Copyright: Sentinel (C) 1995 Natural Software Co.


Table of Contents
 Sentinel 1.0

Table of Contents:

What is Sentinel?

What are Resources and Memory?

License

Installation

Registering Sentinel

Order Form

The Sentinel Window

The Sentinel Icon

Options

When Resources or Memory get  low


Sentinel
 Sentinel 1.0

Sentinel is a tool for viewing Resources and Memory usage on a computer running Windows. This information may be displayed in various ways. Sentinel may be configured to trigger audio and/or visual alarms when Resources or Memory reach prespecified levels..
See also:

What are Memory and Resources?

Sentinel is shareware and may be used free of charge on a trial basis. See also:

License

Registration

This is the initial release of Sentinel. The suggestions of users, especially registered users, will determine what additions and improvements will be made. Please address any suggestions or problems you may be having to:

                       Natural Software Company
                       P.O. Box 217
                       Haleiwa, HI   96712-0217

                       Compuserve: 72672,3476
                       INTERNET:  72672.3476@compuserve.com


Installation

Copy the files:
  SENTINEL.EXE
  SENTINEL.HLP
to any directory where you like to keep your stuff.  The other files are optional and may be deleted.  However, you might like to save README.TXT and/or ORDER.TXT for future reference.  Sentinel may be started by running SENTINEL.EXE or by choosing SENTINEL.EXE from the File Manager.

Adding a SENTINEL icon to Program Manager

In Program Manager, click the "File" menu option, then "New", then select "Program Item" and enter SENTINEL.EXE with its full path as the new item.  If you have a "StartUp" group, adding Sentinel there will cause it to run every time Windows starts up.
A similar procedure may be employed to add Sentinel  to a different Windows shell than Program Manager.

Running Sentinel

Sentinel may be started by running SENTINEL.EXE by choosing SENTINEL.EXE from the File Manager or by double-clicking its icon in Program Manager (or another shell).  If the Sentinel icon has been added to the "Startup" Group, Sentinel will start up automatically every time Windows is loaded.


Registering UClock
Registration

Sentinel may be registered by mail.  Sentinel may also be registered online by Compuserve users by GOing SWREG (Registration ID 4958).

Upon receipt of your $10 payment, you will be supplied with a "Validation Code".  This code is entered exact;ly into the program along with the "Registration Name" of your choice.  The "Registration Name" and "Validation Code" are entered by selecting "Register" from the  main menu of the Sentinel display..

Benefits of registering Sentinel

Your "Registration Name" will appear in place of <Unregistered Copy> on the Options-panel.

It will be possible to run Sentinel without the Title & MainMenu. See:

Running without the Title and Menu

Upgrades will ALWAYS be free to registered users.  Future versions will be made readily available for download.  You should be able to find them the same place you found your current copy of Sentinel

Suggestions by registered users will be incorporated into future versions of Sentinel.

Registering supports the try-before-you-buy shareware system.

Accessing the Order Form

Click on:

Order Form

Or print the file ORDER.TXT which is included with the Sentinel distribution package.

If you do not have a printer, be sure to include all of the information requested in the order form with your check or money order.


Options-panel
Configuration Options

Most of Sentinel's options can be set on the Options-panel.   This window is accessed by selecting Options/Options... from the main-menu of the Sentinel Window, by selecting Options... from the Sentinel Icon's menu.

Stay on Top

If this is checked, the window or icon will alway stay on top of other windows.  This allows Sentinel to remain visible when it would otherwise be covered

Run minimized

If checked, Sentinel will initially run in iconic form.

White text

The bars on the Sentinel window may be displayed in two different color modes.  One mode uses white text, the other black text.

Audio alarm

If checked, an audible alarm will sound whenever User Resources, GDI Resources or Memory dips below the level specified (see below).

Visual alarm box

If checked, a visible alarm window will appear whenever User Resources, GDI Resources or Memory dips below the specified level (see below).  The alarm-window offers the options to Exit or Restart Windows, or switch to the Sentinel window or the Options panel.  This can be VERY annoying.  If you expect to get a lot of alarms, this should probably not be checked.

GDI heap alarm

Specifies the level at which the GDI Resource alarm should trigger.  Experience will probably dictate a good level at which to set this.  The default is 33%.

User heap alarm

Specifies the level at which the User Resource alarm should trigger.  Experience will probably dictate a good level at which to set this.  The default is 33%.

Memory alarm

Specifies the level at which the Memory alarm should trigger.  The default is 1 megabyte. If you have a permanent swapfile, it might be good to set this as the size of the swapfile ... then the alarm will  trigger whenever Windows begins swapping (a big peformance degradation takes place at that point).

Memory maximum

The GDI and User bars display a maximum of 100%.  The maximum on the Memory bar is configurable.  It is OK to set this lower than the total amount of memory available on your system.

Icon Locking

The position of the Sentinel icon may be fixed permanently at any location on the screen.  To make use of this feature, enable Icon Locking by checking this option.  Then drag the Sentinel icon to a suitable location and click Lock Now. The icon position may also be locked by choosing  "Lock Icon Now" from the icon's menu.


Sentinel Icon
The Sentinel icon

If Sentinel is minimized, the Sentinel icon will be visible.  The icon appears green if Resources and Memory are above the prespecified alarm levels. Otherwise, the icon turns red  The icon position may be "locked" so that it always appears at a particular location on the Windows desktop.  See also:

Display Options

Available on the icon's menu

Options...

Displays the Options-panel

Stay on top

Toggles stay-on-top mode.  This is also available from the Options-panel.

Lock Now

Locks the icon position if  Icon Locking is enabled on the Options-panel


Order Form
Order Form for Sentinel

Ordering Information

(Each copy of Sentinel 1.0 is licensed for one computer)

   ____  copies at $10(US) each           =_____________

Discount (see below)            -_____________

SubTotal           =_____________

Hawaii residents add 4% GE tax           +_____________

Total payment enclosed           =_____________

Mailing Information ...

Name_________________________________________________________

Company______________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________

City______________________           State/Region____________

   Postal/Zip Code__________           Country_________________

... and/or Internet Address

Internet address____________________________________

Registration Name

NAME (personal or company) to register Sentinel to:

Copy 1 ___________________       Copy 2 ___________________

Copy 3 ___________________       Copy 4 ___________________

Additional copies: attach separate sheet

---------------------------------------------------------------

A copy of this page may be printed by  clicking on the "File" menu item of this window and then  "Print Topic".

Sentinel may be registered by Compuserve members online by GOing SWREG (Registration ID 4958).   In order to register by mail, fill out the above form and mail with your check or money order to:

   Natural Software Company
   P.O. Box 217
   Haleiwa, HI   96712-0217
   USA

Checks must be in US dollars drawn on a US bank.  International postal money orders in US dollars may be used.    Postage to Hawaii is the same as to everywhere else in the United States.

Each purchased license of Sentinel is valid for one computer.
The following discounts are available:
$100-$499        10%
$500-$999        20%
$1000 +             30%
Contact us about network site-license prices.


License
License Agreement

License

This program is shareware.  You may use the program and evaluate it for no more than 30 days.  After this time, you must either register Sentinel or remove it from your  system.  By using Sentinel, you agree to these terms.  Failure to comply with this condition is a violation of U.S. and international copyright law.

Distribution

You may freely (in fact, you are encouraged to) copy and distribute copies of the archive file as SENTNL10.ZIP so long as:
1) no files are added or deleted from the archive
2) no files in the archive are altered

Disclaimer

This software and the accompanying files are provided as-is. There are no warranties express or implied.  Any liability of Natural Software Company shall be limited to refund of the product purchase price. Natural Software Company is not responsible for any problems or damages that may result from using the software.


Resources
Resources and Memory

Everyone has heard of memory. Each program requires a certain amount of memory to run.  If the amount of memory required by programs exceeds the amount of memory available to the computer-system, something bad will happen.

Windows also has 2 limited storage areas for GDI Resources and User Resources.  All running windows programs share these areas.  Things stored in them include menus, bitmaps, dialog-box controls, etc.  Unlike Memory, the size of the areas available for these Resources CANNOT BE INCREASED.  And  Windows will begin to behave strangely when either of these areas begins to run low on free space.

See also:

When Resources or Memory get  low


What To Do
When Resources or Memory get too low

Low Memory

Shut down programs not in use.  This should free up the needed memory.

Some (badly written) programs use memory that does not get freed when they are closed.  If this is the case, exiting and restarting Windows should help.

Failing these options, buy and install more memory,

Low GDI or User Resources

Once either GDI or User Resources become TOO low, Windows will not run properly no matter how much Resources are freed.  In this case, exit and restart Windows.  As a rule of thumb, if either Resource dips below 25%, restarting Windows is probably the best option.

Otherwise, try freeing up some Resources by closing unused programs.

As is the case with Memory, some badly written programs continue to consume Resources even after they are shutdown.  The only alternative may be to exit and restart Windows.

Unlike Memory, it is NOT POSSIBLE to increase the size of the GDI or User Resource areas in Windows 3.1.

See also:

What are Resources and Memory?


No Title Bar
Sentinel with NO Title/Menu

This is only available when Sentinel has been registered.   The caption and main menu are not visible on the Sentinel window

Moving and Resizing

The window is resized in the normal way (by clicking and dragging the border).  The window may be MOVED by clicking and dragging NEAR THE TOP of the face of the window display.

Menu Options

The following options are available by left-clicking anywhere EXCEPT near the top of the face of the window display.  A menu will appear which includes:

Restore Title/Menu
Options... (displays the Options-panel)
Help
Minimize (runs Sentinel iconic)
Exit (Closes Sentinel)


The Graphical Display
The Sentinel Window

The Sentinel window contains three bars.  These display Windows' usage of GDI Resources, User Resources and Memory.  Each bar has a small, inverted triangle which indicates the level at which the alam was set on the Options-panel.  The bar-color is green when above this level, red when below.

User and GDI Resources are displayed as % of resources available (with a maximum of 100).  Memory is displayed as amount of free memory INCLUDING VIRTUAL MEMORY.

The bars are displayed either in a single row or column depending on the shape of the window.  Experiment to see how this works.

Various display options are configurable. The Options-panel may be accessed by choosing Options from the menu, and then Options...

Once registered, choosing Options, then No Title/Menu will allow the window to run without the Title and Menu.

See also:

Setting Display Options

Running without Title and Menu

The Sentinel Icon