STARTMANAGER 9.1 *********************** IMPORTANT PLEASE READ *************************** Recently StartManager was reviewed in COMPUTOREDGE magazine. The review was good and I got a few registrations. So I decided to make a some improvements and enhancements. This version takes care of a few minor problems found in version 9.0. StartManager is a Personal Information Manager (PIM). StartManager was designed to be an integrated, easy to use, intuitive package. It was designed to help make dealing with one's daily affairs, easier. I believe the quality of StartManager speaks for itself. I believe the price is very reasonable for the quality of the program. Some commercial PIMS cost $100 - $500 dollars. Even though StartManger may not have as many bells and whistles as some commercial PIM's, it also doesn't have a heart stopping price tag. A price tag of $29.95 for StartManager is very reasonable (some of my friend wonder why I don't charge more). But my overhead is lower than a big corporations and I can charge less. My investment is time, untold hours setting in front of my computer. StartManager should suit most individuals and small business persons needs. I believe StartManager is one of the easiest PIMS to use. I increased the DELAY on the start up of this new version. I DON'T like having to resort to such devices, but a lot of people who use StartManager don't register it. This program is SHAREWARE, not FREEWARE. Shareware allows small software designers to produce and market quality software for a reasonable price. You get to try out the product before you pluck down your hard earned cash. Try that with shrink wrapped commercial software !!! So if you want good software, support shareware by registering it. Since I am not rich, I cannot afford to develop quality software for free. I want to thank those who have shown their appreciation for this program by registering it. If you use the program and can afford to register, then please do the right thing and register it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TO REGISTER STARTMANAGER ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- For only $29.95 you get the REGISTRATION CODE. This turns off the first screen and the delays. Register ONCE and get FREE updates !!! * (see below) Those who have already registered don't have to wait to receive their code via U.S. mail when a New Version becomes available. They just plug in their CODE and go. This also means that as the price of StartManager goes up, they get FREE updates as they become available !!! To register, print the registration form that comes with the program and send a check or money order. In return I'll send you the registration code for this and future updates of this program. NOTE: I normally release new versions to on-line data services and BBS's. If you have the registration code, just plug it in and go. I may have to charge a small fee to cover shipping & handling costs for those customers who want me to ship updated versions to them via U.S. mail. The price of $29.95 applies to the shareware version released to on-line services and BBS's. Those who order diskettes via mail order may be charged a higher price for the product. **************************************************************************** --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TO START --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Run HPIM.EXE. That's it. The program will create all of the associated data files and your off and running. Below are a few hints and suggestions: **************************************************************************** HINTS & TIPS The ESC key will get you out of most features, when in doubt press Esc. Sometimes you have to hit Esc a couple of times !!! Press the H key for HELP. Works in most but not all places in the program. Run StartManager from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. When you first turn on your computer, the reminders and such will be displayed, pressing Esc allows quick exit back to dos. This is why I named it StartManager !!! Using StartManager in the Autoexec.bat assures that you'll get the most from this powerful pim. When Adding records and notes, Press Esc to finish. StartManager automatically saves all information when you've pressed Esc. To prevent a note from being displayed on startup, be sure to use the DELETE option in the NOTE feature. If the calendar or reminder is not displaying the calender or a reminder on startup, then check your setup. The phonebook does have a limited FIND function, even though it isn't listed on the top of the screen, Press the F key. It will find and display the first matching name typed. The more names you have in your phonebook the more precise should be the find name. Example: If only one Tod Smith exist Typing Tod S will find Tod Smith If Tod Smith and Tod Snyder exist Typing Tod S will only display Tod Smith Hint: A quick way to find a name in the phonebook is to use the LIST function. You can press Esc to get out of the find feature in the Journal. Some condtions may call for this. The editor for note, journal, phone, etc has been vastly improved upon from previous versions. But in this version, when typing, words that go beyond the right boundary will be lost. This version does not have wordwrap. I may add that to a future version... When the calendar finds a note on startup, it displays the calendar. The date will have an ARROW to indicate that it has a note attached. Press Enter to display the note. Always backup your files. StartManager produces a number of data files. The following dos commands will backup the data and configuration file to a floppy: Copy *.dat a: Copy Hpim.cfg a: When you first start StartManager, the 1st journal record is blank, use Update to add your first record. After that all records are "added" by using the ADD function. Be sure to take the time to learn the features of StartManager. It has some powerful features. I find the journal, even though its small, is very useful for jotting down daily events. The calendar database is also worth the time to fill up. The auto dialing (if you have a modem) feature of the phone book is a real timesaver. The todo lists is handy for planning and prioritizing things which need doing. Don't be afraid to play around with StartManager. It was designed to be easy to use and it is hard to get in trouble by exploring. So enjoy. =========================================================================== If you are already a registered user, then just type in your REGISTRATION CODE. Your in business. Thank you for your support. ============================================================================ ABOUT START MANAGER ============================================================================ Start Manager 9.1 contains: * A Calendar with notes * A Reminder system * A Phonebook with dialer * A Journal database * A TODO list * A Calculator * An In General Note * A Vital Statistics list You can configure the program to show appointments and reminders when you power up Start Manager. You can leave a note to yourself. You can track those personal and business phone numbers. This program is easy to use and can simplify your affairs. Events such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc, can be put in the Calendar DataBase in advance. When you first start StartManager the program checks the date and displays a note about an event so you won't forget. The General note, Reminder, and Calendar together offer a powerful system. Take the time to discover the usefulness of this program. I developed StartManager to help me cope with the pressures of the modern world. I use StartManager daily to simplify my affairs. The journal is a simple and very useful tool. The TODO list is a useful for planning. I feel that for the price, you would be hard pressed to find more value. So please register and help support the development of fine products like this. USING THE TODO LIST, REMINDER, AND VITAL STATISTICS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- These three features share a common structure. Use the up or down arrows or mouse to select one of the 1 to 15 items. Press ENTER to show that item. You can then use the UPDATE function (Pressing the U key or Clicking with the mouse) to change any item. Use the D key to delete any item. OPTIONS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can configure the program to display information in ways that suit your needs. If the reminder is turned on, it will check the date and display it. If the calendar is turned on, it checks the computers date and the calendars database of notes. If it finds a match, it displays the calendar. Also included is a general note. If the program detects a note, it will display it. These options allow you to better deal with your time. SETUP ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Start Manager creates the data and configuration files when you first start the program. If you have any problems with the configuration of Start Manager, erase HPIM.CFG and run the program again. This will create a new configuration file. To have the PHONEBOOK dial the phone for you, you must 1. Have a Hayes compatible modem. 2. Set the modem Com Port Number ( port 1 or port 2 ). 3. Set the TONE or PULSE dialing option. Off Mice and Modems -------------------- If you have a modem (as specified above) you can dial a phone number from the Phone Book. But you must set the Com Port setting first. If your modem is on Com 1 or 2 you must tell Start Manager. If you try to dial out and the Port Setting for the modem is the same as the mouse, the program will hang up. I have included an option in the SETUP menu to override the mouse if problems occur. Simply toggle it OFF. DISPLAY OPTIONS ------------------------- You can select to have the Reminder or Calendar or both display a note if one exists for that date. If the Note feature contains a note, it will display regardless of setup. Simply Delete a note to prevent it from displaying. COLOR SETUP ----------- Select the color number of the color that you want. The number of the current color is displayed on the right side of the screen. NOTE: You MUST TYPE IN A NUMBER for each color, if you change the color setup values in the color setup. NOTE: If you want to RESET your color scheme, ERASE HPIM.CFG, this will cause StartManager to create a new configuration file and load the default color scheme. You would also have to re-enter your registration code and re-set up other options. This may be necessary if you change the color setup to certain colors, all black colors for instance !!! HINT: You can change the background pattern of the main screen by using the keys F5 and F6. The background chosen is automatically saved in your configuration file. This can create some interesting screens... ABOUT YOUR SYSTEM SPEED ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This program was originally developed on a 386DX running at 25 MHZ and an EGA monitor. Because it uses high resolution graphics, it needs a fast machine to run properly. I doubt it will run right on some older PC's. Be forewarned. Also I cannot and will not be held responsible for any damage resulting from the use of this program. A great deal of effort has gone into developing and testing of this product. SOME HISTORY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I didn't like the personal information programs that were available, so I decided to write my own. The end result was StartManager. The program has evolved over a period of time. The first six versions were done in text mode. Starting with version 7.0, I redesigned the program in hi-res graphics. Hi-res allows you to develop programs with a look and feel that can't be done in text mode. A few of the hi-res programs didn't work too well with VGA due to a bug. This version has been corrected to work on EGA, VGA, and SVGA. I also improved on the editor functions and went over the program with a fine tooth comb to tighten up any looseness in the program. I think you will find this version to be very useful and easy to use. I hope you enjoy this program. IN SUMMATION ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Consider the quality of this product. This program is the end result of years of programming experience. I am a one man show and need registration fees to continue. I want to express my thanks to those of you who have registered this product and shown your appreciation for the quality of this product... I hate to keep harping on the registration thing, but I cannot afford to develop good software without some financial incentive. Period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT VERSION NUMBERS --------------------- This is version 9.1. I have released a number of versions of StartManager. Some had a very limited release and are not widely available. In trying to produce a product, sometimes small problems get overlooked. I am a small producer of software and lack the resources to do full beta site testing. So when I become aware of problems, I try to solve them and get the improved product out as soon as possible. If you have a version from 7.1 - 9.0 then all you have to do is copy your *.DAT files to a new directory and run the new HPIM.EXE file. The format of the data files has not changed, only the way they are used. So you lose nothing and gain a better program... _____________________________________________________________________________ If you like or don't like something, contact me. I won't bite. I can be reached via John Linnabary P.O. Box 247462 Columbus, Ohio 43224 Site licences and bundling agreements are also available. Just contact me about details. Allow 1 to 2 weeks for delivery of your registration code. I check my P.O. box once a week or so. I send the registration code the day I get the order. I try very hard to make sure you are pleased with StartManager.