Twist & Shout - Sideways Printing, Banner Making & A Bonus!
                       Copyright 1988 David W. Batterson

     With so many businesses using spreadsheets these days, a utility program
which prints files sideways has become a necessity, not a novelty.
     For many years these programs have been available as public domain
software and shareware on bulletin boards.  There's also a popular commercial
sideways print program called Sideways.
     Now The Software Toolworks, publisher of Chessmaster 2000 and Mavis Beacon
Teaches Typing! has come up with a rock 'n' roll combo called Twist & Shout.
     Twist turns those files 90 degrees to print them lengthwise across the
paper.  Shout is a program to produce attention-getting banners.
     Thrown in for good measure is something every user who prints a lot
needs:  a print spooler.
     The sideways program is the heavyweight of the three, but with friendly
menus and clear instructions, you'll be doing the Twist in no time--and no
advice from Chubby Checker is required!
     Installation is quite easy; a hard disk is recommended.  You just follow
what the screen tells you to do next.  That's the way it should be.  [In
computing, "no pain, no gain" should NOT apply.]
     There's one important thing that you must do.  Make sure your CONFIG.SYS
file has the statement FILES=20 in it.  If not, modify it so it does.
     Twist can be used either as a stand-alone program, or as an "Add-In" to
Lotus 1-2-3, QUATTRO or Framework.  It reads Lotus files (.WKS, .WK1, etc.)
and QUATTRO (.WKQ) files directly, so no file conversion is required.
     Twists's menu (and Shout's also) will be familiar to Lotus users since it
has a similar style.  There's the same "anchor and pull" method of selecting
ranges.
     Various options allow changing type size, spacing between characters and
lines, margins, and printing characteristics such as double-strike, bold,
underline, italics and color--if you have a color printer, naturally.
     Another use besides spreadsheets is printing ASCII (pure text) files.
Don't try to print documents from your word processor (with embedded commands.)
Stick with ASCII files only; these are sometimes called DOS text files.
     I tested Twist by printing up a list of products I've reviewed, using
tiny, large and extra large type sizes.  The three versions all came out fine.
    Though not necessarily designed with this in mind, I can see a great use
for TWISTing text files:  helping the visually impaired.  You could print out
letters, articles, recipes and other writings in extra large size, making them
much easier to read.  You could also use it for posting notices on bulletin
boards at work or school.
     Speaking of notices, nothing gets attention in the office or at a
party like a big banner!  I've been making them since my old Apple //c days,
and they never fail to get a good reaction.
     Shout is different than many other banner programs, since it lets you
print four lines (or six with 13.5" paper), unlike Print Shop which only allows
one.  Besides inputing a selection of 26 symbols, you have the choice of
using Graphics, Auto or Manual modes.
     Typefaces can be varied, and include Times Roman, Script, Olde English and
Sans Serif.  There's support for color printers too, like with Twist.
     Disk Spool II was included with Twist & Shout because printing
spreadsheets sideways or printing banners can take a LONG time.  Meanwhile,
you are unable to use the computer unless you have a printer buffer hooked up.
     Instead of data going directly to the printer, a spooler program forces
the data onto a disk file.  Then it is fed to the printer, while control
of your PC returns to you.
     Disk Spool II is memory-resident, and works along side other TSR
(Terminate and Stay Resident) programs with no fighting.  It takes up less than
25K too.  To remove it from memory, you must reboot.  Or you can obtain a
program which removes TSR programs from memory; ask your software dealer or
check BBSs for public domain programs which do the job.
     The default hot key, (Alt + left-Shift) can be changed.  Remember, you
must load Disk Spool II separately, as loading Twist or Shout does not activate
it.  Or you can change your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to load Spool II automatically.
You don't have to use Spool II, but it's certainly a good idea.  Also included
is a replacement for the MS-DOS PRINT.COM program; it's called PRINTII.COM.  It
can be used in conjunction with Spool II (recommended), or as a standalone
print utility program.
     Twist & Shout will become a useful addition to your utility software.
You'll have to do a little fine tuning, to assure best performance of both
printer and your PC.  But easy instructions are provided.  It supports ALL dot
matrix printers (+ HP LaserJets), and a mouse.  Both 5 1/4" and 3 1/2" disks
are provided.  Suggested list is $59.95.
     For more information, contact The Software Toolworks, 19808 Nordhoff Pl.,
Chatwowrth, CA  91311; (818) 885-9000; fax: 818-772-6809.
                                       #
     David Batterson never learned the twist, but he does like to Twist and
Shout  Contact him via MCI MAIL: DBATTERSON.