Club Amiga de Montreal - CAM/CAM_CD_1.iso/files/565b.lha/BonAppetit_v1.0/BonAppetit.Doc.pp/BonAppetit.Doc

Text File | 1991-11-03 | 20KB | 477 lines

                             Bon Appetit v1.0
                             ----------------

                              August 22, 1991

                     An Amiga Recipe Database Manager

                              by Boris Shor

                     Copyright (c) 1991 by Boris Shor



Background
----------

    Around late 1987 or early 1988 I downloaded "Chef", a CP/M
recipe database. I booted up CP/M in my Commodore 128, and loaded
Chef up. I was amazed. Here was a useful and exciting use for
computers, I thought. Type in "dessert" as a keyword, and 15
desserts pop up. But it had its problems. One was ease of use and
flexibility; frankly, there wasn't very much of either. Another
was speed; a trip to McDonald's and back with two greasy burgers
took less time than a search of a full-fledged database of
recipes. So I decided to write my own recipe database, loosely
based on Chef: ComputerChef 128. Basic 7.0 on the 128 was
powerful and the idea to use records was workable, but program
development didn't get too far.

    Enter the Amiga. Frankly, I was blown away by this
incredible machine. But my dream didn't die. My Amiga blew away
any 128 or CP/M with its horsepower, surely my recipe database
could be much better? I looked around BBS's and disk libraries
(like Fred Fish's), and was disappointed to see that there wasn't
ONE publically available PD or Shareware recipe database for the
Amiga. This was the final impetus. After nearly 1 1/2 years of
coding beginning in early 1990, the first version of my dream is
now a reality: Bon Appetit v1.0.


Introduction
------------

    Bon Appetit is a shareware recipe database manager for the
Commodore Amiga line of computers based on fast random access
files. With it, you can quickly and easily maintain a database
(collection of data) of your favorite recipes. Later, you can use
it to retrieve recipes according to your search characteristics.
Looking for desserts? Just select keyword search, then enter
"dessert". What about a use for that zuchini, or are you looking
for something with cinnamon (both ingredient searches)? Bon
Appetit also has an assortment of recipe utilities to make life
with your recipe database easier. All of Bon Appetit is menu
driven, meaning there are no complicated commands to remember,
and should be pretty easy to use.


What's Shareware?
-----------------

    Bon Appetit is a shareware program. It is not in the public
domain. This means that you are free (and greatly encouraged!) to
copy and distribute this program as much as you can. Just make
sure that you provide the whole "BonAppetit.lzh" distribution, in
the original, UNALTERED, state. After using it for a trial period
of 30 fun-filled days, you are obliged to either send in the
nominal registration fee (and get all sorts of goodies: free
updates, more recipes, source listing, and a clear conscience!
:-> ), or to delete the program from your system. See the end of
this documentation for my address and more information on how to
register this program.

    When you copy around this program, please, do not alter the
original distribution. Of course you are free to distribute your
own recipe data bases any way you wish, but keep them separate from
the program distribution. Please upload your recipe data bases,
the more recipes this program has available, the better for everyone.


More Legal Mush:
----------------

    This program may be distributed in freeware type disk
collections like Fred Fish's, and may not be distributed for any
profit without permission.

    I am not responsible for any disasters, natural or man-made,
that occur as a result of running this program. So if the program
accidently sets off a nuclear plant meltdown, I am not
responsible.


Why should I throw out my good old index cards?
-----------------------------------------------

    For the very reason you bought your computer; it makes
things easier, and allows you to do things you havn't been able
to do practically before. You can easily give a copy of your
recipes to others, or get a copy of others' recipes. Recipe
databases are much easier to back up. You can't spill milk on
your recipe database and have the ink blot. Typing is much easier
to read. And try to match the computer's speed and flexibility.
In addition, it makes communication with the international
"Cooking" echo on the Fido-net computer network system (free! --
see the end of this file for more information) much easier.
Remember, however, the computer is just a tool like a car.
Without recipes (fuel) it's just not very spectacular (although
it still destroys index cards).


Great! I'm convinced! What do I need to get started?
----------------------------------------------------

    Any Amiga should be fine. A hard drive is optional but makes
things even faster! A printer is optional, but is of course
needed to print out recipes.

    This distribution of Bon Appetit already includes 20 recipes
so you can start using the program right away.


Installing and Using Bon Appetit
--------------------------------

    This distribution of Bon Appetit should come with the
following files:

BonAppetit              ......... main program
BonAppetit.Doc          ......... this file
<<BonAppetit_Data>>      ......... drawer
   bon.defaults          ......... current defaults (preferences)
   orig.defaults         ......... original defaults
   bon.databases         ......... list of current databases
   recipes1.start        ......... name, comment, yield, and
                                   "hub" file for recipes1
   recipes1.ingredients  ......... ingredients file for
                                   recipes1
   recipes1.keywords     ......... keywords file for recipes1
   recipes1.recipe_body  ......... recipe body text file

Copy the main program anywhere on your floppy or hard disk (is
optical too much to hope for???), and from the same directory,
install the subdirectory "BonAppetit_Data" and copy the files
into it, unless your distribution has this already done. Then,
simply double-click on the Bon Appetit icon from Workbench, or
type "Bon Appetit" from CLI or Shell.


The Main Menu
-------------

    From here, all functions of Bon Appetit are selected and are
returned to. The names of the functions are pretty much self-
explanatory (Add recipe, search/view recipes, etc.)


Enter New Recipes
-----------------

    One can enter new recipes using this function. Recipes may
be entered into a new recipe database, or to the default one (see
Default Preferences option). You will be prompted with a series
of several screens.


                    Field Length Restrictions (in characters)
                    -----------------------------------------

name                    ......... 38
comment                 ......... 78
yield                   ......... 30
ingredient amount       ......... 15    (a limit of 50 ingredients)
ingredient text         ......... 55
keywords                ......... 38    (a limit of 50 keywords)
recipe body text        ......... 78    (a limit of 100 lines)

* Note : You don't have to remember these limits. See paragraph #2 below
for more information. Also, these "restrictions" are not restrictive
at all, if you look at the vast majority of recipes.


Notes on entering recipes
-------------------------

    A list of recipe data bases is kept in the "bon.databases" file.
You will not be allowed to access a data base not in this file.
If you are informed by the computer that the data base you
requested was not found, try checking the spelling you entered or
that the disk you are using does in fact contain the data base
you want to use.

    The line editor that is used in Bon Appetit will not allow you to
go past the limit for a field. It will flash the screen, and only
accept a RETURN or a backspace key at this limit. A RETURN indicates that
you are satisfied with the data you just entered. The line editor will not
let you delete past the left margin. It will accept TABs.

    Press RETURN when you wish to skip something. Press RETURN twice for
example (once for each field)when entering ingredients at an "Enter
ingredient amount?" prompt to exit to the next screen. Press RETURN once
at any keyword prompt, or any recipe text line. Don't worry about errors
that you havn't deleted with the backspace key; there is an editing
check screen before the recipe is recorded ("saved") onto disk.

    The comment line ideally should be nice, short, and descriptive.
Think of it as a tasty aroma enticing you. "My aunt bakes this
cake every Thanksgiving, and I love it!"

    The yield should be a precise measurement, for future recipe
recalculation (see Future of Bon Appetit at the end of this
file). "5 servings" is good; "About 5 or so thingamajigs" isn't.

    The precise measurement applies to ingredients as well. "1 1/2
cups" is fine, as is "1.5 cups." An example of an ingredient
amount is something like "5 cups" or "2 squares", while the
ingredient text would be "milk" or "chocolate," respectively. These
precise measurements are important for recipe recalculation, a program
addition sometime in the near future (see end of file).

    To make your recipe body texts look nicer, insert blank lines
where you feel they're necessary (take a look at some of recipes
in recipes1 for an example). To do this, type a SPACE, and then a
RETURN.


Edit/Delete Existing Recipes
----------------------------

    The editing and the marking for deletion of recipes already
saved onto disk is handled here. You can change any field of that
recipe onto disk. If you wish to delete a recipe, choose "Mark
recipes for deletion." This leaves the recipe on the disk.
However, that recipe is marked for deletion and is in effect
invisible to searches. When you wish to actually delete the
marked recipes, then select "Recipe utilities" from the Main Menu
and "Delete marked recipes" from the Recipe utilities menu. See
below for more information on the deletion of marked recipes.

    One can quit before any accidental "damage" is done onto
disk by entering the letter `Q' at a prompt that says you have an
option to do so. By the way, you can enter alphabetical commands
in upper or lower case anywhere in the program.


Recipe Utilities
----------------

    Various recipe functions are available here. You can list
the recipe data bases known on the program disk; find out some
information on a particular data base; and list the names,
ingredients, and keywords in a data base.

    You may also delete the recipes you had previously marked
for deletion here. The method used for deletion needs a little
explanation. I had thought a long time on how this was to be best
accomplished. A compromise of speed and flexibility was reached.
A new recipe data base is created when you want to delete the
marked recipes, and all the recipes NOT marked for deletion are
copied into the new data base from the old one. Recipes are
renumbered as needed so that recipe numbers are consecutive in
the new recipe data base.

    If you are still adamant about demolishing the old recipe
database, then select "Delete recipe data base" from this menu,
and enter the name of the old recipe data base at the appropriate
prompt.


Search/View Recipes
-------------------

    This is the heart of Bon Appetit. According to various
search characteristics such as recipe number, recipe name, recipe
ingredient, or recipe keyword, you can search any recipe data
base on the disk to find the recipes you are looking for.
Searches are fairly rapid due to the use of random files.

    When entering a search characteristic, you only have to
enter a small portion of it. This allows great flexibility. For
example, calling up a name search of "Cake" might show you "Aunt
Ethel's Thanksgiving Cake" or "Triple Fudge Delight Cake"
(assuming you have those recipes!) Calling up "Ca" would also
reach those recipes, as well as "Cantelope Surprise" (!).  A
search of "ake" would also find those cake recipes.

    Searches are case-INSENSITIVE. This means that even if the
name of a recipe is "Tuna Cheese Melt", a search of "TUNA",
"tuna", or "tUnA" would all find the proper recipe.

    When you are presented with a list of recipes that fulfill
your search request, enter any of the number of the recipes (not
the actual recipe number, which won't be seen, but the number to
the left of the recipe you wish to view). Alternatively, you may
redisplay the list on screen, print it to the printer, or return
the Search/View Recipes menu.

    After you select a recipe, it will be accessed by the
computer and you will then be presented with a choice to view it
on screen, or output it to the printer or another device. If you
output it to screen, you can pause the display by pressing any
key to pause, and then any other key to unpause.

    For more information on the output to another device, see
below for advanced users information.


Changing Default Preferences
----------------------------

    Bon Appetit has its very own default "preferences", which is
handled through the program itself. Default preferences are those
things that remain the same every time you use Bon Appetit
(unless you change them) -- things like screen colors and various
disk defaults.

    Eight colors are used in the custom screen for this program.
Though that can't be changed, the individual colors can be. I
have it set up the way I like it, which should be fine for most
people: a dark blue background with grey, yellow, and green text
foreground (these are the most used colors).

    Upon selecting the color change menu, you are presented with
a list of the eight colors. The names and the values to the right
of the menu choices are the default color names and their
respecting Red, Green, and Blue levels. To change any of the
eight colors, select it from the color menu. You are then shown
the Red, Green, and Blue values for the currently selected colors
(ranging from 0 to 1). To add, press the first letter of the
color group, and to subtract, press the letter to the left of the
"adding" letter. For example: press "R" (or "r") to add in .05
increments to the Red value, and "E" to subtract in .05 steps. Do
the same for Green ("G" + .05, "F" - .05) and Blue ("B" + .05,
"V" - .05). When you are done changing things around, press
RETURN, and voila! Your new values are being used. If you have
messed up, you can manually change things back to around where
the old defaults were (just read the screen), or you can load in
the original defaults from disk (from the "orig.defaults" file).
Note that any changes are not permanent until you've saved them
onto the defaults file ("bon.defaults"). So if you really mess
up, load in the original defaults, and save them as "your"
defaults. DON'T mess with the "orig.defaults" file! It is a
backup for the regular "bon.defaults", and it just might help you
out from between a rock and a hard place.

    There are only two default disk preferences. The first is
the default data path to Bon Appetit's data files, which are
usually held in a directory called "BonAppetit_Data". You really
shouldn't play around with this default too much, as you're
liable to miss loading in the preferences as you start up the
program as well as ALL of your recipe data. The second is the
default recipe data base. Sick and tired of entering the name of
one data base when you are using it most of the time? Just change
the default to what its name is, and whenever a prompt asks you
for the name of a data base, just press RETURN! What was said
above applies here too. Changes aren't permanent until you save
them onto the defaults file. Messups can be corrected by
restoring the original defaults and saving them.

    Please note that the searching function will skip those
recipes that are marked for deletion in a data base, and will not
allow direct access to them via searching by recipe number.


Using Bon Appetit with Fido-Net
-------------------------------

    What is Fido-net? It is an international personal computer
network with more than 8,000 nodes (electronic bulliten boards,
or BBS's) world-wide. It contains many areas of discussion called
"echos" where users may discuss, argue, trade information, and
even trade programs. The "Cooking" echo (there are also other
food related echos) is an excellent one. Something like 100
messages are received every day by BBS's (nodes) in this echo...
all dealing with cooking! Imagine asking the nation, "Does
anybody have any recipes for bluefish? I can't find them
anywhere!" Within a few days, you can expect to receive messages
from across the country (and some from Canada, and other parts of
the world), answering your request. You can even help others.

    Wouldn't typing up each recipe from your index cards be a
drag? Instead, you can use your Amiga to its full capabilities.
If you have enough memory, and your terminal program multitasks
(most should), simply open Bon Appetit, and output the recipe you
want onto a text file in RAM:. Then, type up an introduction for
your recipe in the terminal program while you're online in the
BBS, and then upload as an ASCII file that recipe you stored in
the RAM disk.


The Future of Bon Appetit
-------------------------

* An even FASTER searching algorithm.

* Recipe recalculation -- adjusts recipes for less/more ingredients, or
  less/more servings.

* More Intuition hooks -- more Amiga'zed. More gadgets, windows,
  requestors, mouse activity.

* Import functions -- from a text editor, and even from the enemy
  :-), ahem, I mean Messydos (MS-DOS) programs such as Meal-Master, so
  Fidonet communications should be even easier.

* Export functions of other recipe database formats

* Other nifty things like more recipe utilities.

* Bug fixes (bugs? Nah... :-) )


Credits
-------

* Commodore        - For producing such great computers that are
                      such fun to work and play with.
* Michtron         - For writing HiSoft Basic Professional, an
                      excellent product that's blazingly fast
                      besides.
* My Mom           - For getting me interested in cooking.
* My Family        - For putting up with me and my computer
                      antics.
* CP/M author of   - For interesting me in writing my own recipe
  "Chef"              database.
* Fidonet's Amiga  - For helping me out in tight pinches.
  Programmers Echo
* Fidonet's        - Whenever my project started dragging, I'd
  Cooking Echo        just call up and see how everyone was so
                      interested in cooking and recipe programs,
                      and only used MS-DOS programs. Thanks for
                      the motivation.


How can I register?
-------------------

    This program is shareware. You are obliged to register this program
or to delete it after using it for a trial period of 30 days. Registering
also has other benefits. $10 will register you and entitle you to a free
update mailed by me. $20 will register you, give you 3 free updates, and
20 more new recipes. $30 will register you, give you unlimited updates,
and 50 more new recipes. Help support the shareware concept.


Where can I find you?
---------------------

    My programs don't contain bugs. If you think you've discovered one,
either you've gone stark raving mad, or a rip in the fabric of the
space-time continuum has just occurred. In either case write down exactly how
and what happened, and send it off to me immediatly so I can discover which
of the two it is.

    Send all correspondence, money, recipe books, and/or cute
"Calvin and Hobbes" books and strips to:

Boris Shor
47 Heather Lane
Mahwah NJ 07430

Or you can find me hanging out at this Fido-net point location:

1:269/205.3             "Boris Shor's Amiga Kitchen"

Or at these boards:

NAME OF BOARD         NUMBER          CONTACT:      COMMENTS
-------------     --------------  -------------  ----------------

GEnie                   n/a        B.SHOR or L.SHOR1
Alchemiga         [phone]   Boris Shor     My fidonet "boss"
Excalibur's       [phone]   Boris Shor     ENJA Headquarters
Power Windows     [phone]   The Stranger


Enjoy the food, have a glass of wine, and most of all, Bon Appetit!