Copyright: Copyright ® 1993 Aristosoft, Inc.


Talking Graveyard v. 1.0

The Talking Graveyard provides a simple-to-use and safe way of deleting files using the Windows 3.1 File Manager.  Rather than using the File Manager Delete command, which removes them permanently, the Talking Graveyard allows them to be buried, where they can later be either revived or killed.  A drag-and-drop interface is used.  And, of course, sounds can accompany all this.

Installing the Graveyard

Burying Files

Reviving Files

Killing Files

Specifying Sounds

Options

How the Talking Graveyard Works


Installing the Talking Graveyard

If you plan on using the Talking Graveyard frequently, you may want it always to load when you start up Windows.  To do this, press the Autoload button in the Options dialog.  This will add Talking Graveyard to the StartUp group in Program Manager.

You will also probably want it to run as an icon.  To do this, specify the Minimize on Launch option.

To prevent the icon from getting lost beneath other windows, you may want to set the Always on Top option.


Burying Files

When you bury a file, you hide it from view of most applications.  It appears gone, but is not.  The file can later be revived.  Optionally, when you exit Windows, the Talking Graveyard will ask if you want to kill all buried files.

Note that if a file is deleted using another application, such as a DOS command prompt, it will be permanently removed, even if the Talking Graveyard is running.  You will not be able to retrieve the file using the Talking Graveyard.

To bury a file:

1.	Select the file in the File Manager.  You can select multiple files by holding down the Control or Shift key while selecting them.

2.	Click on a selected file and drag it to the Talking Graveyard.  The mouse pointer will change to resemble a file or two.

3.	Release the mouse button.

If you have specified a bury sound, the sound will play.  See Specifying Sounds.

The graveyard icon will change to indicate that there are buried files.


Reviving Files

When files are revived, they are returned to normal, as they were before they were buried.  Retrieved files maintain their previous name, attributes, and directory.

To revive buried files:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Select the files you want to revive.  You can select multiple files by using the Shift and Control keys.

3.	Press the Revive button.

You can quickly revive all files by pressing the "Revive All" button, or by choosing the "Revive All Files" option from the system menu, which is visible when you click once on the Talking Graveyard icon.

Files will remain in the graveyard until they are revived or killed, even if you exit Windows.  However, if another application deletes the files, they will be permanently removed.  You will be informed if you attempt to revive such a file.

You can choose to have the Talking Graveyard kill all buried files when you exit Windows.  See Kill On Exit.


Killing Files

When files are killed, they are removed permanently from your system.  They cannot be retrieved without using special file recovery utilities.  Normally, you will first bury files, then choose to kill them when you're sure you don't need them any more.

To kill buried files:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Select the files you want to kill.  You can select multiple files by using the Shift and Control keys.

3.	Press the Kill button.

You can have the Talking Graveyard kill all buried files by pressing the "Kill All" button under the list of buried files or the "Kill All Files" option from the system menu, which is visible if you click once on the Talking Graveyard icon.

Normally, the Talking Graveyard will prompt for confirmation before killing the files.  You can turn this confirmation off.  See Confirm On Kill.

You can choose to have the Talking Graveyard kill all buried files when you exit the Talking Graveyard or Windows.  See Killing Files on Exit.

You can also choose that the Talking Graveyard kill files, instead of burying them, when you drop them on the graveyard.  See Killing Files When Dropped.


Specifying Sounds

You can specify a sound to play when you bury and kill files.

To specify the sounds:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Press the Options... button.

3.	Make sure the Bury sound and Kill sound options are selected.  These options control whether or not the sounds play.

4.	Press the Sounds... button.

5.	Press the "Bury sound" or "Kill sound" option, depending on which sound you want to choose.  The sound for this option will be highlighted.

6.	Select a new sound file.  You can test the sound by pressing the Play sound button.

7.	You can specify the sound file for the other option by choosing it and another sound file.

8.	Press OK twice to close the dialog boxes.

To specify a different directory for your sound files, press the Sound Directory... button, enter a new directory, and press OK.


Options

You can specify several options to customize Talking Graveyard to your work habits and degree of computer proficiency.

All options will be saved when you exit Windows or the Talking Graveyard.

The following options can be selected:

Option	Effect

Minimize When Launched	Minimizes Talking Graveyard when launched

Confirm On Kill	Prompts for confirmation before killing files

Kill On Exit	Kills all buried files on exit

Kill On Drop	Kills files instead of burying them when dropped

In addition, you can insert or remove Talking Graveyard from your StartUp group by pressing the Autoload or Don't Autoload buttons, respectively.

An additional option can be selected from the system menu, which appears when you click on the Talking Graveyard  icon.  See  Always On Top.

You can also choose whether or not to have sound effects, and which sounds to play, for killing and deleting files.  See Specifying Sounds.


Minimize When Loaded
Minimize When Launched

You can specify that the Talking Graveyard run minimized, or as an icon, whenever you launch it.

To choose this option:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Press the Options... button.

3.	Check the "Minimize when launched" option.


Confirm On Kill

You can specify that the Talking Graveyard prompt you for confirmation whenever you kill files.

To choose this option:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Press the Options... button.

3.	Check the "Confirm on kill" option.


Kill On Exit

You can specify that the Talking Graveyard kill all buried files when you exit the Talking Graveyard or Windows.

To choose this option:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Press the Options... button.

3.	Check the "Kill on exit" option.


Kill On Drop

You can specify that the Talking Graveyard kill files immediately when you drag and drop them on the Talking Graveyard.  They will be permanently removed from your disk.

To choose this option:

1.	If the Talking Graveyard is running as an icon, double-click on it to see the list of buried files.

2.	Press the Options... button.

3.	Check the "Kill on drop" option.


Always On Top

You can specify that the Talking Graveyard  window or icon always be on top of other windows.  It will seem to float above other windows, even when they are selected or active.

To choose this option, select "Always on top" from the system menu.

A  check mark will appear near the menu  item when this option is selected.


Burying
Bury

When you bury a file, it is not normally visible in file listings any more.  However, the file is not removed from your disk.  It can be permanently removed by killing the file, and it can be returned to its normal state by reviving it.


Killing
Kill

When you kill a file, it is permanently removed from your system.  There is no easy way to revive  a killed file.    For this reason, the Talking Graveyard normally asks you for confirmation before it kills files.


Reviving
Revive

When you revive a file, you return it to its normal state.  You will be able to use it as if you had never buried it.  You cannot revive killed files using the Talking Graveyard.  Also, only files buried with the Talking Graveyard can be revived.


How the Talking Graveyard Works

When files are dragged from the File Manager to the Talking Graveyard, they are marked as hidden.  They are not moved, renamed, or copied.  You can view them in the File Manager by choosing View Hidden/System Files from the File Attributes option under the View menu.

Note that the Talking Graveyard does not protect against files deleted using other applications, the DOS command line, or the File Manager Delete command.


Why Not A Trash Can?

At the time this utility was conceived of, it wasn't clear whether or not Apple would win their look-and-feel suit against Microsoft.  Also, there aren't too many interesting sounds that trash cans make, Oscar the Grouch excepted.  Anyway, who ever wants something that's been retrieved from a garbage can?  Not that grave digging is all that appealing.


Infinite Recursion

See Infinite Recursion.