Contents - Index


Textbook index file

 

By default, the Textbook menu is set to display Examples.  However, it can be modified to display other information, as follows.

 

A textbook index file is an ASCII text file identified with a .TXB file name extension.  A textbook index file can be loaded manually using the Load Textbook command or automatically, by placing the textbook index file and associated problem files in a subdirectory within the USERLIB (or USERLIB64 for the 64-bit license) subdirectory.  EES will display a Textbook menu item to the right of the Help menu after loading the textbook index file.  The format of the textbook index file is as follows:

 

Menu Title        

1

Textbook information line 1

Textbook information line 2

Textbook information line 3

Reserved

>Menu item 1

Descriptive problem name1 | FileName1.EES | HelpFile1.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name2 | FileName2.EES | HelpFile2.HTM | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name3 | FileName3.EES | HelpFile3.TXT | NO.bmp

....

>Menu item 2

Descriptive problem name4 | FileName4.EES | HelpFile4.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name5 | FileName5.EES | HelpFile5.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name6 | FileName6.EES | NO.HLP | NO.bmp

....

>-

...

>Menu item 3

>>SubMenu 1

Descriptive problem name7 | FileName7.EES | HelpFile1.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name8 | FileName8.EES | HelpFile2.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name9 | FileName9.EES | NO.HLP | NO.bmp

>>SubMenu 2

Descriptive problem name10 | FileName10.EES | HelpFile10.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name11 | FileName11.EES | HelpFile11.HLP | NO.bmp

Descriptive problem name12 |..\USERLIB\EXAMPLES\ FileName12.EES | NO.HLP | NO.bmp

...

...

...

 

The first line in the file is the menu title.  This title is the name of the menu that will appear in the menu bar to the right of the Help menu.

 

The following line is a version number used internally by EES.  EES currently ignores this line but a 1 should be provided, as shown.

 

The following three lines provide information about the textbook or problem set.  This information will be displayed whenever any menu item is selected from the Textbook menu.  A fourth line containing the word "reserved" is provided for possible future use.  EES currently ignores the information on this line, but it must be provided.  

 

The following lines contain a menu item name (preceded by an identifying > character) and then one or more problem descriptions.  The menu item name is the name that will appear in the Textbook menu list.  The combination of >- will place a break line in the menu.  Note that a second level of menu nesting is supported.  If a menu item name is preceded with >>, this menu item will become a fly out menu which is displayed when the parent menu item is chosen.

 

Each problem description line contains four pieces of information, separated by a | character.  The first item is a descriptive name for the problem, which may be up to 128 characters.  The second item is the filename for the EES program file.  This filename may be partially or fully qualified with directory information, e.g., C:\myBook\Chapter1\Problem1.EES.  However, in most cases, directory information is not necessary and it should not be included.  If the filename begins with ..\  EES will interpret the .. to mean the directory that the EES application is located in.  So a filename of ..\USERLIB\EXAMPLES\TEST.EES will find the file TEST.EES in the EXAMPLES subdirectory, no matter where the EES application is installed. 

 

The third item is an optional help file which is to be associated with this file.  The help file can be an ASCII text file (*.txt), a Windows help file produced by a Help formatting program (*.hlp) or a .PDF or HTML file (*.htm, *.chm).  Although it is wise to use the conventional filename extensions, EES will accept any filename extension and automatically determine the appropriate file type.  If no help file is available, enter NO.HLP for this field.  The final item is the DOS filename for a figure associated with the problem.  EES does not currently use the figure, but a figure name must be provided.  Use NO.bmp as a placeholder.

 

The textbook index file should be placed in the same location (i.e., floppy disk, subdirectory, or folder) with all of the referenced EES program and help files.  

 

When the user selects a command from the Textbook menu, a dialog window will appear showing a list of the descriptive names of the problems for that menu item.   The user can then select a name from the list and the file associated with that problem will be opened.  The Textbook menu provides a very convenient method to group many problems of a particular type, such as those associated with a textbook.