Dr. Windows 3/dr win3.zip/dr win3/DATABASE/QCDRUN1A.ZIP/QCDD.ZIP/QLIB.TXT

Text File | 1993-01-21 | 16KB | 330 lines

QLIB.TXT :                             Copyright 1993 QUART, Inc.

Users' Manual for QLIB.EXE - QCDRUN (TM) CD-ROM Database Editor

        QCDRUN CD-ROM Library System for Microsoft Windows is a
database management utility and automatic CD-ROM launcher for the
Windows Multimedia and CD-ROM user with an extensive library of
CD-ROMs. QCDRUN gives you true click-and-load convenience.

        QLIB.EXE creates and edits the master database files that
allow QCD and the other programs of the QCDRUN system to identify
and run CD-ROMs from catalogued information. QLIB can run as a
standalone Windows application, and will be called by QCD if it
cannot identify the CD-ROM currently in the drive.

        All QCDRUN programs automatically locate the main Windows
working directory on your hard drive and search there for .PIF and
.INI files and major Windows operational files. Certain operating
options in QCDRUN rely on the availability of the Windows utilities
WINFILE (File Manager), WRITE (for on-screen filling out and printing
of the registration form), and NOTEPAD (to read documentation), in
your main Windows working directory. These functions will not operate
correctly if these utilities are absent or located elsewhere.

        QLIB accepts data base information from direct keyboard
entry or from selection menus and saves this in two database files -
QCD.INI in your Windows directory, and CDLIST.INI in the QCDRUN
working directory. QLIB can shell at your request to QDOC to read
documentation and write registration forms.

        QLIB : Initial Operation:

a.      From Windows Program Manager menu - select File Run

b.      Enter the Command Line  h:\dir\qlib, where h is your working
hard drive; and dir is the working directory containing the QCDRUN
system. (Default path is c:\qcd.) If you have installed the QCDRUN
working directory into your DOS path, you need only enter QLIB at
the File Run command line.

c.       Press ENTER (from the keyboard) or click OK (left mouse button)


        QLIB : General Instructions and Operations

Please be aware:

        At any prompt in QLIB - Clicking "Cancel" unconditionally
terminates the program.

        To accept defaults (when shown in prompts) - press "ENTER"
or click "OK"

        To change from defaults - enter from the keyboard, then
press "ENTER" or click "OK"

        All mouse operations in QLIB use the (standard) left mouse
button.

        Any timed Message or Display window (without an "OK" button)
can be closed, allowing the program to continue before the set time
(which is a maximum of 5 seconds), by placing the cursor in the window
and clicking the left mouse button.



Step by step:

PRELIMINARY TESTING:

a.      QLIB opens with a copyright notice that clears in 5 seconds.

b.      QLIB tests for installation in WIN.INI. If you try to simply
copy the QCDRUN distribution files to your hard drive and run QLIB
without completing the QINSTALL procedure, QCD and QLIB will not
find the appropriate entries in WIN.INI or the QCD.INI file, and
will be unable to operate. If the {QCD} section is not present in
WIN.INI, QLIB tells you to run QINSTALL and terminates.

FILE BACKUP and DOCUMENTATION VIEWER:

c.      QLIB makes backup copies of existing CD-ROM library files
QCD.INI and CDLIST.INI in the QCDRUN working directory. QLIB then
shells out to QDOC to allow you to view or print program documentation
(click "Yes"). This also allows you to generate your Registration Form
on-screen. If you do not wish to view or print out documentation but
wish to continue in QLIB and edit a CD-ROM, click "No" and QLIB will
resume.

EDITING FUNCTIONS:

d.      QLIB performs three basic database operations:
                - install new CD-ROM;
                - edit existing installation; and
                - uninstall CD-ROM.

        Successful installation of new CD-ROMs or editing of existing
installations requires that the CD-ROM in question be present in the
CD-ROM drive.

        In setting up the database structure in QCD.INI, QLIB
recognizes four basic types of CD-ROM, each of which is handled
slightly differently:

                1.      CD-ROM runs from single executable file
                           (example - PC-SIG Library edition 11);
                2.      CD-ROM runs from several executable files
                           (example - CorelDraw version 3.0);
                3.      CD-ROM contains a mixture of executable
                  files and archived files that must be accessed
                  directly  (example - HamCall); and
                4.      CD-ROM contains archived files only with
                  no executable files or shell (example - GIFs Galore).

        In each case, the executable file may run from the CD-ROM
itself, may have been installed previously on your hard drive, or
may (rarely) require a floppy disk. Additionally, the executable
file may run appropriately after a command consisting of path:\filename
only, or may require specification or additional parameters. All
these possibilities are acceptable in QLIB.


INSTALLING A NEW CD-ROM:

e.      Information on a new CD-ROM will normally be appended to
the end of QCD.INI, increasing the total number of CDs included in
the library by 1. However, if a CD-ROM has previously been deleted
from the library, its place in  numerical sequence is held (the
[CDTitle] section of QCD.INI, and CDLIST.INI, both contain the
word "Deleted" at that number in sequence; see below for further
details or the CD-ROM deletion process). In that case, the next new
installation will take the place in numerical sequence of the deleted
CD-ROM and the index for the total number of CD-ROMs in the library
(NCD in the [main] section of QCD.INI) will not be incremented.

f.      QLIB requires the CD-ROM to be installed in the CD-ROM
drive. It will ask for confirmation that the correct CD-ROM is in
place, and will prompt for a change and eject the current CD-ROM
(if drive design permits) if the CD-ROM for installation is not in
place. (In many systems, ejecting the CD-ROM may produce an "Unable
to Read Drive" System Error message that clears by clicking "Retry"
after the new CD-ROM is inserted.)

g.      Many CD-ROMs (especially those that are DOS-based rather
than native Windows applications) require separate and unique setup
procedures to copy files from (usually) the CD-ROM or (rarely) a
floppy disk onto your hard drive to allow the CD-ROM to run. QLIB
asks if you need to run the CD-ROMs setup procedure. In all cases
where this is necessary, this should be completed before the QLIB
database is established. (You don't need to if you've completed
setting up the CD-ROM before running QLIB, if the CD-ROM is archival
only with no executable files, or if the CD-ROM executable files
explicitly require no specific setup.) A menu shell appears at this
point to allow you to run the CD-ROM's setup routines without
leaving QLIB. Answering the questions, you create the installation
directory for the CD-ROM; and select the setup path, program, and
additional parameters from the files on the CD-ROM. When this is
complete, QLIB will run the setup procedures to install the
CD-ROM to your hard drive before continuing with the QLIB database
functions. (Note that many CD-ROM's have unusual or unique setup
procedures. Some,  especially those that shell from Windows to DOS,
may conflict unpredictably with QLIB or your Windows system. While
the CD-ROM setup procedure from within QLIB is convenient, it may
prove unstable. If time permits you are better off running the
CD-ROM setup procedures before entering QLIB; OR exiting QLIB
at this point, performing the setup, and returning to QLIB for
database management only.)

h.      QLIB then prompts for entry of a working title for the
CD-ROM. This will be recorded in the CD-R