Contents (NOT!)
ABC Reader 95 Help Contents

•	About The All BASIC Code Archives

•	About the ABC Reader 95

•	Help on Buttons/Menus

•	Installing .CDE Files

No charge of any kind is permitted for this work!  You are free to distribute the ABC Reader 95, and ABC Packets as long as all files are included and unmodified.  If you paid for this software, please contact the author: William Yu <voxel@edmc.net>

The All BASIC Code Reader 95 by William Yu (c)1998


About the ABC Archives
About the All BASIC Code Archives

The All BASIC Code (ABC) Archives is a large repository for BASIC source codes.   These include QBasic, QuickBASIC, PDS, VisualBASIC (DOS/WIN), PowerBASIC, LibertyBASIC, ASIC, and BasicBASIC, just to name a few.  Other lesser known BASIC languages include XBasic, ZBasic, MoonRock, GFA-BASIC, TrueBASIC, and many more that shuffle through the internet every year.  The ABC Archives collects these source codes from around the world, and organizes them in a way much like a custom database.  These “databases” of source code, are called ABC Packets (which are released bi-monthly).  If you’re familiar with SWAG, then you’ll be comfortable with the runnings of the ABC Reader and what we’re all about.

Snippets/Source codes

The source codes contained in the ABC Packets are considered to be public domain unless otherwise stated in the source code.  Any copyrighted material is included with the permission of the original author.  As with all copyright material you can only use the program/code for personal use.  Any redistribution (modified or unmodified) without the consent of the original author is prohibited.  Please use your discretion when using someone else’s source codes or libraries.  The authors/contributors, nor myself can be held liable for any damages (direct or consequential) from what you use/run.

ABC Homepages

USA: http://charlie.simplenet.com/abchome/abc.html

Netherlands: http://www.xs4all.nl/~excel/pbabc.html

UK: http://www.cvnet.co.uk/o.cook/abc/

Canada: http://www.edmc.net/~voxel/

ABC Maintainer

The ABC Archives is created and maintained by William Yu (email: voxel@edmc.net). All submissions and/or comments should be directed to him.  If you have any questions or concerns about any of the ABC Homepages, you are advised to contact the site maintainer.


About the ABC Reader 95

The All BASIC Code Reader is used to “decode” the ABC Packets.  In essence, a reader is necessary to organize the packets in to a “database” which can be easily searched and maintained on your hard drive.  The ABC Reader 95 combines the benefits of Window’s GUI to make this easier.  It is not a requirement to include the ABC Reader 95 executable file in the same directory as your ABC Packets.

Features:

•	Powerful Group Search

•	Ability to toggle extra information (code of)

•	Print with the font you choose

•	Settings are saved in registry

•	One-step Postit! Extraction

•	Many sorting options available (can be combined)

•	Subject field can be recased

•	Install anywhere on your HD or network

•	Ability to run/load a snippet

The ABC Reader 95 was developed in Delphi 3, and tested under Win95/98/NT5.  Please send any questions or concerns to William Yu <voxel@edmc.net>


A Postit! encrypted file can be decoded by running

the source under QBasic, QB, PDS, VBDOS, or PB.

In the case of PowerBASIC (PB), make sure you

remove DIM from the DIM SHARED line.


ABC Reader 95: File Menu
ABC Reader 95: Buttons/Menus

Please click on your menu topic of choice:

File Menu    Edit Menu	 Options Menu	 Help Menu

Please click on your button topic of choice

Select Snippet Buttons

View Snippet Buttons

View Code Buttons


Drives... click on this to get a popup menu of available drives

             you can switch to.  You can also click on the drive

             button to access this popup menu or press the right mouse

             button.

Print... Enabled only if a snippet is currently loaded.

Print Setup... Setup the printer before printing.

Exit (Alt+X) Exit the reader, all settings are saved.


Find... Depending on your current window, this will load the

          relevant find dialog for each window.

Copy... Copies selection from View Code window to the clipboard.

Select All... Selects all text from View Code window.


Fonts...

        This will change the font of the current window,

        all settings are saved, except for the font style.

Select ABC | Get Totals

        Get total number of snippets from *.ABC in the

        current directory.

Select Snippet | New

        Toggle the view of new snippets.

Select Snippet | Extras

        Toggle view of extra information, it speeds

        loading time if disabled.

Select Snippet | Subject Recase

        Toggle lower/upper case of Subject field.

        Default is uppercase (speeds loading).

View Code | Detect Postit!

        If detect is off, this will speed loading time.

        If the snippet is already flagged as a Postit!

        code, it will be detected, no matter what.

        Snippets are flagged since May 1997,

        anything before has not.

Auto Select

        You don’t need to double click a snippet or

        packet.  Just click on the tab and it will load

        automatically.  Make sure you’ve highlighted

        something, or it will try the first element.

        This was a feature included thanks to Graham

        Scott.  Thanks for beta testing!


I think this is self explanatory, carry on.


  Click this button to change drives.

         You can also do this by pressing the right mouse button.

   Click this button to perform a Group Search.

         This button will be enabled if there are ABC Packets

         present in the current directory.

  Click this button to install any .CDE files that

        are currently in the directory.  You can also just click on

        the .CDE file.


 Click to bring up a menu of sorting options

               You can also press the buttons below the

               panel to perform the desired sort.

  Click to toggle new/all snippets

               Sorting by Index is like toggling all files.

  Click this button to search the index.


These buttons are pretty self-explanatory

The arrow keys are used to navigate through the index.

The green light will come on if the snippet is a Postit!

encrypted file, press it to extract the .ZIP file.

When you run a snippet, it can be any BASIC compiler

you wish to specify.  Make sure you check off the Load

Only box since an additional “/RUN” command line is

used for QB/QBasic/PDS.


INSTALLING .CDE FILES

Creating New Folder... Just type in the desired path, you will be prompted to create a new directory if one doesn’t already exist.

Installing *.CDE  -  This will install all the files (*.CDE) shown in the current directory.  Duplicate checking is disabled if you select this option.  Why?  Okay, I’m just lazy.

Installing ABCyymm - This will install the file currently selected.  Duplicate checking is enabled.

Duplicate checking... Although not 100% accurate, it is ~80% accurate.  As long as you don’t start modifying snippets or deleting/moving them around, this should return a 99% accurate check of duplicates.  Don’t worry, you can continue installation even if a duplicate check is returned, although I don’t know why...

Delete .CDE files after installation... Once the files have been unpacked, the .CDE file and corresponding .UPD file are no longer necessary.  Unless you’re running this off a CD-ROM, I suggest this box be checked.