PsL Monthly 1994 June/PSL Monthly Shareware CD-ROM (June 1994) (Public Software Library).bin/readme

Text File | 1994-05-09 | 14KB | 325 lines

                              PsL Monthly CD

> To view this file, use the PgUp and PgDn and cursor keys.
> When done, press ESC to exit this file.
> Then PSL_NEWS will run. That is the program that accesses the CD.
> Next time, you can just run PSL_NEWS to skip seeing this file.

> PSL_NEWS is a DOS-based program. To access the CD from Windows,
> run PSL_WIN.EXE by using File-Run from Program Manager's menu bar.

Welcome to the PsL June 1994 CD. This month's CD contains over 800
programs received by PsL in the last 30 days. In addition, this month
includes all the programs from our Windows and DOS sections related to
Programming.

To access those files, change to the \PRGMMING directory and type README.


1. License & Warranty:

Run PSL_NEWS to read the CD-ROM usage license and warranty.


2. PsL News Files:

The files PSL_NEWS.0 thru *.9 are the text of the current PsL News. These
files are in the PSL_NEWS directory and are read by PSL_NEWS.EXE. They are
also in the file PSL_9404.ZIP in the \DOS\ELEC_PUB directory.


3. File Format:

All programs are in ZIP format. Some very large programs may have also been
installed on the CD so that individual users of the CD (as opposed to BBS
users) can more easily try them out without having to go through a long,
disk-space eating installation. For the benefit of BBSs, these programs
are also included in ZIP format for easier downloading.

The "preinstalled files" directories do not have FILES.BBS files, as they are
not intended for downloading (because the same files are in ZIP format in
other directories).

All of the new ZIPs have FILE_ID.DIZ files for easier BBS use; however,
due to time constraints in trying to move large sections of PsL's disk-based
library from floppies to the CD on a monthly basis, some of those programs are
in self-extracting archive format rather than in ZIP format and many ZIPs do
not have FILE_ID.DIZ files. There are FILES.BBS files in each directory.


4. Here is the directory structure of this CD:

DOS\
  BIZ_FIN - financial apps for business
  BUSINESS - general business apps.
  COMMUNIC - communications
  DATABASE
  DTP -      desktop publishing
  EDUCA -    education
  ELEC_PUB - electronic publishing
  GAMES
  GRAPHICS - clip art, graphics displays, etc.
  HOME -      various home apps.
  HOME_FIN - financial programs for the home.
  MAILLIST - mailing list managers and related programs
  MUS_SNDS - music and sounds and related programs.
  PRGMMING - programming.
  PRINTING - printer utilities/apps.
  RELIGION
  STATS_EN - statistics, math, engineering.
  UT_DskFi - disk drive and file related utilities.
  UT_Systm - hardware related & operating system related utilities
  WORDS -    word processing programs and utilities, editors, etc.

WIN\
  APPS -     general applications
  DESKTOP -  desktop tools (clocks, notepads, reminders, etc)
  EDUCA -    education
  GAMES
  GRAPHICS - graphics, fonts, icons, BMPs, etc.
  PF_FM -    Program Manager & File Manager replacements, enhancers, tools.
  PRGMMING - programming
  SOUNDS -   WAV files and sound-related utilities.
  UTILS -    utilities
  VISUALBS - Visual Basic programming


5. FILES.BBS files:

For BBS use, we have added FILES.BBS files listing the contents of each ZIP
file directory. We have been told a dozen different formats to use, but the
format we used was the one most common to the various formats mentioned:

FILENAME.EXT --SIZE--  --DATE--  Description----------------------------------
^1                21^  ^24     | description continued.-----------------------
                               ^32

Each directory has a FILES.BBS file in it. There is also a FILES.BBS file
in the root directory for all the new/updated programs for the month.


6. The \SCREENS Directory

The Screens directory contains screen shots of some programs on this CD.
For information about how to see the screen shots while reading PSL_NEWS,
see TOGETHER.DOC in the SCREENS directory. (TOGETHER is not required for
viewing screens with PSL_WIN.)


7. Reviews Files

In the REVIEWS directory are the reviews of the more than 10000
programs in PsL's disk-based collection. (These programs are NOT all
on this CD.)

The files RVW_??.ZIP in REVIEWS\RVW_ZIP are ZIP files of the Reviews by
category (with ?? being a two-letter category code).
(SYSOPS: Please make these files available to your callers.)

AH: Accounting/Finance, Home            MS: Misc., Home
AB: Accounting/Finance, Business        MU: Music, Sounds
BZ: Business Applications               P1/P2: Printing
CH: Church, Religion                    PG: Programming
CM: Communications                      RE: Retail Product Reviews
DB: Database                            SS: Spreadsheet
DP: Desktop Publshing, Clip Art         U1: Utitilies - Disk/File
ED: Education                           U2: Utilities - Operating System
GA: Games                               WI: Windows
GR: Graphics                            WP: Word Processing
ML: Mailing List Programs               WU: WP Utilities



8. RUNTIMES

The RUNTIMES directory contains run-time files required by some other
programs.


9. Past CD Descriptions

The PASTNEWS directory contains the text of the write-ups of past PsL
Monthly CD's.


10. Problems

All the programs on this CD have been tested and should run. If you have
difficulties, write or call PsL's Tech Support department. Most difficulties
can be cleared up over the phone in a couple of minutes. There is normally no
waiting to talk to a technician.

(1.) "My machine locks up or reboots when I try to install a program
      using the PSL_NEWS program."

You have one of the small percentage of systems with a CD-ROM driver that is
incompatible with PKUNZIP. To get around that problem, we have placed a public
domain unzip program on the CD. To invoke it, you must use the DOS-based
program and run it using the syntax: "PSL_NEWS /U" (without the quotes).

The only drawback is that some programs have subdirectory structures stored
in the ZIP files and UNZIP will not recreate the directory structure the way
PKZUNZIP will. To get around that problem, copy BOTH the program ZIP file and
PKUNZIP.EXE from the CD onto your hard disk and then use "PKUNZIP -D [pgm]"
(substitute the program zip file name for "[zip]") to unzip it.

(2.) "PKUNZIP tells me to insert another disk when I try to unzip the
      file from the CD."

The programmer used a PKZIP flag that he shouldn't have when zipping
the program. To get around this, copy the ZIP file from the CD to your
hard disk and use PKUNZIP to unzip it to the same directory on your
hard disk as the ZIP file.

(3.) "I can't view the PCX files shown in the program reviews."

To view the PCX files in the DOS-based access program, PSL_NEWS.EXE,
you must set up and run the program TOGETHER which is in \SCREENS
directory. See the file TOGETHER.DOC for instructions. You do NOT need
to use the TOGETHER program if you are using PSL_WIN.EXE to access the
CD-ROM.

(4.) "There are no files on the CD."
     "There are no files in one of the directories."
     "I get an error trying to copy a file from the CD."

We have only had a few such complaints, but in all cases, there was nothing
wrong with the CD. Some of the users who made the complaints were able to
read the CDs without error on other machines or even when trying later on
the same machine.

We suspect that the problem is with dust or dirt in the drive or, more
specifically, on the laser lens, or on the CD-ROM disc itself. If you do not
have a CD lens cleaner, get one from your dealer. Also inspect the non-printed
side of the CD for dust or debris.

One caller took the CD out, wiped it off, put it back in, and it worked.
Maybe it was dirty or maybe just re-seating it helped.


11. Frequently Asked Questions:

(1.) "Why don't you install the programs on the CD ready to run instead of in
      ZIP format?"

There are many reasons:
 - Many programs try to write back to the directory that they