REFM 4.5 Help Menu

What's New

This version is totally different to its earlier counterpart and will not load files made with earlier versions. In this new version you can generate Random or Sequential questions with or without answers or include the answers after generating questions only, this is ideal if using a projector to generate questions to an audience. You can also Print out to hard copy Questions only or Questions with Answers. If you have used the File Manager then this one is a breeze as it is basically Similar in looks and feel.

ADD NEW DATA

This is where you enter your data to build your data base file. Here is where you Add new data to your array or create a new array. Listed here is File name if one is loaded else it defaults to "NEWFILE" which must be saved on program exit to avoid loss of data. Previous Subject Entry will show if a Array is loaded. It tells you if it is Adding a new slot item or reusing a erased slot.

To help with entries in the fields here we used error trapping. First a visual black window appears at each field point where you fill in the data. You CAN overflow the window, it will simply open up bigger but the idea is to keep text length to fit the window size without touching the end of window. If you do overfill it turns red with warning text and so it repeats until you do it correct.

The first time you use this section the Function keys (F Keys) will be blank so you need to cycle through once to load them with information. If you load a file then the F keys will automatically receive their information. The F8 and F9 keys work a bit different and can be the best help you got or your worst frustration if used wrong. Only use these once you cycled through a entry so you load them with Information you using. If you exit, then on returning to ADD Entry they will have exit programmed in them so if you use them before a manual entry it will just take you out again. Although still retained these keys have been replaced with pressing enter which will insert the last items used without a buffer limit so your complete sentence will be reinserted.

Each Field has a F key next to it. These are your reminders. The bottom of the screen shows F5-F7 Which repeats last entries from the array so you know where you are or you can use the same info again or change it before pressing enter to accept it. F8 and F9 now replaced by E for enter, remembers your last key strokes on their respective fields so you can use this information to enter the same stuff again without retyping or pressing enter as it also inserts a enter for you.

First field is Subject. You can use F8 to insert it with a automatic enter if you have cycled through or F5 to insert the Previous entry title and press enter to accept. A reminder of previous title is over to the right as well.

Second field is Question. If you lose your place then you can use F6 to recall the last one entered. Press enter to accept or backspace to redo with new data.

Third field is Answer. Once again F9 will insert the last one you typed with a automatic enter to accept or you can use F7 to drop in the previous one stored in the array which you can modify before pressing enter to accept.

The forth field is Location. Printed to the right is the last one you used so you can recall what you entered previously.

After all fields are entered and on pressing enter the menu option at bottom allows you to REDO or SAVE and go to the next slot or Exit. If you press enter without data in any field you are returned to the menu, hence why F8 F9 can be a frustration.

Character LIMITS ARE: Subject 20,Question 64, Answer 64, Location 10.

Change Edit

Edit is the section for making changes to information in slot numbers. You can type keywords but using slot numbers is accurate and recommended. Here you have a choice to quit, change, erase, or enter another slot number. F9 opens "ADD DATA". Erase does just that to the slot.

Change brings up a change bar and key hints. Any data you wish to keep can be reinserted by pressing ENTER key. After changing data you are given a choice to make it permanent or redo or no change. Once you press enter it becomes Semi permanent until you answer Yes to make changes Permanent.

View Data using V or /

View all data Lists 5 per page and repeats the last entry each time a page is viewed. Pressing F10 or Esc will exit else it will scroll till the end with pages of 5. Pressing "]" is the same as V. Pressing "[" will interrupt and take you to the selective menu Viewing will also show any USED questions.

"/" Allows you to scroll through the data using the UP and DOWN arrow keys.

Review Subject

Will list all the items on that subject and give you a total of the items on that subject

Open

Open will give you the option 2 of loading the default file or option 1 of selecting a file to open. Pressing F10 or Enter will Exit you to Main Menu. To Set up Default File Press "I" and follow the Instructions. Once again Enter or F10 escapes.

Save

Save allows you to save file as ANY NAME you like, but DON'T type file extension and keep the name 8 characters long. Pressing enter once the files are listed will update the current file loaded. F10 will exit with no change. The main menu prompt can be closed by pressing Enter. Any modification to data will have a reminder next to the file name in the main menu of unsaved data.

Delete

ERASE OR Delete does just that. The whole file name and extension must be typed in before it will delete. If nothing is entered and you press enter you return to the main menu.

Create

This will create a new file array for you to work on. If you had one loaded you are asked to save first before the array is cleared for a new one. The name defaults to NEWFILE. Although this can be saved it is advisable to rename the file to your own name before exiting the program.

Find Data using F or ?

Find Data Will search forward up to 29 and backward up to 15 characters to find a match for your typed words in Question and Answer. Exact matching is used for Title. Matches will be either keywords or an Actual match. Keywords are a part of a sentence and actual or matching is exact. Best way for accurate keyword find is to use words you know like DVD, Pictures, graphics, etc. The first and last words of each field is the best for keywords. Middle of sentences is not scanned. Example: "HARD DAYS NIGHT" "BEATLES UP TEMPO". Here keywords are tempo, beatles, night, hard, hard days, days night, beatles up, up tempo, har,hard, hard da, and so on up to 15 characters. UP and DAYS mean nothing on their own. Also Scanning starts from 2 in so try avoid a single character on its own as a start and end unless its a version number it scans ends backwards for this. ".2" ".3" "version 1" It can find the 1 + the space before Version. Case does not matter. ? scrolls up and down using arrow keys through the found list.

Print Options

Option 1.. Prints the data on a Subject or 2.. Prints all the data in the array. These 2 also gives you the option of 12cpi or condensed which is tiny print of about 10cpi close together and fit CD sleeving. Choice 3.. is a selective print so you can choose the range of slots to print. This is 12cpi only. 4.. Prints all the array like 2 but in WordPad format. 5.. Prints Subject Data like 1 but to WordPad format. The WordPad format can also be opened in word to edit or print. The word filenames don't have error handling so ensure you do 8 characters and don't type an extension. It defaults to .doc.

Create New File

Create new file will give option of saving current data to file if one is loaded or you can back out with no change or continue and clear existing arrays. If you press enter here you are saying NO don't save and create a new file and you will create a temp array called NEWFILE which as soon as possible you should save as a filename of your choosing and not as NEWFILE. Remember that this program does not save the array to a file until you actually tell it to

Viewer 2 "]" "["

"[" This one is the selective menu where you can choose to view between a choice of slots using viewer 2. "]" will also view from the main menu all slots in sets of 5 per page. Esc F10 will exit you as shown in bottom bar. These features are not shown on the main menu and are not needed.

Question Generate { Sequential } <Random>

All Questions are generated in sets of 10 per round. There are 10 rounds per game. Using { generates sequential Questions without answers but lists their locations. Printing will generate questions only. Pressing G will generate the answers to the questions. Using } generates 10 Sequential Questions with Answers. P will print questions and answers. Selecting < will generate 10 Random Questions with Slot and Location. G will include the answers and P will print the screens content, Questions only or with answers if G was used before printing. Selecting > will generate 10 Random Questions with Answers. P will print Questions and answers. The USED flag is updated on all used questions and from the main menu you need to save the file to make the USED permanent. To Generate Random Questions you will also need to have at least 20 more questions than you need to generate in your array else you will get a NOT ENOUGH questions to generate 10 error. This does not apply to sequential, so long as you have at least 100 questions to complete 10 rounds. Pressing G with } or > mode will colour the answers Yellow. The main menu will have a reminder that you have unsaved used questions.

Data Reset

Pressing | from the main menu will allow you to Reset the Used Data back to unused. It must then be saved to make it permanent.

Exit to Dos

Exit to Dos will return control to windows and shut down the program. If you got a loaded array or file that has been modified you are asked if you want to save. This is a reminder so choose Yes to save. If you don't wish to save then simply press enter to exit. If No additions have been made to the file the program will exit without asking if you wish to save.

Help

Help is what you are viewing now.

I Initialise

"I" Allows you to choose a default file to load. It also displays your current default file. Use this from the main menu to choose your file to load as default. Do not type the .lib extension only the name up to 8 characters long. The extension is automated.

M Memory

Pressing M from the main menu Displays the available free slots and displays slots currently used. This is useful when you wish to know how much slots you have left for your Array and File.

Function keys or Fast Keys

Here is a recap of Function keys used and special keys. From the main menu I will Allow option of setting default file to load, M will show Dos String Memory available. In Create or Add To File, F5 to F8 repeats the previously entered fields, F8 and F9 repeats last entered fields Plus inserts a Enter. In Edit Data File / Change, F1 to F4 Reinserts Data up to 12 characters. F10 usually Quits a operation.

Limitations

You are not limited to DOS Available memory as a default. String Memory is whatever characters you type into the Array's PLUS ALL printable characters stored in the program. In this version ? has a limitation of 100 due to the dual array search and sort used here. If there are more than 100 matches then it will ask you to use F to find. Dos string memory will be used due to the dual array sort for ? when you reach the maximum slots resulting in 13k spare string space..

This Program will run in all OS's that support DOS up to Windows 98 SE.

Ending Note

This program was designed for easy and speedy use. I have enclosed sample file to have a play with. For latest upgrades Visit http://arach.net.au/~wam/support/software.html

HOW IT WORKS

The File System works as follows. Imagine you have a Filing Cabinet which is filled with empty folders. Each Draw is given its own File name which we save on disk and Each folder is given a SLOT NUMBER which is referenced to a name called SUBJECT under which is your Information on the Questions and answers and where on the CD it is Located. As Simple as that. Except in our case being a computer we need an ID number so the Subject is referenced to a number we calling a SLOT Number and the Questions and Answer data is under the Subject Title and all are referenced to our SLOT ID number so we can perform various type of searches and functions using our computer.

If we take a piece of paper out of the folder and throw it away we are erasing the data from the slot and we now have a spare slot for new data to be inserted using the edit or add command.

If we add more folders to the cabinet we are inserting more slots so our system grows. Of course the filing cabinet Has a limit on how much it holds, so too does our computer, but in most cases the computer can hold more data than the cabinet.

RE12 QUIZ MANAGER HELP V6 SE