QL
PROGRAM
-
CONFIG
The program
config_bas
allows you
to
specify alternative default devices
for
the QL
programs and
to
modify the sort order
in
the Order commands
of
Abacus and Archive.
As
supplied, the programs expect
to
use Microdrive 2 for storing data, and Help
information and the installed
printer driver
are
on
Mlcrodrive
1.
You
may wish
to
modify
these
to
make use
of
additional Microdrives, disk
drives,
and
so
on.
You
may also
wish
.to
modify the order
in
which
ArChive
records, or
rows
of
an
Abacus
grid are sorted. This might be useful, for example,
if
you
want
to
sort text which includes
accented characters from a foreign language.
You
can
run
confi9--bas
from any Microdrive, and modify a QL program on a cartridge
USING
CON
FIG
in
either Microdrive 1 or Microdrive
2.
Suppose
you
want
to
run
confi9--bas
from
Microdrive 2
to
modify a copy
of
a QL program
In
Microdrive
1.
Run
the program by
typing:
l run
mdv2_confi
9_bas
When prompted, type the name
of
the program
you
want
to
modify
(Quill,
Abacus,
Easel
or Archive) and press ENTER. Then enter the value 1 when asked which drive contains
the program.
The program
waits
for you
to
press the space bar after
you
have made sure that the
program cartridge
is
in
the correct Microdrive. When you
have
done
so
the program
shows you the main menu
of
options which
are:
Select new default devices
Modify the sort order
Leave the program
To
select the option
to
modify the sort order press ENTER. When prompted press the Sort Order
space
bac
The largest area
of
the screen shows a block
of
256 characters which define the sort
order.
The
position
in
the block, reading from left
to
right and top
to
bottom, determines
the character being sorted: the
contents
at
that position shows how the character
will
be
tested by the Order command.
The
riqht hand side
of
the screen shows more
information about the character marked
by
the cursor Move the cursor from character
to
character with the cursor
keys.
The
block
of
characters
at
the bottom
of
the screen
is
used for modifying the order
It
also has a
cursor,
which you move
with
SHIFT and the cursor
keys.
This block only
shows half of the
full
set
of
characters - press
F1
to
switch between the
two
halves
The best
way
of
describing how
to
modify the sort order
IS
by means
of
examples.
As
supplied, the lower case characters
will
be sorted
to
come after
all
the upper case ones,
that
is,
"a"
will
come after "Z". Suppose
you
want
to
make the order independent
of
upper
Or
lower case so
that,
for example,
''A''
and
'8."
are
not distinguished.
To
make
"a"
be
sorted
as
though
It
were
''A'',
move the cursor
in
the main block
of
characters
to
the letter
'8."
and press the
''A''
key
(make sure
you
type
an
upper case
character). The
"a"
in
the upper block changes
to
'f;;' and the Information on the right
of
the screen shows that the character
'8."
will
now
be
regarded
as
equivalent
to
''A''
for the purpose
of
sorting.
Repeat this process for each lower case
letter,
making
"b"
equivalent
to
"B", 't"
to
"C"
,
and so
on.
An alternative
way
of
changing a character
is
to
move the cursor
in
the lower block
of
characters,
uSing
SHIFT and the cursor
keys,
until
it
marks the character
you
require
and then press
F2.
This method
is
particularly useful
for
the characters, such
as
foreign
accented characters,
that
are
not
marked
on
the
keys.
This
method
is
used
in
the
following
example.
Suppose you want
to
reverse
the normal sort order
for
the upper case
letters,
leaving
the
rest
of
the ordering unchanged.
To
do this you must change the part
of
the main
block that reads
''A
B C
...
X Y
Z"
so
that
it
reads
"z
Y
X.
. C B A". Move the main
cursor
to
''A''
and the lower cursor
to
"z"
and press
F2
to
enter the new character. The
character
''A''
will
then sort
as
though
it
were
"z"
.Repeat
this
for each upper case
letter,
changing "6"
to
'Y",
"C"
to
"X", and so on.
12/84
9
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