The Business Master (3rd Edition)

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Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro - All Rights Reserved - May 3, 1988 Save Our Screens (SoS) is distributed under the SHAREWARE concept. It is NOT Public Domain. An individual registration costs $20.00. Please send check or money order payable to: Gary J. Shapiro 6 Scenic Court Marlboro NJ, 07746 Please include your name, address, and SoS version you are registering. All corporate, business, government or other commercial users of SoS, must be registered. Please contact me for details on pricing and site license agreements. You are encouraged to make copies for others to evaluate, as well as for distribution on Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's). However, you are not authorized to accept any payment for doing so. Suggestions? Problems? Bugs? Please let me know. Your help will only improve SoS. DISCLAIMER ---------- You are completely responsible for determining the fitness or usability of this package. I will not be liable for any damages, of any kind, arising from any failure of any programs in this package to perform as expected. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro INTRODUCTION ------------ SoS is a Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program that allows you to save and restore text screens to memory and disk. Up to 9 memory screens and 90 disk screens are available for this purpose. SoS can be invoked within most text applications. MDA, CGA, HGC, EGA, MCGA and VGA text modes are fully supported in 40 and 80 column mode. A maximum of 50 rows is supported for users of EGA, VGA and similar display adapters. SoS has the additional capability to save screen images to disk in Text/ASCII format. Screens saved in this manner can be processed by any Text or ASCII handling program, eg. editors, word processors etc. All SoS information is presented via POP-UP windows activated by a series of HOTKEYS. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ------------------- SoS requires an IBM PC/XT/AT/PS2 or true compatible that has it's display buffer at address 0b000h or 0b800h. DOS 2.0 or later is required. SoS with Extended Screen Support disabled, and a maximum of 1 screen will require approximately 11K. Each additional screen will add 4K to this number. The maximum total memory required is 42.5K with 9 screens requested. With Extended Screen Support enabled add 8k to the above amounts. The maximum total memory for this mode is 50K with 9 screens requested. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro INVOKING SoS ------------ SoS is invoked at the DOS command line or in a batch file as follows: A>SOS <Optional Parameters> Optional Parameters are: /Sn (n=1 to 9) Maximum allowable number of screens to save/restore from memory. S4 is the default. Maximum number of disk screens is 10 times this number. 90 Text disk screens are always allowed for Text mode. /Rn (n=0 or 1) Enable(1) or Disable(0) CGA snow detection. R1 is the default. /En (n=0 or 1) Enable(1) or Disable(0) Extended Screen Support. E0 is the default. If no parameters are specified, the default is to allow a maximum of 4 screens with CGA snow detection enabled and Extended Screen Support disabled. Just as if you specified SOS /S4 /R1 /E0. The '/' must precede the parameter and at least one space must come between successive parameters. The order of parameters is not important. If you're using a display adapter that does not produce 'snow' you should specify /R0. All IBM CGA users should specify /R1 or take the default. For all other adapters there is no need to specify this parameter. SoS automatically assumes /R0 since these adapters do not produce 'snow'. 40 column text, even with a CGA, doesn't produce 'snow', therefore /R0 is used for this mode. Extended Screen Support (ESS) provides the ability to save and restore screens up to 80 columns by 50 rows in size. This feature is designed for use with EGA, VGA and similar display adapters. Please see the section on Extended Screen Support for a more detailed discussion of this feature. SoS will inform you of parameter errors and will not let a second copy be loaded into memory. If enough memory isn't available to load SoS, a message will be displayed. In this case, you should decrease the number of screens requested by 1 until SoS successfully loads. If it still won't load with 1 screen, you need additional memory on your system. If SoS fails to load, ERRORLEVEL will be set to 1. COMPATIBILITY ------------- If you are using other TSR programs and SoS fails to function properly, or system problems are experienced, try changing the loading order of your programs. While SoS was designed to 'behave well' some 'ill behaved' TSR's might cause problems. Generally, if SoS is loaded first there should be no problems. If you are using SIDEKICK, load SoS first to insure complete compatibility. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro ACTIVATING SoS -------------- Save to Memory -------------- Press the Ctrl-LeftShift-S keys simultaneously. At this point, a message will appear waiting for you to enter a number from 1 to the maximum number of screens specified when SoS was loaded (or 4 if the default was taken). Entering a valid number, followed by pressing the RETURN key, will cause SoS to save the screen image to memory under that number then return you to where you were. SoS messages that appear will NOT be saved. Only the original screen will be. If you press an invalid key or a number out of range, an SoS message will be displayed. At this point you can enter a valid number or press ESC to return to where you were. A successful save will be be indicated by another SoS message. Any existing memory images with the same screen number will be overlayed. Save to Disk ------------ Press the Alt-LeftShift-S keys simultaneously. As in a memory save you will be instructed to enter a number under which to save the screen image. Unlike memory saves however, you have the option to select what is known as a File Set number. Pressing a function key, F1 through F10, will select the File Set number. F1 will set it to 1, F2 to 2, and so on. F10 should be thought of as F0, since pressing this key results in a File Set number of 0. File Set numbers range from 0 to 9. You can press a function key as many times as you like in order to select the desired File Set number. The File Set number, along with the subsequent screen number chosen, is used to create the filename to which the screen image will be saved. A screen image to disk is always saved to the current directory. The File Set number organizes the disk screens into 10 groups (0-9), with the screen number identifying the individual screen within the group. The filename of a saved screen is as follows: SOS.0xy x = File Set number (GROUP 0-9) y = Screen number (SCREEN 1-9) This combination allows you to save to disk 10 times the number of screens specified when SoS was loaded. If, for example, 9 screens were specified at SoS load time, then 90 unique disk screen images can be saved to the current directory. Specifying 1 screen will result in the availability of 10 unique disk screens. Initially the File Set number is 0. When a screen is saved, the File Set number is 'remembered' and will become the default when SoS is next invoked for a disk function. When the desired File Set number has been chosen, entering a screen number followed by pressing the RETURN key, will result in the screen being saved to disk. If the screen image file already exists, you will be asked (Y/N) if you want to overwrite the file. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro To save a screen image in Text/ASCII format press the 'T' key (for Text). The word TEXT will appear in the SoS window (Pressing the 'T' key toggles between Text mode and Non-Text mode). Saving a screen image while in Text mode will produce a screen saved as a Text file. Screens saved in this manner can not be restored since they are not true screen images. They are meant to be used by external programs that can process Text files. As a result, 90 text screens can be saved to the same directory at all times regardless of the number of screens specified via the /S parameter at SoS load time. The filename for Text screens are SOS.Txy. Each text line ends with a Carriage Return/Line Feed combination. Restore from Memory ------------------- Press the Ctrl-LeftShift-R keys simultaneously. At this point, a message will appear waiting for to enter a number from 1 to the maximum number of screens specified when SoS was loaded (or 4 if the default was taken). Entering a valid number, followed by pressing the RETURN key, will cause SoS to restore that screen image number from memory. If you press an invalid key or a number out of range, an SoS message will be displayed. At this point you can enter a valid number or press ESC to return to where you were. A successful save will be indicated by another SoS message. If a valid number is specified, the saved screen image will appear. At this point you can enter another screen number which will pop up the SoS window. Pressing the RETURN key will make the screen image appear. Of course you can change the screen number first. To exit from this mode press the ESC key. This will return you to where you were prior to activating SoS. Entering a valid screen number, but one that has not been previously saved to, will result in an SoS message indicating so. You can also cycle through your saved screens by pressing the SPACE BAR. The cycling will start at screen 1 if SoS has just been activated, or at the next screen if a screen is already being displayed. If cycling is begun when a screen number has been chosen but not restored, the screen number displayed will be the first screen restored. Cycling and screen selection by number can be intermixed. Restore from Disk ----------------- Press the Alt-LeftShift-R keys simultaneously. A File Set number can be chosen if need be and the same actions followed as restoring from memory. The saved image is read from the SOS.0xy file that has a matching File Set number and screen number on the current directory. The File Set number can be changed at any time resulting in a new group of disk images to be restored. As in a restore from memory, the disk image restored will overlay the corresponding screen image in memory with the same screen number. The screen number is the rightmost number that makes up the filename, ie. the 'y' in SOS.0xy. Cycling through disk images is based on the screen number within the specified File Set number. During cycling it is permissible to change the File Set number, which will enable a new group of disk images to be restored. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro SCREEN MANAGEMENT ----------------- It is up to you to keep track of all saved screen images. Memory saves are fairly easy to manage since there are, at most, only 9 at one time. Disk screen images however, are somewhat more difficult to manage. To aid in managing disk screens, the File Set number comes in handy. If you save a particular application's screens to the same File Set number, or series of numbers, it is easier to keep track of what's stored out on disk. For example, if you are in a LOTUS session you might save all your screens to File Set 0 and 1. This will provide up to 20 disk screens. If you then get into your favorite word processor, you might save it's screen images to File Set 3. This will provide up to 10 disk screens. Restoring screens then becomes easier since you have grouped your applications by File Set number. Once you set the correct File Set number you can then restore the screen number that you need or cycle through all the screens within the File Set number. Just keep in mind that disk restores overlay memory saved screens that have the same screen number. SCREEN INFORMATION ------------------ When doing a screen restore from memory or disk, you sometimes can't remember which screen number you are currently displaying. This is especially true if you are cycling through many screens. To determine which screen number is currently being displayed, enter a '?' when in RESTORE mode. The screen number you are currently viewing will then appear. If a disk restore is being requested the File Set number will be displayed. From here you can continue restoring other screens or return to the current screen by entering the ACTIVE screen number. In SAVE mode this function is meaningless and the `?` is treated as an invalid key. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro EXTENDED SCREEN SUPPORT ----------------------- Extended Screen Support (ESS) is the ability for SoS to save and restore screen images greater then 80 columns by 25 rows. It is activated by specifying /E1 at SoS load time. A maximum screen size of 80x50 is supported. If a screen exceeds 80x50, only this amount is saved or restored. Since most applications utilize an 80x25 screen size, the default is to disable ESS (/E0). This provides saving/restoring a maximum screen image of 80x25 regardless of the actual screen size in affect. If you can't or never plan on using extended screen sizes take the default, /E0, which will save you 8k of memory. When using ESS please consider the following: 1. As with any screen size, SoS restores screens from memory or disk based on the CURRENT screen size, NOT the screen size that was active when the image was saved. Depending on the current screen size, you might see less data or data remaining from the original screen. 2. Any screen image greater then 80x25 will require two consecutive memory screens. This means for example, that saving to memory or restoring from disk, a screen image to memory screen #1 will not only fill that screen in memory but will also use the next consecutive screen, #2 in this case. SoS will allow #2 to be restored from memory even though a screen image was not saved under this number. This is a feature only applicable to ESS mode. This is particularly useful when restoring an 80x50 screen image while in an 80x25 screen. To see the entire 80x50 screen image just restore screens #1 and #2 from memory. Disk saves with ESS are the same as without ESS except that the resulting files are larger. Disk restores are processed in the same way as memory saves, ie. two consecutive memory screens are used. Screens saved to the maximum screen number as specified at SoS load time are possible. There is an extra memory screen space available beyond the highest screen. It can not be referenced directly however. 3. As a rule, if a screen image is restored to the same size screen in which it was saved, it will be displayed as it originally appeared. 4. Screen sizes greater then 80x50 can be processed by SoS. However, only the beginning 80x50 area will be saved and subsequently restored. 5. Since extended screens occupy two memory screens, the number of screens of this type, that can be saved or restored, is reduced. You will soon discover that restored extended screen images can result in some unexpected looking screens especially if a screen image is restored to a screen size that is different than the one in which it was saved from. To get an idea of what this means, consider the following examples of screen saves to memory. Note that these examples also apply to disk restores after they are in memory. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro o An 80x25 screen image is saved to #1. Another 80x25 screen image is saved to #2. You now switch to an 80x50 screen size. Screen #1 is restored. What you will see is screen #1 AND screen #2. Remember, data is restored to fit the current screen size. o You now restore screen #2. You will see #2 on the upper portion and empty space in the lower half. Since SoS is restoring data to fit the screen size, #3 is also restored. Since #3 never had a screen saved to it, it is blank. o Suppose you now save an 80x50 screen to #2. Restoring #2 while in an 80x50 mode will display the screen as it originally appeared. If you now restored screen #1 you would see #1 in the top half of the screen and #2 in the bottom. With a little practice you will quickly get the feel for processing extended screens. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro ERRORS ------ Any errors that are encountered during SoS processing will be indicated by an error message and are self explanatory. In most cases, you should try to correct the problem then retry the operation. Entering ESC will immediately exit you from SoS back to where you were if all else fails. TIPS ON USING SoS ----------------- The more you use SoS, the more uses you will discover for it. To help you along, consider some of these: o The ability to save important screen information from one application to be referenced in another. o The ability to make customized HELP screens with the use of an editor. o Saved screens can provide an audit trail of past work. o Saved screens can be used to recover past work or even data in the event of accidental loss due to machine failure or human error. o Saved screens can be used for tutorial purposes to aid in training. o Screens saved in Text mode can be incorporated into documents via a word processor or editor. MISCELLANEOUS ------------- Saves and restores within graphic modes are not supported. If you try to activate SoS in a graphics mode, the request will be ignored. All pages are supported within SoS. SoS will always restore to the current page, not the one in which the screen image was saved. Once a screen image is saved you can save any number of other screens under that same screen number. Just keep in mind that the last one saved is what you will see when doing a restore function. Disk screen images can be saved and used between sessions. They are not tied to the session which created them. Memory screen images on the otherhand cease to exist when the machine is turned off. The 90 disk screen limit is applicable within the same directory. You can literally have 100's of disk screen images among different directories. The SOS.0xy files can be deleted when not needed. Each 80x25 screen image file is 4000 bytes in length. Each 40x25 screen image file is 2000 bytes in length. The size of an extended screen file can be determined by the following formula. ( Number of Screen Rows * Number of Screen Columns ) * 2 The SOS.Txy files are one half the size of the SOS.0xy files. Save Our Screens (SoS) v2.10 (c) 1987, 1988 Gary J. Shapiro HISTORY OF CHANGES ------------------ V1.01, July 07, 1987 - First official release of Save Our Screens (SoS). V1.02, July 13, 1987 - Fixed a minor problem with the critical error handling routine during a disk restore. - Added restore screen cycling via the SPACE BAR. V1.03, March 03, 1988 - Internal memory improvements. - Added support for MCGA and VGA display adapters. - Added PS/2 support. - Added ability to remove SoS from memory. - Added ERRORLEVEL setting for load failures. V1.04, March 20, 1988 - Eliminated the ability to remove SoS. (Suggest that one of the many TSR managers be used for this if required.) - Added memory utilization statistics at load time. - Added screen information via the '?' key while doing restores. - Internal improvements to make SoS more compatible with other TSR's. - Cosmetic changes to the SoS pop-up windows. V2.00, April 17, 1988 - Provide full support for screen sizes up to 80x50 (EGA, VGA and similar display adapters). - Increased the maximum number of memory screens from 8 to 9. - Increased the maximum number of screen images to disk from 9 to 90. V2.10 May 5, 1988 - SoS now requires the RETURN key to be pressed after selecting a screen. - Added a Text mode for disk saves.