INSTRUCTION MANUAL 1 Sep 1995 DESCRIPTION This program is used to print inventory control forms in accordance with TM 4700-15/1G. It was written using BASIC Professional Development System 7.1. The program standardizes inventory formats and is a useful tool for the accountability of valuable Marine Corps equipment. The main focus while developing the program was to keep it as simple to use as possible. Please send all feedback, recommendations and criticisms to: GySgt David W. Koepke (pronounced Kep-Key) Marine Corps Detachment D Co., 1/81 Armor Fort Knox, KY 40121-5200 (502)624-1565/3411 DSN 464-1565/3411 e-mail: gunnyk@kol.com SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS IBM Compatable computer DOS Version 3.0 or better STARTING THE PROGRAM 1. Copy the file MCSLIC.EXE into it's own directory. 2. Copy all files with an extension of .SLI into the same directory, a new directory, or onto a disk you plan to use to store your data. The files with a .SLI extension are data files. 3. From the DOS prompt change to the directory where MCSLIC.EXE is in and type in and press . The program should now be running. USING THE PROGRAM NOTE: At any time while using the program you can press the escape key to cancel any operation you are in. The "<>" symbols in front of and behind characters in this manual indicate that the keyboard key between them is to be pressed. For example: means press the "I" or "i" button on the keyboard. When the program first starts the MAIN MENU will appear. Use the arrow keys to highlight the different selections and the key to select the highlighted selection. The first thing you will want to do is to go to SETUP and set your DEFAULT DATA PATH. Press when this is highlighted. You will be prompted to enter the DOS path where your data (.SLI files) will reside. Enter the path and press . It must be a proper and existing DOS path name or you will get an error message. This will default to the current directory. Once that is done, from the MAIN MENU highlight SETUP/DEFAULT PRINTER and press . Initially the program will support two kinds of printers; a line/dot matrix printer and a lazer/deskjet printer. Highlight the printer you will be using and press . If you have a printer that isn't listed press the key, get your printer's user manual, and from the MAIN MENU highlight SETUP/PRINTER CODES and press . Press to add a new printer. Using the manual and the keyboard enter the requested codes and press when you are finished. From the MAIN MENU highlight SETUP/DEFAULT PRINTER and press . Highlight the printer you've just added and press . If you mess up the printer codes initially supplied with the program here they are: Printer Name Code 1 Code 2 Code 3 Code 4 Code 5 Line/Dot Matrix R1 P M 2 @ Lazer/Deskjet (10U (sp10H (sp12H &16D E NOTE: The codes are context sensitive meaning that if the letter is capital it needs to be entered as a capital letter: If it is small it needs to be a small letter. Using the Lazer printer may require manually setting the font on the printer itself. If you really mess the codes up you can start from the beginning by deleting the file MCSLIC.PRN from the directory that the main program (MCSLIC.EXE) is located and restarting the program. With that done you should be ready to go on to making inventories. OPENING FILES From the MAIN MENU highlight FILE/OPEN and press . A scrolling list will appear. It lists the data file's name, the TAM number of the tool kit, the Tool Kit Title (nomenclature), the SL number and the number of items currently in the file. If there are more files in the data directory than can be listed at one time a bar with arrows at the top and bottom will also appear on the right side of the list. You have the option of highlighting the file you want to work with or you can "tag" the highlighted file and choose multiple files to work with by pressing the space bar. A diamond will appear next to the file name of the "tagged" files. To untag a file highlight it and press the spacebar again. Press when finished. The next screen that appears is called the "List" screen. It lists all the information about a file. The box marked "Inventory Information" is a scrolling list (see the bottom portion of the list screen) of all the information that will be printed on an inventory. The right two columns, under "Additional Info", lists the part number and the record number, NOT THE ITEM NUMBER, of the highlighted item. The record number is used when renumbering items Along the very bottom is the path and file name of the currently listed file. Aside from the scrolling keys the following keys are also supported: - Lets you edit the highlighted item and any other item in the file. - Takes you back to the MAIN MENU - If you tagged files it will cycle to the next tagged file. - Prompts you for a path and file name to save the file as. - Inserts blank items below the highlighted item. - Deletes the highlighted item. - Inserts a "NOTE" line. - Allows you to automatically number the inventory. EDITING A FILE From the MAIN MENU highlight FILE/OPEN and press . Highlight or tag the file(s) you want to edit and press . Scroll through the items on the list screen and highlight the item you want to edit and press . The screen that appears next is the "Edit" screen. On the left side of the edit screen is the name of the file being edited. In the center of the screen is the editing box. The top part of the box is the item information and the bottom has the SL/Kit information. The item information is as follows: ITEM> - The item number. NSN > - The NSN of the item. NOM > - The nomenclature of the item. PART> - The part number of the item. QTY > - The quantity of the item. UOI > - The unit of issue of the item. REM > - Whatever you put here will print in the remark column on the inventory. Recommended leaving blank. The SL/KIT information is as follows: TITL> - The nomenclature of the kit or the SL long title. NUMB> - The number or short title of the SL or reference all the item information was obtained from. DATE> - The date of the SL or reference. TAM#> - The TAM number of the kit supported by the inventory. ID# > - The ID number of the kit supported by the inventory. NSN > - The NSN of the kit supported by the inventory. The following word formatting rules are incorporated into the program while editing a file: Editing of the Nomenclatures and Title 1. The first letter following a space or a "-" will be capitalized unless shift is pressed. 2. All letters after the first letter will be small unless shift is pressed. 3. Caps Lock On will capitalize all letters. Editing of the Part Number, Quantity, Unit of Issue, and SL/Kit Number 1. Only letters and numbers are accepted. All letters will be capitalized. This is done to simplify the searching feature of the program. 2. The Unit of Issue will default to "EA" when the file is Autonumbered (explained later). 3. The Quantity will default to "1" after Autonumbered. On the right side of the screen is a box that lists "Quick Keys" that are very helpful during editing. They are: NOTE: The ^ next to each letter indicates that the control key and the letter next to the ^ are pressed at the same time. The letter does not have to be capitalized. Editing can be done when the field next to the ">" is highlighted in the Edit Box. <^I> or - When the ITEM, NSN, NOM, PART, or REM are highlighted pressing this will automatically insert the letters or numbers printed at the top of the center box into the highlighted field. <^J> or - Highlights the first field of the next item. <^U> or - Highlights the current field of the next item. <^M> or - Highlights the current field of the previous item. <^O> or -Highlights the previous field. <^L> or or <>-Highlights the next field. When is pressed on the last field (REM >) then the next item first field is highlighted. <^H> or -Deletes the last letter or number typed. - Saves the file. This does an automatic save. It does not ask you for a path or file name. Use from the list screen if you want to be prompted for this information. SAVE OFTEN! - Autonumbering. Autonumbering is useful when you first start a new inventory or need to renumber an inventory. It will automatically number the item field sequentially and fill in the QTY field with a "1" and the UOI field with an "EA". See "Starting a New File" sec- tion for more detail. - Switches from editing the item information to editing the SL/KIT information and back again. - Takes you back to the list screen. STARTING A NEW FILE From the MAIN MENU highlight FILE/NEW and press . Type in the name of the file you want to start. The ID number of the kit is suggested. Press . A box will appear giving you three options; Press to add items (See "Editing a file" for more details), to continue on to the list screen, or to go back to the MAIN MENU. If the name of the file you entered already exists you will be told so and taken back to the MAIN MENU. A new file has to be just that. New. Pressing will take you to the "Edit" screen. Go to the SL/Kit Information box and type in the requested information then press the key. The ITEM> field will be highlighted. Find out how many items are in the SL and press (Autonumbering). You will be prompted with two choices; -Initially number and - Turn Autonumbering on. The option is used when Autonumbering is turned off after an initial Autonumbering of the file. Press . You will be prompted for the beginning item number and the ending item number. Type in the beginning item number, this will default to "1", and press . Type in the ending number, this defaults to the number of items in the file, and press . The program will begin Autonumbering and the words "AUTO NUMBERED" will appear to the right side of the item number in the Item Information box on the Edit screen. Editing of the item number can not be done when these words are present. To edit the item number when Autonumbering is turned on press . You will be warned that the file is currently autonumbered and have three options; - Lets you renumber the file (not suggested). - Turns Autonumbering off which will allow you to edit the item number field. (Pressing again will give you the option to turning Autonumbering back on.) - Will take you back to where you were before you pressed . Now that the SL/KIT Information is filled in and the items are numbered the item data can be filled in. SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING A NEW INVENTORY After the file is autonumbered the NSN field of the first item will be highlighted. Type in all the item's NSN's using the number keypad on your keyboard and the key. Next do the same for the nomenclatures of each item. Put a "-" in front of sub items in sets and kits to indicate that they are a part of the preceding set or kit. Next do the same for all the item's part numbers. Next change all the item's quantity (QTY) field on items that have a quantity greater than one. (This field was defaulted to "1" when the file was initially Autonumbered.) Next change all the item's unit of issue (UOI) field on items that have a unit of issue other than "EA". (This field was defaulted to "EA" when the file was initially Autonumbered.) When done with all this press and the list screen will appear. Use to insert lines that can be used to interject comments or extracts, etc.. The phrase ">>>NOTE>>>" will fill in the NSN field and you will be prompted for a comment to fill the NOMENCLATURE field. For example: Item 15 is a kit that is part of the kit you just typed in but also has it's own SL. To indicate that this is an extract of another SL highlight item 16 and press . A prompt box will appear. Type in "EXTRACT OF SL-3-00000A" or whatever reference was used. Press , press . Another prompt box will ask you how many items you want to insert. Type in the number of items and press . You will then be asked if you want to Autonumber the new items. If you choose yes you will again be prompted for the starting and ending numbers. The starting number will default to "1" and the ending number will default to however many items you just inserted. NOTE: Pressing <^I><^J> consecutively will increment the item numbers and fill in the item number field when the item number field is blank or Autonumbering is turned off. An additional comment line should be added at the end of an extract to indicate the continuation of the main SL. If you leave the item number field blank or put a "NR" (Not Required) in the QTY field the inventory check columns will be blocked out on the printed inventory. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE......OFTEN ! DELETING FILES From the MAIN MENU highlight FILE/DELETE and press . Highlight or tag the file(s) you want to delete on the scrolling list and press . You will be prompted and asked if you are sure you want to delete each file you tagged or highlighted. Press for yes or for no. PRINTING AN INVENTORY From the MAIN MENU highlight PRINT/INVENTORY and press . Highlight or tag the file(s) you want to print and press . You will be asked if you want to send the file (Direct Output) to the printer or to a file. Press

for printer or for file. An inventory sent to a file will go into the default data directory and will have an ".INV" file extension. After you've decided where you want the inventory to go you will be asked if you want to add a serial number to the header information at the beginning of each page. Press for yes or for no. If you press you will be prompted for the serial number of each file you tagged or highlighted. Press when done. You then have the option of pressing any key on the keyboard to begin printing or pressing to go back to the MAIN MENU. NOTE: Printing to a file is useful for editing the inventory with word processors. The file is printed in ASCII format and is 96 characters wide. Setting the left, right, and bottom borders to 1/4 inch and the top border to 1/2 inch is recommended if printing inventories this way. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING AN INVENTORY AFTER IT IS PRINTED If you look at the inventory after it is printed you will notice that each page has a header which consists of the tool kit information and a column description. Look at the boxes between the UI column and the Remark column. There are twelve boxes with a corresponding column beneith them. The top part of the box is for the month the inventory was done and the bottom part of the box is for the year. Or however you decide to manage them. If there is no serial number in the appropriate place in the header you need to write it in. If you go to the last page of the inventory you will notice an inventory control log was printed. Looking at the bottom of the columns you will notice a legend is provided. PRINTING A LISTING A listing is useful for searching a kit for a particular NSN or part number when you don't have a computer readily available. From the MAIN MENU highlight PRINT/LISTING and press . Highlight or tag the files you want to print and press . Indicate whether you want the listing sent to the printer

or to a file and press any key to begin printing or to go back to the MAIN MENU. A list of all the information held in a file will be printed. TEST PRINTING From the MAIN MENU select PRINT/TEST PRINTING and press . A test inventory will be sent to the printer to ensure that it is printing correctly. If it does not print correctly make adjustments to either the printer codes by going to the MAIN MENU and highlighting SETUP/PRINTER CODES or make adjustments to your printer. PRINTING A BLANK INVENTORY From the MAIN MENU highlight PRINT/BLANK and press . A blank inventory form will be printed for you to use as you please. SEARCHING From the MAIN MENU highlight SEARCH/MATCH and press . Highlight or tag the file(s) you want to search and press enter. You will be prompted for a search criteria you want the program to look for. Type it in and press . If a match was found a screen similar to the edit screen will come up with the file and item where the search criteria was found. You have four options; - To find the next match. - Will prompt you for a new search criteria. - Will let you edit the file and item that is currently showing. - Will take you back to the MAIN MENU. If you choose to edit () the item, pressing will take you back to the item where the last search criteria was found. USING DOS From the MAIN MENU highlight QUIT/DOS and press . You can now use the DOS command prompt. To return back to the program type in and press at the command prompt. QUITTING THE PROGRAM From the MAIN MENU highlight QUIT/QUIT and press . Then press any key to end the program. PARTING NOTES This program was created out of a need to satisfy the information required by TM 4700-15/1G. Believe it or not the inventory control form included with just about every SL does not meet these requirements. There was also a need to formalize and standardize the inventory recording process. The program is the result of three years of field testing and rewriting at various units. Some improvements need to be incorporated however, and this is where you come in. Please feel free to call or write me at the above address (Please leave a message, I will get back to you). Also include your name and unit address so, if you have a good suggested improvement and it was incorporated, I can send you an updated version. SEMPER FI