CHAPTER 1 Welcome to Valdocs Introduction Welcome Adventurer! Don't look around, we're talking to you! You're about to depart on a great adventure into the world of computers. Like most adventures, there'll be thrills and surprises. Best of all, it won't cost you much and won't put you in any physical danger. (For all you daredevils out there - sorry about that.) The ''vehicle'' that will take you on this adventure is your Epson QX-10. It's outfitted with the latest in adventuring equipment--Valdocs. The Valdocs system will bring unmatchable computing power to your front door. There's no need to fear the unknown-Valdocs is friendly. Whether you're a computer expert, or even if you have never used a computer before, we guarantee that within a few minutes, you'll be using Valdocs. Let's get moving. Our vehicle awaits. 1-2 VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE Why a Manual? If you're like most people, you're probably itching to get your hands on your computer system and start using it right now. Probably the last thing you want to do is read a manual. Well, we're going to surprise you. You don't have to go through this en- tire manual right now. If you just can't wait to get your bright and shining new computer up and running, take out the QX-10 Operations Manual, give it a quick read through, set up your system, plug in your Valdocs disk, and fire away! You can experiment all you want with the Valdocs system. Believe it or not, it's absolutely impossible to damage the QX-10 by pushing the wrong key. (There's no "self-destruct" button!) And if you've ever had the experience of accidentally pressing the wrong key on a com- puter and losing many hours' work, you'll be glad to know that this is very difficult to do with the Valdocs system. We've designed the system so that the machine takes you through a number of steps and asks you whether you're sure before it erases anything. (Actually, there is a way to acci- dentally destroy a document you're working on; that's to remove a data disk from the machine. We'll talk about it a bit later.) A good way to start is to take a look at the keyboard. Read the terms on the key caps and take a guess at what they mean. Chances are you'll guess right the first time. If you guess wrong, so what? You can't hurt anything! One Suggestion Before you go, we'll give you a practical suggestion. Take a few minutes to read the rest of this chapter. It will give you a quick overview of what Valdocs is and the many ways you'll be able to use it. You might want to browse through the rest of the manual and take a look at the Valdocs Keyboard Reference Guide that is included. Although all the commands will become second nature to you in no time, the flip chart is a handy reference to the Valdocs system. What's s Valdocs Anyway? Valdocs is short for valuable documents. You've heard about word processors. Valdocs is one. But Valdocs does much more than just "pro- cessing" words; Valdocs is a document processor that creates, stores, prints, retrieves, and edits all the valuable documents you use your computer for. Valdocs has numerous features that allow you to do amazing things, not only with words, but with graphics and numbers as well. VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE 1-3 A Little Background You've probably heard hundreds of times how much smarter computers are than human beings. Computers are quite a bit faster than most people, especially at handling numbers. Although computers are talented beasts, there's one very important exception. They're not very good at pattern recognition. How's That Again? Don't let the term throw you. A "pattern" is simply a bunch of symbols taken as a whole. Human beings are the finest pattern recognizers known. You've heard about not seeing the forest for the trees? Well, we can put pat- tern recognition in perspective by saying that computers are excellent at counting trees, and people are great at seeing the forest (the pattern). Let's take a common example. If you take a lot of numbers and place them on a graph, that gives you a pattern. It's easy for the computer to make the graph. But to interpret that graph in the context of a company's produc- tion is something that no computer can do. How Valdocs Works Consider yourself a "pattern carpenter." Valdocs is your set of tools for creating, organizing, and otherwise manipulating symbols. It allows you to do this much faster and much more accurately than you could with pen- 1-4 VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE cil and paper or even a typewriter. Valdocs enables you to arrange informa- tion (more commonly called data in the world of computers) to suit your purposes exactly. It presents the data as a pattern that you can interpret and allows you to communicate the result to other people. So what does all that mean? It means that you, as a human being, get to do what you're good at-recognizing and interpreting patterns. The drudgery is left to the computer. Tools for the Symbols If you stop and think about it for a while, you'll realize that there are just four types of symbols that you have to deal with in the real world: 1. Letters 2. Numbers 3. Pictures (called "graphics" in computer jargon) 4. Time Valdocs gives you the following electronic tools for handling these symbols: 1. A word processor for handling words 2. An information indexer 3. An electronic mail system 4. An address book 5. A mailing label printer 6. A calculator 7. An appointment book 8. A notepad VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE 1-5 9. A timer 10. A clock and calendar ll. A schedule printer 12. A business graph drawing system It's a pretty impressive list, isn't it? How Am I Ever Going To Learn All That? Don't be intimidated by the list! Valdocs is designed to be easy to learn and easy to use. O.K., you've heard all that before. You might even have had the ex- perience of trying to learn how to use a computer system and ended up spend- ing hours of frustration before it all came clear. (Computer catharsis!) If you're a glutton for punishment with heavy-handed computer technical mat- ters, we're sorry to disappoint you. Forget Memorizing! Unlike many computer word-processing systems, which require that you memorize numerous complicated commands, Valdocs presents most of the information you'll need right out in plain view on the keyboard. As you press 1-6 VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE the keys, you'll get messages on the screen that tell you what to do next or that ask you questions about what you want to do. If you aren't getting what you expected, all you have to do is press [BACK] to back up a step or change your mind. The Valdocs Keyboard-Power for the Asking That humble keyboard you see before you is the result of years of research into how people work. Valdocs is the ultimate computer/person connec- tion. If you take a careful look at the top of your Valdocs keyboard, you'll see that there are four separate groups of keys. Each group represents one type of command "thing" you'll be doing: 1. System controls-interaction with the computer system [STOP] [HELP] [COPY] [DISK] 2. File controls-manipulation of groups of information [STORE] [RE- TRIEVE] [PRINT] [MAIL] 3. Applications [CALC] [SCHED] [DRAW] VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE 1-7 4. Typestyles [BOLD] [ITALIC] [SIZE] [STYLE] If we were the betting sort, we'd bet you that you can probably figure out what each of the keys means, but there's more here than meets the eye. Each individual key has a tremendous amount of power behind it. As we men- tioned at the very beginning of this manual, the best way to learn how to use Valdocs is to read the key caps, guess what each one does, and experi- merit. Each key is covered in detail later in this manual. If you're curious, feel free to read ahead. This manual doesn't have to be read from front to back. Mind Amplification (No, it's not a new California fad or a new type of stereo amplifier!) Valdocs is more than your garden-variety computer program, and the QX-10 is more than just another computer. Together, they form a mind amplifer. The Valdocs/QX-10 system amplifies tl1e areas of the mind where peo- ple are weakest. What an automobile is to your legs, and a TV is to your eyes, the Valdocs/QX-1O system is to your mind. It makes you more power- ful by giving you the information edge. 1-8 VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE A Note 0f Reality We have to admit it: No computer will solve all your problems. It's a first- rate set of tools, but the actual thinking is up to you. Valdocs will give you the time to think and to make all those important decisions. Getting Started Now that we've given you a quick overview of Valdocs, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. First, consider the computer itself. Operating the QX-1O is simplicity itself; however, once again be sure you review the "Getting Started" section of the QX-10 Operations Manual. Before you can use the machine, all the hardware and cables must be hooked together as a system. The manual will also tell you where all the controls are located and get you prepared to use Valdocs. At that point, you can stop thinking about the machine as a piece of hardware and start using it as a mind amplifier. One Important Point! Before your QX-10 will work with Valdocs, it's essential that the row of tiny switches on the rear panel of the main case be set correctly. (They're T called DIP switches-which stands for "dual inline package.") Turn the computer around so the rear of the main case is facing you and locate the row of switches. They're located left of center, just to the right of the two round receptacles. This is the way they should look: If the switches aren't set correctly, you won't be able to start Valdocs. Once you're sure they're set correctly, put the system in a comfortable location, put your feet up (not on the computer!) and let's continue along. VALDOCS USER's GUIDE 1-9 Floppy disks are wondrous things. Where else can you hold the equivalent of hundreds of pages of text in an easily port- able package smaller than a "golden oldie?" Floppy disks - or diskettes, as they're often called -- are not indestruct- ible. Before we go any further, we need to talk about handling, storing, and using floppy disks. Floppy disks are like records made out of recording tape. And just as it's possible to destroy a tape, it's possible to destroy a floppy disk or lose some of its data. Flop- py disks store data as hundreds of thousands of charged/not charged magnetic areas. It's essential that you handle and use floppy disks properly. Don't worry; all that's required are a few simple precautions: 1. Make Back-up Copies Often: There's no better way to protect your data than to have a spare copy tucked away in a safe place. If it's particularly important data, you might even want to have more than one copy. Some people even keep their backups in a safe deposit box. On the upper left-hand side of the Valdocs keyboard is a key labeled [COPY DISK] . Find it now. it's simple to use. You should buy yourself a box or two of floppy disks. (They should be 40-track, 5 Ml-inch, soft-sector, double-sided, double-density.) Even though disks hold quite a bit of data, you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll fill them up- especially if you're adamant about mak- ing backups. IMPORTANT: You should make two back-up copies of your Valdocs disk. Put the original away in a safe place, 1-10 VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE preferably not in the same room as your computer. You can use one of the backups as a "working master" - from which to make additional back-up copies. Use the second Valdocs backup as your day-to-day "working" disk. If you'll be using your system on a regular basis, we strongly suggest that you make a back-up copy of your disks every day. Most professional computer users do. A little precaution now can save you a great deal of aggravation later. One of the easiest ways to make backups is to have seven back-up disks, each marked with the day of the week. At the end of each day, all you have to do is take the disk marked for that day and copy your data to it. If you're still unconvinced, just remem- ber Murphy's Law. If anything can go wrong it will. There are all sorts of ways T to lose important data. Lightning might hit the power line, causing a power surge which may make the computer write ran- dom information all over the disk. Your children might decide to play disk jockey. You might spill coffee on a disk or even (Heaven forbid!) drop a hot ash on the disk surface, causing it to melt. Systems do fail occasionally. The only way to protect yourself is to have backups. Get in the habit of making backups right away. 2. Don 't Touch Those Diskettes! (No, we don't mean you have to wear gloves.) Just make sure you don't touch the magnetic surface of the diskette-the areas that show through the holes of the disk package. The oils on your fingers can play havoc with data. Handle disks only by their protective jackets, keep them in their protective envelopes when they're not in VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE 1-11 use, and keep them stored in protective cases or other dust proof containers. Just like phonograph records, diskettes hate dirt, dust, fingerprints, grime, or spilled coffee. On records, these things can annoy you, but they can be terminal for floppy disks. Once again, make backups! 3. Don 't Force the Merchandise: Flop- py disks are flexible, but that doesn't mean you can bend, fold, spindle, or mutilate them. Any physical abuse can damage the magnetic coating, and there goes your data. Another important point: never force a disk into the disk drive. If it won't slide in easily, something's wrong. There may be a diskette already in the slot, and you could end up damaging both of them. 4. Beware the Magnetic Field: Remember that floppy disks store their data magnetically, just like tapes. You probably won't be running a horseshoe magnet over the surface of the disk, but you should be aware that there are many it sources of magnetism in and around the if home or office. The sad fact is that just about everything that uses electricity generates magnetism. Electric typewriters (why would you need one of those?), television sets, fans, speaker magnets, and telephones (which are often placed near a computer) all generate magnetic fields. Keep your diskettes away from them! A 5. Keep It Comfortable: When it comes to temperature, treat your diskettes like people. Room temperature is best. If you leave your diskettes in a locked car in the middle of the summer or the dead of a northern winter, you're asking for trouble. The optimum temperature range is 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit. 1-12 VALDOCS USER GUIDE Using Valdocs The Valdocs system uses two kinds of disks, system disks and data disks. The system disk is the one marked "Valdocs. " It contains the software that actually makes the system work. As you become familiar with the system, you'll also use the disk to hold your personal name and address files. The ''Valdocs'' disk is always placed in the left-hand drive. Let's get started. Put the Valdocs disk in the left-hand disk drive (it will click into place), and press the button marked [PUSH] on the front of the drive. You just might want to leave the Valdocs system diskette in the disk drive, since you'll need it there every time you use the system. Make sure you have a backup, though. The other disks you'll be using are called data disks, because they con- VALDOCS USER's GUIDE 1-13 tain your documents (data). Even though each disk holds lots of data, you'll probably collect quite a few data disks as you go along. At some point, you might want to consider purchasing a "hard disk" for your QX-10. A hard disk is a special permanent disk that holds a tremendous amount of information--the equivalent of about 20 floppy disks. Hard disk systems also find information and load it into the computer at least 10 times faster Data disks always go in the right-hand drive. There must be a data disk in the right-hand drive in order for Valdocs to work correctly. Before We Go Any Further Although we've included a blank floppy disk for you to experiment with, you should buy a box or two of blank floppy disks. You'll need them soon enough. But before you can store any data on your blank disks, you'll need to format them. The format process divides a disk into sections called tracks and sectors (it's like drawing lines on a blank sheet of paper) and checks it out to make sure it's usable (undamaged). It's a good idea to format a few blank disks right now. You make up blank formatted disks (also known as data disks) by using the [COPY DISK] key. Once you've started Valdocs, press [COPY DISK] and fol- low the directions by pressing [M] (make a data disk) and [RETURN]. If you're a bit reluctant to use the program now, you can use the blank data disk that was included with your Valdocs system (or see Chapter 4). At this point, you should have the Valdocs disk in the left-hand drive and a formatted data disk in the right-hand drive. The [PUSH] buttons on both drives should be pushed in. IMPORTANT: Never open the drives when one of the disk drive lights is on. To do so risks destroying the information on them. 1-14 VALDOCS USER's GUIDE How Much Can I Store 0n a Disk? (A very reasonable question!) As you learned from reading the QX-l10 Operations Manual (You did read it, didn't you?), each floppy disk will store about 400,000 characters. About 20,000 of those are taken up by software that runs the system, leaving about 380,000 for your use. That sounds like a lot, and it is. It's important to remember, however, that everything is a character to a computer-letters, numbers, punctuation, even spaces, tabs, and special "invisible" characters, such as a carriage return. For efficient use of the computer (as well as peace of mind), it's impor- tant that you break up your writing into bite-sized chunks. That's no prob- lem if you're writing short letters or memos, but it might be if you're writing the Great American Novel. It's much more practical to divide your work into chapters-even sections of chapters. (This manual, for instance, was written as over 40 separate files!) When the time comes to print your valuable document, Valdocs gives you the option of stringing several documents together, so that you can print your entire novel at one time. But to answer the question at hand, there are both practical and absolute limits to the size of a file. As one of Valdocs' many built-in safeguards, the system keeps a back-up copy every time you retrieve a document from a disk. This ensures that you won't be left with nothing but memory if the un- thinkable happens (like a power failure). Also, to do its work, W y needs what's called a ''work space'' on the floppy disk. So, for practical purposes, the maximum length of a single document should be about one- third the size of your storage medium. If you're using a floppy disk (which you will be most of the time), that's about 50 pages of typed, single-spaced text. The Nitty-Gritty Turn the QX-10's main power switch on. (It's located on the right side of the main system unit, towards the back of the case.) If this is the jirst time you're using your system, about ten seconds later, you'll get a (rather cryptic) message to the effect that the system is "being initialized to cold start defaults." This message will be followed by a list of various "com- puter parameters" that are being set. Don't worry about the message, since you can change the settings later on using the SETUP program (see Chapter 6 on the [MENU] key). You'll only see this message the first time you start Valdocs. Just press [RETURN]. The disk drives will whir and click quietly for about 30 seconds or so, and Valdocs will come a1ive--right there in front of your eyes. VALDOCS USER'S GUIDE 1-15 Now, you can start using it. For a quick introduction to using Valdocs, press the [HELP] key. When you read the message, press any key and you'll be in Valdocs-ready to start typing away. Setting the Clock and Calendar Before we go any further, let's set the QX-10's time and date. Once you set it, you won't have to worry about it again, since the clock/calendar works on its own internal battery, even when the power is turned off. We're going to use [SCHED] to set the time (it will be covered in detail in Chapter 6). Press [SCHED] . A few seconds later, you'll see an appoint- ment book appear on the screen. Over on the right side of the boxed-in area (the menu), you'll see a line that says et clock/calendar/time divisions. Press [S] and then press [RETURN] . Another menu will appear, with et the clock as the first option. Just press [RETURN] once again. Follow the directions on the screen. Enter the time (e.g., 05:21:00), press [TAB] to move the cursor (the blinking square) to the AM/ PM box, and enter AM or PM. When you press [RETURN] , you'll see a message that tells you to press [RETURN] again when the seconds are correct. That's all! The time is permanently set. To set the date, press u and [RETURN] . Follow the directions on the screen and the internal calendar will be set. To get back to the editor (the blank screen that's ready for you to start typing), just press [UNDO] twice. What Happened to the Screen? Now's a good time to mention the QX-10's automatic screen-blanking feature. All this fancy term means is that if you haven't touched the keyboard in 20 minutes, the video display will go blank. Don't panic, it's all because of a buid-in timer. To get the image back, just touch any key. Although this feature might sound a litte strange, there's a good reason for it: If the same characters stay on the screen for a long time (several hours), they can actually become permanently "burned" into the screen. (Like a problem with early video games.) Valdocs' built-in timer eliminates that problem. By the way, if you haven't thought about it, there will be times when you want to blank out the screen. (Say you're writing your Great American Novel on company time and the boss walks in.) You can blank out the screen by pressing [CTRL] and [STOP] at the same time. Once again, pressing any key will get it back again. 1-16 VALDOCS USER GUIDE So Much for the Introduction In this chapter, we've given you a quick overview of the how and why of Valdocs. The rest of this manual fully explains the nooks and crannies of the system. Along the way, we'll give you a few special tips on using the system and show you some examples of how things should look. In general, you won't need this manual often. There's no reason you have to read the whole thing from front to back before you get going with the system. It is a good idea to spend some time browsing through the rest of this manual. Pay particular attention to the index; you'll find just about everything listed there. Remember, the Valdocs system is designed to be easy to use. There's no need whatsoever to memorize all sorts of complicated commands. However, as with anything else, practice makes perfect. Any new tool takes a while to get used to. It's kind of like trading in a hand saw for a power saw. The rewards are worth the effort. When you're ready, you'll find that Valdocs offers many advanced capabilities. There's still nothing much that you have to memorize. In fact, Valdocs' advanced editing capabilities (explained in detail in Chapter 3) are simply a new way to do the things that you're already familiar with. Valdocs offers easy ways for beginners to do things and powerful professional solu- tions as you become an expert. No manual can teach you as much about Valdocs as a few days of using it. It will all be obvious soon enough, and that's the way it should be.