Documentation for Quick View 1.0 and Quick Print 1.1
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(C) 1989 by Darek Mihocka and Ignac Kolenko
Quick View and Quick Print run on any ST, color or mono, with TOS in ROM.
Quick View - the ST Report Reader
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Quick View is a program developed for viewing text files. Although it may
usually suffice to "Show" a file from the ST's desktop, this does not allow
the file to be viewed randomly. Quick View allows a file to be loaded into
memory and viewed. The file can also be printed to the printer.
For example, it is rather difficult to read an issue of ST Report without
being able to scrolling back and forth. And who ever understands README
me files after just one reading!
Quick View 1.0 is an outgrowth of our earlier Atari Super Lister program.
The ASL was completely text based, while Quick View offers a GEM based
interface, and other enhancements.
To use Quick View, double click on the file QUIKVIEW.PRG. A dialog box will
appear, and the screen colors will change to white, black, red and green
(on a color monitor only!). Click on the "Load buffer" button. A file
selector will appear, prompting you to pick a text file.
Once the file is loaded into memory, and verified to be a text file, the
"View buffer" button will become enabled. When you click this button, an
80 column 24 line display will appear. Even if you booted in low resolution,
it will appear in 80 columns.
Use the up and down cursor keys to scroll through the file. To scroll a
screen at a time (24 lines at a time), press F1 to scroll up and F2 to
scroll down. F3 will take you to the top of the file, and F4 will take you
to the bottom.
Press the Esc key to exit back to the main dialog box.
Note that only buffer #1 is selected. Buffers 2 through 4 will be available
in future versions.
To view another file, just "Load buffer" and "View buffer" again.
Quick View 1.0 is obviously the first version of this program. We have new
features in the works, such as 48 line displays, multiple buffers, windowed
buffers, and the ability to view files in hex, variable tab widths,
the ability to view non-text files (such as DEGAS pictures), and best of
all, a desk accessory version of Quick View that can be called up from any
GEM program.
Quick Print - fast screen dumps
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Quick Print was developed out of the need to make fast screen dumps of
text based screens. The normal ST screen dump is generated as a graphic
bit map, and thus on a dot matrix printer, it requires several minutes to
complete. This is totally unacceptable for text applications, even when
using a print spooler.
To use Quick Print, copy the file QUICKPRT.ACC to your ST boot disk. On
a hard disk, this will be the C: partition. Then reboot the ST.
From the ST desktop, select Quick Print from the desk accessory menu.
A small dialog box will appear showing the settings of Quick Print.
By default it is configured to generate the normal graphical screen dumps.
When the "text" option is selected, screen dumps will come out as ASCII
text. This is functionally similar to the IBM PC's Print Screen key.
A typical screen dump will take under 30 seconds to generate.
Quick Print's benefits become evident when using the modem. If you use
FLASH, or similar VT52 emulator, you can produce a screen dump in seconds,
not minutes. If you use your modem to access UNIX machines, you know that
capture buffers are useless, since VT52 functions are not captured. Only
a screen dump can be used to save screen information.
Quick Print supports most text modes. This includes 40 and 80 columns, and
24, 25, 48 and 50 line displays. There is currently a limitation in the
program, and colored or inverse text is not printed.
Future versions of Quick Print will have other configuration options, as
well as the ability to save screen dumps to disk.
Pay for shareware and receive updates!
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At this time, we would like to receive some user feedback before we go
ahead and implement any new features. We are aware that different people
are used to different editors, such as Micro Emacs, TEMPUS, vi, First
Word Plus, Word Perfect, etc. Although we do not intend to make Quick View
into a full blown editor, we would like to make it as easy to use as possible.
This means selecting a user interface that people will understand. Most of
the editors mentioned above don't even use the cursor keys in the same way!
So let's hear from some people. What is you favorite editor environment?
How many files at a time do you usually view at the same time? What sort of
printing features do you require?
Quick View and Quick Print updates will come in two versions. Versions 1.xx
will be released to the public. Quick View and Quick Print versions 2.xx
will be available to people who have sent the $20 shareware registration fee.
We expect to have the first such updates ready during the summer.
Registered users will also receive Quick ST when it becomes available. The
program is currently in beta testing and can significantly speed up text
output of any ST program. No blitter chip required!
To become a registered user, send a $20 check or money order to:
Darek Mihocka
Box 2624, Station B
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 6N2
Canada
You can reach us by modem on the following networks:
Darek Mihocka:
Compuserve: 73657,2714
BIX, Delphi, GEnie: DAREKM
Ignac Kolenko:
UNIX mail: watmath!watcgl!electro!ignac
We thank you for supporting shareware and encourage you to support other
shareware authors. You may distribute copies of Quick View and Quick Print
under the condition that you also include this documentation file. You may
not charge a fee or in any way try to sell this software.
MACE and Atari Corp. present the Michigan Atari Computer Expo on May 6 (10-6)
and May 7 (10-5) at the Detroit Metro Airport Hilton. A sample of exhibitors
includes ICD, Migraph, Alpha Systems and many more. Ticket prices are $5 at
the door and children under 12 are free. For more info, Please contact Pattie
Rayl at (313) 973-8825. We hope to see you there! Catch the Quick ST and
ST Xformer 2.5 demos. Registered users of ST Xformer bring your old disks,
because you'll want to swap them for version 2.5.