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INSTALL.DOC
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1995-01-21
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Easy Reminders (c)
Copyright 1992-1995 James A. Williams. All Rights Reserved.
Version 1.4
January 14, 1995
Installing Easy Reminders
-------------------------
This file contains basic information on installing Easy
Reminders. In order to install and run this program, you must
have an IBM-compatible personal computer with at least 410
kilobytes of free disk space, two floppy drives (at least one
must be high density) or a hard disk and approximately 336
kilobytes of free random access memory (RAM).
The program was developed using MS-DOS 6.2 but has been tested on
MS-DOS versions 3.3 through 6.20. It should run without any
problems on MS-DOS versions 2.0 or later.
The program is distributed as a compressed file called
EZREMIND.ZIP. To uncompress the file, use PKWARE's PKUNZIP or
any other uncompression program that can handle the file. I
would suggest that you copy the compressed file to a subdirectory
on your hard disk that is empty before you uncompress the file.
By doing this, you will know what files are being delivered with
the program and can easily copy them to another location if
desired.
After the compressed file is uncompressed, there will be an
additional eighteen (18) files that comprise the program. To
install the program, make sure you are in the subdirectory where
the files are located and type install and press Enter. Follow
the instructions that appear on the screen. If you are
installing Easy Reminders from a diskette, do not write-protect
the diskette before you begin installation or the installation
procedure will fail. You can write-protect the diskette after
installation, if you choose.
Twelve (12) files will be copied to your PC in whatever
subdirectory you chose during installation. Two of the files,
EZRM.BAT and CEZRM.BAT, were created to assist you in making the
program easier to use.
Configuring Easy Reminders
--------------------------
To configure Easy Reminders for your computer, you should have
already gone through the installation process described above.
If you took the default installation, 12 files associated with
Easy Reminders were copied to a subdirectory on your hard disk
called EZREMIND. For the sake of illustration, we will assume
the Easy Reminders program was copied to the C drive and the
EZREMIND subdirectory. If your case is different, substitute the
correct drive letter and subdirectory name in the examples listed
below. Easy Reminders was designed so that when your PC is
turned on, Easy Reminders will display any active reminders. This
is accomplished by including an appropriate line in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. There are several different ways that Easy
Reminders can be configured, this example will show the least-
painful way. Follow the detailed instructions listed below.
When you see <Enter>, press the Enter or Return key on the
keyboard.
a. Copy the two files EZRM.BAT and CEZRM.BAT from the
EZREMIND subdirectory to the root directory of your hard
disk. If your PC boots from a floppy, copy the files to
the root directory of the diskette. If Easy Reminders
was installed in a subdirectory different than EZREMIND,
you will need to modify EZRM.BAT and CEZRM.BAT. Use your
favorite text editor and change the subdirectory name in
the two batch files to the name of the subdirectory where
Easy Reminders was installed.
1. Go to the EZREMIND subdirectory by typing this command
at the DOS prompt:
cd \ezremind <Enter>
2. Copy the two files by typing this command:
copy *.bat \ <Enter>
3. Make sure the root directory is included in your PATH.
You can check this by typing the following command:
path <Enter>
The response should look something like:
PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS
The C:\ at the beginning of the PATH statement is what
is needed for the two batch files to be able to be
executed. If the output from your path command does
not include this, edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and
include it. Consult your DOS manual or online help
for information on the PATH command or solicit the
help from a local PC expert.
b. Include the command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file that will
execute the program. Use your favorite text editor to
make the changes.
1. Go to the root directory by typing this command:
cd \ <Enter>
2. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and somewhere near the end
of the file, include this line:
call ezrm
If the last line of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file starts
Windows or a menu system, make sure the line to start
Easy Reminders is above that last line. The program
called CALL first appeared in MS-DOS version 3.3 and
allows a batch file to call another batch file. If
you are using a version of DOS that does not have the
CALL command, you will have to use the older way of
calling batch files from a batch file. For example,
you would include this line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
command /c ezrm
Save the file.
c. If the program was installed correctly and you followed
the instructions properly, you should be able to reboot
the PC and see the Alert reminder from Easy Reminders.
Remove any diskettes from the A drive (assuming you are
booting from your hard disk) and reboot the PC with a
Ctrl + Alt + Del or press the Reset button. Look for any
error messages from DOS when the PC begins booting and if
there are no problems, you will see the Alert screen
displayed from Easy Reminders. If the date and time
displayed is correct, press any key on the keyboard. If
you need to change the date or time, press the Escape
key. When you are prompted to enter the new date, type
today's date in the format displayed on the screen. For
example, if today is January 18, 1995, you would type 12-
18-95; press Enter. You are prompted for the current
time. Type the current time in the proper format. Note
that a PC keeps time using the 24-hour clock or military
time. For example, if the current time is 4:03 P. M.,
you would type 16:03; press Enter. The program comes
with a sample reminder so you can quickly see how a
reminder would be displayed. Press any key after viewing
the sample reminder.
d. Easy Reminders is installed with the Alert feature turned
on and the default monitor displays color. If you want
to turn off the Alert feature or if you are using a
monochrome monitor or a laptop with an LCD or gas-plasma
screen, you will have to change the setup.
1. To change the default configuration, type cezrm at the
DOS prompt and press Enter. To turn off the Alert
feature, choose Setup from the main menu. Choose
Alert from the next menu. Choose Turn Alert Off on
the Alert Menu. Choose Exit to return to the main
menu.
2. If you need the change the monitor type, choose
Monitor from the Setup Menu. Choose Monochrome
Monitor and you will be returned to the Setup Menu.
Choose Exit to return to the main menu.
Configuring Easy Reminders For Microsoft (R) Windows (TM)
---------------------------------------------------------
Detailed instructions are included below if you will be running
Easy Reminders from Microsoft Windows. You must have already
installed and configured Easy Reminders as outlined above. The
instructions assume you used the defaults in the installation
procedure and Easy Reminders was installed on the C drive and
into a subdirectory called EZREMIND. If you installed the
program on a different drive and/or into a different
subdirectory, make the appropriate changes in the instructions
that follow.
The below-listed instructions are for creating an icon to access
the Easy Reminders program.
a. Start Windows. Decide which Program Group you want to
add Easy Reminders to and make it active by clicking on
the Title bar.
b. Click on File on the Menu bar. Click on New.
c. Make sure the Program Item radio button is selected and
click on OK.
d. The insertion point will be in the text box called
Description. Type in the name you want to appear below
the icon for Easy Reminders, for example Easy Reminders.
Press the Tab key.
e. The insertion point will be in the text box called
Command Line. Type in the name of the program to be
executed to access Easy Reminders -
C:\EZREMIND\CHGEZRM.COM. Press the Tab key.
f. The insertion point will be in the Working Directory text
box. Type in C:\EZREMIND and press the Tab key.
g. Click on Change Icon. If you see a message about no
icons available, click on OK. The File Name text box
will be highlighted; press the Backspace key. The
insertion point will be in the File Name text box. Type
C:\EZREMIND\EZREMIND.ICO and press Enter or click on OK.
You will see the icon for Easy Reminders appear on the
screen; click on OK. Click on OK again.
You will see the new icon appear in that Program Group. Double
click on the new icon to see if it works correctly. The main
menu for Easy Reminders should appear on the screen. Type Q to
Quit Easy Reminders and return to Windows.
If Easy Reminders does not appear on the screen, look for any
messages that appear that might give you an idea of what went
wrong. Go back through the various steps listed above and make
sure you did everything correctly. If the Windows configuration
was done properly then go to DOS and make sure there was a
subdirectory created called EZREMIND and that it contains all
eleven files that should have been copied to the subdirectory.
If everything worked properly, then Easy Reminders is configured
correctly and you can begin to start working with the Easy
Reminders database. If you haven't already done it, read or
print the file contained on the Easy Reminders system disk called
INTRO.DOC. It will give you an introduction to the program.
Please register your copy of the program as soon as possible.
Configuring Easy Reminders For DOS Menu Systems
-----------------------------------------------
If you are going to be using Easy Reminders from within a DOS-
style menu system, the two (2) batch files called EZRM.BAT and
CEZRM.BAT will be useful for this. If Easy Reminders was
installed in a subdirectory different than EZREMIND, you will
need to modify EZRM.BAT and CEZRM.BAT. Use your favorite text
editor and change the subdirectory name in the two batch files to
the name of the subdirectory where Easy Reminders was installed.
Executing EZRM.BAT displays the actual reminders while CEZRM.BAT
executes the program to make changes to the Easy Reminders
database. This is also the easiest way to use Easy Reminders if
you intend on using the program from the DOS prompt.
Ordering Easy Reminders
-----------------------
There are three different ways to complete the order form to
order Easy Reminders. If you have a printer connected to your
PC, you can complete an order form from within the program. If a
printer is not connected, you can still complete the form and
store it as a file that can be taken to another PC with a printer
attached and printed. You can also print the file called
ORDER.DOC included with the program and manually complete it. To
order Easy Reminders using the online feature in the program,
follow the instructions listed below.
a. Start Easy Reminders.
b. At the main menu, press O for Order Program or move the
cursor down to that menu item and press <Enter>.
c. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.