Category : Word Processors
Archive   : PROCRIB.ZIP
Filename : QUICK.REF

=============== Quick Start: Pro~Scribe & EXPRESS (Ver. 3.0) ==============

Anxious to start? Then this is for you. Please read the manual later.

=====================- Quick Start: Pro~Scribe (PS)- =====================

INSTALLING PS: Look at "Installing PS" in the manual for 'SET PSDIR="

RUNNING PS: You can start Pro~Scribe in two ways. Type either:
PS PS starts at the Options Menu - All options available

PS "FileName" Type PS, a space, then a filename. Example: PS Test.Txt

However you start, the 1st thing you see is 'Setting Up . .' while PS
loads your Help Screens and Wasted.Wrd - your list of Word Wasters.

[Q]uit, [Esc] or [F9] ABORT: Press one of these to back up/exit from
a menu, or to Quit PS. At each step, PS shows which key to press.
[F9] is the "Abort-get me out of here!" key. Press it if you're
unsure how to stop something. PS returns you to the Options Menu.

PS' MAIN OPTIONS:
* At PS' Options Menu, you can [B]egin Analyses or view help screens.
* Select options by pressing the 1st letter of the option you want -
shown in brackets or highlighted. Example: press [B] to Begin Analyses.
* You may Type text in directly, or Import a File (ASCII or WordStar).
To import, enter a file name, or press [F5] to choose from a directory.
* PS quickly analyzes your text, displays result, then lets you choose:

[R]GL [C]omplex Words [W]ord Wasters [P]rint Results [H]elp [Q]uit

RGL The Running Grade Level (RGL) highlights which sections are
complex, which are OK. Ask for [R]GL, and PS will ask:
- [T]ext and Graph? - text printed on your screen (& printer
if you like) with Grade Levels beside it. Then PS shows:
- [G]raphic Reports? - TWO summaries: 1) A Line-by-Line
Grade Level graph (which sections are complex, which OK);
2) Patterns - your writing style pattern versus an ideal.
Complex Words Shows the complex words you used (9+ letters, 3+ syllables)
Word Wasters Words or phrases which are: weak, wordy or wrong.
Print Results Prints the Results Summary/Complex Words on your printer
Help Help with Interpreting Results, finding Synonyms, etc.
Quit Return to PS' Main Menu

OPTIONS: * Begin words with an asterisk (*) to tell PS/PSE to treat
them as 1-syllable words. This is useful when, for example:
- A word is long, but you think your audience understands it.
- A long word appears many times. You think they 'got it'
the first time it appeared.
* You may change or add to PS' list of Word Wasters.
- Include your own 'pets'-jargon/phrases you want to avoid.
- Want to eliminate the jargon or fuzzy language in your
business, department or classroom? Add your own phrases,
then ask your staff to run all their work through PS.
- Do you edit other peoples' work? Add the: Jargon they
use, Types of mistakes they make. Then send them a copy
of PS' results along with your comments.
- Change the Comments - make them stronger or more specific.

====================- Quick Start: PS Express (PSE) -=================== d

PS Express (PSE) is a memory-resident version of PS. You run it once, and
it waits in memory for you to call it up when you need help most - while
you're actually writing. PSE consumes about 10k of memory.

TO RUN PSE: Type PSE or, PSE rows,columns (Note comma. See Options.)

TO CALL UP: Press Alt-Space (You can change PSE's Hotkey. See Options)
PSE pops up if your monitor's in 'text mode' (80+ columns).
It WON'T pop up in 'graphics mode.' Microsoft Word users:
Toggle Word into Text Mode (or run it with the '/c' switch).

USING PSE: Call up PSE & a help window appears--any key clears the screen.
- The 1st time you bring up PSE, its cursor (a solid block
in reverse color) appears in the Upper Left corner.
- Use Arrow (cursor) keys to move it to the beginning of the
text you want analyzed. Press: Return/Enter or [B]egin.
- Use Arrow keys to size the window until all text is
highlighted in reverse color. Press [Return] again.
- PSE's Results Summary pops up almost instantly with:
-- Comments on both your overall writing style, and
the words you used and sentences you built.
-- The Grade Level of your writing - one measure of
difficulty. (12=High School, 16=College, etc.)
-- Scores showing the average length of your words and
sentences, and how many long, complex words you used.
- PSE remembers where you began the last analyses. So, when
you edit something, just call PSE up again and it's ready
to help you see how your writing improved.

TIPS: * Include EXTRA spaces on BOTH sides of PSE's window. Why?
- Sentences are .?!; FOLLOWED by a space. If PSE 'finds'
no words or sentences, it clears the screen and exits.
* For the same reason, delete apostrophes or quotations marks
after end-of-sentence marks. Example: "That's All Folks."
is NOT a sentence - there's NO space after the period.
* Be safe! As with all TSR programs, save your work fre-
quently and before calling them up. Memory conflicts some-
times occur; they can hang your system forcing a re-boot.

OPTIONS: * Do you use a monitor with more than 25 rows/80 columns (EGA)?
- Start PSE like this: PSE rows,columns (eg., PSE 43,132)
- This expands PSE's internal buffer, letting you analyze
more text at one time. It also raises the memory consumed.
So include rows/columns ONLY if you need more storage.

When you call up PSE, it 'reads' the actual number of rows/columns on your
monitor. So if you switch active monitors, or switch from 132 column to
80 column mode, PSE will be in sync. This assumes your equipment con-
forms to IBM standards. Because of the many types of monitors/display
adapters, we can't ensure PSE will respond properly in all situations.

* Begin words with an asterisk (*) to tell PSE/PS to treat
them as 1-syllable words. This is useful when, for example:
- A word is long, but you thing your audience understands it.
- A long word appears many times. You think they 'got it'
the first time it appeared.
* You can change PSE's hotkey if it conflicts with another
program, or if you prefer something else (See the Manual.)


PS Express (cont.)

MAKE LIFE
EASIER: * We enjoy using PSE more when our cursor flys as we expand
the window to mark text. Normal cursor speed is ok, but
why wait.
- Several utilities are available to speed up your keyboard.
- Some are 'public domain' programs like Quickeys.Com from
PC Magazine. Run Quickeys once and your cursor moves
much faster. Run it twice and it screams. Run it again
and ... you get the point.
- These programs are also handy if you use 'slow moving'
programs - like Microsoft Word.

UNLOADING
PSE: * You can't. PSE has no feature to 'unload/de-install' itself.
- One reason is several utilities are available to help
you manage and de-install TSRs - safely!
-- Mark.Com and Release.Com are 2 'public domain' examples.
-- We felt adding similar code to PSE was redundant.
-- If you need the ability to unload PSE, try using one of
these other utilities (several are free)
- Another reason is that 'casually' unloading TSR programs
can leave 'holes' in memory. These holes can have affects
worse than leaving the TSR in place.
- As an alternative to unloading TSRs, check out Allkeys.Com
(also free from PC Magazine). It lets you temporarily
'suspend' TSR programs or macros if they conflict with a
program you're using.