BOSCO (Behavioral Observation System, COmputerized) Operations Manual (1985)
©1985, 2013 by Dallas Denny
Source: Denny, Dallas. (1987, 2013). Operations manual: Behavioral Observation System, COmputerized. Computer software manual.
I wrote BOSCO, which was used extensively by behavioral researchers at the Department of Special Education and George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Click the button below to view the Journal of Special Education Technology article about the program.
Operations Manual
Behavioral Observation System, COmputerized
(BOSCO)
Version 2,8
A Series of Programs to Allow Collection and Analysis of
Real-Time Behavioral Data
On the TRS-8O Model 100 and Model 102 Portable Computers
Program and Manual by Dallas Denny
Department of Special Education
George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
BOSCO (The Behavioral Observation System—COmputerized) is a series of programs written in the BASIC programming language for the TRS-8O Model 102 portable computer. BOSCO also runs on the TRS-80 Model 100 portable computer with expanded memory (24k or 32k). BOSCO turns the Model 102 into an inexpensive portable data collection and analysis device. BOSCO allows the user to name and assign code numbers to many classes (categories) of behavior or other events, record their occurrence in real time, edit the data after recording, and obtain a printed analysis of the latency, rate, frequency, and duration of the behaviors observed. BOSCO also provides lag sequential analysis of the behaviors observed and will compute inter-observer reliability, using the percentage agreement method.
The BOSCO programs are provided on a cassette tape for LOADING into the Model 102’s memory.
Although BOSCO was designed to be user-friendly, a general familiarity with the Model 102 portable computer will make the program easier to operate. If you have never used a Model 102, you will find it helpful to spend a little time becoming familiar with the computer before attempting to use BOSCO. An hour or so is all it will take to start getting acquainted with the keyboard and the built-in software of the Model 102. Try it! It’s fun.
Real-Time Observation of Behavioral Events
BOSCO was designed as a tool to aid behavioral researchers in the recording and analysis of real-time behavioral events. However, BOSCO is not a substitute for a working knowledge of experimental design and analysis techniques, and particularly, of sequential analysis of time series data. The novice is referred to Observation Interaction: An Introduction to Sequential Analysis by Roger Bakeman and John M. Gottman (1986, New York: Cambridge University Press) and Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide by Paul Martin and Patrick Bateson (1986, New York: Cambridge University Press).
BOSCO allows the definition of n1 behavioral or other mutually exclusive environmental events, and the recording of up to n2 instances of these events in real time. The integers n1 and n2 are constrained only by the amount of free RAM in the Model 102.
INSTALLING BOSCO
To use BOSCO, you must first install (LOAD) the program into the Model 102’s RAM (random access memory). To do this, you will need a small cassette recorder and an inexpensive connecting cable (Radio Shack. Part No. 26-1207). Some recorders will not work well; for almost any recorder, you will need to experiment with the volume control until you can LOAD and SAVE programs reliably. Radio Shack recorders Models CCR 81 and CCR 82 (Part Nos. 26-1208 and 26-1209, respectively) work very well.
To LOAD the BOSCO programs into the Model 102, first connect the computer and cassette recorder as shown in the instruction manual which came with your recorder. Be sure the round end of cable 26-1207 is plugged securely into the CASSETTE port in the back of the Model 102. At the other end of the cable, the three jacks fit into sockets in the recorder. The black plug goes in the socket marked EAR, the large gray plug goes in the socket marked AUX, and the small gray plug goes in the socket marked REM. If you are using the TRS-80 CCR 81 recorder, you should initially set the volume dial to about 3. If you are using the CCR 82 recorder, set the volume dial to P.
Place the cassette containing BOSCO in the recorder; be sure the tape is completely rewound. Next, turn the Model 102 on (the switch is on the right side) and press ENTER. This will place you in the BASIC area. The computer will display the amount of free memory. If there are fewer than 12000 bytes free, you will need to KILL (erase) some files or SAVE them to tape in order to increase the amount of free memory. For information about, how to KILL files, refer to the Model 102 instruction book.
Next, type CLOAD “SETUP.BA.” Then press the PLAY button on the recorder. Within 30 seconds you should hear a click, and the word FOUND or SKIP should appear on the screen. The computer will continue to search for SETUP.BA until it is FOUND or until you hold the SHIFT key down and press BREAK. It will take the program three or four minutes to LOAD after it is FOUND.
If you see an error message on the screen, or if for some reason SETUP.BA is not FOUND, rewind the tape to the beginning and again type CLOAD “SETUP.BA” and press ENTER.
SETUP.BA and the other BOSCO programs can be found on both sides of the cassette tape. If you have a problem LOADING a program from one side of the tape, the other side should LOAD properly.
Now, type SAVE “SETUP.BA” and press ENTER. Next, press the F9 key to return to the startup screen of the Model 102. You should see SETUP.BA as one of the entries on this screen. SETUP.BA is now installed in RAM. It will remain there until you enter the BASIC area, type KILL “SETUP.BA” and press the ENTER key.
The other two BOSCO programs are called BOSCO.BA and RELY. BA. They can be LOADED into memory in the same manner as SETUP.BA. However, depending upon how much RAM is present in your computer, and how much of that RAM is filled with other information, it may not be possible to have all three programs in memory at the same time. You can always KILL one of the programs to make room for another.
Your Model 100 may make a loud buzzing sound while it is LOADING programs. From BASIC, typing in SOUND OFF or SOUND ON and hitting the ENTER key will switch the sound off and on, respectively.
SETUP PROGRAM
SETUP.BA allows you to make a category file. That is, you can assign code numbers and names to categories of behavior or other environmental events and SAVE the codes to RAM. Up to n1 different categories can be defined.
Running SETUP. BA
Once SETUP.BA is in the memory of the Model 102, you can RUN it at any time. To do this, simply turn on the Model 102 and do one of three things. You can type in SETUP.BA and press the ENTER key. Or, you can use the cursor keys at the upper right of the keyboard (they have little arrows under them) or the space bar to move the little black box on the screen until SETUP.BA appears as clear letters inside a black box, and then press ENTER. In either case, SETUP.BA will run automatically. For variety, you can enter the BASIC area, type LOAD “SETUP BA,” press the ENTER key, and then type RUN and press the ENTER key.
When SETUP.BA is RUN, you will first see the title page. You will next be briefly shown the amount of free RAM available on the Model 102. There will be a warning beep if available memory is less than 2500 bytes. You should be careful to leave enough memory for your data! If memory is low, it may be necessary to exit SETUP.BA and KILL some files in order to free up more memory.
SETUP.BA Main Menu
04/27/89 * SETUP * 21:05:54
1 BELL: ON 6 DUMP: OFF
2 LINE FEED: OFF 7 PAGE FEED CODE: 12
3 MAX OBS: 299 8 PAGE FEED CODE: 12
4 DEFINE CATEGORIES _____________________
5 FILE OPERATIONS CAT FILE: – UNDF-
CODES: 0
You will next see the MAIN MENU of SETUP.BA (Figure 1). The date will be displayed at the top left of the screen, and the time at the top right. If the date or time are incorrect, then you should exit SETUP.BA and refer to the Model 102 owner’s manual, which will tell you how to set the date and time. The name of the program, SETUP, also appears on the top line.
In the small box at the right bottom of the screen you will see the number of categories which have been defined and the name of the category file you are making. If the category file has not been named, you will see –UNDF-.
Pressing the 1 key (BELL) will alternately cause the computer to display BELL: ON and BELL: OFF. In computer parlance, this is called a TOGGLE. The BELL is a tone which sounds at critical times in the operation of the three BOSCO programs. The BELL is not terribly loud, but in conditions of field observation it may be important to maintain silence. You should decide whether you want the BELL to be enabled or disabled. You should note that the purpose of the BELL is to attract your attention at times of impending data loss and when errors occur at keyboard entry. When the BELL is off, the only warning at these times will appear transiently on the computer screen. The BELL is a safeguard, and should be on unless the conditions of observation require silence.
The 2 key (LINE FEED) is a toggle which determines whether BOSCO should send a line feed code to the printer after each line is printed. If, with BOSCO, your printer does not advance the paper and prints repeatedly on the same line, the display should read LINE FEED: ON. If, with BOSCO, your printer double spaces, the display should read LINE FEED: OFF.
The 3 key (MAX OBS) allows you to select the maximum number of entries which will be allowed in each datafile used in association with the category file which you are now defining. If you set this to 100, then when you are actually observing behaviors, you will only be allowed to record 100 behaviors before you will be required to save your data to RAM. You will be asked to type in a number. You can enter a number as small as 10 or as large as the number you see on the screen. Keep in mind that the larger the number you enter, the more free RAM will be required to RUN the observation program, BOSCO.BA. Be sure to press ENTER.
At this time, note that typing a period (sometimes you must hit ENTER also) will always return you to the MAIN MENU of SETUP.BA. This is true also for the other BOSCO programs, BOSCO.BA and RELY.BA. If you keep typing periods, you will always wind up at the MAIN MENU.
The 4 key (DEFINE CATEGORIES) allows you to assign code numbers and names to types (categories) of behaviors or other environmental events which you are interested in recording. After you press 4, you will see 12 numbers in the large box on the lower left side of the screen. The word -UNDEFINED- will appear to the right of each of the 12 numbers. Undefined categories are noted with —UNDEFINED—. The names of categories which are defined will appear to the right of the corresponding code number for that category.
To define a category, simply press D (for DEFINE). You will be prompted to enter the number with which you want to associate a category. You can type any number from 1 to the number appearing in the box at the right side of the screen. Be sure to press ENTER after you have typed in the number you desire. You will next be prompted to enter the name of the category to be associated with the code number you chose. The name previously associated with the code number will be shown at the bottom of the screen (in this case it is —UNDEFINED—). The computer will accept any name up to 10 letters (the line of asterisks above the flashing cursor will always tell you the maximum length for the requested input). Press ENTER after you have typed in the name. The computer will briefly show the message CHECKING FOR DUPLICATIONS; if the name you entered is the same as any other entry, you will see an error message and will be required to type in another name. Otherwise, you will be asked to type in a name to be associated with the next higher code. This feature allows you to easily type in your list of categories. If you do not wish to enter another category, simply press ENTER without naming the category, or type in a period (.) and then press ENTER, and you will be returned to the DEFINE CATEGORIES screen.
You can use the arrow keys at the upper left of the keyboard to view all of the defined categories, 12 at a time. These arrows work Just like they do in the Model 102’s built-in text editing program. Press the down arrow key to advance one category, or the up arrow key to go back one category. You can advance or go back one screen at a time by holding the SHIFT key down and pressing the down and up arrows, respectively. Hold the CTRL key down and press the up and down arrows to go to the beginning or end of the list. Press the period (.) when you wish to return to the MAIN MENU of SETUP.BA.
The 5 key (FILE OPERATIONS) calls up the FILE OPERATIONS MENU. From this menu, you can view the names of files existing in the memory of the Model 102 (VIEW EXISTING FILES), give the list of categories you have defined a name (NAME CATEGORY FILE), SAVE the file to RAM (SAVE CATEGORY FILE), or call up a previous category file for examination or modification (LOAD CATEGORY FILE). You can also PURGE memory (return SETUP.BA to its startup state) or exit the program SETUP.BA from the FILE OPERATIONS MENU (QUIT PROGRAM). Press (.) to return to the SETUP.BA MAIN MENU.
The 6 key (DUMP) is also a toggle.. It determines whether a file called DUMP.DO. will be created when you observe behavior. The screen should read DUMP: ON if you want a DUMP file and DUMP: OFF if you do not. DUMP.DO preserves a backup of your observations in RAM, and also times and records any incidental notes you might type in while you are observing. Using DUMP.DO will consume additional RAM. After exiting BOSCO.BA, you can review the DUMP file by using the built-in TEXT program of the Model 102.
The 7 key (PAGE ADVANCE) allows you to set the code which tells the printer to advance to the top of the page. The DEFAULT code is set to 10 (in computer talk, a default is the value to which something is customarily set. You will not need to change the code unless your printer does not advance to the top of the form upon command. If your printer does not advance to the top of form, you will need to find the code (in decimal) in your printer manual and enter it at the prompt. The code must be a number between 0 and 255. Tying anything else, or typing a period (.) will return you to the SETUP.BA MAIN MENU, with the PAGE FEED code set to DEFAULT.
The 8 key (LINE FEED CODE) allows you to change the code which BOSCO sends to the printer to cause it to advance a line. The DEFAULT (the normal setting for most printers is 12. If, with BOSCO, you printer still prints on the same line and does not advance when you have LINE FEED: ON, then you may need to change the 12 to another number. You will need to find the code (in decimal) on your computer manual and enter it at the prompt. The code must be a number between 0 and 255. Typing anything else, or typing a period (.) will return you to the SETUP.BA MAIN MENU, with the LINE FEED code set to the default (12).
SETUP.BA File Operations Menu
Pressing 1 (VIEW EXISTING FILES) from the FILE OPERATIONS MENU of SETUP.BA allows you to examine all existing files on the Model 102. Press any key to return to the FILE OPERATIONS MENU.
Press the 2 key (NAME CATEGORY FILE) to name the category file you are working on. You must assign a name (6 characters or less) before you can SAVE the categories you have defined to RAM. Just type in the name you desire, using letters or numbers. Do not use punctuation marks or other unusual characters. The F2 key is always defined as the current category file (plus ENTER). Pressing F2 will produce the same effect as typing in the name of the currently defined category file and pressing the ENTER key.
Press the 3 key (LOAD CATEGORY FILE) to LOAD a category file into working memory for modification or examination. You must assign a name before you can LOAD the file. Before the file is actually LOADED, you will be asked to confirm the operation. You should press the V key to confirm. Pressing any other key will return you to the FILE OPERATIONS MENU.
Press the 4 key (SAVE CATEGORY FILE) to SAVE your existing category file in RAM, provided that you have already named it. You should be careful to use a unique name, for an existing file of the same name will be overwritten. Before the file is actually SAVED, you will be asked to confirm the operation. You should press the Y key to confirm. Pressing any other key will return you to the FILE OPERATIONS MENU.
Press the 5 key (PURGE) to PURGE memory— that is, to return SETUP.BA to its startup state. Any categories you have defined will be erased and the toggles will be returned to their initial positions.. Category files already SAVED to RAM will not be affected. Before the memory is PURGED, you will be asked to confirm the operation. Pressing any key other than “Y” will return you to the SETUP.BA MAIN MENU.
Press the 6 key (EXIT) to exit SETUP.BA and return to the startup screen of the Model 102. Before you leave SETUP.BA, you will be asked to confirm the operation. You should press the Y key to confirm. Pressing any other key will return you to the FILE OPERATIONS MENU.
The special function keys of the Model 102 are redefined by BOSCO.BA and the other BOSCO programs. If you exit any of the programs by any method other than the QUIT PROGRAM option at the MAIN MENU, the normal functions of these keys will not be restored.
BOSCO MAIN PROGRAM
BOSCO.BA is used after you have specified at least one category file with SETUP.BA. BOSCO.BA allows you to type in the code numbers of behaviors as you observe them in real time. After observing, the data can be edited, SAVED to RAM, or analyzed.
Loading BOSCO.BA
SETUP.BA is not needed once the observation file has been defined. Before LOADING BOSCO.BA, you can KILL SETUP.BA by entering the BASIC area, typing KILL “SETUP.BA” and pressing the ENTER key. If you should later wish to modify the category file or create a new category, you will need to again LOAD SETUP.BA from cassette.
BOSCO.BA should be LOADED from tape and SAVED to RAM in the same way as was SETUP.BA. There is only one difference: you should use the name BOSCO.BA instead of SETUP.BA.
RUNNING BOSCO.BA
BOSCO.BA is RUN in the same manner as was SETUP.BA. As with SETUP.BA, you will first see a title screen. You will next be asked to type in the name of an category file. You must type in the name just as it appeared on the startup screen of the Model 102. If you do not remember the name of your category file, press F1 to see the names of all existing files. You MUST type in the name of a category file. If you type in the name of a valid category file and press ENTER you will see a message that the file is being LOADED. This will take only a few seconds. If a valid category file if not found, you will be unable to proceed. You will see an error message and be given the chance to try again. If you do not have a valid category file, you will need to press the F8 key to return to the startup menu of the Model 102. You should then use SETUP.BA to make a valid category file.
If available memory is less than 2500 bytes, you will next see a message telling you the amount of free RAM. If there are fewer than 2500 bytes free, a warning will sound (that is, if you did not turn off the bell when you made your observation file) and you will receive a brief warning on the screen.
BOSCO.BA Main Menu
04/28/87 * OBSERVATION * 13:25:51
1 ENTER DATA 7 QUIT PROGRAM
2 REVIEW/EDIT DATA 8 BELL: OFF
3 CHANGE HEADER 4 DUMP: OFF
4 ANALYZE DATA CATG FILE: MASTER
5 FILE OPERATIONS DATA FILE: -UNDF-
6 PURGE DATA # ENTRIES: 0
You will next see the MAIN MENU of BOSCO.BA. The current date will appear in the upper left corner of the screen, and the current time in the upper right corner. The word OBSERVATION appears in the middle of the top line. If the time or date are incorrect, you should exit BOSCO.BA and set the time and date as shown in the Model 102 Owner’s Manual.
The MAIN MENU allows you to access all functions of BOSCO.BA. You can enter or edit data, select input/output options, and analyze data. You can also purge existing data or exit the program.
The small box at the bottom right of the screen indicates the names of the currently defined category file and datafile and the number of data entries (behaviors and associated times) which have been entered.
Press the F1 key (ENTER DATA) when you wish to begin observing behavior. The BOSCO clock will start when you press the key. You will see “* CLOCK RUNNING *“ at the top of the screen. At the right side of the first line is shown the time elapsed since the clock was started (BOSCO time). The time elapsed since the last behavior was entered appears just below. The actual time in hours, minutes, and seconds (real time) appears in the box at the bottom left of the screen. Just above it appears the number of the next (expected) observation. That is, if you have entered five behaviors, you will see “ENTER OBSERVATION * 6”. At the bottom of the screen you will see the number and name of the last entry made (in this case, observation #5).
When a behavior is observed, type in the number of the category for that behavior and press ENTER. Use the number keys at the top of the keyboard, or, if you depress the NUM key, you can use the numeric keypad at the mid-right side of the keyboard. If you enter an undefined code, the BELL will sound and the message “UNDEFINED CODE” will appear briefly on the screen (if the BELL is turned off your only notification will be a brief display of the words “UNKNOWN CODE” on the screen). This tells you the computer did not respond to your entry, and is still timing the last accepted category. If the entry is accepted, the computer will await the entry of the next observation.
As many as n2 behavioral observations may be made. If you make an incorrect entry, you can immediately remove it. To do so, hold the GRPH key down and press the 1 key. BOSCO will forget the last entry.
The + and — keys (when the GRPH key is first depressed) can be used to add and subtract seconds, respectively, from the BOSCO clock. This might be handy when synchronizing one Model 102 running BOSCO with another Model 102 running BOSCO. ns (entries) can be entered. Observations are entered by typing in the code number of the behavior and pressing the ENTER key. The integer n1 is defined when you set up your category file. Its lower limit is 10, and its upper limit is restricted only by the amount of RAM in the Model 102.
BOSCO.BA will associate a time with each entry. The category which is entered and the time are placed in memory for temporary storage only, and must be SAVED to RAM to become permanent. This is customarily done after observations are concluded, although the data can be SAVED at any time.
The BOSCO clock is started when the ENTER DATA option is selected, and stopped when the option is exited. As long as you are in the ENTER DATA mode, the BOSCO clock will be updated on the screen once a second. The BOSCO clock does not run when inserting, deleting, changing, or reviewing data, or when at the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU, or in any other part of the BOSCO.BA program. It only runs when the ENTER DATA option is selected. The BOSCO clock is not to be confused with the real-time clock of the MODEL 102, which always runs. The BOSCO clock keeps track of the amount of time you have spent observing. In timing behaviors, BOSCO.BA is accurate to 1 second per observation.
When you have finished entering data, hold the SHIFT key down and press the period (.) key to return to the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU. At this time the BOSCO clock will stop and will not start again until you return to the ENTER DATA screen.
Type in 2 (REVIEW/EDIT DATA) from the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU if you wish to examine or modify your data. You will see the word REVIEW in the upper left portion of your screen, and the first 6 entries will be displayed in the large area of the screen. Each entry consists of four parts. First, you will see the number of the entry. Next, you will see the category associated with that number. To the right of the first slash mark (/) you will see the code number of the behavior, and to the right of the second slash mark you will see the duration in seconds of that behavior.
The cursor keys can be used to scroll through your data. They operate in BOSCO.BA just as they operate in the TEXT program which is built into ROM on your Model 102. Pressing the up arrow key will scroll upwards one entry. Pressing the down arrow key will scroll downwards one entry. Holding the SHIFT key down and pressing the down arrow will scroll downwards a screen at a time, and holding the SHIFT key down and pressing the up arrow will scroll up a screen at the time. Holding the CTRL key and pressing the down arrow key will take you to the end of your data, and holding the CTRL key and pressing the up arrow key will go to the beginning of your data.
At the right side of the screen you will see the total number of entries. You will not be able to scroll past the last entry: The words END OF DATA will appear after the last entry.
If you want to see a particular entry, press G and then enter the number of the entry you wish to see. Typing in a number higher than the total number of entries will cause the message PAST END OF DATA to appear briefly on the screen.
If you wish to delete an entry, press D (DELETE) and then type in the number of the entry you wish to delete. The message DELETING DATA ENTRY will appear briefly on the screen, and then the entry will be gone. Deleting an entry will change the time of all subsequent observations by the duration of the entry deleted. If you wish to preserve the temporal sequence, you will need to add the number of seconds deleted to the previous entry.
If you wish to add an entry, press I (INSERT). You will be asked the position in which you wish to insert an entry. You will next be asked the code number of the behavior, and then the duration of the behavior. Inserting an entry will change the time of all subsequent observations by the duration of the entry inserted. You will see a message on the screen indicating a new entry is being inserted. If you wish to preserve the temporal sequence, you will need to subtract the number of seconds inserted from the previous entry.
If you wish to change an entry, press C (CHANGE). You will be prompted for the number of the entry to change, and then for the new code number and duration. Changing the duration of the behavior will change the time of all subsequent observations.
Press the period (.) when you wish to exit REVIEW/EDIT. Pressing the 3 key from the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU takes you to the HEADER MENU, which will allow you to enter information which will help you to distinguish your datafile from others.
From the HEADER MENU, press 1-4 and you will be prompted to enter the following information, respectively: Observer, Observed (what or whom you are observing), Start Date, and Start Time. Simply type in the information. You will be limited to 23 characters. The date should be entered in the format DD/MM/YY and the time in the format DAY OF THE WEEK (space) HH/MM/SS, although this is not mandatory.
The purpose of the header information is to help you to identify the datafile. The header information will be SAVED as part of the datafile. After LOADING a datafile, you can use the CHANGE HEADER option to determine whether you have retrieved the correct datafile.
From the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU, press 4 (ANALYZE DATA) to analyze your data. It is a good idea to SAVE your date to RAM before analyzing it, so if you have not done so, use the period (.) to exit to the MAIN MENU and SAVE your data.
If you want a print analysis, be sure your Model 102 is hooked up to a printer with paper in it and that the printer is turned on and on line. Press 1 (RAW DATA) to obtain a printout of the raw data, 2 (FREQUENCY) to obtain a printout of the frequency for each behavior, and press 3 (LAG SEQUENTIAL) to obtain a printout of the probability of each behavior following and succeeding each other behavior at lag n. If you do not have any data in memory, you will see a brief message indicating this and will be returned to the ANALYSIS MENU. If data are present you will be asked to verify that you have a printer on line. Press the period (.) to return to the MAIN MENU. If you lock up the MODEL 102 because a printer is not on line, hold the SHIFT key down and press the BREAK key. Next, type GOTO 10500 and press the ENTER key. You will be returned to the MAIN MENU without loss of data.
From the BOSCO.BA MAIN MENU, holding the GRPH key down and pressing the f key will display a brief message telling you how much free memory is available.
BOSCO.BA File Operations Menu
Press 5 to reach the FILE OPERATIONS MENU. From the FILE OPERATIONS MENU you can SAVE and LOAD data, switch category files, and view all files existing in the MODEL 102’s memory.
From the FILE OPERATIONS MENU, press I (VIEW EXISTING FILES) to view existing files. Press any key to return to the FILE OPERATIONS MENU.
If you wish to switch to another category file, press 2 (NAME CATEGORY FILE). Just as when you first RAN BOSCO.BA, you will not be able to leave this part of the program until you have named a valid category file. If you name a category file other than the one previously named, all existing data will be PURGED. If you wish to use the same category file you used before, press F2 and the file will be LOADED.
A datafile is the actual data associated with a category file. Many datafiles can be used with any single category file. Up to n2 observations can be stored in each datafile. You may name datafiles anything you want, with the constraint that the name is 6 letters or less in length and cannot be the same as your current category file. Be careful when naming a datafile. If you use the name of an already existing file, it will be possible to overwrite it when you SAVE your data. If you are unsure of the names of existing files, use the Fl key to examine the names of all files in memory before you name your datafile.
Press 3 (NAME DATA FILE) to give your data file a new name. Press F3 to keep the same datafile name.
Press 4 (LOAD DATA FILE) to LOAD the named datafile. Because this will overwrite any data in memory, you will be asked to confirm this operation. Press the Y key to confirm, and any other key to abort. You will see a brief message stating the datafile is being LOADED. If the datafile is not a valid BOSCO datafile, or if the datafile is not associated with the current category file, an error message will appear on the screen.
Before exiting the BOSCO.BA program or PURGING data from memory, you must SAVE your data. To SAVE a datafile, select option 5, SAVE DATA FILE, from the FILE OPERATIONS MENU. Because SAVING the datafile can overwrite information in RAM, you will be asked to confirm the operation. A message will appear on the screen, telling you the information is being saved. The observations you have made are now SAVED in a datafile (you have already chosen the name) in memory. Once data is SAVED, you can PURGE data and change the datafile name, and then start another observation, or you can use the EXIT option to QUIT BOSCO.BA. Press 6 and 7, respectively, from the MAIN MENU. You will be asked to verify the operation by pressing Y.
QUITTING BOSCO.BA will return you to the startup screen of the Model 102.
Recovering From Erratic Operation
If for some reason you find yourself out of SETUP.BA or BOSCO.BA and in BASIC (you will see an OK prompt or an error message and a flashing cursor) type GOTO10500 and press ENTER. If the program behaves erratically, hold the SHIFT key down and press, the BREAK key, then type GOTO10500 and press ENTER. You will find yourself at the MAIN MENU. Immediately SAVE your data, then exit the program by the normal method. Re-enter the program, again LOAD your data, and continue. This method should keep you from losing your data. If you are unsure whether your data has been SAVED properly, you should print it or examine the data by choosing the proper program option, and write it on paper as you view it. You can also use the VIEW EXISTING FILES option at the FILE OPERATIONS MENU to be sure the datafile has been SAVED to memory.
If your entries suddenly look funny, you may have accidentally pressed either the CAPS LOCK or NUM keys of the Model 102. BOSCO will work with the CAPS LOCK key either up or down. Entering numerical data may be faster with NUM depressed, but it must be in the up position to type alphabetical characters.
Modifying BOSCO For Your Own Purposes
To help frequent users of BOSCO or users with special needs, three simple changes to the program will affect the way it runs:
Automatically Load Category File
If you exclusively or almost exclusively use a single category file, you can load the program called AUTOCF.BA to modify BOSCO so your category file will automatically load when BOSCO.BA is run. To set the file name to autoload, simply type in the name at the prompt. You can then KILL AUTOCF.BA. Should you wish, you will still be able to change to another category file from within the program.
Set Maximum Number of Entries and Categories
Ordinarily, BOSCO.BA allows a total of 299 entries (observations) and 99 categories. If you do not need this many entries or categories,, you can decrease the number of each to as few as 10. Decreasing the number will increase the amount of free RAM when SETUP.BA and BOSCO.BA run. You can increase the numbers, but keep in mind that this will require more memory. To change the maximum number of entries and/or categories, load the program called MEMORY.BA, and enter the numbers at the prompts. You can then KILL MEMORY.BA.
MEMORY.BA should be used once to set the maximum sizes of your data and category files, and then erased from memory. Be careful in using category and data files which were created before you lowered maximum size, because category and dates files must not exceed the numbers you have set with MEMORY.BA. For example, if you have a category file with category 99 defined, and then set the maximum number of categories to 49, you should not attempt to LOAD it. LOADING a category file which contains a category with a higher number than the current setting will result in an error message (END OF DATA UNEXPECTEDLY ENCOUNTERED) LOADING a data file with more entries than the current setting is possible, but all entries of the data file will not be LOADED into memory.