Alpha Chart 1.0 README.TXT[7,41] ================ THIS DIRECTORY (DSKn:[7,41]) CONTAINS ALL THE NECCESSARY FILES TO INSTALL AND DEMONSTRATE ALPHA CHART. SAMPLE GRAPH FILES ARE NAMED "*.GDF". SAMPLE GRAPH DATA INTERFACE FILES ARE NAMED "*.GDI". THIS DOCUMENT PROVIDES THE NECCESSARY INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING ALPHA CHART. ===================================================================== UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY THIS SOFTWARE BE DECOMPILED OR DISTRIBUTED TO ANY OTHER BUSINESS OR PERSONAL ENTITY WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM ALPHA DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT, INC. THIS SOFTWARE IS SOLD UNDER A LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT THE USER AGREES TO ABIDE BY. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED BY ALPHA DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT, INC. (C) 1989 ===================================================================== PART-1: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS ======= If a separate disk is available, load the entire contents of the tape onto that device. Print-out the README.TXT file and insure there is no conflicting PPN or file names. Examine the ACHART.DO file to see which .SBR modules are used. These modules may be loaded into user memory or system memory. NOTE: This is a general release tape which has been tested on ----- AMOS versions 1.3D, 2.0A, and 2.1. ACHART.R13 is executable with AlphaBasic 1.3. ACHART.R14 is executable with AlphaBasic 1.4. ACHART.RUN may be a copy of either of the above. ACHART.RD3 is a demonstration version for AlphaBasic 1.3. ACHART.RD4 is a demonstration version for AlphaBasic 1.4. Depending on the verson of basic that is running on the system, either RUN.LIT or ORUN.LIT will execute the program on AMOS/L 2.0. The command file below should be changed to ORUN if neccessary. Any run file not being used may be deleted. PART-2: DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ====== 1. ASSUMPTIONS: - AMIGOS and GRAPH are previously installed, with all neccessary drivers and font modules loaded into either system memory or the user's memory. - The AM72 has been correctly installed and tested. Flow control is enabled and the BAUD rate is set to either 9600 or 19200. - The optional mouse has been correctly configured on the AM72. 2. DEMONSTRATION RESTRICTIONS: Demonstration software may be configured to not perform either or both of the following: - Output a graph to a printer device. - Save a new graph on the disk. 3. KNOWN PROBLEMS - If a mouse is used and it is not supported by the AM72 or if it is incorrectly configured, the AM72 will lock up. The AM72 will have to be powered off and on. - Once Alpha Chart has started executing, if the AM72 is placed into SETUP mode, any nested menu's will not be cleared properly. This is due to the fact that the AM72 clears it's screen memory whenever in SETUP mode. - With AMIGOS 1.0A a specific data range may not be cleared. There is a bug in Alpha Micro's GRAPH utility that doesn't clear a data range correctly (it clears multiple data ranges). This problem is resolved in AMIGOS 1.1 - There is another problem with the GRAPH utility in which if the graph data is not of the correct type for the graph, the program job will be aborted and the job returns to an AMOS command prompt. This problem has been fixed in AMIGOS 1.1. - There is a problem with GRAPH when two or more data ranges have different numbers of data points. The graph is displayed outside of the graph background. This is fixed in AMIGOS version 1.1. - Another problem with GRAPH is when a large number of data points with labels are graphed, the labels are displayed even though there is not enough room to easily view all labels. The result is a garbaged label line. The work- around is to remove some of the data point labels. This is currently being resolved at Alpha Microsystems. 4. CONFIGURING THE AM72 - The AM72 can be configured to use any 16 of 64 colors at a given time. The colors can be changed by the user as desired. The standard colors recommended for use with Alpha Chart are as follows: COLOR INDEX COLOR # COLOR INDEX COLOR # 00 00 08 08 01 01 09 09 02 15 or 00 10 10 03 03 11 18 04 04 12 any color 05 any color 13 any color 06 any color 14 any color 07 any color 15 any color 5. PREPARING TO RUN ALPHA CHART. Create an ersatz device name called CHART: for DSK0:[7,41] and DRAW: for DSK0:[7,42]. Modify the file ERSATZ.INI in DSK0:[1,4] to create these ersatz names and reboot the system. Load the contents of the release tape onto the system. Move all .LIT files into the system library account DSK0:[1,4]. Move ALL .SBR files into the basic library account DSK0:[7,6]. Move the help files into the HLP: ersatz account. (DSK0:[7,1]). Read the user manual (file ACHART.LIS). 6. STARTING ALPHA CHART. The procedure file ACHART.DO may be used to load the appropriate subroutines and start Alpha Chart. The sub- routines may be loaded into system memory to decrease start-up time. In this case, the procedure file should be modified so as not to load the subroutines into user memory. See the sample AMOSL.INI included. 7. HINTS ON USE!!! THE ARROW KEYS DO NOT PERFORM ANY FUNCTION. If you are nested deep in a menu, you can use the mouse to select a main category menu (at the top of the screen) and Alpha Chart will immediately return to the main command menu. You may enter the first letter of the menu selection or push the button on the mouse when positioned over the menu selection. To exit a menu, enter a "Q" from the keyboard or position the mouse in the small box in the upper left corner of the menu and press the mouse button. A simple demonstration would be to load one of the sample graphs and make some editing changes to the data or graph parameters and then display it. With a three button LOGITEC mouse (or compatible) the right button is used for general selections, the middle button is used as a YES or OK response, and the left button is used as a NO response. This way you don't have to position the mouse for YES or NO prompts, you only have to press the right button. The SHOW.DMO script file is a useful demonstration script file that demonstrates Alpha Chart. NOTE: The print-graph function will only print whatever ===== graph that is currently in working memory. In other words a graph must be previously loaded before printing can take place. 8. YOUR SATISFACTION IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE REPORT ANY COMMENTS, PROBLEMS, OR SUGGESTIONS TO: Alpha Development & Support, Inc. 20060 S.W. Clarion Beaverton, OR 97006 (503) 642-3520 FAX (503) 626-3663 .