7.0    "ADVANCED" FEATURES

7.1    Launching other programs

       BlueBook can launch any DOS program, including batch
       files, Windows and itself -- a feature that makes it much
       more powerful than a simple card file.  Let your
       imagination loose!

       To launch a program, click Exec or type E.  A pop-up
       window appears, with five buttons:  Edit, Check, Locate,
       Accept, and Run.

       EDIT lets you enter/update program and parameter details.

       CHECK reports if a file exists ("OK") or not ("X") that
       answers to the "[drive:\path\]filename[.ext]" you specified.

       LOCATE searches for a file by name, and if found, fills in
       the details for you.  It looks first in the current
       directory, then scans those listed in your PATH statement.

       ACCEPT.  Equals "Exit" - you can't Cancel, only Accept.

       RUN.  Run the program.


       WARNING: If you are RUNning from a database on a removable
       -------  volume, do NOT change the database disk while
                BlueBook is still active.  (The open database
                won't be closed properly, and will likely be
                corrupted.)

                The same applies to dOs shelling, too, of course.


       You only HAVE to Edit once, to specify a program and any
       parameters required.  Details are saved with the record.
       To quit editing, click the button area, hit F2, or Esc.

       ----------------------------------------------------------
       A parameter is information that is fed into a program as
       it starts.  Normally, it's typed on the command line,
       after the program's name.  In Bluebook, program details
       are typed in one line and parameters are typed in a
       second separate line, each one separated by a space.
       (For examples, see section 4.3 and 4.4)
       ----------------------------------------------------------

       AFTER editing, click Check.

       If you only know a program's name, not its full path, use
       Locate instead of Check.  Enter just the Name, or Name.Ext
       (eg, "BlueBook" or "BlueBook.Exe").  Then click Locate.
       If you didn't give an extension, BlueBook (like DOS)
       will look firstly for a matching .COM file, then .EXE,
       and finally a .BAT batch file.  Locate stops at the first
       match.

       ----------------------------------------------------------
       Any record that has a program associated is marked by an
       "*" under the Key line, just right of the word "Key".

       While executing another program or shelled to DOS,
       BlueBook's memory usage reduces to around 18k.
       ----------------------------------------------------------

7.2    Shelling to DOS

       If you need access to DOS while running BlueBook, click
       the "dOs" button (or type O) twice.

       This closes the current database and starts a "child" DOS
       session.  BBMain.Exe ends, releasing most of your memory.
       To return to the program, and the place you left off, type
       the DOS command "exit".  BBMain.Exe restarts.

       While shelled, or executing an external program, your
       previous status is recorded in two temporary files in the
       current database's directory: "<DBasName>.THL" and
       "<DBasName>.Tmp".  These are deleted automatically when
       you "exit".  If they aren't (because you didn't), they can
       be erased later manually without any problems.

       BlueBook is NOT a TSR program.

       ----------------------------------------------------------
       TECHNICAL NOTE:  There is also a transient file,
       "\BlueBook.$$$" that exists briefly in the root directory
       as control passes from BBMain.Exe back to BlueBook.Exe.

       WHICH root directory (ie, on which drive) is determined by
       the "TransientFileOnDrive=" line in the BLUEBOOK.INI file.
       Default is C (or C:).  Obviously, whichever drive it is,
       you must have write-access to it.  A CDROM or controlled
       network drive is no good.
       ----------------------------------------------------------

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