Q & A

When I export TEXT data it doesn't read correctly into my spreadsheet.
Use the Date & Time control panel to adjust how your system formats dates. METER exports text data in the 'short date' format.

I use the icon menu to switch my Project, but then it flashes and switches back to the old one.
Either your current document or your current application is set to "Switch to" that persistent Project. Use the Applications or Documents dialogs to change the setting.

Selecting "Open METER..." from the menu doesn't work.
Some applications swallow the AppleEvent we use to open METER. Just open it "manually" from the Control Panels folder.

The Prefs box is grayed-out and inaccessible.
Switch to your Owner project (or other project with Admin privileges) and try again.

The Lock button in dialog boxes is grayed-out and can't be clicked.
See above.

Weird gibberish ugliness appears in the METER window when I open it.
A benign system tumour of unknown, random cause; just close the window and try again.

It says "No records found" even though there should be data for the period selected.
Close and reopen METER. Check that your Mac, Project, and Software menus are all set correctly. Check your calendar selection (try selecting the entire week) and click on "Apps" to see if any data exists at all. If you are looking for Earn or Share records, verify that time-billing is activated for the Projects or Software that were used during that period.

METER says it's importing data from another Mac, but then it says "No records found."
Could be several things:
  • The date selected has already been archived on the other Mac. Try selecting the entire week (or month).
  • A network error occurred and not all the data arrived. Close METER, reopen, and try again.
  • The remote METER is turned off or is otherwise disabled (for example, some processor-intensive applications and games don't permit METER any processing time)
  • If just one Mac persistently won't respond, even after reopening METER, you may have to restart that Mac in order to revive its network connection.
  • Check that your Mac, Project, and Software menus are all set correctly, and that you are viewing the correct data type (e.g. Apps rather than Docs).
  • If you are viewing Earn or Share records, check that your CURRENT Mac has billing options set for the Projects or Software being read from the other Mac. 

Data from a remote Mac shows blanks in the Project column.
Those records were created under a Project that doesn't exist on your Mac. Use the Shared setup screen to exchange any Projects you want to view.

My Project re-assignments won't "stick".
If you are trying to alter today's data on other Macs, then probably they are generating new data even as you change the old. Select "All" from the Report menu and sort the display by Last, to see if your changes are actually there.


Tips/Trouble

If METER appears to cause problems that persist after a system restart, then restart again and hold down the tilde (~) key while your extensions load to disable METER. Open METER. If it does not open or display correctly, then close it again, remove 'METER Data' from your Preferences folder, and restart. If problems continue, replace METER with a fresh copy or look for extensions that may conflict.

METER will not print under QuickDraw/GX. A workaround is to save your output in PICT format, then print from SimpleText.

Printing works best and fastest if you turn off Show Colours in the Output menu. Also turn off any smoothing options in your Print Setup dialog.

METER may not read data from remote AppleTalk zones. This does not apply to Remote Access connections.

METER is not fully optimized for PowerBook use. Your hard disk may be activated by certain of METER's dialogs, or for periodic saves (but only if you have been working with the hard disk spun down).

METER has not been extensively tested on older, 1980s Macs.

Shortcut keys will not work with some WorldScript Asian input systems. Use the menu instead.

Sorry, METER does not offer a way to hide its menubar icon, which serves to notify employees that their work is recorded. There are some freeware utilities that serve this purpose, such as "NoBalloonMenu".