Category : Printer Utilities
Archive   : PTALK305.ZIP
Filename : PTALK305.DOC

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*** Documentation file for P-TALK version 3.05 ***
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P-TALK is a control program for EPSON and Epson compatible
printers. The program as distributed is designed around an
EPSON LX-80 which is closely compatible with the FX series
of Epson machines.

Most of the program is straightforward but you might note
these points:

1 - P-Talk is a Terminate-Stay-Resident program
which is installed in memory by simply typing
name of the .EXE file on the commandline.
Once installed, P-Talk is activated with the
hot key combination .

2 - To remove P-Talk from memory, first make sure
you are at the DOS prompt (NOT INSIDE OF
ANOTHER PROGRAM!), bring up P-Talk with
the hot key combination then
WHILE P-TALK IS ACTIVE AND ON SCREEN, press the
hot key combination again.

3 - If you try to install P-Talk when it is already
installed you will get a harmless but informative
error message.

4 - If you run the program with your printer off or or
offline or try to access a function within the
program with your printer off or offline, you will
get an error message allowing you to either
correct the problem or abort the program.

5 - If you try to access a printer mode which is not
compatible with any of the other modes on the LX-
80 you will get an error message and be returned
to the program to try another combination. (I
think I caught all the non-compatible printer
modes but it is possible I may have missed some so
watch.)

6 - P-TALK will work with either CGA or HERCULES
monitors and cards and was written on a KAYPRO PC-
10 with a CGA color emulation graphics card and a
monochrome monitor.

7 - WARNING: NEVER TRY TO REMOVE THIS OR ANY OTHER
TSR PROGRAM FROM MEMORY IF THERE IS ALREADY
ANOTHER PROGRAM LOADED AFTER IT, TO DO SO WILL
SURELY RESULT IN A SYSTEM CRASH !




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8 - If you have any questions or comments, address
them to:
Dwayne Scribner
917 Mills Ave.
Dumas, TX 79029

9 - Enjoy the program!


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P-TALK VERSION HISTORY:
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1.00- written in Turbo C version 1.0, was never distri-
buted.
2.00- rewritten in Turbo Pascal was major improvement over
version 1.00, new capabilities, no more snow on
screen, better error trapping (still could be im-
proved more though), fancy windows, etc.
2.01- fixed program to automatically reset printer to de-
fault state if printer access error occurs. This is
an effort toward keeping the program inline with the
real world status of the printer.
2.02- improved printer status checking, may still need more
work but will wait and see.
2.03- fixed bug in the new printer status checker that
caused a device write error when aborting the pro-
gram.
2.04- fixed bug accidently created in correcting former
bugs which disabled the reset command.
3.00- MAJOR UPDATE! P-Talk is now a "Terminate-and-Stay-
Resident" program. WARNING: TSR's are very unpredict-
able, this version for instance will not run on my
8MHZ KAYPRO PC WITH WORDSTAR rel.4 without hitting a
stack overflow error. Adjustment of the stack segment
at compile time does not seem to matter. I do not
know what the problem is yet... working on it.
3.01- fixed false key activate message on program install-
ation.
3.02- Improved Terminate-Stay-Resident code, changed
activate keys, added the ability to remove the
program from memory.
3.03- Changed incorrect message sent to printer during
printer test. added extra step to certian routines
allowing for an exit without input incase function
accessed by accident.
3.04- Added deinstallation warning to the main window.
Corrected a bug that caused the program not to exit
the first time was pressed when the printer
tested off or offline at the point of program
activation.
3.05- Fixed bug which caused EXPANDED OFF code to go to the
computer screen rather than the printer.
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