QCD.TXT :                                Copyright 1993 QUART, Inc.

Users' Manual for QCD.EXE - QCDRUN (TM) CD-ROM Library
             
        QCDRUN CD-ROM Library System for Microsoft Windows is a 
data-base management utility and automatic CD-ROM launcher for the 
Windows Multimedia and CD-ROM user with an extensive library of
CD-ROMs. QCDRUN gives you true click-and-load convenience. 

        QCD.EXE identifies the CD-ROM in your drive and - on 
confirmation - calls the correct routines to load and run the 
CD-ROM. You can run several CD-ROMs in succession without leaving 
QCD. If QCD does not recognize the CD-ROM in the drive, it can 
shell to the Windows File Manager to allow you to explore the 
contents of the CD-ROM and load it manually; or it can shell to 
the companion program QLIB.EXE to install the CD-ROM into the 
data base. 

        All QCDRUN programs automatically locate the main Windows 
working directory on your hard drive and search there for .PIF and 
.INI files and major Windows operational files. Certain operating 
options in QCDRUN rely on the availability of the Windows utilities 
WINFILE (File Manager), WRITE (for on-screen filling out and printing 
of the registration form), and NOTEPAD (to read documentation), in 
your main Windows working directory. These functions will not operate 
correctly if these utilities are absent or located elsewhere. 

        QCD itself reads database information from WIN.INI and 
QCD.INI in your Windows directory and from CDLIST.INI in its own 
working directory. QCD can shell at your request to QDOC to read 
documentation and write registration forms, and to QLIB to install 
new CD-ROMs into the database. It calls QCDRUN system subroutines 
(in encoded WinBatch form) QPWA.WBT  to request and insert your 
Registration Password if you have not yet registered, and QPWV.WBT 
to validate the Password (which is written in the [QCD] section of 
WIN.INI) each time you run QCD. (This is a simple test of system 
integrity. If you have successfully completed registration by 
entering a valid Registration Password, and at some later time see 
"Password Error" or "Unregistered" messages when you run QCD, your 
WIN.INI file has been corrupted by something extraneous to QCD.) 
QDOC, QLIB, and QPWA all write to files. QCD itself only reads the 
database information and launches the CD-ROM.       

        QCD : Initial Operation:

a.      From Windows Program Manager menu - select File Run

b.      Enter the Command Line  h:\dir\qcd, where h is your working 
hard drive; and dir is the working directory containing the QCDRUN
system. (Default path is c:\qcd.) If you have installed the QCDRUN 
working directory into your DOS path, you need only enter QCD at 
the File Run command line.

c.       Press ENTER (from the keyboard) or click OK (left mouse button)


        QCD : General Instructions and Operations

Please be aware:        

        At any prompt in QCD - Clicking "Cancel" unconditionally  
terminates the program.

        To accept defaults (when shown in prompts) - press "ENTER" 
or click "OK"

        To change from defaults - enter from the keyboard, then 
press "ENTER" or click "OK"

        All mouse operations in QCD use the (standard) left mouse 
button.

        Any timed Message or Display window (without an "OK" button) 
can be closed, allowing the program to continue ahead to the set time
(which is a maximum of 5 seconds), by placing the cursor in the window
and clicking the left mouse button. 



Step by step:

PRELIMINARY TESTING:

a.      QCD opens with a copyright notice that clears in 5 seconds.

b.      QCD tests for installation in WIN.INI. If you try to simply
copy the QCDRUN distribution files to your hard drive and run QCD 
without completing the QINSTALL procedure, QCD and QLIB will not 
find the appropriate entries in WIN.INI or the QCD.INI file, and 
will be unable to operate. If the {QCD} section is not present in 
WIN.INI, QCD tells you to run QINSTALL and terminates.

DOCUMENTATION VIEWER:

c.      QCD shells out to QDOC to allow you to view or print program
documentation (click "Yes"). This also allows you to generate your 
Registration Form on-screen. If you do not wish to view or print 
out documentation but wish to continue in QCD and run a CD-ROM, click 
"No" and QCD will resume.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES:

d.      QCD checks the [QCD] section of WIN.INI for a valid password.
This has three possible outcomes:

        If you have registered and correctly entered your password, 
all registration messages are bypassed, and you will briefly (2 
seconds) see a message confirming your name and company name as 
licensee. The program then continues to the main CD-ROM loader routines.

        An invalid password means either that a user has attempted 
to fool the program with a fictional password, or that your WIN.INI 
has been corrupted or altered by something extraneous to QCD. Either 
case generates an error message and allows you to continue operation 
as an unregistered user.  

        QCD will find no password if you are an unregistered user. 
You should then see two messages in succession. The first displays 
the number of unregistered QCD sessions remaining within the terms 
of your shareware evaluation license, and a short text on the 
advantages of registration. The second message asks if you would 
like to enter the Registration Password. If you continue unregistered 
at this time, QCD increments the index in WIN.INI and proceeds to 
the CD-ROM loader - IF you are within the usage limits of 
the shareware license. If you have exceeded those limits, you will 
see yet another message screen, reminding you of your legal obligation 
to register, before QCD continues with the main CD-ROM loader. 

        If you have received your Registration Password and wish to 
enter it, QCD calls QPWA.WBT, which will prompt you for the Password, 
give you the option of reviewing your entry to correct errors, and 
check its validity. If the password is valid, QPWA writes it in the 
[QCD] section of WIN.INI. QCD then confirms successful registration 
and continues with the CD-ROM Loader. THE PASSWORD IS CASE-SPECIFIC 
and USER-SPECIFIC. To be valid, YOU MUST ENTER THE PASSWORD EXACTLY 
AS SUPPLIED TO YOU BY QUART, INC. Alterations of any information in 
the [QCD] section of WIN.INI may invalidate the password.           

CD-ROM LOADER

e.      QCD then scans the CD-ROM catalog database QCD.INI, comparing 
all files on the current CD-ROM with the unique identifier files 
entered in the CD-ROM library for each known CD-ROM. If your CD-ROM 
drive is empty or contains an audio CD, the system will be unable 
to read from the CD-ROM drive and will generate a "System Error" 
message; insert a CD-ROM into the drive and click "Retry" to clear 
the error and continue. 

        QCD identifies the CD-ROM by matching an identifier file 
in the data base to a file on the CD-ROM. If QCD cannot identify 
the CD-ROM, it will indicate that the CD-ROM is not in the library 
and ask if you wish to load the CD-ROM file shell. If you click 
"Yes", QCD shells to the Windows File Manager (WINFILE.EXE) and logs 
onto your CD-ROM drive, to allow you to explore the CD-ROM contents 
manually. Press F10 to return control to QCD, which will then ask 
if you wish to install this previously unknown CD-ROM. Clicking 
"Yes" shells out to QLIB.EXE to make the necessary entries in QCD.INI 
and CDLIST.INI. Clicking "No" gives you the option of ejecting and 
changing the current CD-ROM and loading another one. QLIB returns 
control to QCD after installing the CD-ROM, allowing you to continue 
to load the newly installed CD-ROM or to eject and change it to load 
a different CD-ROM. 

        When QCD has identified the CD-ROM in the drive, it shows 
a screen identifying that CD-ROM and asking you to confirm that you 
wish to continue and load it. Clicking "No" bypasses the CD-ROM 
loader and branches to the CD-ROM change and program exit routines. 
If you click "Yes," QCD will load the CD-ROM according to instructions 
programmed into the library database by QLIB.
 
        There are several possible variations here:

i.        If the CD-ROM runs from a single executable file, QCD
runs that file.

ii.       If the CD-ROM contains multiple executable files, QCD 
displays a menu screen allowing you to select the particular file 
to be run. QCD then runs the selected file.

iii.      If the CD-ROM contains archived files only without an
executable shell, QCD shells to the Windows File Manager and logs
onto the CD-ROM drive, to allow you to select and manipulate 
individual files. This "Search Archival Files" operation is also
possible in menus for mixed-use (archival and executable files)
CD-ROMs.

COMPLETION and EXIT:

f.      When you exit operations from the CD-ROM, QCD resumes 
control to ask if you wish to change CD-ROMs and load another.
Click "No" to exit QCD. 

        If you click "Yes", QCD shells to QDOC (see c. above) so 
you may review documentation if you wish. It then prompts for 
insertion of a new CD-ROM, and ejects the CD-ROM currently in the 
drive (if drive design permits). (In many systems, ejecting the 
CD-ROM may produce an "Unable to Read Drive" System Error message 
that clears by clicking "Retry" after the new CD-ROM is inserted.) 
After the new CD-ROM is inserted, QCD returns to the CD-ROM loader 
routines (see e. above).  

                   
                ENJOY YOUR CD-ROMs!