HOWPRMPT.TXT
=============================================================================


                      WildCat Prompt Files Explained
                          for wcCode Applications
                          
                            by Richard R. Sands

             email:  rrsands@aol.com  or  70274.103@compuserve.com

                "I am not affiliated with Mustang Software, Inc"
                     "I am not responible for any errors"
                  "All Comments and Suggestions are Welcome"


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview
--------
    Prompt files are just binary files which have every prompt and message
    your program uses in a quickly accessible format.  Whenever your program
    requires a string to display, it reads the string from disk.  Although 
    this seems like it would be slow, in reality, it is hardly even noticed.

    While using prompt files makes your program slightly slower and somewhat 
    more complicated, it generally make your program smaller and gives it a 
    lot more versatility.  If you provide a prompt and default file, you and 
    other sysops working with your application can customize it for both 
    language and "look and feel".  As a nice addition, it will also make RIP
    support easier.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creating A New Prompt File
--------------------------
    The following steps will allow you to create a "standard" prompt file
    that can be read and edited by Mustang's wcPrompt program and processed
    quickly by your wcCode application.

       1. Create a text file with an .ASC extension using a ASCII text
          editor (eg. MSDOS EDIT).  See sections "ASCII Prompt Format"
          and "What To Make Prompts?".

       2. Start the wcPrompt program and use the "Load ASCII prompts" to
          bring in the newly created file.

       3. Save the new prompt file with the "Save Prompts" command with
          the default .PRM extension.  This creates the Binary Prompt file
          that is used by your application.

       4. Save the file AGAIN but this time instead of using the default
          file extension of .PRM, save it to the same location with a .DEF
          file extension.  This creates the file that is used with the 
          RESTORE command while editing a prompt if you accidently messed 
          one up.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASCII Prompt Format
-------------------
    When creating the ASCII file to convert to a WildCat prompt file, you
    need to ensure two things:

         1. None of your prompts are over 160 characters including any
            @codes@.

         2. You need to include a RIP copy of all your prompts following
            your normal prompts.  The easiest way to start out is to just
            copy the whole ansi section and duplicate it after the last
            line.

    Here is a two line prompt file (2 "ansi" and 2 RIP):

       @0E@This is the @0F@first@0E@ prompt.
       @0E@This is another, @0F@better@0E@ prompt.
       @0E@This is the @0F@first@0E@ prompt.
       @0E@This is another, @0F@better@0E@ prompt.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What To Make Prompts?
---------------------
    You will want to put all the literals ("A Literal") in your application
    into the prompt file including the @codes@.  The major exception to 
    this rule would be your logo and copyrights.  The easiest way to do this
    is to copy your programs into another file, and then delete everything
    but the literals.  You need to then remove the double-quotes, and if you
    have variables being printed out in a prompt, you need to replace those
    with @SUB1@, @SUB2@, etc.

    The @SUBn@ command is used to pass information from your program into
    a prompt or display file.  You use the command SUBTEXT to set the values 
    of the @SUBn@ codes before printing the prompt.  Wildcat supports up 
    to ten @SUBn@ codes.

    For instance, if you have:

           "You have ";Score;"points, Hiscore is ";HiScore

    Your prompt would then look like:

           You have @SUB1@ points, Hiscore is @SUB2@

    In your program you would then use the SUBTEXT command to set the
    values in place:

           SubText 1, str(Score)
           SubText 2, str(HiScore)
           Print "You have @SUB1@ points, Hiscore is @SUB2@"

    Of course, you wouldn't actually have the prompt literally like that,
    it would be taken from the prompt file.  See the next section.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Code Implementation (from WcList)
---------------------------------
    Consult the file PRMFILE.WCC taken from the sample "WCLIST" program
    included in the CODESAMP directory.  That file defines two routines 
    you need to know about. [NOTE: I have included PRMFILE.WCC just so
    you don't have to hunt around for it if you have already deleted that
    directory]

    sub OpenPrompts(fname as string)

       Before printing anything, this routine is called and will open
       the prompt file using the file handle #9 or halt the program with
       a fatal error.  You should pass the name of the prompt file
       itself without the path.

       Example:  OpenPrompts("MYPROG.PRM")


    function GetText(i as integer) as string

       This routine will return the string specified by prompt number I,
       or display a RIP file and return "".  Since this routine will do
       the work of displaying a rip file, that implies you cannot read in
       a prompt into a variable to use later.

       Example:
                Print GetText(23)  'whatever 23 is defined as

          If that prompt needs a SubText command, then include those
          commands before printing.

                SubText 1, str(Score)
                SubText 2, str(HiScore)
                Print GetText(prShowScore) 'defined const makes clearer

<eof>