





                                      VAR Grade

                             Grading Tools for Teachers

                                     Version 5.0

                                  BEGINNER'S MANUAL
                                    AND TUTORIAL





                               Written by DENNIS REVIE

                         (c) Copyright 1992 by Dennis Revie



                            Distributed by VARed Software
                                1490 Calle Fidelidad
                            Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-6819
                                         USA

                                  _______
                             ____|__     |          (R)
                          --|       |    |-------------
                            |   ____|__  | Asociation of
                            |  |       |_| Shareware
                            |__|   o   |  Professionals
                          -----|   |   |---------------
                               |___|___|    MEMBER





























         VAR Grade is COPYRIGHTED (C) 1987-1992 by Dennis Revie.
         All rights are reserved.


         VAR Grade can be distributed as SHAREWARE.  It is not free.



         VAR Grade is written in Borland International's Turbo Pascal.  The
         files that can be listed by the "DIR *.BGI" (screen drivers) and
         "DIR *.CHR" (fonts) are copyrighted by Borland International and
         are used in accordance with the license.


         The files that can be listed by the "DIR $*.BGI" (screen drivers)
         and other print driver files are copyrighted by Fleming Software
         and are used in accordance with the license.

         PKUNZIP.EXE is Copyright (C) 1989-90 by PKWare, Inc.

         Product names from other manufacturers are mentioned, and are
         copyright and/or registered and/or trademarked by the respective
         companies.


         Last Revision:  March 1992.


































                                  TABLE OF CONTENTS



         DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE....................................2

         DISCLAIMER-AGREEMENT.......................................2

         I. INTRODUCTION TO VAR GRADE...............................6

           A. Program features......................................7
           B. Conventions used in this manual......................12
           C. Sample classes.......................................12

         II. REQUIREMENTS..........................................13

           A. Hardware.............................................13
           B. Versions.............................................13
           C. Networks.............................................13

         III. INSTALLATION OF VAR GRADE............................14

           A. Using INSTALL........................................14
           B. Installation without INSTALL.........................16

         IV. FIRST USE OF VAR GRADE................................17

           A. Starting the program.................................17
           B. Using an existing class: Tutorial....................17
           C. Starting a new class.................................23
           D. Entering data........................................25
           E. If you are lost......................................26
           F. Starting another class...............................26
           G. Advanced mode........................................26
           H. Exiting the program..................................27
           I. Using a mouse........................................27
           J. How special keys are used............................28
           K. How the cursor keys work.............................28












                                          1







                               DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE




              Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software
         before buying it. If you try a shareware program and continue using
         it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on
         details -- some request registration while others require it, some
         specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything
         from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated
         program with printed manual.

              Copyright laws apply to both shareware and commercial
         software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few
         specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are
         accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the
         programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good
         programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of
         distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and
         distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific
         group. For example, some authors require written permission before
         a commercial disk vendor may copy their shareware.

              Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.
         You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook,
         whether it's commercial or shareware. The shareware system makes
         fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy.  And
         because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the
         ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you
         don't pay for it.


                               DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT



              Users of VAR Grade must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
         "VAR Grade is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties,
         expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties
         of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.  The author
         assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which
         may result from the use of VAR Grade." VAR Grade is a "shareware
         program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation.
         Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it
         away altered or as part of another system.  The essence of "user-
         supported" software is to provide personal computer users with
         quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive
         for programmers to continue to develop new products.  If you find



                                          2







         this program useful and find that you are using VAR Grade and
         continue to use VAR Grade after a reasonable trial period, you must
         make a registration payment of $50 (US).  You will receive the
         current version plus printed manual, and the next major update and
         manual.  Canadian checks are accepted.  Outside the US and Canada,
         registration is $60, payable in US dollars on an international
         postal money order.  This registration fee will license one copy
         for use on any one computer at any one time.  You must treat this
         software just like a book.  An example is that this software may be
         used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one
         computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of
         it being used at one location while it's being used at another.
         Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same
         time.

              Schools, colleges, and universities must register and pay for
         their copies of VAR Grade within 60 days of first use or their
         license is withdrawn.  Site-License arrangements may be made by
         contacting us at the address listed below, and can be arranged on a
         per-school or per-user basis.  Further information on site-licenses
         is in the file SITELIC.DOC.

              Anyone distributing VAR Grade for any kind of remuneration
         must first contact us at the address below for authorization.  This
         authorization will be automatically granted to distributors
         recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware
         distributors, and such distributors may begin offering VAR Grade
         immediately (However we must still be advised so that the
         distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of VAR
         Grade).

              You are encouraged to pass a copy of VAR Grade along to your
         friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their
         copy if they find that they can use it.  All registered users will
         receive a copy of the latest version of VAR Grade, as well as the
         next significant upgrade.

              To register, send the registration fee to the address listed
         below.  The manual is the same as the on disk version, except that
         it includes figures and an index, as well as looking "spiffier".

              Note that if you find any significant bugs, they will be
         corrected and a corrected version of VAR Grade sent to you as soon
         as possible.

              Registered users will have the opportunity to purchase further
         updates at a nominal cost.





                                          3







              When you register please include your name, address, and the
         version of the program that you have.  A suggested form is included
         with the program in the file REGISTER.DOC.

              If reporting bugs, please include the version of VAR Grade
         that you have, as well as:

              (1) The type of computer AND microprocessor 8088, 80286, ...).
              (2) The type of printer you will use with it.
              (3) The version of DOS that you are using (important for
                finding bugs).
              (4) List the bugs that you have found--and EXACTLY, if
                possible, how they occurred.  This information is needed to
                find and correct the bug.
              (5) Also include any other suggestions for improving the
                program--wish lists, etc.

              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 Rd., Muskegon, MI 49442 or send
         a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

                                    Registration

         Fees and conditions are listed above in the Disclaimer-Agreement
           ($50 inside North America, $60 outside it).

         To order direct from us, send a check or P.O. to:

              VARed Software
              1490 Calle Fidelidad
              Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-6819
              USA

         Credit card orders:  You can order VAR Grade from the Public
           (Software) Library with your MC, Visa, AmEx, or Discover Card by
           calling (800) 2424-PsL or (713) 524-6394, or by FAX to (713) 524-
           6398, or by Compuserve to 71355,470, or by mail to PsL, P.O. Box
           35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.  These credit card numbers are for
           ordering only.  The PsL program number is 7392/1394.

         Orders in Australia can also be made in Australian dollars ($90 A)
           to the following address:




                                          4







              Budgetware
              9 Albermarle Street
              Newtown, NSW 204
              AUSTRALIA
              Phone: 011-(612)-519-4233

         In the UK, you can order from (48 Pounds Sterling):
           PC Independent User Group
           87 High Street
           Tonbridge
           Kent  TN9 1RX
           ENGLAND
           Tel: 0732 771512    Fax: 0732 771513
           BBS: 0732 770539  (8 Bits, no parity, 1 stop bit) FIDO: 2:440/9
           Compuserve: 100016,3106
           They take Access, MC, Visa, BarclayCard, Sterling Cheques,
             and Bankers Draft.

                                     Information

         For dealer pricing, volume discounts, site licensing, shipping of
           product, returns, latest version number, or other technical
           information, contact us by calling (805) 523-7546, or by
           Compuserve to 73427,112, or write to the address listed above.  A
           text file, SITELIC.DOC, is included with the program that gives
           more information on site-licenses.


























                                          5










                            I. INTRODUCTION TO VAR GRADE



              WELCOME TO VAR GRADE!  This program has been written to be
         flexible enough to allow you to grade your class with the same
         methods you now use--except that the program does the tedious
         chores of adding, plotting, and writing the scores.  The program
         has been written by and for teachers and requires no special
         knowledge of computers or MS-DOS.

              This manual will help both computer novices and computer
         experts get the most out of the VAR Grade program.  If you are not
         an experienced computer user, this Beginner's Manual and Tutorial
         will show you how to get started with the program.  Before putting
         data from your own classes onto the computer, we suggest that you
         go through the tutorial in Chapter IV, First Use of VAR Grade,
         which uses a sample class to illustrate the steps in starting the
         program.

              If you are acquainted with MS-DOS and want to modify the
         program to meet your specific needs, the Advanced Manual contains
         information on how to do so.  Menus are used to access all areas of
         the program.  When in the program, you can read the manual at any
         time by simultaneously pressing the <Alt> key and the "H" key.

              One of the most powerful features of the program is its
         ability to analyze student grades in a variety of ways.  The
         tutorials and additional material in Chapter IV will enable you to
         examine both individual and group performance using several
         different methods of data analysis.  The calculations generated by
         VAR Grade will give you a great deal of information helpful in
         assigning final grades.  Both you and your students will benefit
         from this data, since you can identify clearly how the student is
         performing relative to the rest of the class, and also evaluate the
         student's work on different assignments.  The program also allows
         you to generate clear and attractive graphics, which will answer
         the question "why did I get this grade?" in more detail than most
         students will need.

              The program can be used for both grades and attendance.  You
         may grade with either letter or number grades, and you can use any
         combination of letter and number grades.  You can change the points
         of any assignment or score at any time.  You can also use many
         different types of pre-defined assignments (tasks), including ones
         that are the sums, averages, and weights of other tasks.  Any task



                                          6







                                                            Introduction
         or combination of tasks can be plotted, correlated, and analyzed
         statistically.  Attendance for your classes can be recorded.
         Individual student scores can be printed or scores for each section
         of the class can be printed.  You can control page length, margins,
         and type size when printing the data.

              The program has also been designed to be as immune as possible
         from errors on your part. The program checks for reasonable task
         scores, will not easily let you exit the program without saving
         your data, and will check to ensure that the data sent to a disk
         was actually written before letting you exit from the program.  It
         will also prevent accidental deletions of your files by making them
         read-only files (which you cannot delete with the DOS "del" or
         "erase" commands). You can also protect your grades from prying
         eyes by requiring a password before allowing access to your data.

              The program has been in use for several years, and has
         undergone constant improvements and corrections.  However,
         suggestions are always welcome for additions, deletions, or
         improvements to the program.  Please send comments!  Most of the
         recent changes in the program were suggested by people using this
         program.

         A. Program features

           An unlimited number of students, tasks, and classes of students
           are allowed by VAR Grade.  Only the amount of memory in your
           computer limits these.

           1. Beginner vs. advanced modes

              When you first start the program, you will be in "beginner"
              mode.  This mode lacks many of the options of the "advanced"
              mode.  Switching between the two modes is done quite easily on
              the Main Menu.  Since the beginner mode has fewer options, it
              is easier to learn and use.  However, to unleash the full
              power of the program, you will need to move to the advanced
              mode.  Those features only in the advanced mode are listed in
              this manual with an (AM).

           2. Entering the students

              You can enter the students either by entering their names
              directly into the program, or by telling the program to use a
              file of names for the students (AM).  You can enter both names
              and IDs for the students.  Printouts can print one or both of
              these.




                                          7







              You can sort and list students several ways, including by
              names, IDs, sections, and task scores.  You can display and
              print students by their names and/or their IDs.

           3. Sections

              The number of sections is initially set at 1 when you first
              start a new class.  For elementary schools, that is probably
              all that you will need.  For secondary schools and colleges,
              several sections of the same class are frequently taught by
              one instructor.  There is a limit of 254 different sections of
              students in the class.  Students can be printed, plotted, or
              analyzed in any combination of sections.

           4. Tasks

              Tasks include, but are not limited to, assignments.  Regular
              tasks include exams, tests, homework, papers, quizzes, and any
              other assignment.  Special tasks are not assignments, but
              rather mathematical manipulations of other tasks.  Below is a
              quick overview of both kinds of tasks.  For more information,
              see the Advanced Manual.  Besides defining tasks, you can use
              a variety of tools to analyze or modify the tasks after they
              have been defined.

              (a) Regular tasks

                There are eleven different types of tasks allowed.  Two of
                them correspond to ordinary number and letter grades.

                (i) Number tasks are ones in which the scores are numbers.

                (ii) Letter tasks are ones in which the scores are letters,
                like A, B-, or C+.

                (iii) Extra credit tasks are ones where the points can be
                added to a number task, but the total points of the number
                task are not altered.  Extra credit tasks are treated in
                special ways by the program.  The special tasks, listed
                below, count extra credit as 0 total points.

              (b) Special tasks

                The second type of tasks are called Special tasks.  Special
                tasks are sums, averages, highest, percentages, etc., of
                other tasks.  You do not enter scores into special tasks.
                Instead, you pick the tasks to be counted in the sum (or
                average, percentage, highest, etc.) of other tasks.  The




                                          8







                                                            Introduction
                program then calculates the scores for you.  These scores
                will be recalculated each time you change student scores.

                (i) Sum tasks

                   These are tasks that are the sums of other tasks.  Tasks
                   that are not yet entered can be included in the list of
                   tasks that will be summed.  When the tasks are then
                   defined, they will be included in the sums.

                (ii) Averaged tasks

                   These are tasks that are the average of other tasks.  If
                   you use letter grades, the averages are averages of the
                   point values of the letters, otherwise they are the
                   numerical average of the scores.  Any scores that have
                   not yet been entered are not averaged, so the averages
                   reflect only those tasks for which the student has
                   scores.

                (iii) Percentage tasks

                   These are tasks that average scores, then convert those
                   averages to percentages.  Like averaged tasks, any scores
                   that have not yet been entered are not used in the
                   calculations.

                (iv) Highest tasks (AM)

                   These are tasks that sum the scores of other tasks, then
                   the lowest one or more scores are discarded ("throw out
                   the lowest of several scores").  The program will find
                   the lowest of a set of scores and add up only the
                   remaining ones.  Scores that are unentered are discarded
                   first, then the lowest that have been entered are
                   discarded.

                (v) Weighted tasks (AM)

                   You can define a task as the sum of other tasks, each
                   worth a certain weight of the final grade.

                (vi) Attendance tasks (AM)

                   Attendance can be given values.  These values can then be
                   used to calculate a score that can be used like the other
                   special tasks.




                                          9







                (vii) Attendance extra credit tasks (AM)

                   These are defined like the attendance tasks, except that,
                   like the regular extra credit task, they are treated
                   special ways by special tasks--as having 0 total points.

                (viii) Final tasks (AM)

                   You can define a task as a final task.  Letter grades are
                   assigned to this task based upon student scores and grade
                   cutoffs specified by you.

           5. Attendance and seating

              You can use VAR Grade to record attendance for your class.
              There can be up to 240 days of attendance, with several
              different types of attendance (present, absent, late, etc.).
              Seating charts can be made, printed out, and used for
              recording attendance.

           6. Database items (AM)

              Besides names and IDs, you can enter up to 200 different
              database items per student.  Database items can be numbers,
              memos, strings, booleans (yes/no), etc.  They can represent
              addresses, comments, sex, age, year in school, birthdates,
              etc.

           7. Entering data

              Scores and attendance can be entered spreadsheet style.
              Students and their data are listed either by individual
              students or by the whole class.  Data entry is checked for
              valid input, so no scores can be entered if they have more
              than the allowed points.  The program also includes an
              "inline" calculator for adding up scores that are to be
              entered.

           8. Writing the scores

              You can print the scores of one student OR you can print the
              scores for an entire class or combination of sections of the
              class.  After choosing which way to write out the scores, you
              can choose the printer, page size, type size, and if the data
              should be written to the screen, or also to a disk file or a
              printer.  The program allows a great deal of flexibility in
              how you print student data.  The program also allows you write
              your own "report forms" so that you can print the scores just
              about any way you want (this feature is only in the advanced



                                         10







                                                            Introduction
              mode).  You can then change anything printed by the program.
              In other words, if you don't like the way the program prints
              things, you can probably change it.

           9. Plotting the scores

              You can plot and graph the scores of any task that you choose.
              If you grade with numbers, you can choose the low and high
              scores to plot.

              In advanced mode, you can plot all the scores for one student.
              You can correlate scores on two tasks.  The scores will be
              plotted against each other and the correlation coefficients
              calculated.  You can also plot the class scores for any task
              or set of tasks.  Ranges, means, medians, and standard
              deviations are calculated and plotted.

              All the plots can be displayed and printed using a variety of
              fonts.

           10. Define a grading system

              You can pick just about any grading system you want, simply by
              renaming the grades and changing their values.  You can also
              use the program to automatically assign grades according to
              your own grading scale.

           11. Statistics & assigning grades

              At the end of a semester, you can assign grades and have the
              grades and grade cutoffs neatly printed.  If you use number
              grades, you can weight exams by adding or multiplying the
              current scores by a number.  You can calculate statistics on
              tasks and adjust the final grades.  You can even calculate
              what students need to get particular grades (what-ifs).

           12. Printers

              For printing student scores, you can use any printer.  In
              order to be able to print graphs and plots, you need to
              specify your printer(s) during installation.  VAR Grade
              support most printers.  You can print in pica, elite, and
              compressed characters.  Graphs are printed at the resolution
              of your printer.

           13. Passwords

              If your computer is accessible to others, you can prevent
              people from accessing the student data by using a password.


                                         11







              The password can be up to 15 characters long, and can include
              spaces and punctuation marks.

           14. Other program features

              There are many additional features in the program.  Among them
              are (a) the colors used by the program can be changed, (b) the
              number of lines and characters on a screen and on a printed
              page can be specified, (c) the number of decimal places to use
              can be specified, (d) whether to round or truncate scores can
              be chosen, and (e) macros can be specified for repetitive
              typing, and much more.

           15. International support

              You can define your own grading system, dates, and translate
              all program output into your language of choice.  You can even
              write your own report forms.

         B. Conventions used in this manual

           Names of files and programs are printed in UPPERCASE letters.
           Warnings and notes are printed in italics.
           Examples of what to type are in double quotes: "TYPE THIS".
           MS-DOS prompts are usually listed as: A>.  Anything after the
              prompt should be typed.

              Example: A> GRADE

              The prompt is A>, and you should type "GRADE".

           Special keys are those that do not print normal characters.  They
              are designated in the manual and program by bracketing the key
              name with "<" and ">".

              Example: <Esc> means the Escape key, <Rtn> means the Return or
                Enter key.

         C. Sample classes

           To look at the capabilities of VAR Grade, four sample classes
           called GSample, A, B, and C have been included.  Many of the
           features of the program have been used for these classes.  To
           view them, type "GRADE GSAMPLE", "GRADE A", "GRADE B", or "GRADE
           C".  These classes are also used for tutorials and figures in the
           manual.






                                         12







                                                            Requirements

                                  II. REQUIREMENTS




         A. Hardware

           1. This program will run on an IBM PC or compatible computer.
           2. It requires MS-DOS 2.0 or later.
           3. It requires at least 410,000 bytes of free memory (memory LEFT
              after DOS and memory resident programs are running). If you
              have 512K memory or greater in your computer you should have
              no problem running VAR Grade.
           4. One drive of 720K or more.  A hard disk is highly recommended.
           5. The program can run using either a monochrome or a color
              monitor.  To see graphs and plots, you need a display adapter
              that can display graphics (e.g., Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA, and
              others).  If you want to print graphs and plots, a dot matrix,
              ink jet, or laser printer is required.  Grades and attendance
              can be printed on any printer.

         B. Versions

           The standard version of this program allows you to have up to
           16,000 students in up to 254 sections or groups per class, up to
           2,000 tasks per class, 240 attendance days per class, 200
           database items per class, and an unlimited number of classes.  In
           reality, the limitations are due to available memory.

           In addition to regular memory VAR Grade takes advantage of any
           EMS and XMS memory that your computer has.  EMS and XMS memory is
           memory above 640K.  The program also automatically uses math
           coprocessor chips (80x87 math chips).

           Should you desire "custom" versions of this program, they are
           also available.  When you register your current version, should
           you desire a custom version, indicate so and we will try to meet
           your requirements.

         C. Networks

           This version will run on networks (LAN).  It will not, however,
           take advantage of special features of the networks, such as
           interactive mail or print queues.  There are options, discussed
           in the Advanced Manual, that explain how to set up for a LAN.





                                         13









                           III. INSTALLATION OF VAR GRADE



              VAR Grade can be installed onto either a hard (fixed) disk or
         onto floppy (removable) disks.  The program INSTALL will
         automatically install VAR Grade.  You will need to answer some
         questions and follow the instructions, but will not have to worry
         about which files are needed.  If you prefer to install the program
         yourself, directions are given below in Section B.

         A. Using INSTALL

           To install the program, you can run the program INSTALL.  Follow
           the instructions below.  INSTALL will not modify any existing
           files on your computer, except, if you have a previous version of
           VAR Grade, it will replace some of the old program files.

           1. Put Disk #1 (the "Program" disk) into a drive.  It can be in
              any drive.  For the instructions below, it is assumed that the
              disk is in drive A.  If you use drive B, or any other drive,
              replace the "A:" in the instructions with "B:" (or "d:", where
              "d" is the letter of the drive).

           2. You will need two blank formatted 720K 3 1/2" disks, or 1.2
              megabytes of free disk space on any larger disks.  If the
              disks are not formatted or not empty, they can be formatted
              during the installation.  NOTE: The program uses the MS-DOS
              format command for formatting, and will only format disks of
              1.44 Megabytes capacity or less.

              If you are installing onto floppy disks, put one into the
              drive.

           3. Type "A:INSTALL".  An opening screen will appear, explaining
              the hardware requirements of VAR Grade and how to use the
              installation program.  If you have a monochrome monitor and
              the screen is hard to read, you may need to type "A:INSTALL/b"
              to force the program into black and white mode.  This may be
              required for some monochrome boards, as these boards sometimes
              tell programs (erroneously) that they are color boards.
              "A:INSTALL/c" will force the program into color mode.

           4. You can exit the installation program at any time by pressing
              the "Ctrl" and the "C" keys simultaneously (<CtrlC>).  If the
              program has not completely installed VAR Grade, it will not
              run correctly, and you may have to redo the installation.

                                         14









                                                            Installation

           5. After pressing a key, you will be asked whether to install the
              whole program, parts of the program, or whether to print the
              README.DOC or manuals.  Choose to install all the program
              installation (option "A").

           6. You will then be asked where to put the program.  INSTALL will
              probably suggest the directory "\VARGRADE", but you can
              specify any drive or directory.  To type in a new directory or
              drive, just type in a new name.  For example, to change it to
              drive A, type "a:".  After you have specified the directories
              and drives to place the program, press <AltS>.

           6. The program will now install the program.  If it does not find
              the disks or ZIP files it needs, it will request them.

              If the disk you are installing to does not have enough room on
              it for the VAR Grade files, you will be asked what to do.
              There are three options: (a) You can format the disk.  (b) You
              can tell the program to write the files to another disk, or
              (c) You can tell the program to write the disk anyway.  Choose
              option c if you have changed to a new disk or if you are
              installing VAR Grade over a previous version of the program.
              If a previous version of the program is present, the
              installation program will ask if the existing files should be
              replaced (overwritten).  Note that you will only be asked this
              once:  if you say yes, all the duplicate files will be
              replaced.  NOTE: INSTALL does not delete all the old VAR Grade
              files, but does replace those that have the same name as the
              new files.

              During the installation, the program will ask you to pick your
              printer.  To do this, you will need to know the name and model
              number of your printer, and if it emulates any other printers.
              Most dot matrix printers emulate the Epson FX printer.  Most
              laser printers emulate the HP LaserJet printer.  Use the
              <Arrow>, <Page up>, and <Page down> keys to traverse the list
              and find your printer(s).  Then press <Rtn> to select it.  You
              can repeat this process until you have picked up to 5
              printers.  When you have picked all your printers, press
              <AltS>.

           7. You will return to the screen that asks whether to install the
              whole program, or just part of it.  If desired, you can print
              the documentation from this screen.  Press <Esc> or "X" when
              you are finished.



                                         15









           8. When the installation has been completed, a message will be
              displayed explaining how to label the disks and how to start
              VAR Grade.

           9. If you install onto floppy disks, when you run VAR Grade, the
              disk containing the overlays (GRADE.OVR) must be in the drive
              at all times.  Part of the program is in "overlays", which
              means that some of the program is on the disk and is read into
              the program only when needed.  NOTE: If you have removed the
              overlay disk, the program will print a message asking you to
              reinsert the overlay disk, as it needs the overlay file to
              continue.  Also, do not move the disk with the overlays from
              one drive to another.  It must always be in the same drive.

         B. Installation without INSTALL

           To install the program without INSTALL, you need to follow the
           instructions found in the Advanced Manual.  In general, you need:

           1. Up to 1.2 megabytes of disk space, including at least one 720K
              drive, and the program PKUNZIP (available either on BBS
              systems or from disk vendors).

           2. To know you video adapter (Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA).

           3. To know the type of printer you have.
























                                         16









                                                               First Use


                             IV. FIRST USE OF VAR GRADE



              In general, you move around the program by choosing options on
         menus.  The "Main Menu" is the menu that appears after specifying a
         class name.  If you choose one of the options on the Main Menu, the
         program goes to another set of menus ("secondary menus"), etc.
         Below is a short description of how to enter data for a new class,
         as well as a list of some of the features of the program.

         A. Starting the program

           1. Type "GRADE" when in DOS (i.e., at the prompt:  A>  ).  If you
              have a monochrome monitor, you may have to type "GRADE/B".

           2. The opening screen will appear.  It identifies the program,
              and shows a list of classes.  If you have a mouse attached, a
              colored block will appear in the center of the screen--that is
              the mouse cursor.

           3. You will then be asked for the name of a class.  A class will
              be highlighted on the screen.  Press <Rtn> to select that
              class, or use the arrow keys to move the highlight to a new
              class before pressing <Rtn>.  To use any class not listed on
              the screen, type the name and press <Rtn>.  If the program
              cannot find the class, it will make a new class with that
              name.  Class names can be corrected with the <Backspace> key.
              After a class has been selected, the Main Menu then appears.
              This chapter will describe both how to start a new class and
              how to use the class supplied with the program.  The tutorials
              assume that you installed the entire program (including the
              sample classes), and that you are in the beginner mode.

         B. Using an existing class: tutorial

           Start the program as in Section A, above.  Next, you will see
           four classes highlighted, GSample, A, B, and C.  Move the
           highlight to GSample with the arrow keys, and press <Rtn>.  If
           you have a mouse, you could also select GSample by moving the
           mouse cursor to it, and then pressing the left mouse button.  VAR
           Grade will now read the students into the program.

           A menu will appear.  This menu is called the Main Menu.  On it
           are several options.  These options are separated into four
           categories.  First, there are several options involved with
           entering data.  Second, there are options regarding analyzing the


                                         17







           student data.   Third, there are other options, such as changing
           how parts of the program work, seeing the help screens, and
           running other programs.  Last, there are options for leaving the
           class and program.  You can use the arrow keys to move the
           highlight to a different menu choice.  To pick a choice, either
           move the highlight to the desired choice, then press <Rtn>, or
           just press the key shown on the left side of the option.  If you
           have a mouse, you can move the mouse cursor to the desired
           choice, then press the <left button>.

           1. Entering data

              Press "D" on the Main Menu.  You will see a list of students
              in the class and scores for several of the tasks that have
              been defined.  You can use the arrow keys on the keypad to
              move around the class, or a mouse.  If you have a mouse, and
              there are more students or tasks than fit on one screen, mouse
              bars are shown on the right and/or bottom of the screen.

              (a) Names

                Use the <Dn Arrow> to move to the second name, "Bimson,
                Keith".  The cursor will be at the end of the name.  Press
                the <Backspace> key.  Next press an "s".  The name will now
                read "Bimson, Keits".

              (b) Number tasks

                Move down one name to "Crick, Francis".  Now move right four
                cells to the number "85.0".  If you look to the top of that
                column, it will say that it is task #3, with the name
                "Number 2".  The cursor will be at the end of the number.
                Type an "86".  The number should read "86".  Notice that,
                when you typed the "8", the previous score disappeared.
                When you move to a cell, and, for a first keystroke, type a
                regular character (letter or number), the data in the cell
                will disappear.  If the first key you type is a <Backspace>,
                function key, cursor key, or <Alt> key, the previous data is
                not cleared.  NOTE: If you accidentally type a number, and
                decide that you want the old one back, press <AltU> (undo)
                before leaving that cell.  This returns the cell to its
                original value.

                Move down one cell with the down arrow.  Notice the 86 stays
                in the previous cell.  You do not have to type a <Rtn> to
                signal the end of input; just moving to another cell with
                the cursor keys is sufficient.





                                         18







                                                               First Use
                NOTE: Scores higher than the allowed points for a task will
                not be accepted.  A beep or noise will tell you this has
                happened.

                If you are entering scores from a test, you can use VAR
                Grade to add up the scores on the test.  Move to the cell
                where "86" was entered, above.  Now, type "+".  You will see
                a tiny window pop up.  It will have the 86 on the left, then
                a +, and is waiting for another number.  Type "5", then "=".
                The tiny window will disappear and "91" will appear in the
                cell.  This is the inline calculator.  It pops up any time
                that you type in a +, -, /, * (multiply), or =, and can be
                used like any other simple calculator.

              (c) Letter tasks

                Now move to the name "Darwin, Charles".  Move right three
                cells, to a "B".  This is under the column header task #2:
                "Lette".  The "Lette" is the first five letters of "Letter
                2", the name of task #2.  Only the first few letters of each
                task name is shown (to show all the letters takes too much
                screen space).  To change the task score, use the
                <Backspace> key to delete the B, then put in a new grade,
                from A to F.  Notice that if you type any letters other than
                A to F, they will be ignored by the program, as the only
                letters that are in letter grades are accepted.  You may
                enter a + or - after the first letter, if needed.

              (d) Scrolling to the right

                From "Darwin, Charles", task #2, move right four cells with
                the right arrow key.  Notice that when you moved to the
                third cell, the screen shifted.  The names are still listed
                on the left, but a slightly different set of tasks is shown.
                If you want, you can change the score as above.

                If you have a mouse, you can scroll to the right by moving
                to the bottom line, then pressing the <Left button> on the
                right arrow.  Pressing the <Left button> on the stippled
                arrow moves the cursor to that relative position in the
                tasks.

              (e) Scrolling down

                Just as in the previous example, you can also scroll down.
                This time you will see more names.  Use the down arrow on
                the keypad to go all the way to "Watson, Jim": the last
                person in the class.  Notice that the screen shifts as you
                do so.  You can scroll through the students and tasks until


                                         19







                you find the data you want to change.  If you scroll down
                one more time, you will be back at the beginning of the
                class.

                You can scroll the names down with a mouse by moving to the
                right side of the screen, then pressing the down arrow.

              (f) Changing which data is displayed

                To change which data is listed on the screen, press <AltC>.
                You will see the "Items to List", which asks whether to
                display the name or ID.  A "Y" means yes, an "N" means no.
                They are both set to "Y", so both are displayed.  Move down
                one cell to the ID, then choose "N".  The ID will no longer
                be displayed.  Press <AltS> to leave this menu.

                If there had been more than one section of students in this
                class, you would have been asked whether to display section
                numbers.  In GSample, there is only one section of students.
                In advanced mode, you would be asked, on this list, which
                database items to display.

                Next, you are asked which tasks to display.  The list at the
                top of the screen is all the tasks that have been defined
                that accept input (letter, number, or extra credit tasks).
                Type "1 3:2 ", then <Rtn> (or "1<Rtn>3:2<Rtn><Rtn>" also
                works).  You have told the program to list tasks 1, 3, and
                then 2 on the screen, in that order.  You can display any
                regular tasks (number, letter, or extra credit), in any
                order.

                If you have a mouse, you could have picked the tasks by
                moving the cursor to the task, then pressing the <Left
                button>.  The task number where the mouse cursor was located
                appears below.

                You now see the names and task scores for tasks 1, 3, and 2.
                You could now alter the data, if you wished.

              (g) Adding a new input task

                You can add a new task by pressing <AltT>.  Move to the
                second task column (task #3).  Now, press <AltT>.  You will
                see a list of all the tasks, and the Define Task Menu that
                allows you to define number, letter, or extra credit tasks.

                Press "N".  You are then asked for the new number.  You can
                enter any number.  For example, type in "5", then <Rtn>.
                Since task 5 is already defined, you are asked whether to



                                         20







                                                               First Use
                replace the old task, insert the new task before task 5, or
                to exit without defining a task.  Pick "I".  You are now
                asked for the task name.  Notice that, above, tasks 5 and 6
                both look like the same task.  You are asked for the new
                name, with "Number 3" suggested as the new name.  Delete the
                name with <F10>.  Now, type in "Number 4", and <Rtn>.  Next,
                you are asked for the total points for the task.  The
                program uses the total points for calculations, and for
                checking data input.  Press <Rtn> (which causes the 100 to
                be accepted as the total points for the task).  You now
                return to the Define Task Menu.  You could define as many
                tasks as you want here.  However, for the tutorial, press
                "X".

                The new task is listed just after the one where the cursor
                was.  You could enter data, if you had test scores.

              (h) Exiting

                To leave this part of the program, type an <AltS>.  The data
                you changed is saved into memory.  It isn't saved to disk
                unless you press "S" on the Main Menu or exit the program.

           2. Analyzing grades

              We can see a plot of the scores on task #1 by pressing "P"
              when we are on the Main Menu.  A list of all the tasks is
              shown, and you are asked which task to plot.  Type in a "1",
              then a <Rtn>.  The program automatically determines the high
              and low scores for the plot.  If you want to pick your own
              high and low scores, you need to go to the "O" (Option) part
              of the Main Menu (see the Advanced Manual).

              You next see a menu, the Print Menu, that will list several
              options, such as printing to a printer, disk file, etc.  Just
              press "S" (screen only).  The plot is displayed.  The mean,
              median, and mode are shown, along with +1 and -1 standard
              deviations from the mean.  At the bottom right of the screen
              is a message: "Press any key to continue."  When you are
              through looking at the plot, press any key on the keyboard.
              You will return to the Main Menu.

              The advanced mode offers many more options.

           3. Writing scores

              If you want to list some of the task scores of the class on
              the screen, press a "W" when on the Main Menu.  You will see
              another menu, the Write Data Menu.  To print out grades for


                                         21







              all the students in the class, press an "S".  You can then
              choose to display task scores, attendance, or an attendance
              summary.  Pick "T", task scores.  You are then asked for the
              list of tasks to display.  Type "<F1>", then <Rtn>.  You have
              just told the program to list all the tasks in the class.
              <F1> is used frequently in the program to designate "all of
              the above".  Next, you are asked if you want to display the
              student names, and/or IDs.  Press "B" to display both.  Last,
              you will see the Print Menu.  Press "S" on the Print Menu to
              see the scores.

              The first screen shows a list of all the tasks, the points
              that are possible, and part of the class.   The listing will
              stop after every screenful of students.  When the screen
              stops, press a key to see some more data.  Since only 7 of the
              tasks fit on the first listing, the program will repeat with
              tasks 8 through 14, and 15 through 16.  When you have seen all
              the scores, the Write Data Menu will appear again.  Press "X"
              or <Esc> to go back to the Main Menu.

           4. Defining Special tasks;

              Press "T" on the Main Menu.  You will see the Define Task
              Menu, with several different options.  We can define three
              different special tasks, averages ("A"), percentages ("P"),
              and sums ("S").  In the list of tasks, there is a column
              labeled "Type".  This is the letter used to define the task
              type.  Task #1 is "N" (number), task #2 is "L" (letter), etc.

              If you want to define an average, you type an "A".  The
              program asks for the number of the new task.  Type a "16",
              then <Rtn>.  The program then asks for the name of the task.
              Type "New average", then <Rtn>.  The program then asks for the
              tasks to average.  Type in "1 3 5 ", then <Rtn>.  You are now
              asked if this is correct.  Type "Y".  You are now back at the
              Define Task Menu, except that task #16 is listed.  Sum and
              percent tasks are done the same way.  In the advanced mode,
              several other special tasks are available, including weights,
              attendance, and discarding the lowest of a group of tasks.

           5. Quitting the program

              Press "Q" on the Main Menu to leave the class.  Since we
              changed some of the data, the program will ask you if you want
              to save the data before exiting.  Press "N" (don't save the
              data).






                                         22







                                                               First Use
         C. Starting a new class

           To start a new class, start the program as in section A, by
           typing "GRADE".  This time, instead of moving to a class and
           pressing <Rtn>, type in a name of a new class (one not listed--
           like "Math").  The Main Menu will then appear.  At the bottom
           left of the screen is listed the words "New class".

           1. First, if there are more than one section of students in your
              new class, you will need to increase the number of sections.
              You can have up to 254 sections of students in each class.
              Press "O" when on the Main Menu.  On the second menu, press
              "S" (change the number of sections).  Type in the new number,
              then <Rtn>.  Then exit back to the Main Menu by pressing "X"
              or <Esc>.  If you have several classes that use the same tasks
              and turn in the same assignments, calling them different
              "sections" of the same class lets you easily compare them.
              The program allows printing and statistics of each section
              separately, or of all of them.

           2. Next, you want to enter the names of the students.  Enter the
              names by pressing "N" on the Main Menu.  There are two
              choices.  You can type in only names ("N") or type in names
              and IDs ("I").  The advanced mode also allows input from text
              files.  Names, IDs, and sections of students can be changed at
              any time.  After you choose "N" or "I", you will be asked for
              the section in which to add students.

              If you are typing in the names, just type in the names (ending
              each name with <Rtn>).  If you are also typing in IDs, type
              them the second column.  If a name was entered incorrectly,
              you can change it by using the cursor keys to move back to it,
              then changing it.  When you have finished entering names,
              press <AltS>.  By default, names have up to 20 characters, and
              IDs 15.  These sizes can be changed in the advanced mode.

              Example:  If you are on the Main Menu, type an "N", then "N"
              again.  The program will ask for the section number.  Type in
              "1", then <Rtn>.  You can now type in names, ending each with
              a <Rtn>.  If you misspelled a name, but did not notice until
              you were on the next name, press <Up Arrow> to move to the
              previous name.  Retype it in correctly.  After the last name
              has been entered, press an <AltS>, and an <Esc> when the
              program asks for the section number.

              NOTE: The program can sort the names alphabetically.  If the
                names are entered last name first, they will be sorted by
                last name.  If they are entered with the first name first,
                they will be sorted by first names.  The program will check


                                         23







                for duplicate names, so you cannot put the same name into
                the same section twice.  In the advanced mode, you can print
                the names "flipped", where the last and first names are
                reversed, or with first names, only.

           3. Tasks are assignments for students.  They can be exams, tests,
              homework, projects, etc.  If you have task scores to enter
              into the program, press "T" when on the Main Menu to define
              the new assignments.  Initially, no tasks are listed.

              VAR Grade requires you to define a task before you can enter
              data into it.  This is like most database programs, but unlike
              spreadsheet programs.  Making you define the tasks saves
              memory and ensures correct calculations of grades.

              The Define Task Menu is shown.  To define a task, you first
              choose a task type.  You are then asked the name and, if it is
              a number or extra credit task, the total points.  You can
              continue to define as many tasks as you like.  There are six
              types of tasks that can be defined in the beginning mode,
              eleven different types in the advanced mode.  You must define
              a task before you can enter task scores for it.  Note that if
              you are grading with numbers, scores cannot be entered that
              are higher than the total points of the task (NOTE: you can
              change this.  See the Advanced Manual).  If you are using
              letter grades, only letters defined by you can be used (the
              "default" grades are A to F, with + and - grades, but these
              also can be changed).

              Example: Press "N" to define a number task.  Type in a "1",
              then <Rtn>.  You are then asked for the name of the task.
              Type "New".  You are then asked for the total points.  If you
              want it to be worth 100 points, just type a <Rtn>, otherwise,
              type in a new number, then <Rtn>.  For tasks worth 100 points,
              it is easier to use the <F1> key to pick the next task, and
              give it 100 points.  You only need to type in the name of the
              task.

           4. Next, you can enter the scores.  You may enter scores for
              multiple tasks or for only one.  You can enter the scores "by
              individual" ("I" on the Main Menu), or "by section" ("D" on
              the Main Menu). "By individual" lists all the tasks for one
              student, while "by section" or class lists for every student
              in the class only those tasks that you have chosen.  With
              either method, the program lists the students in order.  You
              can use the cursor keys (up, down, etc.) to move to a new task
              or student.  Pressing <Rtn> will cause the program to move to
              the next task, while using the cursor keys will move you up,




                                         24







                                                               First Use
              down, or over to new tasks.  Use <AltC> to pick new tasks to
              put into the columns.

              NOTE: The program can switch between "using" or "not using"
              edit keys.  Using edit keys will let you use the left and
              right arrow keys to move between the letters in a cell.  If
              you are "using" edit keys, you move between students with
              <Ctrl>-cursor keys, as the left and right arrow keys move only
              within the cell.  Pressing <CtrlE> when entering data will
              change back and forth between "using" to "not using" edit
              keys.

           5. When you are finished entering data, press <AltS> to exit the
              section and save the data to memory.  Next, when on the Main
              Menu, type an "S" to save the data to a disk file.  The
              program will ask for the class name.  Most of the time, you
              will just type <Rtn>.  If you want to change the name of the
              class or the directory in which it is located, you can do so
              before pressing <Rtn>.

         D. Entering data

           In general, if the program asks you to "enter" data, end it with
           "<Rtn>" or a cursor key, and when you are asked to "press" a key,
           only one key needs to be pressed (no <Rtn>).

           1. Menu choices

              The program accepts as input only the keys listed on the menu,
              and will respond to the key when it is pressed.

              When you are asked for a menu choice, to select it you can (a)
              press the key, OR (b) use the cursor keys to pick the correct
              choice and press the Return or Enter key, OR (c) use a mouse
              to select the choice and press the left mouse button.

           2. Entering numbers

              When you type numbers in, you must press the return key
              (<Rtn>) or, a cursor key (arrow, page up and down, etc.) to
              signal the end of your data.

              A <Rtn> alone, with no number, tells the program:

                   (a) do not change the current value;    OR
                   (b) end current input of the number;    OR
                   (c) let the program choose the appropriate number.




                                         25







              Which possibility (a, b, or c)  that the program will use is
              stated when the data is requested.

           3. Selecting and entering names

              When you enter words or names, you must press either the
              return key (<Rtn>) or a cursor key (arrow, page up and down,
              etc.) to signal the end of your data.

              When names of classes or students are listed on the screen,
              the cursor keys can be used to select the student or class
              name.  Select the desired name with the cursor keys, then
              press <Rtn>.

         E. If you are lost or want to leave a section of the program

           If you are lost, or want to return to the Main Menu, you can
           usually reach it by repeatedly pressing the <Esc> key.  The <Esc>
           key can also be used to exit a section of the program that you
           don't want to be in.

         F. Starting another class

           Elementary school teachers teach several different subjects to
           the same students.  It is convenient to keep grades for each of
           the subjects in different classes.  VAR Grade has features that
           allow you to combine and separate the subjects.

           To write the current students to a new class, pick option "W" on
           the Main Menu.  Then, type "V".  You will be asked for the name
           of the new class.  Type it in.  The current students, including
           names, IDs, and section numbers will be written to a new class.
           Task scores will not be written.

           To write out scores for more than one subject for a student, type
           "W" on the Main Menu, then "N".  Next, pick a name of a student.
           You will be asked whether to display task scores, attendance (if
           it is being used), or "designate subjects to list".  Pick "D".
           Shown is a list of up to ten subjects.  You need to specify each
           one you want to use.  When finished, type <AltS>.  You will now
           return to the "Print by Name" Menu.  If you print out task
           scores, you will display or print scores for each of the classes
           you chose, as well as the current class.

         G. Advanced mode

           Although some advanced features were mentioned in these
           tutorials, there are many other features as well.  After you are
           familiar with the beginner's mode, you are strongly urged to type



                                         26







                                                               First Use
           "B" on the Main Menu.  This will put you into advanced mode.  The
           Main Menu will look only a little different, but the other menus
           will have more significant changes.  For example, if you type
           "P", for plots, there is now a large number of different plots
           you can try.  You can change fonts, and so forth.  Until you use
           the advanced mode, you haven't fully tried the power of VAR
           Grade.

         H. Exiting the program

           Normally, you exit the program by going through the Main Menu.
           To exit, pick the "Q" (quit the program) option.  If any data has
           been changed since the last time the it was saved, the program
           will ask if you want the new changes to be saved.  You can also
           exit from almost anywhere in the program by pressing Ctrl-C (the
           Control key and the "C" key simultaneously: <CtrlC>).  Again, if
           student data has been changed, you will be prompted about saving
           it before leaving the program.

         I. Using a Mouse

           If you have a mouse, it is used by the program.  The mouse cursor
           is a box, larger than a character, and is seen on the screen as
           having different colors than the surrounding text.  Both two and
           three button mice are supported.  NOTE: Mouse drivers over two
           years old may not work correctly:  you should get a newer version
           from the manufacturer of the mouse.
           Button(s)         Meaning
           <Left button>     Select.  If the button is pressed while the
                             mouse cursor is at a menu choice, that choice
                             will be selected.  If the mouse cursor is at a
                             number or name, the cursor will move to that
                             place.  If the mouse cursor is outside the
                             current window, this will usually cause that
                             window to close.  If the mouse cursor is inside
                             a window, but at no choice, number, or name,
                             nothing
           Button(s)         Meaning
           <Left button>     (continued from previous page)
                             will happen.  If there is more information than
                             can be seen on one screen, "mouse bars" will
                             appear on the right and/or bottom of the
                             current window.  Pressing on these bars will
                             move you the screen to a different part of that
                             information.
           <Right button>    Escape.  This is equivalent to pressing the
                             escape key.
           <Center button>   [Three button mice, only.]  Clear the name or
                             number.  Equivalent to pressing the <F10> key.


                                         27







         J. How Special Keys are Used

           These keys are not used in all parts of the program, but will be
           used in most parts.  Other keys are also used, but these are
           listed on the screen when they can be used.

           Key       Name of key Program Function
           <Esc>     Escape      Exit this program section.
           <Rtn>     Return,
                     Enter       End of input.
           <PgUp>    Page Up     List previous screen.
           <PgDn>    Page Down   List next screen.
           <Home>    Home        Go to the first screen.
           <End>     End         Go to the last screen.
           <Tab>     Tab         Move to the next entry (cell).
           <ShftTab> Shift-Tab   Move to the previous cell.
           <F1>      Fn key 1    Use all choices, or select the next
                                 available choice.
           <F10>     Fn Key 10   To delete the current entry.
           <AltH>    Alt-H       HELP--always available.
           <AltU>    Alt-U       Undo a cell when entering numbers or words.
           <AltV>    Alt-V       Run a designated program.
           <CtrlC>   Ctrl C      Exit from the program.  If data has been
                                 changed, you will be asked whether it
                                 should be saved before exiting the program.
           <CtrlE>   Ctrl E      Switch between how the cursor keys work.
           <CtrlS>   Ctrl S      Stop writing to the printer or disk.

         K. How the Cursor Keys Work

           You have options as to how you want the cursor keys to work.  If
           you don't redefine the functions of the keys, they work as
           follows:
           Key(s)          Movement
           <Home>,
           <Ctrl-PgUp>     Go to the first name or cell
           <End>,
           <Ctrl-PgDn>     Go to the last name or cell
           <Pg Up>         Go up one screen
           <Pg Dn>         Go down one screen
           <Left Arr>      Go left one cell or column
           <Right Arr>     Go right one cell or column
           <Ctrl-Home>     Go up one half column
           <Ctrl-End>      Go down one half column
           <Up Arr>        Go up one name or line
           <Down Arr>      Go down one name or line
           <Ctrl-LtArr>    Go left two columns
           <Ctrl-RtArr>    Go right two columns
           <Backspace>     Delete previous character



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                                                               First Use

           You can switch between using or not using edit keys by pressing
           <Ctrl-E> (simultaneously press the "Ctrl" and "E" keys) anytime
           you are entering numbers or names (strings of characters).
           Furthermore, if you choose to use edit keys, you can use "insert"
           or "overstrike" modes.  Just press the <Ins> key to switch
           between these modes.  In insert mode, the characters are inserted
           at the position of the cursor, with the rest of the characters
           pushed to the right.  In overstrike mode, the character typed
           replaces the one that was at the cursor.  The cursor is fatter in
           the overstrike mode, so you can tell which mode you are in.

           If you "use" edit keys, by redefining their functions, you will
           be able to move left or right with the cursor keys: they will be
           acting as they would in a word processor.  If you "use" the edit
           keys, they are redefined as below.

           Edit key(s)  Movement
           <Home>       Go to the first character of a cell.
           <End>        Go to the last character of  cell.
           <Left Arr>   Go left one character in a cell.
           <Right Arr>  Go right one character in a cell.
           <Ctrl-LtArr> Go left one name or cell.
           <Ctrl-Home>  Go left four names or cells.
           <Ctrl-RtArr> Go right one name or cell.
           <Ctrl-End>   Go right four names or cells.
           <Del>        Delete the character at the cursor.
           <Ins>        Switch between insert and overwrite.























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