		  Sorting for Teachers 1.0

		(All trademarks acknowledged)

Terms Used:

	Clicking        -- Pressing the left mouse button once.
	Double-clicking -- Pressing the left mouse button twice 
					    in quick succession. 
	Icon            -- A small picture/logo/graphic



WARNING!!

It is very important that you always keep backup copies of all
important programs and data, to guard against accidental loss!!


INTRODUCTION

This program is designed to allow the detailed study of these sorting
algorithms:
	   Selection Sort
	   Exchange Sort
	   Insert Sort                            (registered copy only)
	   Quick Sort (recursive implementation)  (registered copy only)

Site licence registrations include a student booklet in RTF format (plain
text TXT format available on request).  The booklet is copyright, however, 
provided that the original copyright notice is retained on the first page,
it may be edited and reproduced for teaching purposes, without charge, by
the registered user.

The user can opt for a simple animation of each algorithm, sorting an array
of 8 integers.  The numbers can be chosen randomly or a particular data set
can be loaded.  If the data set has more than 8 elements, then only the
first 8 are used.  The user can either single step throught each algorithm
or use the demonstration mode for an automatic presentation.  The delay time
for the demonstration mode can be set by the user.

Alternatively, the program can be used to analyse the performance of the
different sorting algorithms.  In performance mode, different data sets
can be sorted, using any or all of the algorithms.  The number of elements
sorted can be varied (up to 2000) and the results of up to 20 tests can be
recorded and printed out.  The results table shows the name of the algorithm
and the data set, the number of elements sorted, the time taken, the number
of comparisons made and the number of exchanges carried out.

Please note that the Insertion sort does not exchange pairs of numbers,
rather it moves numbers from one location to another.  Since an exchange 
involves 3 moves (A-> TMP, B->A and TMP->B) the program takes the number
of moves for each Insertion sort and divides it by 3.  This gives the 
"number of exchanges" and allows comparisons with the other algorithms.

The registered version also allows the user to create their own data sets.
Various different types of data sets can be created, various random options,
sorted data, data in reverse order, etc.  Data sets can have up to 2000
elements, the size is set by the user.


USING AND INSTALLING THE PROGRAM

All that the user has to do is to run the file SORTS.EXE . The
procedures for doing this under DOS and Microsoft Windows
(trademarks of Microsoft Corporation) are outlined below.

The program can be run from floppy disc, although it is more
convenient to set up a crosswords directory and copy the file
SORTS.EXE onto your hard disc.

If you are not familiar with copying files and setting up
directories, a simple installation program has been written to
set up a directory on your hard disc and copy the relevant
files into it (see USING THE INSTALLATION PROGRAM
below).

RUNNING FROM THE FLOPPY DISC UNDER DOS

If your computer has only one floppy disc drive then put the
program disc into the drive and type:

      a:       <ENTER>
      cd sorts <ENTER>
      SORTS    <ENTER>    (or <RETURN>)    at the DOS prompt.

If you have more than one floppy disc drive then you may need 
to change the "a" to a "b" depending on which drive the disc is 
in.

RUNNING FROM THE FLOPPY DISC UNDER MICROSOFT WINDOWS

If your computer runs Microsoft Windows 3.0 or 3.1, then the
program can be run from the File Manager by:

1. Double-clicking on the File Manager icon to start it.

2. Putting the program disc into a disc drive.

3. Clicking on the disc drive icon
   (<A> on a single drive computer,
    <A> or <B> on a twin drive computer).

4. Double-clicking on the SORTS directory icon.

5. Double-clicking on the file SORTS.EXE .


HARD DISC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONFIDENT

If you are familiar with file management, then all you need to
do is set up a crosswords directory e.g. C:\SORTS, and copy the
file SORTS.EXE into it.

To run the program, make your crosswords directory the current
directory and type SORTS <ENTER>.


USING THE INSTALLATION PROGRAM

To use the installation program, put the program disc into a
disc drive. If the disc is in drive A then you must run the file
A:\SORTS\INSTALL.EXE .  This can be done from DOS by typing:

	A:\SORTS\INSTALL <ENTER>.

From Windows you must:
	1. Double click on the File Manager icon
	2. Click on the "A" drive icon and double click on the SORTS
	   directory.
	3. Double click on the icon for INSTALL.EXE


Once installed, the program can be run from Windows by double-clicking on
the icon for the file SORTS.EXE in the File Manager.  Alternatively you can
add SORTS to an existing program group or create a new program group, so
that the program is available on your desktop.  Refer to your Windows manual
for instructions on how to do this.


