Meal-Master™ Recipe Database from Episoft Systems

Most frequent issues:  Printing Problems    Font too small

Troubleshooting

I'm using Windows (95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP), and Meal-Master won't print!

• This is usually a problem with Windows only or Host Based printers, but can affect other printers.

• The problem is not with Meal-Master, but with certain manufacturer's Windows printers and printer drivers. Most are designed to support DOS applications running within Windows, but they don't always work. A few are not designed to support DOS programs at all.
   
• Printer Solution 1: Check your settings.
  1. This solution will not help with USB printers.  If your printer is attached by USB cable, skip this solution and try solutions 2 and 3. 
  2. Click on the Windows95/98 "Start", "Settings", "Printers"
  3. Right-click on the printer you are using, select "Properties" from the menu
  4. Select the "Details" tab
  5. Click on the "Port Settings..." button
  6. Change the setting of the "Spool MS-DOS Print Jobs" box.
     • For most traditional printers, this setting should not be check-marked.
     • For most Windows Only or Host Based printers, it must be check-marked.
     • If in doubt, try it both ways -- it will not "hurt" anything and may solve your problem!
  7. Save the change by pressing the "OK" buttons
  8. Make sure that the correct port is selected in Meal-Master. Go to the "M-Maintenance" screen and check the "L-LPTn" setting near the middle of the page. If you only have one printer, this should probably be set to LPT1.
  9. For HP Deskjet models, or any printer which emulates them, try selecting the HPSTD printer setup from the "M-Maintenance, P-Printer, L-Load" screen.
  10. Now try printing from Meal-Master (or another DOS application) again.
  11. If you still have trouble, contact your printer's manufacturer for technical assistance printing from DOS applications. The problem is either a capability limitation of your printer, or a flaw in the driver software supplied by the manufacturer. The manufacturer may have a later version driver or other suggestions that will correct the problem, or may confirm that the printer does not support DOS applications.
  12. If you still have trouble, try solution 2 or solution 3 described below.
       
• Printer Solution 2:  Windows print sharing (BEST SOLUTION FOR USB PRINTERS!)

1. This solution only applies to Windows NT4, 2000, XP, Vista, or later.  If you are using an older version of Windows, proceed to Solution 3 described below.
2. Open your printer group (Start, Settings, Printers...)
3. Right-click your printer and choose "sharing".  Set the "Shared as" option, and give the printer a name that does not contain any spaces.  Write down this name, you will need it in a later step.
4. Close the printer dialogs by clicking OK.
5. Open a command prompt window (Start, Programs, Accessories, Command prompt...)
6. At the prompt, enter the command below, substituting the printer name you used in step (3) for YourPrinterName:
   
    net use Lpt1: \\%computername%\YourPrinterName /Persistent:Yes
   
   The command should respond with "The command completed successfully."  If you get a different response, check your typing, spacing, and the printer name, then try again.
    
7. Close the command window.
8. Start Meal-Master and go to the "M-Maintenance" screen.  Verify that the "L-LPTn" setting near the middle of the page is set to LPT1.  If not, change it to LPT1 by pressing the "L" key until LPT1 is displayed.
9. For HP Deskjet models, or any printer which emulates them, try selecting the HPSTD printer setup from the "M-Maintenance, P-Printer, L-Load" screen.  For other printers, choose the "Default" printer setup.
10. Now try printing from Meal-Master (or another DOS application) again.
11. If you still cannot print, proceed to Solution 3.

• Printer Solution 3: The Notepad workaround.

This solution will work for ALL printers, and ALL versions of Windows. It involves a two-step process each time you print a recipe.

Each time you view a recipe (or index, or shopping list) in Meal-Master, it writes a copy to the file "mmout.tmp" located in the same directory where MM is installed (usually c:\mm).   You can therefore "view" an item you want to print, then use a Windows program like "notepad" to load and print the mmout.tmp file.

The best way to facilitate this is with a Windows shortcut on your desktop.

1. Right-click an empty area of your Windows desktop, then choose "New, Shortcut" from the pop-up menu.  This will start the "new shortcut wizard", which will prompt you for the various shortcut properties. 
2. For the shortcut command or "target" value, enter the following:
   
       NOTEPAD C:\MM\MMOUT.TMP
   
   Note - If you have MM installed somewhere other than "C:\MM", substitute the correct path for C:\MM in the command above.
    
3. Once this shortcut is created, go into Meal-Master and view a recipe.  Then press ESC (so that the recipe is no longer displayed), then double-click the shortcut you created.  Windows Notepad should start, with the recipe you last viewed already loaded.  All you have to do is choose "File, Print" and the recipe can be printed on any printer you choose.

The Window and/or Font is too small!  How do I make it larger?

• Windows (all versions) will allow you to increase the font size, which will also increase the Window size.
  • Start Meal-Master
  • Click the top-left corner of the window, choose "Properties" then "Font"
  • Choosing a larger font will make the window larger
  • Windows 95/98 and Vista will "remember" this setting the next time you start MM
  • Windows 2000/XP will not "remember" this setting, so you will have to set it again the next time you use MM
     
• Windows 95/98, NT4, XP, and 2000 will allow you to run MM in "Full-Screen" mode
  • Start Meal-Master
  • Hold down the ALT key and press the ENTER key.  This will switch to Full-Screen mode (looks like DOS!)
  • Repeat the process (hold ALT and press ENTER) to switch back to "windowed" mode.
  • Some users report this works on Windows Vista, while others get an error message -- it may depend on the particular video hardware you have.

I can't get recipes I formatted in my Word Processor to Import!

• Use an editor that can save files in "plain ASCII", "DOS Text", or similar format
• Follow instructions in the Importf.doc file provided with Meal-Master

Each recipe prints a few lines lower than the previous one!

• The default setting in Meal-Master formats for a 66-line page
• Some printers (particularly lasers and inkjets) print less than 66 lines per page
• Check your printer manual for the printers default page length in lines
• Change the setting in Meal-Master (choose Maintenance, Printer Setup, Edit)

I get the message "Name extends past col. 39" when importing!

• This usually means that an ingredient line is formatted incorrectly
  • Make sure the quantity, unit of measure, and name are in the right columns
  • Review the Importf.doc file supplied with Meal-Master for format guidelines
• A direction line may "look" like an ingredient line and be confusing the program
  • Reformat the direction line so that it doesn't look like an ingredient

I get the message "Ing after Dir @ line…" when importing!

• A recipe's Ingredient lines must all occur before any Direction lines
  • Make sure there are no ingredient lines within the directions section
• An incorrectly formatted ingredient line may be mistaken for a direction line
  • This will cause the next "good" ingredient line to produce the error message
  • Make sure all ingredient lines above the message are formatted properly
  • Review the Importf.doc file supplied with Meal-Master for format guidelines

Meal-Master locks up while checking for Duplicates!

• This is caused by a "bug" present in MM versions earlier than 8.04
• It is very rare - most people will never encounter it!
• It occurs when all of the following are true:
  1. There is less than 190k memory available to Meal-Master
     • Tip: Enter a "~" (tilde) on the main menu to see how much memory you have available
  2. You have recipes "flagged for delete"
  3. Duplicate checking is used during import
• You can avoid the problem in existing releases by any of the following:
  1. Preferred method: Download and install the latest version of Meal-Master
  2. Alternate method: Make sure that MM has at least 190k of memory available
     • At the DOS prompt, the MEM command should report 465k (or more) free
     • This will avoid the lockup, and allow fast duplicate checking
  3. Alternate method: Rebuild the database prior to importing
     • This eliminates recipes that are flagged for delete, so the lockup won't occur
     • While this eliminates the lockup, the shortage of memory will still result in slow duplicate checking

Titles beginning with numbers/symbols are'nt in my Title Index!

• The default selection range is "A" through "Z", so titles beginning with non-alphabetic characters normally get excluded
• Set the "First Letter…" option to an exclamation point ("!")
• Set the "Last Letter…" option to an underscore ("_")

Meal-Master won't accept my registration number!

• Registration numbers are not required starting with version 8.06 of Meal-Master. The quickest way to solve any registration serial problem is to download and install version 8.06!
• If you insist on using an older version, then the registration number must be entered exactly as shown on your registration sticker. The capitalization, spacing, and punctuation must all be entered exactly as shown!
• If you're sure you are entering it exactly as shown, then your machine may not be properly configured.
  • If running DOS or Windows
    • Check your "C:\Config.sys" file to make sure it has a "files=" statement followed by a number of at least 25 if running DOS only, or at least 35 if running Windows.
  • If running Windows95
    • If your machine has a "C:\Config.sys" file, and it contains a "Files=" statement, make sure it is at least 75. (With Windows95, it is acceptable to have no C:\Config.sys file at all, or to have no "files=" statement in the C:\Config.sys file.)

I forgot (or lost, or my dog ate) my registration number!

• Registration numbers are not required starting with version 8.06 of Meal-Master. The quickest way to solve any registration serial problem is to download and install version 8.06!
• Contact us via email. Include your full name, the address to which your registered copy of Meal-Master was shipped, and approximately when you registered. Please allow 72 hours for a response (although it will usually be much sooner).

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