RConvTSR Version 4.02Written
by William Beckner
RConvTSR version 4.02 is a terminate-and-stay-resident conversion program written specifically for the Intelligent Catalog by The Library Corporation, and CARL Systems, Inc. The following equipment/software list is required prior to installing RConvTSR:
A. Installing RConvTSR 4.02 The Library Corporation now distributes RConvTSR on the first CD-ROM. To install RConvTSR, first turn on your computer, and allow it to start-up normally. If the Intelligent Catalog was already installed, exit to DOS in accordance to the BiblioFile documentation. Insert the current CD-ROM set from the Library Corporation and follow any installation/upgrade instructions for BiblioFile PAC first, and then enter the following (press the Enter key after typing each line):
Please note that if the Library Corporation instructs you to install (not upgrade) their BiblioFile PAC software from CD-ROM, you will need to repeat this installation procedure. The installation program will copy the RConvTSR program files to the hard drive. Once the program files are copied, the RConvTSR configuration program automatically runs. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight your library's name, and then press the Enter key. A parameter adjustment screen will display. Just press the F10 key to save your settings. To use the program, you must re-boot your computer. B. Operation of RConvTSR The user needs to do nothing to activate RConvTSR. Use the Intelligent Catalog normally. When the user prints a record to diskette (select MARC format), the user saves a bibliographic record to disk (Drive A:) and RConvTSR will automatically pop up. After RConvTSR pops up, it will display the saved Bibliographic information, and offer a data entry form for the user to enter RSA item information (i.e. item OCR/Bar Code number, branch, location, media, call number, etc.) Once the item information is entered, the user must press F1 to save that information. RConvTSR will confirm that the information is correct before it will store the item information. Once pressed, the item OCR/Bar Code number field is cleared, and all other information is kept, in the event there are more that one copy of the item being converted. If the user needs to reset the form to the program defaults, press F2. RConvTSR will confirm that the user wishes to reset the form. When the user has finished conversion, press F10. The bibliographic record is then converted to USMARC format, and written to the diskette in drive A:. If the F10 key is pressed, and there are no items converted, RConvTSR will confirm that the user is really done. If the user answers 'Y', RConvTSR will skip that bibliographic record, and it will not be loaded into the RSA Database. Once F10 is pressed, the RConvTSR screen will go away, and the user may then conduct another search. (NOTE => Any changes made to the Branch, Location, and/or Media Type mnemonics are saved between pop-ups. For example, this allows the user to convert items within a specific location without entering the location mnemonic each time the program pops up.) C. What Happens Behind the Scenes RConvTSR is known as a terminate-and-stay-resident program. A terminate-and-stay-resident program is usually referred to as a TSR. When RConvTSR is executed, it performs some internal initialization and then returns to MS-DOS (terminates), but a small portion of the program remains (stays resident) in the computer's memory. It will remain "hidden" from the user until certain conditions are met. While RConvTSR is resident, it continually monitors the indicating light of the A: floppy drive. In fact, RConvTSR checks this indicating light approximately 18 times per second! When the user presses the F10 (or PRINT) function key, BiblioFile PAC saves the selected record to the floppy diskette in drive A:, in a file called MARCDATA.IPF. After the record has been written to the diskette, and the drive A: indicating light goes out, RConvTSR "wakes up", or pops up. The following is the sequence of events that occurs within the RConvTSR program during the conversion of one bibliographic record:
If the above two conditions are met, RConvTSR will pop up and open MARCDATA.IPF and translate the saved bibliographic record to MARC format. The bibliographic record is then formatted for display, and the holding data entry screen will display, allowing the user to enter the book information. Once the F10 key is pressed, and there were books converted, RConvTSR then writes the bibliographic record, with all of the book information entered, to the EXPORT.RSA file on the diskette in drive A:. RConvTSR then erases MARCDATA.IPF file is erased and the BiblioFile PAC screen is restored. At this point, RConvTSR goes back into hiding (i.e. goes back to monitoring the drive A: indicator light). D. New features with version 4.02
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