~Index

1 -[Introduction]
    1.1 -[System Requirements]
    1.2 -[Registration]
    1.3 -[Contacting the Author]
    1.4 -[The Help System]
    1.5 -[Printing the Manual]
    1.6 -[Basic Guidelines]
    1.7 -[Statistics Display]
    1.8 -[Alternative Program Uses]
2 -[Chapter Functions]
    2.1 -[Adding Chapters]
    2.2 -[Editing Chapters]
3 -[Record Functions]
    3.1 -[Adding Records]
    3.2 -[Importing Records]
    3.3 -[Editing Records]
    3.4 -[Moving Records]
    3.5 -[Viewing Records]
    3.6 -[Resizing Recipes]
    3.7 -[Printing Records]
    3.8 -[Exporting Records]
4 -[Grocery Menu]
    4.1 -[Adding Items]
    4.2 -[Editing Grocery Items]
    4.3 -[Locating Grocery Items]
    4.4 -[The Grocery List]
5 -[Calendar Menu]
6 -[Batch Menu]
7 -[Find Menu]


~1 - Introduction
[System Requirements][Registration][Contacting the Author]
[The Help System][Basic Guidelines][Printing the Manual]
[Statistics Display][Alternative Program Uses]

   The Recipe Box is Copyright 1995 by Anthony Watson, all rights reserved.
Any unauthorized duplication of the program(s) or documentation is a violation
of federal copyright laws!

   The Recipe Box has been tested extensively and to the best of our knowledge
will not cause problems of any kind. However, neither Mountain Software nor
the author (Anthony Watson), will be held responsible for any damage occurring
to your system or other software. We also make no guarantees as to
compatibility with other software or hardware configurations.

  The Recipe Box was written by Anthony Watson using GFA Basic 3.5e and
includes several assembly routines written and compiled with GENST. The Recipe
Box manual was written in Pen Pal, a shareware text editor from Mountain
Software.

  I would like to thank all of the dedicated users who purchased earlier
versions of The Recipe Box. I appreciate your comments, suggestions, and
complaints.

  I also owe a great deal of appreciation to my beta testers; Don Schmidt,
Phil Latona, and Victor Bruhn.

  In addition, I owe a special debt to my wife Peggy for her love, support,
and patience. You are my best friend, I couldn't live without you!

  Most importantly, I thank my Lord Jesus Christ. I am continually amazed at
the complexity and beauty in all of your creations. From the trees that grow
on our mountain, to my wife and daughter; I know you are the creator, the one
and only God, my Lord and Savior. I pray that every man, woman and child comes
to know you personally!

~1.1 - System Requirements
[Introduction]

   The Recipe Box will run on any Atari ST, STe, TT, or Falcon computer. It
will function in ST medium, ST High, or any graphics mode having a resolution
of 640 x 200 or greater.

   We recommend a MINIMUM of 1 Meg of RAM for acceptable performance, though
the program will work in as little as 512K. However, since capacity is partly
determined by the free RAM you have available, you will not be able to store
as many records. Though even on a 512K machine, you should be able to store
several thousand records.

   While The Recipe Box will run successfully from a floppy disk, we highly
recommend that you have a hard drive. A floppy disk will not provide the
storage capacity or access speed needed for acceptable performance with this
program.

   All of the printing functions in The Recipe Box require that you have GDOS
loaded. While you can use any version of GDOS, we recommend that you use
Speedo GDOS because of it's improved output and positioning accuracy.

~1.2 - Registration
[Introduction]

   Please fill out the product registration card and mail it to Mountain
Software. This will provide us with vital information about you and your
system and will allow us to inform you of program updates, upcoming products,
etc.

~1.3 - Contacting the Author
[Introduction][The Help System]

   The Recipe Box has been designed for ease of use. Please take the time to
read this manual and consult it when you have problems. Most program
operations are rather straightforward, and those that are not are discussed in
greater detail in this manual.

   If you are still having difficulties, have a comment regarding The Recipe
Box, or want to obtain the latest version, please feel free to contact the
author:

                    GEnie: A.WATSON6
                 Internet: awatson@pacifier.com
                 Internet: a.watson6@genie.geis.com
                      WWW: http://www.pacifier.com/~awatson
                      FTP: ftp.pacifier.com/pub/users/awatson
          Bear Cavern BBS: (360) 573-2054  (E-mail to Anthony Watson)
           Postal Service: Mountain Software
                           6911 NE Livingston Road
                           Camas, Washington  98607  USA

~1.4 - The Help System
[Introduction][Contacting the Author][Printing the Manual]

  The Recipe Box features a built in help system to aid you in the operation
of this program. This makes it easier for you to obtain information when you
need it, reduces shipping and packaging costs for us, reduces environmental
impact from wasted paper, and allows us to update the manual on a more
frequent basis than would be possible with a printed manual. The help system
is accessed by selecting "The Recipe Box" heading under the menu bar.

  Text is scrolled using the cursor keys or the left and right mouse buttons.
Clicking the left mouse button over the manual text will scroll UP through the
manual. Clicking the right mouse button over the manual text will scroll DOWN
through the manual. To scroll by page hold down the CONTROL key when scrolling.

  Clicking on the "Help" button will display this section of the manual.
Clicking on the "Index" button will jump to the manual index.

  Below each heading, and in the index, are a series of keywords or phrases
that are displayed in inverse text. Clicking on these keywords will
immediately take you to the section of the manual pertaining to that phrase.

~1.5 - Printing the Manual
[Introduction][The Help System]

  The complete manual, or just sections of it, can be printed directly from
the help system. To print the manual, click on the "Print" button, and then
select whether you want to print the entire manual or just the current section.

  The manual printout is formatted for printout on standard 8.5 x 11 inch
paper, so that the pages can be punched and placed conveniently in a 3-ring
binder.

~1.6 - Basic Guidelines
[Introduction][The Help System]

  Throughout this program you will find many operations are quite similar.

  LEFT clicking is generally used to select an item. "Double Clicking" is NOT
required, though occasionally you will need to click once to select an item,
and then click again to activate it (Such as viewing a record from the Index
menu).

  RIGHT clicking is generally used to edit an item. This will usually bring up
an editor or dialog box appropriate to the item being selected.

  References to "click twice" in this manual mean to click once, wait a short
time, and click again. This is not the same as "Double Clicking" which is a
rapid two click operation.

  Scrolling is usually accomplished by pressing the keyboard cursor keys, or
by clicking the appropriate arrow button on the screen. However, some areas
such as the View Menu and the Help system, use our 'Mouse Scrolling' feature.
To use this feature, place the mouse pointer over the text you wish to scroll.
Then LEFT click to scroll up through the text, or RIGHT click to scroll down
through the text. Holding the CONTROL key down while scrolling will scroll by
page instead of by line.

  Some functions such as the grocery list use the LEFT and RIGHT mouse keys
for increasing and decreasing the quantities involved. This is used in both
the grocery list itself, and the grocery item editor for selecting "staple"
quantities.

  Many items can be "moved" from one location to another by "Dragging" them.
For example, a record may be moved from one chapter to another by dragging the
record to the new chapter. Or, records may be added to the batch list by
dragging them to the batch button.

  Generally, any place a record title is visable you may view that record by
clicking twice on the record title. This applies to the Index, Calendar,
Batch, and Find Menus.

  The button bar at the bottom of the screen is visable at most points in the
program, making it easy to jump quickly from any part of the program to
another.

  Most on-screen buttons in the program can also be activated with a keyboard
hotkey (highlighted in a different color). It should be noted that any button
labeled 'OK' can also be activated by pressing RETURN on the keyboard.

  RIGHT clicking on the window title bar will recenter the window on the
screen.

~1.7 - Statistics Display
[Introduction][The Help System]

   The statistics display is accessed by clicking on "The Recipe Box" title
graphic at the top of the Index Menu. From this display you can find out the
program version, release date, registered owner, serial number, etc.

   The statistics display will also let you determine how many records you
have on file, and the free memory that is available. If you have limited
memory, you may want to disable your desk accessories and any nonessential
AUTO folder programs (such as a RAM disk) when you run The Recipe Box.

~1.8 - Alternative Program Uses
[Introduction]

  While The Recipe Box is primarily designed as a recipe database, we took
special care to ensure that the program would be flexible enough to use for
other purposes.

  For example, The Recipe Box could be used as a Personal Information manager
by storing the names and addresses of individuals in separate records. Using
chapters, you could even divide them into friends, relatives, businesses, etc.
And, combined with the built-in Calendar, and the ability to attach a record
to any date, you end up with a very flexible PIM.

  You may also want to use The Recipe Box for Genealogy Work. Family Surnames
could be divided among the chapters, with actual records containing the names
and information of specific individuals.

  The Recipe Box would also be perfectly suited to those who collect poetry or
songs. Each record could contain the full text of the poem or song, and could
be arranged by type or category using the chapters. Specific song collections
could even be printed, using the batch menu.

  It would also be possible to maintain a very detailed inventory of your home
using The Recipe Box. Rooms could be represented by each chapter, with Records
detailing the actual item in each room.

  Of course, any task requiring a compilation of many small text files would
be ideally served by The Recipe Box!

~2 - Chapter Functions
[Adding Chapters][Editing Chapters]

  The Recipe Box handles records by dividing them into various categories,
also known as 'Chapters'. You may create as few or as many chapters as you
wish. Chapters should be fairly general in nature, but not so general that the
chapter fills up too fast. Performance is much better with several small
chapters than it is with a few large ones, as large chapters require more
memory and are slower to access.

  The Index Menu of The Recipe Box is divided into two sections. The buttons
and list on the left side of the screen are for chapter functions only. The
arrow keys on the left side of the screen allow you to scroll through the list
of chapters if you have more than 12 chapters.

~2.1 - Adding Chapters
[Chapter Functions][Editing Chapters]

  Before you can enter records into The Recipe Box, you must first create a
chapter in which to store them.

  To add a chapter, click on the 'Add' button on the left side of the Index
menu. A dialog box will appear allowing you to enter in the name of your
chapter. Once you enter the title, click on 'Save' or press the RETURN key and
you'll be returned to the main menu, and your new chapter will be displayed in
the chapter list.

~2.2 - Editing Chapters
[Chapter Functions][Adding Chapters]

  Should you want to rename or delete a chapter, RIGHT click on the name of
the chapter in the chapter list. A dialog box will appear allowing you to edit
or delete the chapter you selected.

  If you delete a chapter that contains records, an additional dialog box will
appear for verification before deleting the chapter.

~3 - Record Functions
[Adding Records][Editing Records][Importing Records][Exporting Records]
[Moving Records][Viewing Records][Resizing Recipes][Printing Records]

  The Index Menu of The Recipe Box is divided into two sections. The buttons
and list on the right side of the screen are for record functions only. The
arrow keys on the right side of the screen allow you to scroll through your
records, if a chapter contains more than 12 records.

  The Recipe Box is capable of storing two different kinds of records.

  The 'Recipe' record is a specialized record for storing recipes. It contains
customized fields for ingredients, directions, and servings. It also provides
for special functions such as resizing ingredients.

  The 'Information' record is a generic text record that may be used for
storing any text information. You can use this record type for storing
nutritional information and/or cooking tips. The information record also
allows The Recipe Box to be used for purposes other than a recipe database.

~3.1 - Adding Records
[Record Functions]

  To add a record, you must first select the chapter you wish to place it in.

  Then click on the 'Add' button on the right side of the screen. A dialog box
will appear allowing you to select the type of record you want to add.

  Once you have selected a record type, a second dialog box will appear for
you to enter the title for your record. When you have entered the title, press
the RETURN key and the appropriate record editor will appear.

  The recipe editor divides the screen into two halves. The ingredients MUST
be entered on the left, and directions entered on the right side of the screen.

  The editor will start with the cursor placed at the start of the
ingredients. Enter in your list of ingredients and edit them as you wish. When
you want to enter the directions, click on the right side of the screen. The
cursor will be placed at the start of the directions, and you may then enter
your directions.

  You may switch between the ingredients and directions at any time, by
clicking on the left or right half of the screen, or by pressing the TAB key
on the keyboard.

  If you know the number of servings, you may enter it by clicking on the
'Servings' button at the bottom of the screen. A dialog box will appear
allowing you to enter the nutritional information.

  If you wish to change the name of the recipe, click on the 'Title' button at
the bottom of the screen. A dialog box will appear allowing you to edit your
title. When you are satisfied with the new title, press the RETURN key.

  If you want to permanently resize the recipe, click the 'Resize' button at
the bottom of the screen. A dialog box will appear for you to enter the new
serving size.

  When you are finished entering your recipe, click on the 'Save' button at
the bottom of the screen. Your recipe will be added to the current chapter,
and you will be returned to the Index Menu.

  If you do not wish to save the recipe, click on the 'Cancel' button at the
bottom of the screen. You will be returned to the Index Menu.

  The 'Information' record editor functions in much the same way as the recipe
editor with the exception that there is only one text field for editing.

~3.2 - Importing Records
[Record Functions][Exporting Records]

  Records can be imported from a variety of external text file formats. To
import a file, you must first select the chapter you wish to import the file
into. Then click on the 'Load' button on the right side of the Index Menu. The
system file selector will appear for you to locate the file you wish to
import. Click on 'OK' and The Recipe Box will analyze the file in an attempt
to determine the file format. A dialog box will then appear for you to verify
or override the import format.

  The "Information Text" format will import the file as an information record.
Most generic text will use this format. Recipes should not use this format, as
resizing and other recipe specific functions will not be available. Note that
only 300 lines of text are available for import (about 5 pages of text).

  The "Undefined Recipe" format is used when you are importing a recipe that
does not adhere to any of the supported formats. This will bring up the manual
import menu where you can manually mark the various segments of each recipe.
You scroll up and down through the recipe using the LEFT and RIGHT mouse keys
or the keyboard cursor keys. When you are ready to mark off a block of text
(such as the ingredients), press and hold the CONTROL key while you click on
the desired line of text. The LEFT mouse key marks the block start, the RIGHT
mouse key marks the block end. You then click on the appropriate button at the
bottom of the screen. When all segments have been marked, click the 'Save'
button to save the recipe. You may repeat the process for as many recipes as
are in the text file.

  The "Meal-Master" format is one of the most popular recipe formats
available. The Recipe Box will import all versions between 5.0 and the current
8.02. The Recipe Box uses this format when exporting recipes. It should be
noted that although The Recipe Box 4.x exported in this format as well, that
the export routines were flawed. Therefore, if you are upgrading from version
4.x, you should use the internal transfer code instead of exporting and
importing.

  "Computer Chef" is another popular recipe format, though its use is
declining.

  "Mastercook II" is a newer recipe format that is quickly gaining popularity. 

  The "Usenet Cookbook" is a somewhat rare recipe format, but there are many
recipes in this format on the Internet.

  The "Recipe Box 3.x" recipe format was introduced in The Recipe Box 3.0, and
variations of it were used through version 4.5. It was also used by the no
longer available "Recipe Converter".

~3.3 - Editing Records
[Record Functions][Adding Records]

  Should you wish to rename, modify, or delete a record, RIGHT click on the
record title at the Index Menu. You may also edit a record by RIGHT clicking
on the title in the View Menu.

  The appropriate record editor will appear allowing you to edit your record.

  If you wish to delete the record, click on the 'Delete' button at the bottom
of the screen.

  When you are satisfied with the changes to your record, click the 'Save'
button at the bottom of the screen. You will be returned to the menu you
called the editor from.

~3.4 - Moving Records
[Record Functions]

  Records may be moved from one chapter to another by "Dragging" them from the
old chapter to the new chapter. This can only be accomplished at the index
menu.

  Click and HOLD the left mouse key over your record title until the title
appears next to the mouse pointer. Then "Drag" the title to the new chapter
title and release the mouse key.

  Remember that the mouse pointer is still your point of reference, not the
title itself!

~3.5 - Viewing Records
[Record Functions]

  Records are viewed in the View Menu. There are numerous ways to access the
View Menu, the simplest of which is to simply click twice on the record you
want to view in the Index Menu. You may also select the record you wish to
view, and then click the 'View' button at the bottom of the screen. It is also
possible to access the view menu by clicking on record names in the batch
menu, the calendar, and the find menu.

  Scroll through long records by placing the mouse pointer over the record
text. Click the LEFT mouse key to scroll up through the recipe. Click the
RIGHT mouse key to scroll down through the recipe. You may also use the
up/down keyboard cursor keys to scroll through long recipes. Hold the CONTROL
key while scrolling to scroll by page instead of by line.

  The arrow keys at the top of the view menu allow you to move to the next or
previous record. You may also use the left/right cursor keys on the keyboard.
When you reach the beginning or end of a chapter, the program will
automatically move to the previous or next chapter. You can scan the entire
database like this if you wish.

~3.6 - Resizing Recipes
[Record Functions]

  'Recipe' records have the ability to be resized for new serving amounts if
you desire it.

  If you want to resize a recipe temporarily, click on the 'Servings' display
at the top of the View Menu. A dialog box will appear allowing you to enter a
new serving size. Note that this method is only temporary, and does not effect
the saved version of the recipe. Still, it is useful if you want to do a one
time resizing for printing or exporting.

  To permanently resize a recipe, you will need to edit the recipe. This is
accomplished by RIGHT clicking the recipe title at the top of the view menu,
or RIGHT clicking the recipe title in the Index Menu. You may then click the
'Resize' button at the bottom of the editor to enter a new serving size.

~3.7 - Printing Records
[Record Functions][System Requirements]

  You may print a single record by clicking the 'Print' button at the top of
the view menu. A dialog box will appear with a variety of print formats. Click
on the format you want to use, and then click 'OK' to begin printing.

  You can print an entire chapter of records by "Dragging" a chapter title to
the 'Batch' button in the Index Menu. A dialog box will appear, allowing you
to select the 'Print' button. The print format list will then appear for you
to select the desired print format.

  You may also print selected records from the batch menu by clicking the
'Print' button in the batch menu.

~3.8 - Exporting Records
[Record Functions][Importing Records]

  Records may be exported as individual text files by using the Export
functions. 'Recipe' records are exported in the popular "Meal-Master" recipe
format, making it easy to exchange recipes with other users and systems.

  You may export a single record by clicking the 'Export' button at the top of
the view menu. The system file selector will appear for you to enter a
filename. Click on OK, and the record will be exported.

  You can export an entire chapter of records by "Dragging" a chapter title to
the 'Batch' button in the Index Menu. A dialog box will appear, allowing you
to select the 'Export' button. The system file selector will appear for you to
enter a filename. Click on OK, and all records in the selected chapter will be
exported.

  You may also export selected records from the batch menu by clicking the
'Export' button in the batch menu.

~4 - Grocery Menu
[Adding Items][Editing Grocery Items][Locating Grocery Items][The Grocery List]
[Calendar Menu][Find Menu][Batch Menu]

  The Grocery Menu allows you to maintain a list of commonly used grocery
items and select them quickly for shopping. The grocery planner not only sorts
the items, but will automatically compute a running total as you prepare the
list.

  The screen is divided into two halves. The left side is the item list of all
grocery items, and the right side is your current grocery list.

~4.1 - Adding Items
[Grocery Menu]

  Add items to the item list by clicking on the 'Add' button on the left side
of the screen. A dialog box will appear allowing you to enter the name,
location, and cost of an item.

  A special "Staples" field is also available. This is used for items that you
buy every time you go shopping, such as bread or milk. Set the quantity you
usually purchase, by LEFT or RIGHT clicking this field to increase or decrease
the amount. When you start a 'New' grocery list, the items with staple
quantities will be added automatically.

  When entering grocery items, remember that it is usually best to give
generalized location descriptions rather than a specific isle number. This is
because stores often change their layouts, and locations vary from one store
to the next.

  It also a good idea to round all costs up to the next quarter or half
dollar. This provides a buffer when shopping, as store prices fluctuate often,
and this will prevent you from coming up short if you rely on the cost total
produced by this program.

~4.2 - Editing Grocery Items
[Grocery Menu]

  To edit a grocery item, RIGHT click on the item you wish to edit. The
grocery item editor will appear and you can edit your item. The item may be
deleted by clicking the 'Delete' button in the item editor.

  Note that changing an item in the item list will change the corresponding
item in the grocery list, if selected. Also, if you delete an item from the
item list, it will also be deleted from the grocery list!

  Remember to update your item list frequently to ensure the most accuracy
when planning a grocery list.

~4.3 - Locating Grocery Items
[Grocery Menu]

  To locate a grocery item, click on the 'Locate' button on the left side of
the Grocery Menu. A dialog box will appear for you to enter a search string.
Press RETURN, and the item list will change to show only those items which
match your search string. Clicking on any item in that list will add it to the
grocery list, and will return to the full item list display. Note that you can
return to the full list without selecting an item, by clicking on 'Locate' and
leaving the search string blank.

~4.4 - The Grocery List
[Grocery Menu]

  Begin a new grocery list by clicking the 'New' button on the right side of
the Grocery Menu. Note that grocery items which have been set with "staple"
quantities will be entered automatically into your grocery list.

  Add items to your grocery list by clicking on the desired item in the item
list. Repeated selection of the same item will increase the items quantity and
not duplicate the item in the grocery list.

  Once an item is in the grocery list, you may add one to the quantity by LEFT
clicking on the item in the grocery list. RIGHT clicking will reduce the
quantity by one. Reducing an item to a quantity of zero will remove that item
from your grocery list.

  The grocery list may be printed by clicking on the 'Print' button. The list
will be resorted so that items from each area will be located together. The
list is formatted to fill the left half of an 8.5 x 11 inch page. If your list
is longer than what will fit in a single column, a second column will be
printed on the right side of the page before starting a new sheet of paper.

~5 - Calendar Menu
[Grocery Menu][Find Menu][Batch Menu]

  The Calendar Menu allows you to attach records to any calendar date. In
addition, you can enter personal notes on any date for birthdays, holidays, or
other events. There is no limit on the number of events you enter, and
multiple events can be placed on a single date. The Calendar Menu is most
often used as a meal planner, but you may use it for any task you wish.

  The Calendar Menu is divided into two sections, the calendar display on the
left, and the event list on the right. You may move from one month to the next
by clicking on the arrow buttons at the top of the calendar display. You can
move from one year to the next by clicking on the arrow buttons at the bottom
of the calendar display. Note that clicking on the month title button at the
top of the calendar display will always return you to the current month.

  To enter a note on a specific date, click twice on the desired date in the
calendar display. A dialog box will appear allowing you to enter your desired
note.

  To attach a record to a specific date, click twice on the desired date in
the Calendar Menu. A dialog box will appear. Click the 'Attach' button to
attach the currently selected record. Note that you must first select a record
in the Index Menu, View Menu, etc. before you can attach a record.

  It is also possible to "Drag" a record from the Index Menu, View Menu, or
Find Menu to the 'Calendar' button at the bottom of the screen and have it
added automatically to the current date.

  Once an event is set on the Calendar, it can easily be moved to a new date
by "Dragging" the event from the event list, to the new date on the calendar
display. An event is removed from the event list by RIGHT clicking on the
desired event.

  The 'Remove' button allows you to remove all events older than the current
date, or completely clear the event list.

  To print the event list click on the 'Print' button in the Calendar Menu.
The list of events will be printed. Note that only the titles of attached
records will be printed in the list, and not the entire record.

~6 - Batch Menu
[Calendar Menu][Find Menu][Grocery Menu]

  The batch menu is used when you want to print or export multiple records at
one time. The batch menu holds a maximum of 100 records, and will remain
intact until you leave the program.

  To add a record to the batch menu, simply "Drag" the record title to the
'Batch' button at the bottom of the screen. This can be done from the Index
Menu, the View Menu, or the Find Menu.

  To remove a record from the batch menu, RIGHT click on the record title you
want to remove in the batch list.

  If you want to print the records in the batch list, click on the 'Print'
button in the batch menu. A dialog box will appear with a list of available
print formats. Select the format you desire, and click on 'OK' to begin
printing.

  If you want to export the records in the batch list, click on the 'Export'
button in the batch menu. The system file selector will appear for you to
enter a filename. Click on 'OK' to start the export process.

~7 - Find Menu
[Calendar Menu][Grocery Menu][Batch Menu]

  The Find Menu allows you to search the entire database for any string in any
part of the records you have stored. Up to 100 records may be stored in the
find list.

  To begin a search, click on the 'New Search' button in the Find Menu. A
dialog box will appear allowing you to enter your search string. Then click on
'Titles' or 'Text' depending on whether you want to scan the record titles
only, or the complete text of each record. The Recipe Box will then scan
through the records according to your preferences, and build a list of all
records matching your search criteria.

  To view a record in the Find List, click twice on the desired record. The
view menu will appear and all occurances of your search string will be
highlighted in the record text.

  You may switch between the Find Menu and the View Menu as often as you wish.
The find list will remain intact until you leave the program, or until you do
another 'New Search'.

