DeskAlarm 2.1 User Manual
Table Of Contents
Introduction
What's New
How It Works
System Requirements
Installation Upgrading and Uninstalling
Using DeskAlarm
Registering
Contact Information
Version Info and History
About Bit Choreography
License Agreement
Credits
DeskAlarm is designed to augment the PC side of being a Palm Connected Organizer owner. Alarms on the Palm Organizer are easy to miss when it’s not right next to you. DeskAlarm helps solve this problem by displaying your Datebook alarms on your PC. If you use the Palm Desktop application that ships with the 3Com palm Organizers, DeskAlarm also adds an AutoSave feature missing from the Palm Desktop application that can help prevent data loss.
Even if you don't own a Palm Organizer you can still use DeskAlarm along with Palm Desktop for a complete Personal Information Management system. Simply download Palm Desktop, available free form the Palm website http://www.palm.com and use it with DeskAlarm for a complete solution.
This section introduces the new features in DeskAlarm
For more information please refer to the rest of the manual.
The DeskAlarm application sits on your system tray and waits for the time of an alarm set in your Datebook. When its time a message box will pop up to display the alarm.
DeskAlarm gets its information from the files that are saves to disk during a HotSync. These files are also used by Palm Desktop and get updated every time you HotSync. If you use the Palm Desktop they are also updated when you select "save all" from the menu or tool bar and when you exit Palm Desktop (you do not get prompted).
If you use Palm Desktop the AutoSave feature is necessary to ensure all alarms you enter get displayed and to prevent data loss on the event of power loss or a crash. AutoSave is fully configurable and should definitely be used if you normally leave Palm Desktop running.
Starting with version 2.0 DeskAlarm allows you to snooze your alarms. Snoozed alarm are stored internally to DeskAlarm and will not appear on your Palm Organizer or Palm Desktop.
DeskAlarm is designed for Windows 95/98/ NT4 and has been tested on both. You must have Palm Desktop 2.1 or 3.0 installed before you run DeskAlarm. It has been NOT been tested on Palm Desktop 2.0 and probably will not work with 2.0! Palm Desktop 3.01 is available as a free upgrade from the 3Com web site even if you don’t have a Palm III. or even any Palm Organizer.
If you are upgrading from a previous version of Desk alarm first please make sure it is not running. To install or upgrade DeskAlarm simply unzip all the files in the distribution zip file to a temporary directory and run setup. If you use Winzip you should have an Install button on the tool bar when you open the zip file, you can simply click that. The DeskAlarm install program will walk you through the installation. Obviously if you want alarms to be display DeskAlarm must be running so it is a good idea to let the installation program add DeskAlarm to your startup group.
The first time you run DeskAlarm it will prompt you for a user whose alarms should be displayed please make sure to select the correct user name.
That’s it you are ready to go.
If you have trouble installing DeskAlarm please check the FAQ if you don't find the answer there please feel free to contact me.
You can uninstall DeskAlarm from the Control Panel Add/Remove Applications window. Activate the Control Panel, double click Add/Remove Programs, and double click on the DeskAlarm list box entry.
Once it has been installed and is running DeskAlarm will reside on the system tray and pop up alarms as they come due. Place your mouse cursor over the tray icon for information on the next alarm or snooze that is due. More information on the next alarm and next snooze is available in the About box. Your data on Palm Desktop will also be safer with DeskAlarm forcing Palm Desktop to save its data at a given interval. DeskAlarm is fully customizable and has a number of additional features like an option to "Snooze" alarms for a delayed reminder and more. Refer to the rest of the manual to see all that DeskAlarm can do for you. Or just start enjoying DeskAlarm and come back to this later.
When an alarm or snoozed alarm come due the alarm dialog will pop up displaying the text of the all alarm do at that time. The first time this dialog appears it will show 3 buttons:
In the expanded mode you will have a few more options:
DeskAlarm remembers the whether you left the Alarm dialog in Expanded or compact mode so next time it will appear in the same mode
Right click the DeskAlarm tray Icon to get a menu that will let you configure DeskAlarm, Launch Palm Desktop or Quit DeskAlarm.
Menu Options:
When you select Properties from the menu you will see a tabbed dialog box from which you can configure DeskAlarm
Alarm Sounds tab
Here you can choose the sound DeskAlarm plays for an alarm, How many times to repeat the alarm if to acknowledged and the repeat frequency.
| Alarms Sound - | Choose between none, the system default sound. And a sound file (which you will need to select). Any standard sound file (*.wav) can be used. You probably have loads of them installed on your system. Once you have selected a sound file click the test button to check that everything is working . The "get sounds" link leads you to the web site where you can download sounds to use for your alarm sound. |
| Remind Me - | Choose how many times you want the alarm sound to repeat. Even if
you have selected to use silent alarms the dialog will be restored if it is minimized and
flash. Alarm will repeat until the "OK" or "Snooze" buttons are pressed. |
| Play Every - | Select the frequency for repeated reminders. |
Alarm Settings tab
Here you can choose the size of the Dialog that pops up on an alarm, the default time alarms will be snoozed for and whether notes attached to alarms should be displayed
| Alarm Dialog Size - | Select between normal,big and big and bold. |
| Default Snooze Time - | Select many minutes or hours you want alarms to be snoozed for by default. Every time an alarm or snooze alarm is displayed this will be the initial value offered by DeskAlarm to snooze it for. |
| Display Alarm notes - | When checked alarms that have notes will be displayed with the text of the note in addition to the text of the Datebook entry. |
Palm Desktop tab
Here you can choose to Enable or Disable the auto save feature.
If enabled you can select every how many minutes Palm Desktop should be forced to save.
You can choose to Disable auto save while working in Palm Desktop. This means that while Palm Desktop is the window you are working in (the foreground application windows) Auto Save will be disabled. This will prevent fields you are working on from flashing and closing while you are working on them. As soon as you are not working in Palm Desktop auto save will function normally (once its not the foreground application).
The name of the user whose alarms are being processed by DeskAlarm is displayed at the bottom of this tab.
Advanced
Here you can choose what to do when the Tray Icon for DeskAlarm is double clicked. This tab also contains advanced options available only to registered users. Registered users can choose not to display the flash screen that comes up when you start DeskAlarm and to hide the system tray Icon.
| Double Click on Tray Icon opens Palm Desktop- | If this is checked when you double click on the DeskAlarm tray icon Palm Desktop will open. If it left unchecked then the Properties dialog will open (the default) |
| Registered User Options: | |
| No Splash Screen - | If this box is checked the DeskAlarm will start quietly with out displaying the opening dialog. |
| Hide Tray Icon - | If this box is checked the Tray Icon will no longer show. This allows DeskAlarm to run completely invisibly until there is an alarm. Note that once you select this and hit ok you can no longer access the properties dialog from the Tray Icon. To access the properties dialog simply click on the DeskAlarm Icon. |
DeskAlarm is shareware that if you like it you are expected to pay for it! You may evaluate DeskAlarm for a period of 31 days and then you must pay for registration if you wish to continue using it
If you like DeskAlarm you please register. I worked very hard to create DeskAlarm, trying to make it useful and very simple to use. Please help prove that creating shareware is worth the effort. This will also help further the development of DeskAlarm.
You can register DeskAlarm at PalmGear HQ registration is available at http://www2.viaweb.com/pilotgearsw/bitchor.html
| Or by Phone or Fax: |
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Israeli users who wish to pay in N.I.S. or users who prefer to pay cash via snail mail may contact me to arrange this.
One you register. You will receive a registration code that will allow you to continue using DeskAlarm beyond the 31-days evaluation period, as well as give allowing you to use the registered user options. Simply click the register button in the about box and enter the code you received.
Registered users will get all minor upgrades and at least 1 major upgrade free. Support can only be guaranteed for registered users.
Feel free to contact me with any problem, questions or requests you may have concerning DeskAlarm. Please note that I can only promise support for registered users but I will try to relate to any feedback I get.
Joey Edelstein
Bit Choreography
| Email: | deskalarm@usa.net |
| Web: | http://www.deskalarm.com |
This section presents the changes made in each public release of DeskAlarm it is mostly of interest to more technical users who want full details on the changes that were made.
See the What's New Section for new features bellow are some more technical details and information on a bug fix.
This is a Bug-Fix version. The following issues were addressed:
This is a major revision many new features were added. Most are covered in the What's New Section. Bellow is some additional technical information:
Another minor bug fix version. There is not need to upgrade to this version from
version 1.0 unless you are having problems registering your copy of DeskAlarm.
Issues addressed:
Corrected another minor registration problem.
Minor bug fix version. There is not need to upgrade to this version from version
1.0 unless you are having problems registering your copy of DeskAlarm.
Issues addressed:
Corrected a registration problem some registered users reported. Also fixed a
problem where the first time DeskAlarm was run it would display an incorrect number of
days left in evaluation.
This is the official version 1 release. added all the features that were missing
in Beta 1 and an option to control the size of the alarm pop up.
There are have been some reports of problems with a crash during auto save and of some
alarms coming up at the wrong time. Both seem to be rare and I couldn't reproduce
them . Changes were made to the code to help prevent these problems please report
any problems you have.
This is the first public beta release of DeskAlarm. There are no know bugs at
release time.
Features left to implement:
Bit Choreography is Joey Edelstein. There is no more to it.
You should carefully read the following terms and conditions before using the DeskAlarm software. Your use of this software indicates your acceptance of this license agreement and warranty.
Evaluation and Registration
This is not free software. Subject to the terms below, you are hereby licensed to use this software for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of 31 days. If you use this software after the 31-day evaluation period a registration fee is required. Payments can be done at PilotGear HQ when payment is received you will be sent the means to register your copy of the program.
Governing Law
This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Israel.
Warranty Disclaimer
THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.
Distribution of Evaluation Version
You are hereby licensed to make as many copies of the evaluation version of this software and documentation as you wish; give exact copies of the original evaluation version to anyone; and distribute the evaluation version of the software and documentation in its unmodified form via electronic means. There is no charge for any of the above.
You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made; and from distributing the software and/or documentation with other products (commercial or otherwise) without prior written permission.
Copyright ¸ 1998 Bit Choreography – Joey Edelstein
Developing this application was made much easier do to the following recourses:
This product includes software developed by 3Com and its contributors. They require that I include the following:
Copyright (c) 1998
3Com/Palm Computing Division. All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE 3COM AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS''AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL 3COM OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.