OVERVIEW, INSTALLATION, DATA ENTRY, MATH AND COURT CODE LOOK-UP

This RFP Form Package, consisting of the RFP and RFP Continuation Forms, an
exhaustive data checking utility as well as other utilities, provides an
efficient way of filling out the Committee for Public Counsel Services's
Request for Payment Form and Continuation Form for Request for Payment. The
forms are executed by the Form Master program. When used with a dot-matrix or
other impact printer capable of pica, compressed, superscript, 6 and 8 line per
inch, and cancel line (CTRL X or 18h) codes, the forms can be completed in a
fraction of the time normally required to do them by hand. The math function,
F6, does all of the arithmetic from the time data entered on the form.
Additional A and B hours can be added in from the Continuation RFP's. The look
up function, F4, automatically fills in the court name from the court code. The
F3 function both aligns the form in the printer and does an exhaustive error
check. Data files are retrieved and saved using the F7 and F8 keys. Printing
the form to a file is done with the F9 key, while printing to a printer is done
with the F10 key.

The best way to install Form Master with the RFP Form Package is on your hard
drive. While it is possible to install it to a floppy disk, space is limited
with all of the files installed. The RFP Form Package files are stored on the
distribution disk in the RFPFORM.ZIP file. The Form Master files are stored on
the distribution disk in the FORM4X.ZIP file.

The RFP Form Package is automatically installed when you use the installation
procedure INSTALL.BAT. Put your distribution disk in the drive from which you
wish to install. Then type A:\INSTALL A: C: where A: is the drive from which
you wish to install and C: is the drive you wish to install to. The
subdirectory \rfp will be created on your destination drive off the root
directory.

NOTE: If you get the message "WARNING! File fails CRC check" or the -AV symbol
is not displayed as the file is unzipped, DO NOT USE THIS DISK. Return it to
the source and tell them what happened. It is good practice to use a virus
checker on all distribution disks prior to copying, executing or otherwise
using them.

Should it be necessary to substitute printer codes specific to your printer, it
will probably be necessary to install FORM MASTER on your drive. This too can
be done automatically by typing A:INSTFORM A: C: [path] where A: is the source
drive, C: is the destination drive and path is the subdirectory you want it
installed in. To install it in the subdirectory containing your RFP Form
Package files use A:\INSTFORM A: C: \RFP  . It is important to leave the space
between the drives and/or path, i.e., A: C: \RFP . You should read the
documentation for Form Master, FM.DOC, for further information on how to use
it.

The RFP Form Package uses an extended version of Form Master called 4.x to
accomodate the 804 fields in the RFP Continuation form. The RFPCONT form will
not run if you are not using that version. When registering Form Master,
specify that you need the extra large version, 4.x or better. The version
number is displayed while the program is loading up.

To run the RFP Form Package, simply go to the directory that has the FM.EXE and
RFP form files and type RFP. To run the continuation form type RFPCONT. This
should run the RFP.BAT or RFPCONT.BAT file which will automatically load Form
Master and the selected form from the RFP Form Package. To automatically load a
data file at the same time, type RFP [DATAFILE] or RFPCONT [DATAFILE] where
DATAFILE is the name of the saved data file, e.g., RFP RFP.TST. When a data
file is loaded this way, it is also automatically saved with any changes upon
exiting RFP FORM.

You may keep your data files in a separate directory if desired, e.g.,
RFP\DATA. You should create that sub-directory manually at installation time.
While executing a form, you should not change directories with F5, rather when
using the F7 or F8 key you should specify the full path, including the disk
drive, e.g., C:\RFP\DATA\MOE.DAT.

Data is entered into the various fields by typing it in. No checking of the
data for validity is done as it is entered. However, F3 executes an exhaustive
data checking utility and also aligns the form. Date fields and certain other
entry fields are right justified. The expense fields wrap from one line to the
next. Math can be performed on the data by either using the F6 function key or
it will be performed automatically when the form is printed. The court name can
be automatically inserted in its field using the court code field and the
look-up function key, F4. The court codes are listed at the end of this help
file.

The RFP Form Package fills out the long form Continuation RFP when RFPCONT is
executed. However, in the event you use a short form as a continuation form you
should omit the A and B rates and the expense amounts on that form. In that way
only the hours will be calculated. The total A and B hours from the
continuation forms are entered on the RFP in the fields provided. They will
automatically be added to the A and B hours in the bill summary when either the
math function is performed or the bill is printed. Remember also to check the
RFP continuation block 17.

A file of test data for the RFP form is included in the file RFP.TST. There is
a comparable file for RFPCONT called RFPCONT.TST. They can be loaded using the
F7 key. Similarly, bill data can be loaded and saved to files using the F7 and
F8 keys, respectively. If you receive a "File not found" error message while
retrieving or saving with the F7 or F8 keys, you should use the complete path
including the subdirectory, e.g., C:\RFP\DATA\MOE.DAT. If you are saving to a
data subdirectory, you must use the full path. The RFP Form Package needs to
continue its execution from the directory it started in. It is suggested you
save the data using file names and file extensions that are easily
recognizable, e.g., DOE.DAT, MOE.DAT, etc. In the event you forget the name of
the file or wish to check files, wildcards may be used in place of the file
name, e.g., *.DAT. or *.*.  When a wildcard is used, the directory is
displayed.


                              PRINTING THE FORM

Prior to executing the RFP Form Package, the RFP.PRT and RFPCONT.PRT files may
have to be set to your printer type. As distributed, the RFP.PRT and
RFPCONT.PRT files use generic codes. While this works with most printers if
your printer needs to set the right margin for compressed print (indicated by
wrapped or missing printing in the hours fields) and your printer uses the
EPSON printer codes, you should copy the EPSON.PRT File to RFP.PRT and
RFPCONT.PRT, replacing the current files. (i.e., use the DOS command COPY
EPSON.PRT RFP.PRT and COPY EPSON.PRT RFPCONT.PRT) Similarly, if your printer
uses the IBM set right margin code you should copy the IBM.PRT file to RFP.PRT
AND RFPCONT.PRT. Should further configuration be necessary to change the
printer codes, follow the instructions in the Form Master Manual for printer
configuration using either the GENRFP.CFG, EPSON.CFG or IBM.CFG file as the
initial configuration file. (e.g., CONFIG IBM.CFG) The generic codes are saved
in the file GENRFP.PRT and may be copied back to RFP.PRT and RFPCONT.PRT to
restore the default configuration. Three batch files are provided which
automatically perform the necessary copies to the RFP.PRT and RFPCONT.PRT
files. They are SWAPEPSN.BAT, SWAPIBM.BAT and SWAPGEN.BAT.

Because the RFP Forms are four forms and carbons thick, the thickness lever on
some printers will have to be adjusted to prevent smearing (a dark line where
the print head goes across the page) or slipping. Usually this is accomplished
by pulling a thickness lever located on the left hand side of your printer
toward you. Check your printer manual for exact instructions. In the event that
doesn't solve the problem, you may have to remove the buff (last) copy and its
carbon to allow your printer to print without smearing or slipping.

The RFP form and RFP Continuation form can be printed to a file by the RFP Form
Package using the F9 key or to the printer using F10. Prior to printing, the
RFP or Continuation form should be aligned physically in the printer. Most
printers have a bail with a scale on it. The RFP form should be adjusted so
that the left border lies directly under the starting tick mark which precedes
the first column on the bail. The Continuation Form should be aligned with the
left tick mark slightly to the right of the left border. The forms should also
be adjusted so that the top border is parallel with the bail. For the final
alignment, an ALIGN.BAT batch file is provided that runs a program that prints
X's in the top corners of the form's border. It runs off the F3 key in Form
Master. This program can also be run as a stand alone batch file from the DOS
command line (i.e., type ALIGN at the prompt). This will allow alignment of the
RFP form prior to printing a print file which has been saved to a disk with the
F9 key.

On some printers the X's will be hidden by the ribbon or the print head. On
those printers it will be necessary to align a form by trial and error and then
inscribe or paint alignment marks on the bail or other stationary printer parts
to line up with horizontal and vertical landmarks on the form

The Form Master documentation gives additional instructions on the operation of
Form Master and the additional features available within it. One of the
features available is the ability to set an environmental variable to direct
the print port and/or to turn off the beep sound. The align checking utility
also reads this variable. The syntax of the DOS command to set the variable is
SET FMCNFG=specifier, specifier where specifier is PRINT:pdev and NOBEEP (all
capitol letters) and pdev is PRN, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, and COM1 through COM4.

The RFP Form Package with its ALIGN1.EXE program takes approximately 500 kB of
memory. The RFP Form Package without the ALIGN1 program takes a little more
than 310 kB of memory. If upon pressing the F3 key you get the INSUFFICIENT
MEMORY message you need to free up memory by removing TSR's, menu shells, etc.
If you still get the INSUFFICIENT MEMORY after removing memory resident
utilities, then you cannot use the ALIGN1.EXE program option from within the
form. You should swap the ALIGN.BAT files so that a batch file called ALIGN.BAT
will align your form using the F3 key. This is easily done from the RFP
subdirectory by typing the word SWAP at the prompt. The execute file will be
swapped out and replaced with the batch file, thus saving memory.

The Align/Data Checking utility can still be used however. After executing F3
from within RFP form, a temporary data file called FM.SAV is created in your
RFP directory. After escaping out of the form, simply type ALIGN1 at the DOS
prompt while in the RFP directory and the program will test the data as a stand
alone program. After testing the data and viewing, printing, and/or copying the
messages, you can then re-execute the RFP or RFPCONT program. (The ALIGN1
program uses less memory than does the RFP or RFPCONT programs, thus if they
run, the ALIGN1 program should run.) As error messages are generated, they use
up memory. If you get an "Error 7 at pgm-ctr: xxxxxxxPress any key" you must
free up memory to run the programs together with that many errors. Similarly,
if you get an Error 7 on the RFP error screen upon DOS access, it means that
the error checking was able to take place, but there is not enough memory to
shell out to DOS. Each of these problems is solved by either freeing memory up
or, if there is not enough, by running the ALIGN1.EXE program as a stand alone
program.

This help file may be printed by copying it to the printer with the DOS COPY
command, i.e., COPY RFP.HLP PRN.