VIEW - the file viewer Version 16.0(b) ========================= Note: this package contains the following files: VIEW.EXE - file viewer VIEWCFG.COM - customizer for screen colors and other parameters VOICECFG.COM - customizer for using VIEW with speech synthesis screen readers HPPRINT.COM - utility for setting printer functions VIEW.DOC - this file WHATSNEW.DOC - new features in this release HSTORY.DOC - recent history of VIEW VIEWHELP.CST - template for customized help file (shift-F1 in VIEW) TROUBLE.DOC - possible problems, and solutions HOWDOI.DOC - tips for using VIEW PAY4ME.DOC - how to pay for VIEW VISIMP.DOC - notes for visually-impaired users HPUSERS.DOC - notes for HP Palmtop users DESCRIPT.ION - information for webmasters BATCHCNV.EXE - batch converter to use with VIEW BATCHCNV.DOC - guide to using BATCHCNV VIEWSEEK.EXE - text search utility for lists of files VIEWSEEK.DOC - guide to using VIEWSEEK HPZOOM.COM - utility file for HP Palmtop users HPZOOM.DOC - documentation for HPZOOM HPPRINT.COM - standalone program for setting printer parameters (HPZOOM is a freeware utility by David Sargeant. Take a look at his web site at http://coyote.accessnv.com/davidsa/hp) NOTE: If you are using VIEW to read this file, you can go to any section by pressing the down arrow until the topic in the following list of contents is at the top of the display, then pressing Enter. Pressing Enter again brings you back to the list of contents. CONTENTS ======== WHAT IS VIEW? THE FINE PRINT OVERVIEW - Command line switches - Text search - Wild cards - Examples BOOKMARKS THE VIEW SCREEN THE ESC KEY PRINT FUNCTIONS IMPORTANT NOTE AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF FILE FORMATS THE FILE SELECTION MENU CUSTOMIZING VIEW FOR SCREEN COLORS AND OTHER PARAMETERS CUSTOMIZING VIEW FOR USE WITH SPEECH SYNTHESIZER SOFTWARE HTML FILES HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR ************************************* WHAT IS VIEW? Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ VIEW is a file viewing utility for DOS. ž It allows you to view and print files in the following formats: - Wordperfect versions 5.0 to 7.0 - Word for Windows versions 1.0 to 6.0, and 97 - Word for DOS - Ami Pro - Wordstar - Windows Write - Windows Notepad (which uses the ANSI character set) - Microsoft Publisher - Rich Text Format (RTF) - ASCII files - ANSI files - UNIX files - World Wide Web HTML tagged files - ClarisWorks (basic support only) ž You can see a quick preview of the first part of files. ž You can print or save all or part of the files viewed. ž You can print or save to file only those lines containing or omitting specified text. ž Printing can be done directly via the compressed print routines 2COL and JETCOL (if you have them). These shareware programs by Tony Caine are provided to those who register VIEW. They allow you to print in multiple columns using small but highly legible fonts. Highly recommended! ž VIEW allows you to search for text strings (both case-sensitive and case-insensitive), including across multiple files. ž You can also print or convert files to ASCII, including in format suitable for import to word processor, directly from the file selection menu. ž You can convert between ASCII and ANSI. ž You can save files in a format suitable for importing into word processors without a hard return at the end of every line. ž You can convert or print file directly without viewing, using command line switches. ž You can convert files to or from UNIX and DOS file formats. ž Has a special scroll mode for visually-impaired users. ž Together, VIEW and 2COL/JETCOL offer a powerful file printing utility that can be run under a wide variety of DOS and Windows shells and file managers. ž VIEW can be identified as the file viewer for a wide range of DOS and Windows shells and file managers, including archive display programs. ž VIEW is ideal as a viewer for e-mail attachments. ž VIEW can be customized for display color, and also its printing, display and memory features. ž VIEW can be used with the HP Palmtop computer in its different display modes. THE FINE PRINT Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ The author makes no warranty that the software in this package will work with your particular hardware configuration. You use the programs entirely at your own risk, and the author will not be held liable for any damage caused to your hardware or software through their use, nor for any consequential damages, loss of earnings, or loss of life, limb, health, sanity or personal relationship. Legalities aside, you should not run into difficulties with this software. OVERVIEW Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ Usage: view [d:][path][filename] [/sw1] [/sw2] [/sw3] [/sw4] .. [/swx] [text string to find] where switches /sw1, /sw2, /sw3 and /sw4 can be: /a /b /cfilename.cnv /Cfilename.cnv /fxx /h /HP40 /HP64 /lnnn /mnnn /mono /q /s /u /U /v /x /w /- /1 /6 (in which nnn is a three digit number and xx is a two-digit number) /a - Save the file using the Windows (ANSI) character. /b - allows you to break out of the file read even if you have configured VIEW to disable this function normally. /cfilename.cnv - convert selected file to filename.cnv directly, i.e. without viewing it. The file is saved as ASCII, that is, with hard returns. /Cfilename.cnv - as for /c but file is saved in format suitable for import into word processor (i.e. with hard returns within text suppressed), and with tabs retained. /d - Save the file using the DOS (ASCII character. /fxx - allow the file list to display xx 100s of files. /h - force HTML files to be displayed as ASCII, thus showing their HTML tags. /HP40 - force VIEW to open in 40 x 16 mode (for Palmtop users) /HP64 - force VIEW to open in 64 x 16 mode (for Palmtop users) /s - forces VIEW to look for case-sensitive string when a text string is entered on the command line. Without the switch the search is case-insensitive - i.e., if VIEW is told to find string from the command line, it will look for string String STrinG etc. With this switch used, it will only look for string /Sn - forces VIEW to display the list of files in 1 column (with n = 1) or 5 columns (the default, with n = 5) /lnnn - set line wrap to nnn columns /mnnn - set aside nnn memory allocation units (see below) /mono - force VIEW to display in monochrome /q - preview mode; show only the first screen's worth of a file /u - (in conjunction with /c or /C) save DOS file in UNIX format /U - (in conjunction with /c or /C) save ANSIS file in UNIX format /vnnnn - overrides the default scroll rate. See file scroll.doc carriage return/line feed) /x - for visualy-impaired users woith speech synthesis software; this switch causes VIEW to place the cursor at the end of the first line of text. This placement is in effect in both regular and scroll modes. /w - overrides the default setting for line wrap when viewing ASCII or ANSI files. There are two possibilities: use the file's line wrap, or use VIEW's line wrap. Normally you would use the file's hard returns, but if the file contains lines longer than 80 characters you might wish to use VIEW's setting. Note that you can switch between the two while viewing a file by pressing Ctrl-F10. /w can be used in conjunction with /lnnn to control the appearance of files that you convert or print directly. /- - allows "strikeout" text in Wordperfect documents to be shown (in UPPER CASE characters). By default, VIEW omits this text. /1 - forces VIEW to use the alternate decoding algorithm for Word 6/7 files. Its action is the same as pressing Ctrl-F10 while viewing such a file. Use it if the file does not display correctly. /6 - another switch for forcing an alternate display of Word 6 files. Use it to force VIEW to display all the file if you suspect that only a part is being displayed. Please note that with this switch you will most likely see some garbage at the end of the file. NOTE 1: the order of the switches is unimportant. However, any text added for the text search function of VIEW MUST follow th switches. NOTE 2: if you use any of the switches, you MUST include at least a drive letter on the command line. If not VIEW will tell you something like "can't find /m056". NOTE 3: if you are using VIEW from a batch file, such as for converting files directly, you can use the ERRORLEVEL function. VIEW returns error level 1 if for some reason the file cannot be viewed or converted (e.g. file does not exist, unrecognized format). If you just type VIEW you will get a list of files on the current drive and directory, from which you can select the one to view. Similarly, if you type VIEW plus drive and directory parameters, you'll get a list of files on that drive and directory. From the file selection menu, you can change to any directory on the drive, or to any other drive. Note that VIEW supports the * wild card character. - More information on command line switches =========================================== /q == Use this switch for displaying only the first screen's worth of of a file (usually the first 23 lines) in a quick preview mode. This function can be toggled on and off from the file selection menu by pressing the q key. /mnnn ===== If you include the switch /mnnn you will be able to allocate more memory for use by JETCOL or 2COL (see below). The more memory you allocate for these programs the less is available to VIEW for loading files. If you only use JETCOL or 2COL occasionally you should leave the memory allocation at the default level and use the /mnnn switch when you do want to use them. If you use one or both of them frequently, you should probably permanently allocate sufficient memory using the configuration program VIEWCFG.COM. See later in this information file for more information on running JETCOL and 2COL. /lnnn ===== If you use the /lnnn switch the line wrap is set at a maximum of 132 columns and a minimum of 20. The number of columns you want is determine by "nnn" which MUST be a three digit number (e.g. 070, 120). In this mode you can use the left and right arrow keys to scroll the display to the left and right. This mode is useful if you want to print files for which the line wrap is greater than 80 - for instance, program listings. Note that VIEW will also run in true 132 mode (i.e. 132 columns actually displayed on screen if you have a video adapter that allows that mode). (NOTE: when you use the /lnnn switch, the help line at the bottom of the screen will refer to "Cursor arrows". When it is not used the left and right arrow function are disabled and the help line refers to "Up and down arrows"). /c == To convert a file directly, use the /c switch - that is, /c followed immediately by the name of the CONVERTED file. For example, to write a converted file called myfile.cnv the format of the switch would be /cmyfile.cnv The name of the converted file can include a full path (drive and directory plus sub-directory) if you wish, or it could be an alternate printer port. TO PRINT A FILE DIRECTLY use /clpt1 (or /clpt2 etc) /C == This is the same as the /c switch EXCEPT that the converted file is written in a format suitable for import into a word processor. Hard returns within paragraphs are suppressed so that in your word processor you can change the word wrap parameter. VIEW attempts to retain legitimate hard returns. No other formatting is saved. /fxx ==== Enable xx 100s of files to be listed in the file list. For example, /f06 enables a display of 600 files. The default is 500 files. The maximum is 1000 (although you can request a special version with up to 3000 when you register VIEW). The more files you enable the less memory is available for actually viewing files, although the loss by going from the default of 500 to, say, 800, is not great. - Text search ============ The text string to find MUST come after the filename, and after any switches used. It allows you to search for the string in all files viewer until the "text search" function is switched off (see later). Text entered from the command line is assumed to be case-insensitive. - Wild cards ========== You can use the * wild-card character in a file name. Then you will get a list of files in the default or specified directory that match the * criteria. Any string identified on the command line for the text search function will be active for all files specified by the wild card option (unless it is changed or switched off when viewing one of the files). - Examples ======== view *.doc - list of files with extension doc in the current directory view d:\docs - list of all files on drive d, directory docs view d:\docs\*.txt - as above, but only files with extension txt view myfile.doc this is a string - open myfile doc and search for "this is my string" view myfile.doc /m060 - open file myfile.doc after allocating 60 block of memory for use by JETCOL, 2COL or HLP2DOC view d: /m050 - list all files on root directory of drive d: after allocating extra memory. view *.txt /l132 - list all matching files and display them in emulated 132 column mode. view myfile.doc /l120 /clpt1 - print the file myfile.doc directly, using 120 column word wrap. view another.doc /cnew.doc - convert "another.doc" and save converted file as "new.doc" view this.doc /a /u /Csaved.doc - convert "this.doc" to file "saved.doc" which is saved in the UNIX format and with the ANSI/UNIX character set. view d:\docs\*.doc another string - list all matching files, and as each is opened look for "another string". This search is in effect for all subsequent files until it is switched off. view d:\docs\*.doc /l120 yet another string - display all matching files in emulated 120 column mode, and look for the string "yet another string". Note on text search: VIEW will only find matches in complete lines, i.e. it will not find text that has wrapped. For example, if the text to find is "cat sat on the mat" it would find the following: One fine day the cat sat on the mat and ate a rat. but not: One fine day, the cat sat on the mat and ate a rat. Note that VIEW reads as much of a file as possible into memory, but if not all of a file can be read in it won't display the full file. This allows you to skip instantly to any part of the file in memory without disk reads. If you are not using DOS 5.0 or later, or a memory manager such as QEMM386 or 386MAX, I strongly recommend you do so. If a file is too big, an overflow file is created; you can switch quickly between the two. The overflow should, in most circumstances, allow you to see all of the original file, unless it is really big. If the file IS really big, you can convert it to ASCII (from the file selection menu) and then split it into smaller components using a text editor. When you convert to ASCII from the file selection menu the entire file is converted even if it is too big to view via VIEW. VIEW will automatically detect WordPerfect 5.0 and later, Microsoft Word, Ami Pro and Windows WRITE formats. It attempts to detect other files that may not be ASCII and gives you the opportunity to display them as straight ASCII, as Wordstar - i.e. with the high-order characters stripped out, or in preview mode, or in preview mode. It will automatically force to ASCII certain standard types of non-ASCII file (e.g. EXE, COM, DLL etc.). Using VIEW is pretty straightforward. Pressing F1 brings up a help menu, and the key features of the menu are permanently displayed on the bottom line. Pressing Shift-F1 brings up a custom help file called viewhelp.cst. You can edit the one included in the distribution package however you like. This feature is partiularly useful for constructing help files in languages other than English. IMPORTANT NOTE: The file MUST be in the root directory of your C drive. Every feature is accessible directly from the view screen, or from the menu screen. BOOKMARKS Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ VIEW allows you to place up to 200 bookmarks in the text you are viewing. This allows you to move quickly to preset places in the text that you have chosen. In addition, when reading in an ASCII file, VIEW assigns a bookmark to any form feed character it finds. The form feeds are not actually displayed, but by setting a bookmark you can move quickly to any place in the text where they occur. See the following section for a description of the keys assigned to bookmark functions (they are: Ins, d and u). THE VIEW SCREEN Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ The keys: Navigate through the file using the cursor keys (up and down arrows, left and right arrows if in "wide screen" mode, PgUp, PgDn, Home, End). Ins - insert a bookmark at the text currently displayed at the top of the display. d - go to the next bookmark. If you are at the last one, this key moves to the first one (that is, cycles through the bookmarks). First, though, it repeats the bookmark you are currently at in order to indicate that you are at the last one. u - go to the previous bookmark. If you are at the first one, this key moves to the last one (that is, cycles through the bookmarks). First, though, it repeats the bookmark you are currently at in order to indicate that you are at the first one. h - switch among HP Palmtop display modes Enter - find text currently displayed at the top of the display area. Use this function for going directly to topics listed in the contents. NOTE: The Enter key is a toggle. Press it a second time to return to the point at which it was first pressed. s, Alt-F9 - toggle speaker "beep" on/off (beeps when an illegal key press is made). F1 - help menu; all menu items are available directly from this menu (i.e., while the menu is displayed, pressing F2 will activate the appropriate function for that key). Shift F1 - displays customised help file VIEWHELP.CST, which MUST be in the root directory of your C drive. When viewing the help file, pressing Esc takes you back to the original file being viewed. F2 - case-INSENSITIVE text search - matching text is shown in the highlight color. Unless the string to find has been defined from the command line, the first time you press F2 the string is defined. Subsequent presses of F2 find the next occurrence. F3 - as for F2, but for case-SENSITIVE text. Shift F2 - toggle text search OFF. (NOTE: when the text search function is enabled an asterisk (*) appears at the bottom right corner of the screen.) F4 - enter scroll mode for use with speech synthesizer software. For details, see the file visimp.doc F5 - go to a particular bookmark number Shift F5 - go to a particular line number F6 - print all of file to printer or disk Shift F6 - allows you to print a document with embedded form feeds retained, or with inserted bookmarks interpreted as form feeds. With this function the default page break is ignored, and you can also override the default left margin indentation. Ctrl F6 - allows you to print a document quickly, without answering any questions. For full functionality, use F6. Alt F6 - allows you to save a document quickly, without answering any questions. For full functionality, use F6. F7 - print all lines that specifically include or exclude a particular text string F8 - print file currently being viewed directly via 2COL or JETCOL. NOTE: you must have either configured VIEW to reserve at least 55 memory blocks, or you must use the switch /m055 on the command line, to activate this feature. Shift F8 - clear all bookmarks F9 - this is a toggle for printing (to printer or disk) a block of text. The first time you press F9, the current top line is set as the beginning of the block. The second time, the current top line is set as the end of the block, and the block is printed to the location you specify. While block select is on, you will see a message at the bottom-left of the screen telling you the starting line of the block. Shift F9 - set or reset HP and HP compatible printers that use the PCL4 command set (portrait or landscape mode, normal or compressed print). This includes a user-definable command. F10 - changes the character set of the file being displayed from ANSI to ASCII. If you print to file after this conversion is made, the file you print will use the converted (i.e. ASCII) character set. This feature is useful for converting Windows NOTEPAD files and others created with the ANSI set (e.g. text files created under UNIX). Shift F10- changes the character set of the file being displayed from ASCII to ANSI. As with F10, files printed to disk will contain the ANSI character set. Alt F10 - changes the character set of the file being displayed from Mac to ANSI. Ctrl-F10 - re-read the file with alternative decoding algorithm. If the file is ASCII, it will be re-read with a different line wrap default. If the file is Word 6 or 7 it will be re-read and decoded with an alternative algorithm. Use this if the file does not appear to have been decoded correctly. If the file is Wordperfect it will be re-read and text to which the "strikeout" format has been applied will be displayed or hidden, depending on the state of the toggle. If the file is HTML or XYWRITE the display of formatting codes will be toggled on or off. All toggles are reset to their default value when exiting a file. )See also the h toggle for HTML files). F11 - exit with errorlevel set to 2. This is useful for passing control to another process via a batch file. Space bar- leave menu without enabling any of the features. If you have read in a large file that has resulted in a temporary overflow file being created, the following keys are also activated: n - move to overflow file ("n" means "next") p - move to original file ("p" means "previous") If you hear a "beep" the function is not currently activated. When in "overflow" mode an identifying letter appears at the bottom-left of the display. "p" means you are in the second level, i.e. overflow file, and "n" means you are in the top level, i.e. original file. Note that in the second level, you will be told that the file is ASCII, and called overflow.1. Not to worry: it still contains the overflow from the file you called to read. Pressing the letter takes you to the

revious or ext part of the file. THE ESC KEY Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ If you have activated the "enable break" function in the configuaryion program, you can interrupt the process of printing or converting a file. PRINT FUNCTIONS Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ Note: for the print functions, you have the following choices: - print to printer - save to file (and you can also use this for printing to an alternate printer port - just use the port name as the name of the file to be saved) - print directly via 2COL or JETCOL - save file in format suitable for importing into word processor (as far as possible VIEW puts hard returns where they are needed and omits them where they are not). F6 - F9 allow you to print to file, to printer, or via 2COL/JETCOL. The latter function produces a file called cainelnk.fil, which is deleted when processing has finished. If you have not set aside memory for 2COL/JETCOL (see configuration, VIEWCFG) you can simply write a file (converted to ASCII) to disk and process it separately with 2COL or JETCOL. Alternatively, you can load VIEW with the /mnnn command to allow to to allocate (temporarily) enough memory to run 2COL or JETCOL. F6 print or convert file. You can include line numbers if you wish. You can interrupt this process by pressing the Esc key. F7 print only those lines containing or omitting a text string you define. F8 Allows you to access JETCOL or 2COL directly (assuming you have them of course!) to print the entire file. Pressing F8 allows you to enter a command line for JETCOL or 2COL, thereby allowing you to set switches individually. You should NOT enter a file name - VIEW does this for you, as it uses a special ASCII file. The true file name will be added to the end of the printout. If JETCOL or 2COL do not exist in a directory that your PATH statement specifies, you must include the full path in your command line. Example: c:\jetcol\jetcol -W70 - prints the file using JETCOL, which is in directory c:\jetcol; the single W switch is activated. If when you try to print via JETCOL or 2COL nothing happens except that the display returns immediately to VIEW, one of two things is the probable culprit. Either JETCOL/2COL has not been found, or you have not set aside enough memory for VIEW to link to JETCOL/2COL. For the former, check that you entered the path properly. For the latter, reconfigure VIEW using VIEWCFG.COM and set aside 50 or so "memory blocks" (the configuration program will tell you when to do this), or load VIEW with the /mnnn command. F9 This key is a toggle to allow you to select a block of text for printing. The first time you press it the block starts at the line currently at the top of the display; the second time the line at the top is the end of the block. Once selected, the block can be printed as for the F6 key. IMPORTANT NOTE Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ If you are viewing anything other than a straight ASCII or ANSI file, it will not look the same as the version that you print from the word processing software. If the document uses a proportional font, or contains columns or tables, the appearance under VIEW will in all probability be different. This is because of the way VIEW simplifies the formatting built into such documents. If VIEW were to be designed to show all formatting faithfully, it would be at least as big as the executable files used by the word processors themselves and would therefore lose its point as a quick viewer. I have attempted to cover all formatting and embedded code possibilities, but with the power of WordPerfect, Word and Ami Pro, the possibilities are mind-boggling! If you come across a file that does not seem to display properly - e.g. hangs mid-way through or displays garbage - please send it to me and I will attempt to fix the problem. NOTE: VIEW will NOT properly display Word 6 files saved with the "quick format" feature. Such files are extremely complex and I have so far been unable to develop an algorithm to handle them. Note that Wordstar files may contain some extraneous characters, including "dot commands" such as .PA - however, they should certainly be readable. AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF FILE FORMATS Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ VIEW will automatically detect Word, Ami Pro, Windows Write, WordPerfect, Windows clipboard (CLP),and ASCII files. For others, it will simply say "unknown format". THE FILE SELECTION MENU Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ If you have called VIEW without specifying a particular file, you have access to the file selection menu, which looks like this:- C:\VIEW\*.* - 9 item(s) (0 read) Keys: Ctrl-Home Ctrl-End PgDn PgUp Home Enter Esc - exit F1 - help ASCII line wrap OFF ŚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄæ ³ .. ³ ³ file_id.diz ³ ³ new100.doc ³ ³ trouble.doc ³ ³ view.exe ³ ³ view100.doc ³ ³ viewcfg.com ³ | | ³ ³ ĄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄŁ ŚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄæ ³ F1 - more help F2 - set line wrap ³ ³ F3 - new drive F4 - reverse order ³ ĄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄŁ Note: Directories ar shown in UPPER CASE, files in lower case. THE KEYS: Use the arrow and cursor keys to scroll through the list of files, and press Enter to view the highlighted file or to change to the highlighted directory. Ctrl-Home - goes to first file in the list. (Use Home if you are at the first screen). Home - goes to the first file in the current screen. Ctrl-End - goes to the last file in the list. End - goes to the last file in the current screen. F1 - brings up a help menu F2 - allows you to change the column at which lines wrap. F3 - allows you to go to anothe drive F4 - reverses the order of the file list q - toggles quick view mode on/off. When on, a Q appears above and to the right of the file list. (Also Alt-F8) Esc- exit to DOS CUSTOMIZING VIEW FOR SCREEN COLORS AND OTHER PARAMETERS Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ VIEWCFG usage: viewcfg [filename] where filename is view.exe or an exact copy with some other file name. If the wrong version of VIEW is found, VIEWCFG will tell you so. This program allows you to customize VIEW.EXE. You can save your configuration parameters to file for quick and easy configuration of new versions of VIEW. Setting colors is self-explanatory. However, VIEWCFG also allows you to set some print parameters, such as number of lines per printed page, number of spaces to expand tabs, and number of spaces to leave for the left margin. VIEWCFG explains what each parameter is. CUSTOMIZING VIEW FOR USE WITH SPEECH SYNTHESIZER SOFTWARE Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ If you are suing VIEW with speech syntheisizer software - a screen reader - you can configure three additional parameters with the program VOICECFG.COM First, you can tell VIEW whether to place the cursor at the beginning or end of the line of text to be read. Secondly, you can set the rate at which the screen automatically scrolls when you press F4. The default scroll delay rate is 1.5 seconds, or 15 tenths of a second. VIEWCFG allows to to change this. To get a faster scroll rate, decrease the dealy rate - say to 5 tenths of a second. To increase it, choose a delay greater than 15. Thirdly, you can force VIEW to display the list of files in a single column, rather than the default 5. VIEWCFG prodices a file called VIEWB.EXE, which you should rename to VIEW.EXE once you are satisfied that it works correctly. Note that VOICECFG and VIEWCFG can both be used; they set parameters independently of one another, that is, one does not reset parameters modified by the other. Please see the file VISIMP.DOC for more information. To use VOICECFG the syntax is simply VOICECFG view.exe HTML FILES Ż ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜŻ VIEW displays HTML files that have been prepared to the HTML 2.0 standard. It will display, but not properly format, tables. Note that because HTML files are generally highly graphical in nature, VIEW cannot format them as you would see them through a browser. HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR ========================= e-mail: malcolm_drury@yahoo.com http://mdrury.hypermart.net/ Malcolm Drury 11 Adele Crescent Nepean ON K2J 2T7 CANADA Tel. +1 613 825-1683 after 6 p.m. Eastern Time March 28th, 1999 END OF DOCUMENT