Session Guru! v2.0 Help Index

What Is ...

A session

How To ...

Modify a Session

Edit additional parameters

Check that a program is compatible

Check the software installation

Reach the author

Commands

File menu

Edit menu

Session menu

View menu

Help menu


File menu commands

The File menu offers the following commands:

New	Creates a new session file.
Open	Opens an existing session file.
Save	Saves an opened document using the same file name.
Save As	Saves an opened document to a specified file name.
Exit	Exits Session Guru!.


Edit menu commands

The Edit menu offers the following commands:

Undo	Reverse previous editing operation.
Cut	Deletes data from the document and moves it to the clipboard.
Copy	Copies data from the document to the clipboard.
Paste	Pastes data from the clipboard into the document.


View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.


Session menu commands

The Session menu offers the following commands, which enable you to modify the contents of a work session and to launch the files listed in the session:

Add item...	Let you select a new program or document file to insert before the item selected in the list (if any).
Delete item	Remove the item currently selected in the session
Launch all	Open each document in the session generating a .LOG file.
Optional parameters...	Used to edit command line options


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

Index	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Using Help	Provides general instructions on using help.
About	Displays the version number of this application.


File New command
New command (File menu)

Use this command to create a new document in Session Guru!.

You can open an existing document with the Open command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+N


File Open command
Open command (File menu)

Use this command to open an existing document in a new window.

You can create new documents with the New command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+O


File Open dialog box

The following options allow you to specify which file to open:

File Name

Type or select the filename you want to open.  This box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files of Type box.

List Files of Type

Select the type of file you want to open:

Session Guru! document files .SGU

Drives

Select the drive in which Session Guru! stores the file that you want to open.

Directories

Select the directory in which Session Guru! stores the file that you want to open.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File Save command
Save command (File menu)

Use this command to save the active document to its current name and directory.  When you save a document for the first time, Session Guru! displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your document.  If you want to change the name and directory of an existing document before you save it, choose the Save As command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+S


File Save As command
Save As command (File menu)

Use this command to save and name the active document.  Session Guru! displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your document.

To save a document with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.


File Save As dialog box

The following options allow you to specify the name and location of the file you're about to save:

File Name

Type a new filename to save a document with a different name.  A filename can contain up to eight characters and an extension of up to three characters.  Session Guru! adds the extension you specify in the Save File As Type box.

Drives

Select the drive in which you want to store the document.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to store the document.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
1, 2, 3, 4 command (File menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four documents you closed. Choose the number that corresponds with the document you want to open.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your Session Guru! session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.  Session Guru! prompts you to save documents with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Keys:	ALT+F4


Undo/Can't Undo command (Edit menu)

Use this command to reverse the last editing action, if possible.   The name of the command changes, depending on what the last action was.  The Undo command changes to Can't Undo on the menu if you cannot reverse your last action.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+Z or

ALT-BACKSPACE


Cut command (Edit menu)

Use this command to remove the currently selected data from the document and put it on the clipboard.  This command is unavailable if there is no data currently selected.

Cutting data to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+X


Copy command (Edit menu)

Use this command to copy selected data onto the clipboard.  This command is unavailable if there is no data currently selected.

Copying data to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+C


Paste command (Edit menu)

Use this command to insert a copy of the clipboard contents at the insertion point.  This command is unavailable if the clipboard is empty.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+V


View Toolbar command
Toolbar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in Session Guru!, such as File Open.  A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Toolbar is displayed.

See Toolbar for help on using the toolbar.


Toolbar

The toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar.  The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Session Guru!,

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the View menu (ALT, V, T).

Click	To

Open a new document.

Open an existing document.  Session Guru! displays the Open dialog box, in which you can locate and open the desired file.

Save the active document or template with its current name.  If you have not named the document, Session Guru! displays the Save As dialog box.

Remove selected data from the document and stores it on the clipboard.

Copy the selection to the clipboard.

Insert the contents of the clipboard at the insertion point.

Add an item to the active document.

Delete the item currently selected.

Open (execute) the files listed in the session.


View Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu item or depressed toolbar button, and keyboard latch state. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the Session Guru! window.  To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus.  This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them.  If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button.

The right areas of the status bar indicate which of the following keys are latched down:

Indicator	Description

CAP	The Caps Lock key is latched down.

NUM	The Num Lock key is latched down.

SCRL	The Scroll Lock key is latched down.


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.  From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using Session Guru! and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


About command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the copyright notice and version number of your copy of Session Guru!.


Help Using Help Command
Context Help command

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on some portion of Session Guru!.  When you choose the Toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark.  Then click somewhere in the Session Guru! window, such as another Toolbar button.  The Help topic will be shown for the item you clicked.

Shortcut

Keys:	SHIFT+F1


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window.  It contains the name of the application and document.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

Session Guru! title bar contains the following elements:

Application Control-menu button

Minimize button

Name of the application

Name of the document


Scroll bars

Displayed at the right and bottom edges of the document window.  The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your vertical and horizontal location in the document.  You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the document.


Size command (System menu)

Session Guru! uses fixed size documents and does not let you size its window.

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1.	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2.	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3.	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+F7


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the Session Guru! window to an icon.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.

Keys:	ALT+F9


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Note:  If you have multiple windows open for a single document, the Close command on the document Control menu closes only one window at a time.  You can close all windows at once with the Close command on the File menu.

Shortcuts

Keys: 	ALT+F4 closes the Session window or dialog box


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Switch to command (application Control menu)

Use this command to display a list of all open applications.  Use this "Task List" to switch to or close an application on the list.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+ESC

Dialog Box Options

When you choose the Switch To command, you will be presented with a dialog box with the following options:

Task List

Select the application you want to switch to or close.

Switch To

Makes the selected application active.

End Task

Closes the selected application.

Cancel

Closes the Task List box.

Cascade

Arranges open applications so they overlap and you can see each title bar.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Tile

Arranges open applications into windows that do not overlap.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Arrange Icons

Arranges the icons of all minimized applications across the bottom of the screen.


Modifying the Document

A Session is modified either by adding or deleting items, or by supplying additional parameters for an item.

Use the Session menu command Add item... to insert a new item in a session.

Clicking this icon will execute the Add item command.

Use the Session menu command Delete item to remove from the list the item selected.

Clicking this icon will execute the Delete item command.

Double clicking on any item of the list will bring up the additionnal parameters dialog.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


Add item... command (Session menu)

This command brings up an "open file" dialog that lets you select one file to add to the active session. This file can be a program (with .EXE, .COM, .BAT or .PIF extension) or it can be a document.

If you select a document, it must be "known" by the Windows shell. In other words, some kind of association must exist between this type of document and a program. It will be either a registration database entry (see Regedit.exe) or a File Manager association. In both cases, if double clicking the document in the file manager open it, it will be possible for Session Guru! to find its owner.

Another easy method to add files to the session is called "Drag and Drop". You must open the File Manager and Session Guru!. In the file manager, select the files that you wish to add, click on one of the files and drag it above the Session Guru! window. The cursor shape will change indicating that Session Guru! is "Drag and Drop" aware, you can safely release the mouse button. Session Guru! will automatically add the files to the active session.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:


Delete item command (Session menu)

This command will delete the selected list entry from the active session. To activate this command an item of the session must be selected.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:


Launch all command (Session menu)

This command will open all the documents and programs listed in the session. It will also generate a report with the name of the files launched as well as the return value. If this return value is greater than 32, then everything went fine. Else, you should have a look at the error codes section to understand what happened.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	F10


Optional parameters... command (Session menu)

This command will open a dialog for the selected pathname. This dialog will let you modify the command line created by Session Guru!. See Edit additional parameters for more information.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the selected item in the session pathname's list


Error codes meaning

If an error happened launching a document or program, the return value is less than 32. See the table bellow for a complete description of each error code.

0	System was out of memory, executable file was corrupt, or relocations were invalid.
2	File was not found.
3	Path was not found.
5	Attempt was made to dynamically link to a task, or there was a sharing or network-protection error.
6	Library required separate data segments for each task.
8	There was insufficient memory to start the application.
10	Windows version was incorrect.
11	Executable file was invalid. Either it was not a Windows application or there was an error in the .EXE image.
12	Application was designed for a different operating system.
13	Application was designed for MS-DOS 4.0.
14	Type of executable file was unknown.
15	Attempt was made to load a real-mode application (developed for an earlier version of Windows).
16	Attempt was made to load a second instance of an executable file containing multiple data segments that were not marked read-only.
19	Attempt was made to load a compressed executable file. The file must be decompressed before it can be loaded.
20	Dynamic-link library (DLL) file was invalid. One of the DLLs required to run this application was corrupt.
21	Application requires Microsoft Windows 32-bit extensions.


My definition for a Session
Defining a Session

Session Guru! is a very simple software, its goal is to create and manage Sessions.

What is a Session?

A session is a set of programs active in the same time.

I often use my computer with several programs interacting (for example a word processor, a spreadsheet and a database), and thus I launch each program, open the needed documents and after these operations, I can work. It can be a heavy procedure in case you use many programs. It can be a real loss of time if you have a wide range of activities that brings you to change several times a day of programs sets.

What is the limit for the contents of a session ?

Each session can hold as many programs and documents as the memory of your PC can.

The idea beyond Session Guru! is providing a flexible tool to set up and launch sessions in a snap. Because a computer can be shared by several people or because you might need several different sessions, Session Guru! provides the interface needed to store, retrieve and edit your sessions.

How to use Session Guru!

Just double click the session document icon and click the Launch all icon.

 I have made a group in the Program Manager called "Sessions", and added to this group the various sessions that I need. Whenever I need a given configuration of my PC, I just Double click the icon of the session. It opens the program (Session Guru!) and the session is loaded. If I need a change in my session I can modify it (Add or Delete items) before to click on the Launch all button to set up my work environment.


Copyright

Session Guru! is a Freeware. It means that you can freely use this software, make as many copies as you want and GIVE them away, provided you do not modify the presentation, or the composition of the package. My goal is to supply Microsoft Windows users with a useful (at least I hope so!) tool, for FREE. If you like this product, make a copy for your friends and colleagues. Feel free to contact me to report problems or suggestions.

On the other hand : The commercial use of this product is not permitted by the author. In other words no person, nor company, is allowed to make profits with this product without the prior written permission of the author. This copyright applies to all countries.

Copyright © Pierre-Eric Colin, 1993.

2 rue Servien

92190 Meudon

France.

E-Mail : CompuServe 100121,2155


Installation

The session files, created by Session Guru! use the following extension : .SGU

In the program folder, you will find the following files :

SGURU.EXE	The program file.
SGURU.HLP	The program help file - The file that you are currently consulting.
SGURU.LOG	The log file, that reports the result of the last Launch all command.
README.TXT	Last minute information and comments that couldn't be included in this help file.

In the Windows directory, you will also find the file named:

SGURU.INI	The program initialization data.

In the System subdirectory of the Windows directory, you will also find the file named:

CTL3DV2.DLL	Dynamic Link Library.


Testing procedure

Session Guru! uses the standard Microsoft Windows Launching routines, thus each launch command is fully protected by the Windows Shell. The process is usually very safe but, to avoid crashes (always painful), I recommend that you perform basic testing before to add a program file to your session.

Each program installed by Session Guru! can bring in several styles of problems. The first problem source would be the lack of memory, it may also happen that a program is incompatible with another program in the session (low probability), may be a program has a special running convention unknown to Session Guru! or may be it is not compatible with Microsoft Windows (especially with DOS programs). Or more simply, may be the sprite running the machine is in a bad mood, who knows?...

My experience shows that it is more wise to add programs to the session after a simple but serious test process. I recommend that you add the items in the list one by one, testing each time. I know that this is not fun and that it is a time consuming process... same as backing up your disks... until your hard drive crashes!

1) Start with a new session, then, add the file you want to put in your session, then, Launch all. Check the log file, if everything is OK, step #1 is completed. If not, see the error codes for a better understanding of what went wrong.

2) Open the session in which you plan to add the program (or document), Add the program to the list and Launch all. Check your log file as in step #1. Then go to the Program Manager and activate the About... item in the Help menu, to check if the system has sufficient resources left. if everything is OK, step #2 is completed.

3) You can now Add your program to the session and Save as a new session. Step #3 is completed, you can use your session.

If you reached step #3 you can now launch your session in a single operation.

In addition, if you are trying to open a document, you must take care of a few other things :

* Take care with programs that cannot be launched more than once, don't try to launch them several times. (Single instance programs)

* Take care with single documents programs (don't try to open several documents).

* Use the file extensions as defined in the [EXTENSIONS] section of the Win.ini file.

* Avoid opening several times the same document (Sharing violation).

Important Notice : During the test process, you must not open documents without backups into your programs, in case of compatibility problems, system could crash, ending in a loss of data.


Edit additional parameters

Some program can receive and understand additional parameters. These additional parameters are different from a document name. They can tell a program whether it should start with a new document or not, or maximized, or minimized and so on. All these options are changing from one program to the other. You should refer to the program documentation regarding the use of these parameters.

The popular /? used under MS-DOS is an example of additional parameter, this option, happended to a command name was usually displaying the command syntax and miscellaneous options. For example, under Windows, EXCEL.EXE /M will open the famous spreadsheet with a new Macro document instead of a new spreadsheet.

You can edit the "command line" for your programs by double clicking on the program entry in the session list. It will bring up the dialog above. This dialog supports the CTRL+X, CTRL+C, CTRL+V, for cut, copy and paste, as well as all standard editing commands. You just have to type in the additional parameters on the command line, as you would type the using the Windows File menu Run command.

It is safer that you do not modify the first part of the command line (the one built automatically during Add item or drag and drop). This command line contains the full pathname to the application. If this information was changed to an invalid pathname, errors could occur.

IMPORTANT : You must ABSOLUTELY leave a "space" character between the program or document name and the first option. Otherwise, Session Guru! will not recognize the name of the item to be launched.

Good	EXCEL.EXE /M	The program will be launched without error
Bad	EXCEL.EXE/M	Session Guru! will be looking for a file with an incorrect name (5 characters extension) and will fail


Maximize command (System menu)

Session Guru! uses fixed size documents and does not let you maximize its window.

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the maximize icon [image] on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.

Keys:	CTRL+F10 enlarges a document window.