POS 30 beta This is a beta version. While we have tried to eliminate as many bugs as possible in the alpha version, we cannot warranty that the program is bug free. There is one known problem: If the program is being used in timed firing mode, and the user shifts to manual override, the cues displayed in the short list will not be fired, and will not be removed if/when the user returns to the timed firing mode. This will be fixed shortly. This is not a complete manual, but is provided to help the user who wishes to use this pre-release beta- version. Start Up: The program should be placed on the hard drive, rather than upon a floppy disk. While it will run from either location, it will run FASTER from the hard drive. Double clicking on the icon will start POS30. You will see an initial window, which contains an empty show lit and a series of pull down menus. The menus are: File – Open and Close shows, print and exit. Edit – Not implemented Checks – Contains script and continuity checks. Fire – Contains three firing modes Help – Not finished Debug – for programming and long distance help You can use the standard ALT- shortcuts to avoid using the mouse for the menus. For example, ALT-F opens the File menu, and then ALT-O selects the Open command. A typical way to use the program is: 1) Start the program 2) Use the pull down menu to OPEN a show file. This uses the Standard Windows API for opening files, and should be familiar to Windows Users 3) You may optionally check the script using the Check menu… This should be done BEFORE the show date. 4) You may check continuity using the Check menu. This may be done WITHOUT opening a sho file. 5) You may now choose one of the three firing modes: a) Timed mode – the most common mode. This will fire the show according to the sho file b) Manual mode from Script. This can be used so that the script will cue your memory as to the shells attached to each cue. c) Manual mode from cues – the second most common mode. This doesn’t need a script, and can be entered even without opening a sho file. This makes the POWER!Shot simulate a normal button box. 6) Once you have chosen a mode, the use should be obvious. The main button is “PLAY” for the Timed mode, and each individual cue button in Manual mode. This is described below. 7) After the show is fired, you use the “X” box in the upper right hand corner to dismiss each window you have opened. File: Currently you use “Open” to chose a .sho file. The API is the standard Windows API, and so you can find files using the standard UP/DOWN methods to examine the file tree. If you open the wrong sho, then Close the old .sho before opening a new .sho file. Typing in a file name that doesn’t correspond to a real file will cause a Run Time Error and cause the program to exit. This will be fixed in the near future. Edit: Not implemented yet Checks: Arming and Power: This is not implemented in the main window, but is implemented in the various firing windows. Continuity – when the continuity option is selected, a window with two grids of buttons will be seen. The grid on the left shows the active modules, from 1 to 50. The modules that are connected and powered up have green active buttons, while the buttons corresponding to non-active modules are grey and not active. Clicking on each green button will show the continuity for each module. Cues that have continuity are green, cues that are open are bright red, and non-existent cues (such as 25 to 32 on a 24 cue module) are grey and inactive. Pushing the buttons in the right hand grid doesn’t perform any actions. The Continuity window can be dismissed by clicking the “X” square in the upper right hand corner of the window frame. Script: When this option is selected, a window pops up that allows you to check the time order and the command structure of the .sho file. The button “Check Time Order” checks to make sure that the show doesn’t contain time cues that are out of order (i.e., 65 seconds appears before 60 seconds). The “Check Commands” button examines each command to determine if it corresponds to a valid command. Warnings and ERRORS are displayed in the scrolling window. A warning is non-fatal, but you may wish to edit the file to remove the warnings (example, the old fire command “A” is being replaced by “F”). Fire: Timed: The timed mode has a show name text window, a text window containing a short list of the next commands to be executed, and a scrolling text window containing the show script. There are also 7 active buttons, from top to bottom, left to right: + - this bumps up the elapsed clock by 0.5 seconds. - - this bumps down the elapsed clock by 0.5 seconds. Reset – resets the elapsed time clock Manual Override – calls up the manual firing window PLAY – starts the show PAUSE – Pauses the show, stops the clock STOP – permanent stop to the clock The purpose of the “+” and “-“ buttons are to help synchronize the clock to any music. If you feel the show is lagging behind the music, the “+” button can be pushed until synchrony is reestablished. Conversely, the “-“ button is used if the show is getting ahead of the music. In the near future it will be possible to select a line in the show and “Jump To” that line if the show and music become seriously out of sync. Manual From Show List: This screen allows you to select individual lines from the sho script, to excute those lines manually. This method requires a fair amount of mouse dexterity, and will have to be improved through the use of the up and down buttons, and the keyboard. Manual from Cues: when this option is selected, a window with two grids of buttons will be seen. The grid on the left shows the active modules, from 1 to 50. The modules that are connected and powered up have green active buttons, while the buttons corresponding to non-active modules are red and not active. Clicking on each green button will show the continuity for each module. Cues that have continuity are green, cues that are open are bright red, and non-existent cues (such as 25 to 32 on a 24 cue module) are grey and inactive. There are also two buttons in the lower right hand corner – a yellow “Set Several” button, and a “Fire them” button. This screen is used by selecting each module from the left hand side, and then selecting cues from the right hand side. If the yellow “Select Several” button has been clicked, the cues selected will not be fired until the green “Fire Them” button is clicked. Otherwise, each click on the buttons in the right hand will fire the corresponding cue. At the current time the continuity is NOT checked after each cue is fired. This is due to the fact that the program has several delays incorporated in order to avoid command collisions… these delays will be changed to active NAK/ACK in a shortly forthcoming version, which will allow rapid and on-the-fly continuity checking after each click. At this time you manually check the continuity by clicking the “Check Continuity” button. You change from module to module by clicking the buttons on the left side. If you have any reason to suspect that the status of the modules may have changed (for example, a violent explosion out at the mortars) you can check the status of the modules with the “Check Modules” button. Post Script This is a beta version. It has not been extensively field tested, and while I don’t see any reason for the program to show unexpected behaviors in the in field trials, such behaviors would be (by definition) “unexpected”. Please feel free to call me at 740 448 3014 (home/work) or 740 707 PYRO (cell phone) at ANY time. We can check the system using the Debug menu, and I will try to send a new repaired version as quickly as possible.