POINT & SHOOT Version 3.09 INSTALLATION Installing Point & Shoot is as easy as One, Two, Three! When you are ready to install Point & Shoot (the easy-to-use menu generator) here is all you have to do: ONE: Insert the Point & Shoot disk in the A or B drive. TWO: Type A: for Drive A, or B: for Drive B. Press the ENTER key. Type INSTALL and press the ENTER key. THREE: Follow the prompts on the screen. Point & Shoot will now be placed on your C hard disk in a subdirectory called PS (but you can change these defaults if you wish as you answer the prompts). YOU ARE NOW READY TO START USING POINT & SHOOT ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUICK START: Now that you have installed Point & Shoot,you can read the entire documentation on line on this screen by invoking the utility displayed on the Main Menu. (You can also get a printed copy by readying your printer, then invoking the accompanying printer utility.) On the other hand, you may wish to get started right away. Point & Shoot has been designed to be as intuitively obvious as possible, and each screen is accompanied by context-sensitive HELP screens. If at any time you are returned to the DOS prompt, you can return to Point & Shoot by just typing MENU. ------------------------------------------------------------ See the next page for the overview of the contents of this reference manual. REFERENCE MANUAL: The documentation that follows consists of four sections: I. Getting Started: A. This is a brief introduction for the end user who is not a system administrator. B. An overview of features that are of interest to the system administrator, including a description of the Program Setup functions, followed by a description of the ways to create and change menus so as to access different applications and DOS programs. II. Explaining Point & Shoot in Detail A. Pointers on creating and changing menus. B. Mechanics of creating and deleting Scripts. III. Explaining Passwords A. A brief tutorial on password security. IV. Calling us for help. A. Our customer support program. B. Checking your sources first. ------------------------------------------------------------ TABLE OF CONTENTS: There is a complete table of contents on the next page that will allow you to go directly to the page number that contains the information you need. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. GETTING STARTED A. Presenting a brief overview B. Presenting the user's view C. The F2 Key: Interfacing for the System Administrator D. Menu banner title E. Command to run on "Exit" program F. "Exit" program password G. Password to modify program H. Screen blinking in Minutes I. Time Format J. Date Format K. Return to Main Menu by Default L. Color Choices: Foreground and Background M. The F3 Key: Menu Definition for the System Administrator N. Main Menu 1. Selection title 2. Password 3. Menu or Program 4. Drive 5. Directory 6. Command 7. Parameter Passing O. Levels of Sub-Menus P. Scripts 1. Enjoying the benefits of a Script 2. Executing multiple DOS commands 3. Creating a DOS batch file 4. Saving time with Scripts IQ. HELPING YOU BUILD AND CHANGE MENUS R. Help for the Menu Builder S. Administering the System IT. CHOOSING THE SECURITY THAT YOU NEED U. Choosing the Right Level of Security IV. CALLING VARTECK FOR HELP W. Customer Support Plan X. Checking Your Sources CHAPTER ONE GETTING STARTED PRESENTING A BRIEF OVERVIEW Point and Shoot represents one the greatest advancements in the PC industry since the invention of the hard disk, in the sense that it makes the entire contents of the hard disk immediately accessible to both the occasional and expert user. The hard disk gave PC users the space they needed, but no way to control it. Users soon found that (1) they could never find the software they needed, (2) their disks were cluttered with unused or outdated software, (3) they kept running out of disk space because obsolete data had not been removed, (4) they never had enough space to run large programs such as spreadsheets or databases, and (5) they were always at a loss in accessing other PCs, minicomputers, and mainframe programs and databases despite large corporate investments to ensure connectivity across their micros and mainframes. Point & Shoot provides a solution to these problems. Point & Shoot is a software productivity tool that makes all of the software on a hard disk instantly visible, and also provides an interface that allows immediate access to sources external to the PC. Point and Shoot provides these features: 1. Instantly visible access to any program on the hard disk. 2. Instantly visible access to any network or mainframe program that has been installed for the PC. 3. The ability to modify the interface easily at any time. 4. End users can reach any of their programs without specific training and, in most cases, with one or two keystrokes. 5. System administrators can tailor the PC interfaces for their users to meet their specific requirements. 6. All the connectivity pathways that the end users require can be displayed for them right on their screen. 7. Security requirements have been met by the provision of as many levels of password protection as are needed. 8. The intuitive simplicity of the Point & Shoot program and the extensive use of context-sensitive Help screens using the F1 function key makes the program an easy-to-use and easy-to-learn package that can be applied successfully without mastering the extensive documentation. Most users and systems administrators will be able to use most of the features without even consulting the documentation. PRESENTING THE USER'S VIEW This is a brief introduction for the end user of the menu program. Because the menu interface is easy to use, the user does not need an extensive set of explanations. Before making a selection from the menu, the user should refer to the Help key - F1 function key (the function key marked F1 at the top left of the keyboard.) The Help screen appears, and outlines three different ways that a user can gain access to a desired software program. ---------------------------------------------------------------- General Help Select a Menu Choice by any of the following methods: A. Press the letter in front of your selection. B. Use the Arrow Keys to highlight your selection and press Enter (Note that the ENTER key may also be labelled RETURN) C. Use a Mouse to move the highlight bar to your selection and press the Left Mouse Button Press: Escape (or the Right Mouse Button) to exit a menu. Enter (or the Left Mouse Button) to pick a selection. F1 to receive help pertaining to your current options. F2 to change colors, time format, system setup, etc. F3 to add/change menu items. Press any key to continue --------------------------------------------------------------- The help screen spells out the three ways that the user can access any desired software program. The user should also be aware that after the screen has been left unattended for several minutes, the menu will be replaced by a dancing box that moves intermittently on the screen and changes color. The box protects the hardware by eliminating the risk of any lingering image as it moves from place to place and changes color. The box displays the system date and time and a message to "press any key to return to the menu." The user can select a number of the options that are spelled out below. However, the above information is all that an end user needs to know to be able to use the menu successfully. THE F2 KEY: INTERFACING FOR THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR The two principal concerns of the system administrator are (1) to define the appearance of the interface to the end users and the format of the different features, and (2) specify what programs the users will (or will not) be able to access. The definition of the user interface is provided by the Program Setup Screen (F2). The specification of accessible programs is defined via F3 on Menu Change screen and its supporting screens. Retrieve the Program Setup screen by pressing F2. Each of the options shown on this screen, as well as the foreground and background color choices, are supported by context-sensitive help screens brought up by pressing the F1 function key. Since the options are easy to change, they can be modified at will at any time and for any reason. Here is a sample of the Program Setup screen. --------------------------------------------------------- Menu Banner Title.................[Point & Shoot ] Command to run on 'Exit' program..[ ] 'Exit' program password...........[ ] Password to modify program........[ ] Screen Blanking in Minutes........[ 2] Time Format.......................[12:00 am ] Date Format.......................[MM-DD-YYYY ] Return to Main Menu by Default [No ] COLOR CHOICES FOREGROUND BACKGROUND Banner................[Hi White ] [Red ] Desktop...............[Hi White ] [Cyan ] Press ESC to Exit/Save F1 for Help F10 to Restore Colors ----------------------------------------------------------- Menu banner title The menu banner title can be modified to suit the convenience of each user, and can be changed at any time. Type in the text for a banner which will appear at the top of every menu. This banner will look similar to the "Program Setup" banner at the top of the screen. The title can be anything you choose, such as a Department title ("National American Auditing Dept."), or a message of any kind ("For Departmental Use Only" or "Back Up Files at End of Day"). Command to Run on "Exit" Program You may decide to exit from the menu program to the DOS operating system, or you may elect to be transferred automatically to another program you use frequently. For example, "cd \" will return you to the DOS root directory, and "wp" might run your word processor when you exit Point & Shoot. "Exit" Program Password You can specify a password, if necessary, to limit user access to the DOS operating system and the resulting ability to modify the time, date, programs, and database information. The following information appears on the Help screen: This optional password presents unauthorized users from exiting out of the menu and returning to the DOS prompt, thus keeping them within the menuing environment. For example, you could (if you wanted to) enter the word "PASSWORD" as the password. Password to Modify Program A password can be specified if it is necessary to deny users the ability to make changes to the menus displayed on their screens. The Help screen shows this message: This optional password prevents unauthorized users from changing the program and menu setup screens. It should always be used when there are program or "Exit" passwords. If you decide to use a password here, be sure that it is one that you can remember, or make a record of it in case you forget. Reason: This password is the master key which allows you to modify all the other passwords and (if you use it) has to be protected. Screen Blanking in Minutes The hardware is protected by screen blanking to prevent lingering images, in case the menu screen is left unattended for a length of time. The Help screen also explains the use of the cursor and other keyboard keys to make a choice from various displayed selections. These instructions are also repeated in several of the other Help menus. The user can disable the screen blanking feature by choosing OFF. The blanking saves the screen, but may be distracting for some people if the time interval is too short. In that case the interval can be set for as long as one hour, which would protect the screen in case the computer were left on overnight. Time Format The time of day appears at the top left of the screen. For some people, it may eliminate the need for a clock on the desk. There are multiple ways to display the time (military or railroad time, display seconds, etc.). The time format can be chosen with the left and right arrow keys. Date Format The date is displayed at the top right of the menu screen and serves as a replacement for, or supplement to, the wall or desk calendar. The different types of display can be selected with the left and right arrow keys, including European and abbreviated types. Return to Main Menu by Default The user is here given the option to return, by default, to the Main Menu or to the chosen program's submenu. This choice will appear as the default choice when creating menu items. For example, if you set up a submenu to access several spreadsheets in sequence you might save a few keystrokes by returning directly to the spreadsheet submenu instead of the Main Menu. Color Choices: Foreground and Background The user is given an extensive selection of color choices. Colors can be adjusted to any individual taste, to provide excitement, and to prevent eye strain. The chosen selections are reflected immediately in the various menu screens. If the choices are not optimal, the original choices can be restored instantly by pressing the F10 function key. This concludes the section on Program Setup for the System Administrator. The following section will provide a Getting Started introduction to Menu Definition and Changes for the System Administrator. THE F3 KEY: MENU DEFINITION FOR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS Main Menu Pressing F3 from the Main Menu brings up the Menu Changes screen. There are three levels of menu. Each menu can accommodate as many as 20 different levels. The availablity of up to 20 main menu items, each with up to 20 sub-menu items, each with up to 20 programs makes it possible to display as many as 8,000 different programs (many more than are likely to be found in almost all businesses). The first line of the complete setup screen identifies the menu level with a title: either (1) Main Menu, or (2) Menu Level 2, or (3) Menu Level 3. Note that the resulting menus displayed to the user also identify the level with a number at the bottom right corner of the menu box in the center of the screen: either a 1 or a 2 or a 3. Menu updates can be done one at a time. A more efficient procedure might be to prepare in advance, by assigning categories to different classes of programs and identifying the information required by DOS to access these programs and their data. Once an administrator is familiar with the mechanics of Point & Shoot, installation on a group of PCs can be speeded by the use of a checklist. The checklist should list the items to which the individual users need access, as well as any security considerations if pertinent. Here is a list of topics for a possible checklist: ACCESSIBILITY 1. List of topics to be included in Main Menu. 2. List of subtopics if any for the Main Menu topics. 3. Which programs require parameters? 4. Which programs should return to a submenu at termination? 5. Which programs should be defined as Scripts? 6. Which DOS utility programs are needed (format, dir)? 7. Which external communications programs are needed? SECURITY 8. Are passwords needed? 9. Is access to DOS needed? 10. Password to exit from Menu program? 11. Is password protection needed for individual programs? 12. If passwords are used, where will they be recorded? 13. Will passwords be changed? 14. If passwords are changed, when and how often. Preliminary experimentation is the best way to get familiar with the capabilities of the system. The easiest way to become familiar with this set of screens is to press F1 for the Help screen, with the message: Type up to 25 characters identifying your Menu or Program name; this name will appear as a selection on the menu. Then take a moment to study the eight editing commands and corresponding keystrokes that will make it a fast and easy task to add and change menus at any time. Here is the description of the Editing Keys that appears on the Help screen. -------------------------------------------------- EDITING KEYS: Home/End - Moves to the beginning/end of the field. Enter/Tab - Moves the cursor to next field. Shift Tab - Moves the cursor to the previous field. Up/Down Arrow - Moves the cursor up/down from field to field. Left/Right Arrow - Moves the cursor left/right within a field. Insert - Toggles between insert and typeover mode. Ctrl D - Deletes the contents of a field (Hold down the CTRL Control key and then press the D key) Ctrl R - Restores the original contents of a field. Escape - Exits to previous screen and ask whether to save changes. -------------------------------------------------- Now that you are familiar with the Editing commands, lets look at the MAIN MENU definition screen (with some possible entries): ---------------------------------------------------------- Time Main Menu Date Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P A. Word Processing MENU........................ B. Spreadsheet MENU........................ C. Communications MENU........................ D. Database MENU........................ E. System Services MENU........................ F. File Services MENU........................ G. Documentation MENU........................ Esc:Exit/Save F1:Help F3:Sub-Menu/Script F7:Move F9:Delete ---------------------------------------------------------- The headings along the top of the screen identify the required input data: Selection title Password M (this column indicates whether a Menu or Program is called) Drive Directory Command P (to indicate whether Parameter passing is required) Y/N (To indicate whether to return to 'Y' Main Menu or 'N' Sub-Menu) Here is a simple example, and the way it would be entered on the menu. If, for example, it is desired to access a word processing program listed as WP on the C drive in the directory WP50 then the commands in DOS would appear as: cd C:\WP50 WP On the menu program one would enter a distinguishing title such as "Word Processing" in the Selection Title column next to line A, skip the password, press the spacebar (which toggles between PROGRAM and MENU) to enter a P for "Program" in the M column, specify C as the disk drive, enter "\WP50" in the directory column, enter "WP" in the command column, and an N in the parameter column. Press the ESC escape key to save the entry and then exit from the program. The Main Menu will then appear with the new entry; pressing A to reference Word Processing will then take the user directly to the main screen of the selected word processing program. A similar entry for a spreadsheet might read: "Spreadsheet, P, C, \LOTUS, LOTUS, N" to gain access to a spreadsheet located on the C drive with the corresponding directory and name. Here is a more detailed explanation of the features governing each one of the columns on the Main Menu selection screen. Selection Title Enter a descriptive title of up to 25 characters in the column labelled Selection Title. The full 25 characters can be used to make the title as descriptive as possible. This legend is never read by DOS and therefore has no purpose other than to direct the user to the program he or she wants, and can be as short or long as desired, and follow any desired set of conventions. For example, the first level of menus could refer to individual users by name (Anderson, Baker, Thompson) with the second and third levels reserved for their individual programs. Password Password protection can be provided at each menu layer, using up to 8 alphanumeric (letters and numbers) characters. Be sure that passwords are issued under proper control: FORGOTTEN passwords will LOCK the users out of their programs and deny them access to their data. Menu or Program The column identified as "M" indicates whether the menu refers to a Program or a Sub-Menu. Depending on the choice, notice that the legend on the bottom line of the screen at the F3 key will change intensity to indicate the differing meaning of the option. "Sub- menu" will be highlighted if this is a valid option; otherwise "Script" will be highlighted if valid. Drive In this field you can enter A or B if your program is located on a floppy drive. Enter C (or a valid drive designation) if you program is located on the hard disk. The Help screen message is: Enter the letter of the Disk Drive where your program is located. If you leave this field blank, the current drive will be used. Directory Define the DOS directory that contains the program. A leading "\" is provided for convenience, since a directory name is usually given from the root directory. Command Enter the program name to execute the required program. If this command is a BATCH file, you must include the .BAT extender (Example: WP.BAT). Otherwise, if the program to run has a .EXE or .COM extender, you may simply type the first part of the filename (Example: To run WP.EXE, simply type WP as the command to run). Parameter Passing This field allows you to define whether to provide additional parameters when a specific program is chosen. A word processing program may accept a specific file name as a parameter, to bring the user immediately to a chosen document. A spreadsheet program may take a file name as a parameter so as to display the desired data without the additional steps to call up a specific file. A BASIC program will usually execute a particular program (BASIC MYPROGRM) if the program name is designated as a parameter. Levels of Sub-Menus The requirements for entering data in the sub-menus follow those for the main menu. Using Scripts Instead of Batch Files Scripts have been so named because they provide multiple functions. They can serve as: (1) A command that requires more text that the standard interface, such as a file designation with a long pathname. (2) A BATCH file. Scripts can be as long as 20 lines of up to 70 characters per line. The SCRIPT editor is the same eight-command easy-to-use editor that was described earlier in the explanation of the use of the Main Menu. Enjoying the benefits of a Script A Script allows a user of Point & Shoot to access the full power of the computer in a simple and easy fashion. A Script lets a user create and execute the equivalent of DOS Batch files without the complications and inconveniences. For example, creation of a DOS Batch file may require the use of either the COPY command, the EDLIN line editor, or a text editor such as a word processing program, and placement of the file in a special directory. Furthermore, execution of the Batch file may require the specification of a disk drive as well as the directory in which the file is located. These distractions can be avoided by the use of a Script. To make full use of the advantages of a Script, one should be familiar with the requirements for creating and executing a Batch file. For a complete explanation, consult the DOS Reference Manual. The following is a brief synopsis. Executing multiple DOS commands The DOS operating system requires commands to be written one to a line, where they are executed one at a time. To execute several commands one after the other, the user must enter each one at the keyboard, execute it, and then enter the next one, execute it, and so on. The disadvantages of this method are that a series of commands that are executed repeatedly must be reentered and executed serially each time. This method is tedious and error-prone: a mistyped command must be reentered before it can be executed. DOS provides a solution to the problem posed when you must execute more than one command in sequence. The solution is to combine the commands into a file, store the file in a predetermined directory, and then execute the file by name when it is invoked. The Batch file will then execute automatically. DOS requires that commands be entered one per line (each line can contain as many as ten parameters) and that they executed in sequence. Creating a DOS Batch file DOS Batch files must be created and executed according to the rules established by DOS. The file can contain any valid DOS command that can be typed at the keyboard, along with any flow control statements and line labels allowed by DOS. Consult your DOS reference manual for more information on batch file rules. Saving time with Scripts Because Scripts do not require a special editor, can be edited and deleted instantly, and do not have to be saved in a special directory or identified in a PATH command, they can save both time and effort. Any set of DOS commands that can be created in a Batch file (to a maximum of 20) can be created in a Script. If you have reason to make frequent changes to one of your existing Batch files, you may want to replace it with a Script. CHAPTER TWO HELPING YOU BUILD AND CHANGE MENUS HELP FOR THE MENU BUILDER This chapter provides a tutorial for the Menu Builder. This tutorial assumes that there may be one System Administrator who is responsible for servicing several, or several dozen, different PC users. The System Administrator could be responsible for tasks such as the following: 1. Installing Point & Shoot on multiple PCs. 2. Updating the date and time clocks on the PCs. 3. Choosing installation drives and installation directories. 4. Choosing background and foreground colors. 5. Changing the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to point directly to the Point & Shoot menu program. 6. Choosing the menu display title. 7. Set up the Main Menus and Sub-Menus. 8. Create SCRIPTS if needed. 9. Administer security procedures including assignment of passwords, allowance or disallowance of access to DOS, and menu changes and deletions. The above points will be covered in the following tutorial. ADMINISTERING THE SYSTEM This tutorial provides helpful tips for the System Administrator. This tutorial assumes that you are the System Administrator in a corporate environment and will be responsible for installing Point & Shoot on a dozen PCs within your department. It also assumes that (1) you are familiar with the basics of PC/MS-DOS and are able to create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file as well as Batch files (using the DOS EDLIN or any other Editor) if you want to run them in conjunction with Point & Shoot, or (2) that you have access to a DOS manual for information on these topics if necessary. The tutorial also assumes that you are the coordinator for a number of PC users who are familiar with PC programs such as word processors or spreadsheets or data entry programs, but who are unfamiliar with the basics of DOS and rely on you for assistance on matters involving the DOS operating system and minor hardware problems. Topics covered in this tutorial include the following: 1. How to set up the Main Menu for the non-DOS user. 2. How the defaults should be defined on each individual PC. 3. Which topics should be displayed on the Main Menu screen. 4. How to define access to desired programs. 5. How to change program access. 6. How to delete programs from the menu. 7. How to combine multiple commands into a single keystroke using SCRIPTS (the equivalent of spreadsheet Macros). 8. How to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to bring up the Main Menu automatically at power-up. 9. How to choose proper security measures by using passwords. After Point & Shoot has been installed, you are presented with the default Main Menu: Main Menu A. Word Processing B. Spreadsheet C. Communications D. Database E. System Services F. File Services G. Documentation Enter the letter in front of your selection: ESC:Exit F1:Help F2:Program Setup F3:Menu Changes ------------------------------------------------- This screen is the one with which the User will be working, and it should be modified to meet his or her requirements. As many as twenty program categories can be displayed here, and the next part of this tutorial will be devoted to an explanation of how to make these changes. Note that the bottom of the screen gives the User three options: exit by pressing the ESCAPE key, change the setup of Point & Shoot by pressing the F2 Program Function key, and make menu changes by pressing the F3 key. Pressing the Escape key allows the User to exit from Point & Shoot and go directly to the DOS operating system. There may be reasons to deny the access to DOS to an unauthorized User (such as a data entry clerk on a temporary assignment) to prevent modification or deletion of sensitive data, and a password can be used for this purpose (as explained below). Pressing F2 brings up the Program Setup screen: --------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM SETUP Menu Banner Title.................[Point & Shoot ] Command to run on 'Exit' program..[ ] 'Exit' program password...........[ ] Password to modify program........[ ] Screen Blanking in Minutes........[ 2] Time Format.......................[12:00 am ] Date Format.......................[MM-DD-YYYY ] Return to Main Menu by Default [No ] COLOR CHOICES FOREGROUND BACKGROUND Banner................[Hi White ] [Red ] Desktop...............[Hi White ] [Cyan ] Press ESC to Exit/Save F1 for Help F10 to Restore Colors ----------------------------------------------------------- This screen allows the User to select foreground and background colors to suit their own preferences, by moving the cursor to the desired line with the up and down arrows, and then choosing new colors by pressing the left and right arrow keys. Pressing F10 will restore the default color scheme. Use this screen to change the Menu Banner Title to any text that is appropriate for your installation. It could be a department name, a description of the particular use of the terminal on which Point & Shoot is installed, a warning restricting terminal use to authorized users, or a reminder to perform daily backups or end- of-day shutdown. The command to run on 'Exit' program gives you an opportunity to override the default exit when you exit from Point & Shoot, which leaves you in the Point & Shoot directory. You may specify another directory, or another program, or any other alternative. The next line allows you to define a password that will permit exit from the menu system. You may wish to deny a user entry to the DOS operating system either because it is unfamiliar territory, or because you wish to prevent the modification or creation of files on the hard disk. Screen blanking can be controlled by setting the option to 0 (zero), which turns off screen blanking, or setting it to any time interval from one minute to 60 minutes. The only purpose is to protect the screen surface, so 5 minutes may be suitable in most cases. On the other hand, if the user is subject to random interruptions at irregular intervals then a longer time span may be more convenient. The time format gives you a choice of standard 12-hour display or 24-hour (military or railroad) time, as well as display of seconds (assuming that the system clock has been set to the correct second), or to turn off the display. The date format allows you to show the day of the week, if desired, as well as standard or European formats. There is an option to return to the Main Menu by default at program termination, by specifying YES on the screen. Otherwise, at program termination the display will return to the submenu that invoked the program. If you are accessing several spreadsheet programs in sequence, you may prefer to return to the submenu screen instead of the Main Menu. Once you have experimented with the color selections, and are satisfied with your other choices, you save them and return to the main menu by pressing the Escape key. The changes are easy to make and (except for the passwords) only affect the appearance of the screen. Therefore they can be changed at will. Main Menu Setup Now that the Program Setup is complete, we can proceed to change the Main Menu to suit your installation's needs. Here is a sample Main Menu to illustrate the various features: ------------------------------ Main Menu A. Word Processing B. Spreadsheet C. Communications D. Database E. System Services F. File Services G. Documentation ------------------------------ Press F3 to see the Main Menu setup screen, which might appear as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------- Time Main Menu Date Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P A. Word Processing MENU....................... B. Spreadsheet MENU....................... C. Communications MENU....................... D. Database MENU....................... E. System Services MENU....................... F. File Services MENU....................... G. Documentation MENU....................... ESC:Exit/Save F1:Help F3:Sub-Menu/Script F7:Move F9:Delete Note on the bottom line that the F9 key allows you to delete any menu item. If, however, you delete any line on this screen, you will also delete any submenu items that are dependent upon it. If you delete a line by mistake you will have to re-key all the deleted data. For this reason, you will receive a caution message to confirm the deletion. Note also that the F7 key lets you move any line of data to any of the other empty lines on the screen. You can use this key, in combination with the F9 key, to create a new line of data in the first blank line. If this line is a replacement for an existing line, then delete the old line with the F9 key and move the new item with the F7 key into the desired line. When the cursor is in the Selection Title column, the F1 Help key serves as a reminder for the uses of the edit keys. Note that the F3 key serves a dual function, to call up either a sub-menu or a script. Note also that the appropriate choice (sub- menu or script) is highlighted in each case. Press the F3 key to see a sample sub-menu, which in this case might be: ------------------------------------------------------- Level 2: Word Processing Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P R A. Word Perfect P C \WP WP N N B. Backup Word Perfect P C \DOS WP Y N C. MultiMate P C \MM wp N N D. Backup MultiMate P C \DOS copy Y N ------------------------------------------------------- Note that this is a menu at the second level, one level below the Main Menu screen, and therefore is identified as Level 2. Selection Title A The Selection Title shows the name of the program that will appear on the menu display, and can be anything that will be meaningful to the end user. The column labelled M shows whether the entry is a Program, or is a menu item which in turn calls another program at a lower level, in this case level 3. The drive column specifies the hard disk drive (or possibly the A: or B: drive) that contains the desired program. The directory shows that the first program in the above example is in a directory called \WP which is a directory immediately below the root directory. You will recall that the leading backslash (\) represents the root directory in DOS. Remember that if the backslash is the first character of the path is means "start at the root directory of the disk"; otherwise, the backslash just separates directory names. The command needed to execute the first program is in the Command column, and in this example is also WP. The program does not invoke any parameters, so that an N appears in the parameter column. The column R indicates whether, at the end of running the WP program, should control return to this sub-menu or should control return to the main menu. The second line illustrates the use of the Parameter column. The second line, entitled Backup Word Perfect, assumes that the user at the end of the day will invoke the DOS copy command to copy a specific document from the hard disk to a floppy diskette. In this instance, the end user will be required to furnish a parameter for the copy statement. When this program is invoked, the user will see a message on the Main Menu screen: ---------------------------------------- Word Perfect Please type the required information and press Enter C:\Util copy ---------------------------------------- The user can then enter the names of the input and output files. Another illustration of the use of Sub-Menu can be found by selecting System Service and pressing the F3 key, and bringing up the following screen: ------------------------------------------------------ Level 2: System Services Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P R A. Check System Date P C \ date N N B. Check System Time P C \ time N N C. DOS Version Number SCRIPT N ------------------------------------------------------ This example shows, in the first two lines, how the user can access the DOS system date and time features. Each one is a Program, located on the C drive. No directory is shown, because DOS will use the PATH statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to locate the programs. No parameters are needed, since the user will enter if necessary the new time and date, and there is no need to return to the Sub- Menu at program completion. The final line provides an illustration of the use of a script. Here the task is to identify the installed version of the DOS operating system, which can ordinarily be done directly from the DOS prompt by typing "ver." In this case it will be done directly from the menu. When the Script is selected while the cursor is in the M column by pressing the F3 key, the following screen will appear: ----------------------------------------------------------- SCRIPT: Dos Version Number Enter a Script of up to 20 lines and 70 characters per line A. ----------------------------------------------------------- In this case you might enter the following Script, which is merely a set of two successive DOS commands, one per line: A. ver B. pause This Scripts tells the DOS operating system (1) execute the DOS command VER (which DOS will find with the PATH statement if it is not in the root directory) which displays the current DOS version on the screen, and then execute the PAUSE statement in DOS which allows the DOS Version number to remain on the screen long enough for the reader to see it and adds the message: Press any key when ready. Another illustration of the use of Point & Shoot commands with and without parameters can be found in the following example, which displays the File Services Sub-Menu: -------------------------------------------------------- Level 2: File Services Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P R A. Directory Drive A P A \ dir N N B. Directory any Drive P C \ dir Y N C. Directory Drive C P C \ dir *./p N N D. Make New Directory P C \ md Y N E. Format Disk Drive A P A \ format a: N N F. Format Disk Drive B P B \ format b: N N G. Copy File from C P C \ copy c: Y N H. Copy File from A P A \ copy a: Y N I. Check Disk C Info P C \ chkdsk/f N N J. Delete a File/Dir P C \ del Y N K. Remove a Directory P C \ rd Y N -------------------------------------------------------- Suppose we were to enter on the Main Menu change screen the following command: H. Influence and the following line on the Main Menu change screen: H. Influence P C \INF INF N but have spelled the directory name incorrectly. In that case, the user on pressing H would be confronted with the following Error Window that would appear on the Main Menu screen: ---------------------------------------- Error Window Directory C:\INF does not exist. Please check your menu configuration. Press any key to continue. ---------------------------------------- Here is a further illustration of the use of a Script to define a parameter that does not change with each invocation of the program. For example, let us define the following line on the Main Menu change screen: A. Scholastic Aptitude Test MENU................... Then on the Sub-Menu screen we will define the following Scripts: ------------------------------------------------------ Level 2: Scholastic Aptitude Test Selection Title Password M Drive Directory Command P R A. Math SCRIPT....................... B. Verbal SCRIPT....................... C. Vocab SCRIPT....................... D. Perform A Test SCRIPT....................... ------------------------------------------------------ In each case the program calls a BASIC program (located in the SAT directory), which in turn will call another BASIC program. The programs are, respectively: MATH, VERBAL, VOCAB, and SAT. The corresponding scripts would appear as follows: ------------------------------------------- A. C: B. cd \sat C. gwbasic math [or Verbal or Vocab or Sat] ------------------------------------------- Here is an example of a SCRIPT (similar to a DOS BATCH file) which will (1) clear the screen, (2) display the message "Loading Lotus 1 2 3", (3) select the D disk drive from the hard disk, (4) invoke the appropriate directory, and (5) call up the program. echo off cls echo. echo. echo Loading Lotus 1 2 3 ..... d: cd \lotus 123 ---------------------------------------- You can modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to bring up the Main Menu automatically at power up by adding the command MENU as the last command in the file. CHAPTER THREE CHOOSE THE SECURITY THAT YOU NEED CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEVEL OF SECURITY The Point & Shoot security system is flexible and can be adapted to meet a variety of needs. Remember that security requirements and ease of access can be mutually contradictory requirements. Security should be as tight as needed to protect the system, but not so restrictive as to hinder legitimate access. The first level of security is to require a password at the main menu. This requirement may be adequate for most installations. The password, however, should be easy to remember and be changed at regular (monthly or quarterly) intervals. Tighter security can be enforced by changing passwords at more frequent intervals and including numbers in the five alphanumeric fields. Forgotten passwords, however, may make the data unavailable to authorized users until such time as the password can be recovered. Passwords can be attached to individual programs, as well as individual SCRIPTS (where a sequence of keystrokes is combined to create a miniature program or "macro"). Password protection is also available to deny access to the DOS operating system to unauthorized users so as to prevent deletion or modification of critical files. Although history shows that almost no security system is impenet- rable, the level of password protection provided in Point & Shoot is adequate for most corporate requirements in sensitive fields such insurance and financial institutions, including commercial and investment banking. CHAPTER FOUR CALLING VARTECK FOR HELP CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLAN Varteck's customer support plan covers all registered users. We provide replacement of faulty disks, product updates, and help resolve difficulties provided that they are not covered in the furnished documentation or cannot be resolved by your local deal- er. Support Policy To participate in Varteck's support service, you must fill out and return a registration sheet similar to the one in the beginning of this file. This card opens up our line of communication to you, puts your name on our customer data base so that we can provide you with update information, new products and tips on using our products. Varteck's diskettes are not copy protected. The copyright laws that pertain to computer software allow you to make a backup copy for your own use. However, it is illegal to make copies of the program without written permission and, in particular, it is illegal to give a copy to another person. Replacement of Faulty Disks Within ninety (90) days of date of purchase, you may return a faulty disk to us accompanied by dated proof of purchase, and it will be replaced without charge. After that time period, a faulty disk will be replaced for a $10 charge. Please allow three weeks for delivery. Product Updates We strive to provide products that represent the state of the art. We will notify you when product upgrades are available, provided that your registration card is on file with us. CHECKING YOU SOURCES If you have questions about the use of your program, check your manual and the READ.ME file on the disk. If you still have a question, ask your dealer for help. If you encounter a technical problem with your program, our Product Support Specialists will be glad to help you. Before you call or write, however, we ask that you follow these steps: 1. Press F1 for on-screen Help. 2. Read the section of the manual that describes the procedure that you are trying to perform. If these steps do not resolve the problem, give us a call during business hours (Eastern time). Before you call us for help, you should also have at hand your registration number which appears on your warranty card. When you call, you should be at the computer and able to give us an answer to the following questions: A. What is the make and model of your computer? B. How much RAM memory? C. What version of the DOS Disk Operating System? D. If you are running on a network, which one is it? E. If you have a graphics card, what type is it? F. Type of monitor (color or monochrome)? G. What was the screen problem message, if any? H. What added hardware (external board, or memory expansion boards) are you using? I. Any memory-resident programs (Sidekick, etc.)? Your dealer may be able to help, if you do not have the answer at hand. Our software support group is trained to solve problems involving our software, and are anxious to do so. They cannot, however, help you to customize our software to meet your individual needs, or to help you with hardware or software products that our software does not support. On the other hand, we periodically enhance our software products and we appreciate your requests for new features because customer feedback is our principal means to evaluate possible new features that you may demand.