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@9@The File Menu@0@                                              
                                                                 
@1@MEGA-Check 2 directories@0@                                   
                                                                 
MEGA-Check 2 keeps track of the locations of                     
the following files and directories:                             
                                                                 
@9@System directory:@0@ 	Where the MEGA-Check                    
2 system files and programs are stored.  This                    
includes the printer driver files (.PRT),                        
preference information files (.INF), help                        
files (.HLP) and all of the required                             
MEGA-Check 2 resource files (i.e. .PU2, .PU3,                    
and .DAT files).  These files cannot be                          
relocated to another directory.                                  
                                                                 
@9@Permanent Data directory:@0@ 	This is the                     
directory where you store your financial files                   
(.MC2).  It is specified in the Configure Set                    
Preferences... Data File @8@Path@0@ field.                       
                                                                 
@9@Current Data directory:@0@ 	If you open or                    
save a file to a directory other than your                       
regular data directory (a.k.a. the Permanent                     
Data directory), MEGA-Check 2 will remember                      
this directory for this session only.  If you                    
quit and come back, it will revert to the                        
Permanent Data directory.                                        
                                                                 
@9@Model:@0@ directory 	This is the directory                    
where models are stored.  If you wish to keep                    
different sets of models, they should be kept                    
in separate directories.  You can then change                    
your model path dynamically using the Model                      
Selector's @1@Path@0@ function.  MEGA-Check 2                    
automatically keeps track of the last model                      
directory being used when you save your                          
financial file and returns to that path when                     
you reload that .MC2 file.  A file called                        
@1@FKEYLIST.DAT@0@ is kept in this directory.                    
It contains a list of the models that go into                    
the function key slots of the Model Panel (on                    
the Main Screen).                                                
                                                                 
@9@Work file:@0@ 	MEGA-Check 2 has to create a                   
temporary work file to perform some of its                       
operations.  Unless otherwise specified in the                   
@2@Configure Set Preferences...@0@ panel,34.hlp                 
MEGA-Check 2 will create and use the file                        
@1@TEMP.WRK@0@ in the system directory.                          
                                                                 
@9@Report work file:@0@ 	In addition to a                        
temporary work file, MEGA-Check 2 must create                    
a temporary @4@report@0@ file for generating                     
randomly accessed report files.  Unless                          
otherwise specified in the @2@Configure Set@0@34.hlp            
@2@Preferences...@0@ panel, MEGA-Check 2 will34.hlp             
create and use the file @1@TEMPRPT.RPT@0@ in                     
the system directory.                                            
                                                                 
                                                                 
If you own a hard drive, we recommend storing                    
your data and models in a separate directory                     
from the MEGA-Check 2 system files.  We also                     
recommend that the temporary work files that                     
MEGA-Check 2 creates be specified in yet                         
another directory (a RAMdisk is best for the                     
temporary files, but only if you have at                         
@8@least@0@ 2MB of RAM installed in your                         
machine.  At least 100K of free space is                         
recommended for the Report work file).                           
                                                                 
If you only have a floppy system, put the                        
system files on one floppy, and use another                      
floppy for your data and models.  That way,                      
once the program is booted, you can remove the                   
program disk and insert your data disk and                       
leave it in.  You might want to copy the help                    
files (.HLP) to the root directory of your                       
data disk so you don't have to swap disks                        
every time you press the @1@Help@0@ key.  If                     
you have at least 2MB of RAM and have enough                     
for a 100K or larger RAMdisk, we recommend                       
directing the work files there because reports                   
will generate much faster.  Otherwise, put                       
them in any directory on your data and model                     
disk.                                                            
                                                                 
@1@Open...	  [Control+O]@0@                                      
                                                                 
This loads a MEGA-Check 2 file into memory.                      
If the @1@Check Alarms on Open@0@ option is                      
set in the @2@Configure Set Preferences...@0@34.hlp             
panel, alarms for all models in the model                        
directory will be checked to see if its time                     
to activate them.                                                
                                                                 
When the Open function is selected, the system                   
@4@fileselector@0@ will appear, asking you to                    
select the file you wish to open.  If you are                    
not familiar with how to operate the standard                    
fileselector, see the owners manual that came                    
with your computer.  MEGA-Check 2 files are                      
stored under the extension "MC2" and the                         
fileselector will only show the .MC2 files                       
that exist in your data directory.                               
                                                                 
MEGA-Check 2 files are kept and updated                          
entirely in memory, except for models, which                     
are each stored in their own file and updated                    
in real time (e.g. as soon as you store                          
them).  Only one file may be worked on at a                      
time.  If you try to open another file, quit                     
or select the @1@File New@0@ function before                     
saving the file currently being worked on, and                   
the current file being worked on hasn't been                     
saved, MEGA-Check 2 will alert you that to                       
that fact and give you the opportunity to save                   
or cancel.                                                       
                                                                 
The @1@Process@0@ button in the Information                      
panel will show what is happening during the                     
entire load process.                                             
                                                                 
Save...	  [Control+S]                                            
                                                                 
This saves the MEGA-Check 2 file currently in                    
memory.  If @1@Keep Backup Generation@0@ is                      
selected on the @2@Configure Set@0@34.hlp                       
@2@Preferences...@0@ panel, the current .MC2 file34.hlp         
you are saving to will be renamed to .BAK                        
before saving the new copy.                                      
                                                                 
Here is what is saved in each MEGA-Check 2 file:                 
                                                                 
  - The Account Table                                            
  - The Transaction Table                                        
  - The Associate Table                                          
  - The Classification Table                                     
  - The last Model Path used                                     
  - The Field labels for the Expanded Memo Panel                 
  - The Accounts to monitor in the Important                     
    Balances section of the Information panel                    
                                                                 
@1@Save Next Generation...@0@                                    
                                                                 
This is the same thing as the regular                            
@1@Save...@0@ function, except the Transaction                   
Table is not saved, and all balances in the                      
Account table are, as a result, reset to                         
zero.  This is useful for starting a new                         
year.  You'll probably want to keep most of                      
the same accounts as the previous year, as                       
well as the same associates and                                  
classifications.  The only difference in the                     
new file is that the Transaction Table is                        
empty.                                                           
                                                                 
We @8@strongly@0@ recommend that you specify a                   
@8@different@0@ filename for the new file.                       
That way you can always go back to the old                       
file and look up old records, if you ever need                   
to.                                                              
                                                                 
@1@New@0@                                                        
                                                                 
This clears out the current file in memory.                      
If the current file has been changed, but not                    
saved, MEGA-Check 2 will alert you and ask you                   
to confirm that you want to lose all of the                      
changes.                                                         
                                                                 
@1@Import ASCII...@0@                                            
                                                                 
This feature was implemented to allow                            
conversion of data from other finance tracking                   
systems (other than the original version of                      
MEGA-Check) to MEGA-Check 2.  There are strict                   
rules for the format of the ASCII file, the                      
wrong format could possibly even crash                           
MEGA-Check 2.  See the manual for details.                       
                                                                 
The format of the ASCII file closely follows                     
the layout of the Entry Panel fields.  At the                    
@9@soft@0@ ends of the eight Memo fields and                     
the eight Ledger fields, an optional "===" can                   
be placed to signify the end of the memos.                       
For example, let's say your application only                     
uses one line of description (memo), you have                    
two choices.  You can either follow the first                    
description (memo) line with seven blank                         
lines, or you can follow it with one line of                     
three equals signs.  After either of these the                   
first account will be looked for and the same                    
process applies.                                                 
                                                                 
Here is a detail of the format of the import                     
file:                                                            
                                                                 
  [Date]                                                         
  [Ck #]                                                         
  [Classification]                                               
  [Cleared Date]                                                 
  [Memo 1]                                                       
  [Memo 2]                                                       
  [Memo 3]                                                       
  [Memo 4]                                                       
  [Memo 5]                                                       
  [Memo 6]                                                       
  [Memo 7]                                                       
  [Memo 8]                                                       
  [===]   <------ Optional to signify no more memo entries       
  [Debit account]                                                
  [Debit amount]                                                 
  [ Credit account] <------- indented one space                  
  [Credit amount]                                                
  [===]   <------ Optional to signify the end of the ledger entry
  [To]                                                           
  [Amount]                                                       
                                                                 
Of course, the brackets shouldn't be included,                   
they're only to show you that the field value                    
goes there, not the word "Date."  Notice that                    
the Credit Account name must be indented one                     
space so that MEGA-Check 2 knows the account                     
is being credited.  The amount following the                     
Credit Account field, however, does not need                     
to be indented.                                                  
                                                                 
@1@Performing an Import@0@                                       
                                                                 
Once you have created an import file, load                       
MEGA-Check 2 and select @1@Import ASCII...@0@                    
from the @1@File@0@ menu.  A fileselector will                   
appear, select the ASCII file that you created                   
with your other financial package.  MEGA-Check                   
2 will read down into the file and display the                   
first record on the Entry Panel and                              
immediately try to add it to the transaction                     
table, just as if you had pressed                                
@1@Control+A@0@ (@2@Add/Update@0@adduptrn.hlp                   
@2@Transaction@0@).  MEGA-Check 2 will go throughadduptrn.hlp   
its regular routine of checking the                              
transaction (see Add/Update Transaction).  If                    
any problems are found (like the Account names                   
are not defined in the Account table),                           
MEGA-Check 2 will alert you to the problem and                   
allow you to correct it.  Once you have                          
corrected the problem, select @1@Add/Update                      
Transaction (Control+A)@0@ and MEGA-Check 2                      
will check the transaction once again and add                    
it to the Transaction Table if there are no                      
other problems.  Once the transaction is                         
added, the import can be resumed by selecting                    
@1@Continue Import@0@ from the @1@File@0@ menu.                  
                                                                 
If at any time, you decide to abort the                          
import, or if you want to start over from the                    
beginning, select @1@Close Import File@0@ from                   
the @1@File@0@ menu.  After that, you can                        
perform a @1@New@0@ and start fresh, if you                      
like.  When the end of the import file is                        
reached, MEGA-Check 2 will inform you with an                    
alert box that says "Import complete."                           
                                                                 
Load configuration...                                            
                                                                 
This will bring up a standard fileselector                       
where you can specify an @1@.INF@0@ file to                      
load your personal preference settings and set                   
them.  Each .INF file contains:                                  
                                                                 
  - Everything on the @2@Configure Set@0@34.hlp                 
    @2@Preferences...@0@ panel34.hlp                            
                                                                 
  - Model font (small or tiny)                                   
                                                                 
  - Maximum table sizes (as set in                               
    @2@Configure Set Table Sizes...)@0@34.hlp                   
                                                                 
  - Cursor return field (set under                               
    @2@Configure set cursor return field...)@0@cursret.hlp      
                                                                 
  - All settings on @2@Configure Entry Panel34.hlp              
    @2@defaults...@0@34.hlp                                     
                                                                 
When MEGA-Check 2 loads, it will look for the                    
file @1@MC20.INF@0@ in the directory it was                      
run from and load that configuration if it                       
finds it.                                                        
                                                                 
@1@Save configuration...  [Control+X]@0@                         
                                                                 
Obviously, this function saves your                              
preferences.  Everything specified in the                        
@1@Load configuration@0@ (above) is saved.                       
                                                                 
A fileselector will appear to allow you to                       
specify a configuration other than                               
@1@MC20.INF@0@ if you feel the need to save                      
multiple configurations.                                         
                                                                 
Quit  [Control+Q]                                                
                                                                 
This function will exit MEGA-Check 2 without                     
warning, unless you have made a change to the                    
current file in memory without saving it.  If                    
that is the case, an alert will pop up,                          
informing you that the current file hasn't                       
been saved and give you three choices;                           
@1@Quit, Save@0@ or @1@Cancel@0@.  Quit will                     
quit, and your changes will be lost.  Save                       
will call the fileselector just prior to                         
quitting, giving you the opportunity to save,                    
and Cancel will put you back on the Main                         
Screen.                                                          
                                                                 
@9@Related topics@0@:                                            
                                                                 
  @2@The Set Preferences Panel@0@34.hlp                         
                                                                 
