Manual: Textup Entry

II. THE TEXTUP ENTRY PROCESS: Using TEXTUP with a Template

1. GETTING STARTED

NOTE: In the two-screen implementation of TEXTUP, we refer to the PC display screen as the SYSTEM SCREEN, and the decoder display screen as the NAPLPS SCREEN.

1.A. LOADING A TEMPLATE

TEXTUP is invoked by typing "TEXTUP" [RETURN] at the DOS ">" prompt. The System Screen will clear to the TEXTUP title screen. You will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

ENTER THE NAME OF THE FILE TO BE UPDATED:

This name can be any legal DOS filespec (i.e. BARTEMP.TMP). However, unless the file has been `templated' according to the method described in the TEXTUP TEMPLATE MANUAL, the program will scan the file, but will not recognize any Fields for updating.

TEXTUP will display the file you have entered on your NAPLPS Decoder Screen so that you may visually confirm that this is the appropriate Template. You will be prompted with the message:

================================================================ UPDATE FILE ? (Y OR N).

If you press [N], TEXTUP will ask you again to "ENTER THE NAME OF THE FILE TO BE UPDATED", and you may repeat the process.

If you press [Y], Textup will begin to scan the Template from the beginning of the file (also displaying it as it scans on the external Decoder Screen). When TEXTUP finds a legal Field Label, the program will check the RECODATA.UTL file for information about that Field and then go into either the Text Entry, Graphics Merge, Font Entry or Bar Chart update routine.

1.B. READING THE SYSTEM SCREEN

When you have entered the name of a Template file, TEXTUP will load the file into memory. The TEXTUP title screen will be cleared and you will enter the Entry Mode. The working screen for the TEXTUP Entry Mode consists of three (3) main areas:

1) At the bottom of the screen is the Command Line. All the prompts and system messages from TEXTUP will appear on this line in Gold colored text (on a Color System Display Screen).

2) Just above the Command Line is the Status Box, which is bounded on the top and bottom with Cyan lines. The Status Box displays relevant status information about the Template, depending on the function which you are performing:

================================================================ FILENAME: ALIAS: :ROWS BYTECOUNT: FIELD TYPE: :COLUMNS ================================================================

You will always see the FILENAME on the left-hand side of the Status Box. The Filename gives you the DOS filespec for the Template on which you are working.

The BYTECOUNT feature below the FILENAME maintains a running total of the bytes in the template, and tells you the total byte size of the screen when you are finished.

The FIELD NAME and FIELD TYPE will appear in the middle of the Status Box when TEXTUP encounters a Field in the Template. The FIELD NAME gives you an English-language Identifier for the currently-active Field (such as, "LOGO", "TITLE" or "TEXT"), and other relevant information. The Field Type tells you what kind of Field it is (Text, Absolute Graphic, Relative Graphic, Custom Font, Chart or Bar Graph).

The COLUMNS and ROWS will appear on the right-hand side of the Status Box when you encounter a Text Field. These will tell you how many lines (ROWS) and how many characters per line (COLUMNS) are available in the currently-active Text Field.

* When you enter the EDIT TEXT mode, the Status Field will be replaced temporarily with a box which describes the text editing functions which are available. This is described further in the "ENTRY MODE: TEXT" section of this manual.

3) The third part of the working screen is the update area, which consists of the 20 lines remaining above the Status Box. This will be used as your text entry workspace.

1.C. TEXTUP SYSTEM-LEVEL UTILITIES

1.C.1. [ESC] Alternatives

If for any reason you wish to get out of TEXTUP at any point in the Template entry process, simply press the [ESC] key. You will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= [C] CONTINUE UPDATE [N] NEW TEMPLATE [Q] QUIT TO DOS

If you press [C], you will return to the program at the point you jumped out, and you may CONTINUE editing the Template.

If you press [N], TEXTUP will ignore any Field updates performed on the Template so far, leaving the current Template unaltered, and will return to the beginning of the TEXTUP process so that you may begin work on a new Template. (Pressing the [SPACEBAR] at this point will have the same effect.)

If you press [Q], you will QUIT TEXTUP and go straight to DOS without saving what you have done so far, and without altering any files.

2. [SPACEBAR] Default Workpath

The [SPACEBAR] can be used to select the default choice at any prompt. The Default Workpath will pass you through the TEXTUP Template without making any changes.

For example: When TEXTUP says "UPDATE FIELD? (Y OR N)", pressing the [SPACEBAR] will have the same result as pressing [N] (i.e. You will bypass the Field without updating it).

3. [F1] Display File Names

For your convenience, whenever TEXTUP asks you to "ENTER A FILENAME", which "TEMPLATE TO EDIT", what "TEXT FILE TO MERGE" or "GRAPHIC FILE TO MERGE", you now have the option of pressing [F1] to display the File Names on the disc. Any legal DOS filespec, including "*" and "?" is allowed, and you may also view a file from another disk drive (i.e."A:*.LGO" displays a list of all of the files on the diskette on the A; drive which have the DOS extension "LGO"). However, alternate Directories and Pathnames within the same disk are not currently accepted. When you wish to return to TEXTUP from the list of File Names, simply press the [SPACEBAR].

You may also invoke the [F1] key (Display Filenames) to check your files when - at the end of the entry process - TEXTUP prompts you to "ENTER NEW FILENAME". This will prevent you from accidentally overwriting an existing file.

 

================================================================== 2. ENTRY MODE: THE TEXT FIELD ==================================================================

When TEXTUP has found a Text Field, it will display the number of ROWS and COLUMNS defined in the RECODATA file numerically as well as graphically. A rectangular Cyan box or "workspace" will appear on the upper left hand side of the System Screen representing the working area of the available Text Field. Any existing text will be displayed in that box as it would on the NAPLPS screen.

In addition, TEXTUP will prompt you on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================ PRESS [E] TO EDIT, [M] to MERGE, OR [SPACEBAR] to BYPASS

If you press [N] or [SPACEBAR], the Text Field will be left unchanged, and the program will continue to scan until it encounters the next Field Label in the screen.

If you press [E], you will enter the TEXT EDITOR.

2.A. TEXT ENTRY MODE: Text Editing Features [E]

When you invoke the Text Editor, a menu of editing functions will will appear in the Status Box. The Status Box will be redrawn now to look like this:

================================================================= [F3] Clear Field [F4] Clear Line [F5] Reformat [F8] AutoCenter [F9] Highlight [Ins] Insert (On/Off) [Del] Delete [Ctrl][Keypad] Jump Cursor =================================================================

You can access each of these functions easily through simple single-key entries (except for "Jump Cursor", which involves pressing the [Ctrl] key and the desired Directional Key. "Jump Cursor" works only with corner Directional Keys: 1,3,7 and 9.) The features of the Text Editor include:

* F3 - Clear Text Field

* F4 - Clear text from cursor to end of line

* F5 - Automatic Reformatting

* F8 - Automatic Line Centering

* F9 - Text Highlighting

* INS - Character Insertion (Toggle ON/OFF with [INS] key)

* DEL - Character Deletion (forward from cursor position)

* CTRL + Directional Keypad Keys 1,3,7 or 9 - Jump Cursor

As you type, the text will appear in the rectangle as it will appear on the finished NAPLPS screen. TEXTUP includes a Wordwrap feature which dynamically reconfigures the entered text to fit within the Template parameters. This is done to allow you precise control over the layout of the text block.

NAVIGATING THE TEXT WORKSPACE

You may use the [RETURN] key to move your cursor down the Text Workspace line-by-line (just like a conventional typewriter).

You may also use the UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT arrows on the Directional Keypad (Numeric: 8/2/4/6) to move around the Text Workspace in a non-destructive manner. The Directional keys will "wrap around" the Text Workspace. For Example: If you move the cursor "off" the right side of the Text Workspace - by holding down the "6" Directional Key - the cursor will re-appear on the left side of the Text Workspace, on the same line. By the same token, if you move off the top of the Text Workspace by using the "8" Directional Key, the cursor will re-appear on the bottom line of the Text Workspace, in the same column.

By pressing the [Ctrl] key in combination with any of the corner Directional keys HOME/PG UP/PG DN/ END (Numeric: 7/9/3/1), you can cause the cursor to "jump" by a large increment in each of those directions.

2.A.1. [INS] Insert

The INSERT function is a "toggle-on/toggle-off" feature. To insert into a block of text, simply position the cursor at the point at which you wish to begin the insert and press [INS]. The message "INSERT ON" will be highlighted and TEXTUP will remove everything after that point from the workspace (Don't worry, it's still in memory). You may now insert your new text. When you've finished entering the inserted text, press [INS] again (the message "INSERT OFF" will be highlighted), and the old text will be reformated and redisplayed automatically.

NOTE: Be careful. Sometimes a large insert will force the bottom line or lines of text off the bottom of the workspace. This text will be automatically deleted.

The INSERT function can also be used to move text down a line. Position the cusor at the left margin of the first line to be pushed down. Then press [INS] and insert one or more carriage returns. When you then toggle INSERT off, everything from the cursor position down, will have been shifted down one line for each carriage return inserted.

2.A.2. [DEL] Delete

The DELETE function is activated by positioning the cursor over the character you wish to delete and pressing the [DEL] key. This will remove the character at the current cursor position, and pull the remainder of the current line of text one character position to the left. Press the [DEL] key again to remove the next character. There is no "undo" for this function. For the sake of speed no re-wrap or reformat are invoked at this time and you may wish to employ the [F5] REFORMAT function to clean up the layout on the paragraph after using the DELETE function.

Another way to delete characters is to use your [BACKSPACE] key. Each time you press the backspace key the last character in the row will be removed and the cursor moved back one space. If you use the [BACKSPACE] key, you may leave gaps in the paragraph or text block. Use the [F5] REFORMAT function to fix it.

2.A.3. [F3] Clear Text Field

The CLEAR TEXT function will clear all previous text from the entire Field. If you press [F3], all text will be cleared from the Field and cannot be recovered unless you exit the template editing process and re-load the original template.

2.A.4. [F4] Clear Text to End of Line

The CLEAR LINE function allows you to clear out text from the current cursor position to the end of the line. If you press [F4], the text will be cleared and cannot be recovered unless you "Undo Last Update" at the end of the Field entry process.

2.A.5. [F5] Reformat

The REFORMAT function has been included to help you clean up a paragraph that has been extensively edited using either the backspace or delete functions. Pressing [F5] will invoke an automatic reformat and word-wrap of the text from the current cursor position down to the end of the paragraph. The text before and above the cursor position will not be effected.

REFORMAT can also be used as way to move text up a line by positioning the cursor at the left margin of a blank line directly above the text to be pulled up. Pressing [F5] at this point will cause all the text following the cursor to move up a line.

2.A.6. [F8] Text Centering

The TEXT CENTERING function allows you to center the text on the current line of the Field. You may also position text on a line by using the [INS] Insert function.

2.A.7. [F9] Text Color Highlighting

When you are in the Edit mode you may press [F9] to select a color to "Highlight" text on your screen. You can use any NAPLPS color position from 0-6 and 8-15 for highlighting. Position 7 is not available for highlighting. You may highlight a letter, a word, a paragraph, or even an entire Field by following the prompts.

First you will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= ENTER THE PALETTE POSITION NUMBER AND PRESS [RETURN]

Next you will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= MOVE THE CURSOR TO HIGHLIGHT START AND PRESS [RETURN]

You will then be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= MOVE THE CURSOR TO HIGHLIGHT END AND PRESS [RETURN]

The selected text will appear in one of several colors representing the palette position you have selected. (PLEASE NOTE: The highlight color you see on your IBM system screen monitor has nothing to do with the color you will see on the NAPLPS decoder, and is only for your reference.)

Here is a listing of the colors you will see on your EGA-Compatible monitor when you are in the Highlight Mode:

----------------------------------------------------------------- EGA-COMPATIBLE COLOR MONITOR -----------------------------------------------------------------

NAPLPS COLOR POSITION: 0 Black 1 Blue 2 Green 3 Cyan 4 Red 5 Magenta 6 Brown 8 Gray 9 Light Blue 10 Light Green 11 Light Cyan 12 Light Red 13 Light Magenta 14 Yellow 15 High-intensity White

It is recommended that highlighting be done AFTER you are finished entering or editing your text as certain editing functions may cancel the highlight. Should this occur you can simply Highlight the section again.

2.A.8. [CTRL] [ENTER] Confirming the Entry Process

When you are finished editing the Text Field, press [CTRL]+[RETURN] to accept your work. TEXTUP will merge the text you have entered into the Template and display the completed Text Field on the NAPLPS decoder screen. TEXTUP will then automatically proceed to the next Field.

2.B. TEXT ENTRY MODE: Merging External Text Files [M]

When TEXTUP finds a Text Field Label it also offers you the opportunity to merge in preformatted ASCII text files. You will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= PRESS [E] TO EDIT, [M] TO MERGE, OR [SPACEBAR] TO BYPASS

If you press [M], you will be prompted on the Command Line with the message:

================================================================= ENTER THE NAME OF TEXT FILE TO MERGE:

You may enter the name of a preformatted ASCII text file at this point. You may wish to check your available files by using the [F1] (Display Filenames) option. You may merge a file from another disk drive by using the appropriate DOS prefix (i.e. "A:IAMTEXT.TXT" merges the file IAMTEXT.TXT from the A: drive.) However, you are not able to merge a file from another Directory or by a DOS Pathname at this time.

The ASCII text file will be dynamically merged into the Text Field in your workspace area, and TEXTUP will automatically go into the EDIT TEXT mode. You will now be able to carry out the full range of Text Editing functions on the merged Text file (Insert, Delete, Reformat, Highlight, etc.) Press [CTRL]+[ENTER] to confirm the entry of the text file, and TEXTUP will automatically proceed to the next Field.

================================================================ 3. ENTRY MODE: The Graphics Field ================================================================

NAPLPS graphic PDI files are merged into the Template in much the same manner as are the Text Fields. When TEXTUP encounters a Field which it identifies as a Graphic Field, it will prompt you:

================================================================ ENTER NEW GRAPHIC? (Y OR N)

If you press [N] [RETURN] or [SPACEBAR], TEXTUP will leave the Field unchanged and search to the next Field Label.

If you press [Y] [RETURN], TEXTUP will prompt you with the message:

================================================================ ENTER NAME OF GRAPHIC FILE TO BE MERGED:

You may now type in the filename of the NAPLPS graphic file you wish to merge into this Field, (i.e. "RCA.LGO"). You will see the Graphic File merge into the template on the NAPLPS Display Screen. As with the merging of pre-formatted Text files, you may use the [F1] key to search for valid files, and you may merge files from another disk drive (i.e. "A:RCA.LGO"), but you may not merge files from another Directory.

When the Graphic File has been merged into the template, TEXTUP will automatically proceed to the next Field.

================================================================ 4. ENTRY MODE: Bar Charts & Histograms ================================================================ When TEXTUP encounters a Field Label which defines a CHART, you will be prompted with the message:

================================================================= UPDATE BAR CHART? (Y OR N)

If you select [N], TEXTUP will bypass all of the individual BAR FIELDS in the chart and continue to scan the template normally.

If you select [Y], TEXTUP will scan the Chart for the individual BAR FIELDS. When TEXTUP encounters a Bar Field you will be prompted with:

================================================================= ENTER VALUE (0 TO 100) FOR COLUMN # X

You may now enter a number (between 0 and 100) representing the percentage value of the Bar in that position on the chart. For example, "41" will construct a bar representing "41%" on the chart. When you press [RETURN] the chart will automatically generate the graphic representation of the value on the NAPLPS screen. TEXTUP will automatically proceed to the next Field.

As you enter numeric values into the Bar Chart, TEXTUP will display those values in a column in the upper left-hand corner of your system screen. This feature allows you to double-check your Bar Chart entries numerically as you type them in.

================================================================ 5. ENTRY MODE: The Custom Font Field ================================================================

When TEXTUP encounters a Field Label which defines a CUSTOM FONT, you will be prompted with the message:

================================================================= CHANGE FONT TEXT ? (Y OR N)

If you select [N], TEXTUP will bypass the existing CUSTOM FONT text in the Field and continue to scan the template normally.

If you select [Y], TEXTUP will allow you to enter text into the Custom Font Field using the Custom Font Set which has been assigned to this Field in RECODATA. You will be prompted with the message:

================================================================= ENTER NEW FONT TEXT ? (Y OR N)

You may now enter as many characters as have been assigned in the RECODATA.UTL File for this Field. Unlike conventional text entry in TEXTUP, you will see each Custom Font character automatically merged into the Template as you type. When you reach the final character of the Field (or when you press [Ctrl] [Enter]), TEXTUP will immediately proceed to the next Field.

NOTE: You will not be able to edit this Field as you would normal text; If you make a typing error or wish to make changes, you must re-enter the Field in its entirety.

================================================================ 6. COMPLETING THE ENTRY PROCESS ================================================================

When the entire Template has been scanned and all Field Labels either updated or bypassed, you will be prompted with the message:

================================================================= WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE SOMETHING NOW? (Y OR N)

If you press [Y], TEXTUP will return you to the top of the Template and begin the scanning process again. You will now be able to step through the Template "field-by-field" and re-edit each Field individually, if you so desire.

If you press [N], TEXTUP assumes that you are happy with the edits you have made and will prompt you with the message:

================================================================= SAVE TO FILENAME: example.tmp (Y OR N)

If you press [Y], TEXTUP will store the file under that name (the Filename of the original template).

If you press [N], TEXTUP will allow you to enter a new Filename, and will prompt you with the message:

================================================================ ENTER NEW FILENAME filename:

TEXTUP will now store the screen under the new Filename (this will take a few seconds).

NOTE: You are responsible for managing your own filenames! TEXTUP will not inform you if there is another file by that name on your disk and will overwrite any file with that name. When in doubt, use the [F1] (Display Filenames) key to check the names of the files on your disk.

When TEXTUP is finished storing the screen, it will return you to the beginning of the TEXTUP process and prompt you with the message:

================================================================= ENTER THE NAME OF THE FILE TO BE UPDATED:

You may now update a new Template, re-edit the Template you have just updated, or press the [Esc] key to quit TEXTUP and return to DOS. @newpage ================================================================ 7. SUMMARY OF THE TEXTUP ENTRY PROCESS ================================================================

* TEXTUP prompts "ENTER THE NAME OF FILE TO BE UPDATED:".

* TEXTUP asks if you wish to "UPDATE FILE? (Y OR N)".

> If "NO": TEXTUP asks again for the name of the file to be edited.

> If "YES": TEXTUP searches sequentially through the Template file until it finds a Field Label.

* TEXTUP identifies a Field Label, displays its Alias (Identification) Name on the screen, and goes to the appropriate Text Entry, Graphic Merge, Bar Chart, or Custom Font routine.

* TEXTUP prompts you with an appropriate Field update message:

TEXT: [E] to EDIT, [M] to MERGE, or [SPACEBAR] to BYPASS GRAPHICS: "ENTER NAME OF GRAPHIC FILE TO MERGE:" BAR CHART: "UPDATE BAR CHART? (Y OR N)" CUSTOM FONT: "CHANGE FONT TEXT ? (Y OR N)

> If "NO" (or [SPACEBAR]): TEXTUP leaves the contents of the presently active Field unchanged and searches to the next Field Label in sequence.

* NOTE: Pressing the [SPACEBAR] when you come to a new Field has the same effect as pressing "N". The [SPACEBAR] is a default which will allow you to step you through the Fields in the Template with "no change".

> If "YES": TEXTUP provides you the utilities with which to update the presently active Field.

* At the completion of the Field Update process, TEXTUP stores the updated Field and searches sequentially through the Template file until it finds the next Field Label, at which point it offers the appropriate Update prompt.

* NOTE: At any time you may press the [ESCAPE] key. TEXTUP will prompt you with several options:

[C] CONTINUE UPDATE [N] NEW TEMPLATE [Q] QUIT TO DOS.

* NOTE: At most points throughout the TEXTUP process, you may press the [F1] key (Display Filenames) in order to take a look at the available files on your disk.

* Upon reaching the end of the Template, TEXTUP asks you

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE SOMETHING NOW? (Y OR N)".

> If "YES": TEXTUP returns you to the beginning of the Template and allows you to re-edit each Field in the Template individually.

> If "NO": TEXTUP asks you "SAVE TO FILENAME: example.tmp (Y OR N)". You may now store the updated file under the same name, or under a new name of your own choosing.

* Upon completing the storage of the File, TEXTUP automatically returns to the beginning of the update process and prompts you with the message "ENTER THE NAME OF FILE TO BE UPDATED:"

Author: John Vaughan