                                               RF21.EXE
                                               version 0.84 for Windows
                                               released:  6 / 13 / 2002

INSTALLATION NOTES


I  System Requirements

This program requires Windows95 or higher. It does not support 
Unicode. All testing has been done on a 500 MHz Celeron computer
running on Windows 98, so the program's reactions to other 
Windows versions are unknown.  


II  Installation

There is no installation program. Just copy all files (except for 
the documentation, but including all files with extension -.lib) 
to a new directory. There are two executable files: RF21.EXE
and RFPRINT.EXE, designed for printing plot files (with extension
-.rkp) generated by RF21. From the explorer, you can then draw the
executables onto the desktop or into a folder from where to start
them by a click on the icon. Recommended: use the right mouse key
for such drawing, then select the "create link" option from the
context menu.


III  Graphic Modes and the Window Size

This program has been tested in High Color mode with screen reso-
lutions of 800x600 and 1024x768 pixels. It uses a larger screen 
font in the latter case (or even higher resolutions) than in the
former (or lower resolutions). It cannot be resized on the screen.
The window size is fixed, it is 80 characters wide and 30 charac-
ters high. So the size depends on the selected font. 
   If you are unhappy with the screen font or the window size,
proceed as follows:
1) Find out what font is used on your system. "Font mapping" as
  performed by Windows depends on what fonts are installed in the
  Windows\Fonts directory of your computer, it may turn out 
  different on your computer than on mine. Use
  options / rarely needed / Show Font Properties. On my system
  the Text Fonts are:
  High Resolution: Terminal, Character Height 18, Width 10
  pixel, Weight 400, Character Set: 255 (means: OEM).
  Low Resolution: Courier New, Character Height 16, Average Width 8,
  Max Width 9, Weight 400, Character Set: 255.
2) Change the text font as described in the following section.


IV  Fonts and Character Sets

  Unlike other Windows programs, this one uses the OEM character set
  for its library files, screen text display and keyboard translation.
  This is to ensure file compatibility with previous DOS versions.
  English speakers will hardly note any difference since OEM and the
  standard ANSI character set have the same codes for all English
  characters. The similarity ends with the German umlauts and the 
  characters used for drawing box frames. If you force an ANSI Font
  for screen display, as you can do (see below), it will cause funny
  looks of the box frames.
     The only fonts eligible for screen display are non proportional
  fonts (such as Courier or FixedSys). The program would not accept
  any other choice.

  You can use the -F option on the command line to tell RF21 to
  use a different text font (affecting also the screen size and the size
  of the window "Monotony Test" in the summation menu), or
  the -f option to change its graphic font. Which is the font used
  for the caption of plots. In both cases, the option must be
  followed by 4 parameters:
  - OEM or ANSI to specify the character set
  - a number giving the height of a character, in pixels
  - a number specifying the width of a character
  - a number specifying the font "weight", which is its degree of
    boldness, on a scale ranging from 0 to 1000. Where 400 is about
    the weight of a standard Courier font, and 600 of a fat Courier
    font.
  Here is a number of possible command line options and their effects,
  as they turned out on my system:

-F OEM 18 10 400     a Terminal font (the default for high resolutions)
-F OEM 16  8 400     a Courier font  (the default for low screen resolutions)
-F OEM 12  8   0     a Terminal font (somewhat too small)
-f OEM  8  8 400     a small Terminal font for the plot caption
-F OEM 16  8 600     a fat Courier font, but boxes leave stripes on the screen
-F OEM 16 12 400     nice Terminal font, a bit large 
-F ANSI 16 8 400     OCR A Extended (for those who like it)
-F ANSI 16 8 600     OCR A Extended fat, but boxes leave stripes
-F OEM 20 12 400     a very large Courier font

Here is how to specify a command line option under Windows 98. Suppose you
have RF21 installed as a link, either on the desktop or within a folder.
Right-click on this link and choose "Properties". There are two possible
ways Windows may react. It can show a box with two register cards "general"
and "link". On the latter, use the text field named "target". Or else, a
box with six register card where it says "program" on one. Choose the text
field "command line" on this one. Fill in something like:

"C:\Programme\RF21\RF21.exe" -F OEM 16 8 400

The part in quotation marks has been created by Windows and specifies the
directory where you placed the executable file. 
Forgive me if you'll find it different, for mine is a German Windows version
and I can only guess what it says on the caption of your Windows dialogues.
  Blame Mr. Gates for all the unpredictable ways of Windows' reacting. I've 
spent hours of frustration on other issues, trying in vain to have it work 
out my way.


V  Changing the Work Directory

You cannot change the work directory at runtime. It can, however, be 
specified in the link. On the register card of the previous section, 
you'll find another text field permitting input of the path. Mostly, you 
will use the directory where you copied the executable files. Windows 
has already specified this for you. If you change it, remember to move 
all library files and the file RF21.dat to the new directory if you 
intend to use them.


VI  Printing Graphics

This package contains a Windows 98-application named 
RFPRINT.EXE. It will deliver diagrams to your Windows-installed 
(color-)printer. RFPRINT  takes files with the -.rkp extension as 
input (such files are produced by RF21). Since there is no 
installation procedure, it is up to you to establish a connection 
between the -.rkp-extension and RFPRINT.EXE in your Windows 
system. Consult your Windows handbook. This would be for your 
convenience only, in case you want to start RFPRINT from the 
Windows explorer by clicking on the -.rkp-files. 
All about using RFPRINT is described in rfprint.wri.


VII  Known Problems

Windows programs redraw their screen whenever parts of it get
uncovered by withdrawing overlying other windows, or for various
reasons. I had to supply the logic for such screen restauration,
while at the same time preserving the program's internal struc-
ture, which has been written for DOS.
   Knowingly, I therefore left out a few cases in which screen
repainting (in connection with plots) does not work as expected. 
They would just create too much extra work, and don't occur very 
often in practice. So don't think the program has crashed if it 
ever picks up color from other applications, or leaves parts of
its own window "undefined". You can keep on working, and 
eventually, the screen will get fully repainted.
    The text cursor, at times, may behave a little funny. This
happens when RF21 runs at low priority and does not get much 
processor time. I once experienced this when starting before 
Windows98 had completely finished its booting process.