The Communication Studio

Manual: SHOW

SHOW (1984)

This was one of the first, most straightforward tools we created. It's a simple slideshow utility that was a mainstay of the TCS product line.

View a summary of the SHOW software

TCS SHOW Presenter

The SHOW program will enable you to CREATE, EDIT, and GIVE shows composed from NAPLPS files on the current disc or directory. The SHOW program can be used independently from the other utilities simply by copying SHOW.EXE and BASRUN.EXE onto the disc or directory containing the picture files to be shown.

On your distribution diskette there are several files which concern the SHOW program.

  • SHOW.EXE is the SHOW program itself.
  • BASRUN.EXE enables SHOW to run efficiently and must reside on the same disk, in the same directory as SHOW.EXE.
  • TCSCOM.UTL contains the communications port configuration data and must also be present in the directory for SHOW to function properly with an external decoder.

VIEW THE DEMO

SCREEN1.PDI through SCREEN4.PDI are sample NAPLPS frames for the Show named DEMO.SHO. To run the demo type "SHOW" and <RETURN> at the DOS prompt.

  1. Then select option [1] from the Show menu (GIVE A SHOW option).
  2. You will see the Showlist displayed.
  3. Now select option [2] from the menu (AUTO option). The screens will be displayed on your decoder automatically in sequence.

MAKE A SHOW

To MAKE A SHOW choose selection [2] from the Show Menu.

  1. The screen will clear and you will be prompted to enter a name for your show which may be any legal DOS filespec (i.e. "ARTWORK.SHO").
  2. Then you will be asked to enter the File Name and a Wait Time (in tenths of seconds) for each picture file to be included in the show.
  3. Enter the File Names in the order in which you wish them to display. A picture file may be used more than once by entering its File Name as often as necessary.
  4. After you have entered the wait time for the last file of the show press <CTRL> and <ENTER> to exit. Your show will automatically be stored on the default drive in the current directory.

NOTE: The SHOW program is designed to be more flexible than idiot proof. It allows for overlays, palette manipulations, macros, and other special effects. Therefore it is up to you to see to it that appropriate resets and controls are contained in the NAPLPS files themselves. For example palettes (set colors), macros and text sizes will remain active until they are specifically reset to some other value, which may have suprising effects on the following screens if you have not been careful.

EDIT A SHOW

To EDIT A SHOW choose selection [3] from the Show Menu.

  1. The screen will clear and you will be prompted to enter the File Name of the SHOW TO BE EDITED (i.e. ARTWORK.SHO).
  2. The screen files in the Show you select will be listed on the screen. NOTE: The SHOW program can list only 30 screens on the screen at one time. If your Show contains more than 30 files, File #31 will overwrite File #1 on the screen, File #32 will overwrite File #2, etc.
  • To stop the overwrite process, simply press the <SPACEBAR>.
  • Press <SPACEBAR> again to resume the Showlist process.
  1. Press [L] LIST to redisplay the Showlist from the top.

EDIT FUNCTIONS

A menu of editing functions will appear at the top of the screen. You may INSERT, DELETE, or CHANGE lines by choosing <I>, <D>, or <C> respectively. Then you will be asked to enter the number of the Line in the Show you wish to edit.

The CHANGE function will allow you to change the File Name and Wait Time of any line in a show. Therefore, if the File Name on line #5 is misspelled and you wish to CHANGE it, type <C> and <5> and <ENTER>. Then type in the correct File Name and Wait Time in the usual manner.

To CHANGE THE NAME of a show simply type <C> and <0> (CHANGE line #0) and enter the new File Name for your show. When you are asked for a Wait Time for this entry simply press <SPACEBAR> and <ENTER>.

The DELETE function will simply remove the line whose number you enter and move all files after that up one position.

The INSERT function will allow you to add files to a show by pushing all the files after and including the number entered down one position. This means that by typing <I> and <5>, you will move the contents of line #5 down to line #6, line #6 will be moved to #7, line #7 will be moved to line #8, etc. and the new File Name and Wait Time will be entered into line #5.

GIVE A SHOW

To GIVE A SHOW choose selection [1] from the Show Menu. The screen will clear and you will be prompted to enter the name of the Show to give. Then you will be asked to enter one of three show modes. You may interrupt a show at any time and return to the Show menu by pressing <CTRL> and <ENTER>.

MANUAL mode allows you to step forwards and backwards through the Showlist, and to show the current frame repeatedly if so desired. This mode is very similar to an ordinary slide projector type of presentation. In MANUAL mode you can control the pacing of your presentation to suit the needs of the moment. To step forward one screen, press <SPACEBAR> once. To move back one screen press <B>. To show the current frame again (Redraw) press <*>.

AUTO mode will automatically show the picture files in the order in which they appear in the Showlist, pausing between each for the number of seconds entered as the Wait Time. AUTO mode will return to the show menu after the last file in the show list has been displayed. The last frame will remain on the screen so if you want to go to black at the end of a show you must put a reset at the end of the last frame, or call a black screen file, or whatever.

CYCLE mode is identical to the AUTO mode except it will begin the show again after the last frame has been shown, and continue to loop indefinitely. This mode allows for billboarding and other stand-alone presentations. Again, you would press <CTRL> and <ENTER> to interrupt the CYCLE Mode.

 

Copyright 1984 The Communication Studio Inc

View a summary of the SHOW software