------------------------------------ A PLAN (A-PLAN) VERSION 2.31 September 1994 ------------------------------------ A-Plan is a Shareware program that fully conforms to the requirements of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). Acoording to those requirements, A-Plan is not "crippled" in any way. You are invited to test A-Plan for a period of 30 days, after which the registration is a measly $50.00. Why 2.31? --------- This is an interim release to fix a few bugs that were found in the date formats. Some people were experiencing problems when trying to install or run A Plan for the first time. There are no feature enhancements to this version. Application of A-Plan: ---------------------- There is a Japanese saying about alcohol: "Man take drink, drink take drink, drink take man." Are you taking on your workload, or is your workload taking you on? Do you constantly have the feeling that you missed something? A-Plan is a Program designed to regain and maintain an overview of all those projects that are covering you up. Take a closer look. Of course if you are planning a million dollar project, or just enjoy shooting gnats with a cannon, we would recommend a conventional Project- Management package. The requirements of course are about $2000.00 and a couple of weeks to sit around and figure out how it works. Should you not have the time for such shenanigans, and would rather give the golf clubs a good workout, you can start using A-Plan -- or continue to use whatever system you had. Should you decide for A-Plan, for a paltry $50.00 you will recieve a flexible and powerful Planning Instrument that is so easy to use, that you can immediately begin work. And if you don't enjoy golf, surely something else will dawn on you to get rid of the time and money you've saved. If not, we can also help you with that. A Plan Basics: -------------- Whether you're trying to plan an exhibition, or just getting a grip on the daily "to-dos," A-Plan is for you. You can also delegate tasks or Supervise private projects, or plan your honeymoon or your next expedition. The complete operation of A-Plan can be visualized in a simple database structure: 1.Level: Folder (max. 999 Folders / Database), 2.Level: Projects (max. 999 Projects / Folder) and 3.Level: Tasks (max. 999 Tasks / Project). So, theoretically you can enter a million Projects, and about a billion Tasks in a single database, and if that isn't enough, just start a new file. A Folder could have the name "Exhibitions" for example, and contain the Project "COMDEX". As Tasks for the project you could have the entries "Reserve Stand", "Make Signs", and Assign Personell." Should the project prove to be more complex, you may wish to give it a complete Folder, or even a complete database. You could then have the further entries under "COMDEX" and "Make Signs" of "Design", "Layout", "Presentation for Approval", etc. Projects and Tasks are structurally identical and posssess the following Data Fields: - Description (50 Characters) - Priority (1 - 5) - Contractor - Worker - Entry Date - Beginning Date - Reminder* - Deadline - Completion remark incl. completion date - Notes (max. 32.000 Character) *If you have a Task that must remain unaccomplished for a certain period of time, you may set a marker for a certain date on which you wish to be reminded of the upcoming event. This is especially useful for delegated tasks that you wish to "check up" on later. Through various display options, it is possible to gain an overview of all going, completed, and incompleted tasks. The time periods of the Tasks is displayed in a Calendar (Gantt-Dia- gram) which can be zoomed 18x. At normal magnification, (1 pixel per day) you can see about a year, and at 18 pixels per day you you be able to view about 3 weeks. Among other options (Sorting Order, Auto-Save) there are various Filter functions for searches of the Database. Even the largest Database presents no problem. Printing of data is an analog function of the Display. That means that all of the parameters that are set for the screen can also be used for the printing of the data, including color (assuming you have a color printer). The calendar will also be printed accross multiple pages if necessary to maintain an overview of the data. Through the ergonomically designed interface, A-Plan is pretty much self- explaining, and very simple to operate. Except for data entry, the keyboard is seldom used, and A-Plan can be completely served with the mouse. System requirements: -------------------- - Windows 3.1 in 386 enhanced mode - ca. 2 MB free on the Hard Disk Installation: ------------- Insert the diskette in the drive and select "Run" from the "File" menu in the program manager. Type in A:\setup and press enter. The Setup program will only ask you for the directory you are installing to, the rest will be accomplished automatically. If you are the proud owner of an earlier copy of A-Plan, you can install the new one in the same directory as the old. Your data and registration information will be preserved, and any "extra" files will be deleted. You also have the option to install the shareware version. It is possible that you have recieved the registered program as a copy from a friend, and we ask you to be so honest as to install only the shareware version until you have registered with us in your own name. (see. regist_e.wri) All necessary System files - i.e. the VB runtime modules - will be copied into the windows system directory, as they are sometimes used by other programs, and it is not necessary to have multiple copies on the hard drive. Should the files already exist, they will be examined for date, and only the newest files will remain on the hard drive. The first time you open A-Plan, the EXAMPLE database will be used, to give you an impression of what A-Plan is capable of. Problems?: ---------- If you should have problems during the installation of A-Plan, please read the advice at the end of "handbook.wri" in the first Appendix. Files: ------ Installed in Program Directory: A_PLAN2.EXE executable Program A_PLAN2E.HLP Help File EXAMPLE.ISD Example data EXAMPLE.ISF Example data EXAMPLE.ISM Example data HANDBOOK.WRI Handbook INIT.DAT Serial and registration number information file. (Created by the Shareware version, included in the registered Version.) README.TXT Installations instructions, short description REGIST_E.WRI Registrations Form, Questionnaire. Installed in Windows Directory: A_PLAN2.INI Ini-File (created by A Plan) Installed in Windows Directory: APLAN22.DLL Dynamic Link Library (A Plan) CMDIALOG.VBX Visual-Basic Module COMMDLG.DLL Windows Module MHAD200.VBX Visual-Basic Module MHEN200.VBX Visual-Basic Module MHGR200.VBX Visual-Basic Module MHTI200.VBX Visual-Basic Module THREED.VBX Visual-Basic Module TOOLHELP.DLL Windows Module VBRUN300.DLL Visual-Basic Runtime-Module VER.DLL Windows Module VBIS23MX.DLL VB/ISAM-Datenbank-Module Contact Address: ---------------- KLR PC Service Kirk L. Roybal, Owner Mozartstr. 1 97232 Eßfeld C-serve 100022,1400 Tel. 011-49-9334-85 50 Fax. 011-49-9334-85 50 --------------------------- BRainTool --------------------------- Pik A Program Bill Shor 13 St. Mark's Place 10003 NY NY 1-800-867-3447 Fax.: 212-228-5879