C R O S S W O R D F I N D E R Version 1.4 (c) 1994 Iambic Software, Inc. All rights reserved INTRODUCTION CROSS WORD FINDER is a word-search program designed especially to make writing crossword puzzles easier and faster. Its primary purpose is to generate a list of words that match a specified length and letter pattern (in case, for example, you need a five-letter word that starts with "a" and has "j" as the third letter). A source list of over 200,000 words is provided with the program, but you may also create your own source list (see ALTERNATE FILES). CROSS WORD FINDER can also be used for solving crossword puzzles, but we do not provide definitions--that's up to you. When creating crossword puzzles with CROSS WORD FINDER, you will probably need an unabridged dictionary to write clues for unfamiliar words. System requirements: IBM PC/XT or above Less than 100k RAM DOS 2.0 or above Printer on LPT1 port (for print option) Hard disk drive with 4 million bytes free for installation (After installation is completed, only 3 million bytes will be used) Features: Comes with source list of over 200,000 words Users can make alternate files for their own source lists Prints search results as hard copy Supports non-compatible video on some computers Operates with hot keys and windows Supports color monitors A WORD ABOUT SHAREWARE Shareware is a marketing technique that allows and encourages free sharing or copying of programs as a method of distribution. This practice benefits both users and developers. Users can test programs and become familiar with them before deciding whether to buy them. Shareware programs are usually less expensive than commercial software because there is very little advertising expense; most of the price you pay actually goes to the developer. However, none of this would be possible if the users did not do their part by paying for the programs they decide to use. We who write shareware depend on the good faith of you, the user, for our profit. When you pay for this and other shareware programs, you allow developers to continue making high quality, low-cost software available to everyone. LEGALITIES CROSS WORD FINDER is shareware (see A WORD ABOUT SHAREWARE, above). It is not public domain, nor is it free. You may test this program for 30 days. If you decide to use it on a regular basis you are expected to purchase it. We encourage you to copy this program and give it to anyone who would be interested in it, but please be sure all documentation and files are included in the copy. DISCLAIMER: Use CROSS WORD FINDER at your own risk. The author does not warrant the suitability of CROSS WORD FINDER for any specific purpose, and assumes no responsibility for damages of any kind resulting from its use. Use of these programs for any period of time constitutes your assumed acceptance of this agreement. DUPLICATION: Shareware distributors may not charge more than $8.00 per diskette to distribute this product. USING CROSS WORD FINDER To use CROSS WORD FINDER: 1. Select the directory in which you have installed CROSS WORD FINDER (CWF) by typing the DOS CD command at the C:\> prompt. Example: C:\>cd\cwf 2. To start the program, at the C:\CWF> prompt, type CWF. The default mode of operation assumes that your video screen is IBM-compatible. If your video screen is not IBM-compatible, you will need to use the -ndv option. At the C:\CWF> prompt, type CWF -ndv. In the -ndv mode, CWF should work with all computers but may run more slowly than in the default mode. 3. The first screen you will see is the HELP screen. This screen lists the key combinations, or "hot keys," which operate the program. (To use the ALT keys, press the ALT key on your keyboard and at the same time press the letter key indicated.) Hot keys used in this program: ESC Stops the word display, then exits the program. Use ESC when you have finished searching, or when you want to interrupt your search or begin again. ALT-P Prints results of search as hard (printed) copy as it is displayed on the video screen. When you use ALT-P, your printer must be hooked up on your computer's printer port LPT1 and should be ready to print. If the printer is not ready, the program will "lock up" and you will be unable to do anything else until the program is able to finish printing. To stop printing, press ALT-P a second time. ALT-F Allows searching of an alternate word list. (See ALTERNATE FILES, below). ALT-I Displays program information ALT-H Displays the help screen. ALT-X Exits the program. 4. To remove the help window and begin your search, press any key. The next screen that appears will be the display screen. In the small window in the upper lefthand corner (the input window), type the word mask, or pattern, you wish to match. The word mask should contain the letters you want to match in the proper positions; the rest of the letters should be indicated with asterisks. For instance, suppose you want to find a nine- letter word with "a" as the second letter, "s" as the fifth letter, and "d" as the last letter. In the input window, type: ?a??s???d The program will begin searching as soon as you press ENTER. In the large window on the right (the output window), this list will appear: BACKSWORD BANDSTAND CAISSONED DACHSHUND FAIRSTEAD FARMSTEAD HANDSTAND HARDSTAND LAMPSTAND LANDSHARD MARASMOID PARASOLED SATISFIED WARDSMAID WASHSTAND WATHSTEAD If you have pressed ALT-P, the words will also print on your printer at the same time as they appear in the output window. If the search finds too many words to fit in the output window, the program will pause so that you can read the words it has listed. Then you can either continue the search by pressing ENTER, or begin a new search by pressing ESC. While the program is searching, the word "SEARCHING" will flash on the screen. When the search is finished, the cursor will return to the input window. At that point you may begin another search or press ESC or ALT-X to end the program. ALTERNATE FILES You can customize CROSS WORD FINDER by creating your own source lists, or alternate files, to search from. This is especially useful if you want to develop "theme" crossword puzzles. CWF comes with a program (called CWFL) that takes words out of any document which already exists and enters them into a word file similar to the original word list we have provided. The document can be anything from a list of words to an article or book that has been entered onto a computer disk. To create an alternate file, you must have the document you wish to use already entered on your hard disk drive. Once you have entered the CWF directory (see USING CROSS WORD FINDER, above) and see the C:\CWF> prompt, type CWFL. The next screen contains a brief summary of the CWFL program. At the bottom of this screen, another C:\CWF> prompt will appear. Type your command using this format: C:\CWF>cwfl [\path\]infilename.ext [-i] [-ffilename] Brackets indicate which parts of the command are optional. A step-by- step explanation of this format, as follows, may help clear up any confusion: cwfl Starts program. [\path\] You will want to specify a path name if the document you are using has been entered in a different directory. (For information about path names, consult your DOS manual). infilename The name of the input file (document) from which you want to extract words. If you want to use more than one input file at a time, enter all the file names. CWF will take words from all the input files without duplicating words. .ext The file extension of your input file (usually .TXT or .DOC). [-i] A word file created for CWF is actually two files. The program first creates a work file, called an ISAM file. Every time CWFL is executed, the words from the input file are added to the same ISAM file until the output file name is changed. As words are entered into the ISAM file, they are sorted by word length and alphabetical order. Once the ISAM file is complete, it is used to create a final word file. The command -i allows you to make the ISAM files only, without building the final word file. ISAM files created with -i can be built into final word files at any time. If you have an input file ready to make an alternate file but don't want to take the time to set up an entire word file, use the -i option. However, you will not be able to use this file with CWF until the final word file is complete. [-ffilename] If you do not enter a name for the output (final) file, the default file name will be CWORDS. The -f command allows you to create your own file name. When the file is complete, the prompt C:\CWF> will appear again. Type CWF to return to CROSS WORD FINDER. Once the alternate file has been created, it can be called from the input/output screen of CWF by pressing ALT-F. A window will appear in the lower part of the screen, allowing you to enter the alternate file name. If you wish to return to the original word file, press ALT-F again and enter WORDS as the file name. SUPPORT Registered users may obtain support via postal mail from the address below, or by electronic mail from the COMPUSERVE network. As a registered user you will receive the current version of CWF, and if there is an error in the program we will send you a corrected version. Registered users will receive the latest version of both CWF and CWFL along with the printed instructions. Please report any problems to us, and we welcome your suggestions. Postal address: Iambic Software, Inc. 6607 West 77th Street Overland Park, Kansas 66204 Compuserve ID: 70541,3215 REGISTRATION Business users are required to register a copy of CWF for each computer system using the program. Home users are required to register a copy for each household using the program. CHANGE HISTORY 09/12/1991 Initial release at version 1.2 06/28/1992 Converted CWF and CWFL to C++ from C. Added color to CWF. Released as version 1.3 09/10/1994 Change of address, change wildcard letter to `?'. --------------------------------------------------------------------- CWF 1.4 REGISTRATION FORM QTY extended price ___ Coss Word Finder + CWFL file loader @ $20.00 ______ Kansas residents add 4.9 percent sales tax, ______ Overland park 6.5 percent Ia, Il, Mn, Mo, Ne and Sd also include sales tax for your state. Shipping cost is included. TOTAL ______ Name ____________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ City _________________________ State _______________ Zip ________ Phone/E-Mail ____________________________________________________ Where did you obtain your copy of Cross Word Finder? _________________________________________________________________ Mail payment to: Iambic Software, Inc. 6607 West 77th Street Overland Park, Kansas 66204