with your future prevention (or treatment) of RSIs!

Anyway, enough rambling.  I hope you like my program, and good luck



me.  I'm happy to help!

stupid question is one that is not asked.  So don't feel like you're bothering

please feel free to ask me.  I am of the school of thought that the only

In addition, if you have any questions whatsoever about this program,



guarantee that my reply will be timely!

I will get you a timely reply.  If you send snail mail, however, I can't

Coffee Break were not my ideas.)  If you send me e-mail, I guarantee that

of them.  (In fact, many of the features that have found their way into

welcome input, and though I may not use all the ideas I get, I do use a lot

I also invite you to give me your thoughts and ideas about this program.  I



register it if you can and if you think the program's worth it.

program is not to make money, but to help people.  I'm trusting you to

register Coffee Break, use it anyway.  The primary purpose of the

I would also like to say that if you for some reason or another can't





number of my registered users, so I don't doubt that it will help others.

that it actually does you some good.  I know it has for me, and for a

First of all, I'd like to say that I hope you enjoy Coffee Break, and I hope




Author's Comments





anyone with an Internet connection started.

are too many to list here.  One of the sources listed here should get

There are many other good sources of information about RSIs, but there



  http://www.cs.princeton.edu/grad/dwallach/tifaq/

  http://disability.com

There are also a couple good Web sites, for Mosaic fans:



/pub/typing-injury directory.

relevant information (the Typing Injury FAQ, among other things) in the

information.  It's address is ftp.csua.berkeley.edu, and you'll find the

There is also an anonymous ftp server from which you can get



in the body of the message.



subscribe rsi



the line

the RSI Newsletter list by sending mail to majordomo@world.std.com with

in the body of the message (subject doesn't matter).  You can also get on



subscribe sorehand <your name>



send mail to listserv@ucsfvm.bitnet with the line

First, there is a good e-mail mailing list called Sorehand.  To subscribe,





several good (and free) sources available via the Internet.

If you're interested in learning as much as possible about RSIs, there are




For more info about RSIs





you update information through "snail" mail (postal mail).

have an e-mail address, I'd love to know what it is.  If you don't, I'll send

have one.  I would prefer to notify people of updates via e-mail, so if you

Also, PLEASE INCLUDE A NOTE TELLING ME YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS, if you



me at ThomasReed@aol.com.

In case you'd like to get in touch with me through e-mail, you can reach





     St. Louis, MO  63117

     1912 McCausland

     Thomas Reed



To register Coffee Break, just send a check for US $5 (or cash) to:




Registering





For a list of compatible screen savers, see the table in the Read Me file.

compatible screen saver, you will not be able to turn these options on.

screen saver" and "Pause when saver on" options.  If you do not have a

one of a select group of screen savers installed.  Namely, the "Built-in

Coffee Break also has several features which will work only if you have





but it should work in theory.)

System 7.x, including a Mac Plus.  (I can't say much about anything older,

make the attempt.  It should, however, work on ANY machine running

application.  It will not work on machines running System 6, so don't even

Coffee Break's biggest limitation is that it is STRICTLY a System 7.x




Limitations





it.

purpose.  Coffee Break is not any use if you only use it when you feel like

the Startup Items folder, I'll only rarely turn it on, which defeats it's

want, but I've found that that doesn't work too well.  If I don't keep it in

You could also keep it in a convenient place and launch it only when you



Darkside loads first.

simply change either Coffee Break's or Darkside's name to ensure that

So, it'll turn off all the screen saver options.  To avoid this problem,

Darkside, and therefore will not detect that a screen saver is running.

Darkside of the Mac.  The reason?  Coffee Break will start up before

Note, however, that if you do this, you will have a problem if you use





automatically places itself in the background on startup.

automatically.  To make this as convenient as possible, Coffee Break

your Startup Items folder.  The next time you restart, it will start up

The easiest way to use Coffee Break is to simply drop it (or an alias) in




Recommended methods of use





timer.  You may only activate this feature once between breaks.

current timer, and after the next break, it will be subtracted from the

time setting in the Options dialog.  This amount of time will be added to the

to snooze.  You may enter an integer no larger than your current work

Coffee Break will display a dialog asking for an amount of time for which

though not without sacrifice.  When you activate the snooze feature,

have hit the "snooze" button.  This allows you to postpone your break,

If you click on the Timer window with the Command key down, you will



window will be created in the same place you last had it.

Timer window so that every time Coffee Break is launched, the Timer

The "Save window pos." menu item will save the current position of the



monitor.

it's new location.  You should be able to drag it to any position on any

frontmost application, then click anywhere in the window and drag it to

To move the Timer window, simply make sure Coffee Break is the





item is checked.

decrementing timer.  It is only visible if the "Show time window" menu

The Timer window is the small window containing a constantly




The Timer window







section of this manual.

For more information about the Hot Key dialog, see the Set Hot Key




The Hot Key Dialog





monitor (i.e., the one with the menu bar).

lucky owner of multiple monitors, the corner you've chosen is on the main

selected corner while Coffee Break is in the background.  If you are the

To actually use this feature, all you have to do is move the mouse into the





the appropriate corner, and you're done.

in many screen savers.)  Simply click the radio button corresponding to

timer.  (This is very similar to the "sleep now" and "sleep never" corners

which corner into which you may move the mouse to pause Coffee Break's

The Pause Corner Options section of the dialog allows you to specify



   Pause Corner Options





bring Coffee Break to the front.

Coffee Break's icon.  The flashing will stop either at sleep time, or if you

one on the far right) alternate between the current application's icon and

The Flashing icon check box will make the Application menu (you know, the



bar twice at the specified save warn time.

The Flashing menu bar check box will make the computer flash the menu



to be looking right at the specified save warn time.

This is to give you adequate time to save your work if you didn't happen

alert.  Until you press the OK button, Coffee Break's timer will pause.

The Alert check box specifies that the computer will remind you with an



able to resume working until the sound has stopped playing.

and change the sound, make sure not to use one too long.  You won't be

played asynchronously, so if you decide to do some hacking with ResEdit

warning sound at the specified save warn time.  This sound will not be

The Sound check box specifies that the computer will make a special





of this manual.

For information about the save warn time, see the Timer Options section



warn time.  You may check any combination of these items.

This set of options specifies how you will be notified at the specified save



   Notification Options





you can't extend the time of your next break when you get close to it!

program changes modes from work time to sleep time, or vice versa.  So

Note that these time settings won't take effect until the next time the



value, but is in units of seconds rather than minutes.

sleep time.  Like the work and sleep times, this value is also an integer

Save warning time is the time at which you are prompted to get ready for



integer value representing a number of minutes.

minutes of work time.)  Like work time, sleep time is also specified by an

minute break and were away for fifteen minutes, you don't lose five

acknowledge the end of sleep time.  (This is so that if you specified a ten

locked during a break.  Work time will not begin again until you

The Sleep time is the minimum amount of time the computer remains



represents a number of minutes.

specified by entering an integer value (range 1 to 32767), which

is the time that is always displayed in the Timer window.  Work time is

The Work time is the time in minutes that you have between breaks.  This





Options dialog:  work time, sleep time, and save warn time.

There are three times which can be set in the Timer Options section of the



   Timer Options





section of this manual.

For more information about the Timer window, see the Timer Window



confusing if you had both installed anyway!)

interfering with SuperClock and similar programs.  (And would be darn

with the timer.  I could have put it in the menu bar, but that would risk

By the way, there IS a reason that I didn't do something a little "cleaner"



option is there nonetheless.

there is really very little reason to hide the Timer window, but this

When this box is checked, the Timer window is visible.  In my opinion,

The "Show Timer" item allows you to hide and show the Timer window.



of your monitor can produce eye strain.

sleep.  However, I discourage the use of this option, as prolonged viewing

continue to read on-line documentation (though you can't scroll) during

with this option off.  The advantage of this option is that it allows you to

Otherwise, a break with this option on works almost the same as a break

screen saver during your break, a timer will be drawn in the menu bar.

breaks.  With this option on, instead of displaying Coffee Break's built-in

"Invisible sleep" allows you to change the way Coffee Break handles your



break that is as long as a forced break would be.

you'll get your full work time back if you take an early, "unscheduled"

as your sleep time is set to, it will reset the timer for you.  That way,

if Coffee Break is paused due to the screen saver being active for as long

number of seconds in this field.)  As an added benefit of the pause option,

screen saver comes on, you stand a chance of gaining or losing up to the

you will also decrease the accuracy of the timer.  (Every time your

setting this value higher, you will reduce slowdown (if there is any), but

interval at which the program will check for screen saver activity.  By

is grayed out if the "Pause when saver on" option is not on, you enter the

case...)  The "Check for screen saver every: ____ seconds" field, which

haven't had any reports of slowdown, but I added this option just in

slightly with this option on.  (I haven't found any slowdown on mine, and

results in more work.  So, you may find that your computer slows down

timer whenever it detects that a screen saver is on.  However, this

The "Pause when saver on" check box tells the program to pause the



and turn it back on when sleep time is over.

method.  Coffee Break will turn your screen saver off while in sleep time,

screen savers that support screen saver control through the same

on over it.  If you check this item, it only affects AfterDark and any other

anyway, but your screen saver (such as AfterDark) will be able to come

time.  If this item is unchecked, the built-in screen saver will come on

whether or not to use Coffee Break's built-in screen saver during sleep

The "Built-In screen saver" check box allows you to tell the program



check the table in the Read Me file.)

(Note:  to find out if your screen saver supports the next two options,



temptation of being able to turn it off just so they can quit.

but it's very useful for those who want to leave it on and don't want the

This may seem like a pain for users who want to turn off "Restrict user",

won't actually turn off "Restrict user" mode until after the next break.

option off is made slightly difficult.  When you uncheck the check box, it

To prevent casual use of this feature to quit the program, turning this



When you turn on "Restrict user", Cmd-X does nothing in sleep mode.

whatever time is left on the sleep timer will be added to your next break!)

pressing Command-X, you may exit sleep mode.  (With the restriction that

allowing emergency exit from sleep mode.  With this feature off, by

program immediately (with a warning).  Secondly, it disables the feature

option is off, choosing Quit will give you the option of actually quitting the

mode, the program won't actually quit until after the next break.)  If this

Quit will put the program into "Quit pending" mode.  (In "Quit pending"

First, it prevents you from quitting during work time.  Instead, choosing

control desired.  With this option on, certain things are not allowed.

The "Restrict user" option exists to allow the user to specify the level of



folder).

back to the front (to make it more freindly to put in the Startup Items

on, immediately after Coffee Break launches, the Finder will be brought

not it should bring the Finder to the front after launching.  With this option

The "Finder to front" option allows you to tell Coffee Break whether or



three times to indicate the end of your break.

you that your break is over.  If this option is on, Coffee Break will beep

"Wake up sound" simply specifies whether Coffee Break will beep to alert





in Coffee Break.

The General Options topic allows you to change the miscellaneous options



   General Options





Coffee Break application itself.

your preferences are saved not in the Preferences folder, but within the

when you click OK, all the changes in all topics are saved.  Also note that

is not necessary to click the OK button when you complete each section --

When you are done editing your options, click the OK button.  Note that it



to that topic.

menu.  The controls will change to allow you to edit the options pertaining

To change to a different topic, simply choose it from the Topic pop-up



to the topic.

menu, and the OK and Cancel buttons.  All other controls change according

The only controls that are static across all topics are the Topic pop-up





Options, Notification Options, and Pause Corner Options.

Break's options are set.  The Options topics are General Options, Timer

The Options dialog is a four-part dialog from which almost all of Coffee




The Options dialog





willpower that really wants to keep working (or playing)!

you won't like it because it's working!  It's replacing your flimsy

I am WELL aware that many of you won't like this feature, but most likely



added this "feature".

usefulness of this program to ZERO!  Since I didn't want that to happen, I

That's cheating, a very nasty type, since it allows you to reduce the

and restart it, thus starting my work time from the beginning again.

myself away from that game of Civilization I was playing, I'd quit the app

sneaky.  If I were coming up on the end of my work time, and couldn't tear

Let me offer a quick explanation for this behavior.  People like me are





the Options Dialog section of this manual.

For more information on the Restrict User option, see the information in



will not quit until after the next break.

you will be put into "Quit pending" mode.  This means that Coffee Break

unless you have turned the Restrict User option off in the Options dialog,

This doesn't work quite the way you would expect.  When you select Quit,



   Quit





this manual appropriate for the dialog you’re currently viewing.

methods when a dialog is open), Help on Wheels will display the section of

either Command-? or the Help key to activate help (these will be the only

manner.  If you have one of Coffee Break’s dialogs open, and you use

Coffee Break handles on-line help in a somewhat context-sensitive





extended keyboard) you may press Command-?.

menu, or you may press the Help key, or (in case you don’t have an

may also use the Coffee Break Help menu item under the Balloon Help

This is only one of the many ways you may invoke this on-line help.  You



   Help...







want it.

timer resetting during a pause, but is there for those of you who might

out.  This option is really not that necessary, with the possibility of the

This menu item will allow you to start your break before the timer runs



  Sleep Now





the alternatives were a little too messy for my tastes.

comes to the front.  I know that this isn't wonderfully user-friendly, but

just tap the keys.  You must hold down the keys until the application

When you use the hot key to bring the application to the front, you can't



anything else.)

exceptions -- Esc or Clear might be okay if you never use those keys for

of only a non-modifier key, but I wouldn't recommend it.  (With a few

plus one non-modifier key.  It is possible to define a hot key that consists

of the modifier keys (Command, Shift, Caps Lock, Option, and Control)

place of the old one.  Valid key combinations can contain any combination

Simply press any key combination, and you'll see it appear in the box in

should be set when you receive this program is Command-Option-p.)

containing an outlined box with a hot key displayed in it.  (The hot key that

When you choose this menu item, you will be presented with a dialog





dialog.

For an alternative pausing method, see the section about the Options



of time than the current sleep time setting, the timer will reset.

addition, if the program remains paused in this manner for a longer period

something during work time, but you don't want to loose that time.  In

as a convenient way to "pause" the timer if you need to get up and do

Since the timer stops whenever the application is in the front, this serves

Allows you to set a hot key which brings the application to the front.



   Set Hot Key...







section of this manual.

For information on moving the Timer window, see the Timer Window



have to move the window every time you start up.

Saves the current position of the Timer window.  This is so that you don't



   Save Window Pos.







manual.

For details on the Options dialog, see the Options Dialog section of this



Presents you with a dialog in which you may set the various options.



   Options...







menu.)  A description of each item will follow.

which are in the File menu.  (Not counting the About item in the Apple

The interface is fairly simple -- there are only six menu items, all of




The Menus





of this manual.

heavy-handed, see the "Restrict user" option in the Options Dialog section

For information about how to make Coffee Break a little less



might lose power!)

we want to be careful, don't we?  After all, you never know when you

your work.  (Not that Coffee Break should cause you to loose any of it, but

This prevents control being taken away before you have a chance to save

that point, the program will tell you you'd better wrap things up soon.

to avoid a break, I added a "warning period," and when the timer reaches

In an attempt to lessen this problem without making it easier for the user

forcing breaks, and would not want the break to catch them by surprise.

I expected that many people might object to such a brutal method of



will display some RSI-related pictures.

forcing you to take a break from typing.  While it's locked, the program

of your Mac.  It will lock your computer for a specified period of time,

hits zero, Coffee Break will move into the foreground, taking total control

It will quietly sit in the background, timer ticking away.  When the timer





which constantly counts down.

The only evidence of it's existence is the window containing a timer,

Coffee Break is an application that sits in the background most of the time.




How Coffee Break does it’s job





time I start to type.

hands didn’t ever hurt up until about a year ago -- now they hurt every

computer, I strongly recommend that you still use this program.  My

that you believe is caused by the hours you spend in front of the

Even if you never have trouble with your hands, arms, shoulders, or back



prove invaluable.

just can't tear yourself away from that game -- this program may just

knowing all the while that you're setting yourself up for a RSI, but you

those of you who sit for hours on end in front of your computer --

The sole purpose of Coffee Break is to replace your weak willpower.  For





syndrome.  It does this by forcing you to take a break every so often.

chances of getting a Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), such as carpal tunnel

Coffee Break is an application that is designed to help you reduce your




What is Coffee Break?





pertinent section.

text.  You may also click on underlined text to skip directly to the

section by clicking it in the Table of Contents list to the right of the help

If you’re new to the Help on Wheels application, you may skip to any





Break’s menus, dialogs and windows, and suggestions for use.

This manual is organized by component.  The components describe Coffee




Conventions in this manual





AWOL Software Productions, and may be freely distributed.

the individual program.  Help on Wheels is © 1994 by Ross Brown of

designed to take the burden of the complexities of handling on-line help off

This manual was was written using Help on Wheels, a help server program





the end of this help.

For more information about registering this program, see the Read Me or



address listed in the Read Me file or the end of this documentation.

Coffee Break is shareware.  If you keep it, you should send $5 to the




Legalese





disk mailer to the address at the end of this document.

contact me for a copy.  Just send a disk and a stamped, self-addressed

check that provider's archives.  If you don't have any 'net access, you can

have access through a service provider, such as CompuServe, you could

Internet access, you can find it on any major Internet archive.  If you

Help on Wheels, you may find it many places (it's freeware).  If you have

applications to display context-sensitive help.  If you would like a copy of

Brown of AWOL Software Productions, which can be used by multiple

yourself.)  Help on Wheels is a help server application, written by Ross

Wheels is.  (Unless you saved the help to this document from HoW

If you are reading this paragraph, you are probably curious what Help on



$

#

"

!

 























⌃

⌥

⇧

⌘

















	

























åTable of Contents





Copyright 1994, by Thomas Reed

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»Coffee Break