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The Recipe Processor - Features and Benefits

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Recipe Processor 2000 VR News

| How to Backup Your Recipes | New Features | Recipe Processor History |

The Recipe Processor 2000 VR version 8.0 is compatible with Windows Vista as well as all other Microsoft 32/64 bit Operating Systems.

Using The Recipe Processor 2000 version 7.0 and earlier with Windows Vista:

The Recipe Processor version 7.0 and earlier uses the well-tried traditional HLP format for providing assistance to users. Support for this help format is no longer built into Windows Vista by default and must be specifically installed.  WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to install this application.

You can download and install the "Winhlp32.exe" help support file by clicking on the following link

Microsoft Vista Winhlp32 installation

Source Code for Recipe Processor DOS and Recipe Processor For Windows 2.1 is now available for sale! 

If you are interested in tinkering with The Recipe Processor code, then CLICK HERE for more information!

New Features and enhancements for 8.0:

  1. Redesigned opening screen now displays categories for each recipe in the recipe selection window.

  2. Separate list for recipe marks, allowing for any font in the Recipe Selection Window

  3. Recipe mark list can be configured to be on either the left or right side of the recipe selection window.

  4. You can double click on the new main screen category list as an instant shortcut to Category Search

  5. New Category/Subcategory radio buttons load either categories or subcategories into main screen category list

  6. New CHM Help System for Compatibility with Windows Vista.

  7. File menu now has a Backup option. You can now backup the recipe database at any time.

  8. Pictures can now have filenames up to 40 characters long (increased from 12 characters).

  9. Pictures can now be attached from the "Add New Recipe" Screen.

  10. Pictures are now displayed immediately after attachment for review.

  11. Many windows enlarged with larger fonts for higher resolution displays.

  12. New Print Preview now has scaling and scrolling options. View at 50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, or 150%

  13. Wildcard Search simplified. You no longer have to enter an ASTERISK to find matches within the recipe name, as this is now the default. Radio buttons allow you to search within, or at the beginning of the recipe name.

  14. Main window is now hidden (by default) when a recipe is displayed. This can be overrode (in the OPTIONS MENU) if desired to keep the main window displayed in back of the recipe view window.

  15. The new Main window category list can be turned off if desired.

  16. New Command Buttons on many windows can have colors configured by the user.

  17. Directions entry fonts and attributes are now user definable.

  18. Added "COMMENTS" menu item to the "Show Picture" window.

  19. Unformatted Import now has a RECIPE SOURCE button.

  20. Unformatted Import now has an ACTION menu that mimics the lower buttons. This allows use of the screen with an 800 x 600 video system.

  21. Word Definition will no longer allow ENTER as a character, and now removes carraige returns and and line feed characters from pasted text (which would corrupt the "definitions.rpw" file).

  22. Corrected bug that caused a runtime error if Nutrition format was "10 column", "As Scanned Recipe" was selected, and Preview was clicked.

New Features and enhancements for 7.0:

  1. Improved media player lets you select between Windows Media Player, Quicktime, or any media player installed as the standard media player.
  2. Increased recipe capacity to 20,000 recipes per cookbook.
  3. Add unlimited media files to each recipe by embedding media file names in recipe directions
  4. Add unlimited picture files to each recipe by embedding picture file names in recipe directions.
  5. Added error checking to Secondary Recipe Backup when source and destination folders are the same.
  6. Added Maximize button to the Picture window. Allows instant full size without having to drag the picture corners.
  7. Unformatted import now lets you add to previously selected directions text. Directions text window automatically opens, and closes when you click in the "work" window.
  8. Shopping list capacity increased from 500 items to 1,500.
  9. When second recipe display is selected, added the ESC key as a graceful way to cancel the operation.
  10. Corrected runtime error 6 when second recipe is displayed, and nutrition results are zero for second recipe.
  11. Delete Confirmation added to Recipe Comments if Delete Comfirmation option is on.

New Features and enhancements for 6.2:

  1. Added special characters dropdown to directions text.
  2. Added special characters dropdown to ingredients description text
  3. Added Cost Maintenance speedbar button and new cost Maintenance screen.  This screen displays ingredients and the cost column.
  4. Word definition maintenance window "List Words" now shows definition for each word selected in the list.

New Features and enhancements for 6.1:

  1. Enhanced backup allows user to specify additional path for backup files. This allows backup to standard folder, and user defined folder (such as a CD or DVD).

  2. Added "Edit/View Cost Maintenance" speed button and Utilities option. This allows easier access to modify and update ingredient costs.

  3. Add ml measure (milliliters) to quick measure list, nutrition calculator, and to measure conversions.

  4. Added user defined amounts (in ounces) to custom measures. This will make the nutrition calculator more accurate.

  5. Modified Shopping list parsing routine to prevent missing ingredients.

  6. Reorganized Options window with more tabs to remove clutter.

  7. Corrected bug that did not convert ingredients whose amounts were "short form" fractions.

  8. Corrected bug that did not create a new recipe when recipe name was changed.

How to Backup Your Recipe Database

It is important to make frequent backups (or copies) of computer data.  No matter how amazing Computers are, they can have breakdowns that will cause loss of stored information.

Have you ever seen Scandisk run when you first boot up?   It is an indication that something has gone wrong with your hard drive (usually minor), and is repairable.  However, some of the Scandisk repairs (such as crosslinked files) will leave files truncated, or shortened, resulting in lost data.  Should this happen to any of the Recipe Processor database files, your recipes will be lost unless you have a backup copy of them.

So, How Do I Backup My Recipes?

If you have versions 5.3  and up, just use the Backup Utility.  If you do not, then follow the directions below:

The best way to backup your recipe database is to use the EXPORT RECIPE FILE option, located under the FILE menu.  Then, perform the following:

  1. In the lower window frame, click the CREATE WEB PAGES (HTML) FROM RECIPES button.
  2. Click the SELECT ALL checkbox in the upper left hand Options window frame.
  3. Click the EXPORT buttion.
  4. In the Folder Options frame, click the upper button, to place all recipes in one subfolder.
  5. In the Web Page Options frame, click the lower button, to combine all recipes into one webpage.
  6. Click OK.

The actions above will create a subfolder (under your RPW32 folder) named "Recipe Webpages".  It will contain all of your recipes, plus any attached pictures.  You may zip the contents of this folder together and copy to a floppy or some other removable storage type.

To restore the recipes (in case of a hard disk failure), simply use the IMPORT RECIPE FILE option under the FILE menu, and specify files of HTML type.

Recipe Processor History

The Recipe Processor was conceived in 1978, when I purchased my first micro-computer, a TRS-80 with level 1 basic.  My dilemma at that time was to buy a house, or buy a computer. To justify the enormous cost of the computer, I explained to my wife how it could help her catalog her recipes, and so The Recipe Processor was born.  In 1978 it was cassette based (no floppy disks), very slow, but functional.  

I can say with certainty (and pride) that The Recipe Processor was the FIRST functional recipe cataloging program of its kind to be written for a home computer, even if I was the only user.

In 1983 I upgraded to a Model IV TRS-80, which had an 80 x 24 screen and the luxury of inverse video. To take advantage of these features, The Recipe Processor had its first major upgrade.  

Around 1987 I purchased my first MS-DOS PC (I always preferred the TRS-80), and rewrote The Recipe Processor using Turbo Pascal.  The DOS Recipe Processor was born, and was distributed as shareware.  If you are curious, you can download the DOS Recipe Processor for free on the Download page.

In 1995, The Recipe Processor was completely rewritten in Visual Basic as The Recipe Processor for Windows.

Here are some screenshots of the 1983 TRS-80 Model IV version of The Recipe Processor.

By the way, we still bought the house!

The Main Menu:

The Search Menu:

Recipe Display Ingredients:

Recipe Display Directions:

Edit Recipe Ingredients:

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