Category : Science and Education
Archive   : DESCEND.ZIP
Filename : DESCEND.TXT

DESCEND

Descendency Chart Generator

Version 1.10
March 17, 1989


















USER'S MANUAL














Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White
DESCEND Program Page 1

INTRODUCTION

This program works with data files generated by using the
Personal Ancestral File genealogical program, version 2.1. It
reads the various files to get the information required to make
an enhanced Descendency Chart.

All direct descendents of the selected individual, and all
marriages of those direct descendents are part of the chart
produced. When present in the PAF files, the date and place of
each individual's birth, death, and marriage are included. The
number of generations to print is entered into the program as an
option when running it. Every name listed in the Chart is
captured, and printed in a double column index.

Each line of the descendency chart printed is appropriately
indented, labeled, and marked for the Index included at the end
of the chart. Each page is marked with the name of the
Patron/Matron, and the time and date that the chart was printed.

The maximum number of names on a single chart depends on the
available space on your computer, and may vary from a very small

number, to over 10,000 names.

This program has specific printer requirements. See the
Appendix for additional information.






















Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White
DESCEND Program Page 2

RUNNING THE PROGRAM

To start this Program, Type the command :

DESCEND[ /E|/O|/S][ /H][ /L][ /Ffilename][ dataDirectoryName]

Where:

/E = Epson, or /O = Okidata, or /S = Standard printers.
/H = Display Execution Help.
/L = Display the Software License.
/Ffilename = print to file named "filename".
dataDirectoryName = The directory name where the PAF data is
stored.

All items enclosed in []s are optional. There is no
required order to the options. The options are explained in
detail below.

The first option listed defines the type of printer to use
when printing the file. Two printer types are supported directly
(Epson FX and Okidata ML), while the third type handles many
other types of printers by allowing the user to preset the
printer into the proper (condensed) mode. If this option is
used, choose only one of the printer types. If this option is
omitted, the program will prompt for the type of printer to use.

The /H option, if used, will cause the program to show a
brief summary of help on how to start the program, and then stop.

The /L option, if used, will cause the program to show the
License Agreement for the program, and then stop.

The /F option, if used, will redirect the printer. This
allows the user to print to a file. This file may then be
printed later, or taken to another computer for printing, using
the DOS "print" command. This may also be used to redirect the
output to a second printer. If this option is omitted, the
program prints the chart to the DOS standard printer.

The /F option may also be used to make a file to take to any
text editor or word processor. The file generated is a standard
ASCII file, without special characters (except printer commands).
Additional formatting, editing, or enhanced printing (ex: bold,
underline, different type styles, etc.) can be added to the file
prior to printing.


Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White
DESCEND Program Page 3

The dataDirectoryName option may be used to tell the program
where the PAF data files are. Any legal DOS path name may used.
The program expects this name to be the name of the directory
where ALL of the required files can be found. You MUST use this
option if the PAF data files are not in the directory
C:\PAF\DATA, which is the assumed directory name.

Once the program begins, it will prompt for information, as
required. First, if the Standard Printer is chosen, it will
pause, and wait for you to set up the printer.

The program will ask for the record identification number
(RIN) of the key person for which the chart is to be printed.
This is the Patron or Matron of the Chart. The program cannot be
operated if the RIN is not known prior to execution.

Next, the program will ask for the number of generations to
print. This number must be 2 or greater. If more generations
are available than are asked for, the generated chart will note
the marriages where children continue the line (beyond the
requested generations). All generations will print if any number
greater than the available generations are entered (example:
99).

The program will now run without further interaction. While
running, a status line will display how many names it has chosen
to print, and other messages on the status of the printing
process.

Once complete, it will pause until any key is pressed. Then
the screen will clear and the program will return to DOS.

The program attempts to trap most run errors. If data files
can not be found, the program notes this, and stops. If the
entered Patron/Matron RIN is not available, the program displays
the error, and stops. If the output cannot be written, an error
is displayed, and the program stops.

If the chart is printed directly to a printer, and the
printer does not respond, DOS will respond with its own error,
after a minute or two. Respond to this error as appropriate,
after fixing the problem with the printer.






Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White
DESCEND Program Page 4

LICENSE

This program is Copyrighted, with all rights retained.

You may freely distribute this program to friends and
family. However, you may NOT sell this program alone or as part
of any other package. You may NOT charge for "handling" costs of
any kind.

The material contained in this Program is proprietary. You
may NOT incorporate it into other programs or packages, in whole
or in part, without prior written permission from the Author.

All efforts have been made to make the program work
properly. However, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made.
This Program is distributed "as is".
































Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White
DESCEND Program Page 5

APPENDIX


This program should run on any IBM-PC compatible personal
computer, with one or two floppy drives or a hard disk drive, and
with at least 256Kb of memory. The printer must be capable of
printing in compressed print (17 characters per inch) onto 8 1/2"
wide by 11" high continuous feed paper, or capable of printing at
12 characters per inch on 14" wide by 11" high continuous feed
paper.

All references to DOS refers to MS-DOS 2.10 or later. MS-
DOS is copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation.

IBM is a registered trademark of the International Business
Machines Corporation.

The Personal Ancestral File program is a registered
trademark of and is copyrighted by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (the Mormons).





























Copyright (c) 1988, 1989 Jeffrey A. White