OS/2 Shareware BBS: InfoMgt/InfoMgt.zip/alrm30d.zip/ALRMCLK2.INF

OS/2 Help File | 1995-04-30 | 37KB | 1,006 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. About Alarm Clock ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ


 Alarm Clock Event Scheduler
Recipient of the OS/2 Software Developers Award

      WalkerWerks
      572 Sabine
      Memphis, Tn. 38117
      [phone]
      Compuserve 70304,2705
      (C) Copyright 1992 all rights reserved


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ


Welcome to Alarm Clock version 3.0.  With Alarm Clock you have a program
scheduler, Reminder and, DeskTop clock. The program maintains a database of
events so you can Send yourself reminders, notify groups of meetings, or have
applications run unattended at the proper time.
Menu Help

Brought to you by:

      WalkerWerks
      572 Sabine
      Memphis, Tn. 38117
      [phone]
      Compuserve 70304,2705


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Disclaimer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This program is provided as is.  The author accepts no liability for damages,
or loss of income caused directly or indirectly through the use of this
program.

This program is SHAREWARE all rights and privileges provided by law are
reserved by WalkerWerks and the author.  Registered users will receive a
registered copy and one update when available.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Registering ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock

   This program is not FREEWARE. Registration is $25 U.S. per copy. Site
licenses can be negotiated on request.  The SHAREWARE version may only be used
for a 60 day trial period.

Note:  Please include a personal contact and the version number you are
registering.

Do not send credit card information to me see below for credit card ordering.
Send Registration to:

      Bryan Walker DBA WalkerWerks
      572 Sabine
      Memphis, Tn. 38117
      Compuserve 70304,2705

 Compuserve Users can register online.  Just GO SWREG from any CIS command
 prompt.  Compuserve Information Services will bill directly to your account.

 Visa and Mastercard customers can now order from the Greater Chicago Online
 BBS.

     Phone
     BBS [phone]
     FAX [phone]
     INTERNET [e-mail].  Include at a minimum
        -  Name (as it appears on the credit card)
        -  Daytime Phone Number
        -  Shipping Address
        -  Special Instructions (if any)
        -  Credit Card Number with expiration date.
        -  Mastercard or Visa
        -  Product Name and price.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Main menu provides a way to get to the various options for Alarm Clock .
Each item can be reached by pressing Alt+ the underlined letter of the menu
item.  In addition some options have an accelerator key combination that will
take you directly to the option without going through a menu.  The items also
appear in the system menu because Alarm Clock will continue to function as an
icon if you choose minimize window to DeskTop under the settings-window of the
Alarm Clock DeskTop Object Icon.

The Menu Structure:

     Events Alt+E

 The events menu including:

        -  Schedule Alt+S

 Schedule reminders and applications for onetime or repetitive events.

        -  Database

 List and Edit the events stored in the database.

        -  Calendar

 Schedule events by choosing the date from a virtual calendar.

        -  Set Search Files

 Select up to three event files for Alarm Clock to search when it schedules
 events each midnight.

        -  List Today's Events.

 Display a list of the events that will occur today.

        -  Review old events.

 This option is active if you were notified of missed events when you started
 Alarm Clock  but you did not review them.  Select this to review them.

        -  Pause

 Temporarily stop the execution of Reminders and programs.  The title bar will
 display (P) when the system is paused.  This is useful when you will be away
 from your desk for a few days and don't want all the reminders being
 displayed.  When pause is removed Alarm Clock will start processing events
 from that time forward.

     Utilities Alt+U

        -  Lockup now

 Activate the lockup feature immediately.  This blanks the screen and,
 optionally, requires a password to return to the DeskTop.

        -  Pack databases

 Pack the active events database, the active database is the one automatically
 selected when you go into the database function. When records are deleted they
 are marked as inactive but the physical data still takes up space on your hard
 drive.  Packing the database will remove the deleted data from the database
 reducing its size.

        -  Display Preferences

 Set the colors, display formats, and other options for Alarm Clock .

        -  System Settings

 Set the startup, working directory, and hourly chime options.

        -  Blanker Settings

 Set preferences for the desktop screen saver lockup utility.  You can select
 the bitmap to display, the icon, password settings, etc.

        -  Time and Date

 Set your computer's system time and date.

        -  Hide Controls Alt+H

 This toggles through 4 settings.  Have the title bar, system menu, and
 minimize-maximize buttons all displayed.  Have all of the above hidden. Have
 the title bar displayed without the system menu and min-max buttons.  And
 reduce the entire display to a single one line titlebar.

     Help ALT+P

        -  Help for Help

 Instructions on using the OS/2 help facility.

        -  Keys Help

 Listing of the accelerator keys.

        -  Help Index

 Index of Alarm Clock help topics.

        -  Trouble Shooting

 Frequently asked questions and the solutions.

        -  About

 Program information dialog.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Keys Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

           At any Window Alt + the Underlined letter for an option will select
           that action.  Alt + a letter means to hold the ALT key down and
           while still down press the desired letter.

           Note:  It is also possible to drag a program from the drives folder
           and drop it onto the clock to activate the schedule dialog with that
           program.

           From the clock you can go directly to a window using the accelerator
           keys defined for that option.  They are

     ALT + A Display the Program Information ABOUT BOX.
     ALT + E Display the Event Menu.
     ALT + H to toggle the menu and controls off and on.
     ALT + S to schedule an event.
     ALT + U Display the Utilities Menu.
     ALT + L Immediately lockup the desktop.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

In Alarm Clock events are anything that will cause something to take place at a
specific time.  They may be running a program, reminding you to call someone,
or posting a notice about a meeting.

Events can occur once or be scheduled to repeat from every few minutes to
annually.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1. Types of Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock currently has 2 types of events.  Reminder messages that pop up to
remind you of important information and applications (programs) that can be
scheduled to start unattended.  Events are scheduled to occur at specific times
on a one time or recurring basis.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2. Scheduling Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Every event starts here.  In this dialog you enter the details about the event.
You also specify that it is a reminder or the program type.
Options for this Dialog.

     Program/Note

 Enter the program complete with path or the text you want displayed for a
 reminder.  You can also drop a program icon from the drives folder onto this
 entry.

     Parameters

 The commandline you want passed to a program.

     Working Directory

 This is the directory where the program will be run.  It can be different from
 the directory where the program is located if you provide a complete path in
 the program entry.  Remember that with many OS/2 programs DLL's are needed.
 These special program files must either be in the LIBPATH statement in your
 CONFIG.SYS file or the working directory.

     DOS settings.

 Many DOS programs benefit from special settings for their priority, memory
 settings, etc.  These settings are listed in the settings notebook for a DOS
 program object.  You can list any necessary settings in this entry and they
 will be used when a DOS or Windows application is run.  Using the OS/2
 settings notebook as an example you use the setting name listed on the left
 followed by an equal sign then the value desired as shown on the right side of
 the notebook page.  For settings with ON and OFF use 1 and 0 respectively.  So
 to set the dos AUTOEXEC.BAT for your program enter DOS_AUTOEXEC=C:\MYBAT.BAT.
 The settings field in Alarm Clock uses a standard CSV format.  This means that
 each setting is separated by a comma (,).  If there is a comma in the actual
 setting surround that entry with double quotes.  If a double quote is in the
 setting then enter another double quote immediately infront of it.

     Type

 Spin the arrows to display a reminder for popup messages or the correct
 program type for the application you are scheduling.

     Start in

 Specify wether you want a scheduled program to start in the background or
 foreground.

     Personal or All

 If you entered a system name for your copy of Alarm Clock select Personal to
 have the event only scheduled on your system.  All will cause any system using
 the active event file to have the event scheduled.  See Setting Search Files
 for more on the System Name.

     Time:Date

 This button brings up a notebook for you to set the time and frequency of the
 event.

     Save

 Save the new event or changes and exit the dialog.

     Cancel

 Discard the changes and exit the dialog.

     Help

 Display this help screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1. Schedule Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This notebook contains a page for each classification of event repetition.
Enter the event time at the top of the page.  Then bring the desired frequency
setting to the front of the notebook, enter the proper information, and save
the changes to select the event schedule.

     Once

 This event type occurs only once on the specified date.  Enter the day, month,
 and year when you want the event to occur.   Optionally click the "Run Till"
 button and enter a day, month, and year. Alarm Clock will remove the event
 after this date.  The "Run Till" option is available for all repeating events.

     Annual

 These events occur once each year on the provided month and day.

     Monthly

 Enter the day of the month for a monthly event to occur on.  For end of the
 month events enter 31. Alarm Clock will automatically account for months with
 less days.

     Daily

 Select the day(s) of the week for an event to occur on.  Select from 1 to all
 7 days for the given event.  Select by clicking the appropriate buttons to
 black.  Enter the beginning date and time to tell the scheduler when to start
 scheduling the event.  Optionally click the "Run Till" button and enter a day,
 month, and year. Alarm Clock will remove the event after this date.

     On The

 This event type allows you to schedule events for the same specific day each
 month.  Unlike a monthly date this type allows you to schedule by a particular
 day of the week, such as the 1st Monday of each month. Select the appropriate
 option from each list and then the OK menu option to accept your choices.  The
 left column contains the week (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).  The right column
 contains an entry for each day of the week.

     Every X Days

 This event type allows you to schedule events that come regulary but at
 intervals of less than a month.  Each event can be scheduled to repeat at
 specific daily intervals starting at a given date.  The given date may be a
 past date.  Alarm Clock will automatically adjust the date forward in
 increments of the specified frequency.  For instance if you have a meeting
 every other Friday you could select a beginning date of the last meeting's
 date.  Then schedule the reminder to occur every 14 days from that date.

      To the left of the notebook is an additional set of options for each
      event.  These settings affect all types except one time events. These
      settings are.

     Skip Holidays

 Check this button to prevent repeating events from occuring on a holiday.
 Holidays can be configured from the Holiday option of the utilities menu.
 This setting does not apply to annual events.

     And run every

 Check this to have the event run repeatedly on the scheduled date. Select the
 number of minutes between occurances from the Minutes field below the button.

     Between the hours of

 This setting causes the event to only occur between the specified times.  It
 is only valid in conjunction with the run every option.  Enter the start time
 of the range in the first pair of entry fields and the ending time in the
 second pair.

     Run Until

 When this option is checked Alarm Clock will continue rescheduling a repeating
 event through the date entered in the fields below the button. After this date
 the event is deleted from the active events.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.3. Editing Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog presents a list of all events in the selected database. Double
click on an entry to edit it or click once with the right mouse button for a
menu of options for that entry.

      The options are listed below.  If a particular action is not valid that
      menu item will be disabled.

     Exit

 leave the event editing dialog.

     File

        -  Open

 Search for and edit another event file.

        -  Print

 Print the contents of the event file.

        -  Password Protect

 require a password to access the event file.

        -  Encrypt

 Alter the database so that it is unreadable without the encryption abilities
 of Alarm Clock

        -  UnEncrypt

 Remove any existing encryption from the file.

     Event

        -  Edit

 Display the Schedule dialog for editing the selected entry.

        -  Delete

 Delete the displayed event.

        -  Tune

 Displays a dialog for attaching a Tune Editor created file or WAVE file to the
 reminder.

     HELP

 Display this help panel.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4. Today's Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog displays the events scheduled for the current date.  From this
dialog you can pause individual events to prevent them from occuring when
scheduled without deleting them.  This pause is only affective for the current
entry and only while Alarm Clock is running.  If you shutdown Alarm Clock these
pause settings will be lost.  You can also run a selected event immediately.
This does not alter the regularly scheduled event or prevent it from occuring
at the scheduled time.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.5. Setting Search Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock will search up to 3 event files for scheduled reminders and
applications.  Enter the three files in the provided Edit Fields.

      Use the search button at the end of each field to assist in locating
      event files.  Entering the name of a file that does not exist will create
      that file.

      The System Name edit field is used to schedule personal events.  Enter a
      name that will be unique among the users sharing event files.  If "ALL"
      is not selected the event will be scheduled with this name.  Only the
      system(s) with this name will schedule these events. If you do not
      provide a system name every event will be scheduled as "ALL".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Miscellaneous ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The screens within this group don't belong to a single category such as
contacts or events.  These functions work with more than one of the categories
or serve utility functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1. Holidays ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Use this window to define dates that are considered holidays. Events with the
"skip holidays" setting will not be scheduled to run on these dates.  You can
enter and maintain up to 100 holidays.  Any existing holidays are listed in the
lower right and currently selected holiday's values will appear in the 4 fields
along the top of the window.  You can change these values and click on the
Change button to change the selected holiday or click on the Add button to add
a new holiday with the edited values.  Selecting the delete button will delete
the entry and replace it's title with "Deleted" in the listing.  The deleted
entry is no longer available but is shown in this state during the current edit
session.

Note:  The holidays are not automatically modified for the following year.  It
is necessary to either edit the dates each year or enter future year's holidays
in advance.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2. Printing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock is able to print your Contacts, ToDo lists, and Search results.

Warning: It is necessary to select a printer before attempting to print.

 Once selected in the Systems Settings it is possible to print to either your
printer or to disk.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.1. Print Where ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You are being offered the choice to print to either the printer or to disk.  If
you chose disk you may specify a file name, including drive and directory, in
the displayed edit field.  Disk prints are standard ASCII text files that are
easily imported into most other programs.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3. Passwords ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock uses passwords and data encryption to protect your information from
others.  These are powerful and affective features for preventing unauthorized
access to information.  They are also only as affective as you allow them to
be.

Password protecting a file then leaving it open and available on the desktop
makes the protection meaningless.  Also if you encrypt the file and lose the
password the information is lost.  Choosing passwords that are easily
identified with you such as family members names or favorite sayings also makes
it easier to guess your passwords.  Choose passwords that are unusual, use
upper and lower case letters, and make them at least 8 characters long for the
best security.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3.1. Enter Password ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Enter the password used to protect the selected file.  Once successfully
entered the database will open.

Note:  Passwords are case sensitive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3.2. Edit Password ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Enter the password in the first field and press ENTER.  Retype the same
password in the second field and again press ENTER.  To remove a password press
ENTER in both fields without typing any characters.  To exit without modifying
the password press ESC.

Note:  Passwords are case sensitive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4. Search Results ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog displays any matches to a search of the ToDo or Contact database.
Once the "Search Complete" message appears all matches are displayed.  If the
list is empty no matches were found.  Searches are not case sensitive.

To view the details of an item double click on it with the mouse or highlight
it and press enter or the "DETAIL" button.  To print a listing of all the
matches click on the "PRINT" button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.5. Calendar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This calendar displays the current month with each day displayed as a button.
To select a given date press the corresponding button.

To move to other months use the  button to move forward one month at a time
and the  button to move backward.  The >> and << buttons will move you forward
and backward, respectively, by years.  The  button will return you to the
current month and year.  Once you select a date you will go to the schedule
event or ToDo list for that date, depending on the menu where you selected the
calendar option.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6. Setting System Time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click on the appropriate field to change (i.e. Hour, minute, or second).  Once
the field is highlighted press the up and down arrows to change the value.
Select SET to accept the changes and reset the computers system time and date.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Customizing Alarm Clock ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Alarm Clock has two basic types of settings Display and System.

The display settings allow you to customize the appearance of the program
including colors, fonts, and display formats.  The system settings are to
adjust the program to your system including the working directory, what
features are activated at startup, what hardware you have such as printers and
modems, etc.

All information is maintained in a file named 'ALRMCLK2.INI'.  If your system
settings get too far off to correct you can shutdown Alarm Clock and delete
this file.  It will be recreated with the default system settings when you
restart the program.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.1. System Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

     Notify of missed events

 If this is checked Alarm Clock will notify you at startup of any events that
 were scheduled to occur while the program was inactive.  If not checked the
 events will not be displayed but recurring events will be automatically
 rescheduled for the next occurrence.

     Keep Clock Visible

 Checking this option will cause the clock to "Float" on top of all PM
 sessions.  It will not take the focus away from your application but will
 remain visible, even when the other application is maximized.  It cannot
 remain visible above full screen sessions.

     Log Events

 If this option is selected Alarm Clock will log the starting time, ending
 time, date, and result code for all programs it executes.  They are logged to
 a file named EVENTS.LOG in the Alarm Clock working directory.

     Working Directory

 This is the default directory for the system default databases.  These
 databases are created when no others have been opened. This is also where all
 search's for files begins when a SEARCH or OPEN button is selected.

     Minutes to Return

 Reminders have a RETURN button which acts much like the "snooze" button on an
 Alarm Clock, causing the reminder to come back again in a few minutes.  Enter
 the number of minutes to wait before the reminder returns.

     Select Printer

 Displays a list of all printers on your system.  Select the desired printer
 for use in printing the various lists.  You may optionally go to the job
 properties for the printer and select the form or other settings to save along
 with the printer.

     Select Font

 Displays a dialog from which to select for printing.  The amount of text that
 can fit on a single line will be affected by the size of the font selected.
 This font will be used for all printing from Alarm Clock

     Hourly Chime

 Click on this checkbox to activate or de-activate the hourly chime option.  If
 active Alarm Clock will produce an audible sound at the top of each hour.

     FRQ

 Enter the frequency for the hourly chime.  The default is 545Mhz. Any value
 from 37 to 3000 is valid.

     DUR

 Enter the duration for the hourly chime.  The default is 400.  The value is in
 1/100 seconds.

     CNT

 Enter the number of chimes (beeps) to sound each hour.  The default is 2.

     Listen

 Press this button to hear the settings you have chosen for the hourly chime.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.2. Blanker Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

     Desktop Lockup Active

 Checking the option activates a feature similar to the Lockup feature in OS/2.
 The value set for Minutes till Lockup will be used to determine how long to
 wait without activity before blanking the screen.  The lockup feature will not
 activate if a FULLSCREEN OS/2 or DOS session is active in the foreground.

     Lock on Startup

 This setting causes Alarm Clock to start the screen blanker when the program
 is first started.  All settings are the same including no password being
 required if none is set.

      Note:  The Desktop Lockup Active setting does not have to be checked to
      use this feature.

     Use Password

 Checking this option will require you to match the Lockup Password before the
 screen will be cleared after lockup has occurred.

     Password

 This entry field will always be empty.  You should enter a password in this
 field only when you want to change the value required to unlock the desktop.

      Note:  THE PASSWORD IS CASE SENSITIVE!

     System Wide Hot Key

 The letter entered into this field will work to immediately lockup the desktop
 when pressed in combination with the ALT+CONTROL keys.  This will take affect
 from any window that does not trap the  key combination before the Lockup
 monitor can see the key.

      Note:  The Lockup monitor cannot see keystrokes in a fullscreen OS/2 or
      DOS session.

     BitMap

 Enter the name of an OS/2 1.2 or 2.x bitmap to display when the screen is
 blanked.  If this is left blank no bitmap will display.

     FIND

 Displays the file selection dialog and allows you to search for the bitmap to
 display.

     Display Seconds

 The number of seconds from 1 to 99 that the bitmap will be displayed before
 blanking the screen.  The default is 30 seconds.

     Pointer

 When the screen blanker is active a clock shaped pointer is displayed.  This
 setting allows you to chose an alternate pointer. You may use either pointer
 or icon files as the source of the pointer.

     FIND

 Displays the file selection dialog and allows you to search for the pointer to
 display.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.3. Display Preferences ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Preferences dialog allows you to set the preferences for the different
parts of the clock face.  Select the part to change by clicking on the radio
button for that part (i.e. Second Hand).  Then click on the desired color for
that part.  In addition you may elect to have the title bar display the date or
digital time.

      To change the size of the clock use the mouse to drag the edges of the
      window to the desired size.  Move the window to your preferred position
      on the screen.  When you save the changes the size and position will also
      be saved.

      Note:  The changes are automatically saved if you shutdown OS/2 or Alarm
      Clock .

      The Setting Options are as follows:

     Background

 Click on this radio button to change the color of the rectangular background.
 Then click the desired color from the color options below the Clock Parts
 group.

      Note:  The background and digital text or analog hour hand can be set
      using the Work Place Shell's color palette.  Drop the color on the clock
      to change the background.  Use the control key while dropping to change
      the text.  If you edit the color this way then it may be altered by the
      display preference dialog because this dialog only uses solid colors.
      Set all other options here then, after exiting this dialog, use the
      palette to set your colors.

     Face

 To change the color of the circular clock face click on the desired color from
 the options to the right.  This

     Hour hand

 This option changes the color of the clock's Hour Hand.

     Minute hand

 Select the desired color for the clock's minute hands.

     Hour Tick Marks

 Click on this to change the color of the Hour Marks.

     Display Format

 Chose from an analog or digital clock.  The digital clock has both 12 and 24
 hour formats available.

     Title Bar Display

 Choose the desired date format for displaying the current date in the
 titlebar.  If the clock is minimized this will display as the icon text.

     Font

 Choose an outline font for use in displaying the Digital Clock.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Trouble Shooting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Listed below are problems that have been encountered while using Alarm Clock

      Problem  I've relocated Alarm Clock into a new subdirectory and now I get
      errors when I open the different edit screens.

      Fix  Alarm Clock "remembers" what files you last opened as well as what 3
      event files you want to search each day.  If you've deleted the old
      directory and files you need to re-teach the program.  Begin by going to
      the System Setup and setting your working directory to the new directory.
      This is where the program will start a search for files when you select
      an Open menu item.  Now go to the Set Search Files screen and edit it to
      reflect your new files.  Finally go to each database edit screen (ToDo,
      event, and contact).  You will get an error because the last file you
      opened no longer exists.  Ignore this error and chose Open.  Select the
      new file and then exit the editing session.  Now Alarm Clock "remembers"
      your new files.

      Problem  My reminders are not being scheduled.

      Fix  Make sure that the event files where you save this information are
      listed in Set Search Files.  Next be sure that the files exist and are
      available to you.  If you are on a network be sure the drive where the
      files are kept is available to your computer at Midnight when Alarm Clock
      search's for the new days events.  If this doesn't fix the problem then
      pack the database to insure the indexes are up-to-date.

      Problem  I minimized Alarm Clock to the Minimized Window Viewer.  The
      icon displays as a white square instead of a clock.

      Fix  OS/2 doesn't seem to like it when a program tries to redraw an icon
      in the Window Viewer.  Open the settings for the Alarm Clock icon, choose
      the Window tab, and mark minimize to desktop.

      Problem  I have Alarm Clock in my startup folder.  Sometimes when I boot
      the computer Alarm Clock seems to hang-up.

      Fix  If you shutdown your computer with the program running and have a
      copy of the program icon in the startup folder then OS/2 will attempt to
      start two copies.  Although Alarm Clock attempts to detect this and
      prevent it timing sometimes keeps these checks from working.  The program
      creates system resources, sometimes if two programs attempt to create the
      same resource, at the same time a deadlock can occur.  To prevent this
      either place a Shadow of the icon in your startup folder or don't place
      anything there and rely on the fact that OS/2 restarts any programs that
      were running when you shutdown.

      Problem  I recently upgraded my copy of Alarm Clock .  Now nothing seems
      to work and I keep getting protection violations.

      Fix  Make sure that there are no old copies of the Alarm Clock files in
      other directories.  Possibly an old DLL in another directory that is
      searched before your normal directory in the LIBPATH.  As Alarm Clock
      continues to grow changes are made to all the files and old ones are not
      compatible with the newest release.

      Problem  My event files are on a network server.  Everytime I reboot
      Alarm Clock gives me an error opening the file.  I have to wait till the
      startup and logon is complete and restart Alarm Clock .

      Fix  Alarm Clock cannot access files on a network until you are properly
      logged on.  Remove Alarm Clock from your startup folder and add it as the
      last item in your STARTUP.CMD.  Be sure to use the start command so that
      STARTUP.CMD will close (see the Command Reference or contact your system
      administrator).  For this to function automatically you would need to
      automate the logon in your STARTUP.CMD before starting Alarm Clock .

      Note:  If you regularly shutdown with Alarm Clock active you may need to
      stop the desktop from starting applications that were running at
      shutdown. You can add the command "RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY" to
      your CONFIG.SYS file to do this.  Use caution with this setting.  If you
      leave certain things active like folders or groups they will not start at
      reboot.  You will need to place a shadow of anything you want started in
      your startup folder.

      Problem  My batch files and command files aren't working properly or
      don't seem to work at all.

      Fix  Occassionally when a batch or command file is run the Working
      directory will not be properly set.  To remedy this add the lines to your
      batch or command file to move you to the correct drive and directory.  If
      you call other batch or command files be sure and use the CALL keyword so
      that OS/2 will return to your original batch file after branching to the
      other file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Glossary ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Definitions for some commonly used terms in the help text:

Accelerator keys  Key stroke combinations that carry out a command such as
saving changes.  They provide instant access to commands that might be buried a
couple of levels down in a menu.

Alt+  Carry out actions through Accelerator Keys by holding the ALT key down at
the same time as pressing the designated text key.

Application  The executable file such as CMD.EXE. Most applications end with
.EXE although some may end with .COM.

Box  The rectangular areas where text is to be typed in. Such as the line where
you enter your reminder text.

Button  The rectangular gray blocks with commands such as Save. To carry out
the command without using the mouse you can TAB to the button or press Alt+ the
underlined letter.

Check box  The small rectangular buttons that when pressed display a check mark
in them.  These controls are often used to identify that an action has been
selected such as the 'Remind' check box on the ToDo dialog.

Click  The act of placing the mouse pointer (arrow) on a button and pressing
the left mouse button to select the item.  It is also possible to click on a
button by moving the focus to that button and pressing enter or pressing ALT+
the underlined letter.

Command Line  Options sent to an application by entering them at the prompt
behind the name of the program such as COPY A:\*.*. Here A:\*.* would be the
command line.

Database  A database is a file for storing information in an orderly and
consistent format.  Databases are designed on records and fields. A record is
the complete entry for one member of the database such as a contact.  The
fields are the individual elements that make up the record such as the contact.
Also included in a database system are indexes.  These files are always
organized in orderly fashion such as alphabetically and provided a "shortcut"
way of locating the actual record so that access to your information is faster.

Dialog Box  The rectangular areas that appear on the screen asking for
information or notifying you of errors or messages.  The Event Scheduler is an
example of a common dialog box.  They are also referred to as simply the
dialog.

Edit Field  See Box.

Field  See Box.  Also the individual elements of a database record such as the
zip code in your contacts database.

Focus  An item has the focus if keystroke and mouse actions will take place
against it.  When an edit field has the focus a vertical bar cursor appears.
When most types of buttons have the focus they are surrounded by a black broken
line.  The window that has the current focus is usually brighter on the edge
(frame) than the other windows appearing on the PC's screen.

Index  An index is an orderly arranged file of information on how to locate
specific records in a database.  The records in a database are organized on
what was last added to the file.  The indexes are always ordered properly such
as by alphabetical or numeric order.  They only carry a subset of the
information, called the 'key', such as the name field in the Alarm Clock
contact database.  They provide a fast way to locate the specific record you
requested.

Path  The complete name of the directory where a file or program physically
exists.  This can include the drive letter.  The syntax is D:\dir\subdir where
D is the drive letter.

Program  See Application.

Radio Button  The small circle to the left of a word such as AM. Commonly used
to select one or more choices from a group of common options. If the circle is
one color (usually gray) the item is not selected.  If the center is darkened
the item has been selected.

Record  A record is one entry in a database.  Each record contains all the
information about the entry such as a contacts record. Records are further
divided into fields which are the individual elements that make up the complete
set of information for that entry.  An example of a field would be the 'Note'
in a ToDo record.

TAB  Pressing the tab key to move you to the next item such as a Field or
Button.  Pressing the Shift and Tab key together will move you backwards
through the items.

Text Field  See Box.

Window  Most rectangular areas on the screen are actually windows, however the
term usually implies the main window for an application.  Areas that can be
sized and have the system menu and minimum and maximum buttons along the top of
the programs display area are considered WINDOWS.

Working Directory  The directory where you started a program. Often programs
are physically located in one directory and run from another directory so that
the data (such as word processor documents) are separated from the program.
Also the default directory for Alarm Clock .  This is where the program will
start looking when you request to open new databases.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Unprocessed Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The displayed event was not processed because Alarm Clock was not running when
the event was scheduled to occur.  Choosing Exit will close this window and
reschedule the event if it is a repeating event.  Choosing Run will run the
event now and reschedule it if it is a repeating event.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. File Types ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are 5 types of data files created by Alarm Clock .  Each is represented
by an icon for easy identification.  Any Database can be dragged over the
Clock, Phone Secretary, or Master Calendar and dropped to make that file the
active file in Alarm Clock .

Note:  If an event file is dropped it will become the file that is opened for
the database edit function.  It will NOT change your list of search files.
The files are as follows:

Event Files  The databases where events are maintained.

Index  The index file for the database of the same name.