XYWRITE III PLUS TO SIGNATURE GENERAL NOTES
The following paragraphs provide some suggestions
for making your transition from XyWrite III Plus to
Signature a little easier. Topics include the
following:
o Using the Keyboard Help Program, KEYHELP.PGM
o Using a XyWrite III Plus Keyboard File with Signature
o Using a XyWrite III Plus Printer File with Signature
o Tips for Using the Transition Utilities
o Using the XyWrite-like Keyboard (XYWRITE.KBD) with Signature
Using the Keyboard Help Program (KEYHELP.PGM)
To help you find the new key locations for functions that
existed in XyWrite, we have developed KEYHELP.PGM. Once you
run KEYHELP.PGM, you can press a key that you used in
XyWrite to find where the key assignment is located in
Signature.
To use KEYHELP.PGM, do the following:
1. Copy KEYHELP.PGM from the Transition Utilities Disk to
your Signature directory (e.g., C:\SIG1D).
Type: copy a:keyhelp.pgm c:\sig1d
2. Load the program to a text macro key (i.e., Save/Get).
The example below uses "k" for "keyhelp."
Type: ldpm \sig1d\keyhelp.pgm,k
3. Run the program using the text macro key.
Press: F2+k
Result: The program is run, and the following message
is displayed on the status line: "Press XyWrite III Plus
key to find Signature equivalent, Space to exit." Now,
when you press a key, a message appears on the status
line that directs you to the new location of the
requested function. The keyboard function is not
executed.
4. Press frequently used XyWrite keys to find the new
location of the function. For example:
Press: F1
Result: The program displays the message "To begin/end
define now: F3 (Space = exit)" on the status line.
5. Press a key where the function has not moved. For
example:
Press: F5
Result: The program displays the message "This key
assignment hasn't changed. (Space = exit)" on the
status line.
6. To exit KEYHELP.PGM, press the Space Bar.
For quick access to KEYHELP.PGM during your transition to
Signature, load the program to a macro key in your
STARTUP.INT file. To do this, call STARTUP.INT and insert
the following line after a BC (Blank Command Line) function
call.
ldpm c:\sig1d\keyhelp.pgm,k
Note: The Alt+Tab keystroke now provides access to
TSR (Terminate-Stay Resident) programs and
is not controlled by Signature. Though this
key displayed the Tab Menu in XyWrite, you
now get the message "Press hot key again to
go into TSR--press Esc to return to
Signature." In this case, the Esc key returns
lets you continue to use KEYHELP.PGM
Using a XyWrite III Plus Keyboard File with Signature
Signature key assignments are very different from
XyWrite III Plus key assignments, as documented in
the Making the Transition guide. If you prefer the
XyWrite III Plus key assignments, you can load
your old keyboard file (which was called IBM.KBD or
ALACARTE.KBD) instead of SIENU.KBD; no modifications
are required. However, if you choose to use a XyWrite
keyboard file, the keyboard shortcuts shown in the
menus will not be accurate. In addition, the new
Signature functions, such as Graphic view, will not
be assigned to a key.
You can, of course, customize the XyWrite III Plus
keyboard file to add the functions you want. For
example, the function call for Graphic view is WZ.
You can assign it to an unused key, such as Shift
F8, in the XyWrite keyboard file.
NOTE: We recommend that you use ALACARTE.KBD rather
than IBM.KBD because it lets you display the pull-down
menus--F6 already has the SH (Show Menus) function
call assigned to it. If you load IBM.KBD, you need to
assign SH to an unused key.
Using a XyWrite III Plus Printer File with Signature
If you have a heavily customized XyWrite III Plus
printer file that you want to use with Signature,
you can convert it by performing the following
procedure:
1. Make the upgrade directory the current directory.
Type: F5chdir \sig1d\upgrade
2. Copy the program NCP2X.EXE from the Transition
Utilities disk into the upgrade directory.
Type: F5copy a:ncp2x.exe
3. At the DOS level, use the NCP2X program to convert
the XyWrite III Plus file to Signature format. The
format of the command is:
ncp2x d:\path\oldfile.prn/x d:\path\newfile.prn
where d:\path\oldfile.prn is the name and location
of the XyWrite III Plus printer file and
d:\path\newfile.prn is the name and location of the
file you want to create. The /x switch tells the
program to keep the special reserved XyWrite III Plus
characters (e.g., start and end commands) as special
characters; without the switch, the program converts
these characters into text characters.
4. In Signature, open the new file.
5. Search for the first PT table.
Type: F5se /PT=/
6. Immediately above the first PT table, add a new line for
the following SZ (Size) setting.
Type: sz=12
where 12 refers to 12-point type. Signature uses this
as the default point size, and it enables you to see the
fonts in Graphic view.
7. Search for the string VU=.
Type: F5se /vu=/
Make a note of the first value in this setting.
8. Search for the string MU=.
Type: F5se /mu=/
Make a note of the value in this setting.
9. Immediately above the MU= line, add a new line that
defines the PU (Printer Unit) setting. The format
of this setting is:
PU=h,v
where h is 10 times the MU (Margin Unit) setting and
v is 6 times the first value in the VU (Vertical Unit)
setting. For example, if the MU is 12 and the first
value of the VU is 36:
Type: pu=120,216
10. Store and load the printer file.
Result: You can now use the XyWrite III Plus printer file as
you used it in XyWrite. You cannot use the new Signature
printing features, such as printing graphics, specifying point
size and typeface names, etc. (As in XyWrite, you specify
typeface and point size changes with PT commands.)
Tips for Using the Transition Utilities
The following paragraphs describe some notes about the
transition utilities that are not reflected in the
documentation.
- All the transition utility files are copied into the
upgrade directory (e.g., \SIG1D\UPGRADE), including the
MINI.MNU and MINI.KBD. If you choose Mini from the Menus
menu and then choose to make these part of your permanent
configuration, MINI.MNU and MINI.KBD will be copied to your
Signature directory (e.g., \SIG1D).
- In the keyboard macro utility (i.e., the Keyboard menu),
we recommend that you complete the Prepare XyWrite
keyboard, Add shifting table(s), and Build Signature
keyboard menus in one session. You can cause several
problems by doing only part of the job, quitting, and then
returning to complete the keyboard macro transfer. If you
are forced to stop in the middle of a session, you should
do the following:
1. Copy the original UPGRADE.DFL file from the Transition
Utilities disk to your upgrade directory (e.g.,
\SIG1D\UPGRADE).
2. Delete the new keyboard file that you were attempting
to create.
- If you need to build a new shifting table (and select a new
shift key) for transferring XyWrite macros, there are
several keys that you cannot use, including Scroll Lock,
Print Screen, Pause, Ctrl, NumLock, Shift, Caps Lock, Alt,
Esc, and Tab. We also do not recommend using function keys
because you will have to remove an important function from
that key.
- When the utility asks you to make something permanent it
means that your selection will stay in effect for future
sessions of the utility, or in some cases, for future
sessions of Signature. When you choose not to make it
permanent, your selection will only help you complete the
current session of the transition utilities. For example,
if you select Mini from the Menus menu and then choose not
to make your selection permanent, the utility assumes that
you will select MINI.KBD for building a new keyboard. It
will not make any changes to your Signature configuration
to load MINI.MNU or MINI.KBD.
- If you select Standard from the Menus menu after choosing
Mini and then choose to make it permanent, the utility will
modify your Signature configuration to load SIG.MNU and
SIENU.KBD.
- Please do not type ahead of the utility's display of dialog
boxes. Doing so causes incorrect values to be entered into
the program.
- In the Load Cartridge dialog box, the F1 key has no
function though the dialog box states that it will display
a directory of fonts.
- In the Move XyWrite Macros dialog box, a Remove item
pushbutton has been added to take a XyWrite macro out of
the XyWrite macros list box.
- The keyboard macro utility will not read keyboard macros
that include ASCII characters 174 and 175 (i.e., the open
and close chevrons that surround embedded commands).
Using the XyWrite-like Keyboard (XYWRITE.KBD) with Signature
To enable your to use Signature with a keyboard that is
configured just like XyWrite, XYQUEST created XYWRITE.KBD
and XYWRITE.MNU. XYWRITE.KBD retains the key assignments you
were familiar with in the standard XyWrite keyboard (e.g.,
F7 copies selected text, F3 releases selected text, F10
toggles between command line and text window). XYWRITE.MNU
reflects the XyWrite III Plus keyboard shortcuts. Any
shortcut in Signature that was not available in the XyWrite
keyboard file was removed from the menu (see Note #1).
XYWRITE.KBD differs from the standard XyWrite keyboard in
the following ways:
o Graphic view was added to the Shift+F8 key combination.
o Ctrl+K was added to "record macros."
o The Alt accelerator keys have been assigned to Ctrl+Alt.
o In order to close an open screen that says "press Alt+F1
or F11 to close", you need to press F3 or F11.
o The Box command displays a message that says "Press
ESC to cancel." The ESC key does not cancel the Box
command, you have to press F3.
o F6 will access the menus.
To install XYWRITE.KBD and XYWRITE.MNU, follow the
directions below after you have installed Signature:
1. From the DOS prompt, make \SIG1D your current
directory.
Type: cd \sig1d
2. Place the Transition Utility disk in the A: drive, and
run a program called XYKEY.BAT.
Type: a:\xywrite\xykey a:
Result: XYWRITE.KBD and XYWRITE.MNU is copied from a
compressed file on the Transition Utilities disk to the
\SIG1D directory on your hard disk.
3. Start Signature.
Type: sig
4. Call STARTUP.INT to the screen.
Type: F5 call c:\sig1d\startup.int
Result: STARTUP.INT appears on the screen. You will
see in the file several lines starting with a bold BC.
These letters are part of the Signature Programming
Language and represent the F5 key.
5. Locate the line that loads the Signature menu file. (If
Signature is configured for a network, this line may be
in your log file instead of STARTUP.INT. See Note #2.)
It has the form:
Type: BC load c:\sig1d\sig.mnu+c:\sig1d\sig.hlp
6. Change the name of the menu file on this line to
XYWRITE.MNU (notice that SIG.HLP does not change). The
line will now look like the following:
Type: BC load c:\sig1d\xywrite.mnu+c:\sig1d\sig.hlp
7. Locate a line that loads your keyboard file. It should
look like the following:
BC load sienu.kbd
8. If this line does not exist, go on to the next
procedure. If it does, change the keyboard filename to
XYWRITE.KBD. It should have the following form:
BC load xywrite.kbd
9. Store STARTUP.INT.
10. Quit Signature.
Result: The next time you start Signature, XYWRITE.KBD
and XYWRITE.MNU will be automatically loaded.
If your startup file does not contain a load keyboard
command, use the following procedure to add one.
1. Place your cursor at the beginning of a line. Your
cursor should be on the B of BC.
2. Press Enter to make a new line.
3. Cursor up to the new line.
4. Turn program mode on so you can enter the BC function
call at the beginning of the new line.
Press: Scroll lock
Result: Program mode is activated and the S indicator
appears on the status line.
5. Enter the BC function call.
Press: F5
Result: A bold BC is inserted at the cursor location.
6. Turn program mode off.
Press: Scroll Lock
7. Enter the command to load the new keyboard.
Type: load c:\sig1d\xywrite.kbd
Result: The finished line should look like:
BC load c:\sig1d\xywrite.kbd
8. Store the STARTUP.INT file.
9. Quit Signature.
When you go back into Signature, watch the command line
carefully. If no beeps or error messages (i.e., bad: ...)
appear as Signature loads, everything has gone well. If you
do have problems, call XYQUEST's technical support staff.
NOTE #1: XYWRITE.KBD does not include 43 keyboard
shortcuts from the standard Signature
keyboard that access functions from the
menus. These have been omitted to give you
the maximum number of keys to assign macros.
If you are interested in assigning these to
keys in XYWRITE.KBD, copy the functions
listed in README.KEY to your keyboard file.
These short-cuts will not be listed in the
XYWRITE.MNU file.
NOTE #2: In a network configuration, customization
files are loaded in your log file. This file
should be located in the default log
directory, and will be named after the name
entered during installation with a .LOG
extension (e.g., JOHN.LOG). We recommend
that the network administrator edit
customization files in a network
configuration, and that he/she makes the
changes outlined above to your log file
rather than STARTUP.INT.