        When you choose open, another window appears in which you
can specify which word file you want to use.  The file selection
process is pretty self-explanatory.  The file you specify is
looked for in the current directory or the current path.  If the
file you pick is not found, the program will ask you if you want
to create the file.  If you are trying to open one of the User
Files, then you will probably want the program to create the
file.  Otherwise, you will probably not want to create the file,
but enter a path where the file may be found.


III.2.2. Print

        When you choose the Print function, the program will
first ask you if you want to print the current file.  Note that
only the current word file can be printed.  If you say that you
do want to print, then another box will pop up to show you the
progress of the printing.  The printed output is in the currently
selected font, at 12 point.  (If the current screen font is
unavailable for printing, the program substitutes Courier.)

        If you have a slow dot-matrix printer, then you would be
well-advised to print using the print spooler, since printing can
take a very long time.  With a laser printer, the printing will
likely be acceptably brisk whether you use the spooler or not.

        Since the printing function uses the currently selected
font, the printed output may take one, two, or several pages.


III.2.3. Print Order Form

        In order to make it as easy as possible for you to
register this program, we include this function to print out an
order form which you can send in.

        In the first box, enter your name, address, city, state,
zip, etc.  The program will be shipped to the name and address
entered in this box.

        Next, specify disk size (5 1/4" or 3 1/2").

        Next, please tell us where you obtained the program.  Be
as specific as possible; for example, please tell us which
bulletin board or which disk vendor you received the program
from.  (This helps us with marketing and distribution.)

        When you are done filling in the form, click on the Print
button.  Then, most importantly, send the form in with payment.
Bless you!


III.2.4. Quit Maintenance

        This function closes all files, saves settings, and
returns you to the main program.


III.3. The Setup Menu

        The Setup menu has five functions: Path to Data, Find
Data Files, Play Sounds, Fonts, and Users.


III.3.1. Path to Data

        Setting a path to data tells the Windows Latin program where
to look for your data files.  This allows you, if you want, to
place your program files and data files in different directories.
The Windows Latin program uses this path when it reads and writes
data files, and for saving user information.  However,
initialization files are written to the current directory, rather
than using the specified path.  So, if you have specified
"C:\DATA" as the path to data but are running the program from
"D:\Latin", word files will be read and written from "C:\DATA",
but initialization files will be written to "D:\Latin".

        If you have set an incorrect path using the Path to Data
option, you will receive a message about this if you try to use
or load any of the data files.  You will then have to set a new
path.  Setting a path when you receive an error message also
changes the path that is saved for use by the Windows Latin program
when you exit the program.  For example, if you use the Path to
Data option to set the path as "E:\", but then you receive an
error message and change the path to "C:\", then the "C:\" path
is saved for use by Windows Latin program, not the "E:\".

        If you simply keep your word files in the same directory
as the Windows Latin program, you will never need to worry about
setting the path.  The Setup program automatically copies the
word and program files to the same directory.


III.3.2. Find Data Files

        If for some reason the program cannot locate the word
files, and you do not know what directory they are in, you can
use this function to locate the word files.  (Problems locating
word files can occur, for example, if you start the Windows Latin
program from other than its home directory.)

        This function will search all directories on a drive for
files that start with "Latin".  The Windows Latin word files all
start with "Latin", followed by some numbers.  If you see a
directory with a large number of files (80 to 100) beginning with
"Latin", you can be pretty sure that you have found the Windows
Latin data directory.

        To start the function, click the Go button.  To change
your path to a new directory, just click on the directory you
want.  The program will then ask you to confirm that you want to
set a new path.  To exit without setting a new path, click on
Exit.

        If your system has more than one hard drive, you can
choose a different drive to search in the drive list box.

        By the way, you can change the file specification which
this box searches for.  For example if you change "Latin*.*" to
"*.EXE", the function will find all .EXE files on your hard
drive.  So, this function can be used as a general purpose file
finder.


III.3.3. Play Sounds

        Setting Sound ON means that the program will generate
sound as it runs.  When sound is on, many different actions
generate sound.  However, it is not necessary for the smooth
operation of the program.

        The registered version of the program includes WAV files
to help you with pronunciation.  A Windows 3.x compatible sound
card is required to play these WAV files.

        NOTE: Due to the way in which Microsoft Windows handles
sound, it is possible that other programs may not be able to
generate sound while Windows Latin is running with Sound ON.
Also, if, for any reason, Windows Latin terminates abnormally with
an error, you may need to restart Microsoft Windows before any
program can use sound.


III.3.4. Fonts

        The fonts dialog box lets you pick the primary font for
use with Windows Latin.  This font is used in all the tests, as well
as for printing word files.

        All your screen fonts are listed in the font list box on
the left side.  Below the list are check boxes for bold and
italic.  Next to these are arrows for increasing or decreasing
the point size of the font.  In the upper right part of the form
is a sample of text with the currently selected attributes.

        Click on OK to exit and save the currently selected
attributes, or click on Cancel to exit without saving.


III.3.5. Users

        The Users windows has been explained somewhat above.  It
is pretty self-explanatory.

        To run the Windows Latin program, you need at least one
user.  If you have only one user, that is the current logged
user.  If you have more than one user, you can set a current user
by highlighting a user in the list box and clicking on the
Current User button.  Up to 50 users may be input.

        You can also delete or reset a user by highlighting the
user and clicking on the appropriate button.  Deleting a user
removes that user name from the user list.  Resetting a user
leaves the user name in the list, but it deletes all user data
used for generating graphs.

        You cannot delete or reset the current user.  So, if you
only really want one user, but want to delete or reset the
current user, you will have to add another user temporarily, then
make the new user the current user, and delete or reset the other
user.  (It is less complicated than it sounds.)





                            Appendix A
                          Program Errors


        Most program errors that may occur are handled by the
program in such a way that you will not even know that an error
happened.  This is the case for such errors as file not found
errors, or printer errors.

        However, it is possible that an error may occur which the
program cannot handle.  In that case, Windows Latin will give an
error message and end.  If possible, please contact BC
Enterprises by mail with 1) the text of the error message, 2) the
circumstance(s) under which it occurs, and 3) whether the error
is reproducible (does it happen every time).  This will help us
to correct the error.

        If an error occurs in such a way that the program is
interfering with access to other programs, push Ctrl-Alt-Del.
This will give you an opportunity to force closure of the
program.


BC Enterprises Software, Inc.
P.O. Box 18
Front Royal, VA  22630

Voice: 703-635-9998
BBS..: 703-635-7528
Fax..: [phone]
Compuserve: 76350,154