EASY - LABEL 3.5" DISK LABEL MAKER By Bob Damiano (c) 1989 Neo-Sync Labs Thank you for Down-Loading Easy-Label (EL)! EL is a simple, yet Powerful Tool for Creating Disk Labels for 3.5" Floppies. EL does not use any BIT-Mapped Graphics on the label, only standard ASCII Characters and Printer Codes are sent, making it fast enough to print out up to 99 Labels at a time. THIS PROGRAM WILL ONLY RUN IN MONOCHROME MODE! EL uses the Text-Editing Capabilities of a standard GEM Dialog box for creating the Label Text and lets you select up to 3 Printer Attributes (Expanded, Compressed, Dark) for EACH of the 10 lines! Labels can then be Saved and Loaded TO/FROM Disk for later use. A Pseudo WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) Display shows approximately what the Label will look like on paper. PRINTER CONFIGURATION...... When EL starts running, it looks for the file: PRINTER.CFG. This file MUST be placed in the same folder as EASYLAB.PRG. The Printer Config File is a 4 line ASCII file which can be edited with any text editor to suit your needs. The file which comes with this ARCH is set up for an Epson RX-80. The first line of the file is the command string for RESETTING the printer to its normal Printing Mode. The Second Line is the string to place the Printer into EXPANDED Text mode. The Third Line is the string to put the printer into COMPRESSED text mode. The Fourth Line puts the printer into DARK (Bold) Mode. Each line consists of up to 9 Decimal Values separated by spaces followed by a 0, followed by an optional Comment. For example, if your printer's Code for EXPANDED mode is: ESC 'A' then Line 2 of your PRINTER.CFG file would be: 27 65 0 EXPANDED MODE Why? the Decimal value for ESC (escape) is 27 the Decimal value for 'A' is 65 the 0 signifies the end of the command string the Comment is Optional To find out the codes for your printer, consult your Printer's Owners manual. This should also contain a table showing the decimal values for all the ASCII Characters. EL also must find "EASYLAB.DAT" in the same Folder. GETTING FANCY...... If you don't like the Printer Attributes I chose, you can configure the CFG File to make them do anything you want. For example, Clicking the EXPD box for a line could cause the Printer to Switch to Italics Mode Instead of EXPANDED. Also, you can combine as many Printer Codes into each line of the PRINTER.CFG file as you want as long as you don't exceed 10 Decimal Values, including the ending 0. This way, EXPD could switch on ITALICS, EXPANDED, and COMPRESSED all at once! Of coarse, if you alter any of the attributes, the WYSIWYG display will be invalid. THE MENU BAR.... Most of the items in the menu bar are self explanatory but I will explain a couple things anyway. In the FILE Menu, there is a "SAVE" and a "SAVE AS..." Choice. The "SAVE" Choice will save the current label without displaying the GEM File Selector box IF the Filename has already been established either by a previous Load or Save Operation. "SAVE AS..." and "LOAD" will always display the File Selector. When a Filename has been established, it is displayed at the bottom of the LABEL Dialog Box. The LABEL Menu has "EDIT LABEL" and "PRINT LABEL" choices under it. To Edit the label, click "EDIT LABEL". The mouse now switches to the familiar GEM Text Editor Cursor. Now you just use the arrow keys, the esc key, the Backspace, and Delete Keys to edit the lines of your label, just like you would in any other GEM Dialog you've used. To select/deselect Attributes just CLICK them once to turn on, and again to turn off. If you select EXPD and try to make too long of a line, the WYSIWYG Display will show the line as a series of PLUS (+) Signs, warning the user that the line is too long. "PRINT LABEL" does just that. Just select the number of copies you want (up to 99), and click print. Note: if your printer is off-line, an alert box will bring that to your attention, and you will be given a chance to Put your printer ON- LINE and Proceed, or Cancel. If you have any problems or suggestions Please call or write the address below. THE USUAL SHAREWARE HYPE... Although EL is a simple Program with a simple Mission, it still took a fair amount of time to create. If you find yourself using it often, AND you like it, please send a contribution to: Every 10 times EL is run, a dialog box will remind the user to send in his/her Sharware Fee. If you have already sent it in, Thank you Very much, and I hope you don't mind being reminded to do something you've already done! If you find yourself seeing the "Every 10 Times" Dialog several times, and you have NOT paid the Shareware, it might be time to think about getting the Checkbook out! I am convinced that Shareware CAN work for everyone. It lets you try out the program for free to see if you like it; and it saves the Software Manufacturer (me) Thousands of dollars in advertising. It also eliminates the need for Copy Protection. Please copy this program and give it to anyone who wants it - You are my advertiser!!! Thanks so much, Neo-Sync Labs PO BOX 522 Chenango Bridge, NEW YORK 13745 (607) 722-8885