HOW TO USE THESE FILES

For those with average or better computer "know how", this may
seem overly simplified.  We take the simplified route for those
who may benefit from it.  You computer wizards are free to do as
you please.

We recommend you make a backup copy of our diskette and OPEN THE 
WRITE PROTECT WINDOW of the diskette you are using to protect it 
from possible accidental changes.  

You have the choice of reading the text files (those with file 
extension .TXT) in either DOS or Windows as explained below.

DOS OPERATION

We will assume for this instruction that you have our diskette 
or your backup copy in Drive A: (or B: if that is your 3.5 inch 
floppy drive).  We further assume that you will be operating 
from the DOS prompt in drive A: or B:.  

Get into Drive A: by typing (at the DOS prompt) A: and enter (or
Drive B: if appropriate per above paragraph).

HOW2USE.TXT  is this file.  A "batch" file will bring it up so
you can read it.  Just type HOW2USE and enter.  With these batch 
files you don't type .TXT after the filename.

PISTOLS.TXT is a discussion of pistols, mostly English military
pistols, from about 1600 to 1800.  First comes a general 
discussion which is followed by more specific and detailed 
information on the individual pieces.  About each, several 
paragraphs discuss the weapon, followed by a list of dimensions 
applicable to it.  Just type PISTOLS and enter to bring up this 
file.

GUNLIST.TXT lists all the individual files of drawings of the
pistols and locks.  It explains the filename system so that the
desired illustration may be chosen for viewing or printing.  To
bring up this file, type GUNLIST and enter.

GLOSSARY.TXT is a brief glossary identifying some of the terms
for those who may not be weapons wise.  Typing and entering
GLOSSARY will bring this up.

MORESTUF.TXT gives our address and phone number and offers some 
incentives for your contribution.  It also gives some back
ground of the project.  Just type and enter MORESTUF to bring 
it up.


WINDOWS OPERATION FOR READING TEXT .TXT FILES

We will assume for this instruction that you have our diskette 
or your backup copy in Drive A: (or B: if that is your 3.5 inch 
floppy drive).  Our .TXT files can be imported into the Windows 
WRITE program.  WRITE is a simple word processor in the Windows 
ACCESSORIES group (unless it has been moved).  

Double click on WRITE to bring up the program.  Click on File, 
then click on Open to bring up the selection screen. Click on 
Drives, then click on the drive your diskette is in, click on 
List Files by Type, then click on TEXT FILES.  

Our text filenames will appear in the box.  Click on the one you 
want.  A screen will come up giving the choice to convert it to 
WRITE format or not.  If you intend to copy the file into the 
WRITE program, you select that option.  Either selection will
give the same screen presentation of the file you want to view.

BE SURE you have opened the WRITE PROTECT window on your diskette.
Otherwise if you save the displayed file it may overwrite the 
original file.


DRAWINGS IN THIS PROGRAM (.PCX FILES) AND HOW TO DISPLAY AND
PRINT THEM

All the drawings have a file extension .PCX.  This indicates a
specific kind of graphics display format.  It is one of perhaps 
a dozen that exist.  PCX is one of the most common and is 
readily received into WINDOWS display and most Paint programs 
and Word Processors.  

A word of CAUTION:  If you use your mouse on the screen in the
drawing and press the left button you may alter your drawing.  
To avoid altering the drawing on your diskette, be sure you DO 
NOT save the altered drawing.  To be doubly safe, OPEN THE 
WRITE PROTECTION window on your diskette.  Be sure you have
made a backup copy of your diskette before you start.

To view and print the drawings in WINDOWS:

Activate your Windows program and get into the Paintbrush
program.  It is in the ACCESSORIES group if it has not been 
moved.  When the Paintbrush screen comes up, Click on File 
then Click on Open.

This brings up the Open screen.  Click on the arrow below List
Files by Type, then Click on .PCX.  Then click on the arrow
below Drives and Click on A: (unless you have our diskette in
B:).  This brings up a listing of all the .PCX files on our
diskette.  Click on the one you want and then Click on OK (or
just double click the file you want).  It will appear in the
Paintbrush screen, greatly enlarged.  

You will see only a part of it at first.  To see the complete
drawing, Click on View, Click on Zoom Out, which will reduce the
size of the drawing to fit the screen.  To get back to where you
were, you will have to Click on Zoom In.

If you want to print the drawing, Click on File, Click on Print.
A screen comes up in which you make selections.  Our equipment
produces a drawing that is too big for the page and it goes to a
second page.  To avoid this make a selection in the Scaling box
of something less than 100 percent.  We found 90 percent to be
OK for the GLOSSARY.PCX lock drawing.  You can experiment with 
other selections and get various results.

The better Word Processors have the ability to import pictures
such as clipart.  Since they have different procedures, we will
offer only general comments.  They have a means of bringing up
a frame for the picture, after doing so you will go through a
procedure similar to the above to locate your drawing.  You will
probably have to select .PCX as the file type because most word
processors use some other default format.  Some word processors
allow you to change the picture size and move it around as you
wish.  You then print your drawing.  We found printing through 
the word processor was simpler and with a lot more options and 
flexibility than through the Paintbrush program.  We are using 
a Windows word processor, the Lotus Amipro.  


OTHER 

Word processors can import both .TXT files and .PCX files. 
Since all of them have different procedures, we will not try 
to give instructions other than suggest you refer to your 
documentation for your word processor.

If you will be working with these files you probably will want
to print some of them to avoid having to keep going back them
while you are in another program.  You can print the .TXT files
by typing PRINT FILENAME.TXT and then enter.  Your computer may
ask you which printer, in which case type LPT1 and enter.   This
works with a lot of computers.  If it doesn't you might try LPT2,
otherwise you will have to go to your manual for the answer.

In the foregoing, you type the actual filename rather than how
we typed them.










