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Text File | 1993-02-03 | 43KB | 892 lines

PERSONAL HOME INVENTORY SYSTEM Copyright (c) 1992 by Michael A. Enfield All rights reserved This program is shareware. It is not free software or in the public domain. Shareware is based on the premise that people have a right to EVALUATE software before they purchase it. You are granted the right to evaluate this program for up to 30 days. If you find the program has value, please register your copy by sending US$25 to the address below. If you have any suggestions for improvements or if you have any problems with the program, please enclose a note with your registration. Registered users will receive free technical support through regular mail and/or compuserve. Registrants will also receive a printed copy of this instruction manual, newsletters about upcoming products and/or upgrades, and discounts for major upgrades. Your registration will help support the continued development of this and other shareware products. Thanks! Mike Michael A. Enfield P.O. Box 40301 Tucson, AZ 85717-0301 USA ***************************************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Changes made for version 2.0 II. Hardware Requirements III. Introduction IV. Getting Started V. Instructions Overview Main Menu Add New Edit/View Database Add New Delete/Recall Search Index Reports Generate Reports Inventory Report Blank Entry Sheets Moving Box Labels Location/Box List Utilities Back-up Data Files Inflation/Deflation Update Category List Update Location List Update Owner List Clear Box Codes Clear Current Database Program Information Toggle Moving Codes Quit VI. Suggestions VII. Troubleshooting VIII. Windows 3.x IX. Upcoming Products X. Custom Database Programming XI. Conclusion ***************************************************************************** I. Changes made for version 2.0 When I started writing this program, it was intended for my personal use alone. As such, all of the features were designed for me. I quickly realized what a valuable product I had just completed and decided to put it up as shareware with a low introductory price to get user response and suggestions. This version incorporates the feedback from my initial release as well as the suggestions from my beta testers. The changes include: - Vastly increased robustness - "Registerability" and automatic unregistering - Support for Multiple Databases - Automatic database conversion between version 1.0 and 2.0 - Removal of the annoying Caps Lock function - Inclusion of a Warranty Expiration Field Robustness refers to a program's ability to recover from errors (like missing databases). The new version of my inventory program only requires the inv.exe file to run. All necessary databases will be automatically generated. This means you can either pass an entire directory along to a friend or just the .exe file and it will still work fine. It also means that if you don't like the sample LOCATION.DBF, the sample CATEGORY.DBF, or the sample OWNER.DBF, you can simply erase them and the program will automatically recreate blank databases. Registerability means that you can now enter a code (which I will provide upon registration) that will allow you to enter your name. The program will stop displaying the registration encouragement screen upon program termination and will show your name on the main menu screen. The program will store the date and time stamp of your directory in a config.dat file. Each time you run the program, it will check to see that the program is in the same directory. If you give the program to someone else, the date and time stamp on the directory they install it in will be different. This tells the program that a new user has the program, so the registration is reset. How does this affect you? If you move the program to another directory after registering, you will need to re-enter your registration code. Otherwise, it will not affect you at all. I only live in one house. Consequently, I only needed one database for the items I have in that house. Apparently there are others out there (obviously more financially endowed than myself) who have multiple dwellings. They need to be able to store information for multiple places or multiple insurance policies. I have added this capacity to the program. In the Utilities option of the main menu, you can now create and select new databases. If the database you select is from version 1.0, the program will convert the file to version 2.0 and rename the original file to old.dbf. You can also use this feature to begin inventories of valuable collections, automobile maintenance records, etc.. I have been annoyed by (and some of you also were annoyed by) the caps lock command. Therefore, it is now gone. Where fields need capital characters, the program will automatically place capital characters, whether you enter them in lower or upper case, without resorting to the cap lock. Finally, I recently bought a $100 Braun coffee maker and -- wouldn't you know it -- it quit working a little over three months from the purchase date. So, I had to dig through my files to see if the warranty expired in 30,60 or 90 days. Turned out to be a full year. If this information had been in the database, it would have saved me a lot of hunting time, so I've added a warranty field to the database. This is why there is a need for the conversion between version 1 and version 2, and is the only difference in terms of the databases themselves. Apparantly most people feel that the information I accounted for is sufficient for their needs. Well, I hope you like the changes and will pass this program along to ALL your friends (with some gentle reminders to register). Some of you have asked about a Windows version. I currently have two other windows projects in the works ( A cross stitch program and a card making program ), so it looks like I won't be getting around to a Windows inventory program at least until late summer or early fall 1993. Rest assured, registered users will be the first to know about it and will receive a substantial discount on the registration price. II. Hardware Requirements: This program will work on virtually any IBM PC, XT, AT, 386, 486 or compatable with at least 512k and DOS 2.0 or later. It has been tested on a Zenith 8088 XT, on an IBM compatable 386-33 Mhz notebook computer, and on an IBM compatible 486-33 Mhz EISA/Local Bus system. The program can run from a high density floppy disk. It is recommended that the program be run from a hard drive. Printing has been tested on an HP Laserjet Series II, III, and IIIsi as well as on an Epson LQ850 and on a generic 8 pin dot matrix printer. Your printer should have at least an 80 column width. Graphics support is not required. III. Introduction: Most people do not realize the importance of keeping track of their possessions until it is too late. This program is intended as a way of tracking the value of your possessions, their locations, who owns them, and other information that insurance companies will want to know if you have to make a claim. You can also use this program to help you to organize boxes when or if you move. This program is valuable for a number of reasons. First, it helps you determine the amount of insurance coverage you need to ensure that your valuables are covered (based on value). Second, it provides the police with the information they need to positively identify stolen property. Third, it provides insurance companies with the information they need to process your claims. Fourth, it allows you to monitor the status of items (loaned out, stored someplace, etc.). Fifth, it helps you to quickly organize boxes so you know where they should be placed in your new dwelling as well as the contents of those boxes (no more searching through boxes for that #$%@! can opener). Anyway, you get the idea. Basically, this program gives you a detailed record of what you have. With fraud conditions the way they are, insurance companies are trying harder and harder to protect themselves and their honest clients. As such, they will want to see serial numbers, detailed descriptions, model numbers and other documentation that the normal person just doesn't retain. Ideally they will want to see the original receipts for all of your major purchases. This being the case, I strongly suggest that you keep a full report in a safe spot, preferrably a safety deposit box (just make sure the report is locked up). You may not want to keep it in your house because of fire danger. IV. Getting Started: As mentioned earlier, the program can be started from a floppy disk. To use the program, simply ensure that the inv.exe file is on the floppy you plan to use. All accompanying files will be automatically created. The program will run slightly slower than from a hard disk, but it will work. To run on a hard disk, create a subdirectory called "INV" or "INVENTOR" or some other suitable name. Copy the inv.exe file to that directory. If you are upgrading, all you need is the inv.exe file. When you run the program for the first time, select Utilities/Create or Select a Database and select the inv.dbf file (that came with version 1.0). The program will automatically convert the file and load that file the next time you run the program. * If you are using this program to help you move, ENSURE that you * * toggle the moving code in the main menu. This MUST be done * * EVERY time you re-start the program and want to edit box codes. * * This option will activate the box code fields throughout the rest * * of the program. Since you will be using this program mainly for * * keeping an inventory, I have not included box codes for normal * * inventory maintenance. The main screen heading will include the * * line "Moving Codes Added" when box codes are active. * To start the program, simply type <INV> at the DOS prompt and press return. Registered users will receive a sample data file and completed category and location files. It is very important that you make back-up copies of your data files after each session. There is a back-up utility under the "Utilities" option on the main menu. If you have a notebook or laptop computer, you can just carry your computer from room to room and enter items as you go. If you have a desktop computer, I suggest that you immediatly print a bunch of data entry forms. Data entry forms can be selected from the "Generate Reports" option of the main menu. Use these forms to write down the information you will need to enter into the computer. The format of this report is basically the same as what you will see when you are in the "Add new item" section of the program. NOTE: This program uses dBase III+ compatible files. If you make any changes to the databases using dBase, you MUST delete the index files (type <del *.ntx>). The program will automatically recreate these files the next time the program is run. V. Instructions: OVERVIEW: All menu options will display a brief summary of their functions at the bottom of the screen. To select an item, simply move the highlight bar to the option you want by using the curser arrows and pressing return. You can also quickly select items by simply typing the first letter of the option. For example, if I wanted to select "Program Information" from the main menu, I could either move the highlight bar down to that option and press return, or I could just type <P>. In addition, the <ESC> key will back you out of any sub-menu or process. If you are at the main menu, <ESC> will cause you to exit the program. THE MAIN MENU: You have seven options when you start up the system: Add a new item, Edit or view an existing item, Generate a report, Use a utility, Program Information, Toggle Moving Code, and Quit the program. MAIN MENU: ADD NEW ITEM This option will bring up a data entry screen. Most of the fields are self explanatory. FULL DESCRIPTION is a brief description of the item to be entered (e.g. "Couch/Love seat combination set"). Not all items will have MODEL NUMBERS or SERIAL NUMBERS. Enter them when applicable. The DATE PURCHASED and ORIGINAL VALUE fields are self explanatory. The REPLACEMENT VALUE is the current value of the item. You should try to make this value as accurate as possible by checking out similar items in catalogs, stores, etc. You can adjust this value in groups by using the inflation/deflation option in the Utilities section (discussed later). The SHORT DESCRIPTION is used to keep track of what you are looking at when you are in the Edit/View section. This should just be a one or two word description and can only be 10 characters in length total. For example, the Couch/love seat combination set could have a short description of "Couches" or "Couch/Luv". The next three fields, LOCATION, OWNER'S INITIALS, and INSURANCE CATEGORY are fairly self explanatory. These three fields are validated using related databases. When you enter a value in one of these fields, the program to check to see if that value exists in a corresponding database. If the value exists, it will allow you to move on to the next field. If not, you will be prompted to see if you want to add the value to the list of valid values or select an existing value from the valid list. If you are adding a new OWNER'S INITIALS, the program will also prompt you for the full name of the person to be added. ** If you are moving, you should enter the NEW location for an item. ** ** IF you have toggled the Moving Code, there will also be a BOX CODE ** ** field. Use this field to note which items have been placed in ** ** which boxes. You can use straight numbering ( 1, 2, 3,...n) or ** ** you can use a code ( Liv1 for living room box 1, Kit3 for Kitchen ** ** box 3, etc). You can print labels for the boxes by selecting ** ** MOVING BOX LABELS from the main menu, or you can just write the ** ** code on the box using a magic marker. You can also print a ** ** report listing which boxes are to supposed to go in which room. ** ** Print this list and give it to the movers so they know where to ** ** put boxes. ** Lastly, there is the new WARRANTY EXPIRES field. If applicable, enter the warranty expiration date based on the purchase date and length of warranty. For example, If I bought something on January 1, 1993 and the warranty lasts 90 days, the warranty would expire on March 31, 1993. The program will only accept valid dates in the mm/dd/yy format. To move around in the fields listed above, simply press the up and down arrow keys. You cannot move past the LOCATION, OWNER'S INITIALS, or INSURANCE CATEGORY fields without entering a valid entry. If you add a blank field to the databases, you will be able to move past these fields when they are blank. The last field is the COMMENTS field. This field can be virtually any size and can store approximately 360 pages of text per record. This field can be very useful for tracking items or for storing information about items. You can also use this field to group related items. For example, you may not want to have a LOT of entries for your CD collection. So, rather than enter each CD in a separate record, you can have a group record with a FULL DESCRIPTION of "CD Collection" and a SHORT DESCRIPTION of "CDs". In the ORIGINAL VALUE and REPLACEMENT VALUE fields, enter the TOTAL value of all the CDs. Then use the Comments field to enter individual CD titles and values. You can also use the COMMENTS field to store notes about items. For Example, "This was loaned to John on 6/12/92" or "Birthday gift from Leo and Helen". The COMMENTS field uses commands that are very similar to WordStar 3.3 (i.e. <CTRL Y> will delete a line of text, <CTRL W> is used to save your work and exit, etc.). Remember that if you press <ESC> you will lose any changes you make. After finishing with the COMMENTS field you will be asked if you want to add the item to the database. Simply press <Y> or <N> to add or delete the entry. Next, you will be asked if you want to add another item. If you do, press <Y>; if not, press <N>. If you press <Y>, you will be given a blank entry form. If you hit <N>, you will be returned to either the main menu or the Edit/View screen. MAIN MENU: EDIT/VIEW DATABASE This option will display the records in the database in a table format. Initially you will only see three fields displayed -- SHORT, FULL DESCRIPTION, and MODEL NUMBER. To see the other fields, simply press the right arrow key. To change the value in a field, simply type over that field. Now you can see the importance of the SHORT DESCRIPTION. As you scroll to the right, the SHORT DESCRIPTION remains on the screen so you always have an idea of what you are looking at. Again, the LOCATION, OWNER'S INITIALS, and CATEGORY fields will be validated, just like they are when you are adding a new record. To change or view the comments field, place the highlight bar on the comment field of the record you want to change and press return or just start typing. A pop-up window will appear showing you what is currently in the field or what you are typing. The BOX CODE field will only appear if you have toggled the moving code option. If you haven't selected the TOGGLE option from the main menu, the COMMENTS field will follow the CATEGORY field. The WARRANTY field will display the date you entered. Again, it will only accept valid dates in the mm/dd/yy format if you need to change it. The COMMENTS field is a pop-up box. Because of space constraints, it will say "Comment" if you have entered a comment. If there is no comment, the field will be blank. To see what is in the field, highlight the COMMENT field of the record you are interested in and press return. You can also highlight the COMMENT field and just start typing, a box will pop up with the information you typed. THE EDIT/VIEW MENU: To get to the MENU above the table, press <TAB>. A highlight bar will appear in the menu area. Use the arrow keys to move to the option you want and press <RETURN>. If you accidently hit tab or changed your mind, just press <ESC> to return to the table. The edit/view menu has the following options: ADD NEW DELETE/RECALL SEARCH INDEX REPORTS ADD NEW Add new will toggle you over to the Add New screen discussed earlier. If or when you want to return to the edit/view screen, either press <ESC> or enter your last new record and respond <N> to the "Add another record" question. When you leave the Add New screen, you will return to the same place that you left off in the table (new items will automatically appear where they belong). DELETE/RECALL This option will initially delete the record that the highlight bar is resting on in the table. The record will not be erased until AFTER the session is finished and you exit the Edit/View screen. When you place the highlight bar on a deleted item, the word "DELETED" will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen. If you deleted the wrong item, simply place the highlight bar back on that item and select DELETE/RECALL again. The record will be recalled and will not be erased when you end the session. If you select DELETE/RECALL at any time while in the edit/view mode, the program will ask you if you really want to leave the session. If you haven't hit DELETE/RECALL during a session, you can just press <ESC>. Your work will be saved and you will return to the main menu. SEARCH The inventory database can be of unlimited size. As your database grows, it may be difficult to remember where items are. The Search function is nice because it will search for the FIRST instance of any of the fields. If it cannot find a direct match, it will go to the item that is spelled the most similarly. SUGGESTION: Use this option in conjunction with the index option. That way misspellings will be listed closely together, allowing you to quickly find the item you are looking for. When you select this option, you will see a pull down menu listing the field names. Select the field that you want to search for. Once a field has been selected, a pop-up window will appear asking you to enter the value of the field that you want to find. After you enter this, the program will almost instantly jump to that spot in the database or the closest spot it can find. INDEX The INDEX option is used to organize your database. It does NOT physically change the database. It mearly rearranges the database according to the field you are interested in. By default the database is indexed on the SHORT DESCRIPTION. There will also be a BOXED MOVING CODE option if you have toggled the moving option in the main menu. Version 2.0 now stores the last index you set in the config.dat file. The program will automatically index the last database you used with the last index you chose. When you select this option, another pull-down menu will appear so that you can select the field that you want the database to be indexed on. REPORTS This option will go through the same process as the "GENERATE REPORTS/Inventory Report" option in the main menu. Basically you will be asked what field the report should be sub-grouped by, whether you only want a summary report or the full report, and whether you want the report sent to the printer, screen and/or to a file. If you decide you want the report to be sent to a file, the program will ask for a file name. It will then create the report and return you to the edit/view screen. This option will be discussed in greater detail in the next section. MAIN MENU: GENERATE REPORTS INVENTORY REPORT This program provides a lot of flexability in report generation. You can group this report based on any of the fields. You can have the report list all the information or just the information you need. And, you can have the report sent to the printer, the screen, or to any .TXT file you want. When you select this option, a pop-up box will appear prompting you to select the field you want the report organized by. If the TOGGLE has been selected from the main menu, two additonal options will appear so you can generate a report detailing what items are in what boxes: MOVING BOX LABELS, and LOCATION/BOX LIST. Another pop-up box will then appear prompting you to select a summary report or a full report. The full report will list ALL the information in the database. The summary report will just list Descriptions and original/replacement values. A final pop-up window will appear that asks you to select where you want the report to go (to the printer, to the screen, and/or to a file). You can have the report go to just one place, two places or all three. If you decide that you want the report to go to an ASCII file, the program will ask you to enter the eight character file name. After the report is generated, the screen will clear and a message will pop-up telling you that the report has been completed successfully. You will need to press a key to return to the main menu. BLANK ENTRY SHEETS These sheets are formatted the same way as the data entry screen. You can put up to three items on a sheet. For people without a laptop/portable computer, these sheets will make it much easier to ensure that you have written down all the information you may want to have in the database. Just print a bunch of these out and go from room to room filling in the information. MOVING BOX LABELS This option will generate labels to be pasted/taped to each box. there are two options, BOX CODE ONLY which just prints labels that ONLY show the box code, and BOX DETAILS which prints a sheet for each box showing the box code and the contents of the box. I would suggest purchasing some of those self adhesive sheets of paper and cutting them down to size. LOCATION/BOX LIST This option will generate a report that you can give to the movers so that they will know which rooms boxes should be placed in. It will just show the location and which boxes should go in that location. MAIN MENU: UTILITIES There are nine utilities included in this program. You can: Select or Create a Database Back-up data files; Adjust records for inflation or deflation; Update the category, location, and owner databases; Clear the box codes; Clear the inventory database; and, Enter Your Registration Code. SELECT OR CREATE A DATABASE The program will now support an unlimited number of databases; however, most people will only use one or two. If you select this option, A menu of files will appear. This menu is scrollable, so just keep hitting the down cursor key until you reach the file you are looking for. The first option will always be "Create New Database." If you select this option, another window will pop-up allowing you to enter a new file name. If you enter a name of a file that already exists, the program will display an error message to that effect and select the existing database for use. Otherwise, it will create the database you named. The name can be up to 8 letters and cannot contain any spaces. If you select the "inv.dbf" that came with version 1.0, the program will automatically convert the database to include the Warranty Expiration field. It will also rename the old file to "Old.dbf" (although you will not be able to see the Old.dbf from the select database menu because the program assumes any file called old.dbf uses the version 1.0 format). BACK-UP DATA FILES Use this option after EVERY session where data has been changed. It will copy your data and index files to a floppy diskette. If you are running the program from a floppy, make sure that you select a different drive than the one you are running the program on. When you select this option, you will be prompted to enter "A" or "B". The program will not accept any other letters. A pop-up window will then appear instructing you to insert a disk into the drive you are going to use. If there is no disk present when you hit a key, you will get a dos retry, abort, fail error. INFLATION/DEFLATION Often you will want to adjust a group of records at once. Rather than going through each record and adjusting them manually, you can use this option to change a group in one step. You are able to make group changes based on PURCHASE DATE, OWNER, CATEGORY, LOCATION, or all records. When you select this option, a fresh screen will appear. You will be asked whether you want to INFLATE (i.e. increase) replacement values or DEFLATE (i.e. decrease) replacement values. Type <I> to inflate and <D> to deflate. The program will not continue unless <ESC> has been pressed or <I> or <D> have been entered. Next, you must decide what rate you want to use to change the values by. I have set the default to 5%, but the annual inflation rate is typically around 3%. Once you have entered an inflation rate, a pop-up menu will appear so you can select the records to be changed. simply move the highlight bar to the type of records you want to update and press <RETURN>. If you select "All Records", all records will be changed and you will be returned to the main menu. Otherwise, the window will change and prompt you for the values to be changed under the category you selected. For example, if I selected "Category", I could enter a value or "Antiques" or "Collectables" or "Computer Equipment" or any other value appearing in the category list. Again, if you enter a value that doesn't exist you will be asked if you want to add the value to the database or select an item from the database. When a valid value has been entered, the records will be updated and you will be returned to the main menu. UPDATE CATEGORY LIST This function allows you to add new items to the category list or delete items that you no longer need. You can scroll through the list and, like the Edit/View function, can add or delete items by pressing <TAB> to get to the menu. If you select "Add New" the menu will be replaced by an empty field. Simply enter the new value and press return. The menu will reappear and your addition will be in the database. UPDATE LOCATION LIST This function allows you to add new items to the location list or delete items that you no longer need. You can scroll through the list and, like the Edit/View function, can add or delete items by pressing <TAB> to get to the menu. If you select "Add New" the menu will be replaced by an empty field. Simply enter the new value and press return. The menu will reappear and your addition will be in the database. UPDATE OWNER LIST This function allows you to enter new items to the owner list or delete items that you no longer need. You can scroll through the list and, like the Edit/View function, can add or delete items by pressing <TAB> to get to the menu. If you select "Add New" the menu will be replaced by an empty record. Simply enter the new initials and the person's full name and press <RETURN>. The menu will reappear and your addition will be in the database. CLEAR BOX CODES After you move or before your next move, you will want to purge the old box codes from the database. This option will clear the box codes from all the records. CLEAR CURRENT DATABASE When you start the program for the first time you will notice that I have already entered some sample data. I encourage you to play with the program for an hour or so entering bogus records so that you can familiarize yourself with the program's functions. Once you are comfortable with the system, select this option to clear the database. This option should only be used before you begin entering REAL data, or if you made some MAJOR mistake and want to start all over again. Once you have gone through this function any records that existed will be permanently erased. You will be given two chances to change your mind. ENTER YOUR REGISTRATION CODE This option is for REGISTERED users. When you send in your check for registration, I will send you a license to use this program, a printed copy of this manual, and a REGISTRATION CODE. This code has a specific format and the program will only accept a valid code. The program will ask you for your code and your name. If a valid code is entered, the information is stored in the config.dat file. As stated earlier, when you pass this program on to a friend the program will re-initialize the program by resetting the registration information. Also, once the computer has a valid code, the program will be "personalized." The main menu will now include a line that says "Registered To: " and your name. The registration reminder at the end will be replaced with a thank you notice. MAIN MENU: PROGRAM INFORMATION This option will display a screen of text basically explaining what shareware is and how to register your copy of the program. I strongly encourage you to register. The only way I will maintain this program and generate new versions is if I have financial support. Once you have registered, your name will be added to my user database. I will periodically send out new product/version announcements. If you are registered, you will learn about new products as soon as they are available and where you can get them. After reading the information screen you can either press <ESC> to return to the main menu, or hit any other key to print a registration form. You will be asked for your name, company (or second line for the address), street address, city, state, zip code, and amount enclosed. $25 is the registration fee. As I said, your support is the main driver behind upgrades and new releases. The more support I get, the more likely it is the program will be improved. Lastly, you will be asked to select where you want the form to be sent: to the printer, to the screen, and/or to a file. MAIN MENU: TOGGLE MOVING CODES This option will activate all the moving features of this program. Once toggled, the main menu will indicate that you are in moving mode by displaying the additional line "Moving Codes Added" below the title. If you select toggle again you will return to normal inventory mode. This toggle will cause the BOX CODE field to be displayed in the ADD NEW and EDIT/VIEW screens. It will also cause additional options to appear in the indexing and report menus. MAIN MENU: QUIT The last option is self explanatory. "QUIT" will simply cause you to exit the system and will return you to DOS. VI. Suggestions I tried to make this program fairly flexible. You can use this program to track individual collections (stamp collection, model collection, miniture bottles, etc) simply by creating a database specific to those items and using the appropriate fields. You can also use the program to track automobile expenses if you have a classic car or expensive car that you want to keep records on. As mentioned earlier, the COMMENTS field provides a lot of flexability for determining how records are entered. As you may have noticed from my computer example in the SAMPLES.DBF, I entered a lot of detailed information about the hardware in my computer. If the computer is stolen or lost in a fire, I want to be sure that my insurance company will replace it with the same type/quality of unit. If I didn't list that it is an EISA Local Bus with all EISA components, 8 Meg of system RAM and 2 Meg of RAM on the EISA disk controller, I may only get an ISA 486 system with none of the extras that I originally paid for. Make sure your records have enough detail to ensure that they are replaced with equivalent items. VII. Troubleshooting 99% of the problems that occur with database programs are with their index files. If you encounter a problem, I suggest that you begin by deleting the ".NTX" files (type <Del *.ntx><return> at the DOS prompt). Don't worry, the program will automatically re-generate the index files the next time you start the program. If you change things by using dBase III+ or another program that can be used on dBase compatible files, most likely the index files will need to be updated before you can run the program. Simply delete the old ".NTX" files and your data files should work fine. If you have another problem with the system, send me a note describing the problem. If its a bug, I'll fix it and send you a new copy of the program. If not, I can't guarentee that I can solve the problem, but I will give it my best shot. VIII. Windows 3.x This program will run under Windows 3.x as a non-windows application. To add the program to Windows, make sure that your active group is the one you want this program to appear in and select "File" from the program manager. Select "New". This is a new Program Item, so make sure that Program Item has a filled bubble and select "OK". Windows will provide you with a dialog box for information. Fill it out as shown: Description: Inventory! Command Line: Inv.exe Working Directory: C:\<inventory directory> Where <inventory directory> is whatever the name of the subdirectory that the inventory program is located in. I like to change the Icon as well. Windows supplies you with a variety of icons. If you want to change the icon, select "Change Icon". It will give an error message. Select "OK" Windows will then show you some default icons. I like the coffee cup with the highlighter, pen and sissors in it, but you can choose whichever you want. IX. Upcoming Products I was going to write an Address Book/Label Maker. Then I found out there are a multitude of them out there and quickly rejected that idea. So, I started writing a Windows Cross Stitch program. It will use a spreadsheet-like interface as opposed to a bit-mapped file interface and should be completed around mid-late April 1993. I have also been toying with a Windows card making program (like hallmark, not business or playing). There are some dos-based versions around, but none (that I know of) that exploit the power of windows. It's a little early to speculate when that will be finished, but I am hoping around late summer, early fall 1993. At that point I will begin a windows version of this program (rest assured, the dos-based databases will be compatible, or at least automatically convertable). X. Custom Database Programming I am willing to write custom database applications. If you like this program and desire a similar product or a product for your business, send a letter detailing what you would like, your address and phone number. I will get back to you to let you know if I will do the application and let you know what it would cost. XI. Conclusion I hope that this manual has been useful. If you have comments or suggestions, I would appreciate it if you would send me a note. My compuserve address is 71573.233@CompuServe.Com. I hope that the program is of use to you and encourage you to register your copy. Shareware programmers take a risk by spreading their programs without requiring advance payment. For the shareware system to work, we need your support. Thanks, Mike