This program is intended to provide a little inspiration by displaying a random Bible verse, and to help you memorize scripture by repeating special verses until you have them.
Installation: None required, beyond putting BETHEL.EXE and NASBVRS.TXT and CAVE.TIF and bet2.ico someplace where DOS can find it. Might I suggest creating a folder called "bethel" and putting the aformentioned files in it and then put the "bethel" file in the C drive directory. The screen properties have to be set to full size. Look at the following for help:
Status: Freeware.
Distribution: Distribute freely to whomever you want, for whatever reason.
If you simply type Bethel with no arguments, you will get a bible verse selected at random from Nasbvrs.txt, which is presumed to be in either the current directory or the one where Bethel.exe is located (reference screen pic above). Or you can click the icon and get the same result. To get the icon to work properly from the desktop right click the icon and do this:
If you wish, the desktop icon can be changed to use my bethel icon, bet2.ico. Anyway, when you see one you particularly like, you can select it for memorization (see -m switch, below) and it will be repeated each time the program runs. Verses can be selected by number (see -n switch).
The following is a summary of all recognized command line switches: -fX Get verses out of file "X". -n123 Force verse no. 123 to be selected. -m Memorize the last verse displayed. Using this command will cause the last verse to be displayed repeatedly until you make it stop by using -r to return to random selection. You can use -n to force a particular verse while memorization is in effect, and memorization will continue afterward. -m123 Memorize verse number 123. -r Randomize (cancel memorization). -l Repeat last verse. -s Show verse number. -c Count verses and update the COUNT=x line.
Note: You CANNOT ADD verses to the text file and expect to see a Hebrew translation. I have not written it to be that user friendly; not because I don't want it to be but because I am still working on that. There are only 24 verses that can be viewed, of course more can be added but I have to do that.
This program is not guaranteed to do anything except occupy space on your disk. I will not be held responsible for your inability to use it, nor for my own bumbling ineptness in writing it, because after all, it's free.
This program was written on a Dell Dimension XPS R450 with a Pentium II chip running Windows 98. It was compiled with Borland C++ v5.02. There is some compiler specific stuff because of the following: "This software uses the VSA256 Graphics Library, Copyright Spyro Gumas, 1992 - 1996. All Rights Reserved". I would be glad to send the source code to any one so long as they first register the graphics library; it's a small price to pay and you get more than just the VESA stuff. After that maybe there is someone who could help make the program a bit more user friendly. Oh yeah, you need a video adapter running with the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) version 1.2 BIOS extensions. Most SVGA video cards sold are VESA compatible with the BIOS extensions built into the card.
Please know that all I did was modify existing code for bethel.exe to display Hebrew text and some fancy graphical stuff; the code in its original form was written by Dave Nelson who was kind enough to share it on Simtel.net. It is his programming expertise that really drives bethel.exe. Many (actually all, with few exceptions) of the words and sentences in this document come from Dave Nelson's readme.txt file. Again, I will also freely give the source of bethel.exe once I can assure that you have registered the graphics library... there is a trial period. Information on the graphics library and how to contact Spyro for registration is available on line and can be obtained from my links page.
(DOS programming is great fun and helps keep the dinosaur age alive.)
The graphic that is displayed is my design. The cave font for the graphic was obtained from: ftp://hopi.dtcc.edu/pub/berlin/fonts/qumran.zip
Lastly, I would like to thank Ben Stitz for his tireless help and patience concerning my programming questions.
Download Bethel:
Click the icon to download BETHEL as a zip file:
Click below to go to home page.