DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN SM3.02 PAGE 1 OF 7 Note that in the Master Menu screen, the current path (drive letter and/ or sub-directory) for data files is shown in reverse video under the PATH function about 1/4 of the way up from the bottom of the display. If the PATH for DATA files is not correct, you won't be able to display any security or price history information. Normally, data should be on a different diskette or in a different sub-directory from programs. Press P to change the PATH for data files. While the Master Menu screen is displayed, it is OK to switch DATA disk- ettes in the same drive, without a need to use the PATH function first. DO NOT switch data diskettes at any other time (unless you are asked to by the program). Failure to heed this rule may result in damage to the catalog file CATALOG.POR! NOTE: The Master Menu controls only those functions which do not per- tain to a particular security. For any operation that does affect a particular security, type S to go to the Stock Select screen first, and then select the security you wish to work with. From there you can update the selected price history file and draw graphs. In general, the Master Menu is used only to select the more general functions. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 2 OF 7 Following are descriptions of the various functions available from the Master Menu screen: W = update volume and prices for ONE date, for ALL stocks (or other securities) which are tracked WEEKLY. D = update volume and prices for ONE date, for ALL stocks (or other securities) which are tracked DAILY. The W and D functions are intended to update CURRENT volume and prices (see Chapters 13 and 14). If you want to work with HISTORICAL data for a single security, see Chapters 16 and 17. The above functions allow either manual updating (from the keyboard), or "importing" current data from an external ASCII file. Either function will take you to the Current Data Update screen, with its own menu at the bottom of the display. That menu has its own HELP function which you can use for more information about current price and volume updates. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 3 OF 7 Note that you cannot update current prices on both weekly- and daily- updated price history files simultaneously. Also note that you CANNOT update current or historical prices directly from a spreadsheet or data- base file. Those are not ASCII files. In general, you must first use your spreadsheet, database or communications program to create a print file on disk. A print file is an ASCII file, but files with names end- ing in .WKS, .WK1, .CAL, .DBF, and so on are NOT ASCII files. Refer to the user manual for your spreadsheet, database or communications pro- gram to find out how to create an ASCII print file. Usually, ASCII files have names ending in .ASC, .DOC, .PRN or .TXT. NOTE: the W and D functions are used to update MANY securities for just a single date. To manually update just ONE security with historical prices for several days or weeks, press S to go to the Stock Select Screen, select the security you wish to update, and press E (for data ENTRY). If the security you want to update is not shown on the screen (and is not on another disk or in another sub-directory), you can press A to ADD it to the catalog first. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 4 OF 7 T = TRANSFER historical data from daily files to corresponding weekly files. Both daily and weekly price history files must be in the SAME directory. This screen has its own HELP function for further explanation, or see Chapter 15. The TRANSFER function can be used to fill a weekly file that does not contain any data. However, that weekly file must already exist. It is created automatically when you add a new security, if you specify a greater than zero number of weeks. Or it can be created from the View screen by changing the number of weeks from zero to a positive value. To get to the View screen from the Master Menu, press S, select the security you want and then press C. S = STOCK SELECT. This function takes you to the Stock Select screen, which lists all the securities on the current data disk or in the current data sub-directory. That screen has two purposes: first, to select a security for historical data entry or graphics; and second, to ADD or DELETE a security or make changes to data other than volume and prices. The Stock Select screen has its own HELP function for more information, or see Chapter 10. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 5 OF 7 A = ADD or delete a security. This is the same as the STOCK SELECT function described previously, and is provided for consistency throughout the system. Again, note the screen labelled "Stock Select" serves also for adding and deleting securities and making changes. (The "A" function may not be shown on the Master Menu.) You can have more than one data disk or sub-directory. Each one will have its own list of securities, called the catalog (file CATALOG.POR on disk). A catalog can only pertain to the correspon- ding price history files (files with names ending in .SMP) that are in the SAME directory. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 6 OF 7 P = specify the PATH (disk drive and/or directory) for data files. To facilitate file backups and program updates, it is recommended to keep all data on a separate diskette or in a separate directory from the programs. To change the path, use this PATH function which will give examples and ask you to enter the name. (This is not related to the PATH command in DOS.) If your data is on the SAME diskette or in the SAME directory as the programs, press the Enter key by itself to specify the "default" directory. Enter a drive specification (such as B:) only if data is on a different drive. If data is on the same drive, but in a dif- ferent sub-directory, don't enter the drive specifier, but just enter the path name (such as \STOCKS or \SM\DATA). In this version of the program, entry of the last \ is optional. The program looks to see if you entered a drive specifier, in order to determine if and when to give you a message to switch diskettes. If you use A: or B: you will get the messages. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER MENU SCREEN PAGE 7 OF 7 V = VIDEO - this function allows you to select the separate color schemes for text and graphics display. Color schemes are shown graphically and you select by number. Color choice 0 (zero) gives you a monochrome display (normally white, green or amber on black, depending on the type of monitor). On most laptop computers you should choose monochrome. The effects may vary depending on the type of display. The color actually changes when you return to the Master Menu. Color choice 0 (zero) for graphics automatically gives you high- resolution (80-column) graphics, but only in monochrome. The other graphics color schemes give you medium-resolution (40-column) graphics, but in color. This system is not state of the art, but is intended to work on most IBM-compatible computers including the older 2-floppy CGA systems. F = FORMAT for entry and display of dates. You can choose among several different formats, by pressing the up- or down-arrow key. Then press the Enter key to return to the Master Menu.