BLOOK - Text File Display
Part of the B-Ware family
Copyright Hexagon Products 1989


Version 2.0 December, 1989

Introduction
============
BLOOK is a free sample of B-Ware. It reads a text file into memory and
displays it using large characters. You can use the arrow keys to display
any part of the file in any order. This differs from BTYPE, where once you
pass some data in the file, you can't go back and look at it again unless
you start all over. Files are limited to what can fit in memory. In a
256K machine BLOOK should easily be able to process a 100K file.

Only ASCII text files can be displayed. This means no EXE files or WK1
files, etc. You give the name of the file you want displayed on the
command line. For example, you can display this document file with
the command: BLOOK BLOOK.DOC


On video hardware such as CGA or Hercules monochrome, which can display
graphics, BLOOK supports a variety of character sizes. To change from one
to another, press the F2 key while BLOOK is running. On graphics screens,
you will be able to cycle among a half dozen video modes. On the original
monochrome display, which does not support graphics, you will only get the
large text block display.

When you begin, BLOOK displays the first characters in each of the first
records of the file. Long lines are not wrapped. If you want to see
characters of lines that are wider than the screen, you must use the arrow
keys to move the display over to the right. This differs from BTYPE which
always wraps long lines. The top line of each screen shows the row and
column of the text displayed in the upper left corner.

At any time during BLOOK, you can press the F1 key to get help. When you
are done with BLOOK, press the ESCape key to exit BLOOK and return to DOS.

Scroll 1 Character or 1 Page
============================
You can use any of the four arrow keys to move the BLOOK display by a
single column or row. You can use PgDn or PgUp to move the BLOOK display
up or down by a page. A page consists of a screenful of data. In the
large block mode, this is 5 lines or 10 columns. Use the F3 key or the
Shift TAB key to move a page to the left. Similarly, use the F4 key, or
the TAB key to move a page to the right.

Scroll to the Edge
==================
Wherever you are in your file, HOME takes you to the top row and leftmost
column. The F5 key moves to the left edge of the file, and F6 moves to the
right edge. The END key takes you to the last row of your file, or to the
bottom edge.

Automatic Scroll Down
=====================
The F7 key provides a way to scroll automatically. If you press the
F7 key, BLOOK will act as if you press the PgDn key once every 1.5 seconds.
To stop the automatic scroll, just press any key. If you want to change
the interval between automatic PgDn keys, you must use the -A argument
to BLOOK. For example, BLOOK -A2000 DOCFILE will set a 2 second delay.

Function
Key Meaning
======== =======
F1 Help - Show meaning of keys on screen
F2 Zoom - Change from one size characters to another
F3 Left Page - Move display one page to the left
F4 Right Page - Move display one page to the right
F5 Left Edge - Move display to first column (left edge)
F6 Right Edge - Move display to last column (right edge)
F7 Auto Scroll - Repeated page down until any key pressed



Arguments can be used to override some of the defaults used by the
program. Specify arguments on the DOS command line along with the
file name. For example, BLOOK -A1500 BLOOK.DOC. If you find that
you always use the same argument each time you use BLOOK, you can
put the BLOOK command in a BAT file with the arguments you prefer.

Arguments Meaning
========= =======
-An set time between automatic page downs when F7 key is
pressed. N is number of 1/1000ths seconds. For example:
-A1500 means page down every 1.5 seconds.

-Vn set initial video mode. -V0 is the large text block mode.
-V1 is the mode you would get by pressing F2 one time after
the large text block mode.


B-Ware Products
===============
All B-Ware products use large character displays.

BLOOK is a quick text file display. Use arrow keys to scroll around.

BTYPE is a substitute for DOS's TYPE command. It displays a file, top
to bottom, wrapping long lines if necessary to fit the width of the display.

BDIR is a substitute for DOS's DIR command. It allows for sorting of the
directory entries, and control over which fields are displayed.

BEDIT is a complete text editor which lets you scroll around and change
data at will.

BPOP is a memory resident magnifying glass. It pops up over any text mode
screen and enlarges a portion of it.

BFONT is a font editor that allows you to reshape the characters used in
any of the above B-Ware products to make them more legible for you.

The 12-bit font used in B-Ware is provided courtesy of Kim Kokkonen of
TurboPower Software. He developed it for use in BigEd, a large character
word processor.


B-WARE
Hexagon Products
P.O. Box 1295
Park Ridge, IL 60068-1295
(708) 692-3355

Price List (Prices fixed through 12/90. After that, check.)
============================================================
12/89
Product Price Latest Version
======= ===== ==============
B-Ware $10 (Free sample programs.
BTYPE 2.0 $10 charge only if you
BLOOK 2.0 want a copy directly
BDIR 2.0 from the author.)
BFONT 1.0

BPOP $27 2.0
BEDIT $30 1.1

All of the above $50

B-Ware Registration Form
When you register, please include the following:

Name: _________________________________________________________________________

Company: ______________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ___________________________ State: ______________________________________

Zip: _____________ Phone: _____________________________________________________

Optional information:

Using on: Laptop Desktop

Display: VGA EGA CGA Herc Mono Dual

Oper.Sys: DOS OS/2

Preferred Input Device: Mouse Keyboard

Prefer: 10 20 26 40 52 58 Other ____ characters per line

Suggestions for improving B-Ware? _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Where did you find B-Ware? ____________________________________________________

If you have speech synthesis hardware, what kind? _____________________________