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RIGHT HAND MAN
Desktop Utility
version 3.3
8/86
(C) Copyright 1985,1986 RED E PRODUCTS, INC.
All rights reserved
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION
A. Overview
B. What Is Provided
C. RHM File System
D. Getting Started
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM
A. Command Line
B. Universal Keys
C. Windows
D. Screen Service
E. Exporting Data
F. Full Screen Editor
G. Configuration
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar
A. Introduction
B. Calendar
C. Appointments
D. Alarms
E. Templates
F. Preset Appointments
Chapter 4. ASCII TABLE
Chapter 5. BLACK BOOK
Chapter 6. CALCULATOR
A. Introduction
B. Key commands
C. Output from Calculator
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS
A. Introduction
B. Commands
C. Output from DOS
Chapter 8. FILE EDITOR
Chapter 9. GUARDED NOTEPAD
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Contents
Chapter 10 CARD INDEX
A. Introduction
B. Commands
Chapter 11 Define Key Macros
Chapter 12 Notepad
Chapter 13 Transport Window
Chapter 14 Typewriter
Chapter 15 Limits to Operation
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 1
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION
A. Overview
Right Hand Man (RHM) is a utility designed to provide
immediate support to the computer user and to be available
concurrently with any other program. The support is in the
form of those activities that are often needed during the
course of a workday or a computer session, such as making a
note, checking or marking a calendar, thumbing through a
card index, or making an appointment.
Right Hand Man meets such needs by being instantly available
at the touch of a key any time the computer is in operation.
A portion of Right Hand Man is functional (once it is
installed) by its presence only. Total capability is
dependent upon a set of modules and support files which must
be present on disk or ram-disk.
Modular design allows the user to create, discard, and add
features to the Right Hand Man environment as he pleases.
B. What Is Provided
Right Hand Man is composed of many files which fall under
one of several classes: Main program, Documentation,
Modules, Help files, and Support files. These are defined
as follows:
Main Program
The main program is the central controller of RHM and
all of its files. It is the only part of RHM that must
be installed and remain resident. The main program
keeps modules on both disk and in memory, but that is
completely transparent to the user. All modules
communicate through the main program, which
communicates with the user.
Documentation
Documentation files contain full printable instructions
for RHM
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 2
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION (continued)
B. What Is Provided (continued)
Modules
Modules are the actual pieces of the program that
perform specific functions such as calendar,
calculator, and so forth. You may add new modules to
the RHM environment as they become available. Modules
have the file extension of ".BIN".
Help files
Each module has its own help file, which can be read by
pressing the help key at any time the module is
running. The main program also has a help file for
general help. Help files have names of the form
"HLPxxxxx.RHM", where "xxxxx" is an abbreviation of the
module name.
Support files
Support files are module specific, and may contain user
entered information. Some support files are supplied.
All support files have names of the form
"NNxxxxxx.RHM", where "NN" is a 2 letter abbreviation
for the module that uses the file, "xxxxxx" is module
specific information.
C. RHM File System
All files that RHM uses should be kept in one place such as
a separate disk or subdirectory. MS-DOS version 2 allows
"pathing" through subdirectories, so the directory
containing RHM can be anywhere within your file structure.
You must set the RHM default path to the drive/directory
that its files have been copied into. If the default path
is not set or is incorrect, RHM will not find any of its
support files (including modules) when it needs them.
Configuration is discussed in Chapter 2, Section G.
If you have a hard disk and have set the default path, RHM
will always know where its files are. If you have only
floppy drives, you should make sure to put the RHM disk in
when activating RHM.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 3
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION (continued)
C. RHM File System (continued)
RHM's main program is of little use without the modules.
Each module is self-contained but relies on the main program
for certain functions such as window handling. Since
modules have this dependence on the main program, they can
only be invoked by the main program. A module is available
to the main program if it is present in the RHM default
directory. RHM will look for all modules with the ".BIN"
extension when it is loaded. If you don't wish to use a
particular module, just rename it so it doesn't have an
extension of ".BIN".
D. Getting Started
Step 1. Print the manual for easy reference if you have a
printer available.
Step 2. Set your default drive and subdirectory to the area
where you put the distribution files ( i.e. C:\RHM
) Until you configure RHM to use a definite path,
it will always look in the default
drive/subdirectory for its files.
Step 3. (Z100 series computers only)
Configure Right Hand Man for your particular
system. RHM must make some checks on your
operating system and other aspects of the computer.
Do the following steps:
a. From DOS prompt, type "RHM/C".
b. The memory configuration menu will be presented
with all defaults set for a minimal
configuration of Right Hand Man.
c. For this minimal configuration of RHM.COM,
nothing remains to be done except to write the
defaults to the disk. This is accomplished by
typing "4". When RHM asks you if you wish to
save changes, respond with "Y".
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 4
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION (continued)
D. Getting Started (continued)
Step 4. Install Right Hand Man.
The installation will cause RHM to be placed in
memory and be ready to respond to the activation
from the keyboard, initiated by the user. This
installation is accomplished by typing "RHM" at the
system prompt, Right Hand Man is now ready for a
request.
Step 5. Calling Right Hand Man to attention.
Key the activation keying sequence:
IBM -> CTL-R CTL-R (hold CTRL, hit 'R' twice)
Z100 -> BREAK ESC (hit BREAK follwed by ESC)
These keys are currently the default keys defined
to activate RHM. Changing the default activation
will be discussed in "Define Key Macros", Chapter
11. When you press these keys, the Right Hand Man
title page will appear in the top center of the
monitor. The title page will be displayed only on
the first activation after installation.
Step 6. Moving to the main menu.
Pressing any key, when the title page is displayed,
will cause the main menu to be presented. The main
menu is simply a list of available modules that RHM
can activate. The first module in the menu will be
highlighted.
Step 7. Configure RHM for the default path to find its
files. To enter configure, hit F5. After the
configuration menu is displayed, move the
highlighted line to the selection marked "Default
Path" and hit ENTER. Enter your default path where
the RHM files are located ( i.e. C:\RHM ). To
leave the configuration, hit ESC. Save the changes
so you will not need to set the path every time.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 5
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION (continued)
D. Getting Started (continued)
Step 8. You may choose a function by moving the highlighted
bar to the selected function with the arrow keys.
Then press ENTER or RETURN. A module can also be
selected by pressing the letter given on the left
of the name.
Step 9. The window of the selected function will be
presented. For more details on a specific module,
refer to the chapter for that module.
Step 10. A universal key, the ESC key, is used to exit any
particular service or any sub-function of a
service. When the user has moved back to the main
menu by this method, an additional use of the ESC
key will return the user to the previous foreground
activity that was underway prior to the call of
Right Hand Man.
Step 11. You can reactivate Right Hand Man with the
activation sequence described in step 5.
NOTE: To avoid the possibility of RHM not able to find
its files, we suggest to set RHM's Default Path to
the drive/directory you wish to keep its files in
as explained in step 7. For more on configuration,
see "Screen Service" and "Configuration" sections
in the next chapter.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 6
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM
A. Command Line
RHM has several options available from the DOS command line:
RHM Install RHM
This command will load the main program into
memory and reserve memory for it. RHM takes
up a fixed amount of memory and will load only
as many modules as possible into its work
area.
RHM/C RHM memory configure
This command allows you to configure the
amount of memory reserved by RHM when loaded.
Probably you will need to configure memory
(RHM/C) only once.
RHM/I Run RHM immediately
This option allows you to run RHM without
installing it. It will use all available
memory, but will not reserve any. On the IBM
version of RHM, it is normal to have a
non-blinking cursor when running RHM this way.
RHM/R Remove RHM from memory
Frees all memory reserved by RHM and
completely removes it from memory. If other
memory resident programs were installed after
RHM, the no memory will be freed until they
are removed also.
B. Universal Keys
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
ESC ESC The exit key for all sections of RHM, as well
as RHM itself. Hitting this key will also
save any changes made when using the
Full-Screen Editor (described in more detail
later).
ALT-H HELP Context sensitive help. Displays help file
assosiated with the current activity.
F1 F1 Screen Service (Explained in section D.)
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 7
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
C. Windows
Right Hand man has the capability of controlling up to 30
independent windows. Each window is controlled by a module.
Each window takes up approximately 4K of memory. The number
of windows you wish to use may be specified when configuring
RHM memory usage via "RHM/C" (See section A).
Windows may always be moved to a different location on the
screen, but may not leave the limits of the screen.
Depending on the module controlling the window, they may be
expanded and contracted.
When all available windows in use, no more can be added.
RHM will ignore all requests to execute modules if no more
windows are available.
D. Screen Service
RHM has a built-in function that allows the user to
manipulate active windows and modules. All functions listed
are supported by the main program except for window
shrink/expand. This particular function is controlled by
the module.
To use the screen service function, press the F1 key. The
following menu is presented:
F1 - Leave screen service
F2 - Run Module
F3 - Add Module
F4 - Save Position
F5 - Configure
F6 - Redraw screen
The arrow keys are used to move the active window. The
shift-arrow keys are used to shrink/expand the active
window.
Menu selections are described below in more detail:
F2 Run Module
Execute a particular module. If the module already
has a window on the screen, its window is moved to
the front and resumes execution where you left off.
If the module has no window, its window will be
added to the screen and will begin execution.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 8
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
D. Screen Service (continued)
F3 Add Module
Will execute a particular module regardless whether
or not it has an existing window. By using this
function, you may have several windows on the
screen that are controlled by a single module.
(For example, 3 calculators on the screen at once.)
F4 Save position
This function is used to save the current window
coordinates of the module as its default. The
changes will be only be made to the active module
in memory, no changes are made to disk. To
permantently relocate a module's window, do the
following:
1) Move the window to the desired location.
2) Save position (F4).
3) Go into configure menu (F5).
4) Press ESC to save changes to disk.
F5 Configuration
This function serves for two purposes. When in the
main menu, it configures the main program. When in
a module's window, it will configure the module.
Each module has its own list of configuration
options. To change an option, use the arrow keys
to locate the highlighter on the item, and hit
<RETURN>. When done with configuring, press ESC.
You will be asked if you wish to save changes to
disk, respond Y or N.
F6 Redraw Screen
You should rarely need to redraw the screen. You
may want to do so after running programs from the
DOS module that destroy the screen contents.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 9
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
E. Exporting Data
"Exporting" in RHM is the process of "cutting" the
connection between the keyboard and the program reading from
the keyboard. RHM will take complete control of the
keyboard and send data directly from the export buffer to
the program reading from the keyboard. This makes it appear
as if RHM is "typing" on the keyboard instead of you.
The Export Buffer is used to hold data that is waiting to be
exported. Any data placed in this buffer will be held until
it is exported, or RHM is removed from memory. Most modules
have the capability to place data into the export buffer.
The actions needed to place data in the export buffer is
module dependent.
Once data is stored in the export buffer, it is available to
any program reading from the keyboard, including RHM itself.
Exporting is started and stopped by a key sequence called
the "Export Switch". When the sequence is entered, it
toggles export on/off. The initial key sequence used for
the export switch is defined as follows:
IBM -> CTL-E (hold down CRTL, hit 'E')
Z100 -> Shift-BREAK (hold down Shift, hit BREAK)
Example: Moving a Calendar from the appointment calendar
to the Notepad.
The value must first be placed in the export
buffer. In the appointment calendar module, this
is done by hitting:
IBM -> F9
Z100 -> F11
When the key is hit, the displayed calendar will
be stored in the export buffer.
Now that the the information is in the export
buffer, you must move to the Notepad window, and
position the cursor to where you want to put the
calendar. For more on the Notepad, read the
documentaion for the Notepad Module.
Hit the export switch keys (above). The calendar
will be "typed out" on the screen.
You may wish to try this also with a text editor
or word processor. To do so, leave RHM before
hitting the export switch keys.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 10
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
F. Full Screen Editor
RHM has a full screen editor built into the main program.
Most modules use the editor for different purposes. The
Appointment Calendar uses it when creating an appointment,
the Notepad uses it to enter notes, etc. By having a common
editor for all modules, you only have to remember one set of
editing keys. The editor fully supports printing,
exporting, and importing (explained below).
Function keys supported in editor:
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
CTL-X F0 ABORT changes and EXIT.
(This key is used in place of the ESC key as
the ESC causes the save of additions or
changes in these services.)
F1 F1 Service Window
F2 F2 "
F3 F3 "
F4 F4 "
F5 F5 "
F6 F6 "
Alt-G F7 Enter graphics mode
This is a toggle key to turn the graphics
character entry mode on and off. When
graphics mode is active, a "G" or "GRA" will
appear on the right side of the status line.
In the graphics mode, most characters are
translated to the related graphics symbol for
display. (See ASCII chart function of RHM for
cross listing of graphics symbols)
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 11
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
F. Full Screen Editor (continued)
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
F7 F8 Import Text
This feature allows you to copy text into RHM
which has been prepared elsewhere and is
displayed on the foreground screen. (RHM is
always thought of as being the background
program.)
When this key is hit, RHM will temporarily
remove its windows to allow you to mark the
locations of the block to import.
Mark one corner of the block to import by
moving the cursor to the spot and hitting the
"Mark Start" key (see below). Move the cursor
to the opposite corner of the block and hit
the "Import" key again.
Once the end of the block has been marked, RHM
scans the block to be imported. RHM will
reappear with the imported text from the
underlying screen.
NOTE: If insert mode is not set in RHM prior
to import, and there is text to the
right or at the cursor, it will be
overwritten. (See "Other Editor Keys"
below)
F8 F9 Mark Start of Block
This key is used to mark the start of a block
of text to be used by other editor commands.
-- F10 Mark End of Block (Z-100 only)
Does nothing. Kept for compatibility for RHM
version 2.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 12
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
F. Full Screen Editor (continued)
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
F9 F11 Export Text
This feature allows you to place the marked
text into the export buffer so it can be
available for exporting.
To use this feature the beginning of the block
should be marked. If the beginning is not
marked, the entire file being edited will be
placed in the export buffer.
See "Mark Start of Block" above for marking of
blocks of text.
Sh-F9 Sh-F11 Output Text to Modem.
This feature allows you to send the marked
text to the current COM port (or Z-100 AUX
device), usually set up for modem
communications.
To use this feature the beginning of the block
should be marked. If the beginning is not
marked, the entire file is assumed to be the
block.
F10 F12 Print
This feature allows you to print text from
RHM. A block or complete section of text may
be printed. Printout is sent to current "PRN"
device.
To use this feature the beginning of the block
should be marked. If the beginning is not
marked, the entire file is assumed to be the
block.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 13
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
F. Full Screen Editor (continued)
Other editor Keys:
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
ENTER RETURN move cursor to start of the next line.
Alt-E ENTER move cursor to end of the line.
UP UP move the cursor up one line.
PGUP Sh-UP move cursor up 1 page (12 lines).
DOWN DOWN move cursor down one line.
PGDN Sh-DOWN move cursor down 1 page.
RIGHT RIGHT move cursor rignt one character.
Ctl-RIGHT Sh-RIGHT move to end of line.
LEFT LEFT move cursor left one character.
Ctl-LEFT Sh-LEFT move to beginning of line.
INS I CHR insert character mode toggle.
Alt-I INSLINE insert line.
DEL DCHR delete character at cursor position.
Alt-D DELLINE delete line.
BKSP BKSP delete character to the left of cursor.
HOME HOME move cursor to beginning of file.
END Sh-HOME move cursor to end of file.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 14
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
G. Configuration
The main program of RHM can be configured for your needs in
two ways: Memory Configure and Run-time Configure. Some
configuration options are explained below:
MEMORY CONFIGURE
Memory configure allows you to set the amount of memory
required by RHM. This configuration can only be done
without RHM installed. Memory configure is menu driven
and self-explanatory. To do memory configure, type
"RHM/C".
RUN-TIME CONFIGURE
Default Path
The default path is used to specify the drive/directory
where RHM's data files may be found. If no default path
is specified, it will assume the current disk and
directory.
Module Data Area Minimum Size
Whenever a module is executed, RHM tries to free up at
least 4K of work area for the module to use. If it
cannot find at least 4K, it will take any space that is
available, as little as 1K. To free memory, RHM will
often unload unused modules from memory. When the
module is needed again it will be loaded from disk.
With the Minimum Size set for 4K, most modules will
remain in memory and loading modules from disk will be
rare.
For those with hard disks or ramdisks, loading of
modules may not be so time consuming. More work space
can then be gained by keeping fewer modules in memory
and more on disk. To gain more work space, set the
Minimum Size to a larger value. RHM will then try to
free more memory before running a module.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 15
Chapter 2. MAIN PROGRAM (continued)
G. Configuration (continued)
Screen Blank
RHM has the ability to temporarily blank the screen of
your CRT to avoid the possibility of information getting
"burned" into the screen. After a predetermined time of
no keyboard or video activity, the display on the screen
will disappear. To enable the display again, hit any
key.
Automatic Exit
RHM also has the ability to automatically exit when
there is no keyboard activity. If any of RHM's windows
are left on the screen for a certain amount of time, RHM
will automatically save any changes made, and remove all
windows from the screen. This feature can also be
disabled or modified for shorter or longer period of
time.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 16
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar
A. Introduction
The appointment calendar module allows you to display the
calendar for any month. Appointments can be created for any
day of the year, and alarms can be set for any time of any
day.
B. Calendar
The calendar is the default display of this module, from
which you may access the appointments. Upon selection of
this module, the calendar for the current month will be
displayed.
The month indicated at the top of the calendar display is
located in the center of the display. Days of the prior
month are present at the top and the following month at the
bottom. If the month display contains the current month or
days of the current month, the current day is shown in
reverse video. The displayed month will have highlighted
days for which appointments have been set. These will be
displayed in a contrasting color or, in black and white, in
a contrasting intensity. A small arrow will point to a
selected day in which the appointments may be accessed.
From this point, you may enter a new month and year in the
form "Month/Year" as displayed on the bottom, followed by
the return key. Other special keys are defined below:
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
LEFT LEFT Move appointment selector arrow
RIGHT RIGHT
UP UP Go up/down one month
DOWN DOWN
F9 F11 Export calendar
Alt-F9 Sh-F11 Send calendar to modem
F10 F12 Print calendar
RETURN RETURN Display/edit appointments for the day
pointed to by selector arrow
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 17
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar (continued)
C. Appointments
The appointments function of RHM is used to record
appointments for a particular day and time. To get to the
appointment editor, hit <RETURN> from the calendar.
When the appointment editor is selected, a new window will
be created (if there are any more windows available). This
window may be moved/changed as with other windows. If there
are no appointments set for the day requested, only the
template will appear in the appointment window. The
template is simply an ASCII file which the user may create
to establish an ordering or a set format of appointments.
The built-in Full Screen Editor (described in chapter 2) is
used to edit an appointment. The commands allowed include
exporting and printing of appointments.
When you press the <ESC> key, appointments are saved in a
file in the default RHM directory and given the name of
APMMYYYY.RHM. The same file will be used to house all
appointment days for a particular month and year. A
different month and/or year will be written to another file
on your RHMPATH drive.
Appointments or special days that recur may be established
in a special file. There is then no need to place the
entries within a particular day's appointment sheet.
Preparation for such special events are covered in Section
F, Preset Appointments. The contents of the special file
will be displayed on the affected day's appointment screen.
D. Alarms
Alarms in RHM are very powerful and flexible. Alarms may be
set to ring at any time on any day. Using preset
appointments, alarms can be set to go off regularly on
certain days at certain times. Up to 24 alarms per day may
be set. Alarms are specified in the appointment for the
particular day. To set an alarm, edit the appointments for
the desired day, and add the character "@" followed by the
time of the alarm. The time should be followed by an "A" or
"P" specifying AM or PM. Otherwise, RHM will assume a 24
hour time.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 18
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar (continued)
D. Alarms (continued)
An example of an appointment containing alarms:
--------------------------------------------
1: | I want to go home at @5:30pm |
2: | Lunch time !! @12:00 |
3: | @0:01 pm is a minute after midnight!! |
4: | time is 12:02 , @ 2 minutes after noon |
5: | Test alarm -- @6:24p and @6:25P |
--------------------------------------------
Line 1: alarm at 5:30 pm
Line 2: alarm at noon, which is 12:00 (24 hour time)
Line 3: alarm at 12:01 am ('p' does not directly follow time)
Line 4: nothing
Line 5: two alarms, one at 6:24 pm, other at 6:25 pm
E. Templates
The template file used for appointments has the name
"TPAPPT.RHM". The template can be any valid text file, and
is automatically used for new appointments. If you do not
want a template, simply delete the template file or empty
it. You are free to edit the template as you wish, but
remember that any changes only affect new appointments, not
existing ones.
The in the following sections we will discuss the template
supplied with RHM. You do not need to adhere to any strict
rules when you create a template or add appointments. You
may either add appointments with no form at all, stick
strongly to the template, or any combination of the both.
The template supplied consists of three areas per line. The
first area is used to establish an alarm to be associated
with the next (second) area which is the time of the
appointment. The third area is the actual message or
appointment wording. The three areas are identified on the
supplied template. The screen is presented with times from
8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on the hour. Other times may
be added to this particular day by using the insert line
function at the location of the new time insert. The time
should be in ascending order for preset appointments work
correctly, but any hour:minute may be used.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 19
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar (continued)
E. Templates (continued)
The indicator a, for a.m., or p, for p.m., should be
appended following the minute or RHM will assume a 24 hour
clock. The time, entered in this case by the user, must be
keyed at the proper position, i.e. the second area on the
line. Alarms are set by placing (typing) the "@" symbol at
the first position on the time line, at which the alarm is
desired. Multiple alarms may be set within the same day.
F. Preset Appointments
The file (APPOINT.RHM) allows the user to set appointments
for events that occur on a scheduled or recurring basis.
The events may be daily, weekly, or annually. While this
file should prove useful, it does not have to exist.
Any event that is set in this file will appear on the
appropriate calendar in a highlighted color. If the event
is annual or monthly and has no time associated with it, the
event will appear at the top of the appointment day as a
header. If the event has an associated time, the event will
be inserted in its appropriate location on the affected
days. Text or comments located in APPOINT.RHM are ignored.
A number, date and/or time, must appear in front of an event
for it to be considered an appointment and not a comment.
If the day of the event has not been abbreviated correctly,
the appointment will not be set.
An APPOINT.RHM exists on the distribution disk as a example.
To modify the file for personal use, edit it with the
Editor.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 20
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar (continued)
F. Preset Appointments (continued)
DAILY / WEEKLY Appointments
---------------------------
In the examples below, there are five (3) fields used to
set weekly appointments. The fields are as follows:
1 2 3
- --- ----------------------------------------
3 Fri 10:00a 10:30 Monthly meeting
3 Thu 7:30p 3rd Thursday of every month
1 Sat 6:00p 1st Saturday of month meeting
0 Mon @ 8:30a every Monday meeting
Column:
1. The occurance of the event.
0 = every
1 = 1st.
2 = 2nd.
3 = 3rd.
4 = 4th.
5 = 5th.
2. The day of the event.
Sun = Sunday
Mon = Monday
Tue = Tuesday
Wed = Wednesday
Thu = Thursday
Fri = Friday
Sat = Saturday
3. Message
A brief description of the event. If a time is
the first thing in this field, it will be
automatically inserted in the appointment in
chronological order.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 21
Chapter 3. Appointment Calendar (continued)
F. Preset Appointments (continued)
MONTHLY / YEARLY Appointments
---------------------------
For annual messages, the dates portion of this file is
broken into two (2) fields, Month/Day and Message. An
entry of "0" in the month field allows the event to be
displayed every month on a specific day.
The initial annual content of the APPOINT.RHM file, as
supplied, is as follows:
ANNUAL DATES:
0/25 PAY BILLS
4/15 TAXES DUE
12/13 ** BIRTHDAY **
1/01 Happy New Year
2/14 St. Valentine's Day
3/17 St. Patrick's Day
5/12 Mother's Day
5/27 Memorial Day
6/16 Father's Day
7/4 Independence Day
9/2 Labor Day
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 22
Chapter 4. ASCII TABLE
This service displays a table display of decimal and
hexadecimal equivalents of the various ASCII codes and
characters, and H19 graphics symbols. The table is
navigated with the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys. Quick move
to the beginning of the table is accomplished with the HOME
key. This display is for informational purposes only.
Chapter 5. BLACK BOOK
The Black Book is a private index of names and addresses.
When Black Book is selected, a password will be requested.
The password entered will be used for encryption to create,
read and alter the black books. All commands for the CARD
INDEX (Chapter 10) apply for the black book.
Chapter 6. CALCULATOR
A. Introduction
The calculator feature of RHM provides an algebraic
calculator of sixteen (16) digit precision. In addition to
the normal add, subtract, multiply and divide functions, the
calculator is capable of memory activity, logical functions
of AND, OR and XOR, bit shifts left and right, reciprocal,
percent, and number base change. The functions on the
calculator are activated by one or more key sequences. Some
functions have alternate keys that accomplish the function.
The alternatives will be shown in the material that follows.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 23
Chapter 6. CALCULATOR (continued)
B. Key commands
The keys and their associated functions are:
GENERAL:
Keys 0-9 Enter the number
HOME Clear calculator
. (Period) Decimal point
CHANGING BASES:
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
PGUP UP Reduce base to 2, 8, 10, & 16
UP Sh-UP Reduce bases by 1
PGDN DOWN Increase the base to 2, 8, 10, & 16
DOWN Sh-DOWN Increase base by 1
ARITHMETIC:
* X x Multiply
/ \ Divide
+ ENTER RETURN Add
- Subtract
- (shifted) Change Sign
= Result
L Reciprocal function
P Percentage
PROGRAMMER'S FUNCTIONS:
LEFT Shift one place to the left
RIGHT Shift one place to the right
N AND logical function
O (letter) OR logical function
R XOR logical function
STORAGE FUNCTIONS:
M+ Add display to memory
M- Subtract display from memory
MS Store display in memory
MR Re-call memory to display
MC Clear memory
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 24
Chapter 6. CALCULATOR (continued)
B. Key commands (continued)
The calculator is operated in normal algebraic sequence. If
an addition of two numbers is desired, press number keys
including decimal point, if appropriate, representing the
first number. The decimal point will not appear on the
screen until the next digit is entered. The required
function, key or keys, would then be pressed. In this case
either the "+" key or the ENTER key would be pressed. The
second number would then be keyed and will show on the
display. Finally the "=" key would be pressed to provide
the result of the addition to appear in the display. As an
example - the addition, 3.5 + 4.6 =, would be keyed in the
sequence it would have been written.
Large numbers will be converted to scientific notation for
display purposes.
C. Output from Calculator
The following keys are used to direct the output from the
calculator in one or more directions. When one of the keys
are hit, the value on the display is sent, followed by any
other operations done on the display. Hitting the key again
will stop sending display operations. They are defined as
follows:
IBM Z100 Function
------------------------------------------------------------
F9 F11 Export Text
Sh-F9 Sh-F11 Output Text to Modem.
F10 F12 Print
Example: (Z100)
Hitting F11 and F12 will send the value on the
display to both the export buffer and the printer.
From this point, all operations done will also be
sent to both export buffer and printer. Hitting
F12 again will turn off output to the printer,
thereby sending output to the export buffer only.
Whenever a mode is turned on, the current value on the
display will be send out immediately. This makes it
convenient to output only the value on the display by simply
turning the particular output on and then back off.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 25
Chapter 6. CALCULATOR (continued)
C. Output from Calculator (continued)
Example: (Z100)
Press the F12 key prior to the start of the
calculation. The calculation will be printed, as
entered. Printing can be terminated by again
pressing the F12 (Remember the F12 key is an
on/off toggle).
Standard calculation:
123 * 9 = 1107
123 * 9 = 1107 / 2 = 553.5
123 * 9 = 1107 / 2 = 553.5 + 5 = 558.5
Calculation with base change:
123 Base 16 = 7B Base 2 = 1111011 * 1010 =
1.001100111 10 <-- (The 10 represents
the power of the
exponent in scien-
tific notation)
Standard calculation with base change of
the answer:
123 * 3 = 369
>>>change to base 8 with <up arrow>
and then press <=>
Base 8 = 561
>>>change to base 2 with <up arrow>
and then press <=>
Base 2 = 101110001
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 26
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS
A. Introduction
The DOS service provided by Right Hand Man are similiar to
the functions supplied with the operating system. Some
commands have added features not available in normal DOS
commands. Please see COPY, DIR, REN, and TYPE functions,
which follow in the discussion.
While DOS services supports execution of other software,
only "well behaved" software can be run inside of RHM.
Programs which bypass normal operating system calls, access
memory not belonging to them, or take advantage of specific
hardware features may not run correctly. Since MS-DOS is
not re-entrant (can not be entered twice), RHM must
intercept most MS-DOS function calls and simulate MS-DOS
memory management. RHM however, does not allow a program to
execute another (i.e. chaining of programs). Some programs
may be so incompatible that they will crash the whole
system, forcing you to re-boot.
Since you may activate RHM while there is a program running
with valuable data, a crash would not be very well
appreciated. To avoid the loss of valuable data, test
programs in an environment where nothing is at risk, and
only run those well-behaved programs when RHM is activated.
Remember that any change of logged drive or subdirectory
introduced in RHM will be in effect for the program running
in foreground. This may create problems with programs that
depend on the current setting. Therefore, unless you
absolutely need to force a change, return the default
drive/directory the way it was found before entering DOS
commands.
B. Commands
1. Changing the logged drive
You can change the drive that the operating system
and Right Hand Man (RHM) utilize by keying the
desired drive followed by a colon ":". For example:
A>B:
At the prompt, "B:" was typed in. The prompt will
now read "B>".
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 27
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS (continued)
B. Commands (continued)
2. COPY
The copy function allows the user to move files in a
manner similar to the DOS function. The copy
function requires two parameters, source and
destination. For example:
COPY *.RHM C:
This will cause all files from the logged drive with
an extension of RHM to be copied to the C: drive.
The wild card feature works in the normal DOS
manner.
An optional switch "\Q" may be added to the command
line to query before each file is copied. For
example:
COPY/Q *.RHM C:
This will cause RHM to query for each file
satisfying the input specification. A response of
"Y" or "y" will cause the specific file to be copied
to the destination. Any other response will by-pass
the copying of that particular file.
3. CHDIR
This function is used to change directories on the
logged or indicated drive. This is a standard DOS
activity. It has a short form - CD. For example:
CD \RHM
This will cause the default directory for the logged
drive to be changed to "\RHM". An entry of CD with
no parameters, will repond with the current
directory setting.
4. CLS
This command clears the DOS window and moves the
cursor to the top.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 28
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS (continued)
B. Commands (continued)
5. DATE
This command is used to change or query the system
date. If the command DATE is entered without
additional information, the system will respond with
the current setting. If the command DATE is
followed by the entry of a new date setting, the
system date will be changed to the new date. To set
the date to a particular day, at the prompt, type
DATE MM/DD/YY. The system will now be set to the
new date.
6. DEL
The DELete function allows the user to delete file
or files from the indicated drive. If no drive is
indicated in the information that follows the entry
of the DEL command, then the logged drive is
assumed. The wild card features of standard DOS
apply. Example:
DEL C:*.RHM.
To delete all of the files with an extension of .RHM
from the C: drive.
An optional switch "/Q" may also be added to query
before each file is deleted. For example:
DEL/Q *.BIN
This will cause RHM to query for each file
satisfying the input specification. A response of
"Y" or "y" will cause the specific file to be
deleted. Any other response will by-pass the
deletion of that particular file.
7. DIR
The directory command can be used in the normal
manner. For RHM, an additional feature has been
added with a special form of the command. An added
feature is DIR/P. This will cause pagination of the
returned directory listing to fit within the RHM
window. Wildcard requests apply.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 29
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS (continued)
B. Commands (continued)
8. MKDIR
This command provides the ability to create new
sub-directories on the logged or indicated drive.
It is also available in a short form MD.
9. REN
Files can be RENamed, in place, in a disk directory
or renamed into another directory on the same disk.
Renaming files in place is the same manner as is
done in DOS. The command is entered as "REN from
to" (where "from", "to" are ambiguous file names)
Renaming a file from one directory to another simply
moves the entry in the directory, not the file.
This is many times quicker than copying the file,
and helps keep files contiguous (in one piece). For
example:
REN \BIN\*.DVD \DEV\*.*
This will rename the files with extension ".DVD"
into the subdirectory "DEV".
An optional switch "/Q" may also be added, to query
before each file is renamed.
10. RHMPATH
This command is used to change the default path for
RHM's data files. (See RHM File System in Chapter 1
for more details.) The command can be used to get
the current setting, as well as to establish a new
setting. RHMPATH without path information will
respond with the current setting. To set a new
path, you might enter:
RHMPATH C:\RHM
If the path is not correctly set, help features,
appointments, and card-index will not be available
for use (i.e., considered empty).
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 30
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS (continued)
B. Commands (continued)
11. RMDIR
In the long form as shown or in the short form RD,
this command provides for the removal of a
sub-directory. As in DOS, the directory must first
have all of its contents deleted prior to removal
being allowed. An example:
RD C:\RHM
This will cause the empty sub-directory whose name
is RHM under the root directory of the C: drive to
be removed, i.e. deleted.
12. TIME
Set and check the TIME of the system by entering
TIME. A new time can be immediately set, if the new
time, as HH:MM, is entered as additional information
with the TIME command.
13. TYPE
This command allows the displaying of ASCII
character files as in DOS. The command, following
the prompt, is entered as TYPE D:FILENAME.EXT. The
command has been extented in RHM to provide for
pagination within the window by using the form:
TYPE/P D:FILENAME.EXT
NOTE: The width of the displayed file will be
constrained by the width of the window which
is set in RHM. The RHM Notepad/Editor
function must be used to view the file
without line wrap. Edit functions, within
the editor, allow horizontal scrolling to
shift the document within the viewable
window.
An optional switch "/Q" may also be added, to query
before each file is typed.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 31
Chapter 7. DOS FUNCTIONS (continued)
C. Output from DOS
The output in DOS can also be output in one or more
directions. These keys serve as toggles to turn the output
on/off. They are defined as follows:
IBM Z100 Function
----------------------------------------------------
F9 F11 Export Text
Sh-F9 Sh-F11 Output Text to Modem.
F10 F12 Print
Example: (Z100)
Hitting F11 and F12 will send output to both the
export buffer and the printer. Hitting F12 again
will turn off output to the printer but leave
output to export buffer on.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 32
Chapter 8. FILE EDITOR
This portion of the RHM program allows the editing of text
files from your storage media. The editor uses all
available work space for editing files, up to 64K. Text
files cannot exceed the buffer space. The editor uses
function keys and keypad keys to accomplish many of the
tasks.
Once the File Editor has been selected from the main menu,
the query "File name to edit:" is presented. This will
require a response of the document name to be edited. The
disk to which this file will be saved to or read from will
be the logged disk.
The editor will present the document or provide a screen for
a new document. A status line will provide helpful
information to the user. The status line content is as
follows:
C: Cursor column,
L: #/# presents
cursor line position / number of lines in the text,
U: Used buffer space, and
F: Free buffer space.
If insert character or graphics mode is on, their presence
will be indicated on the right hand side of the status line.
Once the document has been completed, press the ESC key.
This action will save the file and exit to the query menu of
"File name to edit:". An additional line will have appeared
on the screen "Last file edited:". The editor retains the
name of the last file edited during this session. That last
file may be recalled by pressing the ENTER or RETURN key.
For other functions of the editor, refer to the Chapter 2
(Full Screen Editor).
Chapter 9. GUARDED NOTEPAD
The Guarded Notepad is a password protected notepad. When
the it is selected, a password will be requested. The
password entered will be used for encryption to create,read
and alter the notepads. All commands for the NOTEPAD
(Chapter 12) apply for the guarded notepad.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 33
Chapter 10. CARD INDEX
A. Introduction
This utility allows multiple indexes of up to 1000 names,
phone numbers, addresses, and comments (256 characters in
length). Each index is has a name of up to 6 characters.
The defult index when this module is activated is called
"DEX". If this index is found on the disk, the first card
will be displayed. Otherwise, the card window will remain
blank.
B. Commands
The Index menu is displayed at the bottom of the screen as
follows:
A - Add card to current index
C - Call phone number from displayed card
D - Delete displayed card
E - Edit displayed card
I - Switch to another index
Other commands are as follows:
ENTER Enter specifications for search
UP Search backward
DOWN Search forward
BKSP Move backward
SPACE Move forward
HOME First card
IBM Z100 Function
----------------------------------------------------
F9 F11 Export Text
Sh-F9 Sh-F11 Output Text to Modem.
F10 F12 Print
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 34
Chapter 10. CARD INDEX
B. Commands
The "A" option presents a screen which is supplied from a
support template (TPINDEX.RHM). The template may be
personalized to the user's needs, by use of the Editor. The
cards are maintained in alphabetical order in a support file
named INDEX.RHM. The sort is done on the first line of each
card. The construction of the first line is important to
the success of the index file which is to be built. A
suggestion for this is last name first, first and then
middle initial.
NOTE: The ADD and EDIT commands both use the built-in full
screen editor. All commands accepted by the editor
will be supported. For more on the editor refer to
Chapter 2 (Full Screen Editor).
The ENTER key allows you to enter a search specification for
the search keys (UP,DOWN arrows). Once a search field and
string are entered, it will be used on all subsequent
searches. Upon pressing ENTER you can change the search
field and the search string.
The current search field will be highlighted in the template
area of the screen. To move the search field, use the
UP/DOWN arrows. A search string may also be entered at the
cursor position. Search strings use the same wildcards as
the DOS command line accepts. Some examples follow:
A search for cards with A as first letter in field
*ST. search for card with "ST." anywhere in the field
??M search for cards with M as third letter in field
The CALL option, when used in conjuction with a smart modem,
will allow a telephone number in any field to be dialed just
as it appears in the field. There is no attempt by RHM,
however, to establish data connection as in a communications
program. The CALL option is only to eliminate the need to
dial the number manually.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 35
Chapter 11. Define Key Macros
The macro feature provides a method to create or change
RHM's activation keys, export toggle keys, or "soft" keys.
RHM will compare keys hit to the sequences defined. If a
sequence is completed, RHM replaces it with the defined key
sequence.
For the current version of RHM, up to 18 key sequences may
be defined. The first two keys sequences are reserved and
labeled accordingly:
Sequence 1 : RHM activation
Sequence 2 : Export on/off
Upon execution of this module, the RHM activation sequence
will be displayed. Acceptable key commands are as follows:
C Change sequence
D Delete sequence
UP Move up
DOWN Move down
The macro keys defined are only active when RHM is
installed. They will not operate when running RHM
immediately (RHM/I).
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 36
Chapter 12. Notepad
This portion of the RHM program allows the creation and
modification of notes. Notes are stored as files in the RHM
directory. The notepad uses all available work space for
editing notes, up to 64K. Notes cannot exceed the buffer
space.
Once the Notepad has been selected from the main menu, a
list of available notes will be displayed, and the user will
be asked to enter the name of the note to change. If the
note does not exist, it will be created. Note names are 1-6
characters in length.
Once the name has been entered, the user will be presented
with a display much like the Editor module. For
explanations of the status line, see Chapter 8 (File
Editor).
Once the changes have been completed, press the ESC key.
This action will save the note and exit to the list of
available notes.
The notepad uses the built-in full screen editor. For a
list of its functions, refer to the Chapter 2 ( Full Screen
Editor ).
To delete a notepad, delete all lines in the notepad.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 37
Chapter 13. Transport Window
The transport calls the Full Screen Editor directly, with no
files read or written to disk. It is useful for editing the
export buffer or transferring info between the screen, and
supported output devices.
Example: (IBM)
To transfer data from export buffer to the printer
1) Enter the transport window.
2) Enter export on/off key sequence (currently
CTL-E for the IBM). The transport window will
be filled from the export buffer.
3) When all activity is over, the export buffer is
empty. To restore the data back into the
export buffer, hit F9.
4) To send the data to the printer, hit F10.
Chapter 14. Typewriter
The typewriter has been implemented to send text directly to
the printer, line by line. Useful for quick typing jobs
such as addressing envelopes, typing small notes, etc. For
larger tasks, it is better to use the transport window or
file editor.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 38
Chapter 15. Limits to Operation
RIGHT HAND MAN has operational limitations that must be
recognized to avoid problems.
Support Files: These files are files that RHM requires
to function to its full capability.
Potential reasons these files may not be
accessable are: 1. Files are not present
on disk. 2. RHMPATH not set to the
proper drive.
Disk Space: There are obviously limitations on
available disk space. The support for
infrequently used section(s) of RHM may
be eliminated to minimize disk space
needs. Help files may be eliminated.
Appointment files (APMMYYYY.RHM and
APPOINT.RHM) may be eliminated after
being certain there are duplicates of
these files on other storage. The
INDEX.RHM may be a candidate if a backup
copy exists elsewhere.
Memory: If memory space is a problem, the screen
may be saved in a smaller space (on Z-100
only), workspace can be reduced, or
number of screens reduced. For RHM
memory configure, type 'RHM/C' for memory
configuration.
Card Index: Each card is limited to 256 characters
total.
Appointments: An appointment day is limited to 512
characters total.
Editor: The file size to be edited is limited by
available workspace, or 64K, whichever is
smaller.
Export: Export is limited by available workspace.
Import: Import is limited to current foreground
screen size and content.
Graphics: The editor of RHM is capable of creating
and displaying graphic characters.
Exporting graphics from RHM to an
underlying program is not recommended.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 Page 39
Chapter 15. Limits to Operation (continued)
Open Files: RHM is capable of having two (2) files
open at the same time. The default for
DOS is five (5) files. If the program
under execution is capable of opening a
large number of files, CONFIG.SYS must be
set for an appropriate (larger) number of
files to be opened. Please see the DOS
manual for more information on
CONFIG.SYS.
ALTCHAR.SYS: (Z-100 only)
The font set which is supplied with the
operating system must be present on the
disk at boot up. If ALTCHAR.SYS is not
present, RHM will not load. The ASCII
chart uses ALTCHAR.SYS to display the
graphics which appear in the chart.
Special Programs: (Z-100 only)
There are a select number of programs
which use the keyboard in "EVENT DRIVEN
MODE". The remapping of all keys to a
standard was found to be too difficult,
if the size of the program was to be kept
to a minimum. The activation keys have
been set to BREAK ESC for these programs.
The key macros will not function
correctly for such programs.
RIGHT HAND MAN version 3.3 License
Right Hand Man is the copyrighted property of Red E Products, Inc.
You are granted a limited license to use RHM, and to copy it and
distribute it, provided that the following conditions are met:
1) No fee may be charged for such copying and distribution
2) RHM may only be distributed in its original, unmodified state.
Any voluntary contributions for the use of this program will be
appreciated, and should be sent to:
Red E Products
P.O. Box 640267
Kenner, LA. 70064
The fees for registering RHM are as follows:
Minimal Registration $25
You will receive announcements concerning
major changes in RHM, and where you can
find the latest version.
Update Registration $40
When a major change is made to RHM, you
will receive a single update disk
containing the latest version of RHM.
Lifetime Registration $60
You will receive an update disk every time
a major change is made to RHM.
Soon to be available will be a programmers package for RHM users to
create their own modules. Included in the package is source code
for several of RHM modules. You must be familiar with assembly
language to create or modify modules. If you would like to have the
programmers package mailed to you when available, include $15 to the
registration fee.
RHM source code is available and may be purchased for the price of
$500.00. For more details, contact Red E Products.
