MENUSHOW I. WHAT IT IS: MENUSHOW is a menu generator which uses an user created ASCII file as input to display a menu according to the items in the ASCII file. II. HOW IT WORKS: The user creates an ASCII file using MENUMAKE, EDLIN or any word processor in text mode, or even COPY CON... Each line of this ASCII file is a command which MENUSHOW interprets and acts upon, displaying a menu. The menu contains text, date, day and time (optionally), a title, remarks, items for selection. The user can specify the background color, and the foreground/background colors for any items for selection, remarks, title, line numbers, date/day, time and question at the end asking the user to make a choice. III. ITS MECHANICS: The user writes his/her ASCII file and then calls MENUSHOW, followed by the name of this ASCII file. Thus, MENUSHOW ASCIIFILE MENUSHOW then reads each line of the ASCII file and produces from it a menu. The number of items is limited to what will fit on the screen, but multiple screens can be programmed. Each item for selection is numbered so that the user can select it by number. Associated with each item is a program to be run when that item number is chosen. MENUSHOW keeps track of how many items there are and sounds a warning if the user trys to select an item not on the screen. The following commands are recognized, all of which may be abbreviated to a single letter except DATE, DAY, and TIME. Each must be separated from the arguments that follow by at least one space. They are listed alphabetically for easy reference. Arguments enclosed in parentheses are optional. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ @row.column (STEP value) This sets the current row and the permanent column. The row is increased by STEP value each time an item is printed to the screen. The column, however, remains the same. BOTH row and column can be changed separately (see +, -, ADJUST.COLUMN). However, to change 'STEP value' this must be used again. ROW is an integer from 1 to 24; column is a decimal from .1 to .80. STEP value is optional and defaults to 1. Thus '@3.23 STEP 2' sets the current row to 3 and the permanent column to 23 and the STEP value to 2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + This increases the row by STEP. It is the only thing on the line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - This decreases the row by STEP. It is the only thing on the line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 MENUSHOW continued: ADJUST.COLUMN value This allows the permanent column setting to be adjusted by either increas- ing or decreasing its position by the value following the word ADJUST.COLUMN. Thus, ADJUST.COLUMN 5 (or A 5) increases the column position by 5; (if it were at 20, it would now be at 25); ADJUST.COLUMN -3 (or A -3) decreases the column position by 3; (if it were at 20, it would now be at 17). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BACKGROUND color.number If this is the first command in the ASCII file, it changes the background color to 'color.number' and then clears the screen to this color. If it occurs other than the first item, it simply changes the background color. The default color is black (0). Color is indicated by a number from 0 (black) to 7 (white) following the space that follows the word BACKGROUND or its abbreviated form B. Thus 'B 5' uses magenta background. The color numbers for background are: 0 - black 4 - red 1 - blue 5 - magenta 2 - green 6 - brown 3 - cyan 7 - white The color numbers for foreground (for those commands using foreground) are: 0 - black 8 - gray 1 - blue 9 - lite blue 2 - green 10 - lite green 3 - cyan 11 - lite cyan 4 - red 12 - lite red 5 - magenta 13 - lite magenta 6 - brown 14 - yellow 7 - white 15 - brite white ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ COLOR.BOX colors (FILL) This allows the user to specify the colors of the lines that compose the box. The foreground is indicated by an integer value, the background by a decimal value. Thus, 'C 14.1' will produce, when DOUBLE.BOX, SINGLE.BOX or LINE.BOX is called, a box whose lines are yellow on blue. If the optional FILL is used, the box just made is filled with spaces in the foreground/background specified. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 MENUSHOW - continued: DATE (colors) This displays the system date in the upper left hand corner in the format 08/16/88. If the upper left corner (1,1) is not a space, it is displayed at row 2, columns 2 thru 9. This allows a box to completely surround the screen and still have the date appear. DATE cannot be abbreviated. It can be followed by the foreground and background colors, expressed as an integer and decimal. The default colors are lite blue (9) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. Thus, 'DATE 4.7' will display the date in red on white. When used with DAY, it must come BEFORE the DAY command. If DATE does not appear as one of the items in the ASCII file, no date is displayed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DAY (colors) This displays the DAY OF THE WEEK in the upper left corner, or if the date is there, after the date in abbreviated form. ts colors can be specified. The default colors are lite blue (9) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. DAY cannot be abbreviated. Thus, 'DAY 14.0' displays the day of the week in yellow on black. It MUST FOLLOW DATE if DATE is used. If DAY does not appear as one of the items in the ASCII file, DAY will not be displayed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DOUBLE.BOX length.width This will display a double lined box, starting at the cursor position. The box's length downward, in lines, is specified by the integer value following the space following DOUBLE.BOX (or its abbreviated D) and the width, in column positions, is specified by the decimal value. Thus 'D 3.30' specifies a double lined box of 3 rows and 30 columns, starting at the current row and column. The current row and permanent column are increased by 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EDGE value This colors the border the indicated color. The colors for BACKGROUND are the same for the EDGE around the screen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ITEM string This specifies one of the items to be selected by the user. This is one of the menu choices. It is displayed at the current row and column, preceded by an increasing item number for easy reference. Its default color is lite green on the color specified by BACKGROUND. Any part of the ITEM can be displayed in any foreground/background color. This is accomplished by specifying the foreground by an integer value, the background by a decimal value, BOTH SURROUNDED by square brackets. Thus, 'ITEM [6.0]ADD a RECORD' will be dis- played in brown (6) on black (0). Any part can be made to blink by adding the letter 'b' or 'B' within the square brackets, after the color numbers. Thus 'ITEM [6.0B]ADD [6.0]a record' displays 'ADD' blinking and the rest not blinking, all in brown on black. 3 MENUSHOW - continued: ITEM continued: If any part of the ITEM has a natural delimiter (a comma or colon), the whole thing MUST be enclosed in DOUBLE QUOTES. Thus, "ITEM View, Modify, Remove a record" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LINE.BOX length.width This will display a lined box, starting at the cursor position. The box's length downward, in lines, is specified by the integer value following the space following LINE.BOX (or its abbreviated L) and the width, in column positions, is specified by the decimal value. Thus 'L 3.30' specifies a double lined box of 3 rows and 30 columns, starting at the current row and column. The current row and permanent column are increased by 1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER colors This sets the foreground and background colors of the item numbers that precede each item for selection. The default colors are white(7) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. Thus, 'N 12.1' sets the item numbers to lite red on blue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PROGRAM program.name Associated with each item for selection should be a program that will be executed when that choice is made. This should be the NEXT LINE in the ASCII file following the ITEM to which it is associated. It may include a FULL or PARTIAL PATH. Thus PROGRAM C:\GARDS\GARDMENU specifies a full path name. It is to be noted that MENUSHOW changes the dir- ectory if need be, to that specified in program.name. The program's data files must reside in the SAME directory as the program. After the program has been executed and exited, MENUSHOW will again be displayed. In other words, once called, MENUSHOW stays resident until exited by the ESC key. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTION colors When all choices and remarks are displayed, the last line of the screen will display key ITEM NO. of your choice and await the user's response. He/she must respond with an item number that is displayed or a warning sound will be given. To escape from the menu, he/she must press ESC. 4 MENUSHOW continued: QUESTION continued: The words 'key' and 'of your choice' are displayed in red on the color specified by BACKGROUND. The words 'ITEM NO.' are always displayed in brite white (15) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. The user can change the colors of 'key' and 'of your choice' by specifying the foreground as an integer and the background as a decimal value. If the letter 'b' or 'B' follows, the words 'ITEM NO.' will blink, not the words 'key' and 'of your choice'. Thus, QUESTION 14.4B displays 'key' and 'of your choice' in yellow on red; the words 'ITEM NO.' in brite white, blinking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REMARK string This allows remarks, that is, any text not an item for selection, to be displayed at the current row and permanent column. These are specified by the word 'REMARK' followed by the string containing the remark. The default colors are cyan (3) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. By adding 5 spaces after REMARK (or its abbreviated R), a sub-title is produced. If ASC(xxx\xxx. ..) or asc(xxx\xxx...) follows REMARK, then the CHR$ of xxx is printed. Any number of ASCII characters can be specified, but must be separated by "\". The programmer can specify the colors of any part of the remark by placing the colors inside square brackets. The foreground color is specified by an integer, the background as a decimal value. Blinking is indicated by the letter 'b' or 'B' following the colors, also within square brackets. However, only one such color can be specified when ASC(xxx\xxx...) is used. Example: REMARK [6.1b]Listings [6.1]and Printings displays 'Listings' blinking and 'and Printings' not, all in brown (6) on blue (1). ed keck If any part of the REMARK has a natural delimiter (a comma or colon), the whole thing MUST be enclosed in double quotes. Thus, "REMARK View, Modify, Remove a Record" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SINGLE.BOX length.width This will display a single lined box, starting at the cursor position. The box's length downward, in lines, is specified by the integer value following the space following SINGLE.BOX (or its abbreviated S) and the width, in column positions, is specified by the decimal value. Thus 'S 3.30' specifies a single lined box of 3 rows and 30 columns, starting at the current row and column. The current row and permanent column are increased by 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 MENUSHOW continued: TITLE string This is meant to specify the screen title, which is displayed CENTERED on the current row. Its default colors are lite magenta on black. However, it can be called more than once whenever a remark is to be centered. Like REMARK, any part of the 'string' can be displayed in any colors. These are specified by an integer for the foreground color and a decimal for the background color, enclosed in square brackets. 'B' or 'b' following the colors specifies blink- ing. Thus, TITLE [4.1b]P[4.1]ayables displays 'Payables' in red on blue, with the letter 'P' blinking. If any part of the TITLE has a natural delimiter (a comma or colon), the whole thing must be enclosed in double quotes. Thus, "TITLE Listings, Printings and Labels" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TIME (colors) This displays the system time in the upper right hand corner in the format hh:mm:ss, with the seconds ticking away. If the upper right hand corner does not have a space (presumably part of a box), it is displayed down one line and one position to the left, that is, at row 2, columns 72 thru 79. This allows a box to completely surround the menu and still have the TIME and DATE and DAY in the upper corners. TIME cannot be abbreviated. The 'colors' argument is optional. The default colors are lite blue (9) on the color specified by BACKGROUND. The user can specify different colors. The foreground color is specified by an integer, the background color by a decimal value. Thus, TIME 14.1 displays the system time in yellow (14) on blue (1). If TIME does not appear in the ASCII file, no time is displayed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 MENUSHOW continued: IV. MENUMAKE This is a program that allows the programmer to create the ASCII file required by FIMAMENU. It allows up to 100 entries per ASCII file. Each entry can be up to 75 characters long. The user enters the program by MENUMAKE or MENUMAKE ASCII.file.name If the first form is used, MENUMAKE will ask for the name of the ASCII file. In either case, if the file is found it is displayed for editing; otherwise a new file is created. The programmer then enters on each line, one cammand to produce the menu. Altho blank lines may be entered, they will be deleted when saved and reloaded for editing. Each line is numbered for easy reference. A legend at the bottom of the screen helps while creating or editing the menu items. Within each line the following editing features are available: BackSpace - which backspaces one character, replaces it with a space. Ins - which inserts a space at the cursor position. Del - which deletes the character at the cursor position, moving all subsequent characters to the left one position. Tab - which moves the cursor to the right 10 spaces. ALT E - which erases the rest of the line from the current cursor position, ALT I - which enters INSERT MODE, moving all characters at and to the right of the cursor to the right to the right margin. The shape of the cursor splits in two to indicate insert mode. If a non-space is attempted to be overwritten while in INSERT MODE, a sound sounds and no further input is allowed. Press- ing ALT I a second time, leaves INSERT MODE and returns to OVER-STRIKE MODE. HOME - move cursor to beginning of text. END - move cursor to end of text. CTL HOME - restore original contents of line. UP ARROW - move to prior line DOWN ARROW move to next line PgUp - move to prior group of 20. PgDn - move to next group of 20. CTL PgDn - end input - save ASCII file. ENTER - ends the input. ESC - ends session WITHOUT saving ASCII file. 7 MENUSHOW continued: V. SUMMARY FUNCTION MEANING ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ @row.col STEP value - set row and column and STEP + - increase row by one - - decrease row by one ADJUST.COLUMN value - increase/decrease column by value BACKGROUND color-number - set background color EDGE color-number - display border in color-number COLOR.BOX foreground.background (fill) - set box colors (and fill) DOUBLE.BOX length-in-rows.width-in-columns - display double lined box LINE.BOX length-in-rows,width-in-columns - display lined box SINGLE.BOX length-in-rows.width-in-columns - display single lined box DATE (foreground.background) - display date (optional colors) DAY (foreground.background) - display day (optional colors) TIME (foreground.background) - display ticking time in optional colors TITLE string - display title centered REMARK string (or ASC(xxx\xxx...) - display a remark or CHR$(xxx\...) NUMBER foreground.background - change colors of numbered items ITEM string - item for selection PROGRAM program.name (with optional path) - name program to run for ITEM QUESTION foreground.background (B) - change colors of 'key ITEM NO...' with optional BLINK. N.B. DATE, DAY and TIME cannot be abbreviated; all others can. ITEM, REMARK and TITLE can have embedded colors in format [foreground. backgroundB] for every letter or word. () indicate optional values. 8