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TIKLER.DOC
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1989-09-17
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TIKLER
Version 3.2
by Dick Olsen
Welcome to TIKLER. TIKLER is an easy to use program that will
help you keep track of upcoming events. It is intended to be
added as the last item in your AutoExec.Bat file so that it will
be run automatically each time you turn on your computer. TIKLER
displays the coming events for any number of days in the future,
or it can display events that have occurred during any number of
days past up until the present. It's kind of a note
taker/reminder/calendar program that you should find useful, if
not indispensable. Unlike many commercial programs that perform
similar functions, TIKLER was designed to be quick, easy to
learn, and free-form in its note entries. Chances are that you
won't need to refer to this document in order to make full use of
TIKLER. I suggest, however, that you read it in its entirety so
that you'll have a fuller understanding of the program. If you
have a color monitor, TIKLER displays today's events in yellow,
tomorrow's events in light green, and all other events in cyan on
your screen. All functions only require a single keystroke to
activate. TIKLER creates and maintains a file on your disk
called COMEVENT. This is the default file that TIKLER will use
each time it is run. Once TIKLER is running, you can change to a
different event file if you wish. The file is created in
ordinary text mode so that it can be edited with almost any word
processor program or editor, however, it is recommended that you
use the built in editor to make any changes. If you must edit an
event file with a word processing program, BE CAREFUL! If you
have too few lines or too many lines, TIKLER will be confused
when it reads the event file.
When you first install and run TIKLER, you will be asked how many
days notice you would like. What you enter here determines the
default number of days that TIKLER will look ahead to find
events. A good number seems to be 14 days, but you can enter
whatever you would like. Once you have specified the number of
days notice you would like, TIKLER will create a file in the
current directory called COMEVENT, which is the default event
file. The first entry in this file is the number of days notice
you have specified. This number can be changed by selecting
number five in the FLUSH EVENT mode. Each time you enter a new
event, it will be added to the COMEVENT file, or to whatever
event file is currently active. TIKLER, beginning with version
3.0, also contains a simple 'what you see is what you get' event
editor. This built in editor makes it easy and fast for you to
change events or their dates.
If you have used older versions of TIKLER......CONVERT!
If you have used a version of TIKLER prior to version 3.0, and
you have an event archive file (TIKARC.EVT) created, you will
need to convert it to the new format required by version 3.1.
This is a simple process since a program is provided on your
TIKLER disk to do this for you. The program is called
CONVARC.EXE. Copy it from the distribution disk to the directory
on your hard disk where TIKLER is installed. Then type CONVARC
and the program will take care of the conversion for you. Once
the conversion has been made, don't do it again! No other files
should need to be changed.
While TIKLER is running, the bottom two lines of your display
will show eleven function keys. The operations performed by these
function keys are as follows:
F1 <EXIT>
This key is pretty self explanatory. When pressed, it will return
to DOS at whatever directory TIKLER is installed in. You can run
TIKLER at any time by changing to the directory where it is and
typing TIKLER. A batch file could be created that would do this
for you.
F2 <add event>
Press this key if you want to add an event to your active event
file. TIKLER will ask you first for the date of the event, then
for the description of the event. You can enter up to 64
characters for the event description, but it's best to keep your
entries as short as possible. The built in editor will truncate
all events so that the date plus the event text all fits on one
80 character line. When entering the date of the event, you can
use several formats. Some examples are shown below:
8/8/87
08/08/87
8/8
8-8-1987
8-08/1987
In the above examples, TIKLER will add missing digits, and
convert the " - " characters to " / " characters so that for
August 8, 1987, TIKLER would convert the date as entered in any
of the above formats to 08/08/1987, if 1987 were the current
year. If the event date is going to occur in the current year,
the year portion of the date can be skipped by just pressing
enter. TIKLER will get the year from DOS and add it for you. If
you just press ENTER in response to the date question, TIKLER
will get the current date from DOS.
When adding events, there are two more special keys you should be
aware of. One of these is the DITTO key. When you press the "
key, the previously entered date or event string is copied. For
example, suppose you had a meeting every Monday morning. After
you add this event to TIKLER for the first time, simply change
the date then press " when you are asked to enter the event. The
same information used in the previous event will be copied into
the current event, saving you lots of typing. The ditto function
also works on the date. The other special key is the back-slash
(\). If TIKLER finds this character anywhere in either your date
or your event entry, it will abort the saving of that event. When
events are listed on the screen, TIKLER will get the appropriate
day of the week from DOS and print it next to the date. As each
event is entered, it is sorted by date before being added to your
event file. Beginning with version 1.80, the day of the week will
also be added to your event date as it is saved in your active
event file. Compatibility is maintained with existing EVENT
files.
F3 <view past events>
This key allows you to temporarily change the NUMBER OF DAYS
NOTICE to some number of days in the past. For example, suppose
you want to view the events that occurred within the past 3
weeks. When TIKLER asks for the number of days past, you would
enter 21. Now TIKLER will display events that happened during the
three weeks preceding TODAY, as well as TODAY'S events. If you
have more events than TIKLER can fit on the screen, TIKLER will
pause and wait for you to press ENTER and then it will show you
the remaining events.
F4 <list ALL events>
When you press this key, all of the events from your ACTIVE EVENT
FILE will be listed. TIKLER will pause at the end of a full
screen and wait for you to press the 'ENTER' key before showing
you the rest of the events in your file.
F5 <search for event>
Pressing this key will cause the message 'enter KEYWORD:' to be
displayed in a window on your screen. You can enter a single word
or phrase that you want TIKLER to look for. TIKLER will search
your entire ACTIVE EVENT FILE for event descriptions that contain
your keyword or words. Each event containing the keyword or
phrase will be displayed on your screen.
F6 <flush & MORE>
Pressing the F6 function key will present you with six choices.
If you pick choice number 1, you will be asked for a date prior
to which events are to be deleted. You can use any of the date
formats specified under the F2 key description. After entering
the date, TIKLER will ask you if you would like to ARCHIVE the
events that are to be deleted. If you answer "yes" or "y" to this
question, TIKLER will delete all events that occurred before the
date you entered from your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file, but they will
be added to a file called TIKARC.EVT in case you need to refer to
them at a later time. Answering "no" or "n" will cause the events
to be deleted without archiving them. Selecting choice number two
will allow you to selectively delete events one at a time. Each
event will be displayed sequentially until you press "e" to exit
or the end of your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file is reached. As each
event is displayed, you can press "a" to flush the event but add
it to your ARCHIVE, "f" to just flush it from your ACTIVE EVENT
FILE file, or any other key to keep it. You can press "e" at any
time to stop flushing events. If you choose choice number three,
TIKLER will ask you for a date. You can enter the date in any of
the formats described under the F2 key description. TIKLER will
then search your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file for events that have or
will occur on that date, and display them one at a time. As each
event is displayed, you can enter "a" to flush the event but add
it to your ARCHIVE, "f" to just flush the event, "e" to exit the
flush mode, or any other key to continue searching for the date
you entered. Choice number four will give you the opportunity to
delete ALL of the events in your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file. If you
answer "y" when asked "are you sure ?", TIKLER will give you the
choice of adding the flushed events to your ARCHIVE or simply
deleting them ALL. Any other response will get you out of flush
mode. Choice number five really has nothing to do with flushing
events. This choice allows you to change the default NUMBER OF
DAYS NOTICE that is used each time TIKLER is run. Just answer the
question, and TIKLER will do the rest.
Choice number six, CHANGE EVENT FILE, is something new that was
added at version 3.0. Selecting it allows you to change from or
to the default event file, COMEVENT, or to some other event file
that is compatible with TIKLER. If you enter the name of an event
file that does not exist, TIKLER will give you the opportunity to
create it. If TIKLER finds the event file you have specified, all
succeeding activity will be done to that file. If you ARCHIVE any
events from this new file, they will still be added to your
TIKARC.EVT file.
If you have used versions of TIKLER prior to version 3.0, you
will find that the older TIKARC.EVT files are not compatible with
those created by version 3.1. However, the TIKLER disk contains a
conversion program called CONVARC.EXE which will convert your old
TIKARC.EVT file to the new format required by version 3.1. Once
the conversion is made, the TIKARC.EVT file can be edited just
like any other event file using the built in edit mode.
Therefore, it is suggested that you perform this conversion prior
to running version 3.1. The ARCHIVE file created by TIKLER can be
viewed by any text editor or word processing program. If you
decide to edit it, or any other TIKLER event file, BE CAREFUL!
Make sure you retain the same format as the original file. Extra
lines can cause strange looking displays! Instead of using a word
processor or text editor, it is suggested that you change the
ACTIVE EVENT FILE file as described above, then use the built in
editor to preserve compatibility. If you decide to ARCHIVE some
of your events, TIKLER will create the ARCHIVE file for you. The
name of the file created is TIKARC.EVT. All archived events will
be added to this file regardless of what your ACTIVE EVENT FILE
is.
F7 <find a date>
When you press this key, you will be asked for the date that you
want to find. TIKLER will search through your ACTIVE EVENT FILE
file and display all events that match the date you've entered.
You can enter the date in any of the formats previously
described.
F8 <print events>
When you press this key, TIKLER will ask you if you want to print
all events, or only those events within the number of days notice
you have specified. The events from the ACTIVE EVENT FILE are
printed in order of date. Don't forget that you can also use the
DOS print screen command. It will print whatever you see on the
screen by pressing SHIFT-PRTSC.
F9 <change number of days notice>
This key will allow you to change how far ahead (or back) you
want TIKLER to look for events. The change is only temporary and
will not be saved to your file. You may want to view all the
events that are scheduled for the next month (meetings, birthdays
etc.). Just press the F9 key and enter 30 for the number of days
notice. TIKLER will immediately look for the events for the next
30 days and display them for you. TIKLER can also show you events
that occurred before the current date by entering a negative
number for the number of days notice. For example, if you were to
enter '-7', TIKLER would find and display the events of the
previous week. You can change the number of days notice as many
times as you wish, but TIKLER will always use the default value
from your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file each time you run it. If you
want to change the default number of days notice, use F6, the
flush mode key.
F10 <list again>
This key will list the events again, based on the current number
of days notice.
ALT-E <EDIT MODE>
The built in editor is a new feature added at the release of
version 3.0. It is something many people have asked for. The
editor is a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) type of
editor. This means that once you have an event edited to your
satisfaction on the screen, it will be saved to your ACTIVE EVENT
FILE just as it appears on the screen. TIKLER will recalculate
the day of the week for you if you change the date.
To invoke the editor, just press ALT-E (hold down the ALT key
while you press the E key). TIKLER will then enter the EDIT mode,
and display a screen full of events from the event file you are
currently using. A hilite bar will appear at the first event
listed on your screen. This bar is used to select the event that
you want to edit. Use the UP or DOWN arrow keys to move the bar
up or down one event at a time, or you can use the PGUP or PGDN
keys to move a page at a time through your event file. The HOME
key will move the bar to the beginning of the file, and the END
key will position it at the end of the event file.
Edit mode can be aborted without saving the changes made during
the CURRENT EDIT SESSION by pressing ALT-A.
The bottom three lines of your screen will change to display
what keys perform what while in edit mode. When you exit edit
mode, these lines will be replaced by the general command
function keys. After you have positioned the hilite bar over the
event you want to edit, use the left or right arrow keys to
position the cursor where your change is to be made. Pressing the
DEL key will delete the character at the cursor, while pressing
any other key will cause that character to be inserted at the
cursor position. You cannot delete any characters in the date
field or the day-of-week field because this will mess up the
event file. You can however, change the date, but not the
day-of-week. If the hilite bar is positioned over an event you
want to delete, pressing ALT-D will delete it. ALT-I will
increment the year of the event by one. As mentioned earlier,
TIKLER will compute a new day-of-the-week for you if you change a
date.
When you have finished editing all of the events you want to
change, press ESC to exit the EDIT MODE, and your event file will
be updated to reflect the changes you have made. You can edit as
many events as you like while in edit mode, since all changes are
made to your event file at the end of the edit session.
ALT-C Show Calendar
When you are in EDIT MODE or at the main command level, you
can pop a calendar on the screen by pressing ALT-C. The calendar
will show the current month, with the current date hilited in
yellow. While the calendar is displayed, pressing the UP arrow
key will show you the previous month, the DOWN arrow key will
show the next month, the LEFT arrow key will show the currently
displayed month of the previous year, and pressing the RIGHT
arrow key will display the currently displayed month of the next
year. Pressing ESC will erase the calendar from the screen. The
calendar is not operational while any other windows are
displayed.
The range of the calendar is limited by DOS. It will display as
far back as 1/1/80 and as far ahead as December 2099.
Installing TIKLER
To install TIKLER on your computer, first change to the directory
in which you want it installed. Then simply copy it from the
floppy disk to the current directory. Once you've copied it, just
type 'TIKLER', and your COMEVENT file will be created, with a
default number of days notice set for whatever number of days you
entered when asked to do so. TIKLER will run, and display the
message 'there are no coming events...'. At this point, you can
begin entering your events with the F2 key. If you have used a
version of TIKLER prior to 3.0, you will need to convert your
ARCHIVE FILE (TIKARC.EVT) to the newer format. Instructions
describing how to do this appear earlier in this document.
To make TIKLER run each time you turn on your computer, just add
the TIKLER command to your autoexec.bat file, similar to the
example shown below:
CD\<directory where TIKLER is installed>
TIKLER
At this time, TIKLER is limited to 300 events. The number of
events you have in your ACTIVE EVENT FILE file is displayed on
the top line of the screen and is updated anytime you add or
delete an event. If you exceed 290 events, TIKLER will remind you
that you are approaching the maximum of 300 events. You should
delete events that are no longer needed. This limit of 300 events
is an arbitrary number that seems to satisfy the needs of most
people. I chose this value in order to save disk space and
optimize speed. Although TIKLER runs quite fast with 300 events,
the fewer you have, the faster it will run.
A few extra words....
TIKLER is distributed under the concept of SHAREWARE. Under this
concept, you are free to use, copy and distribute this program
without charge. You are not permitted to sell it either by itself
or as part of a package. The author retains all of the rights to
the program. The idea of SHAREWARE is a good one. It helps us all
to obtain some really good software at a price we can all afford.
If the SHAREWARE concept is going to continue, we need to support
the efforts of the software authors. Most of these people would
gladly accept a small donation as a token of appreciation for
their work. These donations don't even come close to compensating
an author for the many hours of work his or her program
represents, but it sure makes them feel more inclined to continue
the SHAREWARE practice. All of us benefit then!
If you find TIKLER to be as handy and helpful as I have, please
register your copy of the program. To register, just fill out the
registration form on the next page, and send it together with
your registration fee of $10.00 (cash, check or money order)
to the address shown. Registered users will receive, free of
charge, the latest version of TIKLER if the one you have is not
recent. If you pass this program on to others, either on floppy
disk or through bulletin boards, please be sure to attach this
document.
Please address all correspondence to:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, Mass. 01460
Tikler v3.1 REGISTRATION FORM
Dear Dick,
Enclosed please find my check or money order for $10.00. Please
register me as a TIKLER user and send me the latest version if
the version I currently have is not the latest.
Thanks!
YOUR NAME________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS___________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP_________________________________________
COUNTRY__________________________________________________
TIKLER Version you have__________________________________
WHERE DID YOU GET TIKLER?________________________________
COMMENTS_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Mail To:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, MA 01460
Other programs available from the author:
BASSTOUR......A bass fishing tournament game. Comes with
six different areas to fish. You control a
fully rigged bass boat with on-screen contour
maps, LCD graph, over 2300 lure/color choices.
Superb graphics in EGA. Also runs on Hercules
and CGA systems.
LAKES #1......A collection of 7 new fishing areas you can
add to BASSTOUR. Installation instructions
are included.
LAKES #2......Another seven fishing areas to use with
BASSTOUR. Use of both LAKES #1 and LAKES #2
will bring the total number of fishing areas
to 20. Includes installation instructions.
FISHBASE ][...A fisherman's data base/statistics program
for color or monochrome systems.
BASSTIPS......A great way for the fisherman to start his
day! Over 100 fishing tips that pop onto your
NEW!! screen. You can also add your own tips. More
tips are added all the time. Color or Mono
systems.
Available for $10 each. Plus $2.00 to cover postage and
materials. Please specify what you want by circling the titles
and send this form to the address shown below.
Mail TO:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, MA. 01460
