the~first byte Shareware version 1.0s the~Installation ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß The installation disk contains the~first byte system and example files. Down Loading from INTERNET/CompuServe ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß After downloading from INTERNET or CompuServe, the self extracting file should be expanded: the~fb.exe Self extracting file It is recommended that you create a new directory, say, C:\DOWNLOAD and copy the down loaded file to this directory. Then type the following at the DOS prompt: c:\download\the~fb The following files will then be created: the_100.zip install.exe pkunzip.exe setup.dat readme.txt Type 'c:\download\Install' to load software. Installation from Disk ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß To install the system place the disk in the disk drive and type the following: C:\> a:\install If disk drive is a: The installation program will prompt you to read the README.TXT file. This file contains information relevant to the installed version, and not necessarily covered in the manual. The installation program will install the system in directory: C:\THE by default. If you want to install the program in another directory then respond when prompted. To assist in good housekeeping of your hard disk, it is recommended that the installation directory is a new or empty directory. The installation program will clean out any existing files and subdirectories in the requested installation directory prior to loading the software, please pause to read confirmation messages when they occur. The installation program will proceed after validating the requested installation directory. Installation Directory Structure ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß On completion of a successful installation the following directory structure will be installed on your hard disk (assuming the default directory was used). C:\THE\FORMS Form and template files (System and User) C:\THE\VER.100 Executable program files (System and User) C:\THE\UNITS Units database and form units files C:\THE\HELP Help files (System and User) C:\THE\DBASE User Database Files C:\THE\SOURCE Example user source code C:\THE\MANUAL Manual Path Name ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß To run the~first byte from any directory you must amend the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This file is located in the root directory C:\ (assuming the C:\ drive is the boot disk on your computer). Assuming you installed the software in the default directory, add the following directory path: C:\THE\VER.100 into the PATH command. The PATH command should include the installation directory as shown: PATH C:\; C:\DOS; C:\WINDOWS; C:\THE\VER.100 The DOS editor may be used to edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file; type the following command at the DOS prompt: C:\> edit c:\autoexec.bat SET Command ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß The~first byte searches the DOS environment to locate the address of the SETUP.DAT file. Before running the~first byte you must use the DOS SET command to initialise the DOS environment. This is most conveniently done by adding the following SET command to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The following command tells the~first byte to search the C:\THE directory for the setup.dat file. SET THE = c:\the The directory name specified after the equality sign should be the same as the installation path you selected during installation. Config.sys File ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß For correct cursor operation you must have the device driver ANSI.SYS installed. Check that the following line is in the config.sys file - located in the root directory. device=c:\dos\ansi.sys The above assumes that the file ansi.sys is located in the C:\DOS directory. Hardware Requirements ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß The minimum hardware requirements are: IBM compatible 286AT DOS operating system 640KB memory with a minimum of 250kB available the~first byte requires 210kByte and the setup facility requires 240kbyte, therefore to run the setup facility from within the~first byte you will need at least 450kByte of memory available. If you do not have sufficient memory to run the setup facility from within the~first byte then run the setup facility independently by typing the following at the DOS prompt: the_setup User programs run on top of the~first byte and therefore the size of a user executable program must not exceed the available memory minus 210kByte. Example: 655,360 KB conventional memory 110,000 KB DOS, Mouse and TSR programs 545,360 KB Memory available 210,000 KB the~first byte 345,000 KB Maximum user program executable size Creating A Windows Icon ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß If you are running Windows then you may want to create an application icon for the~first byte. Follow the procedure below to create an icon. Activate the Window you want to add the icon, example the Applications window. Select the New command from the Windows File pull down menu. Select the Program Item option and click OK, Complete the following (it is assumed that installation followed the default settings): Description: the~first byte Command Line: C:\THE\VER.100\the.exe Working Directory: C:\THE\RUN Click on the Change Icon button and select an icon design. Click the OK button when complete. Shareware Version ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß The shareware version has some limitations. Only three user programs can be linked into the~first byte. A full version (up to 20 user programs) is available upon registration. Manual ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß A 'short' manual is provided with this shareware version. The manuals are provided in WordPerfect and text file format. Refer to the manuals subdirectory. Full manuals in Word for Windows and WordPerfect are available upon registration of software. Comments & Criticism! ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Any comments, suggestions and even cheques! are most welcome. Please address all correspondence to: the~ pty ltd PO Box 465 Market Street Melbourne, Vic 8007 Australia E-mail 100252.765@compuserve.com