FRENCH_VERBS v1.0 (DEMO) ========================== THIS DEMO IS FREEWARE, BUT ALSO COPYRIGHT (c) 1994 by Bob Gascoigne This means that all the files and programs in this package may be freely distributed as long as they are distributed together, without any changes. PD handlers may charge a nominal fee to cover costs, etc., but no commercial usage is authorized unless written permission has been granted by the author. This distribution contains reqtools.library (c) by Nico François. General: ^^^^^^^ FRENCH_VERBS is a utility designed to assist people who are suffering while trying to learn the conjugation of french verbs. The French have obviously invested a great deal of fantasy in the design of their tenses, and the author hopes that this program will help students to see light at the end of the tunnel. The executable program in this package is LADC, which is the abbreviation for "L'Art De Conjuguer". LADC is NOT a translation program. It's sole purpose is to display the conjugation of ca. 2000 french verbs in 15 tenses. An example of the passive form in each tense is also shown. This DEMO version contains only 100 verbs; all other features are unchanged. A version with a smaller window is inclu- ded for NTSC monitors. Requirements: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Any Amiga with 1MB RAM. Because of gadtools.library, OS 2.0 or higher is required. Distribution: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ This release should contain the following files: FRENCH_VERBS.doc This file FRENCH_VERBS.doc.info Its icon FULL_VERSION.doc Information about the Commercial Version FULL_VERSION.docinfo Its icon LADC.exe The executable program LADC_NTSC.exe * The executable program (smaller window for NTSC) verbs Vocabulary file fd The "d" keymap with french alphabet added fu * The "usa" keymap with french alphabet added reqtools.library Nico François's great library (c) V37 LADC Scriptfile used by IconX LADC.info Its icon LADC_NTSC * Scriptfile used by IconX (for NTSC users) LADC_NTSC.info * Its icon * Located in the sub-directory 'NTSC'. In the following sections, users with NTSC monitors must use the 'NTSC' variants of the files mentioned. Installation: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Copy reqtools.library to LIBS: Copy the required keymap to DEVS:Keymaps Copy LADC.EXE, LADC and verbs to where you wish to use them (they must be in the same directory) Starting LADC: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1. Open a shell window, then Change Directory to where LADC is. enter: LADC . 2. Double-click on the LADC icon if starting from the WorkBench No Assigns are required. However, you will have to SETMAP fu or fd before using the Search function if the desired verb contains french-only characters. What do you see: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ When you start LADC the main window will appear. This window can be divided into 3 main areas: i. The upper third of the window is the 'text area', thus named because of the 8 text gadgets which display the selected conjugation. If you havn't clicked any button yet you will see what is displayed in each gadget. The 'P' buttons are discussed in the 'Output' Section below. ii. The middle and lower left, (lower half on NTSC version), is the 'tense area'. These 15 'long' buttons (with french words on them) determine which tense is shown in the text area. This is the only way to change the tense, i.e. if you change the verb, the tense is not changed. iii. The lower right, (middle right on NTSC version), is the 'action area'. The functions in this area are explained in the following Section. Using LADC: ^^^^^^^^^^ After LADC has finished parsing the vocabulary file the first verb, in this case 'aller', will be displayed in the Infinitive box. Clicking on any of the 15 tense buttons below the text area will display the selected tense. The other buttons are: QUIT Exit LADC (PAL only) - CLOSEWINDOW Gadget also works FIND Search Function (see below) PRINT ALL Outputs text area info to a RAM: file (see 'Output') NEXT Next verb in vocabulary is shown PREV Previous verb in vocabulary is shown + 10 Jumps 10 verbs forward (beyond end -> beginning) + 50 Jumps 50 verbs forward (beyond end -> beginning) - 10 Jumps 10 verbs backward (beyond beginning -> end) - 50 Jumps 50 verbs backward (beyond beginning -> end) refl If possible, the reflexive form is shown être If possible, the form compounded with 'être' is shown avoir If possible, the form compounded with 'avoir' is shown In the text area there is sometimes extra information displayed: ** after the passive form of a tense indicates that the verb has also an intransitive form, i.e. NO PASSIVE FORM in the intran- sitive role. NOTE: The refl, être and avoir functions only function available if a 'yes' is next to the corresponding button. Clicking on a button with a 'no' will have no result. ALSO: When changing verbs LADC attempts to show the 'avoir' form. If not available, the 'être' form will be displayed. If also not available, the 'refl' form is displayed. At least ONE of the 3 will be there ! Search Function: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Clicking on FIND will open a string requester in which the current verb is displayed, (CTRL-x, CTRL-a and CTRL-z work as normal). Enter the desired infinitive then press RETURN or click OK. If the selected verb is found it will be shown. If it is NOT found, it will NOT be shown. The altered keymaps allow you to use additional french characters not included in the 'd' or 'usa' keymaps. The french characters have replaced the numbers 1 thru 0 on the typewriter part of the keyboard, (the number pad functions as normal). The additional characters are as follows: NORMAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 NEW è é ê à â Ù Û ô ç î ASCII 232 233 234 224 226 217 219 244 231 238 Use KEYSHOW on the Extras disk for a full picture of the keymap. NOTE: that the 'ï' is not included. If you wish to find 'haïr' then simply enter 'hair'. LADC will do the rest. Output: ^^^^^^ When you start LADC, an OUTPUT file called 'RAM:ladcout' is created. This not an APPEND file so all previous data is lost if you restart LADC. If you click on one of the 'P' buttons in the text area, the text to its right will be sent to 'RAM:ladcout'. If you wish to have the whole 'page' sent, click on 'PRINT ALL'. System Configuration: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A500+ with 2 MEG RAM, OS 2.04. LADC is my first program written using Wouter van Oortmerssen's great Amiga E Compiler (v2.1b), available on Fish 848. reqtools.library (c) is copyright by Nico François. For info about the full version, see separate document. If you have any comments, suggestions or the like about this program please write to: Bob Gascoigne Krämerstraße 24 63450 Hanau am Main Germany