Category : Science and Education
Archive   : SORT-OUT.ZIP
Filename : README.1ST

Additional notes on SORT-OUT from Jerry Shifrin, sysop: East
Coast Forth Board, McLean, VA, 703-442-8695.
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This package is by Henning Hansen of the University of Denmark.
It was presented as a paper at the 1989 Rochester Forth
Conference. Henning has graciously released this for public
distribution including all source code.


Contents
--------
This ZIP contains the following files:
EGAGRAPH.COM - EGA graphics driver
PAPER.ASC - Paper presented at the conference
README.1ST - This file
SORT.BAT - 2-line .BAT file
SORT-OUT.COM - Executable program
SORT-OUT.SCR - Source code in Forth screen file


EGA Required
------------
Here is a truly sensational package which is intended to help you
understand the workings of a variety of different sorting
algorithms. As distributed, this package requires an EGA (or VGA)
video adapter.


Load graphics driver
--------------------
Before running the program, SORT-OUT.COM, you must install the
memory-resident EGA graphics driver. This takes up about 8.5k
(you may wish to dig up the shareware TSR MARK/RELEASE routines
to allow you to get rid of the resident driver when you're done.)
Type EGAGRAPH to install the driver. Note: this program is
copyrighted by Laboratory Microsystems, but we have permission to
distribute it with the SORT-OUT package.


Screen file (*.SCR)
-------------------
This program was written in Forth and compiled under Laboratory
Microsystems PC/Forth 3.2. The ZIP includes the Forth source code
as a "screen" file. These files are not usually viewable or
editable by typical PC software since they do not contain any
embedded CR/LF's. If you're interested, pick up a Forth compiler
from your favorite source (the ECFB has a variety of them
available) -- almost all Forths include a full-screen editor for
screen files.


Instructions
------------
The included file, PAPER.ASC, describes the function and sort
algorithms, but, alas, does not really give you instructions for
using the program. I have difficulty documenting my own software,
let alone someone else's, but will give you a few hints to get
you started:

1. Run EGAGRAPH. Run SORT-OUT. Note the introductory
instructions. Press Enter.

2. Select type - suggest you go for colored bars initially.

3. Select algorithm - choose your favorite. It's fun to compare
a quicksort to a bubble sort.

4. Define data - for openers, I'd suggest you stick with
multiplicity of 1 and %inversions = 50 (random). Don't take
the default; if so, you'll start out with already sorted
data!

5. Run demo - press space or Enter to step through the sort;
any other key to run continuously to completion. Hit any key
when done to view performance indicators (number of
comparisons and interchanges).


If you have any other questions on Forth, you are welcome to drop
by the ECFB and leave a message there. Enjoy!

-- Jerry Shifrin