









                        VIDEOCAT DOS and Windows Editions




                          Videocassette Catalog Program


                                   Version 8.0






                                   USER MANUAL











                                _______
                           ____|__     |               (tm)
                        --|       |    |-------------------
                          |   ____|__  |  Association of
                          |  |       |_|  Shareware
                          |__|   o   |    Professionals
                        -----|   |   |---------------------
                             |___|___|    MEMBER








                             (C) Copyright 1986-1995
                               William A. Jackson
                              6529 Matilija Avenue
                           Van Nuys, California 91401







                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


        GENERAL INFORMATION.............................................1
         What this Program Does ........................................1
         Registered vs. Non-Registered Versions ........................2
         What's New ....................................................2
         Minimal Instructions for the User in a Hurry ..................3
         System Requirements ...........................................3
         Known System Incompatibilities ................................3
         Compatibility with Prior Versions .............................4
         License .......................................................4
         Disk Vendors, Bulletin Boards, etc. ...........................5
         Registration ..................................................5
         Warranties ....................................................8
         ASP Ombudsman .................................................9
         Installation ..................................................9
         If You Have Trouble ..........................................10
         Source Code ..................................................11
         Future Changes ...............................................12
        PROGRAM DESCRIPTION............................................13
         Primary Window ...............................................13
         Menus ........................................................13
          File Menu ...................................................14
          Add Menu ....................................................15
          View Menu ...................................................16
          Options Menu ................................................17
          Labels Menu .................................................17
          Help Menu ...................................................18
         Mouse vs. Keyboard ...........................................19
         Files Created ................................................19
        DATA DESCRIPTIONS..............................................21
         Title ........................................................21
         Year .........................................................22
         Descriptions .................................................22
         Credits ......................................................23
         Minutes Length ...............................................23
         Volume Number ................................................23
         Index Number .................................................23
         Comments .....................................................24


              "You have all your videotapes alphabetized on index cards."
                                        --   Billy Crystal to Meg Ryan in
                                        "WHEN HARRY MET SALLY..." (1989).



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 1




                               GENERAL INFORMATION


                             What this Program Does

             VIDEOCAT is a specialized database program designed for
        cataloging a collection of movies or similar materials stored on
        videocassettes. Each data record contains the following informa-
        tion:

             -    Title
             -    Year
             -    Length (in minutes)
             -    Location (2 levels)
             -    Description Categories (12)
             -    Credits (5 names and roles)
             -    Comments (free-form text)

             The program enables the user to build and modify a data file
        of records containing this information for items in your video
        collection. The built-in classification categories are designed
        primarily for theatrical motion pictures, with  some support for
        television programs and home video. The user with specialized
        needs can create additional custom categories.

             Using the program's View functions you can display the data
        file in a variety of formats and sequences.  You can also use the
        Search option to display only those records having particular
        characteristics.  Using the program's File functions you can
        print a hard copy listing.

             Using the program's Label functions you can print labels on
        a variety of commercially available label stocks.

             This program has been designed with large collections in
        mind.  Theoretically the program could handle data files with up
        to 65,535 records.  For all practical purposes the number of
        records is limited only by available disk space, with each record
        taking up 662 bytes.

             Note that this program is for cataloging YOUR collection.
        The small demo file included with the distribution package is for
        demonstration purposes only.  A surprising number of users assume
        that this is a database of all videos available for rental and
        write complaining that I haven't included enough videos.  If a
        reference data base is what you want, I recommend Microsoft's
        Cinemania.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 2


             The goal of VIDEOCAT is to follow the maxim of Orville Red-
        denbacher: "Do just one thing, and do it better than anybody
        else."  This program is designed specifically to catalog a col-
        lection of movies and other video materials.  It is not intended
        for books, records and CD's.  It is intended to be inexpensive,
        easy to learn and convenient to use.  You could accomplish the
        same purpose by spending a couple of hundred bucks to acquire a
        general database program (such as Access or Dbase) and then
        spending a couple of hundred hours learning how to use it and
        tweaking your own application.  VIDEOCAT will give you all or
        most of the functionality you want for twenty bucks and a couple
        of hours of learning time.


                     Registered vs. Non-Registered Versions

             There are two features which are disabled in the non-
        registered version: (1) data file conversion from prior versions;
        and (2) customized description categories.  To get these features
        you have to become a registered user.  Registration is discussed
        later in this manual.

                                   What's New

             The major change in Version 8.0 is a change in the size and
        format of the data record.  The most common suggestion by users
        of prior versions was allow for more data to be recorded for each
        movie.  Version 8.0 allows for longer titles, longer names, and
        longer comments.  Users wanted more classification categories, so
        there are hundreds of new description codes.

             A few things work differently.  Previously every record had
        exactly two codes for classification by subject matter (subject
        and form) and three codes for technical data (format, color and
        sound).  Now every record has room for twelve classification
        codes, but you decide how to use them.  If you are not interested
        in recording technical data, you can use all twelve for subject
        descriptions if you want.  Also, by popular demand, there is a
        set of codes for countries.  And you still have the ability to
        create a set of up to 256 custom codes (in the registered ver-
        sion).

             Names are no longer separated into first and last name
        fields.  You just enter the full name in one field.  You are no
        longer limited to three actors and a director.  You can enter up
        to five names and select a credit category for each.

             Version 7.3 was released in DOS, Windows and OS/2 editions.
        It is my plan to produce an OS/2 editions for Version 8.0, but it
        is not ready yet.  You will just have to be patient.  Let me know



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 3


        if you want the OS/2 edition and I will send it when it becomes
        available.



                     Minimal Instructions for the User in a Hurry

             O.K., you're impatient and you want to take a quick test
        drive to see what this baby can do before you spend a lot of time
        reading the rest of the manual.  This section provides minimal
        instructions for that purpose.

             You can run the program from a floppy disk if you want, but
        performance will be better if you run from a hard drive.  I will
        assume you are going to use your C: drive; substitute another
        letter if applicable.  Create a subdirectory (MD VIDEOCAT) and
        make that the current directory (CD VIDEOCAT).  Copy the
        executable programs VCD8.EXE and VCW8.EXE into that directory;
        and also copy the demonstration data file, VCDEMO8.DAT.  To run
        the DOS Edition, enter VCD8 at the DOS prompt.  To run the
        Windows version, start Windows, then choose Run from the File
        menu in the Program Manager; enter c:\videocat\vcw8.  There are
        other ways to install and run in Windows; consult your Windows
        User's Guide for details.

             When the program window appears, select the File menu from
        the menu bar (click on File with your mouse or enter Alt-F from
        the keyboard).  Select the Open command.  Select the VCDEMO8.DAT
        file.  Initally only titles are displayed; you can see complete
        data for a record by clicking on the title with the left mouse
        button.  You are now off and running and the rest should be
        intuitive.



                                 System Requirements

             All editions require an IBM-compatible PC.  A mouse and
        printer are strongly recommended, but you can get along without
        them.  I have only used an XGA display in developing the program,
        but I would expect it to operate correctly on other displays.  I
        have only tested the program under DOS Version 6.0; I do not know
        if it will run under prior version of DOS.



                            Known System Incompatibilities

             No system incompatibilities were reported during Beta
        testing of Version 8.0.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 4




                          Compatibility with Prior Versions

             Data files created under prior versions of Videocat can be
        used after conversion.  Version 8.0 includes a utility to convert
        Version 7.x files.  If you need to convert a data file from an
        earlier edition, use Videocat Version 7.3 to convert to Version 7
        format, then use Version 8.0 to convert to Version 8 format.  The
        conversion utilities work in one direction only; there is no way
        to convert back to an earlier format.  Note: the file conversion
        feature is not available in the non-registered version of the
        program.



                                       License

             This is "user supported software", or "shareware".  It is
        NOT in the public domain but is protected under the copyright
        laws of the United States.  You are granted a limited license to
        use, copy and distribute the NON-REGISTERED version Videocat
        subject to the following conditions:

             1.  You may make personal, non-commercial use  of Videocat
        during a reasonably brief trial period; if you become a
        registered user (see Registration below), your license for
        personal use becomes perpetual;

             2.  You may distribute copies to others who may also make
        royalty-free use during a relatively brief trial period and may
        obtain a perpetual license by becoming registered users;

             3.  You may upload copies of the applications package
        (executable file and manual, but NOT source code) to electronic
        bulletin boards and information services;

             4.  You may make a modified version of the program for your
        own use only;

             5.  You may not modify the program or its documentation or
        source code in versions you distribute to others;

             6.  You may not charge any fee for copying and distribution
        of Videocat other than reasonable costs of  copying, information
        service on-line charges, shareware disk or CD ROM distribution
        charges, and similar nominal costs not exceeding $10 per program,
        provided that you clearly disclose that the program is shareware
        and that payment of your distribution charge does not excuse the
        obligation to pay a registration fee to the author.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 5


        The REGISTERED version of Videocat is restricted to use by the
        registered user.  The registered user may copy the registered
        version of the program only for backup purposes.  A registered
        user may transfer his registration and all program copies to
        another person by notifying me in writing of the transfer and
        assuring me that no copy has been retained by the original
        registrant.



                         Disk Vendors, Bulletin Boards, etc.

             Disk vendors, electronic bulletin boards, user groups,
        computer clubs, swap meets, etc. are all welcome to distribute
        the NON-REGISTERED version Videocat, subject to the restrictions
        in item 6 under "License" above.  Most such organizations meet
        these restrictions and do not need to get any special
        authorization from me.

             I find that users who have obtained Videocat from disk
        vendors, bulletin boards or swap meets often have received very
        outdated versions.  Sometimes they have not received all the
        files.  Sometimes they have received damaged disks or corrupted
        files.  The best way to be sure you have a complete and undamaged
        copy of the most recent release is, of course, to become a
        registered user.



                                     Registration

             Videocat is shareware.  It is NOT free software.  The author
        depends upon your integrity in becoming a registered user if you
        choose to continue using the program after a brief trial period.

             The shareware concept is based upon the expectation that
        users who test a program and decide they want to continue using
        it will register with the author and send in a registration fee.
        Electronic bulletin boards and disk vendors charge only for their
        distribution services and do not pay any royalties to shareware
        authors.  Honest vendors explain this system clearly; shady
        operators obscure it.  If you did not understand that
        registration and payment of a fee to the author was expected,
        complain to the vendor you dealt with and any magazine in which
        it advertises.  Do not sent me a letter saying that you "bought"
        Videocat from some disk distributor and now expect full support
        without compensating the author.  I also have no control over the
        quality of diskettes used by disk vendors.  If you got a
        defective diskette from a disk vendor, complain to them, not to
        me.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 6


             Since this is essentially an honor system, your voluntary
        compliance is fundamental to the continued viability of the
        shareware concept which enables the economical distribution of
        professional quality programs for special applications which do
        not represent a large enough market to justify marketing through
        conventional retail channels.  Videocat would never have reached
        its current stage of development without the support and
        encouragement of registered users.  Although it is obvious that I
        am not going to retire on royalties from Videocat, there are
        costs associated with its distribution and maintenance and I do
        expect the project to support itself financially.

             Aside from the appeal to your integrity, there are several
        practical advantages which I would suggest make it worthwhile for
        you to become a registered user:

             -    As a registered user, you will receive a different
                  version of the program which has two additional
                  features enabled: (1) file conversion; and (2)
                  customized descriptions.

             -    The version you have may not be the most
                  current version; if it is not current, you
                  will receive the most current version by mail
                  on disk when your registration is received.*

             -    Registered users usually get reasonably
                  prompt responses to questions and requests
                  for help.  (Frankly, I do not have a lot of
                  patience or motivation in dealing with
                  questions from non-registered users.)

             -    Registered users always get the next
                  significant** upgrade free of charge by mail
                  on disk shortly after it is ready for general
                  distribution.

             -    After the first significant** upgrade,
                  additional upgrades will be made available to
                  registered users at a nominal handling charge
                  (currently estimated at $5).

             -    Registered users sometimes get an advance
                  peek at new features through interim editions
                  sent to them for "Beta" testing.

             -    Registered users often see their suggestions
                  reflected in changes to the program.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 7


             -    Registered users are provided with complete
                  source code on request without additional
                  charge.

        * I'll confess that sometimes I run a little late in processing
        registrations.  I will not, however, cash your check until I have
        acknowledged your registration and made sure you have the most
        recent release.

        ** Interim releases are sometimes posted on bulletin boards and
        substituted in mailings to new users without being generally
        distributed to all users and vendors.  These "slipstream"
        modifications usually contain very minor corrections of problems
        which do not affect all users, so I mail them only to users who
        report encountering the specific problem corrected.  Mailing of
        an interim release does not count as a significant upgrade.

             Aside from the two disabled features mentioned above, the
        non-registered version is not crippled.  It will not "nag" you to
        register.  It will not cease operating after some period of use.
        It will not perform any "dirty tricks" on your system.

             Registration is accomplished by simply mailing the
        registration form which is included in the documentation file
        with a check for $20 to

                                William A. Jackson
                                6529 Matilija Avenue
                                Van Nuys, California 91401

             $20 is a bargain.  I have seen authors of clearly inferior
        programs request two, three or four times as much.  If you send a
        letter with a long list of questions you would like answered or
        design changes you would like to have made before deciding
        whether to part with your $20, don't expect a reply.  If you send
        a check for a lesser amount, I will accept it as a "conscience"
        payment, but don't expect to get the privileges of a fully
        registered user.  If you send a check for a greater amount, I
        will accept it gracefully.

             Please use the registration form.  Users who send me a
        letter instead typically omit such important information as what
        version they now have and what disk size they prefer.

             There is no extra charge for foreign registration, although
        I may send your updates by surface mail which can take a couple
        of months to reach overseas locations.  Videocat contains no
        cryptographic or other security functions and is not, to the best
        of my knowledge, subject to any U.S. export restrictions.  I have
        found that three payment methods work out pretty well for
        overseas users:  (1) an international postal money order



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 8


        denominated in U.S. dollars; (2) a bank check drawn on a branch
        or correspondent bank in the United States; and (3) just
        enclosing a U.S. twenty-dollar bill in the letter (I suppose it's
        risky, but in some countries the bank service charge for foreign
        payment draft almost doubles the cost of registration).  A method
        which does NOT work out very well is a check denominated in U.S.
        dollars but drawn directly on a foreign bank with no ability to
        clear through the U.S. banking system.

             I am not able to accept credit card orders because this is
        not a large enough business to justify the effort and cost of
        setting up for credit cards.

             This is a one-time royalty, although additional upgrades
        beyond the first after registration may be subject to a nominal
        handling charge.  I make no guarantees as to how long or how
        often future upgrades will be released and I reserve the right to
        discontinue development and support of Videocat at any time.

             I am continually surprised at how long old versions continue
        in circulation and it has occurred to me that someday I may move
        and registrations may continue to come to my present address
        after the expiration of the time during which the post office
        will forward mail.  If you should find that your registration is
        returned as undeliverable, you can try to contact me through
        electronic mail on CompuServe or you could try to get a current
        address from the Association of Shareware Professionals.



                                      Warranties

             Did you seriously expect warranties with user-supported
        software?  Just to make sure that everything is perfectly clear,
        this software comes without any warranties, express or implied,
        including warranties of merchantability or suitability for
        intended purpose.  It is distributed to you "as is" and "with
        faults".   Under no circumstances shall the author be liable for
        any consequential damages.

             I do have a liberal refund policy (although no one has yet
        asked for a refund).  If for any reason you are dissatisfied with
        Videocat within 90 days after registration, I will cheerfully
        refund your royalty payment on request.  Your remedy for any
        damage or defect is limited to a refund of your registration fee.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                    Page 9





                                    ASP Ombudsman

             This program is produced by a member of the Association of
        Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the
        shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
        shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the
        member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can
        help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but
        does not provide technical support for members' products. Please
        write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442
        or send a CompuServe message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman
        70007,3536.



                                     Installation

             Put the Videocat distribution diskette in a floppy drive.
        For the purpose of this discussion I will assume drive A:, but it
        could be any floppy or CD-ROM drive.

             You can run the program from floppy disk, but I don't
        recommend it.  It will run much slower from floppy and floppies
        wear out with frequent use, possibly resulting in data loss.  You
        cannot run from CD-ROM because the program needs to be able to
        create new files in the same path as the executable file.  I
        recommend that you install on a hard drive.  For the purpose of
        this discussion I will assume drive C:, but it could be any other
        hard drive.  Make the hard drive the active drive (C:).  Make a
        subdirectory; I suggest calling it VIDEOCAT (MD VIDEOCAT).  Make
        that subdirectory the active path (CD VIDEOCAT).  The next step
        is to install the Videocat files, but the procedure will vary
        according to how you received the distribution file(s).

             If you got the disk directly from me and it's a high density
        disk, copy the files directly (COPY A:*.*).

             If you got the disk from either me or a disk vendor on a low
        density diskette, you will probably find that the disk contains a
        self-extracting compressed file called VIDEOCAT.EXE.  Execute it
        to extract the files (A:VIDEOCAT).

             If you downloaded the program from a bulletin board, you
        will probably get it in ZIP form.  For the purpose of this
        illustration I will assume that you downloaded a file called
        VCD80.ZIP, that you download files into directory C:\DOWNLOAD and
        that you keep PKUNZIP in directory C:\PKWARE.  Extract the files



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 10


        by using PKUNZIP to extract them (C:\PKWARE\PKUNZIP
        C:\DOWNLOAD\VCW73.ZIP).

             You will need to have free disk space on your hard drive
        equal to about three times the size of the largest data file you
        work with.  This space is needed to create temporary files which
        are erased when the program terminates normally.  Initially you
        will probably want to check out the program using the sample
        demonstration file, VCDEMO8.DAT, which is not real large.  As you
        build your own data file, its size will grow at the rate of 662
        bytes per record.  If you have a thousand records in your data
        file, you will need over a meg of free disk space.  The current
        version of Videocat does not check for the availability of free
        disk space, so if you run out you will get a message indicating a
        write(), fwrite() or DosWrite() error.

             To execute the DOS program from the command line, enter
        VCD8.  To execute the Windows program from the Windows Program
        Manager, select the Run command from the file menu and enter the
        path where the program is located, e.g. C:\VIDEOCAT\VCW.  Read
        your Windows User's Guide for other methods of installing and
        running the progam.

             Once you are tired of playing with the demo data file, it's
        time to create your own data file using the New command in the
        File menu.  You then use the Add command from the main menu bar
        to add your own records.



                                 If You Have Trouble

             My experience with users has convinced me that most
        questions can be answered and problems solved by simply reading
        and following this Manual carefully.

             This manual assumes that the reader has some familiarity
        with the Common User Access conventions.  I am therefore not
        including such general information as how to user menu bars,
        scroll bars, dialog boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, entry
        fields, etc.  If this stuff is new to you, I recommend that you
        read Chapter 1 ("Windows Basics") of the Microsoft Windows User's
        Guide (Version 3.1).  The DOS edition emulates the appearance and
        behavior of a Windows program.

             Some user problems do indeed uncover bugs in the program.  I
        encourage you to report suspected bugs with a fairly complete
        description of the problem, the circumstances under which it
        occurs, and relevant information about the computer system you
        are running it on.  If an error message is displayed, write down



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 11


        both the caption and the message text.  If you discover a bug due
        to my programming error, I will fix it as soon as possible.

             Let me clarify that a "bug" is an error which prevents the
        program from working as described.  If you would prefer that the
        program do something different from the description in this
        manual, that is a design change suggestion, not a bug report.  I
        welcome such suggestions, but I do not feel obligated to act on
        all suggestions.  If your suggestion seems to be of widespread
        interest, I will consider adding either as a program feature or a
        user customization option.  I do not, however, have the time to
        write custom versions of the program for users with special
        needs.

             You can send questions, complaints, comments and suggestions
        by  regular  mail to the address given above.  It may be helpful
        to give me your phone number, because sometimes I have difficulty
        understanding the problem description and a phone call is the
        simplest way to clear up the confusion.  I apologize for not
        providing my phone number, but I have no support staff and I want
        to deal with your problem when I have the time to give it proper
        attention, which may not be the case at the moment you call.  I
        also have learned from other shareware authors that users in
        distant places sometimes forget about time zone differences and
        call at the most peculiar times.  If you are a CompuServe
        subscriber, you can send E-mail to me at account number
        71571,1234.  If you are an Internet user, you can link with my
        CompuServe account by using address 71571.1234@compuserve.com and
        I will be able to reply via a link with Internet.  Users who
        provide PARTICULARLY VALUABLE bug reports or suggestions for
        improvement MAY be placed on my subscriber list even if they made
        no voluntary royalty contribution payment.  That is the only
        reward for contributing ideas.


                                     Source Code

             Registered users can request the complete C++ language
        source code for the program.  There is no extra charge for the
        source code, but if you are not a programmer you will not find it
        either interesting or useful, so please do not put me to the
        extra cost of sending you the source code if you are unable to
        make any use of it.  The DOS edition was developed under Borland
        C++ with the TurboVision application framework; it would not be
        practical to compile it in a different environment. The Windows
        edition was developed under Microsoft Visual C++ using Microsoft
        Foundation Classes; it would not be practical to compile it in an
        environment which does not support MFC.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 12


                                    Future Changes

             There are a number of minor adjustments which will probably
        be inserted as "slipstream" changes.  If you find some aspect of
        the program mildly annoying you might write to me even if you
        haven't seen a new release announcement; I might be able to give
        you a more recent copy which corrects the problem.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 13




                               PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

                                 Primary Window

             The primary window presents to users the objects and actions
        of the application.  In the DOS edition the primary window fills
        the entire screen. The primary window has a menu bar which
        displays the available menus of commands (activated either by
        mouse click or by keyboard using Alt+ the highlighted letter).
        There is also a workspace (or client area) which is initially
        empty but will display a list of records after a file has been
        opened.  Records are listed in abbreviated form, but will be
        fully displayed when clicked with the mouse.  Scroll bars at the
        right and bottom edges of the window permit you to view portions
        of the data file which will not fit into the window.  Scroll bars
        are activated with the mouse.  You can also use the Page Up, Page
        Down, Home and End keys on the keyboard to move rapidly through
        the file.  The Windows edition operates in a very similar
        fashion, but the size of the window can be changed.

             Records are displayed in abbreviated form, one record per
        line.  To see a complete record, click on it with the left mouse
        button and a dialog will appear with complete data.  The dialog
        will also give you the options to edit, delete or print the
        record.

             In the DOS edition, if you have no mouse, hitting the space
        bar has the same effect as clicking the top displayed record.  If
        you need to scroll beyond the normal end of file so that you can
        get the last record all the way to the top of the window, hit the
        F8 key.

             Videocat uses a batch file update procedure.  That means
        that changes you make will not be reflected in the main window
        display until you Save changes to the file.



                                        Menus

             Menus are selected from the menu bar by clicking on the menu
        name with the mouse or by pressing the ALT key and the letter key
        for the underlined or highlighted letter in the menu name.  When
        a menu is selected a "pull-down" list of menu commands will
        appear.  A menu command is chosen by clicking the mouse on the
        desired item or by typing the underlined letter.  A menu can be
        canceled by pressing ESC or by clicking the mouse anywhere
        outside the menu.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 14


             In many cases the execution of a menu command will activate
        a dialog box with additional controls.



                                      File Menu

             The File menu enables the user to work with data files
        through actions that manipulate the file as a whole.

             The New command allows the user to create a new file which
        will become the active file.  It is also recommended that all
        data files have the ".DAT" suffix.

             The Open command reads an existing file and displays it for
        manipulation.  The initial template for data files is "*.DAT".
        You can change it to list choices with other suffixes, but it is
        recommended that you use a ".DAT" suffix in naming all data
        files.  A list box displays files in the current directory
        matching the template. In the DOS edition any change in active
        drive or directory must be made from Change Dir in the File menu
        before selecting Open.  Choosing the ".." option moves to the
        parent of the current subdirectory.  Clicking on a file once
        displays it in the filename window, which can be selected by
        clicking "OK".  Double clicking on a listed file selects it
        immediately.  The program performs a rather simplistic test to
        try to detect whether or not the selected file is a valid
        Videocat data file; if it is able to detect that the file is not
        a valid data file, it will refuse to open it.  If you try to
        outsmart it by opening such files as "COMMAND.COM", you may be
        sorry.  In the Windows edition a standard file dialog box enables
        you to change drives and directories.  In the DOS edition the
        Change Dir command must be used before the Open command if you
        want to change drives or directores.  Although it is possible to
        navigate throughout the various disks and directories in your
        system, it is recommended that you keep your data files in the
        same subdirectory as VCD8.EXE and VCW8.EXE.

             The Save command updates the current file with pending
        change transactions and writes it to disk.  The file remains the
        active file, but will now reflect changes which have been
        processed.

             The Save As command merges pending changes with the current
        file content and writes the result to a different file, leaving
        the current file unchanged.

             The Convert command(enabled in the registered version only)
        invokes a dialog which can be used to convert data files created
        under prior versions of Videocat to the current format.  If you
        created custom descriptions under a prior version of VIDEOCAT,



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 15


        the Convert routine will attempt to convert them into a custom
        description file for Version 8.  The Version 7 custom description
        files must be in the same directory as the Version 7 data file
        for this conversion to be successful.

             The Change Dir command (DOS edition only) invokes a dialog
        which can be used to change the active drive and/or directory
        which will be used by Open, Save, Save As and Convert.

             The Print command prepares the currently displayed file
        (which may be either a regular data file, a sorted data file, or
        a search data file) for printing and prints it on the printer.
        You will be given a choice of long format (1 record per page, all
        data labeled), medium format (all data, but condensed to permit
        several records to be printed on each page), or short format
        (limited data, one line per record).   The DOS edition uses the
        default printer directly with its current settings.  The Windows
        edition uses the Windows Print Manager and permits you to change
        printer settings and fonts.

             The Review Changes command permits the user to review
        pending transactions awaiting update.  A pending transaction can
        be deleted from the list by clicking it with the mouse.  Remember
        that the Change command generates two transactions: a delete for
        the original record and an add to replace it with the changed
        version.  To undo a change it is necessary to correctly identify
        the related add and delete pair and delete both.

             The Exit command ends the Videocat application and removes
        its window from the screen.



                                       Add Menu

             The Add menu is used to create a new record for addition to
        the file.  The New Record - Manual command invokes a dialog box
        which displays a blank record and permits the user to enter data
        in any or all of the various fields in any order.  The New Record
        - Auto command prompts the user to complete every field in
        sequence, then shows the whole record to allow further editing.
        The new record will not immediately appear in the main window
        listing but will be held in a list of pending changes until a
        Save or Save As command is executed.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 16


                                      View Menu

             The View menu contains commands that enable the user to
        select different ways of looking at the content of the active
        data file without affecting the file itself.

             Title Order is the order in which records are stored in the
        data file and the normal sequence in which records are displayed
        on the screen.  Optionally the file can be displayed in Location
        Order (Volume and Index sequence) or Year Order (year of
        production sequence).  When you first select either location or
        year order, the program will sort the index file into temporary
        files in the specified sequences.  If your data file is very
        large, this can take a while; a dialog box will display progress
        to reassure you that the program is working.

             The Search command causes only those records having certain
        record values to be displayed.  A dialog box is invoked which
        permits the user to select the key values for the search. If the
        screen is empty after you performed a search, this means the
        program was unable to find any record matching your search
        criteria.  To get the data file displayed again, click on View
        again and select Title Order (or Location Order or Year Order).

             When you search by Title, Name or Comment, you will be
        prompted to enter a search key "substring".  A record will match
        if the field includes the search key.  Thus a search key "war"
        will match with both "War and Peace" and "War of the Worlds", as
        well as "Howard's End".  Note that the matching is not case-
        sensitive.

             When you search by Descriptions, you can enter up to 12
        Description category keys.  A record will match if it contains
        any of the search keys.

             The Record Date option under the Search command causes only
        those records created (or modified) on or after a specified date
        to be displayed. This is particularly useful for printing a
        catalog supplement to show recent additions if you don't want to
        reprint your entire catalog.  Note that prior to Version 7.2 the
        program did not include date stamp information in data records,
        so you may find that some of your older records are ignored by
        this command.

             When you select the Print command from the File menu, the
        file which is printed is the file as currently displayed; thus
        you can print out sorted listings or search results.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 17


                                     Options Menu

             The Options menu contains commands that permit the user to
        customize the way in which the program works.  The one option
        currently available (in the registered version only) permits the
        user to create a set of up to 256 custom description codes.  This
        command also permits you to add to or edit custom descriptions
        which you have created.  Ordinarily you should only add to this
        set.  The data records contain a code, not the text description.
        The program will display the current meanings of custom codes,
        not the meaning in effect when the record was created.


                                     Labels Menu

             The Labels Menu provides a specialized function to print
        labels for videocassettes.  This function requires that the data
        file be sorted in cassette number order.  If the currently
        displayed file is not so sorted, the program will ask for
        permission to do so.

             The Labels Dialog gives you several choices of label stocks.
        Label stocks are described as either "continuous feed" or "laser
        sheet".  Continuous feed labels come in a long strip intended for
        pin or tractor feed through a standard printer; you should
        position your label stock in your printer so that the first
        position struck by the print head will be just within the upper
        left corner of a label.  Laser sheet labels are single sheets of
        peel-off labels designed for laser printers.  You may be able to
        use laser sheets in a standard printer, but you will have to
        determine by experimentation how to position the laser sheet
        relative to the print head so that printing will fall within the
        labels.

             The dialog box for Labels will also display the lowest and
        highest locations read in sorting the data file.  If you do not
        wish to produce labels for the entire collection, you can change
        the starting and ending location numbers to confine the range.

             You can choose between single-title (most information) and
        multi-title (less information, multiple titles on a label)
        formats.  Note that data lines are truncated to fit the
        designated label size.  The data format is the same for all label
        sizes and the printed lines are simply trimmed to fit narrow
        labels.

             In the DOS edition Videocat uses the default printer and
        assumes pretty standard characteristics (10 characters per inch,
        fixed font, 6 lines per inch, ASCII codes for controlling
        carriage return, line feed and form feed).  The Windows edition
        will squeeze more information onto a line if a smaller font is



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 18


        selected, but will not change the number of lines or spacing
        between lines.

             Video label stocks are becoming easier to find, but I will
        add some tips on sources of supply.  Continuous form, pinfeed
        labels for VHS and Beta can be ordered from (I get no
        commissions):

                  Virginia Specialty Products
                  P.O. Box 985
                  Vienna, Va 22180
                  [(703) 280-1742]
                  [best source for small package sizes]

                  United Ad Label Co.
                  650 Columbia Street
                  P.O. Box 2216
                  Brea, Ca 92622
                  [(800) 423-4643]
                  [best source for bulk packages]

             Note that Videocat does not presently support pin-feed face
        labels (although it does support laser sheet face labels).

             United Ad Label Co. also distributes laser sheet labels;
        their part number for VHS spine labels is PV541.  Avery now
        distributes video spine and face labels under part number 5199.
        The dimensions of the Avery and United Ad Label products are
        identical, but United Ad Label packages the spine and face labels
        separately while Avery distributes a combo pack with sheets of
        both types in the same package.  United Ad Label sells direct to
        the public while Avery distributes through retailers.  I have
        found the Avery labels in stock at my local Egghead Software
        store and listed in a number of mail order catalogs.

             Note also that laser printers may require special steps to
        minimize paper jams and internal wear when printing labels.
        Please read your manual carefully to be certain that you are
        following all procedures prescribed for label printing.



                                      Help Menu

             The Help menu allows users to access various help
        information.

             In the DOS edition the help menu does not presently include
        topical help.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 19


             The About Videocat command displays a dialog box with the
        program name, version number and copyright notice.

             The Registration Info command displays a dialog box with
        brief information on how to register.



                                  Mouse vs. Keyboard

             Although the mouse offers many advantages, some users find
        that they can work faster with a keyboard.  Many (although not
        all) features can be accessed through the keyboard.

             UNDERLINED/HIGHLIGHTED LETTERS.  Many menu choices and
        button descriptions include an underlined or highlighted letter.
        This indicates that the item can be selected by entering that
        letter from the keyboard.  Note that in the case of the main
        window menu bar, the Alt key must be pressed at the same time as
        the letter.  In other menus and dialogs it is not necessary to
        use the Alt key.

             ACCELERATORS.  Certain commands can be executed through
        keyboard accelerators which by-pass the menu system.  These are
        shown in the menu items.

             TAB KEY.  In dialog boxes controls are often placed in
        groups (sometimes surrounded by a box).  Pressing the tab key
        moves to the next group.

             ARROW KEYS.  Within a group of controls, focus can be moved
        from one control (checkbox, button, menu item, etc.) to another
        using the up and down arrow keys.  In the primary window
        workspace the up and down arrows cause the display to move up or
        down one record.

             SPACE BAR.  Tapping the space bar generally has the effect
        of selecting the control (button, checkbox, etc.) which is
        currently highlighted.  Note that in the main workspace pressing
        the space bar has the same effect as clicking the top record with
        the left mouse button.



                                  Files Created

             Videocat creates a number of files in the same path as the
        program executable file.  Under normal circumstances you can
        leave the management of thes files to the program.  If you should
        have an abnormal termination (e.g. a power loss during a file up-
        date), or if you are just curious, it may be helpful to know what



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 20


        these files are.  Assuming you have created a data file which you
        named MYDATA.DAT, here are other files you might find:

        MYDATA.BAK     This is a backup copy of your data file as it was
                       prior to the last update.  If your data file has
                       been damaged, you could rename the backup file MY-
                       DATA2.DAT and use it as a new data file and you
                       would be missing only changes made during the last
                       backup.

        MYDATA.TMP     You would see this file only if an update was ab-
                       normally terminated.  It would contain a partially
                       completed update.

        MYDATA.TIX     This is an index file used by the program to dis-
                       play items in title sequence.  Erasing this file
                       will do no harm because the program will automati-
                       cally regenerate it.

        MYDATA.LIX     Index file for location order display.
        MYDATA.YIX     Index file for year order display.
        MYDATA.SIX     Index file for displaying the results of a search.

        CUSTOM.DSC     Custom descriptions you have created.  If this
                       file should be deleted, the program would "forget"
                       your custom descriptions and you would have to do
                       them over.

        13             A file which is named with just a number is a tem-
                       porary file which should have been deleted.  You
                       will find such files only if the program is abnor-
                       mally terminated during a sorting procedure.  You
                       should delete such files.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 21



                                  DATA DESCRIPTIONS


             The ultimate purpose of this program is to organize
        information and make it accessible.  In designing the program I
        had to make choices about what kinds of data to record and how to
        organize and represent it.  I get a lot of letters from users who
        would have made some of those choices differently.

             Some users complain that there are too many data categories.
        You don't have to use them all.  I strongly recommend that you
        enter a title and year in every record; otherwise all fields are
        purely optional.

             Other users complain that there are not enough data
        categories. The number of built-in description codes has been
        greatly increased in this version.  You can also now create up to
        256 custom description codes.  Almost any kind of special
        interest information can be put in the comments field.  I
        recommend that you use custom description codes and comments to
        deal with your special needs; output gets confusing when you
        bootleg special interest information into fields intended for
        other purposes.

             Each of the data items has a size limit and the edit fields
        are programmed to refuse to accept characters in excess of that
        limit.  Since text is always added in insert (rather than
        typeover) mode, you may have to delete existing characters or
        blanks before you can enter new characters.



                                        Title

             Enter the title of the movie or other item.  The maximum
        size is 47 characters; the program will not permit you to enter
        more.  It is suggested that the words "A", "An" or "The" at the
        beginning of a title be appended to the rear after a comma.  For
        example, instead of entering "THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI",
        enter "BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE".  This keeps the
        alphabetical sequence a little more meaningful. For an episode in
        a series, it is suggested that the series title be entered first,
        then the episode title.  For example: "STAR  TREK: GAMESTERS OF
        TRISKELION" and "STAR TREK: SPOCK'S BRAIN".

             Note that since the program sorts the titles in ASCII
        (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) sequence,
        titles  beginning with punctuation marks or numeric characters
        will come before titles beginning with alphabetical characters.
        Thus the movie "1941" will be placed near the beginning of the



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 22


        catalog before titles beginning with letters and not in the N's
        as is common in the organization of published movie guides.

             The title is a semi-mandatory entry and should not be left
        blank.  More than one record can have the same title, but they
        will look the same in the normal screen display, which shows
        title only.  Minor variations in the title field can make it easy
        to distinguish between multiple versions of the same film.  For
        example: "TOPPER" and "TOPPER [COLORIZED]"; "A STAR IS BORN
        [EDITED FOR TV]" and "A STAR IS BORN [UNCUT]"; "CITIZEN KANE
        [COPY 1]" and "CITIZEN KANE [COPY  2]"; etc..  Likewise you can
        indicate when a title continues over more than one cassette, e.g.
        "GONE WITH THE WIND [PART 1]" and "GONE WITH THE WIND [PART 2]".

             The title field can also be used to keep track of blank tape
        segments.  For example, if you decide that "PORKY'S" isn't worth
        keeping, just use the Change function to change the title field
        to read "BLANK - 94 MINUTES".  You can then use the Search
        function to find all listings which have the word "BLANK" as part
        of the title field, then use Change again when something new is
        recorded in the same space.



                                         Year

             Year is intended to be the year of release of a production,
        normally expressed as 4 numeric digits, e.g. "1939".  The program
        treats the year as a 4-byte character string, so non-numeric
        characters will not be rejected.  If you don't know the year for
        sure, either look it up in a published movie guide or make a
        reasonable guess.



                                  Descriptions

             Descriptions are codes within a record which the program in-
        terprets with short descriptive words or phrases.  You can insert
        up to twelve descriptions in a record.  A dialog box will first
        ask you to select one of six sets of descriptions (subjects,
        countries, ratings, technical info, credits or custom); then a
        dialog box will display a list of all the codes within that set.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 23


                                       Credits

             The record allows up to five credits to be entered.  A
        credit consists of a description code and a name.  When you are
        prompted to select a description set, you will ordinarily choose
        the Credits set.  Then you will be prompted to enter a name.


                                      Minutes Length

             A dialog box will present an edit field for your entry.
        This entry may be up to 3 characters long and may be any
        combination of numbers and letters, although it is recommended
        that the characters be numeric and represent the running time in
        number of minutes.


                                    Volume Number

             Volume number is intended to identify a physical unit of
        storage, such as a videocassette.

             A dialog box will present an edit field for your entry.
        This entry may be up to 8 characters long and may be any
        combination of numbers and letters.  It is recommended that you
        use numeric characters only.  It can be omitted, although in the
        cataloging of a large collection this is the most useful single
        piece of information.  If you use a simple sequential numbering
        system, this will support a library of up to 99,999,999
        cassettes, which is adequate for most users.  If you include non-
        numeric characters, you may cause unintended effects on range
        selection aspect of the label printing utility.


                                 Index Number

             Index number is intended to refer to a sub-unit within a
        physical unit of storage, such as a tape counter location on a
        videocassette.

             This entry may also be any combination of letters and
        numbers up to 4 characters in length.  It is recommended that you
        use numeric characters only.  If you have multiple items on the
        same cassette you may either place the tape counter number or the
        sequence number.  By sequence number, I mean coding the first
        movie "1", the second "2", and so on.  Fanatics may prefer to use
        tape counter numbers.  This entry is optional, but I strongly
        recommend that you use it.   When the  Label  function prints a
        label for a cassette it will print multiple items in Index Number
        sequence.  Using non-numeric characters in this field may produce
        unintended effects on the sorting sequence for label printing.



        VIDEOCAT User Manual                                   Page 24





                                       Comments

             The program will display a small text editor window in which
        you can write free-form comments in 6 lines of 63 characters
        each.  The cursor can be moved using the arrow keys, Home, and
        End.  Text can be deleted using the Delete or Backspace keys.
        Note that in the DOS edition this editor does not automatically
        wrap lines.  When you reach the end of a line you must hit the
        return key to go to the next line.  Although the editor continues
        to accept input beyond the edge of the window, any text not
        visible within the window area will be cut before the text is
        entered in the record.  "What you see is what you get."

             This field can be used to store any other data (e.g. Oscars
        and other awards) or a short plot summary, or any other
        information you might want to file with the record.  Since you
        can search your data file for information contained in the
        comment lines, this is an easy way to add new kinds of search
        keys.

