Copyright: ©2002-2003 Back-to-Front Solutions Limited


Software Licence Agreement
TimeCore Solo

Copyright ©2002-2003 Back-to-Front Solutions Limited. All rights reserved.

LICENCE FOR USE AND DISTRIBUTION

Please read the following terms and conditions carefully before using this software. Your use of software provided with this agreement (the "SOFTWARE") indicates your acceptance of this licence agreement. If you do not agree with the terms of this licence you must remove this software from your system and cease to use the product.

This licence Agreement covers your use of the freeware TimeCore Solo, hereinafter referred to simply as the "SOFTWARE".

GRANT OF LICENCE

Back-to-Front Solutions Limited grants you a non-exclusive right to use the SOFTWARE on as many computers at a time as you see fit.

The software and accompanying documentation you have acquired and any updates you may receive (collectively "SOFTWARE") are protected by the copyright laws of the United Kingdom and international copyright treaties. Your possession, use or trial use (evaluation) of the SOFTWARE transfers no title to the SOFTWARE itself. Your use of the SOFTWARE must be made in accordance with the terms of this licence agreement.

REDISTRIBUTION

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Back-to-Front Solutions Limited grants you a non-exclusive right to make and freely distribute copies of the SOFTWARE installer package (you cannot copy or redistribute the installed program) provided you do not receive any direct payment for such distribution, any such copies are of the complete and unmodified SOFTWARE installer package. The SOFTWARE installer may be added to a CD-Rom disk and distributed without written consent from Back-to-Front Solutions Limited as long as it is the complete unmodified installation package.

RESTRICTIONS

Except as otherwise expressly permitted in this Agreement, you may not: (i) modify or create any derivative works of the SOFTWARE, including translation or localisation; (ii) decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code for the SOFTWARE (except to the extent applicable laws specifically prohibit such restriction); (iii) redistribute, encumber, sell, rent, lease, sub licence, or otherwise transfer rights to the SOFTWARE; (iv) remove or alter any trademark, logo, copyright or other proprietary notices, legends, symbols or labels in the SOFTWARE; (v) use any component file (that was installed as part of the SOFTWARE) for any purpose other than that for which it was provided, namely as an integral component of the SOFTWARE.

LIMITED WARRANTY

NO WARRANTIES. Back-to-Front Solutions Limited expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE. The SOFTWARE and any related documentation is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties or merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non infringement. The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the SOFTWARE remains with you.

NO LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES. In no event shall Back-to-Front Solutions Limited or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use this product, even if Back-to-Front Solutions Limited has been advised of the possibility of such damages.


Introducing TimeCore Solo 1.5
	TimeCore Solo Help Introducing TimeCore Solo 1.5
New to TimeCore?

•	Getting Started...

•	Essential Hints & Tips

•	Password protecting your data

•	How valuable is your data?

Significant Topics

•	What's New

•	Translating TimeCore

•	Customising the interface using Templates

•	Help & Support

This help page can be viewed at any time from the TimeCore Help menu.


What's New?
	TimeCore Solo Help What's New?

A big THANKS to everyone who has submitted suggestions via email or the forums, as well those who took the time to submit a Fault Report. Here are the main consequences of your feedback...

VERSION 1.5

Upgrade Notice

Please note that version 1.5 of TimeCore Solo upgrades the DAT file which makes it incompatible with earlier versions

•	NEW: The RMB & Space Bar cycle through various preset times in the Start/End fields.

•	NEW: Session overlap restriction can now be disabled via the Admin page option.

•	NEW: The Weekly & Monthly total is now shown along with the Daily total.

•	NEW: Fonts can be modified. Primarily to facilitate translations in non-western encoding's.

•	NEW: Project & Activity added to Search Page as criteria fields.

•	NEW: Exporting ~ Export Destination is now memorised and restored the next time export is accessed.

•	NEW: Help menu now includes links to specific pages of the help documentation related to the current page.

•	NEW: The rather bulky Startup assistant has been replaced with a much simpler dialog.

•	UPD: Translation mechanism has been completely revised. All TimeCore translation templates can be accessed from Admin via the Interface Templates option.

•	UPD: The colour scheme mechanism is now more substantial and consistent across the whole of TimeCore.

•	UPD: Session export ~ added Year, Month, Week, sperate Rate Table & Rate Code to export.

•	UPD: Admin TOC now sorts by internal sort ID rather than alphabetically so that list is always in same order no matter what language is selected.

•	UPD: Fancy but frothy Tip-of-the-day mechanism replaced with a much more useful help intro page with appropriate links.

•	FIX: Totals display was incorrect with Swedish (at least) Regional settings causing the Daily Total & Calendar total to be updated incorrectly.

•	FIX: Correct calculation of Week number at end/beginning of year.

•	FIX: Search page export ~ Export was not publishing rates; now does and includes Year, Month, Week etc. as well.

•	FIX: Was still possible to paste any text into a time field using SHIFT-INSERT causing ERR#259.

•	FIX: ERR#227 ~ Invalid Pattern String ~ related to Intellisense when using '[' character in a Project/Activity name.

•	FIX: The DAT password mechanism has been overhauled and can now be managed from the Administration page.

VERSION 1.4

•	FIX: Hitting ENTER on opening the Project/Activity list caused error.

•	FIX: Numerous issues caused by updating the Reminders list *while* editing a Session. Now prevents this.

•	UPD: UI behaviour of Reminder list improved so it repositions itself after New & Delete.

•	FIX: Problems with exporting if 'translated' field name contained punctuation characters (eg. Break in Swedish = 'Abvr.').

•	FIX: Start=00:00, End=00:01, Break=00:01 produced a duration of -01:06!

•	FIX: A trailing '\' in the path when creating a new TimeCore folder caused error.

•	FIX: Additional translations that slipped through the net last time.

•	NEW: Fault Manager now logs processor and memory stats at time of fault.

For the complete version history of TimeCore Solo please visit the online Help & Support forums (see Support & Further Information).


Hints & Tips
	TimeCore Solo Help Hints & Tips

Overlapping Sessions

By default TimeCore will prevent periods of booked time from overlapping. This restriction can now be disabled from the General Settings section of the Administration page - select 'No' for the 'Prevent Session Overlap' setting.

Where's my time gone?

The title bar displays the location of the TimeCore folder currently being used. Add this folder to your backup procedures to safeguard your data - TimeCore itself is not important since you can always re-install it! For more details see the TimeCore Backup topic.

Auto-Suggest Projects & Activities

The quick way of selecting an existing Activity or Project is to type any part of the name into the appropriate field. As you type, TimeCore will suggest a matching target list - if you use a distinctive keyword in the Project/Activity name it will typically only require two or three characters to get a result. Remember, you can use any part of the name and it is especially efficient with long lists. For more details see the Project & Activities topic

Customise the TimeCore Interface

TimeCore's interface, in terms of the fonts, text and messages displayed, can be easily adjusted using simple template files. These files allow you to substitute the default words and phrases with your own terminology - this could be as simple as changing one or two words to fit in with your working environment or a complete translation of the interface. For more details see the Interface Templates topic.

Duration Display Format

Durations can be shown as fractions of hours or as hours and minutes. For example, a duration of 30 minutes can be displayed as "0.50 hours" or "00:30". See the General Settings section in the Administration page. Please note that both formats are generated when exporting Session data.

Reporting

Use the Search page to filter data by date, project, keyword etc. in conjunction with the Publish menu to generate the raw data for reports.

Jump to a specific date

Click the button (showing the Month & Year) above the monthly calendar for more options - Jump to today's date or enter a specific date.

Got the latest version?

To be notified by email when a new version of TimeCore is released you can join the TimeCore Mailing List. See the 'TimeCore Online' option in the Help menu or visit the TimeCore website. For more details see the Support & Further Information topic.


Tracking Time : An Overview
	TimeCore Help Tracking Time : An Overview
	You can start tracking your time immediately - just follow these simple steps...  1. Pick a date using the Monthly Calendar (A) . TimeCore always starts on the current date. 2. The periods of time (Sessions) you have logged on that day are displayed in the Session List (B). 3. Use the Session Editor (C) to add, delete, modify, duplicate or move Sessions. Repeat as and when required. Simple as that!

Related Links

Reminders List (D)

The Session Editor in detail


An Overview
	TimeCore Help Session Editor : An Overview

Everything in TimeCore is based around a Session and each day can contain zero or more Sessions depending on your working practices. Here are the main features of a TimeCore Session..

•	One or more of the following properties can be set -

~ Start Time

~ End Time

~ Break

~ Project

~ Activity

~ Rate

~ Details

•	You can book any number of Sessions per day.

•	TimeCore will not allow Sessions to overlap by default but this setting can be changed from Administration.

•	The minimum duration of a Session is one minute and the maximum is 24 hours.

•	The duration of a Session is rounded to the nearest minute.

For example, it is not possible to book a 30 second Session ~ it would be rounded to 1 minute.

•	Sessions can be split across midnight.

•	Sessions can be duplicated on- or moved to another date (Transfer).

•	Use the TAB, SHIFT-TAB or ENTER keys to move between fields.

Related Links

Start, End & Break fields

Projects & Activities

Rates Explained


Start, End & Break
	TimeCore Help TimeCore Sessions : Start, End & Break

These fields determine the duration of a Session but are also all optional. If either the Start or End field is left blank then the Session will have no duration but this is perfectly acceptable and TimeCore will record as many zero-duration Sessions as you want.

The Break field represents the amount of time to be subtracted from the Session duration. TimeCore will not save a Session if the Break exceeds the Session duration.

Common Features

The following characteristics apply to all three fields.

•	Records and displays time in hours and minutes with a colon as separator.

•	Uses standard 24 Hour format (also known as Military time).

for 1 PM to 11 PM use 13:00 to 23:00

•	Pressing the colon key (:) will toggle the focus between the Hours and Minutes segments.

Start Time Field

The time representing the beginning of the Session.

•	automatically defaults to...

~ Windows startup time if first session and the Session Editor is open on the current date.

~ End Time of previous Session if existing Session has a non-blank End Time.

•	the Space bar or Right Mouse button will cycle through the Windows Start Time, the end time of the last Session and the current time.

End Time Field

The time representing the end of the Session.

•	automatically defaults to the current time if Start Time field is not null.

•	the Space bar or Right Mouse button will cycle through the Windows Start Time, the end time of the last Session and the current time.

Break Period

Represents the amount of time in hours and minutes to be subtracted from the total time booked in the current Session.

•	Splitting Sessions across midnight.

If the Session is split across midnight then you can enter the amount of 'down' time for the next day. For example, the above Session is booked late on the 23/04/2002 and extends into the next day until 3:30 in the morning. The second Break box (highlighted) appears allowing you to enter a break period for the 24/04/2002 part of the Session.


Projects & Activities
	TimeCore Help TimeCore Sessions : Projects & Activities

Common Features

The following characteristics apply to both the Project and Activity fields.

•	Uses an IntelliSense-type entry mechanism...

~ As you type TimeCore will suggest the Project/Activity it thinks you mean.

~ Remembers the last value used and will display immediately if first letter matches.

•	Quick save mechanism for storing new Projects or Activities - no need to access cumbersome maintenance screens.

Project

This field allows you optionally assign the Session to a Project. Projects can associated with Clients or Customers when it comes to producing invoices or time sheets.

Projects can be maintained and published from the Administration page and offer the following options...

Adding a New Project

You can create a new Project by clicking the New button at the bottom of the list or by double-clicking on the blank last row. This will display a simple dialog that will let you enter a name for the Project and optionally, a description.

Modifying an Existing Project

You can modify the name or description of an existing Project by clicking on the Edit button at the bottom of the list or by double-clicking the selected row. This will then display the Project dialog.

Delete a Project

You can delete the selected Project by clicking on the Delete button at the bottom of the list. However, if the Project has been assigned to at least one Session the system will prevent this from occurring - only Projects that have not been used (the Last Used column in the list is blank) can be removed.

Disabling a Project

You can disable a project by following the steps for modifying a project which brings up the project dialog. Check the Disabled box to hide the project from any selection lists that may be accessed from TimeCore. The Project is not deleted from the system but neither can it be assigned to any new Sessions - uncheck the Disabled box to make it available again.

Activity

This field allows you optionally assign the Session to an Activity.

Activities can be maintained and published from the Administration page and offer the following options...

Adding a New Activity

You can create a new activity by clicking the New button at the bottom of the list or by double-clicking on the blank last row. This will display a simple dialog that will let you enter a name for the Activity and optionally, a description.

Modifying an Existing Activity

You can modify the name or description of an existing Activity by clicking on the Edit button at the bottom of the list or by double-clicking the selected row. This will then display the Activity dialog.

Delete an Activity

You can delete the selected Activity by clicking on the Delete button at the bottom of the list. However, if the Activity has been assigned to at least one Session the system will prevent this from occurring - only activities that have not been used (the Last Used column in the list is blank) can be removed.

Disabling an Activity

You can disable an Activity by following the steps for modifying an activity which brings up the Activity dialog. Check the Disabled box to hide the Activity from any selection lists that may be accessed from TimeCore. The Activity is not deleted from the system but neither can it be assigned to any new Sessions - uncheck the Disabled box to make it available again.


Rates
	TimeCore Help TimeCore Sessions : Rates

If you are planning to charge for your time then TimeCore uses Rate Tables to provide specialised categories which can be assigned to a Session. Rates are setup using the Administration page.

Please note that at this stage you do not need to get bogged down in values and calculations, you simply define Rate categories which you assign to a Rate Code (or Rate Band).

Here are the basic steps for using Rates in TimeCore ~

1.	Create a Rate Table and specify the period it is to cover.

2.	Assign one or more Rate categories to a code/band.

3.	In the Session Editor use the drop down to select the appropriate rate (TimeCore automatically uses the Rate Table that is active for the given date).

Session Rate

Use this field to assign a 'value' to your time ~ eg. Normal Time, Overtime, Night Shift etc.

This field is really only relevant if you charge for your time and intend to use the TimeCore data in invoices or time sheets. Like the Project and Activity fields, the Recorder simply sees a Rate as an additional way of categorising the time.

Maintaining Rate Tables

To create a new Rate Table click on the New button below the Rate Tables list. This displays the Rate Table dialog where you can set the date on which the table is to come into effect. If a Rate Table has already been defined you also have the option of duplicating the Rates from the existing table.

To edit an existing table definition you can click on the Edit button below the Rate Tables list or double-click on the selected row.

To delete an existing Rate Table click on the Delete button. Please note that TimeCore will not allow a Rate Table to be deleted if a Rate belonging to it has been assigned to one or more Sessions.

If the Expiry Date is blank then this signifies the active table to date.

Maintaining Rates

Each Rate Table has 16 pre-defined slots (labelled 'A' to 'O') which are initially empty. To activate a slot you assign a name to the associated letter and that Rate will then appear in Session Editor drop down field. You can activate whichever slots you like - the significance is that in the Session List the Rate is shown as...

<Rate Slot>.<Rate Table>

For example, you could name slot 'A' as 'Standard Time', 'D' as 'OverTime Band A', 'E' as 'OverTime Band B' etc. In the Session List the rate would be shown as A.1 for Standard Time, E.1 for OverTime band B (assuming that we are using Rate Table #1).

To update a Rate Slot you can click on the Edit button at the bottom of the list or you can double-click the selected row. Either way the Rate dialog will be shown in which you can update the Rate Name and optionally, a description.

You cannot remove Rate Slots - the equivalent action though is clicking on the Clear button at the bottom of the list which will delete the Rate name thus de-activating the slot. Once again, this will not be allowed if the given Rate has been assigned to one or more Sessions.


Sessions List
	TimeCore Help Recording Time: Sessions List

This section of the Recorder page lists the Sessions that have been booked on any given day.

The list heading shows the date (based on your Regional Settings) and the total hours booked for that day.

Each row of the list represents a single Session. The row is split into two levels with the Start Time, End Time, Break, Hours, Rate, Project and Activity shown on the top level with the Session Details displayed along the whole of the bottom level.

As you select a row in the Sessions List the details will be displayed in the Session Editor underneath.

Please note that you can resize the columns.


Calendar Pane
	TimeCore Help Recording Time: Calendar

The Monthly Calendar view is your navigation tool for displaying the sessions booked on any given day.

Each column represents a weekday (abbreviated) and each row the week number. The displayed date is highlighted along with the associated weekday and week number.

Weekday headings, the first day of the week and first week of the year are based on your Regional Settings.

For each day of the month the total hours booked per day is shown rounded to the first decimal place.

The month and year are displayed at the top of the calendar in the Calendar Caption. The left and right chevrons on either side of the Calendar Caption move the view to the previous and next month respectively.

By clicking on the Calendar Caption you can jump to the current date or open a dialog in which you can enter  a specific date to move to.


Reminders List
	TimeCore Help Reminders List

The TimeCore Reminders List is a simple but surprisingly useful tool which complements the Session Editor. As you log details about your time it is not uncommon to identify additional tasks or goals which, if recorded as part of a Session, have the tendency to disappear from view. Hence the Reminders List, which helps you to keep things in focus all within the TimeCore environment.

Using the Reminders List

The Reminders List is located in the bottom-left of the main TimeCore window just below the Calendar pane. Entries can be created, modified and deleted from the list using one of the three icons at the bottom of the list respectively. You can also double-click on an entry to open the Reminder Editor. All deletions will require your confirmation.

The first few words for each entry are displayed in the list to help you identify a particular item and items are sorted by age with the oldest first.

Publishing the Reminders List

Like the Sessions list you can export the Reminders list at any time using the Publish menu. Additional information added to the export file is the creation date and age of each item.


Overview
	TimeCore Solo Help Searching : An Overview

Using the TimeCore Search engine it is possible to look for sessions using any combination of the Project, Activity and Details field. You can restrict your search to a given date range or examine all your data. Finally, you can publish the results by exporting to text or Excel formats.

Search Criteria

You can search on the Project, Activity and Detail fields. Please note that unless you use wildcard characters TimeCore looks for a direct match.

Example.

Let's say you want to list all sessions which have the word 'meeting'. Simply typing 'meeting' into the Details field will not work because TimeCore will be looking for all Sessions where the details is 'meeting' exactly. Instead you tell TimeCore to look for sessions where the details field contains the required word. This is achieved using the asterisk wildcard character ('*') by typing '*meeting*' instead (see Using Wildcard Characters to see how powerful this technique can be).

Related links

Using Wildcard Characters


Using Wildcard characters
	TimeCore Help Searching for Sessions using Wildcards

You use wildcard characters as placeholders for other characters when you are specifying a value you want to find and you:

•	Know only part of the value.

•	Want to find values that start with a specific letter or match a certain pattern.

The following table shows the wildcard characters that can be used in TimeCore.

Character	Description		Example
*	Matches any number of characters. It can be used as the first or last character in the character string.		wh* finds what, white, and why
?	Matches any single alphabetic character.		B?ll finds ball, bell, and bill
[ ]	Matches any single character within the brackets.		B[ae]ll finds ball and bell but not bill
!	Matches any character not in the brackets.		b[!ae]ll finds bill and bull but not ball or bell
-	Matches any one of a range of characters. You must specify the range in ascending order (A to Z, not Z to A).		b[a-c]d finds bad, bbd, and bcd
#	Matches any single numeric character.		1#3 finds 103, 113, 123

Notes

•	When using wildcard characters to search for other wildcard characters such as an asterisk (*), question mark (?), number sign (#), opening bracket ([), or hyphen (-), you must enclose the item you're searching for in brackets. If you're searching for an exclamation point (!) or a closing bracket (]), you don't need to enclose it in brackets.

For example, to search for a question mark, type [?] in the Find dialog box. If you're searching for a hyphen and other characters simultaneously, place the hyphen before or after all the other characters inside the brackets. (However, if you have an exclamation point (!) after the opening bracket, place the hyphen after the exclamation point.)

•	You can't search for the opening and closing brackets ([ ]) together because this is interpreted as a zero-length string . You must enclose the opening and closing brackets in brackets ([[ ]]).


Publishing TimeCore Data
	TimeCore Help Publishing TimeCore Data

The Publish menu is the starting point for extracting your data from TimeCore.

If you ever need to get your data back out of TimeCore then the Publish menu will always be the option to use. Use the Search page to filter data by date, project, keyword etc. in conjunction with the Publish menu to generate the raw data for reports.

The availability of this menu and the options it presents to you are determined by the current TimeCore page. For example, on the Sessions Recorder page the Publish menu lets you export a pre-defined set of Sessions or the Reminders List but the Search page only displays one Publish option - the results of the Search. Likewise, some TimeCore pages may not contain data suitable for Publishing, in which case the Publish menu will be disabled.


TimeCore Backup
	TimeCore Help TimeCore Backup

TimeCore stores all the data you enter in a single file  in the folder you designate at startup. This file is called TIMECORE.DAT and like any document is subject to the vagaries of the Windows operating system and hardware on which it resides. For example, the folder may accidentally be deleted or the hard-drive may fail or a crash could leave the DAT file corrupted. If you have no backup then all data will be lost.

The latest version of TimeCore now includes a rudimentary mechanism that will copy the DAT file to a backup in the same folder when TimeCore is closed. This is primarily a safe-guard against the DAT being corrupted due to Windows crashing or some other event that prevents TimeCore closing down normally. If you are unable to open your TimeCore file then simply rename the backup file in the TimeCore folder to TIMECORE.DAT.

This is no substitute for a good backup procedure and we strongly recommend that you try to place your TimeCore folder in a location that is backed up regularly.


DAT Security
	TimeCore Solo Help Password Protecting Your Data

TimeCore stores all your data in the folder you specified at startup. Your recorded time is stored in the file TIMECORE.DAT (or DAT for short).

The DAT is as secure as the environment in which you use TimeCore - in most cases this will be sufficient if you use a single, isolated PC which only you have access to. But, if the DAT is located in a shared location (eg. on a network drive) or where a single computer is used by more than one person then you might wish to consider assigning a password to your DAT file otherwise anyone can view your recorded time using a copy of TimeCore.

By default the DAT is not password protected. To assign a password open the Administration page from the Contents menu and select 'Security' under 'DAT Settings'. The page contains the follow fields...

DAT File

Identifies the DAT file to be protected.

Password Protected

Indicates whether the DAT is protected or not. Default is 'No'.

Owner

The owner of the DAT is the Windows user account that originally created the DAT. For convenience, the Owner is not required to enter a password for a protected DAT - for example, if Gary Peters logs into windows as gpeters and creates a new TimeCore folder then the owner of the DAT will be gpeters. If Gary then assigns a password to the DAT then the password will only be required if anyone other than gpeters tries to access the DAT.

Set a New Password

A new password can be assigned at any time. If the DAT is already protected and you are not the owner then the existing password will be required first. Please note that the password is case-sensitive.

New DAT Owner

The password will always be required if anyone other than the owner tries open a protected DAT file. If you need to change the owner to avoid entering the password each time you can do this here. The new owner will be as shown.


Overview
	TimeCore Solo Help Interface Templates : An Overview

TimeCore's interface, in terms of the fonts, text and messages displayed, can be easily adjusted using simple template files. These files allow you to substitute the default words and phrases with your own terminology - this could be as simple as changing one or two words to fit in with your working environment or a complete translation of the interface.

Managing Templates

TimeCore Interface Templates are managed from the Administration page (see screen shot above) by selecting the "Interface Templates" section. The list of available templates can be found in the top drop-down list while the bottom three lists specify the font characteristics which are also stored in the associated template file. Changes to the template or fonts are reflected immediately in the current TimeCore page to help you decide.

Please note that TimeCore performs no validation on this file - if it cannot read it  then it will revert to the inbuilt text.

Whenever you open the template file from TimeCore it automatically scans all components for any new entries and adds them to the file.

Installed Templates

When TimeCore is installed it places a number of predefined templates in 'iTemplates' within the installation folder. These templates represent the various translations of the TimeCore interface and are read-only. The default template is '_Default' which effectively means TimeCore uses the built-in fonts and captions for the interface. If TimeCore is installed using one of the non-English languages then the appropriate template will be set here instead of the default.

User-defined Templates

You can create new templates based on the installed templates and store them in 'iTemplates' within the DAT folder. Templates you create can be opened (using the default editor), updated, deleted etc.

Related Links

Understanding the format of the Template File

Using Templates to translate the TimeCore Interface


Template File Format
	TimeCore Solo Help Interface Templates : File Format

A TimeCore Interface Template is a standard text file that can be read by any suitable editor (such as Notepad) and uses the common INI format, the structure of which is described in this topic.

File Header

The first few lines each start with a semi-colon which represent a comment and is ignored by TimeCore. Feel free to add your own notes or comments.

[labels] Section

Here you will find common words or small phrases that are used throughout TimeCore and which are listed in alphabetical order. To translate/substitute a word simply type your own text after the equals sign (=).  For example, on the line Project=, entering Project=Job will display Job where-ever Project currently appears.

[fonts] Section

This section should appear at the bottom of the template file. This is updated using the fonts lists on the administration page and should not be modified outside of TimeCore.

Remaining Sections

The remaining sections are used for translating sentences which are generally displayed in dialogues to the User at various times. Each section represents a component installed with TimeCore and contains a list of messages that component can display. The format is the same as above but instead of using the actual word, an ID is used with the English phrase as a comment above. Simply enter the new phrase after the equals sign to replace the default.

Special Characters

The following special characters are used in the reference file...

%T	This token will be expanded into 'TimeCore'.
%1,  %2...	These tokens will be replaced with information generated at the time.


Translations
	TimeCore Solo Help TimeCore Translations

As TimeCore evolves previous translation templates will gradually become out-of-date as new captions are added and existing text is updated or removed. This will manifest itself in TimeCore as the odd word or phrase appearing in English. If you have used the TimeCore templates to create a new translation or update an existing one please consider sending us the template so that many more TimeCore users can benefit from your efforts.

A.	Before submitting a Translation template

First check the TimeCore download page to see which translations are currently available. Each translation template has a version number associated with it which indicates the version of TimeCore the template was compiled against. Please consider submitting your template if your proposed translation does not exist or, if it does, then the version is less than the current version of TimeCore.

B.	Creating a new Translation

1.	Open the Administration page from the Contents and select the Interface Templates section of General Settings.

2.	Select the _Default template from the Template File drop-down list.

3.	Click New and enter a name for the template. This template will be created in the iTemplates sub-folder of the DAT folder.

4.	TimeCore will then generate the template file and open it in an external editor (usually NotePad).

5.	Complete template (see Template File Format for more details).

C. Updating an existing Translation.

1.	Open the Administration page from the Contents and select the Interface Templates section of General Settings.

2.	Select the installed translation you wish to update from the Template File drop-down list.

3.	Click New and enter a name for the template. TimeCore will generate a new template based on the selected translation, adding new entries and removing old ones. This template will be created in the iTemplates sub-folder of the DAT folder.

4.	TimeCore will open the template file in an external editor (usually NotePad).

5.	Update the entries which have no translation - ie. nothing after the equals, '=', sign (see Template File Format for more details).

D. Submitting a translation template

The translation template you wish to send is located in the 'iTemplates' sub-folder of the DAT folder (displayed in the TimeCore title bar). Simply attach the file to an email and send it to translation@back2front.co.uk. Please include your name and optionally, a contact email and web address - these details will be added to the header of the template in recognition of your help.


System Requirements
	TimeCore Help System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

•	Tested successfully on Windows 95, 98, NT4, 2000, and XP.

•	Minimum Resolution : 800 x 600 at 96 dpi font size.

•	5MB of disk space.

•	Windows 95 Only

TimeCore requires the latest versions of the Windows common controls which are usually installed by having the latest version of Internet Explorer. Fresh installations of older versions of Windows 95 appear to have earlier version of these controls which affect the Transfer and Rate Table dialogs in TimeCore. To resolve, please install the latest version of Internet Explorer or if you are not an IE fan you can download just the controls by searching for 50comupd.exe on Microsoft's website.

Recommended ~

•	High Colour (16 Bit)


Support & Further Information
	TimeCore Help Support & Further Information

Help & Support

If you are unable to find the answer in this Help file please check the online forums which contain the latest information and include a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section as well as a dedicated Help & Support forum.  If you would prefer to contact us directly please send an email to tcsupport@back2front.co.uk or complete the online Feedback form.

The TimeCore Mailing List

If you would like to be notified by email whenever a new version is released please join the Mailing List.

Translation Files

We are keen to make TimeCore as accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of language, and with the template file mechanism we hope people will feel encouraged to send us their translations so that we can add it to the installation package. For full details please see the 'TimeCore Interface Templates' topic.

General Enquiries

If you require further information about the TimeCore system or Back-to-Front Solutions Limited...

Fax :	07092310383
Email :	enquiry@back2front.co.uk
Website :	http://www.back2front.co.uk/


The TimeCore Fault Manager
	TimeCore Help The TimeCore Fault Manager

No software can ever claim to be 100% stable - the complex and uncontrollable nature of the Microsoft Windows environment system in tandem with the many and varied hardware platforms on which it is installed means that you can guarantee the unexpected will happen!

TimeCore has been designed with this in mind from the very start to give us every chance of getting as close to the 100% mark as possible - so the question is not if but when the unexpected occurs, how does TimeCore cope with the problem?

Handling the Unexpected...

If TimeCore detects a problem then it will first display an alert dialog which gives you the option of either ignoring the error or opening the TimeCore Fault Manager.

Using the TimeCore Fault Manager

The purpose of the Fault Manager is to provide a means of submitting details of the problem to Back-to-Front Solutions so that it can be identified, replicated and fixed. It displays full diagnostic information that was recorded at the time the fault was detected and also lets you add any additional comments you think might help us to track the problem down. Please note that no personal or identifying information is or can be derived from the diagnostic data, it is simply a snapshot of the environment in which TimeCore was running at the time the fault was detected which can help us to identify the cause of the problem.

Restart TimeCore

Whatever you decide to do, it is recommended that you restart TimeCore to clear any residual issues.

Solutions to Common Faults

•	ActiveX component can't create object on TimeCore startup.

•	Please check the online Help & Support forum for the latest solutions (see Support & Further Information)


"ActiveX component can't create object"
	TimeCore Solo Help Error : "ActiveX Component can't create object

This error is an indication that TimeCore has not been installed properly and usually occurs on starting TimeCore. Typical details displayed by the TimeCore Fault Manager are...

ERROR:  COMPONENT: tcShell [1.4.3]

SOURCE: CGlobalSettings:Settings()

LINE: 0

ERR#: 429

<--DETAILS-->

ActiveX component can't create object

Possible Causes...

•	A reboot is still required to finalise the installation.

•	TimeCore is installed once to a shared location with a view to...

~ creating shortcuts for each client machine that requires access to TimeCore

~ copying the installation folder to each client machine that requires TimeCore access.

This will not work because TimeCore consists of various component files which must be registered on each computer using the setup executable. Simply creating shortcuts to a shared installation folder will inevitably generate this error.

•	The Windows user account from which TimeCore is being installed does not have the appropriate permissions to register ActiveX DLL components.

Solution

Ensure you have the correct permissions, download the latest version and re-install.