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Format 'n Print Version 2.1 A Text Management Tool ───────────────────────────── (C)Copyright 1992 Rand Nowell RaLin Enterprises "Putting Bits Together" (tm) MANUAL INDEX LEGAL STUFF........................................ii INTRODUCTION........................................1 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.................................1 WHERE TO PUT FNP....................................1 STARTUP: Starting FNP................................1,2 CGA Monitor Switches..........................2 Configuring FNP...............................2 MENUS: Main Menu.....................................2 Selecting Items...............................2 Sub-Menus.....................................3 Putting Away..................................3 MENU SELECTIONS: Menu Format...................................2 ! Information.................................3 Name File: Entering Name...............................3 Pick List.................................3,4 Default File Name.......................3,4,8 Floppy Files................................4 Format: Entering Parameters.......................4,5 Default Headers.............................5 Field Length................................5 Editing Fields..............................5 Left Header.................................5 Center Header...............................5 Bottom Footer...............................5 Right Header(Page Number)...................5 Page Numbers................................5 Lines Per Page..............................6 How FNP Formats.............................6 File Line Length............................7 What To Do Next.............................6 PRINT: Print The Formatted File......................7 Printing Other Files..........................7 Printer Codes.................................7 CHANGE DIR: With Pick List..............................3,4 Manual Entry..................................7 Floppy Drive..................................7 OTHER: Blank Screen................................7,9 Dos Shell.....................................7 Undo Format...................................8 Rename .FNP...................................8 Viewer......................................8,9 Editor......................................8,9 Viewer/Editor filename/switches for......8,9 Special Keys For.........................8,9 Call Viewer/Editor without File...............9 QUIT................................................9 AUTO SCREEN BLANK...................................9 AUTHORS COMMENTS....................................9 SUPPORT..........................................9,10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................10 Copyright: ii Format 'n Print is not a Public Domain or Free program. It is the Copyrighted (C) 1992 work of Rand Nowell dba Ralin Enterprises. All rights are reserved. Copying, duplicating, selling or otherwise distributing this product except as noted in the Distribution Policy below is a violation of Federal Copyright Law. If, after evaluating this program for a period of two weeks, you find it a valuable tool, a Registration is REQUESTED. Distribution: 1. Feel free to distribute the Shareware version of this program as often as you like to any interested parties. Distribution to Electronic Bullentin Boards is encouraged. 2. Please do not distribute this program without all the original related files such as documentation, readme files, registration forms etc. 3. Please distribute ONLY the original authenticated ZIP format file. 4. Please obtain our written permission before including the program with any "bundled" software packages. 5. Please do not accept payment for the program; a copying fee of $5.00 per diskette may be charged by a non-profit user-group. 6. Please do not alter the program or documentation in any way. 7. Individuals, groups, vendors or other software distribution companies which market diskettes containg shareware or test-drive evaluation programs, for profit, must obtain written permission from RaLin Enterprises prior to distribution. DISTRIBUTION of the REGISTERED version of this program is in violation of the license agreement and copyright law. ************************* DISCLAIMER ***************************** This program is supplied "as is" without warrenty of any kind. The entire risk of using, and results from the use of, is assumed by you the user. You assume all costs of repair, servicing and corrections stemming from the use of this program. Rand Nowell and/or RaLin Enterprises, or any other associated company of the program author will not be held liable for any damages from the use of this program. No warrenties are expressed or implied. ******************************************************************** To the original licensee of the REGISTERD version of Format 'n Print RaLin Enterprises DOES warrant that the program disk(s) on which the program is recorded, be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of (90) ninety days from date of delivery as evidenced by your receipt. Our entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be replacement of the deffective disk not meeting the standards of this limited warranty. FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 1 INTRODUCTION: Format 'n Print will take any text file and paginate it to the specified lines per page. You can also enter a top left and a top center page header. The top right header defaults to 'Page 1,2,3 etc. unless you tell it not to. A bottom note or "foot note" is also implemented. >> Speed: Testing on Format 'n Print was done with a 133k node list, formatted at 45,50, and 59 lines per page, inserting ALL headers and Footer. The completion time ran 18-20 seconds on all tests. You can also print out the finished product if you want, from within FNP. The file to format can be typed in, or optionally chosen from a pick list. What this documentation will do is cover all the functions of Format 'n Print in a tutorial type fashion, from the command line startup to Quitting the program. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: DOS version 3.0 and above FNP was developed under DOS 5.0 it has not been tested with others such as DR DOS but should function the same. Memory: FNP will work in as little as 200k of available memory, but the size of the file to be formatted will be affected by memory size. Hard Disk: Recommended. Will run on floppy, but slowly. Video: FNP will run on Color or Mono. It checks the video system when it starts up. Color is definitely recommended as it greatly enhances the menu system. There are two swithces for use with older CGA monitors, these will be covered. WHERE TO PUT FNP: FNP.EXE should be put in a directory that is in your path statement, so it may be called from any location on your hard disk. This is especially true with the configuration file. Putting it in a directory thats in your path statement will allow FNP to find it, no matter where its called from (on the same drive). STARTUP: Couldn't be easier, just type FNP and press Enter. The first time FNP is run you will see the message "Searching for configuration......." as FNP looks for the FNP.CFG file. After this Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 2 file has been created, the message will flash by so fast you probably will never notice it. The configuration file is a simple text file with just two lines in it, your viewer program and your editor program. If the config file is not found, FNP will create one, actually what it creates is a template with instructions, then it pops up a box telling you it has created this template, and to please edit it. When you edit FNP.CFG, if you do not have a viewer or editor program to use with FNP, leave the two lines that are there, at the least, leave a @ on the two lines. When FNP reads this file the @ tells it that there is no Editor/Viewer available. If you remove the @ and do not put in a valid file name, you will get a DOS Bad Command/File Name message. The entries for Editor/Viewer may be a drive\path\directory...not to exceed 20 characters (no spaces) FNP will only accept the first 20 characters on each line. Also make sure you get these in order too, else you will get your editor when you want your viewer. First line is the Viewer program, second is the Editor. NOTE: If your editor and/or viewer is stored in a PATH directory, then the drive\directory will not be need as FNP will search all dir's listed in the PATH statement. After configuration has been read, you will see the startup screen, which displays for a couple of seconds, then you will be taken to the Main Menu. NOTE: The Evaluation Copy requires a keypress to leave the opening screen. START UP SWITCHES: There are two switches that can be implemented for use with CGA monitors. If you experience "snow" during the program, try starting FNP with the /s switch. (Must be lower case s), this should eliminate any problems. The driver for our custom screens always assumes that a CGA may have a problem with snow, so it automatically works around it. But this will slow down window displays a little bit. If you have a newer CGA that does not have a problem with snow, start FNP with the /ns (lower case) switch. This will speed up the display of windows. Its not a BIG change, but it may be important to you. If you are using an EGA or VGA monitor, you have no need of these switches. Boy...aren't VGA monitors GREAT?! THE MAIN MENU: The Main Menu is a horizontal bar menu with the following format: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ! Name_File Format Print Change_Dir Other Help Quit ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The(_) shown is just for clarity here, it does not show on the menu. Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 3 As you move the cursor bar across the menu selections, you will see a short description of each menu choice displayed on the status line at the bottom of the screen. This is your "Bottom Line Help!" MENU SELECTION: Selecting a menu choice is simple. You can move the highlight bar with the left and right cursor keys, pressing the space bar will advance the bar one selection to the right also. When the bar reaches the end of the menu, it will "wrap" to the opposite end. Try it! When you reach the selection you want it can be activated two ways, either press the Enter key or the down arrow key. For some this will pop up a entry window, others will pull a sub-menu. You can also press the highlighted letter of a menu item and immediately activate that particular function. >> Sub Menus: When a sub-menu pulls down, you can again use the arrow keys to move the bar up or down. Once you are on the item you want you can activate it by pressing Enter. You may also make the selection by pressing the highlighted letter of the choice. When a sub-menu is displayed, you can put it away, without making a selection by pressing Escape. ! Presents a menu showing About and Information. About presents a litte bit about the Author and the tools used to create FNP. Choosing Information will show the Current Default file, the Current Directory along with some disk info. Also shown is some memory information and the current settings for printing (to be discussed further). NAME FILE: This item has a sub-menu, here you will specify what file you want to format with FNP. There are two choices: Enter Name & Pick List. Choosing Enter Name will pop up a window where you can type in the file name, it can be a path\file up to 30 characters. If you wish to abort this step, just press Enter on the blank name field. Choosing Pick List will first call up a box asking you for a file spec, the default is *.*, pressing enter alone will cause *.* to be your filespec. You can type in *.doc, *.lst or any other valid wildcard specification in this format. The ? is NOT allowed. After you have entered the file spec, or accepted the default, a pick list will be displayed to the right. The window displays the first 19 files, including directory entries. If there are no more files to display you will see "No More Files" at the bottom of the window. If there are more files then you will see "More". To the left of the pick list a menu of command keys appears. This is how you manipulate the Pick List. The commands are as follow: <F1:> <Alt-M> Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 4 If the file you want to use is displayed in the list, pressing F1 will activate the cursor bar, place the cursor bar on the file name and press Enter. This will place the filename in memory. This filename will be the default entry for all future operations, until changed by you, or program exit. Pressing Enter while the cursor bar is on a directory entry, FNP will change to that directory and display those files. NOTE: When the Cursor Bar is active, you may Abort the Pick List by pressing Esc. <F2:> <DownArrow> Show More If there are more files to display, pressing F2 will display the next 19 entries. You may press F2 (the More key) as often as you like, until you reach the last entries. If you need to review the files that have already passed then press...... <F3:> <UpArrow> Re-Display - This will start the process all over again, just as if you had just called up the list. <F4:> <Alt-S> New FileSpec - If you wish to change the search filespec, this key will accomadate you. Enter the new FileSpec and begin again. <F5:> <Alt-C> CD.. Pressing this key will cause FNP to change to the Parent Directory of the one you are currently in. <F6:> <Esc> Quit List As long as the Cursor Bar is not active F6 will put away the Pick List and return you to the Main Menu. NOTE: Once the Cursor Bar has been activated, the Function Key Commands will not be operable, nor will the Alternate Keys. >> NOTE: The Pick List only puts the FileName into the global variable, files chosen here are expected to be in the directory you are currently working in. To print a file in another directory you need to either, change directory in the pick list, or manualy type in the \dir\filename using the Enter Name option. Or, change dir via the Change Directory window. You can also use the Pick List to change directory, just highlight a dir in the list and press enter, the window will then list the files in the new directory, based on the current file spec. >> Default File Name: As mentioned above, the file name that is chosen or entered in the Name File section, will become the Default file name for ALL future operations in Format 'n Print, until you specify another file. This name will be automatically entered into many of the popup windows for specific operations. USING FLOPPY FILES: You can run FNP on files that reside on a floppy drive. To do so you Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 5 MUST us Change Dir to log onto the floppy drive. In the Change Dir window just type A:\ (or whatever drive you want) and press enter. You cannot change to a floppy from the pick list. And if you enter a floppy file name in ENTER NAME, you will get a runtime error when you attempt to Format the file. So be sure to log onto the floppy using Change Dir first! Your newly formatted file and the backup file will be placed on the logged floppy. All work will be done on the current drive. BE SURE to change back to the HARD DRIVE when your formatting work is done. FORMAT: (The "Meat" of the program) Here is where you tell FNP how you want the text file paginated, what to place in the Headers, to print page numbers or not, and how many lines per page you want. Choosing FORMAT will pop up a window for you to enter the formatting parameters into. You will notice that the <File Name> you specified in NAME FILE is already entered into the File to Format field, and the cursor skips it, if you want to change it you have to go back to the NAME FILE menu. NOTE: you cannot leave this window until you reach the last field, this was done so that the user would not leave out some info, abort, then try to print the file etc. NOTE: If you choose FORMAT without having first specified a file to format, you will get an error message. >> Entering Parameters: First, an important note; FNP will allow you to type an entry that is longer than the field, but will only use the specified length. Left: 12 Center: 40 Footer: 50 Keep this in mind! Pressing <Enter> on a blank field will cause FNP to create the header using blanks, this is done so that if you want NO headers, but wish to have the page number printed on each page, the Page number will be printed in its proper place. Also, shorter header entries will cause the Page No. to be placed closer to the left side of the paper. So if having the Page# at the far right of the paper is important to you, type blanks (spacebar) after short headers, until you reach the end of the field. The editing available in the Header/Footer fields is the Backspace and Esc key. If you make a mistake you can Backspace and correct it, or pressing Esc will erase the field and return to the beginning so you can retype your entry. You will have the opportunity to change things before leaving the window also. >> Left Header: Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 6 The first entry you will make is Left Header, this field will accept up to 12 characters. Its assumed you would enter the file name, such as FNP.DOC..... but you can put anything you want. >> Center Header: Next you Enter the type you want displayed in the Top Center of each page, up to 40 Characters. Again, if full spacing is important, add blanks after a short header. >> Bottom Footer: This is placed at the bottom of each page, it is indented 3 spaces from the left of the paper. You are allowed 50 characters here. >>Right Header: This is not editable. Right Header is "Page" + the page number. If you do NOT want the Page numbers printed, you can specify that in the next field. >>Page Number?: (Keypress Y/N) If you do NOT want the page numbers printed, press 'N' else press 'Y' Pressing a key other than Y or N will cause FNP to wait right there until you give a correct answer.(Its stubborn sometimes...) >>Lines Per Page: Here you tell FNP how many lines per page you want printed. The defaults are a minimum of (7) and a maximum of (64). If you enter a number less than 7 or greater than 64 FNP will enter the default for you. This field will not allow any characters, only numbers. FNP will stay there until you type in number type characters. FNP prints (1)a blank line (2) the top headers (3) a blank line then all text lines........................... then (1) a blank line (2) Footer (3) a blank line. Thats 6 lines not counting text, allowing for just one line of text, (why would you only want one line?) gives us our 7 line minimum. A standard 8x11 page with 6 lines per inch gives us a total of 66 lines per page allowed. But the printer doesn't always start at the very top of the page, so we need to have a little margin of safety, thus the 64 line maximum. The previous versions of Format 'n Print worked on an assumed line length of 80 charecters, which is the standard. But ver 2.0 allows setting of the printer to 96 and 137 charecters for those special documents. More information on this later. >> What Do You Want To Do?: Now you tell FNP to continue or not; your choices are: <F> Format <C> Change <A> Abort >> Change: <C> Pressing 'C' will cause FNP to clear all the fields except the File Name and start over prompting you for new parameters. >> Abort: <A> Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 7 When you Abort, FNP clears all formatting parameters and sets the File Name to 'nothing'. This means that you have to choose a new file to format, or re-choose the original file. You will be returned to the Main Menu. >> Format: <F> When you choose Format, the first thing FNP does is save your original file to a Backup File named FILENAME.FNP. If the file already exists it will be deleted before backup takes place. Then a window pops up that shows a running display of the Formatting process. It lists the File Name, Lines per page specified, and whether or not the Page Number header is being printed. It also displays all headers that are being inserted. At the bottom of the window will be displayed a running total of Lines Read, Lines Written, Pages Created. When the Formatting process has been completed, a tone will sound and a window will display a message informing you that the process is complete, and reminding you that the original file has been saved as a backup file. The file will have the original filename with an extension of .FNP PRINT: Choices: Send Codes - Do Print - Exit Menu You can print your newly formatted file from within FNP. The program will check the printer status, and inform you if there is a problem. It will also check to make sure the file you specified is available to print. >> Printing other files: You can print ANY file from within FNP, it does not have to be a file that has been formatted. Just specify the file in NAME FILE, then choose Print. Easy! >> Send Codes: Will present another Menu with 3 selections, 80 CPL - 96 CPL and 137 CPL. Thus, if for some reason, you have created a document with 96 or 132+ characters per line, you will be able to print them from within FNP. NOTE: Header and Page number spacing is still based on 80 CPL. The codes sent to the printer are based on the Epson standard printer codes. If it doesn't work for your printer I apologise. I may possibly implement a section to insert your own codes, if it proves to be an item most users want. The default printer codes are always 80 charecters per line. CHANGE DIR: Choosing this Item pops up a window for you to type in a new directory name. This field accepts up to 30 characters and can be a DRIVE\DIRECTORY\FILENAME entry. If the directory you specify cannot be found you will receive an error message and be returned to the window to try again. To abort Change Directory just press Enter on the blank field. As with the Enter Name window, the Backspace key Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 8 can be used to correct typing mistakes, or the Esc key to erase the entry and start over. You may also log onto a floppy drive, or any other valid DOS drive. OTHER: Blank Screen: Blanks the screen to black, and displays a floating box that tells you the Screen Saver is working, pressing <Spacebar> will return you to the Menu. <D> Dos Shell: Immediately takes you to the DOS command line. FNP searches the ENVIRONMENT for the COMSPEC statement which always points to the location of Command.Com. If Command.Com cannot be found, an error message will be displayed and you will be returned to FNP. Calling the DOS shell loads a second copy of command.com into memory temporarily, so FNP must be able to find it, or the DOS shell will abort. When FNP shells to DOS it uses about 73k of available memory, this should leave you more than enough, depending on your system configuration, to run most any other program. Typing "EXIT" at the command prompt will return you to FNP >> IMPORTANT << WHILE YOU ARE SHELLED TO DOS.. DO NOT LOAD ANY TSR TYPE PROGRAMS, DO NOT RELOAD FNP Its possible to have more than one copy of FNP in memory at the same time, which while NOT recommended, if done properly, could be a useful asset. If you do so, you do so at YOUR OWN RISK! The next two options are things that could be done by Shelling to DOS, but are much more easily done here in FNP. Also, if the file FNPFILE.OLD cannot be found you will receive an error message. Undo Format: If you view your newly formatted file, and find that its not quite to your satisfaction, you can Recover the original file with this command. It will erase the new file then rename <FileName.fnp> to the original filename. * This should only be done during the current session and before a new file to format has been specified. <R> Rename .FNP: This will prompt you for a new name for the backup file FILENAME.FNP you can rename it to the more conventional <filename.bak> or anything else you desire. Again, this can be done from the prompt through the Shell etc, but is faster here. THe next two options require that the FNP.CFG file be set up with the names of your viewer and editor, to work properly. These Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 9 functions are only available in the Registered version of FNP. <V> Viewer Call A window pops up in which you can enter switches for the viewer, and the file to view. If you have NAMED a file for FNP to process, then the switch/file window pops up with that name already entered. <E> Editor Call Works exactly like the viewer. >> KEYS AVAILABLE: For Viewer and Editor To view or edit the file that is automatically entered into the file spec/switch window, simply press <F10> this will call the program and open that file. * This is assuming that the viewer or editor you are using accepts a file name when starting the program.* Pressing <Del> will erase the entered name and allow you to enter a file name in manually. Once you have entered in a name manually, then only the backspace and Esc key function for retyping or starting the process, just like the file name or Change Dir window. >>NOTE: If a file name has not been specified for FNP to use, when the window pops up, press Esc once before typing in the file name into the blank window. The reason for this is that FNP assumes that the file name has been automatically entered, and checks the first keypress to see if it is F10 or DEL, so what happens is if you just start typing, the first letter of your filename will not be entered. If you wish to call the Viewer/Editor without a filename, just press F10. This will call the program as though you had started it at the Dos prompt without a file name. QUIT: A sub menu pops up with Yes and No. No is the current choice in case the Q key press was a mistake. AUTO SCREEN BLANK: After (3) three minutes of inactivity FNP will automatically call the Screen Saver. This only applies to Menus, if there is an entry window up on the screen, the screen saver will NOT be called. >> If you have a Sub-Menu showing, after three minutes FNP will put that Sub-Menu away, then wait another three minutes before calling the Screen Saver. HINT: When the Main Menu is displayed, without any Sub-Menus or entry windows displayed, pressing Esc will call the screen saver. If you do this unintentionally, just press Spacebar to return to the Menu. Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 10 The Screen Saver box now shows the current directory you are in. MY COMMENTS: I have attempted to make FNP fairly foolproof as far as error handling goes, but I'm only human...(unless you talk to my wife) and there is the chance I have missed something, that "someone" will do something I did not think of. If you experience a problem, or get an error that stops the program...PLEASE! notify me right away, and I will fix the problem and implement it into the registered version before sending. If a problem is found, all registered users will receive a fixed copy as soon as its ready. I can be reached by several means. Phone: (510) 651-0253 Ask for Rand If you get my wife, or the answering machine, please leave your name, number, and a brief description of the problem, and I will get back to you ASAP! (See SUPPORT below) Net Mail: 1:215/777 or 1:161/42 Rand Nowell Compuserve ID: 76124,761 (Checked 1-2 times a month) FIDO Net: Shareware conference Rand Nowell Mail: Rand Nowell RaLin Enterprises 49728 Sundale Dr. Fremont, Ca. 94538 SUPPORT: Registered users receive full unlimited support, if I have to call you back, it will be on my dime! Unregistered users will receive help, but if I have to call, expect a collect one. See the REGISTER.DOC file for our Registration plans and what you get when you register. If you have any comments (good or bad) or suggestions, please use the Comments/Suggestions form attached to the Registration. Thank You! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Format 'n Print was written with Turbo Pascal version 6.0, a product of Borland International. A GREAT programming language! Thanks Borland, for a job well done. All screens in Format 'n Print were created with the Saywhat! screen generator, a product of Software Science. Saywhat is hands down the best utility to create and manipulate screens from within MANY Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It FNP.DOC Format 'n Print Documentation Ver 2.1 Page 11 programming languages. My appreciation to Software Science. To the original users of the Basic FNP who prompted me to develop it into a marketable product. You are ALL !GREAT! To those of you who Register, Thanks for helping support the SHAREWARE CONCEPT! Registering this and other products, give the authors incentive to continue enhancements and to develop new products for your use. < eof FNP.DOC > Big Changes are Commin! Next Release! Watch For It