PC-FORMS SYSTEM INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS These instructions concerning the installation and use of the PC- FORMS Document Assembly System programs are provided to assist you in the installation of the system. If you are not able to get the programs running properly do not hestitate to call us at (405) 840-3563 or leave a message on Compuserve to Bill Black- ledge 70162,1130. If they are not installed properly you will be unable to get the full benefit of their use in your business or practice. COMPUSERVE ON-LINE REGISTRATION The PCFORMS system is in the Shareware Registration database of Compuserve with Registration ID 720. When you decide to register it for continued use you may do so through the Compuserve SWREG Forum (GO CIS:SWREG). The registration fee of $99.95 will be added to your Compuserve Account. ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF INSTALLING THE PC-FORMS SYSTEM There are a number of different ways in which the PC-FORMS system may be installed. The instructions for installation are con- tained in the following paragraphs for your assistance. FIRST INSTALLATION METHOD The easiest way to install the PC-FORMS system is to make a directory for it (such as C:\PCFORMS) and copy all of the files on the PC-FORMS disks to it. Then you can start the PC-FORMS program by entering PCFM, choose the LEARN library, and use the Setup System Menu to choose screen colors, to set the value billing rate and to link the system with your word processor. You will then save your selections in a configuration file which the system will use each time it is started. SECOND INSTALLATION METHOD A second method is to use the automatic linking feature of the system by loading the programs and related files into your word processing program directory and the text libraries into their own directory or directories. If you want the system to link with your word processor, this method will require that you include your word processing directory in the PATH command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file or some other file which is run when you start your computer. You will need to know a little more about the PC-DOS or MS-DOS operating system to understand this instal- lation method but it is not complicated if you follow the simple instructions below: 1 *** LIBRARY INSTALLATION *** (Second Method) If you have a hard disk follow these instructions when you are ready to begin installing the forms libraries and programs: 1. If you use a menu system return to the DOS prompt. Enter the following commands to change to the root directory and make a new directory called PCFORMS: C: CHDIR \ MKDIR \PCFORMS 2. Place the PC-FORMS disk, or disks, in your floppy disk drive and enter the following commands to copy the forms libraries to the new PCFORMS directory on your hard disk: (If the floppy drive is the B: drive, substitute B: for A: in the last two commands) CHDIR \PCFORMS COPY A:*.LEX COPY A:*.VBL *** PROGRAM INSTALLATION *** (Second Method) 3. Change to the directory on your hard disk in which your word processing program is located by entering the appropriate command which is probably one of the following: CHDIR \WP (for WordPerfect, Version 4.2) CHDIR \WP50 (for WordPerfect, Version 5.0) CHDIR \WP51 (for WordPerfect, Version 5.1) CHDIR \WS (for WordStar, Version 3.3) CHDIR \WS4 (for WordStar, Version 4.0) CHDIR \WS5 (for Wordstar, Version 5.0 or 5.5) CHDIR \WORD (for Microsoft Word) CHDIR \PCW (or something similar, for PC-Write) CHDIR \VDE (for the Video Display Editor, VDE) Check to be sure you are in the right directory by entering the commands DIR *.EXE and DIR *.COM after changing directo- ries and checking for the program file WP.EXE, WS.EXE, WORD.EXE, VDE.COM, WS.COM, ED.EXE, or WRITER.COM. The appro- priate conversion utility must also be in this directory. CONVERT.EXE for WordPerfect, WS_RTF.EXE for Microsoft Word or FWCNV.EXE for FriendlyWriter. 4. Copy the files PCFM.EXE, PCLB.EXE, FMHELP.MSG, ORDER.MSG, and from the disk on which they were copied to the directory or disk where your word processing program is located. COPY A:*.EXE COPY A:*.MSG 2 5. Check to see that your word processing directory is included in the DOS "PATH" command by entering the command: PATH If it is not listed, find the AUTOEXEC.BAT or MENU.BAT file containing the "PATH" command which is used when you boot the system. Copy the existing file to a file called AUTOEXEC.SAV or MENU.SAV as a back-up, then, modify it to include the word processing directory by using EDLIN, VDE or your word proces- sor in Non-Document, ASCII or "DOS Text" mode. (With WordPer- fect set the margins as far apart as possible and use the CTRL-F5 options to retrieve and save the file in ASCII). YOU MUST RE-BOOT AFTER CHANGING THE "PATH" COMMAND FOR THE NEW PATH TO BECOME EFFECTIVE!!! You should now be able to start the PC-FORMS program by changing to the PCFORMS Directory and entering the command "PCFM" and start the PC=LIBRARY program by entering the command "DSLB". If you use a menu system you may want to add them to your menu. Just remember that you must change the directory to PCFORMS before starting the programs. When installed in this manner the PC-FORMS programs will automat- ically link with the WordStar, WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, VDE, PC-Write or FriendlyWriter word processors. They do this by searching through the PATH for themselves and then linking with the word processing program, if found in the same directory. THIRD INSTALLATION METHOD *** INSTALLATION ON FLOPPY DISKS *** If you do not use a hard disk you can still run the programs linked to your word processor. To do so, copy the files listed in Step 4, above, to the disk where your word processor programs are located. Be sure to include the appropriate conversion program: for WordPerfect - CONVERT.EXE; for Microsoft Word - WS_RTF.EXE; for FriendlyWriter - FWCNV.EXE; on that disk with your word processor program. Then, copy the forms libraries from the PC-FORMS disks to a data disk, or disks, by using the *.LEX and *.VBL file specifications. Start the programs by entering "PCFM" or "DSLB" with your data disk drive as the default drive. 3 FOURTH INSTALLATION METHOD *** INSTALLATION WITHOUT LINKING *** If you want to test the PC-FORMS System programs without them being linked to your word processor copy ALL OF THE FILES on the PC-FORMS disks to the directory or disk from which you want to test it and enter "PCFM" or "DSLB" with that as the default directory or disk. *** CREATING AND EDITING FORMS LIBRARIES *** The author of the PC-FORMS system recommends the use of the VDE text editor for developing or modifying PC-FORMS library files. It is available as shareware for a very reasonable registration fee and automatically creates ASCII files following the text rules of the PC-FORMS text library system. Of course, any other text editor capable of creating files of pure ASCII text may be used. The author uses WordStar in Non-Document mode. 4