═══ 1. Keys Help ═══ The list of keys is arranged in groups: ACCELERATOR KEYS Ctrl+N Erase the line graph and start over. F3 Exit program HELP KEYS F1 Get help F2 Get extended help (from within any help window) Alt+F4 End help F9 Go to a list of keys (from within any help window) F11 Go to the help index (from within any help window) Esc Previous Help Panel, or End help if only one panel Alt+F6 Go to/from help and programs Shift+F10 Get help for help ═══ 2. Extended Help ═══ L40 Battery Monitor is an OS/2 Presentation Manager program for monitoring the condition of the IBM PS/2 L40 SX battery. The program will function properly only when run on IBM PS/2 L40 SX laptop machines; on any other machine, L40 Battery Monitor will just show a simulated display. For more information, select one of the following topics: The Display Window Voltage Limits Starting The Program Minimized Getting Rid Of The Logo Window ═══ 2.1. The Display Window ═══ The L40 Battery Monitor display window is composed of several elements: 1. A vertical bar graph shows the battery voltage status. The voltage graph value ranges from 15 volts, the maximum voltage that can be supplied by the PS/2 L40 AC adapter, down to 9 volts, the minimum voltage that the battery can safely supply. A freshly charged PS/2 L40 battery will have an initial voltage graph value of somewhere between 11.5 volts and 13.5 volts, depending on the age of the battery, the battery temperature, etc. This value will decrease as the battery is discharged, and the PS/2 L40 will enter suspend mode when the voltage value falls to about 9 volts. The voltage graph value will increase when the battery is being charged. This graph is updated once per second. 2. A vertical bar graph shows the electrical current (in amperes) being drawn from the battery. The current graph value ranges from 0 amperes to 4 amperes during normal operation on battery power, and this indicates that the battery is being discharged. Higher current graph values indicate higher rates of battery discharge. The current graph value ranges from 0 amperes to -1 amperes when the PS/2 L40's battery is being charged. This graph is updated once per second. 3. A line graph records the voltage value periodically, thus building a chart of battery voltage over the last hour. A downward slope indicates that the battery is discharging, and an upward slope indicates that the battery is charging. The line graph values range from 15 volts down to 9 volts. This graph is updated once every 18 seconds. 4. An indicator above the line graph appears whenever the PS/2 L40 AC adapter is attached. 5. The window's program title area shows the value of the battery voltage. This is done so that you can minimize the program and still monitor the voltage by looking at the minimized icon's title text. 6. When the program is minimized, the L40 Battery Monitor program icon shows a miniature version of the line graph and a 'dot' that appears whenever the PS/2 L40 AC adapter is attached. Note: This feature is available only on OS/2 1.30.x systems. This graph is updated once per second. ═══ 2.2. Voltage Limits ═══ Voltages of 9 volts and below may cause permanent damage to your PS/2 L40 battery! Normally, your PS/2 L40 will go into suspend mode before the battery voltage falls this low, but there are ways that this protection can be overridden or disabled. L40 Battery Monitor will not prevent your voltage from falling below 9 volts, but its use may help you detect and avoid these dangerous situations. If your PS/2 L40 battery voltage falls to 9 volts or less, immediately turn off your PS/2 L40 and/or connect the PS/2 L40 AC adapter. ═══ 2.3. Starting The Program Minimized ═══ You can force L40 Battery Monitor to start up in the minimized state (that is, as an icon rather than an open window) by specifying the /M parameter when starting the program. This is the only command-line parameter that the program accepts. ═══ 2.4. Getting Rid Of The Logo Window ═══ L40 Battery Monitor consults your OS/2 system configuration parameters to determine how long it should display its initial logo window. After you install OS/2, the logo window display time is 'indefinite', and you must press ENTER to dismiss the window. You may change the logo window display time to any desired value in milliseconds, including 0, in one of the following ways: o Under OS/2 PM 1.3, bring up the Desktop Manager menu and select the "Group - Utilities" option. Under this menu, select the Control Panel application. The logo display time value can be changed via an action bar menu item. o Under OS/2 PM 2.0 with the Workplace Shell (WPS), open the "OS/2 System" folder on the desktop. Under this folder, open the "System Setup" folder, and select the System icon under this folder. The logo display time value can be changed via one of the notebook 'tabs'. ═══ 3. Help For 'New' ═══ Selecting this menu option will cause the line graph display to be erased. A new graph will be started. ═══ 4. Help For 'Exit' ═══ Selecting this menu option will end the program. ═══ 5. Help For 'Volts Graph Color' ═══ Select this option to be given the opportunity to select the color to be used for drawing the 'Volts' bar graph and the line graph. The default color is red. ═══ 6. Help For 'Amperes Graph Color' ═══ Select this option to be given the opportunity to select the color to be used for drawing the 'Amps' bar graph. The default color is cyan. ═══ 7. Help For 'Window Title Updates' ═══ Select this option to be given the opportunity to select how frequently the voltage value displayed in the program window title bar is to be updated. By default, the window title value is updated each time the line graph is updated. ═══ 8. Help For 'Save Window Position' ═══ Select this option to be given the opportunity to save the current position of the L40 Battery Monitor window on the screen. The program window will appear at this saved position each time you start L40 Battery Monitor. ═══ 9. Help For 'Save Program Options' ═══ Select this option to be given the opportunity to save your current program option selections, such as your selection of graph colors. These saved options will be used each time you start L40 Battery Monitor. ═══ 10. Help For 'About' ═══ Use this choice to see information on the program's author, the program version number, copyright information, etc.