Copyright: 1992, Donald R. English


Help Contents
 Valet 1.0

By Donald R. English

CompuServe ID # 70724,2576

Introduction

Getting Started

The Valet Window

The Valet Menu

Disclaimer

How To Register

Reporting Bugs


Introduction

Valet is a great programmers utility tool that helps you get the most out of Visual Basic 1.0 by putting additional information at your fingertips.  It does this by giving you quick access to all those text files you have sitting around with CONSTANT declarations, help files with descriptions and examples, *.BAS *.FRM & *.VBX files that make up your library of code, standard forms that you use, and all those custom controls you have that you just can't live without.  All this plus a great logging feature that tracks the amount of time you have spent working on your project and support for Drag-N-Drop.


Getting Started

Valet is a very simple and easy to use application.  After exploring the menu items you should have no trouble in using Valet to help you do more with Visual Basic.

By clicking the 'Show Menu' button, you gain access to even more of the features of Valet.  Via the menus you can add, remove, and update entries for the help and text file list boxes, custom controls and program modules to the 'Add File To Project' menu, setup the location of Visual Basic itself, log time spent on a project, maintain logs, and gain access to this help file.

Installation

Automatically Loading a Project

Associating *.MAK Files with Valet


Installation

Valet consists of three files:  VALET.EXE, VALET.HLP, and CMDIALOG.VBX.  Installing Valet is as easy as copying the VALET.* files to any directory you wish to install them in (I recommend using the same directory as Visual Basic, but all of us have our own preferences for how we configure our machines), and copying the CMDIALOG.VBX file to your Windows system directory (i.e. C:\WIN31\SYSTEM).  Once the Valet files are where you want them simply run the VALET.EXE program.  The first time Valet is run it will prompt you to locate Visual Basic for it.  Valet needs to know the location of Visual Basic so that it can start VB whenever it starts.  This step is made easier with the BROWSE button that uses a common dialog box to find the VB.EXE file.

Once Valet is up and running you will want to get some files into the Help list, Text list, and Add File to Project menu features.  This can be done by clicking on the Show Menu button and selecting File ... Add File Maintenance from the menu bar.  With this dialog you can add, maintain, and delete entries from each of the option lists.  My preferred method though is to use File Manager and Drag-N-Drop.  With this method you simply select the files you wish to set up in File Manager and drag them to the Valet icon or form.  When you drop the files on Valet you automatically go to the add new item dialog box.  Here you can type in the description of the file as you would like it to appear in the lists or on the menu.  By default the description is equal to the file's name.  Also on this dialog is how you control where the file is added to Valet.  By default, all *.HLP files go to the help list, all *.VBX, *.BAS, and *.FRM files go to the Add Items, and all others, including *.TXT and *.EXE, go to the Text and other files list.


Automatically Loading a Project

Valet, like Visual Basic, accepts a project name as a parameter to the program when you run it.  If you start Valet with a valid project name, the project will automatically be opened.  Also if a log entry exists for the project, the log will be started.


Associating *.MAK Files with Valet

When Visual Basic is installed, it associates the MAK extension with itself.  This allows you to click on any *.MAK file in File Manager and start Visual Basic with the selected project file.  This also allows you to create icons in Program Manager without having to specify the program to be used to load it.  By changing the association for *.MAK files to VALET.EXE, you will always be able to have Valet ready when you are working on Visual Basic applications.  This is very handy, as I never use Visual Basic without Valet.


The Valet Window

NOTE:  Double clicking on any non-control space will reposition the window to its default position.  The largest such area is just below the Save-n-EXE button.

Save-n-Run

Save-n-EXE

Log Project / Log Off

Hide Menu / Show Menu

Help Files

Text Files and Other Items


Save-n-Run

This button allows you to quickly save your project and then run it.  Clicking this button is the equivalent of doing a File - Save Project - Run - Start in Visual Basic manually.


Save-n-EXE

This button allows you to quickly save your project and build an executable.  Clicking this button is the equivalent of doing a File - Save Project - File - Make EXE File - OK in Visual Basic manually.


Log Project / Log Off

This button allows you to toggle the logging feature of Valet on and off.  The logging feature allows you to keep track of how much time you have spent working on a project file.  The project name is used to store the time in the Valet.INI file which is placed in the same directory as VALET.EXE.  If the project you start Valet with has a log entry, the logging feature is automatically started.  Opening a different project does not automatically stop the logging feature for the prior project.  You must manually turn the log on and off when switching between projects.

NOTE:  While a project's log is running, it's log entry cannot be updated.


Hide Menu / Show Menu

This button hides and shows the Valet menu.  Once you have Valet setup with all your files, the menu is very seldom used.  For this reason and the fact that in normal 640x480 VGA mode there is not any screen space to spare, it makes since to simply hide the menu and free up the screen space.


Help Files

The Help files list box contains all the help files that you have setup for use with Valet.  By double-clicking an entry you can quickly pull up any help file that you might need while working on a Visual Basic application.  To setup the help files to appear in this list use the File ... Add File Maintenance menu item.


Text Files and Other Items

The Text files and other items list box contains the files that you have setup for use with Valet that are text files, programs, or files that are associated with other applications.  Constant declaration files, icon editors, paint programs, recorder files, and any other utility that you might wish to have at your disposal while working on an application can be setup in this list.  Non-application files must have a program association in the WIN.INI file.  These associations can be setup in the File Manager or in Valet when you add the file.  To setup a file, use the File ... Add File Maintenance menu item.


The Valet Menu

File

Options

Add File to Project

Help


File

Add File Maintenance ...

Log Maintenance ...

Locate VB ...

Exit


Add File Maintenance ...

The Add File Maintenance option allows you to add, update, and remove files that can be added to a Visual Basic project.  These files include *.BAS code files, *.FRM form files, and *.VBX custom control files.  By using this feature you do not have to remember where every custom control file is located at and can maintain code and form libraries.  If you can separate common groups of routines that you use into separate modules, then building a new application is even easier as you just pick and choose needed features from the Add File to Project menu.

An easier way to setup new program files than using this menu option is to use Drag-N-Drop.  Select the program files that you wish to add to Valet from within the File Manager and drag them to the Valet form or icon.  When you drop the files you automatically go to the Add New File dialog box, where you can enter a description of the file.


Log Maintenance ...

The Log Maintenance option allows you to add, update, and remove log entries for the projects you want to track time on.  From this dialog box you can change the name of a project log entry, update the amount of time spent on a project, or delete a log entry.


Locate VB ...

This menu option is only necessary if you move your Visual Basic directory after installing Valet.  It allows you to find your VB.EXE file by using a common File Open dialog box.


Exit

Exit allows you to shut down Valet without closing Visual Basic.  If Visual Basic was launched from Valet at startup and is still running, you will be prompted to make sure you really do wish to exit.


Options

Default Position ...

Run as Icon

Use Sound


Default Position ...

This option allows you to select the screen position for Valet.  The default when you first run Valet is the lower right corner of the screen.  If you wish to change this to the lower left, or any other supported location, you can use Default Position to do so.  This pulls up a dialog box that shows you the supported locations.  You can use the Tab key or the mouse to select a new position.

NOTE:  If you move Valet and wish to return it to it's default position you can double click any non-control space on the form.  The largest such area is just below the Save-N-EXE button.


Run as Icon

This menu item is a toggle.  If a check mark appears to the left of Run as Icon, then Valet will start up as an icon instead of as a normal window.


Use Sound

This menu item allows you to toggle the use of sound on or off.  If a check mark appears to the left of Use Sound, then Valet will use the system sounds when displaying message boxes.  If no check mark appears, no sounds are played.


Add File to Project

None Added

??????????

More ...


None Added

If you have not added any project files to Valet, then None Added is displayed as the only entry in this menu.  To add a project file use the Add File Maintenance menu option under File.


??????????

Once you have setup project files, they appear as menu options here.  By selecting an item, it is added to the project you have open in Visual Basic.  This allows you to quickly add custom controls, code libraries, and forms to your applications.


More ...

If you have seven or more project files setup, the More entry appears at the bottom of the Add File to Project menu.  By selecting more you gain access to a list box which contains all of your project files.  By double clicking an entry or clicking the entry and selecting OK, the file is added to your project.


Help

Index

How to Use Help

About Valet


Index

This pulls up the Valet help file at the main index.


How to Use Help

If you are new to using Windows Help, How to Use Help takes you to the Windows help file that explains Windows help files and how to use and navigate through them.


About Valet

About Valet shows you the version of Valet that you have and my CompuServe ID number.  If you have any comments or suggestions I would be more than happy to hear from you.


Disclaimer

I have tried to ensure that Valet works completely as designed, but there is always the chance of something falling through the cracks.  Part of the reason for writing Valet was to help prevent code loss when going to RUN the application during development.

By using this software you agree that the author cannot be held liable for any damages resulting from the use or misuse of this software.


How To Register

All it costs to register is $15.00!

Valet is marketed as Shareware.  You are encouraged to try out the unregistered copy, pass it along to your friends, and upload it to other BBS's.  If you find that you like and use the product then please register it.  The registered version is free of the 'nag' screens and is always the latest released version.

I thank you for your support.

Registration Form


Registration Form

Valet

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Print out this registration form using 'File ... Print Topic' and mail it to:

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Donald R. English

5526 North Salina

Wichita, KS  67204

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Disk Size:	_____ 5.25" 360k	_____ 3.5" 720k

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______ copies of Valet @ $15.00 per copy = $______.___

Please pay by check or money order in US Dollars.

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Name:	__________________________________________
Address:	__________________________________________
City, State, Zip:	__________________________________________
Country:	__________________________________________
Phone Number:	__________________________________________
CompuServe ID#:	__________________________________________
*Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery

Please add any comments or suggestions that you may have.


Reporting Bugs

I have tried to ensure that Valet will perform as flawlessly as possible, but I cannot guarantee that I have covered everything.  If you find a problem with Valet I would like to know about it so that I may fix it as soon as possible.  A detailed letter sent to the registration address or  an E-mail message sent to my CompuServe ID# describing the problem, the events leading up to the problem, if you can recreate the problem, and any other relevant information would be great!

Remember:  Shareware is what YOU make it!


Glossary

Custom Controls

Drag-N-Drop

Menu Items


Additional controls that supply new capabilities to Visual Basic applications.  These are usually files ending with a .VBX extension.


The ability to click on an icon, filename, or other object without releasing the mouse button and move it or copy it to another location by moving the mouse.  Once the item is where you want it, you release the mouse button.


HINT:  Click on the [image] button to see the menu.