
 File: speedup.txt 

 Changes to Simfit configuration at Version 8
 --------------------------------------------
 
 Many of the original Simfit configuration options are no longer required and
 will be removed or replaced. The main reasons are now explained.

 a) The Ghostscript program is no longer needed as the Ghostscript DLLs
    are distributed with Simfit and are in the ...\simfit\bin folder.

 b) The GSview program is now obsolete and not required as Simfit has an
    option either to view the *.eps code or use the Ghostscript DLLs to
    transform *.eps into *.pdf and view using a PDF viewer.

 c) It is not necessary to specify a PDF reader like Acrobat reader as
    Windows makes Edge the default PDF viewer. So if you want to use PDF 
    viewers like Adobe Acrobat Reader or SumatraPDF you simply have to make  
    your chosen PDF viewer the Windows default.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 Configuration options to speed up execution of Simfit and Simdem 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Summary
 -------

 The default configuration of Simfit uses many procedures designed to 
 assist inexperienced users as follows. 

 1) Checking the installation for missing or incorrectly specified files

 2) Giving an option to view data files before proceeding to open them 
    for plotting or analysis

 3) Offering the possibility to type in data directly instead of by 
    the usual file/clipboard methods

 4) Providing names of typical test files to indicate correct formatting

 5) Displaying messages to alert users to special features when programs
    are used for the first time.

 6) Showing warnings to double check that users really do want to exit
    from an advanced plot, and so lose any editing they may have done.

 Once users have become familiar with using Simfit, some of these procedures
 may prove tedious, as they slow down the process of loading and running
 Simfit. So options are provided to switch such features on or off as
 required to speed up Simfit.
 
 Experienced users who want to speed up data analysis should read 
 about items 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, and maybe
 switch them off.
  
 Simfit only: Configuration options 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (0 = false, 1 = true)
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

 These options can be altered from the left hand check boxes on the main Simfit
 configuration control, and are only effective after re-loading Simfit.

 They can also be set using the speedup option after using the [Configure]
 button on the main Simfit task bar, followed by pressing the [Advanced] button
 on the main configuration control. After editing these options, the [Apply]
 button must be pressed to save the changes made.

 Once Simfit has been installed and configured properly it is
 recommended that you switch off these options, which will only be 
 having the effect of slowing down the loading of Simfit. 

 These options are not referenced by the Simdem package.
 
 Item 4: 0 ... silent start up
         1 ... display advisory messages on start up
         Set 1 for group use so that everybody gets a chance to
         appreciate the Simfit philosophy, but individual users
         will read the messages once then set 0 to switch off. 
         To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0. 
 
 Item 5: 0 ... no check for missing Simfit files
         1 ... display program file missing error messages
         The only reason to set 0 is to speed up initialisation,
         or where users know why certain files are missing. 
         To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0. 

 Item 6: 0 ... no check for running from the Simfit folder
         1 ... flag unsatisfactory simfit configuration
         This should be set to 1 as unpredictable results may occur
         when running from outside the Simfit folder. Expert users 
         with several dedicated versions containing special editions
         of some Simfit programs may wish to have one remote driver
         to switch between installations, and could try setting 0. 
         To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0. 

 Item 7: 0 ... no check for missing auxiliaries
         1 ... check that user-specified programs exist
         Set 1 unless some files have been deleted or not specified
         because they are never going to be used. 
         To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0. 

 Item 8: 0 ... no check that PS-viewer/Ghostscript exists
         1 ... check that PS-viewer/Ghostscript exists
         GSview and Ghostscript are no longer required as described
         at the start of this file.         

 Item 9: 0 ... no check that the PS-printer driver exists
         1 ... check that the PS-printer driver exists
         As for Item 8. 

 Simfit and Simdem: Configuration options 31 to 36 (0 = false, 1 = true)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 These options can be adjusted after selecting the Advanced sub-item from the 
 main Simfit configuration control. 

 They can also be set using the speedup option after using the [Configure]
 button on the main Simfit task bar, followed by pressing the [Advanced] button
 on the main configuration control. After editing these options, the [Apply]
 button must be pressed to save the changes made.

 Switching off these options will dramatically speed up the running of
 Simfit by eliminating the need for many routine mouse clicks and menu
 selections. Changing the options has an immediate effect. 

 However, it should be noted that these options apply globally. For this
 reason they should be switched on when using a new procedure, or one that
 you have not used recently, so that you obtaim maximum help in understanding
 the actions and file formats required before disabling the dedicated help.

 These options also function in the Simdem package
 
 Item 31: 0/1, provide the option to View/Open/Cancel each time a data
               file is selected. Advanced users may wish to set this
               to 0 to speed up data analysis. 
               This option can be very useful if you try to input a data
               file that Simfit says it will not accept because it is
               formatted incorrectly, because you can readily check
               the formatting details.

 Item 32: 0/1, display all Windows-specific messages.
               Advanced users should set this to 0.
               Note that several warning messages are only meaningful
               to the Windows Operating System and have no value under
               Linux/Wine, where users should always set this to 0, 
               i.e. switch off

 Item 33: 0/1, display ... Now input a file formatted like *.* advice
               each time a procedure is selected. Advanced users may
               wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis. 
               This option merely gives you the name of a suitable
               test file, and will simply be a nuisance once you know
               the format required.  

 Item 34: 0/1, provide the option to type in data values directly as an
               alternative to using File/Clipboard. Advanced users may
               wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis. 
               This option can often be very useful when several small data
               sets are required, and it would be tedious to create numerous 
               small data sets, or repeatedly transfer values from a spreadsheet
               using the clipboard. For instance, when analysing a set of 2 by 
               2 contingency tables by a chi-squared test, or when plotting 
               simple bar or pie charts.
                
 Item 35: 0/1, display ... First time user messages, e.g. alternative
               file formats when using program Simplot. Advanced users may
               wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis. 
               When a procedure is familiar this procedure is just irritating,
               but it should be switched on when using an unfamilar procedure. 
 
 Item 36: 0/1, provide the option to cancel quitting from advanced graphics
               displays in order to continue with further editing, saving 
               configuration or graphics files, etc.  Advanced users may 
               wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis. 
               This procedure is provided so that inexperienced users will
               be aware that, if they exit from an advanced plot after editing
               the titles, legends, symbols, etc., without saving a graphics file,
               or printing the graph, then all the editing will be lost  on
               quitting the plot.

 