WorkBook(C) Version 2.0
(C) Copyright 1989-1999 Bill Buckels
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction
------------

WorkBook is a "Typing Game" for children 4 and over. As children get
older, WorkBook is also a reading game. Music and Pretty Nice
Graphics make WorkBook relatively interesting even if your child can't
read, and even more fun if they can. (The reading will come soon
enough.)

WorkBook is also a pretty hefty size to download (over 1 meg). This is
due to the several images that are shipped with the "lesson plan" as
part of the package.

Installing WorkBook
-------------------

Install WORKBOOK by "UNZIPPING" WORKBOOK.ZIP complete with pathnames to
the drive of your choice. If you decide to install WORKBOOK to Drive C:,
WORKBOOK will be installed into the directory C:\WORKBOOK.

To run WORKBOOK in DOS, type WORKBOOK.EXE and press [Enter]. To Run
WORKBOOK in Windows, click-on WORKBOOK.EXE.

Summary
-------

Words are presented on a background of an out of focus image. If the
words are correctly overtyped within the time limit, the picture is
presented again in focus, and a musical reward is played.

If the time limit is not met, a rude noise is made and the next word and
image combination is presented for another timed round of play.

Timed Play
----------

WorkBook uses timed play to enhance your child's fun, not as a
punishment. Since the game is never over, there is no real penalty even
if a screen or two times-out.

TIME LIMITS suddenly become imminent when our children start school, and
deadlines can be as important to learn as the other more cerebral
academic pursuits. Often a well completed assignment is not so well
received when received late.

When I wrote WorkBook, I hoped that the timed play might help reinforce
the concept of deadlines. My children played with WorkBook when they
were young, but I really can't honestly say if they received this type
of benefit. I can only suggest that "every little bit helps".

History
-------

WorkBook was originally written for the 4-Color CGA Display. I wrote
WorkBook for my own children, and then distributed WorkBook as
ShareWare in 1990. I am disappointed that although I know it was widely
distributed, I never received a single registration for WorkBook.

In August 1991, I rewrote WorkBook for the VGA, but was further
disappointed that I couldn't get it distributed even as shareware, due,
I think, to the large number of images, and the larger than normal disk
space requirements. Large programs were not well accepted at that time.

So WorkVga Version 1.0 (as it was then called) sat on my computer room
shelf, as time passed and my own children outgrew the need for "Early
Years" computer programs.

This spring (March 1999) I found several early versions of my programs
circulating on the Internet, including my original WorkBook 4-Color CGA
version from 10 years ago.

So I decided to "dust-off" WorkVga, and rewrote it as WorkBook Version
2.0 (This Package). WorkBook Version 2.0 is now available for DownLoad,
and if you are reading this, you are either considering it, or have done
so already.

I am distributing WorkBook with complete source code for this release.
Read the licencing section in each of the sources if you are inclined to
use such things.

Running WorkBook In Windows 98
------------------------------

This is really a superior package to the other WorkBook versions that I
wrote, but WorkBook remains a DOS-Based package, although I programmed
under Windows 98, and tested WorkBook extensively in Windows 98, where
it works wonderfully well. I also added a mouse to the program, and made
the menus and features easier to navigate and to use.

I currently have no plans to rewrite WorkBook as a Windows Application,
but I am interested to see where this version of WorkBook may go, so I
can't rule the possibility of a Windows version out just yet. Time will
tell.

I strongly suggest that you run WorkBook in "Full Screen" mode under
Windows 98 rather than in a Window.

Two reasons for this are that since WorkBook displays in so many
colors, sometimes Windows will "steal" the colors if running in a
Window, and Windows may also "steal" the mouse if running in a Window.

Perhaps a better reason is that your child will probably have more fun
if they can fill-up the entire Monitor with WorkBook, rather than
sharing the screen with other applications.

Program Details
---------------

The Interface of WorkBook 2.0 is modeled after my more recent design for
children's programs, and centers around a Main Menu. Earlier versions of
WorkBook were not as well organized.

Getting Started
---------------

It is not necessary for your child to read in order to use WorkBook. The
Main Menu is very straight forward and uncluttered. Your child can
"Click-On" the command of their choice. After using WorkBook once or
twice, remembering commands won't be a problem.

WorkBook is much better still if your child can read, and may even
be one step along the path of their learning to read.

Commands and Navigation
-----------------------

The mouse, the arrow keys and other cursor keys like [PAGEUP], and
[PAGEDN], and the functions keys [F1]-[F6] are used to navigate through
WorkBook. Other keys used are the [ENTER] and [ESC] keys.

LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK - Clicking the Left Mouse Button means "Go Further". It
is the equivalent of pressing the [ENTER] Key. The [ENTER] key or a
LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK is always used to "INITIALIZE" an "Action".

RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK - Clicking the Right Mouse Button means "Don't Go
Further". It is the equivalent of pressing the [ESC] Key.

[UPARROW] - Go Up One.
[DOWNARROW] - Go Down One.
[LEFTARROW] - Go Left One.
[RIGHTARROW] - Go Right One.
[PAGEUP] - Clears the blurry image at "game" level.
[PAGEDN] - Skips the current image at "game" level.

Of course, the keyboard is used at "game" level to "overtype" the text
at the bottom of the image. This is the basis for game-play in WorkBook.

The child needs to type ALPHANUMERIC keys only. Punctuation
"Auto-Completes" so there is no struggling with the keyboard. Caps Lock
can be on or off. It doesn't matter. WorkBook is case insensitive.

The Opening Screens and Closing Screens
---------------------------------------

The opening screen is a short animation sequence which can be advanced
by keyboard or by mouse. This may prove fun to watch, and perhaps your
child will be happy to simply watch it each time.

The opening screen is repeated when the program ends.

The Main Menu
-------------

The Main Menu is ALWAYS available during the game by pressing the [ESC]
Key.

The Main Menu has 6-Commands. These commands can be "Clicked-On",
"Arrowed-To", or "F-Keyed" using keys [F1]-[F6].

[F1] - Continue/Play Game
[F2] - View/Clear Score
[F3] - Help
[F4] - Alternate Workbook Selection
[F5] - Sound Toggle (Not As Much Fun When Off, but Quieter)
[F6] - Exit

[ENTER] - Initializes the Selected Command.
[ESC] - Switches between the Main Menu and the Current Game.

So don't forget, you can press [ESC] or use your RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK to
flip between the Main Menu and your child's game.

[F1] - Continue/Play Game

Selecting play game as previously discussed presents a blurry image
which must be overtyped with a time limit.

You can "peek" at the image by pressing your left mouse or [PAGEUP].

You can skip the image by pressing [PAGEDN], but the score will suffer.

When you are finished, a song will play (if music is on.) You can skip
the song by pressing [ESC] or clicking your mouse if you don't want to
hear it. The next image will appear, and you can carry-on.

Remember too that the keys [F1]-[F10] are like a tiny piano.

Press [ESC] to return to the main menu to load another "lesson plan" if
you wish, or to view the score, or even to quit.

[F2] View/Clear Score

This command is very straight forward. View or clear the current score
from the Main Menu.

[F3] Help

A Brief Help Screen from the Main Menu.

[F4] Alternate WorkBook Selection

THis Main Menu command is very straight forward. You can either proceed or
back-out. If you decide to proceed, the new WorkBook will be available
after you finish with the current image that you are working with.

[F5] Sound Toggle

The musical note at the right side of the Main Menu indicates that the
sound is on. If it is not visible, sound is off.

[F6] Exit

Exit WorkBook.

What does the WorkBook Package Contain?
---------------------------------------

We gathered together several Tunes and pictures in MCGA 256 color 320 x
200 picture format to get an introductory library of MUSIC and VGA
compatible IMAGES together, but the intent of this program is that the
word and sentence selection is revised to match a lesson plan on an
ongoing basis.

Can WorkBook Be Customized?
---------------------------

The SAMPLES that we have put together need not be changed if you are not
adventurous. The index WORKMAKE.DBF is an XBASE III format database and
can be revised with our utility WORKMAKE.EXE to present selected
BACKGROUNDS, MUSIC, and VOCABULARY in a customized manner and degree of
difficulty, and even the time limit for each sentence or word can be
varied by making the appropriate adjustments to WORKMAKE.DBF.

How Many Different "Lesson Plans" can be used in WorkBook?
----------------------------------------------------------

WorkBook will accept any number of alternate databases in this XBASE III
format using the database name as a "Command Line Argument". CUSTOM
USAGE is "WorkBook <yourfile>.DBF". So by simply creating and renaming
unique lesson plans an infinite assortment of themes is possible.

Up to 5 Alternate Databases can also be selected from within WorkBook,
from the Main Menu. If you don't plan on extensively using alternate
"lesson plans", this will probably be sufficient.

What is the "Layout" of the XBASE III "Lesson Plan"?
----------------------------------------------------

The record structure of WORKMAKE.DBF (XBASE III format) is:

DESCRIPTION            TYPE        LENGTH

1. IMAGE NAME          Character   15
2. CAPTION             Character   40
3. TIME LIMIT          Character   2
4. SOUND FILE NAME     Character   15


Warning: WorkBook requires the .DBF FILE "WORKMAKE.DBF" to be
present at all times. This is the original "Lesson Plan" provided with
WorkBook and is used as the default on start-up.

Note: Again, the program WORKMAKE.EXE available in the WorkBook
Utilities package is the editor (DATABASE MANAGER) provided for
maintaining WorkBook's "Lesson Plans".

What Kind Of Image Files are Supported by WorkBook?
---------------------------------------------------

WorkBook supports 2-standard file formats.

The preferred format is the Z-Soft .PCX format because it combines the
space-saving features of an encoded (compressed) file format with a
fairly quick "unpacking" method and it is pretty much the standard for
the 256-color MCGA Paint Format on the IBM-PC (Circa 1991).

However, since the PCX format does not always end-up smaller than the
MCGA screen size of 64000 bytes, it is necessary to support an MCGA RAW
IMAGE format in the interests of space efficiency.

The RAW format is a BASIC BLOADable Image Format that we have developed
and it consists of 2-files:

A.- ".MCG" - The Image DATA file
B.- ".RGB" - The Palette (Color Register) DATA file

How Were WorkBook's Images Created?
-----------------------------------

When we were creating the image files that are distributed with WorkBook
we created each file as an MCGA file. We did this by capturing images
from Various Sources using our FRAME GRABBER program "MCGADUMP.EXE".
This frame grabber saves the MCGA frame buffer into the MCG and RGB
formats noted above.

We then encoded each file as a PCX file and if the result was too LARGE
(over 65000 bytes) then we did not use the PCX file and simply
distribute the IMAGE in its raw form as an MCG and RGB file combo.

Are the Utilities to create more WorkBook Images Available?
-----------------------------------------------------------

These same UTILITIES that we used to create WorkBook are in the WorkBook
Utilities package.

Our utility CGA2PCX.EXE that is in the WorkBook Utilities package will
convert any old CGA COLOR SCREENS in PCX or BASIC BSAVED FORMAT that you
may have lurking in the shadows into ZSOFT .PCX VGA format suitable for
use with WorkBook. You may then tweak to suit your artistic fancy if you
have a VGA paint program that accepts 320x200x256 color PCX files.

What Kind of Music Does WorkBook Play?
--------------------------------------

WorkBook plays music through the PC Speaker. I did not add soundcard
support for the Version 2.0 rewrite.

The .SND Music Files are the SAME Binary Format as Those
Distributed on our other SHAREWARE distribution packages and those may
be used to augment WorkBook to suit your scholar's musical preference.

A Review of the WorkBook Source Code might answer any further questions
about this format. It is a frequency, duration format that I developed,
measuring duration in 18.2 ticks per second.

Secret Feature
--------------

Note: The function keys [F1] - [F10] in WorkBook can be used like a
"tiny piano" to play music during the playing of the game. This is a
"secret feature" that I included just to provide some extra interest for
your child. [F1] Maps to A, [F2] to B, [F3] to C, etc. (White keys
only.) Give it a try when you are typing-in the answer in WorkBook at
the "Typing Screen".

Hardware Requirements
---------------------

Nothing Special. IBM PC or compatible, with VGA or MCGA display or
equal.

Copyright and Conditions of Use
-------------------------------

WorkBook and its associated files are Copyrighted by their author, Bill
Buckels. Workbook is not a derivative work of any other author and is
the exclusive property of its author, Bill Buckels.

The images and sound files used in WorkBook were produced by Bill
Buckels (the author) and as such are the author's own expression, and a
fair use of content that is believed to be in the public domain. You may
use these in any way you find useful, provided you do not compete with
Bill Buckels or his agents, and that you agree that Bill Buckels has no
warranty obligations or liability whatsoever resulting from any
associated loss or damage.

If you redistribute the WorkBook program, please distribute it its
entirety. If you are missing files, you can download a complete version
from the internet at:

http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels/kidstuff

Licence Agreement
-----------------

WorkBook(C) Version 2.0 is distributed as ShareWare. You are expected to
register with the Author if you use WorkBook beyond a 30-day evaluation
period. Suggested registration for WorkBook is $10.00 per family for use
at home or $10.00 per computer for commercial use (daycares, schools,
etc.) Send registration in the form of cheque, or money order to:

Bill Buckels
589 Oxford Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 3J2

Email: bbuckels@escape.ca
WebSite: http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels

NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FREEWARE. IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER WITH THE
AUTHOR AFTER THE 30-DAY EVALUATION PERIOD YOU MUST REMOVE THIS PROGRAM
FROM YOUR COMPUTER.

Bill Buckels
March 1999

End of ReadMe
