M a c r o P I K ' r (the data Picker with Macros) User's Manual (Version 1.5) January 1993 For the IBM Personal Computer family and compatibles. The MacroPIK'r program and this manual, are copyrighted, and all rights are reserved by Samkhya. Express permission is granted to make copies of this program and documentation -- please see the "Shareware" information on page 4. Copyright (c) 1985 1986 1992 1993 Samkhya S A M K H Y A // Software Research & Development 27005 Highway 1 Post Office Box 13 Tomales, CA 94971 Phone: 707-878-2914 Fax: 707-878-2802 Compuserve: 71016,460 MCI Mail: SAMKHYACORP _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER MacroPIK'r (tm) and PIK'r (R) are trademarks of Samkhya. Other marks are the property of their respective holders. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 2 MacroPIK'r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Chapter 2 Shareware 4 The ASP Ombudsman . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Shareware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 3 Quick Overview 7 Starting MacroPIK'r . . . . . . . . . . 8 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Leaving MacroPIK'r . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Cursor Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Picking Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Chapter 4 Tutorial 11 Chapter 5 Commands 16 Starting MacroPIK'r . . . . . . . . . 16 The MacroPIK'r Screen . . . . . . . . 18 Column Markers Line . . . . . . . . 19 Column Widths in the Paste Area . . 19 Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Xit-F9 Exit MacroPIK'r . . . . . . . 21 Hlp-F10 Help . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Pick Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Col-F2 Pick a Column . . . . . . . 22 Row-F4 Pick a Row . . . . . . . . 23 Cel-F6 Pick a Cell . . . . . . . . 23 All-F8 Pick Entire Area . . . . . 23 Menu Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 In-F3 The Input Sub-Menu . . . . . 24 Pst-F1 Go To the Paste Area . . . 24 Rpt-F1 Go To the Report Area . . . 25 Out-F3 The Output Sub-Menu . . . . 25 Fix-F5 The Fix Sub-Menu . . . . . 26 Cut-F7 The Cut Sub-Menu . . . . . 26 File Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 i Input Commands . . . . . . . . . . 27 Flt-F1 Flat (input) . . . . . . 27 Wks-F3 WKS (input) . . . . . . 27 Dif-F5 DIF (input) . . . . . . 27 Csv-F7 CSV (input) . . . . . . 27 Slk-F9 SYLK (input) . . . . . . 27 Fxl-F2 FXL (input) . . . . . . 27 Dbf-F4 DBF (input) . . . . . . 27 Fnd-F5 Search for a String in the Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Pag-F7 Goto Another Page . . . . . 30 Output Commands . . . . . . . . . . 31 Flt-F1 Flat (output) . . . . . 31 Wks-F3 WKS (output) . . . . . . 31 Dif-F5 DIF (output) . . . . . . 31 Csv-F7 CSV (output) . . . . . . 31 Slk-F9 SYLK (output) . . . . . 31 Fxl-F2 FXL (output) . . . . . . 31 Dbf-F4 DBF (output) . . . . . . 31 Fix Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Mrg-F1 Merge Two or More Columns . 34 Div-F3 Divide a Column . . . . . . 35 Edt-F5 Edit data . . . . . . . . . 35 Num-F7 Convert Data to Numbers . . 36 Txt-F9 Convert Data to Text . . . 38 Cut Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Mov-F1 Move Data . . . . . . . . . 39 Cpy-F3 Copy Data . . . . . . . . . 40 Trn-F5 Transpose Columns and Rows . 40 Ins-F7 Insert Empty Columns or Rows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Del-F9 Delete Data . . . . . . . . 41 Miscellaneous Commands . . . . . . . . 42 Ctrl-G Goto . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ctrl-R Record a Macro . . . . . . . 43 Ctrl-X Execute a Macro . . . . . . 43 Ctrl-R Resume a Macro . . . . . . . 44 Ctrl-S System Command (DOS) . . . . 44 Ctrl-W Repaint Screen . . . . . . . 45 Chapter 6 Macros 47 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . 47 The Record Command . . . . . . . . 47 The Execute Command . . . . . . . . 47 Macro Execution From DOS . . . . . 48 Special Key Functions . . . . . . . 48 Macro Command Grammar . . . . . . . 49 ii Macro Coordinates . . . . . . . . . 50 Absolute Coordinates . . . . . . . 51 Macro Subroutines . . . . . . . . . 51 Macro Parameters . . . . . . . . . 51 Macro Command Summary . . . . . . . . 52 Chapter 7 Errors & Questions 62 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Common Questions . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Chapter 8 Technical Details 74 Command Line Arguments . . . . . . . . 74 Temporary Files, DOS, and File Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Memory Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 File Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 WKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 DIF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 CSV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 SYLK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 dBASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Fixed Length . . . . . . . . . . . 82 The Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Numbers and Text . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Chapter 9 License, Warranty & Support 85 License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Chapter 10 Order Form 89 Index 91 iii Chapter 1 MacroPIK'r User Manual Introduction Chapter 1 Introduction MacroPIK'r MacroPIK'r is a data conversion program you can use to Browse, Cut and Paste, Edit, and Reformat data between popular file formats for spreadsheet and database programs. You can record Macros to make repetitive tasks fully automatic. MacroPIK'r can easily deal with data that was meant for humans (not computers), like reports from mainframes or other programs, data with embedded commas, European formats, etc. Whether your data comes from a mainframe computer, laboratory instruments, industrial monitoring equipment, or another program on your personal computer, MacroPIK'r can help you load that data into your spreadsheet or database program quickly, easily and without rekeying. MacroPIK'r will convert data to and from these formats: o The Flat (standard, printable ASCII text) format used by most text editors and, in one way or another, most other programs too. Mainframe reports are often available in this format. o The Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet formats, compatible with most other spreadsheets as well. o The DIF (Data Interchange Format) -- once used by Visicalc -- is used by hundreds of programs. o The CSV (Comma Separated Values) format (also called PRN, or System Delimited, or ASCII Delimited) used by many spreadsheet and database programs. Page 2 Chapter 1 MacroPIK'r User Manual Introduction o The SYLK (SYmbolic LinK) format used by Microsoft products. o The FXL (Fixed-Length Record) format used by many mainframe systems and some personal computer database applications. o The dBASE DBF format used by all of the dBASE compatible databases and many other programs. MacroPIK'r allows you to mix data in several different formats in one session: load portions of a mainframe report, combine it with a memo from your word processor, then save the combination for 1-2-3. MacroPIK'r is menu driven, and uses a full screen interface that allows you to see your data at all times. For automating sequences of commands or even entire sessions, you can record commands given to MacroPIK'r as you type them (a "learn" mode) then play them back, either from within MacroPIK'r or from a DOS batch file. Detailed on-line Help, the Quick Reference Guide, and this manual, guide you through these and all other aspects of operation. But don't feel as though you must read every page of the Manual before you get started. The "Quick Overview" section covers the basics of solving simple data conversion problems. Then, as you grow more experienced, use the manual as a reference guide to solve more complex problems. "Samkhya" is an ancient Sanskrit term denoting 'precision', 'enumeration', and 'exactness'. Page 3 Chapter 2 MacroPIK'r User Manual Shareware Chapter 2 Shareware The ASP Ombudsman Samkhya is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for member's products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Shareware The following information is provided courtesy of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). This describes what shareware is and how you benefit: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a Page 4 Chapter 2 MacroPIK'r User Manual Shareware few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. This is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to you for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * If you find MacroPIK'r useful and find that you are using it and continue to use it after a reasonable trial period, Please make a registration payment of $35.00 US to SAMKHYA. The $35 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You will receive a receipt, a copy of the current version of MacroPIK'r, one year of support and upgrades, and a bonus package of useful utilities. See the Order Form (file MP-ORDER.FRM) for details. Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting SAMKHYA. This is very economical if you plan to license more than one or two copies. Anyone distributing MacroPIK'r for remuneration must contact SAMKHYA for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the ASP as adhering to its guidelines for shareware Page 5 Chapter 2 MacroPIK'r User Manual Shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering MacroPIK'r immediately (However SAMKHYA must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of MacroPIK'r). If you are in the business of distributing shareware, please contact SAMKHYA so that you can be sure to get the most recent version and updates. See the files "VENDOR.DOC" or "SYSOP.DOC" for more information. Call or write if you have questions or suspect that files may be missing or damaged. Note that even if you paid a small amount of money for the disk that included MacroPIK'r, that does not mean that you have registered. There are many businesses that sell bundles of shareware for a small fee to cover the cost of the diskettes and other overhead. Also, hard disk vendors may include a collection of shareware with each hard disk they sell. In each case, you are encouraged to try whatever programs look useful, but you still have to register if you end up using it. You are encouraged to pass a copy of MacroPIK'r along to your friends for evaluation. Be sure you include all of the files that came with MacroPIK'r when you pass it along -- or just give them the self-extracing archive "MPIK.EXE" so that all the files and documentation are kept together in the least amount of space. And please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they benefit from it. Page 6 Chapter 3 MacroPIK'r User Manual Quick Overview Chapter 3 Quick Overview This section is a quick overview of how to use MacroPIK'r: starting and stopping the program, how to use the commands and cursor functions and how to display on-line help. For more information on each of MacroPIK'r's commands, turn to the Command Summary section. Print out the "MacroPIK'r Quick Reference Guide" and keep it handy for this discussion. You can use any of these commands to do so, or any other procedure you may normally use for printing text files: PRINT MPQUICK.PRN or COPY MPQUICK.PRN PRN: MacroPIK'r will convert data from and to six of the most commonly used data formats in use on personal computers. To manage this process, it uses two "work" areas: the Report Area (where you see your input files) and the Paste Area (where you build your output files). In the Report Area you can look at the file you want to convert from, select (or "pick") any rectangular piece of it, and copy it to the Paste Area where it is saved along with any previous data you have picked. You can pick data from several places in a file, or from several different files. In the Paste Area you can look at the data, edit and rearrange it, and convert all or part of it for your spreadsheet or database program. Your original input files are not altered; MacroPIK'r copies the data into a form that the other programs can use. The function keys represent MacroPIK'r's menu of commands. These commands can be used in two ways: you can press one of the function keys on the keyboard, or you can move the cursor (say Page 7 Chapter 3 MacroPIK'r User Manual Quick Overview with a mouse) to the picture of the function key on the screen and press DO-IT (e.g. the left mouse button, or the Enter key -- either one "does" it). Whenever the cursor enters the on-screen key, MacroPIK'r displays a brief description of the key's command in the status line at the top of the screen. Some of MacroPIK'r's commands are accessed from Sub-Menus. To select one of these commands, first select the command that displays the appropriate Sub-Menu, then select the command. To return to the original menu press Esc. Starting MacroPIK'r Check the Quick Reference Guide for details, or exceptions that may apply to you, but normally all you need to do is type the name of the MacroPIK'r program file, MPIK'R.EXE, at the DOS prompt: C>mpik'r You may need to also type a command line switch after "mpik'r" and before the Enter, such as: C>mpik'r -bw You can also type the name of an input file you want to view, or you can start MacroPIK'r first and then use the Input commands to open the file. This command will start MacroPIK'r with the sample data file "TUTOR1.DAT": C>mpik'r tutor1.dat This sample file happens to be a plain (ASCII) text, or "flat", file. If you wanted to start out browsing a dBASE compatible file called "MYDATA.DBF" you would enter it like this: C>mpik'r -dbf mydata.dbf Once MacroPIK'r starts, you will see the startup copyright screen for a few seconds, then the regular Report Area screen. Your data will be displayed if you specified it on the command line, like above, or you can press the F3 function key to go to the Input Menu, then use one of the commands there to bring up your data. Page 8 Chapter 3 MacroPIK'r User Manual Quick Overview MacroPIK'r will display directory information so you can choose your file from a list. Specify a "wildcard" file name, like *.*, or data??.dbf, and MacroPIK'r will show you all the matching entries from the current directory. Simply move the cursor to a file and press DO-IT. Getting Help To display Help information from any menu, press function key Hlp-F10. A Help Page describing the commands that are currently available is displayed along with instructions on how to see other related Help Pages. To return to where you left off in MacroPIK'r, press Esc. Leaving MacroPIK'r To stop MacroPIK'r, press Esc enough times to take you out of any sub-menus, back to either the Report Area or Paste Area Menu. Then press function key Xit-F9. MacroPIK'r will ask if you have saved any data from the Paste Area - type a Y (or the right button on the mouse) to exit; or anything else to stay in MacroPIK'r. To make sure that you have saved any data you want to keep before exiting, use one of the Output commands. Cursor Movement The cursor is displayed as either a blinking box or cross on the screen. The arrow keys (Up-Arrow, Down-Arrow, Right-Arrow, Left-Arrow) move the cursor to any position on the screen, while the other cursor movement commands move the cursor (and the Text Window) to any position in the Report Area or Paste Area. Also, when the cursor is near the edge of the Text Window, DO-IT will move the Text Window so that it's centered over the cursor. Also, notice that there is a "map" of the input file at the lower left edge of the display. Assume that the entire map box represents the entire input file (or page) -- then the highlighted portion shows roughly the fraction you currently see in the main window. You can move the cursor into the map area, then press DO-IT on the portion you want to see. The display will scroll to show that portion of the input. Page 9 Chapter 3 MacroPIK'r User Manual Quick Overview Picking Data Many of MacroPIK'r's commands need a region of data to be picked first. You can pick any rectangular region of data, then "adjust" or stretch the picked region if need be. To pick a column, row, or cell, first press the function key Col-F2, Row-F4, or Cel-F6, then move the cursor to the data and press DO-IT. To pick the entire page in the Report Area, or the entire Paste Area, press All-F8. To cancel the picked region of data, press the function key again. To adjust (stretch) a picked region, hold down the Shift key and move the cursor to the boundary of the picked region (or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse). The boundary will move with the cursor until Shift (or the mouse button) is released. This is easier to do than to describe. Page 10 Chapter 4 MacroPIK'r User Manual Tutorial Chapter 4 Tutorial This is a detailed description of exactly how to use MacroPIK'r to move data from a sample ASCII text file (included on the distribution disk) to spreadsheet or database programs. We won't try to demonstrate all of MacroPIK'r's capabilities and commands, but enough so that when you are finished with the tutorial you will be able to explore MacroPIK'r on your own, with the help of the Help key and this manual. We assume that you are somewhat familiar with your PC: how to start it up, how to use the simple DOS commands such as 'copy', 'type', and 'dir', how to start programs, and that you have to press the Enter key at the end of a DOS command. We will try to define new terminology as it comes up, but if you are confused about what something means, check your DOS manual or any of the popular books on DOS. Make the directory where you have installed MacroPIK'r the default directory. For example, if MacroPIK'r is installed in directory \MPIK on drive D: d: cd \mpik Be sure that the files mpik'r.exe, mpik'r.hlp, tutor3.dat, and the batch files such as mpikc.bat, mpikm.bat, etc. are present. We will be using these files in the tutorials. This is a fairly complex example, but it is a good tour of MacroPIK'r. Here we go. In this tutorial we will look at a yearly revenue report and save part of its data using the CSV format for 1-2-3, and part of it using the Flat format for a word processing program. Page 11 Chapter 4 MacroPIK'r User Manual Tutorial We will use the report in the file "tutor3.dat". Again, this is a wide report. We don't have room to show its full width here, but here's what the first few lines look like: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NORTHWEST REGION PAGE 01 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING SEP 84 REVENUE(IN DOLLARS) FOR PRODUCT ... CORPID COMPANY NAME OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB ------ ------------------ --- --- --- --- --- AB1223 BADD CORP 0 0 0 0 0 BC1459 HENRY'S POWER VAC 95214 88814 91664 131782 88270 CD5569 BENNIE GROUP LIFE 217 299 320 249 262 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * We'll be using MacroPIK'r to save the data in the "CORPID" column and all the monthly revenue figures for 1-2-3. Then we'll save the monthly revenue totals for a word processor. Start MacroPIK'r: mpik'r tutor3.dat After the greeting message appears, press any key. Your screen should show the upper right portion of the report. The monthly revenue columns cover a fiscal year starting in October. Press the End key to verify this for yourself, then press Home to return to the top. Let's start by picking the rows from "CORPID" through "TOTAL". Move the cursor with the down-arrow key to "CORPID", then press Row-F4. Press the DO-IT key and the row is displayed in inverse. Stretch the picked row down to include all the data, through the "TOTAL" row, by holding down the shift key and pressing down- arrow eleven times. Now we'll copy these rows to the Paste Area. Press Pst-F1. You should see the same data divided into columns in the Paste Area. Next, we'll save just the corporate ID's ("CORPIDs") and the monthly revenues, without the "TOTAL" row, for 1-2-3. For our Page 12 Chapter 4 MacroPIK'r User Manual Tutorial purposes, we don't need the "COMPANY NAME" column or the row with the dashes in it, so we'll delete both of them. First, move the cursor to the top left by pressing Home. Then move to column B by pressing Tab. (Each press of the tab key Tab moves the cursor one column to the right, until it reaches the end; then it jumps to the first column of the next row. Back-Tab -- the shifted tab key -- goes to the left and up instead.) Select the column by pressing Col-F2 and then the DO-IT key. The column should "select" in reverse video. Next, go to the Cut Sub-Menu by pressing Cut-F7, then press Del-F9 and Y. This gets rid of column B, and the columns to the right shift over to the left to fill in the space. Next we'll delete the row of dashes. Move down a row with down- arrow so the cursor is on the dashes, then press Row-F4, DO-IT, and Del-F9. Press Y to finish the deletion, then Esc to return to the Paste Area Menu. The row of dashes should disappear. This is roughly what you should see at this point: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CORPID | OCT | NOV | DEC | JAN | FEB | AB1223 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BC1459 | 95214 | 88814 | 91664 |131782 | 88270 | CD5569 | 217 | 299 | 320 | 249 | 262 | DE3507 | 167 | 167 | 167 | 167 | 167 | EG2259 |114456 | 98952 |105888 |103670 | 95234 | FR4563 | 2922 | 1957 | 2158 | 1931 | 1937 | GG4550 | 786 | 782 | 767 | 962 | 503 | HT9921 |467282 |403648 |439084 |454124 |453687 | LR6666 | 255 | 266 | 263 | 199 | 188 | TOTAL |681299 |594885 |640311 |693084 |640249 | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Now we'll save the corporate ID's and monthly revenues. If it isn't already there, move the cursor to the row beginning with "AB1223". First select the data to output: Press Row-F4 followed by DO-IT. Adjust the picked row down through the "LR6666" row by holding the shift key and pressing down-arrow eight times. Then, Out-F3 to select the Output Sub-Menu, then press Csv-F7 and type Page 13 Chapter 4 MacroPIK'r User Manual Tutorial in the output file name "t3.dat". Use the default delimiter (commas). Press DO-IT and MacroPIK'r will output the file. Next we'll delete the rows we just saved, then save the totals for a word processing file. Press Esc to get back to the Paste Area Menu, then press Cut-F7, and Del-F9. Press Y to complete the Delete command, then press Esc to get back to the Paste Area Menu, followed by Fix-F5. Move the cursor to the upper left by pressing Home, then select the "CORPID" cell (we want to edit it to say "MONTH") by pressing Cel-F6, then DO-IT. Press Edt-F5 and type in the new contents of the cell: " MONTH": * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MONTH | OCT | NOV | DEC | JAN | FEB | TOTAL |681299 |594885 |640311 |693084 |640249 | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Then press the Edt-F5 key again to make the change permanent. What we want to include in the document we're word-processing is a two column summary of total sales by month, but what we have is two rows instead. MacroPIK'r can switch rows into columns, or columns into rows, as part of a Move or Copy command. This is called "transposing" rows and columns. So we'll start a Move command, then use the Transpose command to transpose the two rows into two columns. Press Esc to get back to the Paste Area Menu again, then Cut-F7. (This is where the move and transpose commands are.) Select the entire Paste Area with All-F8, then press Mov-F1 to begin a move operation. (Note that the move can be to the same place it started from, which is what we will do here.) Press Trn-F5 and an outline of where the data will move will appear in columns A and B. Press Mov-F1 again to finish the move-transpose: Page 14 Chapter 4 MacroPIK'r User Manual Tutorial * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MONTH| TOTAL| OCT| 681299| NOV| 594885| DEC| 640311| JAN| 693084| FEB| 640249| MAR| 682286| APR| 557487| MAY| 623551| JUN| 551325| JUL| 551055| AUG| 552412| SEP| 418970| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Now we need to save our work. (Notice that the transposed data is still "picked".) Press Esc to get back to the Paste Area Menu, then Out-F3. Press Flt-F1 for the "Flat" word-processor format, and type the file name "t3.flt". Press DO-IT to finish the command. Then, when MacroPIK'r is finished saving the rows, press Esc to return to the Paste Area Menu. Press Xit-F9 and Y to exit from MacroPIK'r back to DOS. The two files we created, "t3.dat" for 1-2-3 and "t3.flt" for a word processing program, can now be used by their respective programs. Page 15 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Chapter 5 Commands Starting MacroPIK'r For installation, please follow the instructions in the README.DOC file that comes with MacroPIK'r. (This will put all the MacroPIK'r files in a directory, such as "\MPIK".) You can start MacroPIK'r like any other DOS program, by simply typing its name at the command prompt. You may have to type the "path" to the MacroPIK'r directory too: \mpik\mpik'r We have provided a number of simple Batch files that will run MacroPIK'r and pass some hardware support switches to it: mpikc.bat color graphics adapter (VGA, EGA, CGA) with color monitor (fastest, uses direct hardware access for screen display) Same as "-hdwr - color". mpikm.bat monochrome display adapter (also uses hardware) Same as "-hdwr -mono". mpikbw.bat color graphics adapter with black-and-white monitor (Handy for laptops) Same as "-hdwr - bw". mpikb.bat IBM-PC compatible BIOS monochrome (slower, uses BIOS for screen display) Same as "- bios -mono". mpikd.bat IBM-PC compatible DOS monochrome (slowest, uses DOS ANSI for screen display) Same as "- dos -mono". Page 16 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands If you want to use one of these, instead of passing command line switches to mpik'r.exe, just copy it to a directory in your PATH (or add the directory that MacroPIK'r is in to your PATH). Note that MacroPIK'r will do a good job of figuring out what kind of display adapter you have, so you normally don't need these. The default video access mode is "-bios", using the BIOS for screen display. After the program is loaded from the disk you should see the copyright screen, within a few seconds at most. As an option, you may type one of the commands above followed by a "flag" and then the name of an input file on the same line, before pressing Enter. -flt Flat (Standard ASCII text) -wks WKS (Lotus WR1, WK1, WKS formats) -dif DIF (Data Interchange Format) -csv[X] CSV (Comma Separated Values, optional delimiter character [X]) -slk SYLK (Microsoft) -fxl[N] FXL (Fixed-Length Records of length [N]) -dbf dBASE "DBF" file For example mpikm -wks myfile.wk1 will display the upper left portion of the WKS (Lotus worksheet) file "myfile.wk1" after the program starts. The -csv flag may optionally be followed by a single character to use as a field delimiter. For example mpikm -csv: register.csv will display the first part of the CSV file "register.csv" interpreting colons (:) in the file as the separator character instead of commas (the default). The -fxl flag must be followed by a number which indicates the length of each record in the file, since record termination characters (such as carriage returns and newlines) are not used in this format. For example mpikm -fxl80 report.fxl Page 17 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands will display the first part of the 80 character per record FXL file "report.fxl". If you omit the flag, the file is assumed to be in the Flat (standard ASCII) format. If you omit the file name, you can use the Input command after MacroPIK'r starts to display a file. Once you are in MacroPIK'r you may open, in succession, as many files, of any type, as you like. If you are setting up batch files that invoke MacroPIK'r, you can also start MacroPIK'r and begin a Macro, with parameters, from the command line: mpikc -dbf mydata.dbf @mymacro out.dat 42 This runs MacroPIK'r in color, opens the input file 'mydata.dbf' as a dBASE file, then loads and runs the macro 'mymacro.mp' and passes it the two parameters 'out.dat' (possibly a file name?) and '42'. You can set up your macros to be as complex as you wish -- they can call other macros, open and close input and output files, run DOS commands, and so on. The MacroPIK'r Screen o Top left: the Esc key is used to cancel commands and Sub- Menus. You can either click the mouse on the Esc field in the screen, or press the Esc key on the keyboard. o Top left, just below Esc: the Menu Indicator shows the name of the menu currently displayed. o Left side of screen: the Function Keys show the current menu of commands. o Bottom left: the highlighted portion of the Map Area shows what part of your data is currently displayed in the Text Window. o Top of screen: the Status Line displays current status information or brief descriptions of function key commands. o Second line, below Status: the Column Marks or Column Names -- where the data is divided into columns -- press Page 18 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands DO-IT to toggle a ">" mark to change a Report column division, or to adjust column widths in the Paste Area (select columns first). See below. o Main part of screen: the Text Window is a window into your data; it can be moved or "scrolled" to look at different parts of your data. o Data in a picked region is always HIGHLIGHTED (dark characters on a light background). Column Markers Line Setting Column Markers (Dividers) in the Report Area: MacroPIK'r will set the column dividers based on whatever the input file has for the "structured" formats CSV, SYLK, DIF, WKS, and DBF. It will try to guess for flat and fixed-length record files. In any case you can adjust the column dividers yourself. To change the column markers, move the cursor to the line above the Report Area where the ">" marks are -- actually either of the top two lines. Pressing DO-IT will "toggle" the mark under the cursor -- if it was there it will go away, if it wasn't there one will be put in. Adjust them until they are OK, then once you have selected the data you want, you can issue the Pst-F1 command. The selected data will be copied into the Paste Area based on the indicated column divisions. To restore all column markers to their original positions, move the cursor to the first (leftmost) column marker and press DO-IT. Information in the input file is used to determine where the column markers are initially placed. If the file contains data in the Flat (standard ASCII) or FXL (Fixed Length Record) format, MacroPIK'r makes its best "guess" as to where the markers should be placed based upon the distribution of the letters and numbers in the file. If the file contains data in one of the "structured" formats (WKS, CSV, DIF, SYLK, DBF), the column width information encoded in the file itself tells MacroPIK'r where to place the markers. Column Widths in the Paste Area MacroPIK'r allows you to control the width of each column in the Paste Area. Each column's width is automatically set only when it is empty and new data is placed in it. For example, when new data from the Report Area is copied to the Paste Area using the Page 19 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Paste command and no data previously occupied a column, that column's width is set to the width of the column being copied. Column widths may also be set to a particular value, incremented or decremented by one, or set to the widest cell in that column, either individually or as a group. To set the width of a single column, deselect any region that may be picked by pressing whichever function key is "lit": Col-F2, Row-F4, Cel-F6 or All- F8. Next, move the cursor to the "column heading" just above the column whose width you want to change. For example, to set the width for column F, move to the area just above the column containing the letter "F". (Note that the cursor may also be moved to either of the two lines above the column heading for ease of use with a mouse.) Press DO-IT (the return key or the left mouse button) and MacroPIK'r responds by asking "Set width of column F to (N/<-/->): ". To set the width to, say, 12 characters, enter 12 followed by return. To increment or decrement a column's width, enter the number of characters you want the column incremented or decremented by, followed by the right-arrow or left-arrow key on the keypad, then finish by pressing return. You may also increment or decrement a column's width one character at a time by pressing the right- arrow or left-arrow key until the column reaches the desired width, then finish by pressing return. To set the width of a column to the widest cell in the column, enter a 0 then return. To set the widths of a group of columns, pick a region with the Column, Row, Cell or All command, then proceed as described above. All columns in the picked region will be set to a particular width, incremented, decremented or set to the widest cell in each column. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Commands The following section describes each command in detail. To issue one of these commands, press (or click the mouse on the picture of) the indicated function key. As you go into a sub-menu, the picture of the function keys on the screen changes to show you Page 20 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands the new menu as well as the menu you came from. Use Esc to leave a sub-menu. Xit-F9 Exit MacroPIK'r When Use the Exit command when you're finished using MacroPIK'r and have saved any Paste Area data you wish to convert with one of the Output commands. What The MacroPIK'r program terminates execution, clears the screen and returns you to DOS. MacroPIK'r may display a screen of registration reminder information -- press any key to continue. If you haven't already done so, please register your copy of MacroPIK'r; if you have, sorry for the interruption. How Press Xit-F9 from either the Report Area or Paste Area Menu. MacroPIK'r will ask you if you are sure -- type a Y or press the right button on the mouse if you are, or anything else to cancel the command. Notes The Exit command does not automatically save any data for you. You must first do this yourself with one of the Output commands. Hlp-F10 Help When Use the Help command when you need help using MacroPIK'r. What The Help command temporarily clears the text window on the screen and displays some information related to what you are currently doing. At the bottom of each Help Page is a list of related Help Pages that can be displayed by pressing one of the function keys. Some of the Help Pages contain more information than will fit on the screen at one time. To display the areas you can't see, press PgUp or PgDn. How Press Hlp-F10 from any menu in MacroPIK'r. To return to where you left off, press Esc. Page 21 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Notes From each Help Page, pressing function key Bgn-F1 will always display the first Help Page. Function key Prv- F10 will display the previous Help Page. The help information is stored in the file "mpik'r.hlp". MacroPIK'r attempts to locate this file first in the same directory that MacroPIK'r (mpik'r.exe) started from, then in the current directory, then in any directory in your PATH. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Pick Commands Col-F2 Pick a Column When Many of MacroPIK'r's commands need a picked region of data first. Use the Column command when you want to pick columns of data. What In the Report Area, MacroPIK'r selects the column that lies between the nearest Column Markers to the left and right of the cursor, and highlights it (see the description of the Column Markers Line). The height of the column is the full height of the current page. (The height of the current page is determined by the input file's page length as described under Input Commands.) In the Paste Area, MacroPIK'r selects the column under the cursor and highlights it. How Press Col-F2 from any menu, move the cursor to the desired column, and press DO-IT. The column is highlighted to show that it's been picked. To "unpick" the column, press Col-F2 again. To adjust (stretch) the picked region, hold down the Shift key and move the cursor to the boundary of the picked region (or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse). The boundary will move with the cursor until Shift (or the mouse button) is released. Notes MacroPIK'r divides the input file into pages whose length is specified in the Input command used to display Page 22 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands the file. See the individual Input commands, Flt, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, FXL, and DBF. Row-F4 Pick a Row When Many of MacroPIK'r's commands need a picked region of data first. Use the Row command when you want to pick rows of data. What The picked row is highlighted to show that it's been picked. How Press Row-F4 from any menu, move the cursor to the desired row, and press DO-IT. To "unpick" the row, press Row-F4 again. To adjust (stretch) the picked region, hold down the Shift key and move the cursor to the boundary of the picked region (or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse). The boundary will move with the cursor until Shift (or the mouse button) is released. Cel-F6 Pick a Cell When Many of MacroPIK'r's commands need a picked region of data first. Use the Cell command when you want to pick cells of data. What In the Report Area, MacroPIK'r selects the cell that lies between the two closest Column Markers on either side of the cursor and highlights it. In the Paste Area, MacroPIK'r selects the cell under the cursor and highlights it. How Press Cel-F6 from any menu, move the cursor to the desired cell, and press DO-IT. To "unpick" the cell, press Cel-F6 again. To adjust (stretch) the picked region, hold down the Shift key and move the cursor to the boundary of the picked region (or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse). The boundary will move with the cursor until Shift (or the mouse button) is released. All-F8 Pick Entire Area When Many of MacroPIK'r's commands need a picked region of data first. Use the All command when you want to pick Page 23 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands the entire page in the Report Area, or all rows and columns in the Paste Area. What The entire page in the Report Area, or all Paste Area rows and columns are highlighted as soon as All-F8 is pressed. How Press All-F8 from any menu. To cancel the picked region, press All-F8 again. To adjust (stretch) the picked region, hold down the Shift key and move the cursor to the boundary of the picked region (or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse). The boundary will move with the cursor until Shift (or the mouse button) is released. Notes MacroPIK'r divides the input file into pages whose length is specified in the Input command used to display the file. See the individual Input commands, Flt, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, FXL, and DBF. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Menu Commands In-F3 The Input Sub-Menu When Use the Input command when you want to display or browse another (or the first) file, or if you wish to see a directory listing. What The Input command displays the Input Sub-Menu. How Press In-F3 from the Report Area Menu. To return to the Report Area Menu, press Esc. Notes See the individual Input commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, DBF, and FXL for information on displaying a file or directory listing (page 27). Pst-F1 Go To the Paste Area When Use the Paste command when you are in the Report Area and want to switch over to the Paste Area. If there is a picked region of data in the Report Area when the Page 24 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Paste command is used, it will be copied to the Paste Area. What MacroPIK'r takes you to its other main work space, the Paste Area: the input file is erased from the screen and the accumulated rows and columns of data that you have selected from the Report Area are displayed. If there is a picked region of data in the Report Area when the Paste command is used (see the Column, Row, Cell, and All commands), MacroPIK'r will ask which "direction" to copy the data: down or to the right. If you select "down" (with the Down-Arrow key) the data is copied below any data that was already in the Paste Area. If you select "right" (with the Right-Arrow key) the data is copied to the right. As it is being copied, MacroPIK'r will split the data into Paste Area columns at each of the Column Markers in the Report Area (see the Column Markers command above). How From the Report Area Menu, press Pst-F1. To return to the Report Area after using the Paste command, press Rpt-F1. Rpt-F1 Go To the Report Area When Use the Report command when you are in the Paste Area and wish to go to the Report Area. What The Report Area is displayed. If you had been looking at a file previously in the Report Area, it is displayed just the way you left it. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Rpt-F1. To return to the Paste Area after using the Report command, press Pst-F1. Out-F3 The Output Sub-Menu When Use the Output command when you want to save some or all of the data in the Paste Area for a spreadsheet, database or word processor program. What The Output command displays the Output Sub-Menu, from which you can select one of several formats for saving the picked region of data in the Paste Area. Page 25 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands How From the Paste Area Menu, press Out-F3. To return to the Paste Area Menu, press Esc. Notes See the individual Output commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, DBF, or FXL for information on saving all or part of the Paste Area (page 31). Fix-F5 The Fix Sub-Menu When Use the Fix command when you need access to one of the following commands: Merge, Divide, Edit, Number, and Text. What The Fix command displays the Fix Sub-Menu. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5. To return to the Paste Area Menu, press Esc. Notes See the individual Fix commands Merge, Divide, Edit, Number, and Text (pages 34 - 38). Cut-F7 The Cut Sub-Menu When Use the Cut command when you need access to one of the following commands: Move, Copy, Transpose, Insert, and Delete. What The Cut command displays the Cut Sub-Menu. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7. To return to the Paste Area Menu, press Esc. Notes See the individual Cut commands Move, Copy, Transpose, Insert, and Delete (pages 39 - 41). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Page 26 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands File Commands Input Commands Flt-F1 Flat (input) Wks-F3 WKS (input) Dif-F5 DIF (input) Csv-F7 CSV (input) Slk-F9 SYLK (input) Fxl-F2 FXL (input) Dbf-F4 DBF (input) When Use one of the Input commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, DBF or FXL when you want to display another (or the first) file into the Report Area, or if you want to see a directory listing of the files on a disk. What The Input commands display another (or the first) file, or a directory listing of files on a disk. How All six Input commands except CSV and FXL are used the same way. Press In-F3 from the Report Area Menu to display the Input Sub-Menu, then press the key corresponding to the format of the file you want to display: Flt-F1 Word processors, mainframe reports, most any printable report file. Wks-F3 Lotus (1-2-3, others) Dif-F5 Data Interchange Format -- Many older programs (e.g.: Visicalc) Csv-F7 BASIC, many others Slk-F9 Multiplan, Excel Fxl-F2 Fixed-Length Format Dbf-F4 dBASE files MacroPIK'r will respond by asking for the name of a file to display. Type the file name followed by Enter. If the file does not exist, MacroPIK'r will display an error message. Page 27 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Wildcard File Names: If you're not sure what your input file is named, or if you want to see what files are on a disk, display the Input Sub-Menu as described above and press one of the input commands (Flt-F1, Wks-F3, Dif-F5, Csv-F7, Slk-F9, Fxl-F2, or Dbf-F4). Then, instead of typing a file name, type a DOS file "specification", just as you would for the DOS "dir" command. For example, to see a directory of all files on disk A having an extension of ".dat", type "a:*.dat". To select a file to display from the directory, move the cursor to the file name and press DO-IT. (Remember, the file must be in the proper format for the input command you used to display the directory. For example, use the WKS (input) command to display a WKS format file.) To erase the directory and return to where you left off instead of displaying a new file, press Esc. Next, MacroPIK'r asks you to enter the page length to use for the input file. If you enter a negative number, each page will be 66 lines long (the number of lines on a "standard" printed page -- with this option, Flat format files will have a page break every 66 lines, or at every formfeed character, whichever comes first). If you enter a number from 1 to 32,767, each page will contain that many lines. If you enter 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The default page length for all file types is 0 (no paging) except for flat files, where it is 66. For the CSV command only, MacroPIK'r will next ask for the field delimiter to look for. To select the default delimiter (a comma) press DO-IT. To specify a different character, type the character followed by DO-IT. For the FXL command only, MacroPIK'r will next ask for the length of each record in the file. Enter the length followed by DO-IT. If you don't know the record length, you can experiment. Start with a guess and look at the screen. If the information looks like diagonal stripes going up to the right (///) try a slightly smaller number. If you see diagonal stripes going down to the left (\\\) try a slightly larger number. Page 28 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands To return to the Report Area Menu from the Input Sub- Menu, press Esc. Notes Many of MacroPIK'r's commands operate on the current page. These include the Column and All commands which pick a column of data and all the data on the current page, and the Home and End commands that move the cursor to the upper left and lower right of the current page. The number you enter for the page length determines how many lines constitute a page. When you do an input command, the new file will replace the previous file in the Report Area. You can view as many files in succession as you like. Fnd-F5 Search for a String in the Input File When Use the Find command when you want to locate a "string" of characters (for example, someone's name) in the file. What The Find command attempts to find a string in the file by searching either forward or backward from your current position in the file. If the cursor is inside the text area on the screen, the search begins from the location of the cursor. Otherwise, the search begins from the upper left corner of the text area. If the search string is found, the cursor is moved to the beginning of it; otherwise the cursor is returned to its original position. The Find command is "case insensitive", which means that if you search for "price index", the command will match the strings "PRICE INDEX" as well as "Price Index", etc. in the file. How Press Fnd-F5 from the Report Area Menu. MacroPIK'r will ask you for a string by displaying "Find: " at the top of the screen. Use the following keys to complete the command: S Left-Arrow Search backward for string "S" Left-Arrow Search backward for PREVIOUS string S Right-Arrow Search forward for string "S" Right-Arrow Search forward for PREVIOUS string Page 29 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands If you terminate the search string by pressing Enter, MacroPIK'r will ask for the search direction. Answer with one of the arrow keys. Notes The Find command will search all the way to the begin- ning or end of the file, which may take a long time if the file is large. You can interrupt a long search by pressing Esc. Pag-F7 Goto Another Page When Use the Page command to display another page in the file. What The Page command displays the requested page from the file, if possible. Thus, asking for page 80 in a 3-page file will display the last page of the file instead, along with a message that MacroPIK'r can't get page 80. How Press Pag-F7 from the Report Area Menu. MacroPIK'r will ask you for a page number by displaying "Page: " at the top of the screen. Use the following keys to complete the command: N Enter Display page N N Left-Arrow Display Nth page before current one Left-Arrow Display previous page N Right-Arrow Display Nth page after current one Right-Arrow Display next page Enter Do nothing -- keep the current page Notes MacroPIK'r divides a file into pages whose length is specified by one of the Input commands (see the discussion above on the Input commands). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Page 30 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Output Commands Flt-F1 Flat (output) Wks-F3 WKS (output) Dif-F5 DIF (output) Csv-F7 CSV (output) Slk-F9 SYLK (output) Fxl-F2 FXL (output) Dbf-F4 DBF (output) When Use one of the Output commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, FXL, or DBF when you are ready to save some or all of the data in the Paste Area to a file to be loaded into your spreadsheet, database or word processor program. What MacroPIK'r saves each cell in the picked region as either a number or a label (text). Any cell with quotes around it is saved as a label, regardless of its content, while any cell without quotes around it is saved as a number if it "looks like" a number, otherwise it is output as a label. A cell "looks like" a number if it contains only digits and possibly a decimal point or minus sign (numbers in "scientific notation" are OK too). That is, any number with dollar signs ($), commas (,) and other punctuation will be output as a label -- only "clean" numbers will be output as numbers unless the Number command is explicitly used first. For the WKS command only, these rules are relaxed somewhat to allow leading dollar signs, embedded commas and trailing percent signs in a number using the U.S. numeric format convention. (See the Number command for an explanation of numeric format conventions.) MacroPIK'r supports all Lotus Worksheet numeric display formats (for all versions of 1-2-3 and Symphony) except HIDDEN and TEXT when displaying worksheet files in the Report Area. (The HIDDEN format is for hiding cells in the worksheet so that they don't appear in the display - these cells will appear in MacroPIK'r. The TEXT format Page 31 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands displays formulas as they were entered, instead of as their value - MacroPIK'r always displays the formula's value.) MacroPIK'r does not support the conversion of formatted (human readable) dates and times to their serial and fractional numeric worksheet representations with the WKS (output) command. Instead, dates and times are saved as labels in the worksheet file which can then be converted to their numeric equivalents if need be with 1-2-3 Release 2 or greater, or Symphony -- if you are using Symphony, the Query Parse command will perform this conversion. In 1-2-3, use the /Data Parse command. If there is not enough room available on the disk, only as much data as will fit on the disk is saved, and MacroPIK'r displays an error message. How All six Output commands are used the same way. Pick a region of data in the Paste Area to be saved with the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, and press Out-F3 from the Paste Area Menu to display the Output Sub-Menu. Then press the key corresponding to the format suited to your spreadsheet, database or word processor program: Flt-F1 Word processors Wks-F3 1-2-3 & Symphony Dif-F5 Visicalc & others Csv-F7 dBASE, BASIC Slk-F9 Multiplan, Excel Fxl-F2 Fixed-Length Records MacroPIK'r will respond by asking for the name of a file for saving the data. Type the file name followed by Enter. If a file of the same name as the one you specify already exists, MacroPIK'r will display a message asking if you want the existing file to be replaced by the new one. By typing a Y in response, the old file is erased and the new one (with your Paste Area data) is created. Typing anything else cancels the command and MacroPIK'r asks for another file name. For the CSV command only, MacroPIK'r will ask for the field delimiter to use. To select the default delimiter Page 32 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands (a comma) press DO-IT. To specify a different character, type the character followed by DO-IT. For the FXL command only, MacroPIK'r will ask for the length of each record in the fixed-length record file you are creating. To accept the default length of the sum of the widths of the columns in the picked region, press DO-IT. Otherwise, enter the length to use followed by DO-IT. Note: If this number is less than the default, records will be truncated (from the right) to the length you specify. If this number is greater than the default, records will be blank-padded to the length you specify. For the DBF command, if you specified an EXISTING file MacroPIK'r will ask whether you want to APPEND to it, preserving its structure, or REPLACE all of its records, but preserving its structure, or CREATE a new file, structure and all. When you are creating a new DBF file, the width of each column in the picked region determines the size of the corresponding field in the DBF file. (See also "Setting Column Widths in the Paste Area", page 19). MacroPIK'r determines the data types of the fields (character, numeric, logical or date) by looking at the data in the first row of the picked region: If a cell contains the single letter Y, y, N, n, T, t, F or f, the field's type is logical. If a cell contains a date in the form MM/DD/YY (for example, 10/22/86), the field's type is date. If a cell contains a "clean" number the field's type is numeric. Otherwise, the field's type is character. In any case, a field may be forced to the character type by surrounding a cell's contents with quotes. When new data is either appended or replaces data in a DBF file (without altering the structure of the existing file) the new data is made to "conform" to that structure by padding each cell on the right if necessary with blanks, or truncating the data to fit into the structure. An error message is displayed if MacroPIK'r had to truncate any data, but the command is completed in case this was the intended effect. To return to the Paste Area Menu from the Output Sub- Menu, press Esc. Page 33 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Notes MacroPIK'r allows you to name your files however you like, but many spreadsheet and database programs require that file names have certain extensions. For example, 1-2-3 (v1A) requires the extension .WKS, 1-2-3 (Release 2) requires .WK1, Symphony (v1.0) requires .WRK and Symphony (v1.1) requires .WR1. Check the instructions for the program you are using to see if it has any such restrictions on file names. See also the Number and Text commands which explain how to control numeric and text (label) conversions. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Fix Commands Mrg-F1 Merge Two or More Columns When Use the Merge command when you want to merge two or more Paste Area columns of data into one column. What The merge command merges two or more columns into a single column. Columns to the right of the merged columns are shifted appropriately. For example, if there are four columns of data, A, B, C and D, and columns A, B and C are merged, there will be two columns after the merge: columns A, B and C merge into A, and column D is shifted to B. How Select the columns of data to be merged with the Column command. The columns to be merged must be adjacent -- if they're not, you can use the Move command to rearrange them. From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5 to display the Fix Sub-Menu, pick the columns to be merged, then press Mrg-F1. MacroPIK'r will ask you if you are sure -- type a Y or press the right button on the mouse if you are, or anything else to cancel the command. Notes MacroPIK'r limits the width of each column in the Paste Area to 2000. If the sum of the widths of the columns to be merged exceeds this amount, MacroPIK'r displays an error message and cancels the command. Page 34 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands See also the Divide command below: Div-F3 Divide a Column When Use the Divide command when you want to divide a Paste Area column of data into two columns. What The column is divided to the immediate left of the cursor location when DO-IT was pressed. For example, if the cursor is on the "z" in "kazoo", the column is split into "ka" and "zoo". Columns to the right of the divided columns are shifted appropriately. For example, if there are three columns of data, A, B, and C, and column B is divided, there will be four columns after the divide: column C is shifted to D, and column B is divided into B and C. How Select the column to be divided with the Column command. From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5 to display the Fix Sub-Menu, pick the column to be divided using the Column command, then press Div-F3. Move the cursor to the place in the column where you want it divided and press DO-IT. Notes See also the Merge command above. Edt-F5 Edit data When Use the Edit command when you want to edit existing data in the Paste Area, or if you want to enter new data from the keyboard. What The Edit command functions like a very simple text editor: it allows you to "fudge" data in the Paste Area or enter new rows or columns of data from the keyboard. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5 to display the Fix Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Edt-F5. MacroPIK'r pauses for a moment while it makes a "backup" of the data in the picked region (in case you later want to "undo" your editing changes). When the cursor is placed inside the picked region of data, characters typed on the keyboard replace the characters under the cursor. If the cursor is outside the picked region, or on the vertical "divider" line Page 35 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands between columns, characters typed on the keyboard have no effect. The mouse, arrow keys and other cursor controls (except the + "More" key) can be used to position the cursor. In addition, DO-IT will move the cursor to the "next" cell from left to right, top to bottom in the picked region. To stop editing and keep the changes you made, press Edt-F5 again. To stop editing and restore the old contents of the picked region, press Esc. The following table summarizes the keyboard characters and their functions while editing: Letters, Overstrike character at cursor Digits, and Punctuation Enter Go to next cell Backspace Delete character left of cursor Ins Insert space at cursor Del Delete character at cursor Edt-F5 Exit editing session Esc Undo editing session Notes MacroPIK'r limits the width of each column in the Paste Area to 2000. If you attempt to increase the width of a column with the Ins key past this amount, MacroPIK'r will display an error message. Num-F7 Convert Data to Numbers When Use the Number command when you want to convert part or all of the Paste Area to numbers. When you save your data with one of the Output commands, MacroPIK'r does its best to determine whether a cell is a number or a label (see the Output commands). To gain some control over this process, you can explicitly convert the data in a picked region to numbers using the Number command. What The data in the picked region is converted to numbers. These are the rules MacroPIK'r applies to each cell during the conversion: Dollar signs ($) and other non-numeric characters are deleted from the beginning and end of the cell. If there are any decimal digits (0-9) left, the cell is considered to be a number if it follows the numeric Page 36 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands format conventions you specify (see "How to use it" below). In addition, the number is negative if there is a leading minus sign (-), or if the number is enclosed in parentheses, or if the number has the letters "CR" (or "cr") after it. Numbers in scientific notation, for example, "6.63E-34" or "3.00e+08", are also supported. Warning: combinations of parentheses, minus signs, and "CR" will produce a negative number if the sum of the combinations is odd. That is, (4.95) and 4.95 CR are -4.95, (4.95 CR) is +4.95, while (-4.95 CR) equals -4.95. If the cell satisfies these rules, it is converted to a "clean" number: leading dollar signs, embedded commas, parentheses, "CR"'s, etc., are removed. If a cell in the picked region does not satisfy the rules for ANY of the numeric format conventions, the Number command will remove all characters from the cell (except decimal digits and, possibly, a decimal point) in order to make a more "vigorous" attempt at the conversion. If there are no decimal digits in the cell at all, it's converted to zero (0). Note that blank cells become zeros (0). How From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5 to display the Fix Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Num-F7. If you respond to the Number command prompt "Convert the picked cell(s) to numbers? (U/E/M/A)" by typing a "A", MacroPIK'r will Automatically determine which format convention the numbers use, and will use that convention for the conversion. With this option, MacroPIK'r will ask which format convention to use if more than one type is used in the picked region, or if any number could be interpreted differently depending on which convention is used. To tell MacroPIK'r explicitly which convention to use, you can type the letter "U" to use the U.S. convention of using a comma (,) as the thousands separator and a dot (.) for the decimal point, or type "E" to use the European convention which reverses the role of these two characters, or type "M" to use the Metric convention Page 37 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands which uses a space ( ) for the thousands separator on both sides of the decimal point and a dot for the decimal point: A Automatic (best guess) U U.S. 1,234.56 E European 1,234,56 M Metric 1 234.56 You can cancel the conversion by typing Esc to the U/E/M/A prompt. Notes The Number command is essentially irreversible, although you could always go back to the Report Area and pick the data again. See also the Output commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK and FXL (page 31). Txt-F9 Convert Data to Text When Use the Text command when you want to convert part or all of the Paste Area to labels (text). When you save your data with one of the Output commands, MacroPIK'r does its best to determine whether a cell is a number or a label (see the Output commands). To gain some control over this process, you can explicitly convert the data in a picked region to labels using the Text command. This is handy for things like part numbers. What The data in the picked region is converted to labels (text) by surrounding each cell with quote marks ("). This becomes significant when the Paste Area is saved with one of the Output commands; any cell with quotes around it is saved as a label (text), regardless of its content, while any cell without quotes around it is saved as a number if it looks like a number -- otherwise it is saved as a label. A cell "looks like" a number if it contains digits with perhaps a minus sign and decimal point. That is, any number with dollar signs ($), commas (,) or other punctuation will be output as a label -- only "clean" numbers will be output as numbers. (See the discussion of the Number command, page 36.) How From the Paste Area Menu, press Fix-F5 to display the Fix Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Txt-F9. Page 38 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands MacroPIK'r will ask you if you are sure -- type a Y or press the right button on the mouse if you are, or anything else to cancel the command. Notes The Text command is essentially irreversible, although you can always go back to the Report Area and pick the data again, or use the Edit command to manually remove the quotes -- or the Number command. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Cut Commands Mov-F1 Move Data When Use the Move command when you want to move data in the Paste Area (without leaving a copy of it behind). What The Move command moves the data in the picked region to another place in the Paste Area. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7 to display the Cut Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Mov-F1. The picked region of data changes to an inverse outline to indicate where you are (tentatively) going to move to. Move the cursor to the upper left corner of the place in the Paste Area you wish to move the data to and press DO-IT. The inverse outline is moved to this place, but no data is moved yet. Continue to move the cursor and press DO-IT until you are satisfied with where the data will be moved, then press Mov-F1 again to complete the move. To "undo" the Move command once it has been started (but before it has been completed) press Esc. Notes The Move command allows you to partially, or even completely, overlap the "source" and "destination" of the move. However, if you try to move data in such a way that any part of it is beyond the maximum limits of the Paste Area, MacroPIK'r will display a warning message and give you a chance to move the data somewhere else. Page 39 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Cpy-F3 Copy Data When Use the Copy command when you want to make a copy of data in the Paste Area. What The Copy command copies the data in the picked region to another place in the Paste Area. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7 to display the Cut Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Cpy-F3. The picked region of data changes to an inverse outline to indicate where you are tentatively going to copy to. Move the cursor to the upper left corner of the place in the Paste Area you wish to copy the data to and press DO-IT. The inverse outline is moved to this place, but no data is copied yet. Continue to move the cursor and press DO-IT until you are satisfied with where the data will be copied, then press Cpy-F3 again to complete the copy. To "undo" the Copy command once it has been started (but before it has been completed) press Esc. Notes The Copy command allows you to partially, or even completely, overlap the "source" and "destination" of the copy. However, if you try to copy data in such a way that any part of it is beyond the maximum limits of the Paste Area, MacroPIK'r will display a warning message and then let you copy the data somewhere else. Trn-F5 Transpose Columns and Rows When Use the Transpose command when you want to change Paste Area columns to rows, or rows to columns. What If a column is being transposed, it is "rotated" counterclockwise, i.e., the topmost cell in the column becomes the leftmost cell in the row. If a row is being transposed, it is "rotated" clockwise, i.e., the leftmost cell in the row becomes the topmost cell in the column. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7 to display the Cut Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then begin a Move or Copy command by pressing either Mov-F1 or Cpy-F3. The picked Page 40 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands region of data changes to an inverse outline to indicate where you are (tentatively) going to move or copy to (as usual). Then press Trn-F5. If the inverse outline was a column, it changes to a row, or vice versa. To restore the inverse outline to its original "shape", press either Esc or Trn-F5 again. Move the cursor to the upper left corner of the place in the Paste Area you wish to move or copy the data to and press DO-IT. The inverse outline is moved to this place, but no data is copied yet. Continue to move the cursor and press DO-IT until you are satisfied with where the transposed data will be moved or copied, then press either Mov-F1 or Cpy-F3 again to complete the command. To "undo" the Move or Copy command once it has been started (but before it has been completed) press Esc. Notes See the Move and Copy commands above. Ins-F7 Insert Empty Columns or Rows When Use the Insert command when you want to insert one or more empty columns or rows into the Paste Area. What If one or more columns were picked, that many empty columns are inserted to the immediate left of the picked region, and all columns to the right are shifted to the right. If one or more rows were picked, that many empty rows are inserted immediately above the picked region, and all rows below are shifted down. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7 to display the Cut Sub-Menu. Pick one or more columns or rows using the Column or Row command, then press Ins-F7 from the Cut Sub-Menu. Notes If you attempt to use the Insert command in such a way that a column or row would be shifted past the limits of the Paste Area, MacroPIK'r displays a warning message and cancels the command. Del-F9 Delete Data When Use the Delete command when you want to erase data from the Paste Area. Page 41 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands What The data in the picked region is erased. If the picked region was a column (or columns) spanning the entire active area, the column "closes up", i.e., columns to the right shift over into the deleted column. If the picked region was a row (or rows) spanning the entire active area, the row "closes up", i.e., rows below shift up into the deleted row. Otherwise, if the picked region is smaller than the active area, the data is deleted and nothing is shifted. How From the Paste Area Menu, press Cut-F7 to display the Cut Sub-Menu. Pick a region of data using the Column, Row, Cell, or All command, then press Del-F9. MacroPIK'r will ask you if you are sure -- type a Y or press the right button on the mouse, or anything else to cancel the command. Notes Once the data is deleted there is no way to recover it, short of going back to the Report Area and picking it again. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Miscellaneous Commands These are all commands that you perform with the Control key plus a letter: o Ctrl-G: "Goto" a specified location in the Report or Paste area. o Ctrl-R: Begin to record a Macro. o Ctrl-X: Execute a prerecorded Macro. o Ctrl-Q: Resume a suspended Macro. o Ctrl-S: "System" -- escape to DOS. o Ctrl-W: Repaint the screen. Page 42 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Ctrl-G Goto When Use the Goto command when you need to move the cursor to a new position and you know its exact coordinates (location). What The Goto command moves the cursor to the position you specify. How Ctrl-G: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press G. Enter the new position to move the cursor to, column first, then row separated by a space. In the Report Area use column numbers 1-2000. In the Paste Area use column letters A-ZZ. Use row numbers 1-32767 in the Report Area and 1-9999 in the Paste Area. Notes See also the cursor movement commands in the "Quick Overview" section (page 9). Ctrl-R Record a Macro When Use the Record command when you want to record a series of commands that will later be played back. What The Record command saves all subsequent commands until (but not including) the next Record command. How Ctrl-R: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press R. MacroPIK'r asks for a name to use for storing the macro - enter any legal DOS pathname, with or without an extension, and press Enter. If you don't include an extension, MacroPIK'r will use the extension ".mp". To stop recording, press Ctrl-R again (or exit from MacroPIK'r). Notes See also the "Macros" section (page 47). Ctrl-X Execute a Macro When Use the Execute command when you want to play back a series of commands that were previously stored with the Record command (or created using a text editor). What MacroPIK'r will play back (or "execute") each of the commands in the macro until it reaches the end of the macro. Page 43 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands How Ctrl-X: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press X. MacroPIK'r asks for the name of the macro - enter any legal DOS pathname, with or without an extension, and press Enter. If you don't include an extension, MacroPIK'r will use the extension ".mp". To stop the macro while it is running, press Esc. MacroPIK'r will give you the opportunity to (C)ancel the macro and return to regular processing, (R)esume execution of the macro from where it left off, (P)ause from execution temporarily (to execute regular commands then later resume execution with Ctrl-R) or to (S)tep through the macro, displaying each command in turn and waiting for a key to be pressed before executing it. Notes See also the "Macros" section. A suspended macro may be resumed, even after you have entered other commands, with the Ctrl-Q command. Ctrl-R Resume a Macro When Use the Resume command when you want to resume a macro that you have interrupted with Esc, and you have given MacroPIK'r some manual commands since, so the 'R' response can't be used. What MacroPIK'r will resume playing back the interrupted macro from where it left off. How Ctrl-Q: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press Q. Ctrl-S System Command (DOS) When Use the System command to temporarily leave MacroPIK'r and enter DOS. This is handy if you suddenly need to do DOS things and don't want to leave MacroPIK'r. What MacroPIK'r will free up as much memory as it can then run a new copy of DOS in that space. How Ctrl-S: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press S. You can perform any DOS functions you like, but be sure NOT to start any "Terminate-and-Stay-Resident" programs, such as PRINT -- if you do, the system may crash or hang when you exit DOS back to MacroPIK'r. Page 44 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands To leave DOS and go back to MacroPIK'r where you left off, type the "exit" command to DOS. Notes MacroPIK'r takes about 200k bytes when you do this, which usually leaves enough RAM for most programs. The "System" command, allows you to temporarily suspend the operation of MacroPIK'r and directly access DOS. When you press Ctrl-S MacroPIK'r saves its current state and lets you interact directly with DOS. This is very useful if you find that in the middle of a session with MacroPIK'r you need to format a floppy disk or work with other programs without exiting first. When you have finished working with DOS, type the DOS command "exit" to leave DOS and return to where you left off in MacroPIK'r. Though the System command can be very useful, please remember that it can also be somewhat dangerous. This is because while you are in DOS, MacroPIK'r is suspended and can't perform checks on your actions. In general, whatever DOS configuration was in existence when you left MacroPIK'r, must exist when you resume. If, for example, you delete the file you were looking at in the Report Area or install a "memory resident" TSR program, MacroPIK'r may behave unpredictably (or not at all) after you type "exit". Also, never issue the DOS "print" or "mode" commands (or other TSR programs) while MacroPIK'r is suspended, unless you have already done so before starting your current session with MacroPIK'r (these commands load TSRs the first time they are used). However, it is safe, and often quite useful, to change the current directory while MacroPIK'r is suspended - MacroPIK'r will keep track of where its files are. Note: The System command uses the DOS environment parameter "COMSPEC" to locate the command processor (usually command.com). See your DOS manual for details. Ctrl-W Repaint Screen When Use the Repaint command if your screen gets messed up by other programs while you are in MacroPIK'r, such as TSRs. What MacroPIK'r simply "repaints" the screen like it thinks it should look. How Ctrl-W: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press W. Page 45 Chapter 5 MacroPIK'r User Manual Commands Notes This is rarely necessary. However, if something else "pops-up" and then goes away leaving the screen messed up, it is handy to be able to repaint it. Page 46 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros Chapter 6 Macros Introduction MacroPIK'r has a facility for performing commands automatically, using a set of commands as its guide. Once the set of commands, called a "macro", has been created, you can execute it: MacroPIK'r reads the macro and executes the commands without further intervention from you. (This is why MacroPIK'r is called MacroPIK'r. It has macros, and it picks data.) To create macros, MacroPIK'r has a Learn Facility for recording commands as they are typed. You can also customize the macros that MacroPIK'r records or create them yourself using any text editor that creates standard ASCII files (the "non-document mode" in WordPerfect, for example). A macro can do anything you can do manually with the keyboard and mouse. The only exception is the Edit command -- there is no way to record or execute this command. The Record Command To start recording a series of commands to a macro, press Ctrl-R (press and hold the control key, then press R) and type a file name that MacroPIK'r will use to store the macro. If you don't include a file name extension, MacroPIK'r will automatically add the extension ".mp". To stop recording commands to the macro, press Ctrl-R again (or exit from MacroPIK'r, which does an automatic Ctrl-R). The Execute Command To execute a previously recorded macro (even if you are currently recording a macro) move the cursor to the position you want the macro to start from, then press Ctrl-X and type the macro's name followed by an optional series of parameters (described in the Page 47 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros "Macro Parameters" section below). If you do not include a file name extension, MacroPIK'r will add the extension ".mp" to the name you give. Each of the commands in the macro is played back just as it was recorded by MacroPIK'r (or created by you) until the end of the macro is reached. Macro Execution From DOS To execute a macro from the DOS command line, type the name of the batch file appropriate for your system (i.e. mpikc, mpikbw, mpikb or mpikd) followed by @name par1 par2 ... where "name" is the name of your macro and "par1 par2 ..." are optional parameters to be passed to the macro. For example, on a color monitor system, type: mpikc @tutor3 to execute the macro file "tutor3.mp" included on the distribution disk. Note that if the file name extension of your macro file is ".mp" (the extension used by MacroPIK'r whenever you don't specify a different one) you may omit the extension. Thus if you have a macro file called "my_macro.jan" you must include the extension: mpikc @my_macro.jan Special Key Functions Pressing the Esc key during macro execution causes MacroPIK'r to stop the macro at the end of the current command and display the message "(C)ancel,(R)esume,(S)tep,(P)ause: " in the Status Line. To cancel macro execution and return to normal processing, press C. To resume execution from where the macro left off, press R. To put MacroPIK'r into single-step mode, press S. To enter pause mode (to execute ordinary keyboard commands for a while), press P. When MacroPIK'r is in single-step mode, it displays each command on the Status Line waiting for a key to be pressed before executing it. To return to normal macro execution or cancel execution entirely, press Esc again followed by the appropriate letter as described above. When MacroPIK'r is in pause mode, you can resume execution of the macro from where it left off by pressing Ctrl-Q (press and hold the Ctrl key, then press Q). Before resuming execution, however, Page 48 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros be sure to return to the Sub-Menu that was in effect when pause mode was entered, otherwise the macro may terminate with a "sequence error" message. Macro Command Grammar Each macro command you create must be grammatically correct; incorrect grammar will cause an error when you execute the macro. The general format of a macro command is: cmd arg1 arg2 ... argn cmd is a command keyword that you must type exactly as shown in this section; uppercase and lowercase letters are equivalent. arg1, arg2 ... argn are command arguments separated from the command keyword and from each other by spaces or tabs. Grammatically speaking, a macro command keyword is like a verb in a sentence. Arguments are like objects. They complete a command by indicating the what or where of an action. MacroPIK'r's rules of macro command grammar are: o Each command must be contained on a single line of no more than 250 characters. o Each command must begin with a macro command keyword, optionally followed by one or more arguments. o Each argument must be separated from the command keyword and from each other by spaces or tabs. o Blank lines may be inserted in your macros to make them easier for you to read -- MacroPIK'r ignores them. o Each command must have the proper number and type of arguments. o Most commands may appear only in the context of their Sub-Menu. For example, the Div macro command must appear within the Fix Sub-Menu (see the "Command Summary" section in this manual and the "Macro Command Summary" section below for details.) There is no limit on the number of commands contained in a macro or on the number of levels of macro subroutines (executing a macro from a macro). Page 49 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros Macro Coordinates Many commands in a macro operate on a picked region of data. For example, the Pst macro command copies a picked region of data from the Report Area to the Paste Area. In a macro, these regions are specified as four numbers giving the upper left and lower right boundaries of the region. For example, one use of the Text macro command might be: Txt 4 1 3 7 Instead of (or in addition to) using numbers such as this, the special keywords _left, _top, _right and _bottom, in conjunction with a numeric offset may be used. For example, to transfer all of the current Report Area page to the Paste Area: Pst _left _top _right _bottom R and to delete all except the first column and the last two rows of the Paste Area: Del _left+1 _top _right _bottom-2 Usually the numeric coordinates (as in the first example above) are expressed relative to a fixed reference point called the Current Absolute Position (CAP), so that the same macro can be used on a different region of data by moving the cursor to the new region, then re-executing the macro. Thus, using relative coordinates, (0 0 3 5) specifies a region four units wide and six units high whose upper left corner is at the CAP. To maintain independence between the Report Area and Paste Area, MacroPIK'r actually has two CAP's, one in each area. Some of MacroPIK'r commands (and their macro command counterparts) have the effect of moving the Report or Paste Area CAP to a new position: o The Execute command sets the Report or Paste Area CAP to the position of the cursor when the macro begins execution. o The Find command, if successful, sets the Report Area CAP to the beginning of the string. o The Goto command sets the Report or Paste Area CAP to the specified position. Page 50 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros o The Home (and End) keys set the Report or Paste Area CAP to the upper left (lower right) of the Report or Paste Area. o The Input commands (Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, SYLK, FXL) and the Page command set the Report Area CAP to the top left corner of the page. o The Paste command sets the Paste Area CAP to the upper left corner of the region that was just "pasted". Absolute Coordinates MacroPIK'r uses the "relative method" of specifying coordinates described in the previous section when it records commands. The other method of specifying coordinates is the "absolute method". If you are creating your own macros you have the option of using either the relative or absolute version of each macro command. The absolute version of a macro command is exactly the same as the relative form, except that the special character "$" appears in front of the command. Thus the macro command "Pst" is the relative form, while "$Pst" is the absolute form. Using this method, the coordinates (1 2 8 3) specify a region nine units wide and two units high whose upper left corner is at column 1, row 2. This method is particularly useful when you know the precise layout of your data and are designing a macro to convert certain parts of that data. Macro Subroutines "The Execute Command" section above describes two ways of executing a macro. A macro may also execute another macro. This is called executing a macro subroutine. To do this you use the Exe macro command, for example, "Exe my_macro". When MacroPIK'r executes this macro command it continues executing commands from macro "my_macro". When "my_macro" is finished, MacroPIK'r returns to the original macro just where it left off. One macro can execute another at any time. Macro Parameters In most macro commands, you specify a keyword followed by one or more arguments. Similarly, you can give values to a macro that you have created. This is called passing parameters to a macro. To do this type each parameter separated by spaces following the Page 51 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros macro name. If you have created a macro called macro1, you can give it values to use when it executes: mpikc @macro1 wks csv This will pass the values "wks" and "csv" to macro1. Likewise, this same method is used for MacroPIK'r's Execute (Ctrl-X) command and the macro command Exe. To signify a parameter in the macro itself, use ^1 for the first parameter, ^2 for the second and so on (similar to the use of %1, etc. in a DOS batch file). Parameters can be simple strings or even refer to other parameters, for instance: mpikc @macro1 wks csv summary.^1 summary.^2 would become "wks csv summary.wks summary.csv". Think about it. Up to 99 parameters can be specified, with the following limitations: o When you use the DOS command line method of executing a macro, DOS can only pass a total of 9 parameters to MacroPIK'r and one of these is used by the macro name itself, leaving a maximum of 8 parameters to be passed to the macro. o When you use the Execute (Ctrl-X) command to execute a macro, only as many parameters as will fit on MacroPIK'r's Status Line can be passed (100 characters). o When you pass parameters to a macro subroutine (with the Exe macro command) the only limit is that after all parameters have been substituted, the line must be no more than 250 characters long. Macro Command Summary The section below describes each of the macro commands. For readability the first letter of each macro command is shown in uppercase, but lowercase and uppercase letters may be used. Optional elements are contained in square brackets []. Choices are indicated with the vertical bar |, for example, L|R means type either L or R. Where the double quotes " are shown, for example the argument "string" in the Fnd command, the quotes are Page 52 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros part of the command and must be included. Ellipses ... are used to indicate a series of items similar to those preceding. See also the "Command Summary" section in this manual for further information relating to the commands below. ! Comment line MacroPIK'r ignores any line beginning with an exclamation point. You can (and should) use comment lines to document your macros. Comment lines may appear anywhere in a macro. MacroPIK'r will always insert a comment line when it records a macro, which tells the time and date the macro was recorded. Beep Ring the bell Make a tone on the PC's speaker. The Beep command may be used anywhere in a macro. This is useful for getting an operators attention after a long macro or command is complete. Cmark n1 n2 ... Report Area column markers Override the Report Area column marker positions set by MacroPIK'r. Column markers are set to n1 n2 .... The Cmark command may be used anywhere in a macro; the settings remain in effect until the next Cmark command. Cmarka n1 n2 ... Add Report Area Column Markers Add the specified Report Area Column Markers to those already in effect. For example, the following commands: Cmark 4 8 12 Cmarka 10 30 would set the column markers to columns 4, 8, 10, 12 and 30. The Cmarka command has been added to overcome the limitations of the Cmark command. When a macro was being recorded and the Paste command was used on a very wide input file, the Cmark command generated would occasionally be "truncated" to the 250 character line length limit with an Page 53 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros error message to that effect. MacroPIK'r now avoids this problem by generating the proper sequence of Cmark and Cmarka commands to keep each line to a reasonable length. The Cmarka macro command may be used anywhere in a macro; the settings remain in effect until the next Cmark command. Cpy [T] xlo ylo xhi yhi x y Copy data (optional transpose) Copy the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the region whose upper left corner is (x y). If the T option is used, the data is transposed as it is copied. The Cpy command may be used only in the Cut Sub-Menu. Csv f n [c] Display (input) from CSV file Display the CSV (delimited) file 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to n. If n is negative, the page length is set to 66 lines. If n is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The delimiter character is set to "c". If c is missing, the delimiter character is set to a comma (,). The Csv (input) command may be used only in the Input Sub-Menu. Csv xlo ylo xhi yhi f [c] Save (output) to CSV file Save the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the CSV (delimited) file 'f', using the delimiter character c. If c is missing, the delimiter character is set to a comma (,). The Csv (output) command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Cut Display the Cut Sub-Menu Display the Cut Sub-Menu. The Cut command may be used only in the Paste Area main menu. Cwidth xlo xhi n [L | R] Set Paste Area column widths Set the width of the Paste Area columns between xlo and xhi to n. If the L option is present, decrement the width of the columns by n. If the R option is present, increment the width of the columns by n. If n is 0, the width of the Page 54 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros columns is set to the widest cell in each column. The Cwidth macro command may be used only in the Paste Area. Dbf f n Display from DBF file This will display the DBF file named 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to n. If n is negative the page length is set to 66 lines; if n is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The Dbf (input) macro command may be used only in the Input Sub-Menu. Dbf xlo ylo xhi yhi f n A|R|C Save to DBF file This will save the data in the Paste Area picked region xlo ylo xhi yhi to the DBF file named 'f'. The argument 'n' may be either the number 2 or 3 to indicate a dBASE II or dBASE III/IV file. The last argument may be either the letter A, the letter R, or the letter C to specify (if the output file already exists) whether the data in the picked region should be Appended to the existing file (without altering the structure of the file), Replace all records in the file with the new data (without altering the structure), or to Create an entirely new file and structure (overwriting the existing file). The Dbf (output) macro command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Del xlo ylo xhi yhi Delete data Delete the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi). The Del command may be used only in the Cut Sub-Menu. Dif f n Display (input) from DIF file Display the DIF (Data Interchange Format) file 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to n. If n is negative, the page length is set to 66 lines. If n is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The Dif (input) command may be used only in the Input Sub- Menu. Page 55 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros Dif xlo ylo xhi yhi f Save (output) to DIF file Save the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the DIF (Data Interchange Format) file 'f'. The Dif (output) command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Div x n Divide a column into two Divide Paste Area column x at n characters into the column. The Div command may be used only in the Fix Sub-Menu. End Move to lower right corner Move the cursor to the lower right corner. The End command may be used anywhere in a macro. Esc Exit from the current Sub-Menu Exit the current Sub-Menu back to the previous one. The Esc command may be used anywhere in a macro. Exe macro [par1 par2 ...] Execute a macro subroutine Execute the named macro subroutine, optionally with one or more parameters. MacroPIK'r begins executing commands from the new macro. When the new macro is finished, MacroPIK'r returns to the original macro where it left off. The Exe command may be used anywhere in a macro. See also the "Macro Subroutines" and "Macro Parameters" sections above. Fix Display the Fix Sub-Menu Display the Fix Sub-Menu. The Fix command may be used only in the Paste Area main menu. Flt f n Display (input) from Flat file Display the Flat (standard ASCII) file 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to n. If n is negative, the Page 56 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros page length is set to 66 lines (or a formfeed, whichever comes first). If n is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The Flt (input) command may be used only in the Input Sub-Menu. Flt xlo ylo xhi yhi f Save (output) to Flat file Save the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the Flat (standard ASCII) file 'f'. The Flt (output) command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Fnd ["string"] L|R Search for a string Search for a string in the Report Area input file. If the "string" option is used, it must be enclosed in quotes. If "string" is missing, search for the previous search string. The L ("left") option searches backward; R ("right") searches forward. The Fnd command may be used only in the Report Area main menu. Fxl f n1 n2 Display Fixed-Length Record file This will display the Fixed-Length format file named 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to 'n1'. If 'n1' is negative the page length is set to 66 lines; if 'n1' is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The record length is set to 'n2', which must be greater than 0. The Fxl (input) macro command may be used only in the Input Sub-Menu. Fxl xlo ylo xhi yhi f [n] Save to Fixed-Length Record file This will save the data in the Paste Area picked region xlo ylo xhi yhi to the Fixed-Length format file named 'f'. If the 'n' option is used, the record length is set to 'n', which must not equal 0. If 'n' is missing or negative, the record length is set to the sum of the widths of the columns in the picked region xlo ylo xhi yhi. The Fxl (output) macro command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Page 57 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros Goto x y Move to a new position Move the cursor to column x, row y. The Goto command may be used anywhere in a macro. Home Move to upper left corner Move the cursor to the upper left corner. The Home command may be used anywhere in a macro. In Display the Input Sub-Menu Display the Input Sub-Menu. The In command may be used only from the Report Area main menu. Ins C|R n1 n2 Insert empty columns or rows Insert one or more empty Paste Area columns or rows. If the C option is used, (n1 n2) specifies the range of columns to be inserted. If the R option is used, (n1 n2) specifies the range of rows to be inserted. The Ins command may be used only from the Cut Sub-Menu. Mov [T] xlo ylo xhi yhi x y Move data (optional transpose) Move the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the region whose upper left corner is (x y). If the T option is used, the data is transposed as it is moved. The Mov command may be used only from the Cut Sub-Menu. Mrg xlo xhi Merge two or more columns Merge the Paste Area columns in the range (xlo xhi) into one column. The Merge command may be used only from the Fix SubMenu. Num U|E|M xlo ylo xhi yhi Convert data to numbers Convert the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to numbers using the specified numeric convention option. Use the U option for the U.S. numeric convention of Page 58 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros using a dot (.) for a decimal point and a comma (,) as the thousands separator. Use the E option for the European convention which reverses the role of these two characters. Use the M option for the metric convention which uses a dot (.) for a decimal point and a space for the thousands separator on both sides of the decimal point. The Num command may be used only from the Fix Sub-Menu. Out Display the Output Sub-Menu Display the Output Sub-Menu. The Out command may be used only from the Paste Area main menu. Pag [n] [L|R] Display page from input file Display page n in the Report Area input file. If the L option is used, display the page n pages before the current one. If the R option is used, display the page n pages after the current one. If n is missing, display the previous page if the L option is used, or the next page if the R option is used. The Pag command may be used only from the Report Area main menu. Pst [xlo ylo xhi yhi D|R] Go to the Paste Area Go to the Paste Area, optionally copying the data in the Report Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi). If the D ("down") option is used, the data is copied below any existing data in the Paste Area. If the R ("right") option is used, the data is copied to the right of any existing data in the Paste Area. The Pst command may be used only from the Report Area main menu. Rpt Go to the Report Area Go to the Report Area. The Rpt command may be used only from the Paste Area main menu. Run n command [arg1 arg2 ...] Run a DOS command Run a DOS command from within a macro. After the command completes, control is returned to the macro. The argument Page 59 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros 'n' specifies the time in seconds for MacroPIK'r to wait after running the command and before resuming execution of the macro, in case the operator needs to see the screen for a while. The argument "command" may be any valid DOS command, including a program or batch file in the current directory or path. "Arg1 arg2 ..." are arguments supplied to the program or batch file and are not interpreted by MacroPIK'r in any way. The Run macro command may be used anywhere in a macro. Slk f n Display (input) from SYLK file Display the SYLK file named 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to 'n'. If 'n' is negative, the page length is set to 66 lines. If 'n' is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The Slk (input) command may be used only in the Input Sub-Menu. Slk xlo ylo xhi yhi f Save (output) to SYLK file Save the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the SYLK file named 'f'. The Slk (output) command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Step Enter single-step mode Put MacroPIK'r into single-step mode, the same as pressing Esc followed by S. (See the Special Key Functions section above.) The Step command may be used anywhere in a macro. This is very useful for debugging macros that you have written yourself. System Directly access DOS Temporarily suspend the executing macro and directly interact with DOS. The difference between this and the Run command is that the Run command executes a single DOS command then returns to the executing macro. The System command, on the other hand, suspends the executing macro until you type the DOS command "exit". See also the "Perform Any DOS Command from MacroPIK'r" section for more details and cautions relating to this command. The System macro command may be used anywhere in a macro. Page 60 Chapter 6 MacroPIK'r User Manual Macros Txt xlo ylo xhi yhi Convert data to text Convert the data in the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to text. The Txt command may be used only from the Fix Sub-Menu. Wks f n Display (input) from WKS file Display the WKS (Lotus Worksheet) file named 'f' in the Report Area. The page length is set to n. If n is negative, the page length is set to 66 lines. If n is 0, the page length is set to the length of the entire file. The Wks (input) command may be used only in the Input Sub- Menu. Wks xlo ylo xhi yhi f Save (output) to WKS file Save the Paste Area picked region (xlo ylo xhi yhi) to the WKS (Lotus Worksheet) file named 'f'. The Wks (output) command may be used only in the Output Sub-Menu. Xit Exit MacroPIK'r to DOS Exit MacroPIK'r and return to DOS. The Xit command may be used either from the Report Area main menu or the Paste Area main menu. Page 61 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Chapter 7 Errors & Questions Error Messages Whenever you ask MacroPIK'r to do something it just cannot do, or if an error condition arises, it will beep and display a brief message at the top of the screen. To continue working, press any key on either the keyboard or the mouse. Before trying the command again, try to fix whatever caused the error. Below is an alphabetical list of MacroPIK'r's error messages with suggestions for what to do. Can't create file F This usually means there's not enough room on the disk to store file 'F', or there's something wrong with its name (spelling?). It can also happen when DOS runs out of file handles -- it helps if CONFIG.SYS on your boot drive sets 'FILES=' to at least 20. Can't DIVIDE the picked column -- Paste Area full Column ZZ contained one or more non-blank cells that would have been shifted off the right edge of the Paste Area when the Divide command was used. Can't find S The string 'S' being searched for with the Find command was not found; the cursor is returned to its original position. Can't get file F The file 'F' you asked for with one of the Input commands does not exist, or there were no files matching the wildcard specification. You can find out what files are on a disk by using one of the Input commands with the DOS wildcard Page 62 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions characters "*" or "?" (as in the DOS "dir" command). It can also happen when DOS runs out of file handles -- be sure CONFIG.SYS on your boot drive sets 'FILES=' to at least 20. Can't get page N The page asked for with the Page command is not a valid page number. Can't goto X Y One or both of the coordinates specified in the Goto command is invalid. Check for a typing error; valid coordinates in the Report Area are from (1 1) to (2000 32767); in the Paste Area from (A 1) to (ZZ 9999). Can't insert -- cell is too wide The cell being edited with the Edit command already contains the maximum number of characters allowed by MacroPIK'r (2000). Can't INSERT -- too many columns You tried to move non-blank columns off the right edge of the Paste Area using the Insert command. Try inserting fewer columns or save some of the Paste Area with one of the Output commands, then use the Delete command to make more room. Can't INSERT -- too many rows You tried to move non-blank rows off the bottom edge of the Paste Area using the Insert command. Try inserting fewer rows or save some of the Paste Area with one of the Output commands, then use the Delete command to make more room. Can't open macro F Indicates a potentially serious problem with macro, or your disk. While executing the macro file 'F', a macro file that previously existed was not found -- perhaps a nested macro deleted it. It can also happen when DOS runs out of file handles -- it helps if CONFIG.SYS on your boot drive sets 'FILES=' to at least 20. Page 63 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Can't set page length to N The page length given to one of the Input commands is not a valid page length -- check the descriptions of the input commands for details. Can't write macro F -- file full Free disk space has been exhausted. All commands since recording was turned on have been saved, but nothing more can be saved. Try storing the macro file on another disk. Columns to MERGE are too wide The sum of the widths of the columns you asked MacroPIK'r to merge with the Merge command is greater than 2000 characters. Conversion to NUMBERS needs a picked region The Number command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. Conversion to TEXT needs a picked region The Text command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. COPY 'to' region is beyond Paste Area boundary You used the Copy command in such a way that part of the destination is beyond the Paste Area boundaries (702 columns by 9999 rows). COPY needs a picked region The Copy command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. DELETE needs a picked region The Delete command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. Page 64 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Disk file full Free disk space has been exhausted. If the error occurred when you used one of the Output commands, try storing the output file to a disk on another drive with more free space (but do not remove the disk containing MacroPIK'r's temporary files -- usually the same disk MacroPIK'r was started from). Also, see the discussion of the '-t' switch in the Technical Details section -- MacroPIK'r may have run out of room in one if its temporary files. DIVIDE needs a picked column The Divide command requires a column of data to be picked before it is used. EDIT needs a picked region The Edit command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. F is not a valid DIF / SYLK / WKS / DBF file The file 'F' you attempted to display with one of the Input commands DIF, SYLK, WKS, or DBF does not contain a valid file header. File F not found The file 'F' highlighted in the directory listing created by one of the Input commands was not found. Inconsistent format -- U(S), E(uropean), M(etric): The Number command found numbers in the picked region using more than one type of format, or one of the numbers would have a different value depending on which format is used. Select a format by typing U, E or M. INSERT needs a picked region The Insert command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. Page 65 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Macro F, N: file F2 not found While macro file 'F' was executing one of the Input commands at line 'N', file 'F2' could not be found on the disk. Macro F, N: command error An illegal command was encountered in macro file 'F', line 'N'. Macro F, N: execution canceled An error has occurred during the execution of macro file 'F', line 'N'; macro execution is stopped. The error message displayed immediately prior to this should indicate the nature of the problem. Macro F, N: parameter error A parameter passed to a macro has exceeded the maximum number of characters allowed (approximately 250), or a parameter has been defined in terms of itself (for example passing "file^2" as parameter ^2). Macro F, N: range error One of the values specified as part of a command in macro file 'F', line 'N', is outside its valid range. Macro F, N: recursion error Macros are not allowed to execute themselves; they may, however, execute other macros. Macro F, N: sequence error The command in macro file 'F', line 'N' is not a valid command in this context (for example a Cut Sub-Menu command from the Input Sub-Menu). Macro F, N: syntax error The command in macro file 'F', line 'N' does not conform to its proper syntax. Page 66 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Macro file F not found The macro file 'F' you have asked to execute does not exist. Also, there may not be enough DOS file handles. MacroPIK'r: can't create tmp file This message occurs on program start-up; it usually means there are too many files on your disk, or that there are not enough DOS file handles (check your CONFIG.SYS "FILES=" command). MacroPIK'r: can't initialize virtual memory This message occurs on program start-up; it usually means there is not enough free space on the disk. Use the DOS "dir" command to see how much free space is on the disk. MacroPIK'r will run (barely) with as little as 4096 bytes of free space on a disk; a recommended minimum would be at least 10K bytes, but the virtual memory file can grow to as much as 2M bytes. It can also happen when DOS runs out of file handles -- it helps if CONFIG.SYS on your boot drive sets 'FILES=' to at least 20. MacroPIK'r: not enough memory This message occurs on program start-up. See the error message "Memory full" for details. Memory full MacroPIK'r's internal work space is full. (1) You may not have enough memory installed in your system. Use the DOS "CHKDSK" command to see how much memory is available in your system for running programs; the last line displayed by chkdsk showing "N bytes free" will give a good indication of whether you have enough. For MacroPIK'r, this number should be at least 256K bytes. (2) You may also be out of free disk space for the virtual memory files. Memory full (Edt-F5 to exit, or Esc to undo EDIT) This message is displayed when the Edit command is being used and MacroPIK'r's internal work space becomes full. After pressing any key on the keyboard or mouse to erase this error message, press either Edt-F5 to save your editing Page 67 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions changes, or Esc to undo them. See also the error message "Memory full" above. MERGE needs picked columns The Merge command requires two or more columns of data to be picked before it is used. MOVE needs a picked region The Move command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. MOVE 'to' region is beyond Paste Area boundary You tried to move data in such a way that part or all of the destination is beyond the Paste Area boundaries (702 columns by 9999 rows). Out of memory for directory of F MacroPIK'r's internal workspace became full while reading a disk directory during one of the Input commands. Try a more restricted wildcard name (e.g. "*.wks" instead of "*.*"). See also the error message "Memory Full" above. OUTPUT needs a picked region The Output command requires a region of data to be picked before it is used. Page N is beyond end of file The page asked for with the Page command is past the end of the file. MacroPIK'r gets the last page of the file instead. Part of DIF / SYLK / WKS file F is missing The file 'F' you attempted to display with one of the Input commands DIF, SYLK or WKS contained a valid header, but the file was damaged in some way. See also the error message "F is not a valid DIF / SYLK / WKS file". Page 68 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Picked region to MERGE must be two or more columns Pick a column then adjust (stretch) it to the left or right to include two or more columns before using the Merge command. Press Edt-F5 to exit or [Esc] to undo EDIT first All other commands are "blocked" while you are using the Edit command. To stop using the Edit command, press Edt-F5 to save the changes you have made, or Esc to undo the changes you have made. Press [Esc] to undo directory first All other commands are "blocked" while a directory is being displayed by one of the Input commands. You may either choose a new file to display by moving the cursor to its name in the directory display and pressing DO-IT, or return to the previous file being displayed by pressing Esc. Sorry, Help is not available MacroPIK'r could not find its Help file (mpik'r.hlp) or the Help file has been damaged in some way. Use the DOS "dir" command to make sure the help file is in MacroPIK'r's home directory (the directory that you started mpik'r.exe from). If the help file is damaged in some way, get a fresh copy of the Help file from your backups or distribution files. Too many columns -- Paste Area full MacroPIK'r was unable to complete the Paste command because there are not enough empty columns in the Paste Area to accommodate the picked region. Pick a smaller region (with fewer columns in it) or delete some columns from the Paste Area. Too many rows -- Paste Area full MacroPIK'r was unable to complete the Paste command because there are not enough empty rows in the Paste Area to accommodate the picked region. Pick a smaller region (with fewer rows in it) or delete some rows from the Paste Area. Page 69 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions TRANSPOSE needs a MOVE or COPY first A Move or Copy command must be in progress before the Transpose command can be used. Common Questions This section covers many of the common questions people ask and has been gathered mostly from our customer support files. If you have a question about MacroPIK'r, it may be answered here. Q When I start MacroPIK'r the screen either goes blank or displays strange characters that don't make sense. I have to either reboot the computer or turn it off then on again. A You have probably used the wrong command switch or batch file to start MacroPIK'r. Try '-bios', '-dos', or '-bw' (or files 'mpikb.bat', 'mpikd.bat', or 'mpikbw.bat') for more compatible ways of accessing the display. If none of these work, try using the "no-mouse" switch (-nm), since MacroPIK'r may erroneously think a mouse is present. Q How can I see a directory of the files on my disk? A Use one of the Input commands Flat, WKS, DIF, CSV, DBF, or SYLK. At the file name prompt, type a file specification such as "a:*.doc" to display a directory. Choose a file to display by moving the cursor to it and pressing DO-IT, or return to where you left off by pressing Esc. Q I can't seem to "adjust" or "stretch" a picked region. A Try turning off NumLock -- press the NumLock key. This only happens if you are running MacroPIK'r with the "-dos" switch (for compatibility with non-IBM compatible DOS computers). Q When I use the Column command, only the first 66 lines of the column are picked. How can I pick a column for the whole file? A You can pick a column for the whole file by setting the file's page length to the length of the entire input file. Page 70 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions To do this, use one of the Input commands, and at the page length prompt type 0. Q Using the Paste command, my columns are split at the wrong places. How can I tell MacroPIK'r where to place the column breaks? A The horizontal line near the top of the screen in the Report Area is the "column markers" line. Each marker represents the first character position of a column and can be toggled on and off by moving the cursor to the position to insert or delete a column marker and pressing DO-IT. Q Using the Paste command, the "Too many rows/columns -- Paste Area full" message appeared even though there seemed to be plenty of room in the Paste Area. A The Paste command adds the data you have picked in the Report Area to the right or below the existing data in the Paste Area. Delete some rows or columns using the Del command, then try again. Q After using one of the Input commands, strange characters appear on the screen that don't make sense. A The file you are attempting to display is not in the proper format for the Input command you are using. If you can use the DOS "type" or "print" command to display the file, you should use MacroPIK'r's Flat (input) command to display the file. If the file is in one of the other formats supported by MacroPIK'r (WKS, DIF, CSV, DBF, or SYLK), use the corresponding (input) command. Sometimes you will need to experiment. Q I have a report containing numbers in metric [or European] format. Will MacroPIK'r handle these properly? A Yes. Use the Num command to convert them into "clean" numbers before saving them with one of the output commands. Page 71 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions Q Using the WKS (output) command, MacroPIK'r displayed the message "Can't create ". [This can happen with any output command.] A This can occur for two reasons: either you are trying to store too many files on a disk or DOS has run out of "file handles". Check the amount of free space on the disk you are using with the DOS "dir" command, or use one of MacroPIK'r's input commands with a file name such as "a:*.*" to display a directory (and the amount of free space) on disk "a:". Make sure you have enough DOS file handles allocated. MacroPIK'r uses, at most, 5 file handles. Certain "resident" programs (Prokey, for example) use up additional file handles. Try including the line "FILES=20" in your CONFIG.SYS file (see your DOS manual for an explanation of the CONFIG.SYS file). Q How do I use the macro facility? A See the "Macros" section in this manual. Also, if you are having difficulty with a macro command, try recording the command using MacroPIK'r's Record command (Ctrl-R), then study the macro file produced. Q How can I take a file prepared for mailing labels -- each name and address takes six lines -- and get at the individual fields? A Here is a "trick". It will work for any sort of file of information formatted like addresses: First of all, input the file as a flat file with page length zero. Remove any column markers that MacroPIK'r may try to insert. Then select the whole thing and copy it to the Paste Area. It should all be in one column. Widen the column to some easy to remember number, such as 80. Then output it as FIXED LENGTH, using a new name. Now go back to the Report Area and input the new fixed length file with a record size of (say) 6*80 -- the number of lines per label times the field width of the new file. You should now see each field in its own column. Setup the column markers as you like, and proceed as with any other kind of file -- Paste the parts of it you want, edit/cleanup as necessary, and output in the format you need. Page 72 Chapter 7 MacroPIK'r User Manual Errors & Questions The only problem that may come up is with mailing labels that have the extra space squeezed out of the City/State/Zip line -- you'll have to deal with those some other way, depending on what your labels look like. Page 73 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details Chapter 8 Technical Details This section can safely be skipped by the average user of MacroPIK'r. It is included here primarily for the technically minded as an aid for "tuning" MacroPIK'r. The following topics are covered here: o Command Line Arguments o Temporary Files, DOS, and File Handles o Memory Usage o File Names o File Formats o The Mouse o Numbers and Text Command Line Arguments Included with MacroPIK'r are several "batch" files that you can use to tell MacroPIK'r a little bit about the computer you are using, for instance, whether it has color or black and white hardware. Together these batch files cover just about any combination of hardware elements in your PC. If, however, you choose not to use one of these batch files to start MacroPIK'r, or none of them seems to fit your computer system, you can create your own batch file. To do so you will need to use an editor, for instance the "edlin" or "edit" editors that comes with DOS, to create a file with a name that ends with ".bat", like "pikx.bat". Once created, you can then run MacroPIK'r by typing "pikx". This batch file should contain a command line for MacroPIK'r, though it may have other DOS command lines in as well. A MacroPIK'r command line has up to four parts: the program name "mpik'r", optionally followed by a series of "flags" (the flags all start with a dash), optionally followed by the name of a file Page 74 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details to display when MacroPIK'r starts (hint: use a DOS parameter like '%1'), optionally followed by an "@" sign and a macro name with optional parameters. You have three choices of "video type" flags... -mono use monochrome color scheme -color use colors -bw use monochrome color scheme for color display adapter with a black & white monitor ...and three choices of "access method" flags: -hdwr access video hardware directly (fastest) -bios "BIOS" to access the hardware (a little slower) -dos "DOS" to access the BIOS (slower still) ...and, finally, several miscellaneous flags: -h H use file "H" as help file -t D use the directory path "D" for temporary files -nm do NOT look for a mouse -plN use page length 'N' for the input file -flt F display the Flat file 'F' -wks F display the WKS file 'F' -dif F display the DIF file 'F' -csvC F display the CSV file 'F', delimiter character 'C' (default is comma) -slk F display the SYLK file 'F' -fxlN F display the Fixed-Length record file 'F' with record length 'N' Unless you tell it otherwise with the "video type" flags, MacroPIK'r will try to determine the color capabilities of your computer by examining memory. If your computer tells MacroPIK'r that it has color, MacroPIK'r will assume that's true and display its screens in color. However, many people have mono displays on color adapters (e.g.: most laptops, many generic VGA equipped clones). In cases where a monochrome monitor is attached to a color adapter you can get a display that is hard to read. Use the "-mono" video type flag to force MacroPIK'r to display in monochrome -- use one of the other two flags if you have a color display adapter card in your PC and MacroPIK'r's built-in checking doesn't work (as when the -bios or -dos flags are used). The "-bw" is especially useful for a black-and-white video monitor on a CGA adapter. Page 75 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details The "-bios" and "-dos" access method flags produce screen display that is somewhat slower than with the "-hdwr" flag, but are useful for computer systems that are not completely hardware compatible with the IBM-PC. If you omit this flag, MacroPIK'r will access the display using the BIOS. The "-dos" flag assumes you have "DEVICE=ANSI.SYS" in your CONFIG.SYS file. The "-h" flag is useful if the disk you use to keep the help file on is in a different directory than where mpik'r.exe is. MacroPIK'r will use the disk drive, directory, and file name you specify by the "H" following the flag (e.g. b:mpik'r.hlp) when looking for its help file. If you omit this flag, MacroPIK'r will assume the help file is named "mpik'r.hlp" and is in the same disk drive and directory as MacroPIK'r was started from. (Actually, MacroPIK'r will also look in the default directory and then through all the directories in your PATH, if you have one.) The "-t" flag is useful when disk space is running low, or when you want more performance. MacroPIK'r will use the disk drive and directory path you specify by "D" for its temporary files; for example, you can have MacroPIK'r put its temporary files on a virtual disk. If you omit this flag, MacroPIK'r will use the default disk drive and directory for its temporary files. If you normally use MacroPIK'r to convert files on floppies, and have that as your default, you will benefit greatly by using the -t switch specifying a hard disk. See the next section for a discussion. If you omit a file name on the command line, you can use the Input command to display a file after MacroPIK'r has started. By way of example, here is a command line to run MacroPIK'r with direct hardware access, on a monochrome system, with temporary files on disk drive C:'s root directory, using the flat file "Q4SALES.DAT" on drive 'A' (defaulting to 66 line pages): mpik'r -hdwr -mono -t c: a:q4sales.dat This command line, from a Batch File, will run MacroPIK'r with the same flags as above, but with a parameterized file name and an optional flag: mpik'r -hdwr -mono -t c: %2 %1 Page 76 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details Temporary Files, DOS, and File Handles MacroPIK'r creates two temporary files to reduce the amount of main memory it uses. The files are named: MPIK.TMP VMEM.TMP They are removed when MacroPIK'r exits. If you abnormally stopped MacroPIK'r by rebooting or turning off the power, these files will be left around, taking up space. (MacroPIK'r will automatically delete them the next time it runs in the same context, or you can delete them yourself if you wish.) If MacroPIK'r runs out of disk space while writing to either of these files, it will display an error message and the command that caused the error will not complete. Try using the "-t" flag described in the section above to put the temporary files on a disk with more space, or install MacroPIK'r on a disk with more room, or delete unnecessary files to make more room. It can use up to 2M bytes. Normally, MacroPIK'r uses five file handles, plus the three that DOS allocates for console i/o. Nested Macros will use more, one per level of nesting. Also take into account that TSR utilities may also keep file handles for themselves. Be sure your CONFIG.SYS has a "FILES=" line in it that is at least 20. Memory Usage While MacroPIK'r will run in a 256k system, it will benefit from any extra it has access to, up to a full 640k. It will NOT directly use extended or expanded memory. MacroPIK'r itself, and its data, use up around 200k bytes. The rest (up to 640k) is used to buffer information from the temporary VMEM file for "Virtual Memory". This file will expand as you store more data in the Paste Area, up to a maximum of 2 megs. Since indexes are also stored there, you can have up to slightly less than 2 megs in the Paste Area at once. Many narrow columns will use up memory faster than a few wide ones since there is an overhead per cell of about 6 bytes. Page 77 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details File Names File names can be any file name acceptable to DOS, including disk drive, directory path names and the file name itself (e.g. "f:\report\sales.dat"). This is for input, output, temporary files, the help file (if you rename it), and macro file names. File Formats Flat Input: When the Flat (input) command is used to display a Flat (standard ASCII) file, MacroPIK'r makes very few assumptions about the file's contents. That is, it does very little "filtering", or make other changes that would change how the file looks. It does, however, assume that lines are terminated with some sort of carriage-return and/or linefeed combination and that pages are delimited by a formfeed (or the number of lines specified by you in the Flat (input) command). If the page length is set to 0, there are no "pages" as such, but MacroPIK'r marks each formfeed in the file with a horizontal line of dots. Tab characters are replaced by spaces with tab stops every eight columns. The maximum line length is 2,000 characters. Output: When the Flat (output) command is used, MacroPIK'r creates a Flat (standard ASCII) file containing the data in the picked region in the Paste Area. This file contains one line for each row in the picked region with a space between each cell. Except that leading and trailing quotes (") are removed, each cell is saved exactly as it looks in the Paste Area. The maximum size of any one cell is 2,000 characters. A carriage-return/line-feed pair is written at the end of each row, including the last. WKS Input: Files in the WKS (Lotus worksheet) format contain three distinct types of data: values (numbers and labels), formulas (calculations upon values) and formats (how values are displayed). MacroPIK'r supports a subset of this file format that deals with values only. Thus, when the Wks (input) command Page 78 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details is used to display a WKS file, MacroPIK'r displays only the VALUES in the file. The main restriction imposed by this method is that when a cell contains a formula, the formula's value is displayed, not the formula itself. MacroPIK'r supports all Lotus Worksheet numeric display formats (for all versions of 1-2-3 and Symphony) except HIDDEN and TEXT which are interpreted as follows: The HIDDEN format is for hiding cells in the worksheet so that they don't appear in the display -- these cells WILL appear in MacroPIK'r. The TEXT format displays formulas as they were entered, instead of as their value -- MacroPIK'r always displays the formula's value. Keep in mind that if you can see a cell's value, even if it's not displayed quite the same as in your worksheet, MacroPIK'r will convert the value you see without any difficulty. Output: When the Wks (output) command is used, MacroPIK'r creates a WKS (or WRK, WK1, WR1) file containing the data in the picked region in the Paste Area. The file extension you type is used by MacroPIK'r to create the exact format required. MacroPIK'r looks at each cell in the picked region to determine which of the following formats should be saved along with the cell's value: FIXED, SCIENTIFIC, CURRENCY, PERCENT, COMMA (PUNCTUATED) or TEXT (LITERAL). If a number adheres to the U.S. convention of (optionally) using a comma (,) as the thousands separator and a dot (.) as the decimal point, the cell is saved using one of the numeric formats above; otherwise it is saved as a left-aligned label. If you are dealing with data that uses the European or Metric numeric format conventions, see the discussion of the Number command (page 36). In addition, the width of each column is saved so that each column, as viewed from 1-2-3 or Symphony, will have the same width as in the Paste Area. The maximum size of any one cell is 2,000 characters. (1-2-3 and Symphony, however, impose a maximum label length of 240 characters. MacroPIK'r makes no attempt to shorten or otherwise warn you that a cell is longer than this.) MacroPIK'r does not support the conversion of formatted (human readable) dates and times to their serial and fractional numeric worksheet representations with the WKS (output) command. Instead, dates and times are saved as labels in the worksheet file which can then be converted to their numeric equivalents if need be with either Symphony or 1-2-3 Release 2. If you are using Symphony, the Query Parse command will perform this conversion. In 1-2-3 Release 2, use the /Data Parse command. Page 79 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details DIF Note that this is the original "Data Interchange Format" used by Visicalc, and adopted by many programs since then. It is not the "Navy DIF" format used for word processing in the military. Input: When the Dif (input) command is used to display a DIF file, MacroPIK'r assumes that the data in the file is in row order: all the cells in the first row come first, then the second and so on. The width of each column is taken to be the width of the widest cell (plus one) in that column; the smallest column width is 9 characters. All labels are displayed left-justified; numbers are right-justified. The string values NA, ERROR, TRUE and FALSE are not supported (0 is displayed instead for NA, ERROR and FALSE; 1 is displayed for TRUE). Vector labels are not supported. The maximum line length is 2,000 characters. Output: When the Dif (output) command is used, MacroPIK'r creates a DIF file containing the data in the picked region in the Paste Area. The cells in the picked region are saved in row order: all the cells in the first row are saved first, then the second and so on. Leading and trailing spaces and all quotes (") are removed from labels. The maximum size of any one cell is 2,000 characters. CSV Input: When the Csv (input) command is used to display a CSV (Comma Separated Values, Delimited) format file, MacroPIK'r assumes the data in the file is in row order: all the cells in the first row come first, then the second and so on. The width of each column is taken to be the width of the widest cell (plus one) in that column; the smallest column width is 9 characters. Labels must be delimited by either the single quote (') or double quote (") character. All labels are displayed left-justified; numbers are right-justified. The maximum line length is 2,000 characters. The delimiter characters separate columns, except they are ignored inside a quoted label. Lines are separated by some sort of carriage-return and/or line-feed combination. Output: When the Csv (output) command is used, MacroPIK'r creates a CSV file containing the data in the picked region in the Paste Area. The cells in the picked region are saved in row order: all the cells in the first row are saved first, then the second and so on. Leading and trailing spaces and all double quotes (") are removed from labels before output, then the labels are delimited Page 80 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details by the double quote (") character. The maximum size of any one cell is 2,000 characters. SYLK Input: When the Slk (input) command is used to display a SYLK (SYmbolic LinK) format file, MacroPIK'r uses the width of the widest cell (plus one) in each column as the width of that column; the smallest column width is 9 characters. Similar to the WKS format (see above), formula values are displayed instead of the formula itself. All labels are displayed left-justified; numbers are right-justified. Cell formats, error and logical values are not supported. The maximum line length is 2,000 characters. Output: When the Slk (output) command is used, MacroPIK'r creates a SYLK file containing the data in the picked region in the Paste Area. Leading and trailing spaces and all quotes (") are removed from labels. The maximum size of any one cell is 2,000 characters. dBASE Input: When you display a dBASE file in the Report Area, the dBASE field names are displayed as the first row. The data in each column is displayed appropriately for the type of that field. If you copy the data into the Paste Area, be sure to exclude the first row (unless you need it). Output: When a DBF file is created (either for the first time or with the "C" option) the width of each column in the picked region determines the size of the corresponding field in the DBF file (see also the "Setting Column Widths in the Paste Area" section). MacroPIK'r determines the data types of the fields (character, numeric, logical or date) by looking at the data in the first row of the picked region: If a cell contains the single letter Y, y, N, n, T, t, F or f, the field's type is logical. If a cell contains a date in the form MM/DD/YY (for example, 10/22/86), and you specified a dBASE III/dBASE IV file, the field's type is date. (The date type is not supported in dBASE II.) If a cell contains a "clean" number, the field's type is numeric. Otherwise, the field's type is character. A field may be forced to the character type by surrounding a cell's contents with quotes with the Text command; similarly, the Number command will clean up "dirty" numbers. Page 81 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details When new data is either appended to or replaces data in a DBF file (without altering the structure of the existing file) the new data is made to "conform" to that structure by padding to the right if necessary with blanks, or truncating the data to fit into the structure. An error message is displayed if MacroPIK'r had to truncate any data, but the command is completed in case this was the intended effect. Fixed Length Input: No carriage-return/line-feed line termination is assumed. MacroPIK'r will strictly apply the record length you specify. If you don't know the record length, you can experiment: Start with a guess and look at the screen. If the information looks like diagonal stripes going up to the right (///) try a slightly smaller number. If you see diagonal stripes going down to the left (\\\) try a slightly larger number. Commonly record lengths tend to be the same size as printed reports: 80, 128, 132, ... MacroPIK'r can handle anything up to 2000 characters per record. Once you get the record length, MacroPIK'r will try to determine the column markers, based on any blank spaces in the records. You will probably need to adjust them. Output: The data in the picked region determines the record length -- the cell content is output as you see it, with no added information between cells or lines. You can specify a record length on output to override the width of the picked region. If the specified length is less, the record is truncated on the right. If it is greater, the record is padded with spaces on the right. The Mouse MacroPIK'r is compatible with nearly all PC mice, including mice from Logitech, Mouse Systems, and Microsoft. When MacroPIK'r starts, it checks to see whether a mouse driver is installed in your computer and, if so, it will try to use the mouse (in addition to the keyboard) to allow cursor movement and provide other commands. You can disable the mouse checking with the -nm command line flag (see above); you might need to do this if something other than a mouse driver uses INT 33 (the Microsoft standard is that programs communicate with a mouse through INT 33; if something else uses it, a "mouse-aware" program can be fooled and issue calls that can crash the computer). Page 82 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details Numbers and Text When MacroPIK'r outputs data in one of the structured formats, it needs to specify whether the cell is a numeric or text item. It examines the cell contents and uses these rules: Any cell with quotes around it is saved as a label, regardless of its content, while any cell without quotes around it is saved as a number if it "looks like" a number, otherwise it is output as a label. A cell looks like a number if it contains only digits and possibly a decimal point or minus sign (numbers in "scientific notation" are OK too). That is, any number with dollar signs ($), commas (,) and other punctuation will be output as a label -- only "clean" numbers will be output as numbers unless the Number command is used to explicitly make the numeric conversion. These are the rules PIK'r applies to each cell during the Number command conversion: Dollar signs ($) and other non-numeric characters are deleted from the beginning and end of the cell. If there are any decimal digits (0-9) left, the cell is considered to be a number as long as embedded commas (,) and decimal points (.) follow certain rules. That is, the U.S. convention of separating thousands with a comma (,) and using a period (.) as a decimal point is valid. As an option, MacroPIK'r can also follow the European convention whereby the role of the comma and period are reversed. In addition, the number is negative if there is a leading (or trailing) minus sign (-), or if the number is enclosed in parentheses, or if the number has the letters "CR" (or "cr") after it. Numbers in proper "scientific notation", for example, "6.63E-34" or "3.00e+08", are also supported. If the cell satisfies these rules, it is converted to a "clean" number: leading dollar signs, embedded commas, parentheses, "CR"'s, etc., are removed. Otherwise, the cell becomes zero (0). Notice that empty cells become numeric 0's. Warning: combinations of parentheses, minus signs, and "CR" will produce a negative number if the SUM of the combinations is ODD. That is, 4.95 CR or (4.95) equals -4.95, (4.95 CR) equals +4.95, while (-4.95 CR) equals -4.95. Use the Text command when you want to convert part or all of the Paste Area to labels (text). Page 83 Chapter 8 MacroPIK'r User Manual Technical Details The data in the picked region is converted to labels (text) by surrounding each cell with quote marks ("). This becomes significant when the Paste Area is saved with one of the Output commands; any cell with quotes around it is saved as a label (text), regardless of its content, while any cell without quotes around it is saved as a number if it "looks like" a number -- otherwise it is saved as a label. Page 84 Chapter 9 MacroPIK'r User Manual License, Warranty & Support Chapter 9 License, Warranty & Support License MacroPIK'r(tm) is "shareware". It is not in the public domain, nor is it free. MacroPIK'r is Copyright 1985 1986 1992 1993 by Samkhya. "MacroPIK'r" is a registered trademark. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another -- just as a book cannot be read by two different people at the same time. MacroPIK'r is provided to you under the terms of this license. You may use MacroPIK'r on a trial basis, to determine whether it meets your needs. You are not permitted to use MacroPIK'r beyond this trial, unless you register. To register, fill out the Order Form (file "MP-ORDER.FRM", also as an appendix in this Manual) and send it to Samkhya along with the registration fee, in US funds. You assume responsibility for the selection of software to achieve your intended results, and for the installation, use and results obtained from the program. You may not modify the MacroPIK'r program itself, nor may you disassemble it or reverse engineer it. (Source code licenses, consulting, and technology transfer services are available should you need to modify the program's function.) You may make copies for others to use on a trial basis, subject to the terms of this license, provided that all of the files that Page 85 Chapter 9 MacroPIK'r User Manual License, Warranty & Support are provided with MacroPIK'r are also included, including this license, and that you do not charge others -- beyond a reasonable media and handling fee -- for providing them with the copy of MacroPIK'r. (Please see the files VENDOR.DOC or SYSOP.DOC for more information if you are in the business of distributing shareware.) This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California and shall inure to the benefit of Samkhya and any successors, administrators, heirs and assigns. Any action or proceeding brought by either party against the other arising out of or related to this agreement shall be brought only in a State or Federal Court of competent jurisdiction located in Marin County, California. The parties hereby consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts. Warranty Disclaimer This software and manual are sold "as is" and without warranties as to performance of merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this program may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered. Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with noncritical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. Any liability of the seller will be limited exclusively to product replacement or refund of purchase price. Guarantee Samkhya will replace any defective media or manual (that Samkhya produced) within one year of purchase. You must first contact us for return authorization and instructions, then send the defective item(s). After examining the item(s) we will replace it (them), at no charge to you. If you obtained MacroPIK'r from a different vendor, please contact them for replacement of defective media, or if you have not already done so, you can register and receive the latest version directly from us. Page 86 Chapter 9 MacroPIK'r User Manual License, Warranty & Support Samkhya also offers a 30 day money-back guarantee on MacroPIK'r, in case you obtained it by direct purchase instead of shareware. If you are not satisfied with the product you should contact Samkhya within 30 days of registration (or purchase) for instructions on how to return the product and obtain a refund. Support Samkhya will provide one year of free support to any registered user, including up to one hour of free telephone support, and unlimited support by correspondence (mail, e-mail, fax). After the one hour of telephone support, you may obtain additional support for a fee (currently $60/hour). When you purchase an upgrade, you are eligible for an additional year of support. "Support" means assisting you in resolving difficulties in using the program, and fixing "bugs". If a bug is discovered that impairs your ability to benefit from using the program, we will try to reproduce it, then fix it. If we are unable to fix the bug, we will offer to refund your registration fee. You can reach Samkhya during normal business hours of 9-5, M-F, Pacific Time. We have an answering machine on at all other times (or when no one is available to take calls) -- please leave a CLEAR message about how and when to reach you, and what sort of help or information you need. You may send us a facsimile at any time: 707-878-2914 voice 707-878-2802 fax 71016,460 Compuserve Lastly, please look at the "feedback" questionnaire that is part of the order form. It is a good way to let us know what sorts of improvements you'd like to see. If MacroPIK'r is no longer supported at the time you send in your registration, your payment will be returned. Upgrades From time to time (usually about once a year) we will upgrade MacroPIK'r. As a registered user, you are entitled to purchase Page 87 Chapter 9 MacroPIK'r User Manual License, Warranty & Support upgrades at a substantial discount from the regular registration fee. In any case, you will always receive any major upgrade that comes out during the one year after your registration, at no charge. Please let us know if there is some feature or change you'd like to see in MacroPIK'r. That way the upgrades are more relevant to YOUR needs. If you are using a version that is more than two or three years old, you should probably upgrade (or register!) to receive the benefits of whatever new features have been added, or bugs that have been fixed. We will keep you on our mailing list for three years from the time we last hear from you. We will send cards advising of the availability of upgrades to everyone on this list. Note that since mail forwarding expires much more quickly than this, you should keep us advised of your address if you move. Page 88 Chapter 10 MacroPIK'r User Manual Order Form Chapter 10 Order Form The following page is a copy of the Order Form you should use for registering your copy of MacroPIK'r. It is identical to the file "MP-ORDER.FRM" which is included with MacroPIK'r. You may print that file out and use it, or photocopy the following page: Page 89 ID: M15B930690013 MacroPIK'r ORDER FORM // INVOICE remit to: SAMKHYA __________________________________ 27005 Highway 1 Company Name PO Box 13 Tomales, CA 94971 __________________________________ Contact Individual's Name 707-878-2914 phone 707-878-2802 fax __________________________________ Shipping Address Date: __________________ __________________________________ City State Postal Code Your PO Number: ________ __________________________________ (if needed) Country disk format 5.25" ____ _________________________ 3.5" ____ Phone Number MacroPIK'r for DOS -Registration $35.00 ea ________ (includes one year upgrade service) -California deliveries add Sales & Use Tax: ________ -Shipping & Handling (per order): $5.00 ________ or -$10.00 per order outside USA, Canada, Mexico $10.00 ________ Total: ________ Terms: Purchaser acknowledges that the goods have already been delivered on a trial basis, and that this is payment for acceptance. Please remit payment with a copy of this Invoice. Cash, Check or Money Order (drawn on a U.S. bank, in U.S. funds). Corporate Purchase orders (net 30 days) accepted from large corporations within the US. All orders outside of the US must be prepaid. (SAMKHYA Tax ID 550-68-4565.) If MacroPIK'r is no longer supported at the time you send in this registration, your payment will be returned. Contact Samkhya for money saving Site License fee schedule. Prices are subject to change without notice. (15a) MacroPIK'r User Manual Index Index 1-2-3 78 C -bios 75 Cel-F6 23 -bw 75 cell -color 75 pick 23 -csv 17, 75 Cell command 23 -dbf 17 CGA 16 -dif 17, 75 Col-F2 22 -dos 75 color 16 -flt 17, 75 column -fxl 17, 75 pick 22 -h 75 Column command 22 -hdwr 75 column dividers 19 -mono 75 Column Divisions -nm 75 See Also: -plN 75 Column Markers -slk 17, 75 Column Height 22 -t 75 Column Markers 19 -wks 17, 75 column markers changing 19 A restore 19 addresses 72 column widths all adjusting 19 pick 23 Comma Separated 17 All command 24 Comma Seperated All-F8 24 Values See: CSV ASP 4 Command Line ASP Ombudsman 4 Arguments 74 Association of Command line Shareware switches 17 Professionals 4 compatible BIOS 16 compatible DOS 16 B CONFIG.SYS batch 18 ANSI.SYS driver Bgn-F1 22 76 BIOS 16 FILES= 77 black-and-white Copy command 40 monitor 16 CSV 80 CSV (input) 27 Page 91 MacroPIK'r User Manual Index CSV (output) 31 EGA 16 Csv-F7 27 European format 79 Ctrl-G Goto 42 european numbers Ctrl-R Record a 38 Macro 43 Excel 27 Ctrl-R Resume a Execute command 43 Macro 44 Exit 9 Ctrl-S 45 Exit MacroPIK'r 21 Ctrl-S System Command 44 F Ctrl-W Repaint 45 field delimiter 28 Ctrl-X Execute a File Commands 26 Macro 43 File Formats 78 Cursor 9 file handles 77 File Names 78 D Find command 29 Data Interchange Fixed-Length 27 Format 17, 80 Fixed Length files dBASE 17, 27 Column dBASE field names divisions 19 81 fixed length dBASE files 81 record files 82 DBF 17, 81 Fixed-Length DBF (input) 27 Records 17 DBF (output) 31 Flat (input) 27 Dbf-F4 27 Flat (output) 31 default delimiter Flat file 78 28 Flat files default page Column length 28 divisions 19 Delete command 41 Flt-F1 27 Delimited See: CSV Fnd-F5 29 DIF 17, 80 formfeed 28, 78 DIF (input) 27 FXL (input) 27 DIF (output) 31 FXL (output) 31 Dif-F5 27 Fxl-F2 27 directory 28 directory display G 28 Goto command 43 DO-IT defined 8 H DOS 44 Help 9, 21 DOS Commands 45 help file 76 Hlp-F10 21 E edit data 35 I undo 35 In-F3 27 Page 92 MacroPIK'r User Manual Index Input Commands 27 pick Insert command 41 all 23 INT 33 82 cell 23 column 22 L row 23 label 31 Pick Commands 22 laptops 16 Picking Data 9 Left-Arrow 29 Prv-F10 22 Lotus 17 Lotus format 78 Q Quick Reference 7 M Macro 18 R mailing labels 72 Record command 43 map area 9 Record Length 28 Memory Usage 77 Repaint command 45 Metric format 79 Report Area 7 metric numbers 38 Resume command 44 monochrome 16, 75 Right-Arrow 29 mouse 82 row Move command 39 pick 23 MPIK.TMP 77 Row command 23 Multiplan 27 Row-F4 23 N S negative numbers Search 29 37 Search backward 29 number 31 Search forward 29 number command 36 Set Column Widths Numbers 20 conversion 83 group 20 numbers shareware 4 european & Slk-F9 27 metric 38 start MacroPIK'r negative 37 16 string 29 O SYLK 17, 81 Ombudsman 4 SYLK (input) 27 Output commands 31 SYLK (output) 31 SYmbolic Link See: P SYLK Pag-F7 30 System 45 page break 28 System command 44 Page command 30 page length 28, 78 T Paste Area 7 Temporary Files 77 temporary files 76 Page 93 MacroPIK'r User Manual Index Text Virtual Memory 77 conversion 83 VMEM.TMP 77 Text command 38 Transpose command W 40 Wildcard File transpose command Names 9, 28 example 14 WKS 17 TSR 45 WKS (input) 27 WKS (output) 31 U Wks-F3 27 undo WKS format 78 editing 35 worksheet 78 V X VGA 16 Xit-F9 21 Page 94