PCMANDEM\DEMO.DOC ·
DOC ·
32.4 KB ·
1989-08-29 ·
from WhatMicro_The-PC-Manager_1989
INTRODUCTION TO THE PC MANAGER - DEMO VERSION
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The PC Manager is a memory resident hierarchical menu driver for
applications packages and only requires 8K of RAM when using the
Maximum Memory option. It allows up to 200 applications to be set up and
supports sub-menus which can nested up to five deep. It offers an
optional password protection facility which can be used to create a multi
user environment for up to 30 users on a single PC.
This version of the PC Manager, the Demo Version, contains only some of
the many features available with the full PC Manager V2.0. These are
described below.
Powerful Command Line functions, one of which is a front end File
Selector,enable you to automatically load files into your applications. An
easy to use Applications Loader is provided to enable easy selection of
applications into the Menu Driver.
In the multi user mode The PC Manager Demo enables you to set two users
each with their own User Id and Password, and to give them
restricted access to the applications set up on the menu driver. It is
important to realise that The PC Manager is not for use on a network,
but as mentioned above it can be used in a multi user environment
with a System Sign On procedure. For the single user it may not be
necessary to have the sign on, but this can be easily bypassed in the
installation procedure.
A set of `Pop-Up' utilities are obtained from anywhere in the PC Manager
by pressing Alt/M. These include a Phone Book,Note Pad, Calendar,
Calculator and an Auto Reminder which is interactive with the Diary.
An Auto Task feature allows predetermined tasks to be carried out at
Sign On or Sign Off. Only the Calculator and Note Pad are available on
this Demo.
An optional setup feature is "Guard Against Burn in." This will switch off
the the screen image after 5 minutes if there is no keyboard input, thus
preventing phosphor "Burn In" associated with mono displays.
If The PC Manager Demo is set up in multi user mode then each user will
have their own personal Note Pad (plus Diary and Auto Reminder in full
version.)
Included within the full PC Manager and obtainable from the Main Menu
are a Private Address Book, Company Address Book, Label Designer,
Calendar driven Diary, Screen Logo Designer, ASCII editor and a File
Manager.
INSTALLATION
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To install The PC Manager from DOS enter :- A:INSTALL
At this stage the appropriate files will be copied across to drive C and
placed in a new directory \PCMANDEM.
The demo installation program, DEMINST.EXE will now be run and is required
to be run before the PC Manager can be used.
The setup program will now be executed.
SETUP
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Set Up Prompts are as Follows;
System Date is ==========> This gives you warning of the system date.
Password protection Y/N ==> 'Y' will set up password protection and the
optional multi user environment.
Guard Against 'Burn in' ?==> This will switch off the screen image if,
after 5 minutes, no keys have been pressed.
This is useful if you are using a mono
display because a "Ghosting" effect can be
caused when the screen is exposed, for long
periods of time, to the same image.
Phone key, Private or Company (P/C) ==> One of the utilities in The PC
Manager is a function key that
will enable you to directly
access the Phone Book within
the Address Book selected here.
Mono, LCD, Colour (M/L/C) ============> There are three sets of screen
configuration files to choose
from. The LCD file has been
configured to work with the LCD
screens on most portables.
Do you want to customise colours =====> Entering 'Y' at this prompt
will enable you to modify the
screen configuration file
selected previously.
Now enter the command "MENU", this will now initiate the PC Manager Demo.
If you have selected password protection then you will now be required to
sign on to The PC Manager. See 'Initial System Sign On' for instructions
on how to do this.
SYSTEM SIGN ON
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Initial System Sign On
If password protection has been selected, creating a multi user
environment, then after the logo has been displayed the user will be
required to sign on to The PC Manager (single users will need only to
press a key on the keyboard to continue). This entails entering a
personal User ID and Password. However, after installation there will be
no user file, therefore, to sign on for the first time, the following User
ID and Password will have to be entered :
FIRST (initial User ID)
TIME (initial Password)
Having entered the initial User ID and Password and gained access to The
PC Manager the following menu options will be displayed :
1. System Setup
2. Diary
3. Address Books
4. Quick Ed
5. Screen Logo Designer
6. File Manager
7. Dos Utilities
8. Exit to DOS
To set up new users and applications the System Setup option should be
selected. This is done by moving the select bar using the cursor up and
down keys.
Remember that you are a new user at this stage so you will need to set
yourself up in the User File in order to gain access to the utilities
included in The PC Manager (i.e. the Address Books, Logo Designer and the
Diary). See 'New User' in the System Setup section for more details.
Both the User ID and the Password can be between four and eight characters
in length. A series of hashes '#' will be displayed in the password field
so as not to reveal your password to other users. If an incorrect User ID
or Password is entered then an error message will appear at the bottom of
the screen and the fields will need to be entered again.
A password can be changed at any time by pressing Alt and M. This will
give you the Utility Menu,but in this version (DEMO VERSION) this
utility cannot be performed.
To sign off from The PC Manager and to leave the logo displayed hit the
"Esc" key twice.
MAIN MENU
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The Main Menu will be the first screen to be displayed after the sign on
if you have selected password protection. If you have not, then it will
be the first screen after the logo has been displayed.
The Main Menu consists of the menu driver, a calendar with real-time clock
and date in highlights, and the following utilities which are obtained by
pressing the Alt key along with the relevant function key:
Alt/F1 - Phone This enables you to have direct access to the
Phone Book within the Address Book selected
in the installation procedure.
Alt/F2 - Note Pad The note pad is a text editor which can be
saved and printed. File names are allocated to
the notes which are recorded by date and time.
Alt/F3 - Calculator This is a seven function calculator with two
memories which can be made to pop up within The
PC Manager.
Alt/F4 - Auto Reminder This is a personal reminder facility which can
hold up to 18 reminders over any period and is
interactive with the diary. It also pops up
within The PC Manager.
% - Disk Full Although this is not a function key it is
displayed alongside the functions and shows
the amount of disk space used as a percentage.
In this Demo version only the Calculator and the Note Pad can be accessed.
These utilities are explained in further detail under the Utilities
section .
The PC Manager will hold up to 200 menu items including sub menus
providing there is enough disk space. The different menus are obtained
by pressing Pg Up or Pg Dn. The menus can be listed in single or double
width columns so that you will have either a maximum of nine or eighteen
menu items per menu screen. Included in The PC Manager and displayed on
the Main Menu are the following optional utilities which are not
memory resident :
System Setup This option enables you to control the
addition, updating and deletion of users and
menus on The PC Manager. See below.
Diary The diary feature is a calendar driven diary
which works on a daily basis and will hold up
to 18 entries per day. Entries can be printed
and posted to the Auto Reminder if required.
Address Books There are two Address Books supplied, a
Private Address Book and a Company Address
Book. You can have either or both but only one
can be linked up to the Phone key (F1).
Logo Designer This facility enables you to design your own
Logo which will be displayed when you first
start the computer and when you sign off.
Exit to DOS This allows you to leave The PC Manager and
exit in to DOS. The option supplied leaves The
PC Manager and replaces you in a root
directory of the default drive.
In addition to these utilities there is a Utility Menu that can be
accessed by pressing "Alt" and "M". This will display a window, with the
following options available:-
Phone Book This allows you to access the Phone book for the
selected address book.(Company or Private).
Note Pad This command allows you to use the integral
Note Pad of the PC Manager. Each user has his
own note pad that can only be accessed by that
user.
Calculator This allows you to use the PC Manager
calculator.
Reminder The auto reminder function is accessed from
this window.
Auto Task This enables predetermined tasks to be carried
out at Sign On or Sign Off.
Calendar This command allows access to a the "Wall
Chart" calendar.
Date and Time This command allows you to set the date and
time in the PC Manager.
Set Alarm This command allows you to set the time of
the screen alarm.
Password From this command the password can be changed.
System Info This command presents the data in the
configuration file.
SYSTEM SETUP
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The System Setup utility controls the menu driver set up and the User
File if password protection has been selected. Screen colours may be
customised, and you have the option to turn password protection on and off
by using the configuration option. The PC Manager utilities can still be
used by using the appropriate function keys with the Alt key, or from the
Utility Menu (Alt and M.)
Single User Mode.
If the PC has been set up for single user operation then once System
Setup has been selected the following options will appear on the System
Setup menu :
1 Menu Setup
2 Configuration
Multi User Mode (password protection).
If password protection has been selected in the installation procedure
then the System Setup menu will read as follows :
1 Menu Setup
2 Configuration
3 Add a New User
4 Update a User File
5 Delete a User
6 View a User File
1 Menu Setup
By selecting option 1 from the System Setup menu the Menu Setup screen
will appear . This displays all menu items and sub menus once they
have been entered.
A total of 200 menu items can be listed within the Menu Setup, including
the nested submenu's which will nest up to 5 layers deep, and which can
either be listed in single or double column width. To scroll through the
list of menu items you will need to use the cursor keys or Pgup and Pgdn.
At the bottom of the screen are five function boxes which enable the user
to work within the setup program.
Edit Help.
If you are selecting ADD or UPDATE there is a set of edit help boxes which
give help when adding and updating menu names . The same rule applies
here as for the function boxes in that you press the highlighted
part of the function on the keyboard. The first is the return or enter
key which takes you down to the next field. If you press the return or
enter key after the command line field then the information will be
entered. The next key is the F2 key and is used for entering the menu
information once completed. Next and Previous are used to move up and
down the fields without entering anything and the last key is the Esc key
which is used to quit from the setup procedure.
Using the ADD function.
This will allow you to enter a new application onto the menu driver and is
obtained by pressing "A" or moving the highlighted bar to Add and pressing
Enter. Notice the edit help as explained above.
Menu Name.
The first field on the Menu Setup entry screen is for the menu name of
the application being added. (Help Message - 'Enter Menu Name'). You must
enter the name of the application in the format that you want it to appear
on the menu driver. This is the only field which appears on the menu
driver and no duplicate menu names are allowed here.
Path.
When the menu name has been entered the cursor will move to the next field
where the Help Message will change to 'Enter DOS Path'. This field is for
the DOS path and should contain the drive letter followed by a colon and a
directory path. If the path is to the root directory then you should
enter the drive letter followed by a colon and a backwards slash.
When first entering this field there is already a drive letter and a slash
present which can be used or changed.
If you do not know the path (the directory that the application program is
in) press enter to continue, the Application Loader will be implemented at
the Execute Name field.
Execute Name.
Here it is necessary to enter the execute name of the application (Help
Message - 'Enter Program Name with file type (.EXE, .COM or .BAT)').
A check is made to ensure that the Path field given for the application is
valid and also that the program exists in the directory specified in the
Path field. You may find at this point that you have entered the incorrect
path for the application or you may have forgotten the name of the
executable file of the application. You also will be prompted at the
bottom of the screen with the HELP Message -"Press F3 to use Application
Loader". Press F3.
Using the Page Up and Page Down keys, you can "Page Through" the
directories. Using the cursor up and cursor down keys, you can look at
directories individually and, you will also notice, that in the field
marked "Files..." the .EXE .COM and .BAT files contained in the directory
that is highlighted are displayed.
If the required directory is on another drive press "F2", this will change
the drives sequentially; at the required drive press enter. On finding the
correct directory, position the select bar over the required directory and
press enter.
The .EXE .COM and .BAT files can know be "Paged Through" or stepped
through using the cursor UP and cursor DOWN / cursor LEFT and cursor RIGHT
keys until the correct Application file is found. Press enter. The
correct Path and Execute Name will be transferred to the Menu Setup
Screen.
Command Line.
This field is used to send a command line parameter to the application
program being added. For example, if you are using a word processor (and
it accepts a command line) and are continually working on a particular
document, then you may want to set up a menu selection that automatically
loads the document when you execute your word processor. (Help Message -
'Enter parameters to be passed or 'Enter' for none').
Two hashes '##' at the beginning of the command line entry will inform The
PC Manager that the Front End File Selector is to be used to obtain a file
name and send it to the application being loaded. The command line entry
will take the following format :
## Drive:\Path\ [File definition]
or &&## Drive:\Path\ [File definition] (maximum memory option)
If the file definition is omitted then The PC Manager will prompt the user
for a file definition before using the file selector. This can use DOS
wild cards which can form part of name or just the file types. See the
examples below.
C:\WORD\ file definition will be entered later
C:\WORD\*.DOC all files with file type 'DOC'
C:\WORD\*.* all files in 'WORD' directory
If only the path description is entered as shown in the first example The
PC Manager will prompt you for a file name definition before using the
file selector.
Maximum Memory Option
When shelling out to an application from the menu driver, The PC Manager
first checks to see if the selected application will fit into memory
alongside The PC Manager. If it does then it will not release the memory
used in the main body of the menu driver program. However, if it is found
that the application will not fit into memory alongside The PC Manager
then all the memory, apart from 8K, is released.
The Maximum Memory Option forces the PC Manager to release the main body
of the menu driver program from memory, irregardless of the memory
requirement of the selected application. This is done by placing '&&' as
the first two characters in the command line field.
Prompt.
By entering 'Y' here you will be prompted for a command line to send to
your application each time it is selected from the menu driver. This is
similar to the command line option explained above. (Help Message - 'Do
you want to be prompted for a Command Line (Y/N)?').
Pause.
Having exited the application program selected from the menu driver there
will be a pause before re-entering The PC Manager if 'Y' is entered
here. The pause is appended by pressing any key. This is useful if there
are any results to be viewed from the selected application e.g. a macro
driven program or some of the DOS programs like CHKDSK. (Help Message -
'Do you want a pause after execution (Y/N)?').
Clear Screen.
Entering 'Y' here will clear the screen before executing the selected
application. This will be useful for applications that do not clear the
screen before running e.g. DOS programs like FORMAT, CHKDSK and BACKUP.
(Help Message - 'Do you want to clear the screen before execution
(Y/N)?').
After setting up the menu driver from Menu Setup each user will need to be
given access to the applications. (See 'Update User' ).
Using the UPDATE function.
To update a program name, DOS path, execute name or command line it will
be necessary to select the relevant application which will be listed on
the page in the same order that it appears on the menu driver.
To select the application that you want to update you must first place the
highlighted selection bar over the application. This can be done by using
the up and down arrow keys and also Pgdn and Pgup to obtain the page that
the application is on.
When you have found the right one by placing the bar over it press 'U' on
the keyboard or use the left and right arrows to go to UPDATE and press
Enter. The application information will now be displayed. (See 'Using
the ADD function' for further information).
Using the DELETE function.
To select the application that you want to delete you must first place the
highlighted selection bar over the application. This can be done by using
the up and down arrow keys and also Pgdn and Pgup to obtain the page that
the application is on. When you have found the right one by placing the
bar over it press 'D' on the keyboard or use the left and right arrows to
go to DELETE and press Enter.
Using the MOVE function.
To select the application that you want to move you must place the
highlighted selection bar over the application, this can be done by using
the up and down arrow keys and also Pgdn and Pgup to obtain the page that
the application is on.
When you have found the right one by placing the bar over it press 'M' on
the keyboard or use the left and right arrows to go to MOVE and press
Enter. Now move the highlighted selection bar to the new position and
press Enter.
2 New User
This option will allow you to bring a new user on to the system. You will
be prompted to enter in a User ID and Password for the new user (no
duplicate User ID's are allowed). As this is the Demo version of the PC
Manager only two users can be set up.
Having entered in the new User ID and Password, you will be prompted to
give the access required for this user. A list of the available
applications will be displayed for which you will press 'Y' if you require
access or 'N' if you do not.
As explained in 'System Sign On' if you have selected password protection
when installing The PC Manager you will need to set yourself up with a
User ID and Password using the above procedure. You will also have to
select Update User and give yourself access to the applications included
within The PC Manager. It will then be necessary to sign off from The PC
Manager by escaping from System Setup and then hitting the "Esc" key.
Now sign back on using your own user ID and Password.
3 Update User
This option will allow you to change the user access for a given User ID.
You will be prompted to enter in the User ID to be updated without the
Password. You will then be prompted to give the access required for this
user. A list of the available applications will be displayed for which
you will press 'Y' if access is required for that user, or 'N' if it is
not.
4 Delete User
To delete a user enter in the User ID to be deleted. Care should be taken
when using this function in that the correct User ID is entered because if
another User ID is entered then all the Diary data etc., will be lost. As
suggested in the System Sign On section it is advisable to delete the
initial User ID 'FIRST' so that other users cannot sign on to the system
using this ID.
5 User File
This option allows you to either view the user file on the screen or to
print it down to the printer. A list of the User ID's and their Passwords
will be displayed with the access available to each user. By entering in
'ALL' where prompted for the User ID the entire user file will be
displayed.
6 Configuration
This option allows you to alter the PC Manager initial configuration :-
System Date is ========================> 27/08/1989 This cannot be changed
from this screen.
Password protection Y/N ===============> Yes This selection can
only be changed from
DOS.
Guard against 'Burn in' ? =============> Yes
Phone key, Private or Company (P/C) ===> Company
Mono, LCD, Colour (M/L/C) =============> Mono
Do you want to customise Colours ======> N
To change the configuration from DOS, firstly return to the main menu.
Select option 8 "Exit to DOS". Enter the following DOS commands:-
C:\>cd\pcman
C:\PCMAN>setup
This will present you with the same screen. From this screen you can
change the Password Protection.
7 Exit--To return to the main menu press the "Esc" key.
UTILITIES
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At the foot of the Main Menu and the System Setup menu are four function
boxes and one status box :
Alt/F1 - Phone
Alt/F2 - Note Pad
Alt/F3 - Calculator
Alt/F4 - Auto Reminder
% - Disk Status
These utilities are for use while in The PC Manager, and can be selected
by using the appropriate function key, or from the Utility Menu which is
obtained by pressing Alt/m. The Utility Menu also incorporates a further
six utilities :
PHONE BOOK
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The Phone key is used to access the Phone Book section of one of the two
Address Books selected in the installation procedure without having to go
into the Address Book itself.
NOTE PAD
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The Note Pad is a text editor used for editing notes unique to the user
signed on and is similar in function to the Quick Ed utility , the
difference being that it can only be used to create and edit text files
belonging to that user, and, therefore, cannot be used to create or edit
any other text files on the system.
To obtain the Note Pad press 'Alt/F2, or 'Alt/m' to gain access via the
Utility Menu. A note pad will appear over the screen which can be used to
create a new note. If you wish to obtain an existing note, print or
alter the note format, then press 'F10' and the note pad menu will appear.
Get a note.
This option enables you to select an existing Note Pad by moving the
highlighted cursor over the file name and pressing Enter. As you move the
cursor from one file name to another the date and time stamp for that
file will be displayed on the screen. Files are displayed in alphabetical
order. Any four of the cursor keys and the Pgup, Pgdn, Home and End keys
can be used to move to file names, or by pressing the first letter of a
file name the cursor will move directly to the first file with that
letter.
Save a Note.
This option enables you to save notes that have been created or modified.
If you try to quit from the note pad without saving a note that has been
created or altered then a message will appear saying ' File Name to
Save : ' or 'File modified. Save it? (Y/N)'.
Move Notepad.
The Note Pad can be moved around the screen by using the cursor keys or
Pgup, Pgdn, Home and End. Once the position has been found press Enter to
return to the note. The PC Manager will remember the new position of the
note when it is called up again.
Re-size Page.
Notes can easily be re-sized by using the cursor keys or Pgup, Pgdn, Home
and End. Once the size has been selected press Enter to return to the
note. The PC Manager will remember the new size of the note when it is
called up again.
Print Note.
If there are no block markers active (see the editing commands under the
Quick Ed section on page ) then the whole of the note will be printed.
Active block markers will define a block to be printed.
Block movement and edit commands are similar to those used by WORDSTAR.
CALCULATOR
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The calculator is a seven function calculator with two memories and can be
obtained by pressing 'Alt' with 'F3' from within The PC Manager. It can
even be obtained from within the other PC Manager utilities.
The calculator can be moved around the screen by using the cursor keys and
also the Home, End, Pgup and Pgdn commands.
For the purpose of explaining this section the following terms are used :
accumulator - box at the top of the calculator where the value
is entered and the result is displayed.
operator - a calculator function:- + - * / % √ x².
The various functions are obtained by pressing the relevant characters on
the keyboard:
+ - addition.
- - subtraction.
* - multiplication.
/ - division.
% - percentage.
R - √ (square root).
S - x²(square).
# - ± (toggles positive/negative number).
CE - cancels last error.
CL - cancels whole calculation, initialising accumulator but
not the two memories.
MA - memory A. (See 'Using the two Memories').
MB - memory B. (See 'Using the two Memories').
Percentages.
To obtain a percentage of a value, first type in the value, press the *
key, then enter in the percentage value, and press the % key.
To obtain the ratio of two values as a percentage, enter in the first
value, press the / key, then enter the second value, and press the % key.
Using the two Memories.
The two memories marked MA and MB can be used to store results from the
accumulator and used to perform part of a calculation later on.
To save the value in the accumulator after a calculation has been
performed, press 'A' or 'B' for the appropriate memory and the value of
the accumulator will be stored and displayed in one of the memory boxes.
To clear one or both of the memories, press 'C' (which will also clear the
accumulator) and then 'A' or 'B'.
To include the value of one of the memories into the calculation, press
'A' or 'B' after an operator has been used, the value in the memory will
now be displayed in the accumulator. The calculation can now be
continued.
Having cleared the accumulator by pressing 'C', the value of one of the
memories can be used to start the calculation off by pressing Enter and
then 'A' or 'B' for the appropriate memory.
AUTO REMINDER
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This utility allows you enter up to 18 reminder messages which will be
displayed in the utilities window when a reminder period is reached. If
password protection has been selected at installation then each user
signed onto The PC Manager will have their own personal Reminder facility.
QUICK ED
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Quick Ed is an ASCII text editor for use on any ASCII files. It is useful
for editing DOS batch files. ie.Autoexec batch files can be edited using
Quick Ed and then stored.
Quick Ed can be resized or moved using the Quick Ed Menu which is obtained
from the editor by pressing 'F10'.Quick Ed uses Wordstar like commands.