CD ROM Paradise Collection 4/CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso/comms/pbdos100.zip/BOOK.BAL

Text File | 1994-11-29 | 17KB | 422 lines

Power Balance
@Read This Now
~POWER BALANCE - Because you can't be in two places at once!

Release 1.00a - 15th November 1994, Copyright 1994 Neil Gorin
Based on an idea by Steve Mendham

~Introduction

Power Balance requires a VGA display (Mono or Colour)
and a hard disk. A Turbo XT (8086) PC can be used, but a 286
or faster is recommended. Mouse optional, but recommended.
If you do not have a mouse, you may control the mouse cursor
using the cursor keys found either on your numeric keypad,
or in an inverted T shape upon your keyboard. Use the
SPACEBAR to click on or select objects. Use the + and - keys
to increase or decrease the "keyboard" cursor speed.

Power Balance is Copyright (c) 1994 Neil Gorin.

~Contact: NGS, 4 Rookwood Drive, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 8PJ.
~Phone: [phone]   Email: [e-mail]

Modem users call the Shareware Support BBS for the
latest version of this product, and for technical support.
Shareware support BBS [phone] or 890807 (VFAST).

~POWER BALANCE IS SHAREWARE.  IF YOU FIND THIS PROGRAM TO
~BE OF USE TO YOU, YOU MUST REGISTER. SEE "WHAT IS SHAREWARE"
~AND "REGISTRATION" FOR MORE INFORMATION

~This program is produced by a member of the Association of
~Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that
~the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
~resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
~contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help.
~The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem
~with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support
~for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at
~545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442-9427, Fax
~616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe
~Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

@Introduction
~WARNING: You are strongly advised to back up your data
~files before attempting to use Power Balance. Although this
~product has been tested, and has proved stable in test
~conditions, no guarantees can be made regarding it's
~suitability for use or ability to prevent data corruption.
~In particular, your attention is drawn to the section of
~this document entitled "How does it work?".

This documentation is supplied to enable you to get to know
Gorin's Power Balance for DOS (Power Balance). Licensed
copies of the software come complete with a printed user
guide which discusses Power Balance in greater depth.
However, all you need to know in order to use the software
is included in this document.

Power Balance allows you to pair off up to 100 pairs of
files which should be kept identical between two computers.
For example, the files for your diary may be kept on both a
desktop machine and a laptop - if you update data on one,
you are likely to want to update the other. Ideally, these
files would be on separate hard disks connected by a
InterLink* cable, for example, a slightly more complex
process being required if no connection is present, as two
balances have to be made (see later).

* Interlink is a program supplied with MS DOS 6.x and IBM
DOS 5.02. With Interlink, it is possible to access the hard
and floppy disk drives on one computer from another, by
linking the computers using either a Null Modem cable or
Parallel Port linker. Details on how to set up Interlink,
and how to make (or buy) a suitable cable can be found in
your DOS manual. Alternatively, try typing HELP INTERLNK at
the DOS prompt. You can also use Power Balance to balance
files over a Windows for Workgroups network.

The examples in this document refer to the two computers as
"Desktop" and "Laptop", as this most likely the combination
that you will use. However, there is no reason why you
cannot connect two laptop or desktop computers using Power
Balance.

@Installation
~Installation

Using the supplied INSTALL.EXE program, install Power Balance
to a convenient directory on at least one computer. If you
intend to work Balance using the floppy disk method,
described later, you must install it on both machines. The
user licence for Power Balance for DOS permits it's use on
two machines when using the floppy disk method, so you only
need to register one copy.

If you are running this program from the GO.BAT file,
INSTALL will run automatically when you quit.

@Command Line Options
~COMMAND LINE OPTIONS

MOUSE CURSOR SWITCH

         INSTALL /M
           or
         MICROBK /M
           or
         BALANCE /M

Using this switch forces the programs to supply their own
mouse cursor instead of using the one built into the
mouse driver.  This may be necessary on some systems,
notably the old style Amstrad 2000 series.

BALANCING FILE SWITCH

As default, Power Balance stores it's balancing information
in BALANCE.CFG.  Should you wish to use a different file,
for example if you need to balance more than 100 files,
simply specify it on the command line, thus:

         BALANCE LAPTOP

The above example would use a balancing file called LAPTOP.CFG

If you need to issue the /M parameter, place it after the
file switch, e.g. BALANCE LAPTOP /M

@Balancing - Linked
~Setting up Power Balance over an Interlink or other
~Networked connection

Initially ensure manually that the files to be balanced
exist on both machines, and that the internal date and time
are correctly set on both.

If you are using Interlink, on your Laptop, run INTERSVR and
reboot your desktop computer so that the laptop's drives are
visible to it. Alternatively connect to your networking
system.

Run Power Balance on your Desktop computer.

Select Add, select a file on one computer then the same
file on the second computer. Repeat this process until all
required file pairs are made. To remove a pair, highlight it
and press Delete.

To balance your files, press Copy. Your files are
now balanced.

Now disconnect your laptop computer from your desktop
computer. Work on either computer (but not both) updating
one set of files. When you wish to re-balance the files once
more, reconnect the INTERLINK (or Network) setup EXACTLY as
before, run Power Balance and press Copy.

@Balancing - Disks
~The Floppy disk method

PREPARATION: Ensure that you have a blank large capacity
disk ready, and format it (you only need do this the first
time you use the disk, but the disk must have sufficient
capacity to hold all the files you are likely to transfer).
Ensure that both computers have the latest copy of the
necessary files by manually copying them into place. Also
place the latest copy of all these files onto the floppy
disk. On each computer in turn, install Power Balance and
run it, linking the files on said computer's ha rd disk with
the files on the transitional floppy disk.

Preparation is now complete.

You may now work with either computer, updating one set of
files. When you wish to balance the files between the
machines, follow this process PRECISELY:

1: Insert the floppy disk into the drive of the machine upon
which you have been updating files, and run Power Balance on
that machine. Press Balance Files. When complete, remove the
disk.

2: Repeat the above on the computer which has not been used.

Both computers should now hold the same file versions.

@How does it work?
~How does it work?

Power Balance works on file date stamps. Quite simply, the
program compares file dates on two files, and replaces the
older file with the newer one. For this reason, it is
essential that you ensure the clock within both computers is
set accurately.

~An example of what can go wrong might help:

Say the Desktop computer's clock is running 15 minutes slow.
You have been working for some time on your laptop computer,
so save your work and decide to balance the files with your
desktop. This works Ok. You then quickly realise a mistake
you have mad e, and modify a file on your desktop computer,
which only takes a minute or so, so you then re-balance.
Unfortunately, because the Desktop's clock is slow, the more
recent file actually has an earlier time stamped on it than
the old, mistake included, file on your laptop. Power
Balance will replace the file on your Desktop with the file
on your laptop. Your new work will be undone.

~Provided you remain aware of this potential problem, and
~ensure you regularly adjust your computer's clocks, should
~they have a tendency to drift, you are unlikely to
~experience any major problems.

@Other Information
~Accessing Drive B or disabling other drives

The file DRIVES.INI, found in the same directory as the
Balance program, contains a list of legal drives on your
system.  As default, this list includes all drives except
drive B:, as many modern PCs do not have a second floppy
installed.  If you wish drive B to be checked, simply add
the letter in the appropriate position in the file.

Similarly, if you want to ensure that Balance does not
search a particular drive (for example your CD ROM)
just remove the drive letter from the list.

~An icon for The Gorin Desktop

If you use The Gorin Desktop, you will find an icon for
Power Balance saved as BALANCE.ICU.  Copy it to your
DESKTOP directory if you want to use it.

@Program History
~Program History

1st November 1994: v1.00. Initial Release.

15th November 1994: v1.00a. Bug fixed - sometimes the
                    amount of free disk space was
                    not calculated correctly, causing
                    an overfill error. Fixed a slight
                    screen draw error if your path
                    to a file was greater than 65
                    characters.

@
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@
@What is Shareware?
~THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT

Shareware is THE best way to try new software, but only if
you're honest and register if you like the results.

Think of it like this: If you buy a commercial package, you
have relatively little idea of how the software will
perform, until you get it home to your PC. If you then
decide you don't like the software or that it doesn't do
what you want, tough - there's nothing you can do. With
Shareware distribution, you get to try a complete, fully
working, version of the program for a couple of weeks. If
you then find the program to be of no use to you, simply
scrub the disk and forget about it - you've only lost the
cost of the disk - in most cases about £3.

If, however, you find that you like the software and that it
works for you, you should register. Registration provides
you with a diskette containing the latest version of the
software, and often some other perks. If you don't register
your shareware, it's not only equivalent to using a pirated
copy of a commercial application but may discourage the
author from developing the software further.

Compare your use of this Shareware version with a Test Drive
in a new car. If you decided that you liked the car, you
would have to pay the price on the wind screen, for which you
would get your very own with the latest specification and a
few extras, such as servicing and anti rust thrown in.
Shareware is the same, you test drive the software, then if
you like it you MUST pay, for which you receive the items
detailed above. You would never dream of keeping a car that
you hadn't paid for, would you?

@Registration
~REGISTRATION INFORMATION

For multiple user discounts, site licensing and overseas
orders, please see DISCOUNT.DOC.

For your registration fee of £14.95 sterling, you will
receive the following:

  1: The latest version of Power Balance
  2: A handy printed user guide
  3: A copy of the latest NGS Newsletter
  4: One or more NGS Shareware programs for you to try

The registered copy of Power Balance does not display the
Shareware exit screen, and displays your name as the
registered user beneath the About screen logo.

You will also be kept informed of all major upgrades to
Power Balance, and also of any new Windows programs as
they become available. Preferential discounts are offered
to registered customers on all new releases and upgrades!

Registrations should be made by cheque payable to "N
Gorin". Although NGS cannot process Credit Card
transactions, there may be agents of NGS who can. Please
call us to find out who.

If you need any technical support with the product, you can
write, telephone or email as much as you need.

You have a 14 day period to evaluate Power Balance, to see
if it suits your needs. After this time, you are no longer
licensed to use the software unless you pay the registration
fee and receive a registered copy.

Please use the order form contained within the file
REGISTER.DOC, if at all possible. Use REGISTER.TXT if your
printer cannot print line drawing characters.

@Licence Agreements
~Licence Agreements

Different licences apply depending on whether you are using
a Shareware or Registered copy, or if you have a site
licence. You must abide by the conditions laid down in the
relevant licence agreement unless your local law excludes a
certain area of it. If this is the case, you must still
abide by the remaining portion of the agreement.

The licences for Shareware and Registered users are on the
following pages of this manual. A sample site licence is
available on request.

If you are in any doubt whatsoever which licence agreement
applies to you, please contact NGS. Do not contact any other
person, organisation or company.

Within these licences, the phrase "the Author" refers to
Neil Gorin of 4 Rookwood Drive, Stevenage, and no other
person, organisation or company. The phrase "the product"
refers to the Gorin's Power Balance for DOS ("Power
Balance") product and any accessory utilities and files
supplied with it or supplied at a later date.

@Shareware Licence
~Shareware is a distribution method by which you may try
~programs for a short period without payment. After this
~period expires, you must either "Register" the software or
~discontinue using it.

1: The product is licensed for use for 14 days following the
first installation upon your computer system. After this
period, the product is no longer licensed for use unless you
purchase a "Registered" copy.

2: During the evaluation period, you may make technical
support calls to the author, via any contact method.

3: The product is licensed AS-IS. No warranties or
guarantees of any kind are given regarding any fitness or
suitability for use.

4: The product is not guaranteed to prevent or detect
damage to any hardware devices or software installed upon
your machine.

5: Under NO circumstances will the author be liable for ANY
claims for Lost Profits or any form of Damage to any form of
computing system whether it be software or hardware.

@Registered Licence
~Registered versions may be purchased directly from the
~author, or via an agent of the author. Registered versions
~include a printed user guide and, in some cases, additional
~software modules. You are not a registered user if you have
~simply purchased a disk from a shareware library, been
~given a disk by a friend, gained the software from a cover
~disk, downloaded it from an electronic service or similar.

1: The product is licensed for use for an unlimited period
by the individual shown beneath the Power Balance logo
on the main screen. It is not licensed for use by any other
person. This licence is transferrable to a third party on
return of any disks accompanied by a handling fee of £5.

2: The author reserves the right to terminate this licence
at any time or to change the contents of this licence,
without notice and without financial penalty to either
party. You will be informed in writing of any changes.

3: As a registered user, you may make unlimited technical
support calls to the author. The right to to refuse to
answer queries where the answer is clearly explained within
the user guide or help screens is reserved.

4: This product is licensed AS-IS. No warranties or
guarantees of any kind are given with this program.

5: This product is neither guaranteed to prevent or detect
damage to any hardware or software component of your PC,
nor guaranteed to work as described on your system.

6: Under NO circumstances will Neil Gorin be liable for ANY
claims for Lost Profits or any form of Damage to any form of
computing system whether it be software or hardware, or for
any damages relating to any other cause.

7: Copies of the printed manual and files supplied on any
disks marked Registered Edition must not be distributed
unless as part of a complete package purchased directly from
the author for commercial sale or bundling.