PsL Monthly 1994 September/PSL Monthly Shareware CD-ROM (September 1994).ISO/readme

Text File | 1994-08-05 | 12KB | 289 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_SHRD will run. That is the program that accesses the CD.
> Next time, you can just run PSL_SHRD to skip seeing this file.

> PSL_SHRD is a DOS-based program. To access the CD from Windows,
> run PSL_SHRW.EXE by using File-Run from Program Manager's menu bar.
> Run SETUP.BAT from the DOS prompt before running the Windows version.

Welcome to the PsL September 1994 CD. This month's CD contains over 900
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
Home and Education.



1. License & Warranty:

Run PSL_SHRD's start-up screens or PSL_SHRW's HELP menu to read the CD-ROM
usage license and warranty.


2. 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, some
older files in the Section of the Month do not have FILE_ID.DIZ files.


3. 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


4. 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

The FILES.BBS files are in the directory FILESBBS.
You can generate custom FILES.BBS files by running PSL_SHRW (in the PSL_NEWS
directory) and looking in the Files menu. (Requires Windows.)


5. The \SCREENS Directory

The Screens directory contains screen shots of some programs on this CD.
The screen shots can only be viewed by the Windows program PSL_SHRW, not the
DOS program PSL_SHRD.


6. RUNTIMES

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


7. 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 with the DOS-based program,
run it using the syntax: "PSL_SHRD /U" (without the quotes). In the Windows
based program, select UNZIP in the window that appears after pushing the
Install button.

The only drawback to using UNZIP 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. PKUNZIP should work on problem systems as long as you do not try to use
it on a file that is on the CD-ROM drive.

(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.


8. 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
   are installed in, which cannot be done on a CD.

 - Many programmers require that their programs be distributed
   in archived format.

 - Some installation programs configure the software to the system they
   are installed on, so that a program installed on our system may not
   work on yours.

 - Because we add a section of PsL's disk-based library to the CD each
   month, there is not room to have all the programs dearchived.

 - For use of the CDs on BBSs, files must be in archive format.

Distributing the programs in archive format makes for a much neater
package, making programs easier to find. Dearchiving a program to
hard disk only takes a few seconds and by using a temporary directory,
you can easily delete the files when done.

(2.) "Are the same programs repeated on each month's CD?"

No. The \DOS and \WIN directories contain only the new programs received
by PsL during the last 30 days. In addition, we put a different section
of our disk-based library on each month's CD. These sections do repeat
every six months, but they are updated for the thousands of new files
received during the previous six months.

(3.) "I'm not interested in the section of PsL being added to the CD this
      month. Why should I have to pay for a CD with a section I don't want
      in order to get the lower subscription price?"

For the sam