Psion Series 3 Word Document | 1993-09-06 | 13KB | 200 lines
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-+CONVERSIONS from SP SERVICES
Note: This document may be conveniently viewed in Outline mode (press the Word button) to provide a table of contents.
Overview
"Conversions" is a small program which allows you to quickly convert between units in different measuring scales, such as between currencies or between imperial and metric weights and measures. Conversions can be simple ratios or can involve more complicated, formula-based calculations. A set of conversions can be created, each displayed in its own window on the screen and each accessed by pressing a single prefix letter ("jump key"). The windows can be moved around the screen and sets of conversion windows with their settings and positions can be saved as files for later recall.
We use Conversions while travelling, with currency and distance conversions stored in files by country.
Using Conversions
Installation
This application may be easily installed like other Series 3 applications.
1 Copy CONVERT.APP, CONVCONV.OPO and CONVERT.HLP to an \APP directory on one of your Series 3 drives. Copy the sample .CNV files to an \OPD directory. You may omit CONVCONV.OPO if you do not need the ability to upgrade from an earlier release of Conversions.
2 Press the System button, select the icon before which you would like Conversions installed and then hold down the Psion button and press I to reach the installation dialog.
3 Using the left and right cursor keys on the File: Name/Drive entries, locate CONVERT.APP and press Enter.
Conversions is now installed and may be launched like any other Series 3 application. You may wish to assign a key to it by pressing Ps+A on the system screen with Conversions selected. We use Control+World - you can use any combination.
First Look
Try out Conversions on one of our sample files first. If you copied them to an \OPD directory at step 1 above, they will be listed under the icon on the system screen.
4 Pick one of the conversion files under the icon and press Enter to open it.
5 You will see the title window open (initially in the top right-hand corner of the screen) and the various conversion windows open across the screen.
6 Press the letter in front of the hyphen in one of the windows. Type a number in the box that appears and press Enter. The conversion is shown in the window.
7 Press Menu and select Edit from the Conversions menu. Change the conversion factor or some other value and press Enter. Try a conversion again.
8 Clear the conversion windows from the screen by pressing Ps+C (or by choosing Clear from the File menu).
Reference
Commands
In this section, Ps+x indicates that a command may be given by holding down the Psion key and pressing the x key.
File Menu
Open (Ps+O)
Open an existing file containing definitions for a suite of conversions. Files have a .CNV suffix and are stored by default in the \OPD directory. If the window definitions already displayed have not been saved, you are offered the chance to save them
Selecting a different file on the system screen and pressing Enter has the same effect.
Save (Ps+S)
Save the current window definitions and positions in a file for later reloading with the Open command. You are provided with a file name dialog so that you can pick the file to save.
Revert (Ps+R)
Re-loads the current set of window definitions from storage. If you have made any changes you are offered the chance to save them.
Clear (Ps+C)
Closes all conversion windows. Use this command before creating a new suite of conversions.
Upgrade (Ps+U)
Converts .CNV files from earlier versions of Conversions to the curent version. By selecting the "Use File?" option, the converted file can also be auto loaded. This menu item is only present if CONVCONV.OPO is present as the program starts. Once you have upgraded all earlier files, you may wish to delete CONVCONV.OPO to save memory.
Exit (Ps+X)
Closes all conversion windows and quits the program. You are offered the chance to save window definitions if they have changed.
Pressing the Delete key over the name of the file in the system screen has the same effect, except you are not given the chance to save changes.
Conversions Menu
New (Ps+N)
Displays a dialog in which you can define a new conversion window. Complete the dialog and press Enter to create the window. There can be up to five conversion windows on the screen. The fields on the dialog are as follows.
Name of Conversion: This name is shown at the top of the window, preceded by the jump key and a hyphen. We usually use the name of the source units.
Target Unit: This is the symbol that is used to identify the units of the converted quantity. For example, in a conversion from miles to kilometres, the target unit is km. Up to 4 characters may be used.
Unit Position: The symbol for the target unit may be applied before or after the converted quantity. Additionally, you may indicate that no decimal places are to be displayed on this conversion, regardless of the 'preferences' setting.
Jump Key: This is the letter you will press on the keyboard to select the conversion and enter an amount to be converted.
Factor: This is the actual conversion factor. Enter the number which the unconverted quantity must be divided by in order to yield the converted quantity.
Formula (Ps+A)
This command displays the same dialog as the New command, with the exception that the Factor field is replaced by a Formula field. Enter here the expression which, when evaluated, gives the converted quantity. The letter 'x' should be used in the expression to represent the unconverted quantity. For example, if a conversion is being created from fahrenheit to celsius, the expression:
(x-32)*9/5
should be entered.
The expressions used can use any of the capabities usable in the Calculator facility, including trigonometry and other functions and named memories.
Edit (Ps+E)
This command displays a dialog in which the parameters for the current conversion window may be edited. The fields are the same as for New, except the jump key cannot be changed.
Forget (Ps+F)
Close the current window and forget all its contents.
Window
Move (Ps+M)
Use this command to enter Move mode, in which the current window (including the title window) may be moved around the screen using the cursor keys.
Hold down the Control key to make the movement rapid. Use Home to place the window back in the top left-hand corner. Note that windows can be quite legitimately moved off the screen; user the Gather command to re-capture lost windows.
Gather (Ps+G)
This command cascades all the conversion windows across the screen. It is useful for tidying jumbled displays and gathering lost windows.
Title (Ps+T)
Give the 'focus' to the title window so that it can be moved.
Settings
Preferences (Ps+P)
Allows you to change various system constants.
Decimal Places: Controls the number of decimal places displayed with numbers. The default is two; values between zero and four may be used.
Window Width: Controls the width of conversion windows. The default is 124 pixels; values between 35 and 244 may be used.
Defaults (Ps+D)
Sets all of the settings in Preferences above to their default values.
Files
This application should comprise the following files:
CONVERT.APP The Conversions program - copy to an \APP directory and install from the system screen.
CONVCONV.OPO The module that provides the File+Upgrade command - may be deleted if space is limited or the function is not required, otherwise copy to the same \APP directory.
CONVERT.HLP The help subsystem for Conversions - may be deleted if space is limited, otherwise copy to the same \APP directory.
CONVERT.WRD This document.
*.CNV Some sample conversion suites for you to try. Copy these to an \OPD directory.
Ordering
Why pay?
Conversions is provided to you as shareware by SP Services. As our first foray into Series 3 software, we will be most interested to see how many copies are registered and how well the shareware "try before you buy" principle works in this user community.
You have the full, unrestricted version of conversions. If, after a reasonable period like 21 days, you would be unwilling to lose Conversions, you should pay the purchase price. We will send you a fine registration certificate to prove you've done the decent thing!
If you don't pay, nothing bad will happen, but your conscience will nag just the same as leaving a store without paying for your shopping. 'Shareware' is just a distribution method, like 'Retail', but with the advantage that you'll never waste money on software you don't need.
How to pay
To pay for Conversions, do one of the following.
refers to pounds sterling, $ refers to US dollars.
Credit card
We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. We charge
6 to the card and you eventually pay your local equivalent, without either of us going through the expensive business of currency exchange. You need to send us your card number and expiry date together with your name and the address your card statements are sent to. You can write, fax or e-mail these details - see the 'address' section below for destinations.
Cheque
Please send either a sterling cheque drawn on a UK bank for
6 or cheque for $12 drawn on a US bank. Eurocheques are also acceptable.
We don't recommend sending cash but sometimes it's the only answer. If you want to take the risk of losing it, send
5 or $10 in paper money.
Addresses
We obviously need your postal address; electronic addresses are also most welcome. We don't send junk mail or sell address lists but we will keep your details on our computer and perhaps even tell you should a new release occur (particularly if you supply an e-mail address).
We may be contacted at any of the following addresses.
Postal
SP Services
PO Box 456
Southampton
SO9 7XG
United Kingdom
CompuServe Mail
100016,1625
Note that we do not follow any particular forum closely.
Internet Mail
sphipps@cix.compulink.co.uk
CIX subscribers can also get support in the sps/convert conference.
The answering machine is cleared regularly. Note that there is no staffed voice line available.
Terms & Conditions
1993, SP Services - All Rights Reserved
You agree to pay for this software if you continue to use it for a reasonable evaluation period not exceeding 1 calender month.
This package is provided 'as-is' and no warranty is associated with it beyond your statutory rights. In particular, the fact that this is a computer program written by humans means that there are bugs in it, some of which might result in inaccurate results, system failure or data loss. Use of the package indicates your acceptance of these Terms & Conditions and your willingness to accept sole responsibility for any problems resulting from using it.
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