@database @author Alexander Lazarevic @(c) All right resereved. 1994 Alexander Lazarevic @$VER: TimeEvent.guide_(english) 1.1 (17.07.94) @index Index ## $Id: english.guide 1.4 1994/09/15 19:30:16 Alexander_Lazarevic Exp Alexander_Lazarevic $ @width 80 @height 60 @node Main "TimeEvent Document" TimeEvent Preferences Version 1.1 Copyright 1994 by @{"Alexander Lazarevic" link Author} Table of Contents @{" What is TimeEvent? " link Description} @{" Do I have all files? " link FileList} @{" What do I need for TimeEvent? " link Minimum} @{" How do I install TimeEvent? " link Installation} @{" How do I use TimeEvent? " link Usage} @{"Why doesn't TimeEvent speak my language?" link Language} @{" What's about that legal stuff? " link LegalStuff} @endnode @node Description "What is TimeEvent?" With the TimeEvent Preference Editor you can control the execution times of a list of programs. You can popup a requester to remind you of a special date, start a backup every week or let your computer fetch your email during the night, because of the lower rates. As with the System Preference Editors, there has to be an additional program to perform the settings made with TimeEvent. This program is called cron and it runs in the background. @endnode @node FileList "Do I have all files?" These are the contents of the original TimeEvent archive: Listing of archive 'TimeE1_1.lha': Original Packed Ratio Date Time Atts Method CRC Host OS L U -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- -------- ------ ---- -------- --- TimeEvent_1.1/Catalogs/deutsch/TimeEvent.catalog 962 526 45.3% 15-Sep-94 19:41:22 ----rwed -lh5- C4C7 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Changes 346 231 33.2% 15-Sep-94 19:41:28 ----rw-d -lh5- E6DD Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Changes.info 463 206 55.5% 15-Sep-94 19:59:00 ----rw-d -lh5- D6A9 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Doc.info 632 280 55.6% 15-Sep-94 19:59:00 ----rw-d -lh5- 2C2E Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Doc/deutsch.guide TimeEvent_1.1/Doc/deutsch.guide.info 503 260 48.3% 15-Sep-94 19:58:54 ----rw-d -lh5- 1004 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Doc/english.guide TimeEvent_1.1/Doc/english.guide.info 503 258 48.7% 15-Sep-94 19:58:54 ----rw-d -lh5- 2815 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Install.info 632 281 55.5% 15-Sep-94 19:59:00 ----rw-d -lh5- 0526 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Install/deutsch.info 569 331 41.8% 15-Sep-94 19:58:50 ----rw-d -lh5- 3282 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Install/english.info 569 327 42.5% 15-Sep-94 19:58:50 ----rw-d -lh5- AD7E Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Install/Installer.script 10260 2671 73.9% 15-Sep-94 19:41:24 ----rwed -lh5- 4D9B Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Prefs.info 724 352 51.3% 15-Sep-94 19:59:00 ----rw-d -lh5- C2E4 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Prefs/TimeEvent 21448 11093 48.2% 15-Sep-94 19:41:26 ----rwed -lh5- E4D1 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/Prefs/TimeEvent.info 655 424 35.2% 15-Sep-94 19:58:48 ----rw-d -lh5- FE98 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/README 658 377 42.7% 15-Sep-94 19:41:26 ----rwed -lh5- 3743 Unknown 0 TimeEvent_1.1/README.info 591 314 46.8% 15-Sep-94 19:59:00 ----rw-d -lh5- 495E Unknown 0 -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- 77327 31771 58.9% 15-Sep-94 20:00:20 17 files @endnode @node Minimum "What do I need for TimeEvent?" You need at least Version 2.04 of the @{"Amiga" link LegalStuff 20} OS and a @{"cron" link Cron} program. Although I recommend the use of CyberCron, TimeEvent will work with every cron program, that uses a @{"crontab" link CronTab}. @endnode @node Cron "What is a cron program?" A cron program launches programs at certain times. When to start which program must be defined in a file, called the @{"crontab" link CronTab}. During startup the cron program reads the crontab. If there occured no errors, the cron program checks every minute, if it has to start a program. It also checks, if the crontab has been changed and reads it again. @endnode @node CronTab "What is a CronTab?" A crontab is a simple ASCII file. Every line in the file may be empty, a comment or a definition. A comment will be introduced by the # character. Everthing following that character will be ignored by the cron program or TimeEvent. Be aware, that after saving (@{"Save As..." link Menus 9}) a previously loaded CronTab @{U}every comment will be lost@{UU}. A definitionline is divided in sepcific fields, which are seperated at least by one white space. Field | Name | legal Values | Description -------+----------+--------------+------------- 1 | Minutes | 0 - 59 | 2 | Hours | 0 - 23 | 3 | Days | 1 - 31 | 4 | Months | 1 - 12 | 1 = January 5 | Weekdays | 0 - 6 | 0 = Sunday 6 | Command | | Field 6 contains the command call as it would be typed in a shell. There is an additional legal value for the fields 1 to 5. The character * means "always". Multiple isolated entries in a field are seperated by comma. Ranges are defined with the minus sign. Examples: @{B}0 10-18 * * * PlaySound BigBen.8svx@{UB} Plays a Sound every hour from 10am to 6pm. @{B}0 18 * * 1,3 RequestChoice "TimeEvent" "WakeUp+Shopping" "Ok"@{UB} Remind of a specific date at 6:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays @endnode @node Installation "How do I install TimeEvent?" The easiest way to install TimeEvent is to use the provided installscript, which needs the @{"Installer" link Installer} program. Without it you have to do the Installation by hand. @{"Installation with Installer" LINK AutoInst} @{"Manual Installation" LINK ManualInst} @endnode @node Installer "About the Installer" Commodore developed a tool, the Installer, to standardize the way applications get installed. The advantage for the user is, that the installation process is similar for different applications. The author of an application has the advantage, that he just has to include a small Installer script. You will find the Installer archive on Fish Disk 870 or on aminet. @endnode @node AutoInst "Installation with Installer" From Workbench 1) Open the Install Drawer. 2) Double click on the icon with the desired @{"language" LINK Language}. 3) Now the window of Installer should open up. If instead a requester shows up with the message "Unable to open your tool 'Installer'", then you have to modify the icons Default Tool entry (Workbench menu @{I}@{B}Icon/Information@{UI}@{UB}) and set it to the correct path and name. 4) After that it will be checked, if the TimeEvent archive is complete. Shouldn't that be the case you get a list of the missing files. In this situation you should check if you got the @{"original archive" link FileList} of TimeEvent. 5) During the next steps of installation you can choose where TimeEvent and its documentation should be copied to. 6) If you want to use TimeEvent in conjunction with CyberCron, the script can add an entry to the CyberCron icon for you, so that they can work together right away. This entry takes only effect if you start CyberCron from the Workbench or have placed its icon in the WBStartup drawer. If you start CyberCron from a shell or from the User-Startup file, then you have to change the command by hand. Add this option to the command line @{B}CRONTAB=ENV:Sys/TimeEvent.prefs@{UB} If you want to use a different @{"cron" link Cron} program, you have consult its documentation, to know how to make it use the file @{B}ENV:Sys/TimeEvent.prefs@{UB} as the @{"crontab" link CronTab}. From Shell 1) Change your current dir to the Install drawer with @{B}cd TimeEvent_1.1/Install@{UB}. 2) Start the @{"Installer" LINK Installer} with the following line and replace with the name of the language you want to use (e.g. english): @{B}installer Installer.script APPNAME TimeEvent MINUSER 1 LANGUAGE@{UB} @{B}NOLOG@{UB} From here the Installation is the same as described for the WorkBench. @endnode @node ManualInst "manual Installation" 1) Open a shell window. 2) Change your current dir to the TimeEvent_1.1 drawer with @{B}cd TimeEvent_1.1@{UB}. 3) Think of place where you want TimeEvent and its documentation to reside. Then execute the following lines. You have to substitute with the path TimeEvent should be copied to and with the path where the documentation should be copied to. A good choice for both paths would be for example Workbench:Prefs. Substitute with the @{"language" link Language} you want to use (e.g. english). @{B}Copy Prefs/#?@{UB} @{B}Copy Doc/@{UB}@{B}.guide@{UB} @{B}Copy Catalogs/@{UB}@{B}/TimeEvent.catalog LOCALE:Catalogs/@{UB} 4) Now you have to config your @{"cron" link Cron} program to use the file @{B}ENV:Sys/TimeEvent.prefs@{UB} as the crontab. If you use CyberCron you just have to add this line to the tool types of its icon: @{B}CRONTAB=ENV:Sys/TimeEvent.prefs@{UB} If you start CyberCron from the User-Startup file, you have to append the above line to that call. If you are using a different cron program, you have to consult its documentation to know how this setting can be made. @endnode @node Usage "How do I use TimeEvent?" To make TimeEvent easy to use, it has the look (eg. @{"menus" link Menus}) and feel of the System Preferences Editors. Like these, TimeEvent can be started from a @{"shell" link FromShell} or the @{"workbench" link FromWB}. It then shows up with the Selection-Window. In this window the list of programs is displayed. Functions in the Selection-Window @{B}@{I}Cancel@{UB}@{UI} exit the TimeEvent-Editor @{B}@{I}Use@{UB}@{UI} use the settings @{B}@{I}Save@{UB}@{UI} save settings permanently @{B}@{I}New@{UB}@{UI} add a command to the list @{B}@{I}Del@{UB}@{UI} remove a command from the list @{B}@{I}Edit@{UB}@{UI} switch to the Edit-Window In the Edit-Window you set the time of execution for a command. There are five fields: months, days, weekdays, hours and minutes. (By double clicking on an entry in the listview you also switch to the Edit-Window.) @{U}Things to be aware of@{UU}: 1) A field where no entry is selected equals to a field with every entry selected. (Same meaning as the * character in the @{"CronTab" link CronTab 24}) 2) "Impossible" time settings won t be noticed. For example you can choose the 31.Feb. as an execution day for a command. With @{B}@{I}Ok@{UB}@{UI} you choose the selected time as the new execution time and with @{B}@{I}Abort@{UB}@{UI} you leave the Edit-Window without changing the execution time. @endnode @node FromShell "Execution from Shell" Format: @{B}TimeEvent [FROM @{UB}@{B}] [EDIT] [USE] [SAVE] [PUBSCREEN@{UB} @{B}]@{UB} Template: @{B}FROM, EDIT/S, USE/S, SAVE/S, PUBSCREEN/K@{UB} TimeEvent without any arguments or with the @{B}EDIT@{UB} argument opens the TimeEvent editor. The @{B}FROM@{UB} argument lets you specify a file to open. This must be a file that was previously saved with the @{"Save As..." link Menus 10} menu item of the TimeEvent editor. For instance, if you have previously saved a TimeEvent configuration in a file in the Presets drawer, you can use the @{B}FROM@{UB} argument to open that file. If the @{B}USE@{UB} switch is also given, the editor will not be opened, but the settings in the @{B}FROM@{UB} file will be used. If the @{B}SAVE@{UB} switch is given, the editor will not open, but the settings in the @{B}FROM@{UB} file will be saved. Example: @{B}1> TimeEvent Prefs/Presets/TimeEvent.pre SAVE@{UB} Loads and saves the specifications saved in the TimeEvent.pre file. @endnode @node FromWB "Execution from WorkBench" You start TimeEvent just by double clicking on its icon. The following tool types are valid for the TimeEvent icon: @{B}EDIT USE SAVE PUBSCREEN=@{UB} @{B}CREATEICONS=@{UB} With @{B}PUBSCREEN@{UB} you can use a different screen than the workbench screen. @{B}CREATEICONS@{UB} determines the creation of icons for the files saved with the menu item @{"Save As..." link Menus 10}. For this icons you can also use the tool types @{B}EDIT@{UB}, @{B}USE@{UB}, and @{B}SAVE@{UB} in conjunction with @{B}ACTION@{UB}. @{B}ACTION=@{UB}<@{B}EDIT@{UB} or @{B}USE@{UB} or @{B}SAVE@{UB}> As a default @{B}ACTION=USE@{UB} is set. If you double click on such an icon, then the settings of that file will be used, but the TimeEvent editor won t be opened. @{B}SAVE@{UB} causes the same, but also makes the settings permanent. With @{B}EDIT@{UB} the editor will be opened and the settings of the file will be shown. @endnode @node Menus "TimeEvent Menus" @{B}@{I}Project@{UB}@{UI} Menu In the @{B}@{I}Project@{UB}@{UI} menu you can save the settings of the editor or load previously saved files. @{B}@{I}Open...@{UB}@{UI} Load a settings file by name. @{B}@{I}Save As...@{UB}@{UI} Save the current settings in a named file. The filerequester opens with the default drawer "Presets". Change the path and filename if neccessary and click on @{B}@{I}OK@{UB}@{UI}. @{B}@{I}About...@{UB}@{UI} Information about the editor. @{B}@{I}Quit@{UB}@{UI} Exit the editor without saving. This menu item has the same function as the @{B}@{I}Cancel@{UB}@{UI} button. @{B}@{I}Edit@{UB}@{UI} Menu In the @{B}@{I}Edit@{UB}@{UI} menu you can restore previously used settings. @{B}@{I}Last Saved@{UB}@{UI} Set back to the last saved settings. @{B}@{I}Restore@{UB}@{UI} Set back to the settings on editor startup. @{B}@{I}Settings@{UB}@{UI} Menu The @{B}@{I}Settings@{UB}@{UI} menu just contains the item @{B}@{I}Create Icons?@{UB}@{UI}. This toggle item determines icon creation for saved files. @endnode @node Language "Why doesn't TimeEvent speak my language?" In this version of TimeEvent only the german and english language are supported. If somebody wants TimeEvent to use another language and is willing to do the translation, he should get in @{"contact" link Author} with me. @endnode @node LegalStuff "Legal Stuff" Unless otherwise noted, ALL files are Copyright (c) 1994 by Alexander Lazarevic All Rights Reserved. Without written permission of Alexander Lazarevic no part of the TimeEvent archive may be used for commercial purposes. The complete TimeEvent archive may be distributed on disks or cd-roms from fred fish or on AmiNet cd-roms. IN NO EVENT WILL ALEXANDER LAZAREVIC BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE INFORMATION OR THE PROGRAM TIMEEVENT EVEN IF HE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Commodore, the Commodore-Logo und CBM are registered trademarks of Commodore Electronics Limited. Amiga and Amiga Workbench are registered trademarks of Commodore-Amiga, Inc. The program Installer is (c) by Commodore-Amiga,Inc. @endnode @node Author "About the author" If you think you found a bug, would like to see additional features, want to make a comment about the software or are willing to make a translation into a new language, this is the address I can be reached at: Alexander Lazarevic Clemensstr. 29 50676 K Germany If you either never trusted snail mail or think that this way of communication is too slow nowadays, try to contact me via EMail: laza@sun.ph-cip.uni-koeln.de @endnode @node Index "Index" @{"ACTION" link FromWB 15} @{"Installation (Installer)" link AutoInst} @{"Auhtor" link Author} @{"Installation (Manual)" link ManualInst} @{"CREATEICONS" link FromWB 10} @{"Installer" link Installer} @{"Create Icons?" link Menus 30} @{"Language" link Language} @{"Cron" link Cron} @{"Legal Stuff" link LegalStuff} @{"CronTab" link CronTab} @{"Menus" link Menus} @{"Filelist" link FileList} @{"Requirements" link Minimum} @{"From Shell" link FromShell} @{"Selection-Window" link Usage 9} @{"From Workbench" link FromWB} @{"TimeEvent" link Description} @{"Installation" link Installation} @{"Usage" link Usage} @endnode