The Final Frontier 9/Final Frontier 9 (Disk 2 of 3).adf/LCARS/TextFile/LCARS_Text/LCARS_Guide.pp/LCARS_Guide

Text File | 1992-03-06 | 17KB | 372 lines

TF01
4,LCARS GUIDE
2,LCARS Release 2.2 User's Guide

INTRODUCTION
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
What is  LCARS?  LCARS  (or  Library  Computer  Access  and Retrieval
System) is the interface between  the  main  computer and the user on
all new and recently  refitted  StarFleet  vessels. Older vessels are
currently  undergoing  modification  in   their   computer  cores  to
incorporate and make best use of  the new software, which is intended
to be the mainstay of StarFleet  computers  for  years to come. It is
designed in such a way  that  upgrades  can be incorporated with ease
due to its modular design -  for  example, if the Environment control
program is improved upon, the  existing  software for that particular
sub-system may be removed and  replaced  without touching other areas
of LCARS.

LCARS is a completely new  type  of  interface for starships. In 23rd
century vessels, the emphasis in software design was on functionality
and not user-friendliness. This led  to many problems since different
sub-systems could be  totally  different  in  design,  with no common
thread running through them. Indeed,  the design of computer software
had not advanced a great deal  since  the late 20th century, although
the technology involved had.  With  the  commissioning  of the Galaxy
class project in July of  2343,  the  Advanced Starship Design Bureau
(ASDB) decided that major improvements  in software functionality and
user-friendliness were required, and for this reason computer systems
were one of the areas given priority to the design centres.

LCARS  provides  both  keyboard   and  verbal  interface  capability,
incorporating highly sophisticated  artificial  intelligence routines
and graphic displays for  maximum  crew  ease of use. (Unfortunately,
due to  problems  in  storage  of  the  LCARS  software,  the version
currently running does not  contain  any verbal recognition routines,
although you can talk to the console if you wish.)


USING LCARS
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
LCARS was designed to be as  easy  and  intuitive to use as possible.
However, you  may  be  experiencing  some  difficulties  so  a  short
description of its main features follows in the next section.

The  standard  LCARS  display  is   split into two distinct sections.
The  upper   section  contains    a  main  "title"  for  the  current
operation. Below the main  title  is   a   further line of text which
may contain additional details. The lower  section  is where the real
action takes place. This may contain  gadgets to control the  menuing
system, or text to read  (such   as now),  preferences  to adjust  or
questions  to answer. A brief description  of all these modes follows
in a while.

There are usually gadgets in both  sections of the display. The upper
section will generally always contain  two  gadgets - the INFO gadget
in the top-left corner and a screen-flip gadget. The INFO gadget will
display information relative to  the  current  mode of operation. The
screen-flip gadget can be used to place  the LCARS screen at the back
of the display in the multi-tasking  Amiga environment and is located
in the top right  hand  corner  of  the  screen.  Click there to swap
screens.

This standard LCARS display layout is  used  for all modes EXCEPT the
viewing of graphics files - see section GFXMODE for more information.


MENU MODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Menu mode uses a series  of  MenuFiles  which contain data describing
the layout of the current  display.  These MenuFiles also contain the
information which tells LCARS what to  do  when a gadget is clicked -
either display a  new  menu  or  perhaps  a  text  file  (see section
TEXTMODE), as well  as  performing  many  other  varied  and exciting
functions.

During MenuMode, the lower  LCARS  display  contains  a maximum of 28
user definable  gadgets  which  can  be  clicked  on  with  the LCARS
pointer. This will perform one of the functions listed below:

        i.      Display a new MenuFile with new options.
        ii.     Display a TextFile for the user to read.
        iii.    Play a music module (various formats supported).
        iv.     Play a sound sample.
        v.      Display a (slideshow of) picture(s).
        vi.     Play quiz game.
        vii.    Execute an external program.

When you click on a gadget which has  a function hooked on to it, the
gadget will highlight. However, some gadgets  do not have a function,
so do not highlight.  Listen  for  the different sounds when clicking
the mouse - sound familiar?

During Menu mode, the gadgets  around  the  screen have the following
functions:

        INFO    Brings up  an  info  requester  showing  the  current
                version of the LCARS software. It is also possible to
                quit the LCARS environment from here.

        MAIN    Will reload and redisplay the initial menu.

        PREV    Will reload and redisplay the  most previous menu. In
                future this may have a  history, so it remembers your
                menu selections over a period of time.

        PREFS   This will bring up a screen from which you can change
                various aspects of LCARS operation  - more on this in
                section PREFSMODE.

        MUSIC   Display the Music Control requester. See below.


MenuMode also has many keyboard shortcuts built in if you do not wish
to use the mouse. On gadgets  such  as  MAIN, PREV and PREFS you will
notice that one of the letters  on the gadget is underlined. Pressing
this key on the keyboard will  have  the same affect as clicking that
gadget. Many gadgets throughout the  whole LCARS environment use this
feature - so look out for it.

The selection of actual menu items is also possible via the keyboard.
Pressing the UP or DOWN cursor  key  will display a small cursor next
to a gadget. Pressing the UP,  DOWN,  LEFT  or RIGHT cursor keys will
now move this cursor around the Menu. Pressing RETURN will select the
highlighted gadget  in  a  similar  way  to  clicking  it.  Any other
keypress will clear the cursor.


TEXT MODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Text mode uses TextFiles which  contain  data describing the main and
sub titles for the screen, as well  as the actual text and colours to
display.

During TextMode the screen display will  change  and you will see the
text file, along will seven gadgets  on  the left side of the screen.
You may be thinking, "Phew.  What  a  lot  of gadgets!" But there are
more, just wait! However, the first set will be the following:

        INFO      Display information about the  features of TextMode
                  and keyboard shortcuts.

        RETURN    Return to MenuMode with most recent MenuFile

        NEXT      Scroll the file down by one page

        PREV      Scroll the file up by one page

        NEXTLINE  Scroll the file down by one line

        PREVLINE  Scroll the file up by one line

        2nd MENU  Display the second set of gadgets

If you click on the "2nd   MENU"  gadget, the five gadgets bottommost
in the display will be  replaced  by  a  new set, detailed below (the
INFO and RETURN gadgets remain the same):

        PRINT     If you have a printer  attached, use this gadget to
                  dump the  TextFile  to  paper.  Printer preferences
                  will be set up  to  the  EPSONX printer driver. You
                  could replace  the  Devs/System-Configuration  file
                  with your own  (1.2/1.3  users  only)  and copy the
                  required  printer  driver  to  Devs/Printers/.  For
                  2.0/3.0 users, it  may  be  more  trouble than it's
                  worth to set up a  printer,  unless you have a copy
                  of 1.3 Preferences at hand. The setting of printers
                  may be a future addition to LCARS Prefs.

                  Note that as of LCARS  2.2  printing is carried out
                  in the background. Once the  standard TFF header is
                  printed you can  carry  on reading/viewing whatever
                  as before. However,  you  can't  print another file
                  until the first print request is finished!

        TOP       Click this  gadget  to  move  to  the  top  of  the
                  TextFile.

        GOTO      Clicking this  gadget  will  bring  up  a requester
                  asking for a percentage  to  move  to  in the file.
                  Alternatively, pressing  SHIFT  while  clicking the
                  GOTO gadget will bring  up  a  requester asking for
                  text to search for in the file.

        BOTTOM    Move to the bottom of the TextFile.

        1st MENU  Display the first set of gadgets, detailed above.

In the top left-hand corner of  the  screen you should see some text.
This is information about the current position in the TextFile:

        xxx% How far into the file, in percent
        aaa/bbb Current page of Total pages

This is mainly included for use  with the GOTO function. For example,
if you are reading a long  file  and  you  run out of time and cannot
read it all, simply  note  the  percentage  in  the  top  left of the
screen, and when you come  back  to  the  file  you  can use the GOTO
function to move straight there!

Clicking in the top half of the  main text display will scroll up one
page (if possible) and clicking in  the  bottom half will scroll down
one page. For all you devpac  users, pressing CTRL-Up/Down arrow will
move to the top or bottom of  the file respectively (along with T and
B). For more information on keyboard  shortcuts in TextMode, click on
the INFO gadget while in TextMode - now, if you like!


GFXMODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
GfxMode is much simpler than MenuMode or TextMode. It simply displays
a series of `IFF ILBM'  picture  files,  which you advance through by
clicking the left mouse button.  You  can  terminate the slideshow be
clicking with the right mouse button - a requester appears to confirm
your decision.

GfxMode uses a file known as  a  "GfxList" which simply lists all the
files required to be displayed. While the picture is loading, you can
admire the United Federation of Planets logo and the special animated
LCARS wait pointer!

Alternatively, a single picture may be  displayed - you can terminate
the viewing by pressing either mouse button.

In  the  Release  2.0  User's  Guide   I  suggested  that  a  `future
enhancement to GfxMode will be the ability to explicitly select which
picture of a slideshow you  wish  to  view,  or all as previously, or
beginning from a particular  slide...'   However,  this is not really
necessary due to the way The  Final Frontier menus are arranged, with
a menu item for each picture and  one to display the whole slideshow.
However, if anyone feels  this  might  be  a  useful  addition, I may
consider it.


QUIZMODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
This is a game mode, where  you  can be asked various questions about
... anything. QuizMode  uses  a  custom  file-type  (QuizFiles) which
contain data describing  the  questions,  answers  and  comments upon
answering a question.

Once in QuizMode, the screen will  show  the  first question (up to a
maximum of four  lines  of  text)  and  a  maximum  of  four possible
answers. Once you have read the  question and thought of your answer,
you should click on the answer  you  think  is correct with the mouse
pointer. If you are correct,  you  may  receive  a comment about some
little facet of life or possibly an  extra credit (one given every 10
correct answers). However, if you are  wrong  you will loose a credit
and be sent to the Captain!

Once you have answered, you can  press either mouse button to advance
to the next question (a message  on  screen  reminds you of this). At
this point your statistics will be updated.  If you look to the right
of the portion of the display containing the answers, you will see:

        QUESTION ...... The number of questions asked.
        CORRECT ....... Number you have answered correctly.
        CREDITS ....... The number of credits remaining.

At the start of the game you will have 3 credits, which will decrease
by one each time you get  an  answer  wrong. If the number of credits
you have reaches zero,  the  game  will  end  and  display the status
screen (see below). If you  answer  ten questions correctly, you will
receive an extra credit.

Once you have either answered  all  questions,  or perhaps run out of
credits, the status  screen  will  appear.  You  can  read the really
interesting facts and laugh  at  your  acquired  StarFleet rank (with
pips). Hah! You should try again.

While in QuizMode, there are two  main  gadgets  on the screen - QUIT
and RESET. Quit  will  display  the  status  screen,  with options as
described above. Reset will reshuffle  the  questions, give you three
credits again - basically, start  the  game  again.  Or, as they say,
reset.


SOUNDMODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
There are currently two modes  of  operation for SoundMode. These are
the ability to play sound  samples  and  the  ability to play various
types of music modules.

Only  raw  samples  are  supported  (the  frequency  to  play  at  is
determined by data in the MenuFile)  in the sample mode, although two
module type are supported for playing music:
                MED
                ProTracker v3

There are two ways of loading  a  module  (although both might not be
available).  The older way  of  loading  a  module  is  to click on a
standard menu gadget which is set up to play a module. However, there
was a much more advanced method introduced with LCARS 2.1...

In the bottom left of the  LCARS  display is a gadget labelled MUSIC.
If you click on this, the  MUSIC  CONTROL  window will appear. If the
MusicList feature (as it is  called)  is  active, there will be three
active gadgets which are used to control the module selection.

The slider gadget on the right of  the window will scroll up and down
a list of all the available  modules.  When  the  name of the one you
wish to play is in the display to  the left of these arrows, click on
the name of the module.

Now to load and play the  selected  module, click on the PLAY gadget.
If a module is already playing,  LCARS  will  ask if you wish to stop
that module and play the  new  one,  or  cancel the operation. If you
continue, the module should load and start to play. Another requester
will appear giving information about  the  module. To stop the module
playing, simply click the STOP gadget.

The slider gadget below these  can  be  used  to control the speed of
playback of the module. To the right  will play the module faster, to
the left is slower. (Note that it  is not yet possible to control the
tempo of MED modules.) Have fun with this...

Finally, the OK  gadget  exits  MUSIC  CONTROL  with  settings as you
input.


PREFSMODE
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
PrefsMode is where you  alter  your  personal configuration of LCARS.
This is currently only  the  color  palette,  but  will expand in the
future.

PrefsMode currently has one major drawback  - you can't actually save
your Preferences! Well, this is not  strictly  true, but I can't tell
you how to do it!  It  would  seem  as  though  the whole of Infinite
Frontiers except me thinks this is a  bad idea! What do you think? If
you want to see the save function reactivated, TELL SIMON PLEASE!!!

When you click on the  PREFS  gadget  from  within MenuMode, you will
enter PrefsMode. The screen  will  change, displaying various gadgets
with which you make your configurations. The screen gadgets will also
have changed to the following:

        INFO    Interesting information about PrefsMode.
        USE     Use the current settings, leave PrefsMode.
        CANCEL  Leave PrefsMode, restoring old settings.
        RESET   Restore settings to those before entering PrefsMode
        DEFAULT Change settings to those used by LCARS in its default
                state.
        MUSIC   See section SOUNDMODE.

With the Palette facilities it  is  possible  to  change the 8 colors
used by LCARS to your personal  requirements.  You should see a large
box with 3 smaller boxes inside.  Along  the bottom of the larger box
should be 8 gadgets - these are used  to select the color you wish to
edit. By default, this is white  when  you enter PrefsMode. To edit a
different color, simply click on  the  color gadget which corresponds
to that color. To the left of  the  main  box  there is a tall box of
which the internal  color  will  change  to  represent  the currently
selected color. Try clicking on a few  color selections to see what I
mean.

To the right of the  tall  box  are  three  little boxes which should
contain letters/numbers. This is the HEX  value  of the red, green or
blue component of the  currently  selected  color.  (Red  at the top,
green in the middle and blue  at  the  bottom,  as shown by the three
boxes to the right of the main palette display.)

To edit the current color, use the gadgets inside the main box. These
are sliders which move from one end to the other and change the value
of the corresponding component between 0  and  $f (15). You can click
and hold the button and  then  drag  the  mouse  to see the effect of
changing the color values, since  the  color  will change as you move
the mouse. You should not experience any problems since the operation
is similar to all palette programs.


Luke Elliott, 13/2/1995.