ABClassroom (C) 1998-2000 by Michael A. Shaffer

This program requires using Windows 95/98 and a sound card. To use
the built in tape recorder you also need a microphone installed
and turned on.

This application runs best using a screen size of
640 X 480 to make it child size, but other setting are Okay.

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The windows mouse control is available while running the program. I suggest
you change the mouse speed setting to slow for beginners especially when 
using the Chalkboard utility.

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The program's WAV and MID files can be substituted with those of your own to 
personalize it.

With the use of a wave file editior utility, a simple one comes with windows, you can
create and replace my wav files with yours and put the whole program in you own voice.

example:  record a new wav file saying the letter A and save it as A.wav
          replace my A.wav file with the one you made in the ABC directory.
          now when the letter A is selected it will play your new file.          

     ************************ IMPORTANT ***************************

Keep your new wav file short, cut out most all of the dead space before and after the 
sound using the editor.  If you do not the program will not be as efficient.

The windows sound recorder, file name Sndrec32.exe is in the windows directory.



Any Midi files "filename.mid", can be copied and renamed to 
music1 2 or 3 .mid in the programs directory to replace the music that plays
when the program button is pushed for that music.

The mid files supplied with the program were found on the Internet and the file authors are 
unknown and the files are believed to be public domain.
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The program is designed to be as child proof as possible.  Examples are that when in the 
ABCs screen only pressing a letter or number keys should produce a result the others
will do nothing.  All of the screen's control boxes to minimize, resize, or exit
are not available.  
The Alt-Ctrl-Delete key combination and the Alt-Tab key presses should be disabled, and 
not available for escape. Trying to drag the screen with the Title bar to see the Desktop 
should not work as the Desktop is hidden by a program screen and when the cursor 
touches it, the moved screen will snap back into place. Because of the various hardware 
and software environments into which ABClassroom may be put, test the application 
on your computer before relying on any of the child proofing features to work.

The program is designed to be difficult to exit to provide some extra child proofing.  
REMEMBER that learning 
how to use the program's controls is one of the objectives of the program and a progressing 
child will eventually learn their way out even with all of the child proofing working.

I recommend that a parent be with the child while running this application
so they do not do any harm to the computer or files if they accidentally exit
the program. If a child turns the computer off and back on again, they will be
out of the program.

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To help limit the programs abilities, setup the controls on the Menu Bar, to
limit what a child might do.  

The program's Menu Bar has options to turn on and off the volume control and
recorder controls.

The exit on/off can be set to hide the Goodbye (EXIT) control,
so it is harder for them to accidentally exit the program.
  
To EXIT the program:
select menu on the menu bar and turn the memu on.
select goodbye on/off on the menu bar and turn goodbye on.
a red goodbye control will now be available on the screen.

*****                                                                   *****
***** You also NEED to double click the Goodbye (EXIT) control to exit. *****
*****                                                                   *****

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The application's volume control uses Windows 95 program Sndvol32.exe
this file must be in your windows directory.

The recorder will record for 5 seconds then stop automatically.

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MICHAEL A. SHAFFER is NOT responsible for any damage or data loss while
running this application, run at you're own risk.


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                                  PROBLEMS


When clicking on a ABC block or pushing a letter or number key on the keyboard
no sound is heard.
1.  Check the main volume and the wave volume settings in the Sndvol32.exe program.
2.  Make sure the mute box is not checked.
3.  The .wav file may not be in the program's directory.


The Recorder is not working.
1.  Check microphone volume and settings in the Sndvol32.exe program.
    Make sure the microphone mute box is not checked.
2.  The file voice.wav may have became corrupted or is not in the program's directory.

(If the microphone is not working proper it may corrupt the file "voice.wav" file.)

To fix the file "voice.wav.

End the program and Delete the file "voice.wav" restart program and try
again. the program will try to make a new one.

If that does not work, exit the program, make a copy of any of the other
abc .wav files and rename it 'voice.wav'. 



The recorder even when set to "play only" it will not work.
1. The file voice.wav may have became corrupted.

Repair the voice.wav file as instructed above. 

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                                 To Uninstall ABClassroom

To uninstall the program goto control panel, click on Add/Remove Programs, select ABClassroom,
click on the Add/Remove... button at the bottom.