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DOS farVIEW


You can download and use an executable library release of the DOS version of farVIEW. I am applying the GNU General Public License (GPL) to the download. It is a very long read, but please read at least the Preamble.

I still use and modify the DOS version of farVIEW, it is a useful program to me. I have even enhanced it somewhat lately, but I don't put much time into it anymore.

Here is the zip file (oldview.zip) containing the extended-memory network-ready version of DOS farVIEW, its supporting programs, textbases, and a number of useful and sample farSlang program source files. If you download the software, it means you are willing to abide by the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

Below is some general information about how to get started with DOS farVIEW. Whenever you see the word farVIEW in what follows on this page, you should take that to mean DOS farVIEW, not any other program. You should also peruse the Help textbase that you access when you run DOS farVIEW without command line parameters. The information below was originally written and released with the commercial version of DOS farVIEW, but I edited it to bring it up to date. Some of it still reflects concerns that were important at that time but that are less important now.

There are some references to a printed manual. That is not included in the download, so ignore the references.

Introduction

This manual contains the following information:

How to Install the Zip File

  1. Create a folder called farVIEW on any drive.
  2. Unzip the contents of the farVIEW.zip file into the folder.
Be sure that you unzip into the farVIEW folder, there are several internal variables that I had to pre-initialize to keep the install simple.

How to run farVIEW

Create a shortcut that includes the following command line:

            C:\FARVIEW\FARVIEW

Be sure to specify the correct drive if C: isn't where you unzipped the files. Set the working directory to the farview folder

Double-click the shortcut you just made. You should see the title frame of the farVIEW manual.

System assumptions

Ok, so I kept this in for old-time sake.

Manual Annotations

The hypertext manual is augmented by a file called RELEASE.TXT that you will find among the release materials.

About the Network Version

The network support in farVIEW operates to avoid the following two situations:
  1. When two or more people in a network are editing within the same textbase, a frame is at risk of becoming corrupted.
  2. When you run a child task in which you use farVIEW a second time to also edit the SAME textbase, a frame is, again, at risk of becoming corrupted. If you run farVIEW as a DOS window under Windows, you could have more than one farVIEW running.
If you expect either of these two situations, you should protect yourself, and others, from corrupting frames by following the rule described in the next paragraph. Also, make sure that other users follow the same rule.

The rule is simple: To properly activate farVIEW network support, you must make sure that you (and everyone else) run the DOS SHARE program, or its equivalent for your network, before you run farVIEW. SHARE is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program. You (or your LAN administrator) should place the call in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, since other programs probably depend on this function, as well. If you are a user in a LAN, SHARE may already be loaded, but you should check to be sure. This is the only step you must perform so that farVIEW can protect frames. But, be sure to perform it. Note: if you are running from Windows, you don't have to worry about this, Windows takes care of it.

farVIEW allows two or more people to access the same textbase at the same time. If they are not using the farVIEW editor, no problems will ever come up. And, even if they are using the editor, a conflict only happens when two (or more) people try to edit the same frame at the same time.

If a person enters a frame with the editor active while someone else also is in the frame with their editor active, farVIEW will modify the second person's activities within that frame. First, farVIEW will display a dialog informing the second person that the frame is temporarily "owned" by someone else. Second, farVIEW will not update the frame after any changes that the second person might make to the frame. (Note that the second person is permitted to change the visible representation of the frame.) The second person also may notice that the message "Browse" becomes visible on the status bar while the frame is visible. The first person, the temporary "owner" of the frame, will not be aware of any of this.

Note that, even if a person does not intend to edit a frame but is "just passing through" with the editor active, farVIEW will not be able to distinguish that person's intent, and must assume that they intend to edit the frame.

Note. If you are the administrator of a network textbase that is intended for group use, be sure that you set the Password preference in the network Homebase to YES. This will prompt people to sign in as they begin a session. You can send me email at paul@medlock.com if you have special concerns, such as a need to verify usernames and passwords, etc.

A Reading Plan

The following reading plan will make you an effective farVIEW user in an hour or so.

Begin by reading Chapter 1: STARTING OUT, in the printed manual. This provides a quick summary of farVIEW concepts and operation.

After that, take the Tour in the onLine Manual. Do this by typing the following command:

   C:\FARVIEW> FARVIEW HELP

then press the Enter key. Follow the instructions presented there.

When you are comfortable browsing a farVIEW textbase, and understand the nomenclature, read the file called TUTOR.TXT. This is an enhanced step-by-step summary of Chapter 3: AUTHORING, in the printed manual, and the AUTHORING chapter in the onLine manual. When you complete this step, you will be able to modify preferences, build textbases, make and edit frames, and create links.

Finally, read the file called TOOLS.TXT. This will take you through several useful interactive tools built into the Homebase textbase. You will be able to keep your appointments, cross reference all your information nine ways from Sunday, and maintain a simple name and address book. Additional tools are described in Chapter 8: HOMEBASE, in the printed manual, and in the HOMEBASE chapter of the onLine Manual.

As you read and experiment with the materials presented in these sources, use the printed manual and the onLine manual as references to enhance your understanding.

Note: The file KEYBOARD.TXT contains the keyboard assignments for farVIEW. You can print it for a reminder sheet.

If you have problems, or would like to discuss any aspect of farVIEW, you can contact me by email at paul@medlock.com.
 
 

Thank you for your interest.

Paul Medlock 2002.10, 2000.06

Copyright 2000,2002, Paul J. Medlock. All Rights Reserved.
Software downloaded from this site is also copyright 1991-2002, Paul J. Medlock. All Rights Reserved