ÿ TABLE OF CONTENTS - PAGE 1 - INTRODUCTION HELP SCREENS [F1] MANUAL & RUN.TXT FILES COPYING & UNZIPPING OF FILES [F5] & [F6] PRINT A CHAPTER LISTING [F2] - PAGE 1 - - PAGE 2 - SELECTING CHAPTERS [F3] & [F4] FLIPPING PAGES .GIF AREA VIEW OR COPY .GIFS [F5] & [F6] ESCAPE FUNCTION [ESC] - PAGE 2 - - PAGE 3 - SWITCH & TAG FEATURE TO ERASE A COPIED FILE [F5] OR UNZIPPED FILE [F6] - PAGE 3 - - PAGE 4 - RUN.EXE TECHNICAL SUPPORT BBS SUPPORT SOUND & MUSIC SUB-DIRECTORY SPEECH SYNTHESIS & VOICE RECOGNITION SUB-DIRECTORY ACKNOWLEDGMENT - PAGE 4 - - PAGE 5 - FEES & REGISTRATIONS FOR BBS USAGE DISCLAIMERS WARRANTY - PAGE 5 - - PAGE 1 - INTRODUCTION: To use this disk, you only need to do 3 easy steps: 1. Switch to your CD-ROM drive. 2. Type RUN. 3. Enter or Return. To help clear our guidelines in this file, we will indicate a keystroke to be pressed by putting it into a set of brackets, for instance [F1]. HELP SCREENS [F1]: Since this may be your first time using this product, we suggest you use [F1] from time to time. [F1] is our ON-LINE help guide. It will answer most questions you may have about this CD-ROM. Our HELP statements have been carefully designed so they are easily understood by everyone. After your question has been answered, just use [F1] again to take you back to where you first had your question. We have built in two help levels for each of our main areas to make using this CD-ROM as smooth as possible. MANUAL & RUN.TXT FILES: By highlighting MANUAL from our main screen, you can browse through this entire manual on your screen. If you prefer a hard copy, just print out a file called RUN.TXT. Set your printer to its top of form position. This file will print about 60 lines per page, leaving a top & bottom margin. In total, this file will take 5 pages to print out. COPYING & UNZIPPING OF FILES [F5] & [F6]: When using [F5] or [F6] to copy or uncompress any file or group of files, it is important to be certain there is enough free space on your target disk drive. RUN will crash out if there is not enough space. This is done on purpose so you know this particular file or group of files can not be copied [F5] or uncompressed [F6] in their entire form(s). RUN can be restarted from your DOS prompt without any harm to it in case it has accidentally been crashed in this fashion. PLEASE NOTE: You may copy [F5] as many as ten (10) files PLUS unzip [F6] as many as 10 files. Both of these operations can be done at one time. Be sure to read an IMPORTANT operation note under SWITCH & TAG FEATURE. PRINT A CHAPTER LISTING [F2]: Another feature which is built into this CD-ROM is a print command. This print command will print a CHAPTER of file listings. For instance, if you are in CHAPTER B of a directory that has 3 CHAPTERS, you will only print CHAPTER B. It is important to be sure your printer has paper in it as well as being on-line when [F2] is pressed. Any CHAPTER you want to print will be a maximum length of 6 pages using a standard 66 line default. From this default, [F2] will actually print 50 lines of text. You will notice files on printed pages are numbered. These numbers match what you see on screen when you are selecting any programs for use. This feature helps you to find programs easier. In case you have a text file viewer, we suggest you look through our sub directory known as LISTS. This listing appears very similiar to your printed file listing or what are seeing while running our CD-ROM. - PAGE 1 - - PAGE 2 - PLEASE NOTE: Our .LIS files are in alphabetical order just like our TOPIC & CHAPTER selections. For example, 01A.LIS will match your TOPICS in CHAPTER A of BASIC topics. SELECTING CHAPTERS [F3] & [F4]: In some our our areas which have a large number of selections, you will see an indicator called CHAPTERS. When a topic is first picked, it always starts with CHAPTER A. Some topics (Like Games), have multiple chapters. To advance (From A to B, etc.), just press [F4] one time. To go backwards just press [F3]. Your next listing of topics will be loaded really quick. FLIPPING PAGES: When you are in either a topic or a .GIF selection, you will notice that specific topics or .GIFS are displayed ten (10) at a time on your screen. To flip pages, all you have to do is tap your right arrow key [->] to flip one page forward (1 to 2, etc.). To flip backwards, use your left arrow key [<-]. You may decide to jump from page 1 of any given listing to its last page by just pressing your left arrow key [<-] from page 1. .GIF AREA: As part of this CD-ROM, we have provided a selection of viewable .GIF images. In our development lab, we made this CD-ROM to work on a VGA Monitor with a 512k Video Card. If you are using anything other than this type of video configuration, we CAN NOT PREDICT satisfactory performance. We would like to offer 2 possible suggestions for this situation. First, copy those .GIFS you wish to view into your area you now use for viewing. Second, put your view program in your path statement (AUTOEXEC.BAT file). This way, you can view any .GIF directly from our CD-ROM without copying. PLEASE NOTE: We advise disabling of any TSR memory programs which may create operating conflicts with our viewing program. VIEW OR COPY .GIFS [F5] & [F6]: To use our .GIF area all you do is browse through our file descriptions just like you do for files. [F5] lets you copy .GIFS to any target drive, while [F6] will tag individual files for viewing. If you only want to look at one file, just move your highlight bar over it, press [F6], then press [ENTER]. If you want to view as many as ten (10) .GIFS, [F6] over your choices (Which may be on different pages) then press [ENTER] to begin. A title indicating which .GIF is about to be viewed appears for a couple seconds as an introduction. To view your next .GIF selection just press any key from your keyboard at your own speed. ESCAPE FUNCTION [ESC]: If you are browsing through either descriptions of topics or .GIFS, & would like to return to your main selection just press your [ESCAPE] key once. This will return you to either our 28 major topics OR to our 12 .GIF choices. Pressing [ESCAPE] again will return you to our main menu screen you see when you first start our CD-ROM. - PAGE 2 - - PAGE 3 - SWITCH & TAG FEATURE: As you know, [F5] will allow you to copy either a file or a .GIF image. [F6] Lets a file be unzipped or a .GIF viewed. If you change your mind about either of these tag features, we have a method to switch them. Just move your highlight bar over any file or .GIF you wish to switch. By only pressing your F key again you can untag a file or .GIF. For instance: if you picked a file to be copied [F5], press [F5] again to untag it. In In case you would rather unzip a file rather than copy itjust move your highlight over your choice again then press [F6]. Be aware these notes will work in this same manner on .GIFS, just a view instead of an unzip. IMPORTANT NOTE: All copies [F5] & unzips [F6] must be entered before you change Chapters or Topics, if not, RUN.EXE will lock up your system. TO ERASE A COPIED FILE [F5] OR UNZIPPED FILE [F6]: To ERASE, just highlight our ERASE function on our main menu selection. First, ERASE will ask you if you want to remove either a file which was copied [F5] or a directory RUN has made by unzipping a file [F6]. Your choice is made by using either your left or right arrow key. Next, ERASE will ask you for your target drive. This is your drive letter which will be searched for either copied files or unzipped directories. ERASE will only display directories unzipped [F6] from this CD-ROM. When a file is unzipped, a .DIR extension is added to its directory name. This is what ERASE looks for. By using this method, ERASE will ignore all other directories on any given target disk drive. If ERASE finds some directories with this extension, it will sort all of them instantly, then it will display them (10 at a time) on your screen. You will notice ERASE gives you a number of pages plus a total of how many directories it finds with our .DIR extension. Use your left & right arrows to 'FLIP' pages if you have more than 10 directories. Scrolling is done by using your up & down arrow keys. When you have highlighted a directory you would like to be deleted, just tap your [ENTER] key. This will now place a GONE message just left of your choice. In case you change your mind to save this particular directory, just highlight it again then tap your [ENTER] key. Basically, your ENTER key is a toggle switch for erasing. To "Actually" delete a directory at this point, just use your ESCAPE key. Once you have returned back to your main menu selections, any directories you may have tagged with a GONE message are now gone. ERASE removes all files in a directory PLUS a directory name in 1 step. Some added features you will notice about ERASE is that it lets you know how many directories it has found, number of directories you have chosen for deletion, plus number of remaining directories (If any). These facts are also presented as a confirmation just before your ESCAPE key takes you back to your main menu selections. It should be noted that ERASE can be used to view directories made from this CD-ROM without actually removing any of them. To do this, just use your ESCAPE key. Do not tag any files with a GONE message. These same simple steps apply to removing of copied files & .GIFS [F5]. - PAGE 3 - - PAGE 4 - RUN.EXE TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Regarding technical support, publisher can only provide help for RUN.EXE. For specific questions about any individual programs, we ask you contact that program's author(s) for assistance. If you have any suggestions for improvements to future releases, please tell us. This is our only way of knowing exactly what our customers want from our CD-ROM. BBS SUPPORT: We have attempted to support BBS operators by including a file in each subdirectory (01A, etc). This file is called FILES.BBS. This is an exact copy of what is available in our LISTS subdirectory. All information in these files are plain ASCII text data. If your program requires this form of information for your BBS, perhaps this will be of help to your system. Another feature we added for BBS operators is in our LISTS sub-directory you will notice a file called FILES.ZIP. This is a complete listing of all our list files in our LISTS sub-directory. One difference is that all multiple chapter areas have been combined into one listing. This zipped file can be quickly downloaded by any user this enables a user to obtain a COMPLETE, unzippable, ASCII file listing of all programs found on this CD-ROM without spending a lot of time just browsing through list after list on your BBS. PLEASE NOTE: FILES.ZIP contains file & program listings found in our 28 topic selections plus our 12 .GIF image listings plus our three sound directories. It does not have any files found in our VOICE sub-directory. SOUND & MUSIC SUB-DIRECTORY: For people who may have a SOUNDBLASTER, TRAKBLASTER, MIDI, or ADLIB music board as part of their system, we have a dedicated directory of files for your enjoyment. From your CD-ROM prompt change your directory to either SOUND1, SOUND2, or SOUND3. These areas are set aside since they require a board which everybody may not have. Just use DOS commands or a utility to copy these files where you want them. Descriptions can be found in our LISTS sub-directory as SOUND1.LIS, SOUND2.LIS & SOUND3.LIS. SPEECH SYNTHESIS & VOICE RECOGNITION SUB-DIRECTORY: For those users who may have a speech synthesis or a voice recognition board in their PC, we suggest you to look at our VOICE subdirectory. Here you will find a specially designed program which will work with a HEARSAY board. Please read a file called README.DOC before you start using this area of our CD-ROM. This special area on our CD-ROM is not part of our RUN program. This enhancement requires installation on a hard drive, plus an extra board. A little bit of practice is also needed to feel at ease using this setup. To gain access to voice & speech interaction, return to your DOS prompt for your CD-ROM drive then CD to our VOICE sub-directory. ACKNOWLEDGMENT: We would like to personally thank you to each author to has contributed countless hours creating programs to make this CD-ROM a reality for many users to enjoy. REMEMBER: If this system of distribution called Shareware is to work for for all of us, it is up to each of us to contribute registration fees for these programs. Afterall, you expect a paycheck for your work right ? - PAGE 4 - - PAGE 5 - FEES & REGISTRATIONS FOR BBS USAGE: FEES & REGISTRATIONS: PUBLISHER OFFERS THIS CD-ROM & ALL SUBJECT PROGRAMS CONTAINED ON IT WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OF ROYALITIES. IF ANY SUCH FEE IS NOTED, IT IS FOR ONE OF 2 REASONS. IT IS EITHER A DIRECT PAYMENT TO A GIVEN AUTHOR FOR REGISTRATION OF A SPECIFIED PROGRAM. OR, IT IS FOR A BBS OPERATOR FOR ON-LINE OR DOWNLOAD TIME. PUBLISHER DOES NOT RECIEVE ANY PORTION OF THESE FEES. PUBLISHER HAS NO CONTROL OVER EITHER OF THESE FEES & DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM. DISCLAIMERS: Publisher does not advise or recommend use of any program or application software included on this CD-ROM. Upon execution of said software, a user agrees not to hold publisher or any of its members responsible for any damages or losses encountered by misuse. Programs given to or obtained by publisher are not warrantied either written or implied by publisher. If any such statements are found in any program, they are made only by that publisher will not be held responsible in any manner for such claims. WARRANTY: Our only warranty is limited to this, actual CD-ROM. It is deemed to be free from manufacturing defects for a period of 12 months from date of purchase. Our warranty also is limited to operations of RUN.EXE. We have found this program to work as intended when used as specified. Any other uses other than as a retrieval program are not warrantied. Any changes or modifications to this program will void our warranty. - PAGE 5 -