Copyright: Copyright © 1997-1998 Io Development.  All Rights Reserved.


About Message Pad
Message Pad Unregistered v1.1

Copyright © 1997-1998 Io Development.  All rights reserved.

Message Pad is a shareware utility for people who would prefer to have reminders displayed in Windows as opposed to looking in a diary or a notebook.  Its most basic function is to be a static reminder window - a display screen that can be positioned on the top layer of the desktop, like a sticky note.  Message Pad also incorporates the ability to assign text to icons that sit in the Message Pad window.

In addition, Message Pad has two powerful functions that extend its capabilities.  The first of these is Recurring Message Setup that allows you to configure Message Pad to pop up at regular intervals.  The second additional feature is Event Schedule Setup: set up the Message Pad reminder window to be displayed or automatically open a file at a time and date of your choosing.

These features are outlined and described in detail in specific help articles.  The main Message Pad tools have a Quick Help system built into a toolbar at the bottom of the dialogue box, giving you immediate and direct access to help on how to use the software.

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary, Message Pad display window, Acknowledgements, How to register Message Pad


Contents
Message Pad Unregistered Help Contents

Click here for help on using the help system

Click here for information on how to register Message Pad

About Message Pad

Message Pad

Message Pad Features Summary

Message Alarms

Scheduling and updating an event

Event Schedule Setup

Recurring Messages

Additional Features

Message Pad Options

Message Pad Preferences

Text Items


Adding Message Pad to the StartUp Group

The StartUp group

The StartUp group is a folder where shortcuts can be placed so those programs will load automatically when Windows starts.  If Message Pad’s shortcut is placed here, it will load at the start of every Windows session.

We recommend that you add a Message Pad shortcut to the StartUp group for convenience.  For information on adding to the StartUp group, select Help from the Start menu and locate the article entitled: “StartUp folder, adding programs to.”

See Also:

Message Pad


Message Pad Preferences

Message Pad has many preferences that allow you to tailor Message Pad and its appearance to your choosing.  In addition, pop-up menus give you even more access to Message Pad’s option settings and preferences.

Preferences from pop-up menus

Pop-up menus work in the same way as the menu bars that you see along the top of most dialogues.  The difference between the two is that pop-up menus only appear when you click the right mouse button on a particular area of the screen.  The pop-up menu will disappear when you select a menu item, or click another part of the dialogue with the left mouse button.

Nearly all of Message Pad’s dialogues have pop-up menus.  They provide a convenient way of using the software.  Whilst in the Message Window dialogue, you have access to three different pop-up menus: one for the Status bar, Tool bar and the Message Window Text Box, the uses of each one are explained separate articles listed below.

The Preferences Menu

The Preferences menu located in the menu bar at the top of the Message Window contains three options.  These options are accessible directly from the Preferences menu item and control the general behaviour of the Message Window.

Always on top: When this item is ticked Message Pad will remain on the top-most layer of the monitor display, (it will display itself on top of all other programs).  When this item is not ticked, other windows will be able to overlap it as they are opened or activated.

Keep in screen: When this item is ticked, and Message Pad is moved out of the screen, it will automatically move itself back into the screen.  When this item is not ticked, Message Pad will not alter its position.

Word Wrap: When this item is ticked, text will automatically spill over onto the next line when the current line of text has been filled, so that all message text is visible in the Message Window Text Box.  When this item is not ticked, the text will continue to print on the current line until the Return key is pressed.

Message Pad is a very customisable program and many features can be turned on or off to give you full control over how it behaves.  Some of the options to do this are contained in pop-up menus that are displayed by clicking the right mouse button on a certain area of the dialogue that you are using.  Three such menus can be displayed in the Message Window - links to articles explaining the use of each are listed below.

· Message Window Pop-up Menu

· Tool bar Pop-up Menu

· Status bar Pop-up Menu

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary, Message Pad main display, Message Pad Options


Message Window Pop-up menu

Clicking the right mouse button anywhere in the Message Window will display this pop-up menu.  The main file controls along with edit and display options are contained within this menu.

Cut:  Removes the currently selected text from the Message Window and stores it in the clipboard.

Copy:  Copies the currently selected text from the Message Window and stores it in the clipboard.

Paste:  Inserts any text from the clipboard, to the cursor position in the Message Window.

Undo: Cancels any editing operation previously carried out in the Message Window.

File

New Message File: Starts a new message file.

Open Message File: Displays the Open File dialogue where you can select a file to load into the Message Window.

Save Message File: Saves the text in the Message Window to the current message file, the name of which is displayed in the title bar - [filename.rtf].

Show

Title Bar: Displays/hides the Title Bar located at the top of the Message Window.  When this option is ticked the Title Bar is displayed, when this option is cleared, the Title Bar is hidden.

Menu Bar: Displays/hides the Menu Bar located below the Title Bar.  When this option is ticked the Menu Bar is displayed, when this option is cleared, the Menu Bar is hidden.  The pop-up menus are always available in the Message Window, should you need to use them to restore any of the function bars.

Tool bar: Displays/hides the Tool bar containing shortcut buttons to Message Pad’s main functions.  When this option is ticked the Tool bar is displayed, when this option is cleared, the Tool bar is hidden.

Status bar: Displays/hides the Status bar containing the current date and time.  When this option is ticked the Status bar is displayed, when this option is cleared, the Status bar is hidden.

All:  Displays/hides all function bars listed above in the Message Window.  When this option is ticked the Title Bar, Menu Bar, Tool bar and Status bars are all displayed, when this option is cleared, all function bars are hidden.

Always on top: When this item is ticked Message Pad will remain on the top-most layer of the display (it will display itself on top of all other dialogues unless another dialogue is displayed as always on top).  When this item is not ticked, other windows will be able to overlap the Message Window as they are opened or activated.

Message Window

Fonts:  Displays the Font selection dialogue, where you can set the font attributes of the text currently highlighted or typed.  (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY)

Foreground Colour:	Opens the Colour selection dialogue where you can set the colour of the selected text or any text typed after the cursor position in the Message Window.  REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

Background Colour:	Opens the Colour selection dialogue where you can set the background colour of the Message Window.  REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

Add Text Item: Opens the Text Item Setup dialogue allowing you to create a new Text Item.

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary, Message Pad Preferences, Message Pad Options


Status bar Pop-up menu

This pop-up menu displays a menu containing options and tools that allow you control how the date and the time are displayed in the Status bar.

Set System Date/Time: Opens the Date/Time Properties dialogue where you can set the system date or time.  If Message Pad cannot find ‘Control.exe’, the Control Manager program, it will not be able to open the System Date/Time dialogue.  If this happens, you can double click the time display in the Start bar to open the dialogue.

Hide: Removes the Status bar from the Message Window and hides it from view.

Date Display

Long Date: Displays the date in the Status bar, in long date format i.e. Monday 1, January 1997

Short Date: Displays the date in the Status bar, in short date format i.e. 01/01/97 REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

Time Display

12 Hours: Displays the time in the Status bar in 12-hour format i.e. 11:00:00 am/pm

24 Hours: Displays the time in the Status bar in 24-hour format i.e. 23:00:00 REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary, Message Pad Preferences, Message Pad Options


Tool bar Pop-up menu

This menu contains five tools and options allowing you to control how Message Pad displays the Tool bar.

Collapsible: When the Message Pad window is resized to a width less than the width of the Tool bar, the Tool bar will collapse onto another row in order to display all of the icons on the screen.  This option is only available when the Tool bar is aligned at the top of the Message Window

Remain Static: When the Message Pad window is resized to a width less than the width of the Tool bar, the Tool bar will keep its width and will not change its size. REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

Align Top: Positions the Tool bar along the top of the Message Window, below the Menu Bar.

Align Bottom: Positions the Tool bar along the bottom of the Message Window (always above the Status bar when visible). REGISTERED VERSION ONLY

Hide: Removes the Tool bar from the Message Window and hides it from view.

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary, Message Pad Preferences, Message Pad Options


System Information

Message Pad provides access to the System Information program provided by Windows.  To view the information provided by this utility, select Help | About from the Message Pad Menu Bar and click on the System Info button.  If the System Information program is not on your hard disk, this button will be greyed.

See Also:

Message Pad Features Summary


Closing options

To give you even more control over how Message Pad behaves, three additional options take effect when you decide to close Message Pad.

Minimize in Start bar

This option simply minimizes the Message Pad window when you choose to close the dialogue.  Message Pad will remain open unless you close the program using the Close Program dialogue (Ctrl + Alt + Del).

Save on exit

Using this option will automatically save the current message text to the file name enclosed in square brackets in the Title Bar.  If Message Pad cannot save to this file because the disk is full or write-protected, you will be prompted with a message making you aware of this.

Hide from screen but remain open

When this option is checked, this [h] symbol will appear in the title bar of the Message Pad window.  This means that when you close Message Pad, it will go into hide mode - disappear from the screen but remain open.  In the Options dialogue you can choose to be prompted with a message that asks you whether or not you want Message Pad to hide or close (see Features Summary).

When you close Message Pad with this option selected, Message Pad will disappear from view and will not be displayed in the Start bar.  The only way that you will be able to close Message Pad would be to press Ctrl + Alt + Del, select Message Pad in the Close Program window and select End Task.

When this option is used, Message Pad will activate (display itself on the screen) if called by a recurring or scheduled event, or if it is opened from its icon as usual.  If however, the Activate Options set Message Pad to close, it will do so in accordance to these closing options.

See Also:

Message Pad Options, Message Pad Features Summary


Text Items

A Text Item is a shortcut to another text file, represented by an icon in the Message Window.  To view this text, double click on the icon and select View Text from the pop-up menu; the text linked to the icon will be displayed in a separate window.  If however, this text cannot be found, Message Pad will display an error message making you aware of this.  Message Pad will then have to remove the specified Text Item from the Message Window to prevent further error.

NOTE: When Message Pad has to remove the Text Item from the Message Window, the icon used to represent the Text Item remains intact on the hard drive, it is not deleted from the hard disk, but removed from the Message Window text display.

See also:

Creating a Text Item, Removing a Text Item


Creating a Text Item

Creating a Text Item requires you to follow three simple steps.  You must enter a file name for the Text Item text, or alternatively select a file using the Open File dialogue.  You must select an icon or picture file to represent the Text Item on the Message Window text display; you can enter the filename directly, or select the file from the Open File dialogue by clicking the Browse button.  You must then either enter new text for the Text Item in the Selection Text window, or you might have selected text from the Message Window which will automatically go into the Selection Text Box when you open the Text Item Setup dialogue.

Each of these steps is explained in further detain in the sections below.

The Selection Text

The Selection Text is the text that goes into the Text Item, and is saved in the Text Item File.  If you select or highlight text from the Message Window, when you open the Text Item Setup dialogue, the text that you have selected will automatically place itself in the Selection Text Box.  Alternatively, you can enter text afresh in the Selection Text Box when you open the Text Item Setup dialogue.  To open the Text Item Setup dialogue to create a Text Item, select Tools | Text Item Setup from the Message Pad Menu Bar.

The Text Item Text File

All Text Items need a Text Item File to store the text for the item.  You can create a new file for the Text Item text by typing a new name straight into the Item Filename box.  If you want to use a file that already exists, you can either type the name of your file in the Item Filename box, or click the Browse button and select the file from the Open File dialogue.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you select or use a file that already exists as a Text Item File, then by assigning the Text Item, the contents of that item file will be overwritten by the text in the Selection Text window.  Subsequently, you will not be able to retrieve this information.

The Text Item Icon

All Text Items must be represented by a picture or icon file, which is displayed in the Message Window.  To specify and icon file name, you can either enter the name straight into the Picture Filename Text Box, or click the second Browse button and use the Open File dialogue, to locate and select the necessary file.

When a valid icon (.ICO) or bitmap picture (.BMP) file is specified, a thumbnail of the chosen file will show up in the Preview frame.

Assigning The Text Item

When all of the above steps have been completed, clicking on the Assign button will create the Text Item in the Message Window.

NOTE: Whenever you remove or delete a Text Item from the Message Window, the icon or picture file is only removed from the screen display.  The icon or picture is never removed from the hard drive.

See Also:

Explanation of Text Items, Removing a Text Item


Removing a Text Item

To remove a Text Item, click the right mouse button on the item and select Delete Text Item from the pop-up menu.  There are two optional methods for Text Item removal: you can remove the icon picture from the Message Window, leaving the text file on the hard disk, or you can remove the icon picture from the Message Window, and the Text Item file from the hard disk (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY).

Explanations of these options and how to use them are given separate articles listed below.

See Also:

Text Items, Creating a Text Item, Text Item removal options


The Open File dialogue

The Open File dialogue is a tool that allows you to locate and select a file from an Explorer style interface.  This dialogue displays the drives on your computer and the files and folders or directories contained within them.  By double clicking and opening the folders displayed in this dialogue, you display another list of directories and/or files contained within the selected folder.  From there, you simply look up the file you need to find, and double click on its icon to select and use it.

Selecting a file

At the top of the dialogue is a list box titled Look In.  Click on this box and select the drive that you want to search in order to find file that you want.  The window below this box will change to display all of the files and folders (or sub folders) contained on the selected drive.  By selecting and opening folders displayed in this window you can navigate around the directories on the selected drive; if the folder you open contains any files or sub folders, they will also be displayed in this window.  The names of all files and folders are displayed alongside their respective icons.  When you have found the file that you want to select or use,  click the left mouse button on the file name or icon, and then click the OK button.

Unless for some reason there is a problem with the file that you have selected, the Open File dialogue should disappear, and return you to whatever dialogue you were using in Message Pad.

See also:

The Features Summary, About Message Pad


Recurring Message Setup dialogue

This utility allows you to set-up Message Pad to pop up onto the screen at regular intervals.

The main feature in the Recurring Message Setup dialogue (described in detail in a separate article referred to below), is the Recurring Time Setup.  The Recurring Time Settings allow you to set Message Pad to activate repeatedly, at regular time intervals determined by you.

In addition to this function, there is the Custom Sound option which allows you to play a .WAV sound file when Message Pad is activated.

To Set the Recurring Message Alarm

1.  Set the length of time between Message Alarms.  You must specify a length of time in hours, minutes and/or seconds.  There are three number boxes in the top left corner of the dialogue.  The first box is for hours, the second is for minutes and the third is for seconds.  Message Pad will not apply the Recurring Message Alarm if there is no length of time specified here.

In the top right corner of the dialogue there is a frame titled Alarm Date & Time.  This displays the date and time at which the Message Window will next be displayed.  This display will change whenever you change the Alarm Time Interval.

2.  If you want an audible warning to be sounded each time the Message Window is displayed, enter the name of the (.WAV) sound file in the Sound Filename box in the bottom left corner of the dialogue.  Alternatively you can locate the sound file using the Open File dialogue.

To show that you want to use this sound file in the Recurring Message Alarm, check the Enabled check box – a tick mark in the box shows that the sound file will be used.

3.  When you have finished setting up the Recurring Message Alarm, you can check to make sure that the time interval is correct by looking at the Alarm Date & Time display in the top right corner.  When you a satisfied with the alarm settings, click Apply button to set the information, and then the Close button to return to the Message Window.

When you click the Apply button, if the Recurring Message Alarm has been set-up correctly, a symbol [rcr] will appear in the Title Bar of the Message Window.  Whenever this symbol is displayed, it means that the Recurring Message Alarm is active, and that the Message Window is set-up to activate at regular intervals.

To disable and turn off the Recurring Message Alarm, click the Tools menu and select Disable Recurring Alarm.  Having selected this menu item, the symbol [rcr] will disappear from the Message Window Title Bar.

Articles, discussing the features of the Recurring Message Alarm set-up are listed below.

Recurring Time Settings

Custom Sound

See Also:

Activate Options


Recurring Time Settings

This feature is the first function of the Recurring Message Setup, it is where you set the amount of time between Recurring Message Events

There are three number boxes in the Recurring Time Settings frame, each box representing a unit of time: hours, minutes and seconds respectively.  To change the length of the recurring time interval, you must put the time values in these boxes (each value must be between 0 and 99).  Whenever the information in these boxes is changed, the Alarm Time & Date display will reflect the changes and show the time and date when Message Pad will activate next.

See Also:

Recurring Message Setup, Attaching a custom sound


Custom Sound
Custom Sound Settings

The Custom Sound Settings allow you to receive an audio reminder when Message Pad is activated.  By default, Message Pad sounds the system beep whenever it is activated, but these settings allow you to choose the sound file that is played at alarm time.

Assigning an Alarm Sound

1.  Check the custom sound option by clicking it - a tick means that the option is enabled and the sound will be played when the Recurring Message Alarm is activated.  If this check box is not checked and you click the Apply button, the sound will not be attached to the Recurring Message Event.

2.  To specify the sound filename, you can type the name in the Sound Filename box, or use the Open File dialogue to locate the desired sound file - click the Browse button to display the Open File dialogue.

When you have found the necessary file, click Open and the Open File dialogue should disappear.  To hear the sound that you have selected, click Audition in the Recurring Message Setup dialogue.

If you want to change the alarm sound file, simply repeat either of the above processes.  To disable the custom sound option so that the selected sound is not used, clear the Enabled check box by clicking on it.

See Also:

Recurring Message Setup


Event Scheduling
Event Schedule Setup

The Event Schedule Setup has two parts: the Event Schedule Setup dialogue, where you can manage your scheduled events and the Event Entry Setup dialogue, where you can create, edit and schedule new events.

The Event Schedule Setup dialogue is a window containing a list of all scheduled events.  In addition, there are three event control buttons at the bottom of the window.  These allow you to add, edit and remove scheduled events.  The unregistered version of Message Pad is restricted to two event schedules only.

See Also:

Adding, updating and editing an event, Event Entry Setup, Removing an event


Removing a scheduled event

To remove an event, left click on the event entry in the Event Schedule list and click Remove Event.

By default, you will be asked for confirm the removal of scheduled events.  You can turn the confirmation option off by selecting File | Confirm Event Removal in the Event Schedule Dialogue.  When this menu item is ticked, you will be asked to confirm event removal, when there is no tick alongside, events will be removed straight away without asking for confirmation.

See Also:

Adding, updating and editing an event, Event Entry Setup, Event Schedule Setup dialogue


The Event Entry Setup dialogue

This dialogue consists of three main features: the Event Type Settings, which determine what happens, the Event Schedule Setup that determine when it happens, and the Frequency settings that determine how often it happens.

For a quick explanation of how to schedule an event to occur, there is a list of steps below.  At the bottom of this page is a list of articles that fully explain the features of the Event Entry Setup dialogue.

1.  Specify the Event Type.  In the Event Type frame there are two option buttons: Message Event and Load File or Program.  The former option will schedule an event that opens a document file such as a picture or text file in a word processor.  The latter option will schedule an event that runs a program or application.

There are corresponding text boxes alongside the options.  If you want the event to load a file or program, enter its filename in the text box alongside.  If you want the event to load a text file, enter the filename in the text box alongside.

Alternatively, you can locate the desired file by clicking the Browse buttons alongside the text boxes.

2.  Enter the Event Schedule Time and Date.  In the Event Schedule frame you must enter the time and the date at which you want the event to occur.  If the time display format is 24 Hour, the time must be entered in 24 Hour format, e.g. 16:30:00.  If the time display is in 12 Hour format, the schedule time must be entered in 12 hour format, (including am or pm) e.g. 04:30:00 pm.

The date must be entered in the form dd/mm/yyyy, e.g. 01/01/1998

3.  Set the Event Frequency.  The event frequency allows the event that you schedule to reoccur at regular intervals.  If you want the event to trigger at regular intervals, enter the interval amount and select the time from the list box as necessary.

This setting is enabled and disabled by checking the check box in the Frequency frame.

4.  Adding a custom sound.  If you want to have a sound played when the event occurs, check the box labelled Attach Sound Event and specify the sound filename.  This can be typed in directly or you can locate the file by clicking the Browse button.

Finally, when the event has been set up, check that your system clock and event schedule time are correct – there is a date and time display in the Event Schedule frame.  Make sure that you have specified the filenames for the Event Type settings; if you are scheduling a Message Event, be sure to specify the message text filename, for Sound Events, the sound filenames and so on.  The unregistered version of Message Pad is restricted to two scheduled events only.

When you are ready to set the event, click the Add Event button.  If the event is set-up correctly, it will be added to the Event Schedule List.

· The Event Type Settings

· The Event Schedule Settings

· The Event Frequency Settings

· Adding a custom sound to the event

See Also:

Event Schedule Setup dialogue, Event Scheduling, The Activate Options


Event Type settings

The Event Type settings determine what the event will actually do.  Message Pad allows you to schedule two types of event: the Message Event, where the Message Window is activated and displayed on the screen, and the Open File or Program Event, which allows you to open any document or program at the scheduled time and date.  The Event Type settings are located at the top of the Event Entry Setup window.

If you wanted the Message Window to be displayed at a time and date in the future, you would use the Message Event.  If you wanted to load an application, a word processor for instance at a time in the future, you would use the Open File or Program Event.

You need to specify filenames in events

When you select the event type, you need to include the name of the file involved in the event.  For Message Events, you must include the filename of the message text file that you want to be loaded and displayed when the Message Event occurs.  If you want to load a file or application, the name of that file must be entered in the text box alongside the option button.  Alternatively, you can locate that file by clicking the necessary Browse button.

Adding sound to the event

Beneath the Event Type options is a check box labelled Attach Sound Event.  This determines whether a sound is played when the event occurs.  Again you must include the filename of the sound to be played; you can type the filename directly into the text box next to the option, or locate the .WAV sound file by clicking the Browse for Sound button.

See Also:

Event Entry Setup dialogue, Event Schedule settings, Event Scheduling


Event Schedule settings

Here you enter the date and the time at which the event should happen.

You can specify the way in which you enter the time schedule for events and the way in which the time is displayed throughout the Message Pad software, by clicking the Clock Display menu and selecting the desired time format: 12 Hour Time or 24 Hour Time.  Changing the time display format will change the way in which Message Pad expects the schedule time to be entered.

When the clock display is set to 24 Hour, you must enter the hours in 24-hour format and minutes and seconds as normal.  When in 12 Hour format, you must enter the hours in 12 Hour format and minutes and seconds with am or pm at the end.

In addition to the time format options, you can also specify the date display format as either Long (Thursday 1 January 1998) or Short (01/01/1998) Date display.  This date display format option does not change the way in which you specify the schedule date.

Dates or times in the past are not allowed as schedule times.  When a schedule date or time is in the past, it will be coloured red.

See Also:

Event Entry Setup dialogue, Event Scheduling


Adding Sound to a Scheduled Event

If you want to hear a sound (.WAV) file when the event occurs, there are a couple of simple steps you can follow.

1.  Click the check box labelled Attach Sound Event, so that a tick mark appears.  This tells Message Pad that you want to hear a sound file played when the event occurs.  If you leave this box empty, Message Pad will sound the system beep when an event occurs.

2.  Type the sound’s filename in the box next to the check box.  Alternatively, you can select a sound file by clicking the Browse for Sound button and locating it using the Open File dialogue.

If you want to hear the sound that you have selected, click the Audition button.

See Also:

Event Entry Setup dialogue, Event Scheduling


The Event Frequency
The Event Frequency (NON FUNCTIONAL IN UNREGISTERED VERSION)

This setting determines how often an event occurs.  You do not have to use this option when scheduling events, only if you want a particular event to occur again and again.

The first part of the Frequency setting is the Enabled setting.  Changing this option to checked, will mean that frequency information is added to the event schedule information.  When the option is unchecked, no frequency information will be used.

The second part of the Frequency setting is the frequency interval: the length of time between event occurrences.  This value is determined by entering a number and then selecting the time unit from a list box.  For instance, entering the figure 30 in the number box, then selecting the minute(s), will cause an event to occur every 30 minutes starting from the time of assignment.  You cannot assign frequency information when no number has been entered.

See Also:

Event Entry Setup dialogue, Event Scheduling


Event Scheduling

Message Pad provides a feature whereby you can schedule files to be opened at any time in the future with the Event Schedule Setup and Event Entry Setup dialogues.

From the Message Window selecting the Tools | Event Schedule Setup menu item, will open the Event Schedule Setup dialogue where scheduled events can be viewed and controlled.

To add an event

To create a new event, click the Add Event button.  This will open the Event Entry Setup dialogue, where you determine what the event should do and when it should occur.  The unregistered version of Message Pad is restricted to two scheduled events only.  Refer to the See Also section below for the articles that explain the points of adding an event further.

To remove an event

Event removal is very straightforward.  Open the Event Schedule Setup dialogue as described in the paragraph above, click and select the necessary event from the Event Schedule List and click the Remove Event Button.  By default you would be asked to confirm the removal of the chosen event.  By changing the Confirm Event Removal option in the File menu in the Event Schedule Setup dialogue, you can determine whether or not you are asked to confirm the removal of scheduled events.

Editing an event

If you want to change the information in an event that has already been scheduled, open the Event Schedule Setup dialogue, click on the event in the Event Schedule List to select it and click the Edit Event button.  This will open the Event Entry Setup dialogue in Edit mode.

When the Event Entry Setup dialogue has been opened in Edit mode, the Add Event button is replaced with an Update Event button.  Clicking this button will change the information in the currently selected event as necessary.

If you are unsure of how to add an event to the Schedule List, you can also use the Quick Help system.  This will provide you with quick concise information on using the interface and its features.

See Also:

Event Schedule Setup dialogue, Event Entry Setup dialogue, Setting the Event Type, Setting the Event Schedule Time and Date, Attaching sound to an event, Setting the Event Frequency


The Message Pad Text Display
The Message Pad Text Display: The Message Window

The primary function of Message Pad, is to be a note for your desktop; a window that sits on the screen displaying any information you have typed into it.

The Message Window is the heart of the Message Pad software and has been designed to be as flexible, user friendly and as customisable as possible.  It gives you control over what function bars are displayed in the Message Window, the ability to show or hide the Title bar, and what happens to the Message Window when you decide to close Message Pad.

Customisability of the Message Window comes from the three pop-up menus associated with each of the three main areas of the window: the Status bar, the Tool bar, and the Text Window.  Preferences for how various parts of the Message Window are displayed are contained within these menus and can be accessed whenever you are in the Message Window.

See Also:

Message Pad Display Options, Options dialogue


The Find and Replace dialogue

This editing tool allows you to search through the text in the Message Window and locate or replace text.  The options and features of this dialogue are explained below.

Find What, Replace With

Find What - The Text Box where you enter the text that you want to look for in the Message Window (the search text).

Replace With - The Text Box where you enter the text that substitutes the search text.

Search Options

Find Whole Word Only - When looking for the search text, normally Message Pad would identify any instance of the search text.  For example:

· Searching for the text “the” without using this option would identify:

-- ‘the’

-- ‘they’

-- ‘there’

-- ‘further’

· Searching for the text “the” with this option selected would only identify:

-- ‘the’

· It would not identify:

-- ‘they’

-- ‘there’

-- ‘further’

Match Case - This option will determine whether Message Pad looks for text with the same case structure as the text in the Find What box.

· Searching for the text “This” (with an upper case T) without this option would identify:

-- ‘This’

-- ‘this’

-- ‘tHis’

-- ‘tHIS’

· Searching for the text “This” with this option would only identify:

-- ‘This’

· It would not identify:

-- ‘this’

-- ‘tHIS’

Find Next

Clicking this button will start a search for the next instance of the search text within the Message Window.  You can also find the next instance of the search text from the Message Window, without displaying the Find and Replace dialogue, by pressing the F3 key.

Replace

Clicking this button will substitute the next instance of the replace text (the text in the Replace With box), in accordance with the Search Options.

Replace All

Clicking this button will substitute all instances of the search text in the Message Window with the replace text.  Message Pad will identify the text according to the Search Options.

See Also:

The Message Window, Message Pad Features Summary


The Calendar dialogue

The Calendar dialogue is a tool that gives you a graphical representation of the days in the currently selected month.

The Calendar dialogue can be accessed from two parts of Message Pad: the Message Window and the Event Entry Setup dialogue.  There is a slight difference in the way the Calendar operates from either dialogue.

Using the Calendar dialogue from the Message Window (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY)

When opening the Calendar dialogue from the Message Window, you get the normal Calendar display: OK, Close and Help.  Selecting Close will shut down the Calendar dialogue without further assigning any information.  When you click OK, the date selected on the Calendar, represented (in short) in the bottom left-hand corner of the window, will be inserted into the text in the Message Window.

The date display in the bottom left-hand corner of the window reflects the date that has been selected from the Calendar (in short date format).  Clicking on this display will open the Set System Date/Time dialogue from the Control Panel.

Using the Calendar dialogue from the Event Entry Setup dialogue

If you open the Calendar dialogue from the Event Entry Setup dialogue, you will see the Calendar dialogue laid out as before.  The difference here, is when you click OK.

Clicking OK will assign whatever date has been selected from the Calendar, to the Event Schedule Date; the Calendar dialogue will then disappear.  Everything else in the dialogue works as normal, as described above.

See Also:

The Message Window, The Event Entry Setup dialogue


Options dialogue
Message Pad Options dialogue

Message Pad has been designed to give you as much control over its behaviour and appearance as possible.  To help give you this control, Message Pad has an extensive range of options.

· Message Pad Interface Options

· Defaults

· Text Item removal options

· Schedule removal options

· Activate Options


Default option settings

This section contains the Default Message Filename, the foreground (text) colour and the background (window) colour of the Message Window (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY).

The Default Message Filename contains the name and path of the file that Message Pad automatically uses when it starts.  To change this setting, click on the label displaying the filename and using the Open File dialogue, select the appropriate message (.RTF or .TXT) file.

The Window Foreground box displays the most common text colour in the Message Window, or the colour of the text that was highlighted when you opened the Options dialogue.  To change this colour, double click on this box and the Colour dialogue box will appear.  When you select a colour and press OK, any text that has been selected in the Message Window will change to match this colour.  Otherwise, if the Foreground Colour is changed, any text typed after the cursor position in the Message Window will be formatted in the colour selected.

The method described for changing the window Foreground Colour also applies to the window Background Colour.  This option displays the background colour of the Message Window.  When you press OK, the Message Window will change to this colour.

The ability to change the foreground and background colours in the Message Window is disabled in the unregistered version of Message Pad.

See Also:

The Options dialogue, The Message Window


General Message Pad Options
Message Pad display and exit options

These options control how the function bars are displayed in the main Message Pad display and what Message Pad does when you exit.

Show Tool bar, Menu Bar and Status bar

When one of these boxes is checked, the respective function bar will be visible.  When it is unchecked, its associated function bar will be hidden.  In the Message Window, the mouse (pop-up) menu is always available and if any function bar is ever hidden, it can be made visible by right clicking on the Message Window, selecting the Show menu, and selecting the necessary item from the Menu List.  These display options are always saved when you click OK to close the Options dialogue, you do not have to re-set your options every time you start Message Pad.

(Save)  On exit settings

The options below determine what happens when you choose to close Message Pad or select File | Exit.  Only one of these options may be used at any one time.

· Prompt for save on exit - displays a message asking whether or not you want to save the changes that you have made to the current message file.  Selecting Yes will save the message text under the current file name.

· Save automatically on exit - will automatically save the message text to the file name displayed in squared brackets in the Title bar when you exit Message Pad.  This option will not prompt you for confirmation when saving the message text.

The Welcome Screen

The welcome screen is like a doormat that welcomes you into the Message Pad software.  This option can be used or turned off as you please.

· Show Welcome Screen - enables or disables the Message Pad introduction window that is displayed when the program is started. (UNAVAILABLE IN UNREGISTERED VERSION)

See Also:

Main Options dialogue, The Message Window


Item Removal Options
Text Item Removal Options

The last of the options in the General Options window are the Text Item Removal options, which control how Message Pad removes a Text Item.  These options determine what happens when you choose to delete a Text Item from the Message Window.

Item Removal Options

· Remove Item from Message Window - If this option is used when you delete a Text Item, the icon or picture for that item will be removed from the Message Window.  The text file associated with that item will remain on the hard drive.

· Remove Item from disk and Message Window (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY) - If this option is used when you delete a Text Item, you will be prompted with a message asking you to confirm the item removal.  Confirming yes to this will remove the icon or picture from the Message Window and will delete the Item’s text file from the hard drive.  This text file will be sent to the Recycle Bin.  However, if you have set the Recycle Bin to instantly remove files instead of store them in the bin, the text file will be deleted from the hard disc.

NOTE:  When you create a Text Item, an icon or bitmap picture file is linked to that Text Item and displayed in the Message Window.  Whenever you delete a Text Item, Message Pad only removes the icon or picture from the Message Window - it does not remove the icon or picture file from the hard drive.

See Also:

Main Options dialogue, Text Items, Removing a Text Item


Schedule removal options

These options control what Message Pad does to scheduled events when they are activated.

Should event entries be removed from the Schedule List when they occur?

Yes (DISABLED IN UNREGISTERED VERSION) - When an event is activated, the event’s entry is removed from the Schedule List without confirmation.

No (DISABLED IN UNREGISTERED VERSION) - The event’s entry is not removed from the Schedule List when the event is activated.

Ask confirmation - When an event is activated, a message is displayed asking you whether or not you want the event entry to be removed from the Schedule List.

See Also:

Main Options dialogue, Event Schedule Setup


The Activate Options

The Activate Options take the form of a statement or description of how the Message Window behaves when an event occurs; the event could be a recurring alarm event, or a scheduled event.  There are three main parts to the Activate Options: the Initial Window State, the Window display time and the Final Window State.

The Initial Window State

The first part of the Activate Options Statement controls what style the Message Window takes immediately after an event occurs.  A list box contains three options for the Window State:

· Display - The Message Window will go into restored mode.  Restored (normal window) mode is where the window can be resized by using the mouse cursor or keyboard.

· Maximize - The Message Window will expand to fit the entire screen when an event is launched.

· Minimize - The Message Window will size down into the Start bar.

Window display time

The next section of the statement controls how long Message Pad remains in the chosen Window State.  The two settings for this option are ‘for’ and ‘permanently’.

Setting this option to ‘permanently’ will mean that you do not want the Window State to change again.  The Final Window State option will be disabled.

If you use the ‘for’ option, you are setting the amount of time for which Message Pad remains in its window state, until something else happens (options for which are described below).  On selecting the ‘for’ option, two additional boxes are revealed: a time delay number box, for the length of time, and a list box for the units of time – seconds, minutes and hours.

To set the length of time for which Message Pad should remain in the chosen Window State, you must enter the length of time in the number box, and choose the units in which that time is measured.

Time delays must be between 0 and 999 seconds, minutes or hours.

Final Window State

If you decide to use a time delay, you can choose what the Message Window does when the specified length of time has elapsed, from a list box at the end of the statement; the options available are as follows:

· Do nothing – The Message Window does not do anything at all when the delay time has elapsed.  Whether the Message Pad window has been minimized, maximized, or normal, the Window State will not change.

· Maximize - The Message Window will expand to fit the entire screen when the delay time has elapsed.

· Minimize - The Message Window will size down into the Start bar when the delay time has elapsed.

· Restore - The Message Window will restore itself into normal window mode.

· Hide - The Message Window will hide itself from the screen and disappear from view.  Message Pad can be reactivated and brought back onto the screen, if another event is activated, or if Message Pad is opened again.  Message Pad can be closed when in this mode, by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete, selecting the Message Pad entry in the task window, and selecting End Task.

By default, the settings described above are used every time Message Pad is opened, called to display a message, or scheduled to open a file; whenever Message Pad has to perform one of these functions, it will act according to these settings.

There are however, additional options that allow you to further control how the Activate Options behave, and when they apply themselves.

See Also:

Activate Options controls, Main Options dialogue, Schedule removal options


Activate Options Controls
Activate Option controls

Because you may not want the Activate Options to take effect all the time or only under certain circumstances, additional options control how Message Pad applies these settings.

Ask for confirmation when automatically closing Message Pad - If Message Pad is set to close after a certain time delay has elapsed and this option is used, when the time delay has elapsed, a message will ask you whether or not you want Message Pad to close.

Ask for confirmation when hiding Message Pad - If Message Pad is set to hide after a certain time delay and this option is used, when the time delay has elapsed, a message will ask you whether or not you want Message Pad to hide.

Whilst hidden, Message Pad will only reappear if activated again, or opened as a new program.  When in hide mode, Message Pad can be closed by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete, and then ending the Message Pad program from the Close Program dialogue.

Use these options when displaying messages only - In some cases it would be inconvenient for Message Pad to change its window state or close whenever a document file was opened or program was run.  Using this option will cause Message Pad to activate only when a message or recurring event is launched and not when another file or program is launched.

Use these options when Message Pad starts - This option controls whether or not Message Pad uses the Activate Options when it starts.  Using this option will make Message Pad use the Activate Options whenever it is opened as a new program.

By default, Message Pad is set up to do nothing when an event is launched.  You do not need to change these settings at all if you do not make extensive use of the event scheduling capabilities; these options are included so that you can have the highest level of control over how Message Pad behaves.

See Also:

Activate Options, Main Options dialogue


Message Pad Features Summary
Message Pad Feature Summary

Below is a quick and concise description of the function of every item in every dialogue in Message Pad.

Dialogue Name	Feature	Description
About	System Information	Opens the System Information program.  If this program cannot be found, this button will be disabled.
	User Information frame	Displays user name and organisation if applicable. (NON FUNCTIONAL IN UNREGISTERED VERSION)
Closing Options	Minimize in Start bar option	Message Pad will minimize into the Start bar instead of closing.
	Save on exit option	Message Pad will automatically save the contents of the Message Window to the Default Message File when you decide to close.
	Hide from screen but remain open option	Keeps Message Pad active whilst hiding it from view.  The Message Pad window will only be displayed again if opened as a new program or called from a scheduled or recurring event.  It can be closed from the Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del) when in Hide Mode.  Message Pad may close automatically if set to do so by the Activate Options (Options dialogue).
Event Schedule Setup	Add Event	Opens the Event Entry Setup dialogue box allowing you to schedule an event.
	Remove Event	Removes the selected event from the Schedule List.
	Edit Event	Opens the Event Entry Setup dialogue in Edit mode allowing you to change event attributes.
	Close	Closes the Event Schedule Setup dialogue.
	Clear event list	Clears the entire Event Schedule List (upon confirmation).
	Font Settings	Opens the Font dialogue box for formatting the Event Schedule List text.  (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY)
Calendar dialogue	Calendar	Provides a graphic display of the days of the month along with their respective dates.  When opened from the Event Entry Setup dialogue, the selecting a date on the Calendar will set the date for the scheduled event (and assigned when OK is pressed).
	OK	When opening the Calendar dialogue from the Event Entry Setup dialogue, three buttons will be visible.  The leftmost button will be the OK button.  Clicking this button will change the event schedule date.
	Close	When opening the Calendar dialogue from the Message Window, only two buttons will be visible: Close and Help.  Pressing the Close button will hide the dialogue and return you to the Message Window without changing anything.
	Help	Displays this help system.
	Short date display	Reflects the date selected from the Calendar in short date format.
Event Entry Setup	Message (event type)	Selecting this option will set a message event.  A Browse button is included allowing you to search for the Message File using the Open File dialogue.  Alternatively, you can type the message file name into the Text Box provided.  To the left of the Text Box is a check box; when this box is checked, the message file that you have entered will be displayed with that message event.  If this check box is not checked, the current message file is displayed with the message event.
	Load File or Program (event type)	Selecting this option will set a load file or program event.  Document files will be automatically loaded by their host applications.  A Browse button is included, allowing you to select the file to load; alternatively, you can type the file name directly into the file name box.
	Attach sound event (option)	Selecting this option will attach an audio alert to the event.  A ‘Browse for Sound’ button is included allowing you to select the sound file using the Open File dialogue.  Clicking the ‘Audition Sound’ button will sample the selected sound.
	Event Starting Time	A Text Box where you enter the time at which the event should be launched.
	Event Starting Date	A Text Box where you enter the date (in dd/mm/yy format) when the scheduled event should activate.
	Event Summary	A feature that displays the current event details.
	Add Event	Assigns current event criteria to the Registry and updates Event Schedule List with current event information.  The unregistered version of Message Pad is limited to a maximum of two scheduled events.
	Close (dialogue)	Close the Event Entry Setup window.
Recurring Message Setup	Hours Value	A number box where you enter the number of hours between events.
	Minutes Value	A number box where you enter the number of minutes between events.
	Seconds Value	A number box where you enter the number of seconds between events.
	Custom Sound (option)	Selecting this option will set a .WAV sound file to be run with each recurring alarm.  If this option is not checked, or the selected sound file cannot be found at alarm time, Message Pad will sound the system beep.
	Apply	Assigns the recurring event.  If Message Pad is closed from a recurring event because of option settings (see Activate Options), then Message Pad’s Closing Options will take effect.
	Close	Closes the Recurring Message Setup window.  If you have not clicked Apply, no recurring information will be assigned.
	Cancel	Closes the Recurring Message Setup dialogue and cancels any recurring alarm information.  If any recurring alarm information has been assigned, this information will be reset and will not be used.
	Help	Opens this help system.
	Quick Help	A (mouse) menu activated help system that displays concise information on how to set-up recurring messages.
Text Item Setup	(Item Filename) Browse	Clicking this button will display the Open File dialogue allowing you to pick an item file for the Text Item.  Alternatively, you can enter a new file name and create a new file for the Text Item text.
	(Picture Filename) Browse	Clicking this button will display the Open File dialogue allowing you to select a picture file for the item icon.  You must select a picture file for all Text Items.
	Selection Text (window)	Displays the text (selected from the Message Window) that will go into the Text Item.
	Assign (Text Item)	Will check that a filename and a picture have been selected before assigning a Text Item to Message Pad.  The item information will be added as an entry to the registry.  The unregistered version of Message Pad restricts you to a maximum of two Text Items.
	Font (settings)	Opens the Font dialogue where the formatting for the selected text can be changed.  If no text has been selected, font attributes will apply for any text entered after the current cursor position in the Selection Text window.  (REGISTERED VERSION ONLY)
	Close	Closes the Text Item window.
	Quick Help	A menu activated help system that allows you to get quick information on how to assign information for creating Text Items.
Message Pad(main display)	Status bar	A Status bar that displays the time and date.  The display format can be determined using the pop-up menu associated with the Status bar.
	Tool bar	A Tool bar that gives you access to the various tools and options in Message Pad; these features are as follows: The option to save, open and create a new message file; enable the clean screen option; cut, copy and paste, undo; go to Recurring Event Setup, Scheduled Event Setup, and Text Item Setup.
Find and Replace	Find What	A Text Box where you enter the text that you want to find or search for.
	Replace With	If you want to replace text in the Message Window, the substitute text is entered here.
	Find Whole Word Only	Using this option will make the search identify only whole words that match the search text.
	Match Case	Using this option will make the search identify text that matches the case used in the search text i.e. searching for “The” will not find “the” and vice versa.
	Find Next	Searches for the next instance of the search text in the Message Window in all directions.
	Replace	Substitutes the first instance of the text that was highlighted from the search, with the replace text.
	Replace All	Substitutes every instance of the search text from the Message Window, with the replace text.
	Help	Opens the help system.
	Close	Closes the Find and Replace dialogue.
Options - (Display and exit options)	Save Automatically on exit	Will automatically save the text in the Message Window, to the file name in squared brackets in the Title bar when Message Pad is closed.  If the disk is full or write protected or the file is read-only, you will not be able to save to this file.
	Prompt for save on exit	An option that determines whether Message Pad asks you if you want to save the current message text when you choose to close Message Pad.
	Show Status bar	Toggles the Status bar in the Message Pad main window to be displayed or hidden.
	Show Tool bar	Toggles the Tool bar in the Message Pad main window to be displayed or hidden.
	Show Menu Bar	Toggles the Menu Bar in the Message Pad main window to be displayed or hidden.
	Show Welcome Screen	Determines whether the Message Pad Welcome (introduction) Screen is displayed when Message Pad starts.
	Window foreground colour	Double clicking this colour box will open the Colour selection dialogue.  Selecting a different colour here, will change the colour of the selected text in the Message Window.  If no text is selected, any text entered after the current cursor point in the Message Window will be formatted in this colour.
	Window background colour	Double clicking on this colour box will display the Colour selection dialogue.  Selecting a different colour here will change the background colour of the Message Window.  If both foreground and the background colours are identical, Message Pad will ask you if you want them to be changed so that they are different.
Options - (Text Item removal options)	Remove Item from Message Window	If this option is selected, then on confirming the removal of a Text Item, that item will be removed from the Message Window.  The associated text file will not be removed from the disk.
	Remove Item from disk and Message Window	If this option is selected, the on confirming removal of the item, the item will be removed from the hard disk and the Message Window.
Options - (Event Schedule removal options)	(When a scheduled event has been launched, should the event schedule be removed from the Schedule List?)	These options allow you to determine whether a scheduled event is removed from the Schedule List when the event occurs.
	Yes	Opting yes, the schedule is removed from the Schedule List and the registry when the event occurs, without user confirmation.
	No	Opting no means that the event schedule is not removed from the Schedule List or the Registry.
	Ask confirmation	When using this option, you will be asked whether you want the event schedule to be removed from the Event Schedule List when the event occurs.  Selecting yes or no at this message box will enforce the above options accordingly.
Options -             (Activate Option Controls)	Ask for confirmation when automatically closing Message Pad	Using this option, you will be prompted for confirmation whenever Message Pad is set-up to close automatically through Activate Options.
	Ask for confirmation when automatically hiding Message Pad	Using this option, you will be prompted for confirmation whenever Message Pad is set-up to hide automatically through Activate Options.
	Use these options when displaying messages only	Message Pad will use the Activate options on Message Events and Recurring Alarm Events only.  It will not use the Activate Options when loading a file or program.
	Use these options when Message Pad starts	Message Pad will behave according to the Activate Options whenever it is loaded as a new program.


Quick Help
The Quick Help system

The Quick Help system allows you to access concise instructions and information on using the features of Message Pad without having to go to a help file.

Three interfaces use the Quick Help system: the Event Entry Setup dialogue, the Recurring Message Setup dialogue and the Text Item Setup dialogue.

The Text Item Setup dialogue only uses a Status bar to display a set of instructions; it does not incorporate an explanation window as the other dialogues do.  The explanation window contains a straightforward explanation of what the selected function does and a brief explanation of how to use it.  The features of the Quick Help system described below, apply only to the Recurring Message Setup and the Event Entry Setup dialogue.

The full Quick Help system

There are two basic parts to the Quick Help system: a Status bar displaying the necessary instructions and a quick help window explaining the function in use.  The Recurring Message Setup dialogue and the Event Entry Setup dialogue have had their instruction sets split up into separate sets of instructions.  To select the instruction set you want to see, a pop-up menu is associated with the Status bar at the bottom of each dialogue.  Each pop-up menu contains a list of the separate explanations available.  Selecting an explanation item from the pop-up menu will load that set of instructions into the Quick Help Status bar.

To cycle through the instructions provided, simply click on the Status bar at the foot of the dialogue.  Right clicking on this Status bar will display the list of functions for which explanations are available.

See Also:

Event Entry Setup, Recurring Message Setup, Text Item Setup, Features Summary


Edit functions

In the Message Pad interface, there is an Edit menu.  The edit functions allow you to cut, copy, delete and paste selected text to and from the cursor position in the Message Window.  Message Pad also allows you to undo typing via this menu.


Document Files

A document file is any non-executable file that has to be loaded by another program.

For example, a picture file is a type of document file.  Double clicking on the picture’s icon in Explorer would open a paint program that would load the file and allow you to view or edit this picture file.


Checked

Some options use a check box, a device that allows you to select or de-select the use of an option, feature or tool.  When you want to select the feature for use, clicking on the check box alongside will fill the box with a tick meaning that the option is enabled or in use (the box is checked).  To disable that option, click the check box again, and the tick will be removed (the box is unchecked).


Cut; Edit functions
Cut

Removes selected/highlighted text from the text window and stores text on the clipboard - an area in Windows designed to temporarily store this information.  Using the Paste function, you can reinsert the text at the cursor position.


Copy; Edit functions
Copy

Copies any selected/highlighted text to the clipboard - an area in Windows designed to temporarily store information.  Using the Pastefunction, you can reinsert copied text at the cursor position.


Paste; Edit functions
Paste

This function will insert any information stored in the clipboard at the cursor position.  The clipboard is an area of Windows designed to (temporarily) store information that is cut or copied.


Cursor; Edit functions
Cursor

The cursor is a flashing mark (called an I-Beam) displayed in a text or number box to show where the text will appear when typed.


Ctrl + Alt + Del

When in Windows, pressing these three keys simultaneously will display the Close Program dialogue.  This dialogue allows you to select a program by its name, and then close it by selecting it in the list and clicking the End Task button.


Ticked

Some menu items allow you to control whether a feature is used or not.  Clicking on the menu item makes a tick mark appear to the left of the item name.  When a menu item is ticked, the action, feature or option described by the menu item is in effect.  When the item is clicked again the tick will disappear, meaning that the function described by the menu item is no longer in effect.


End User Licence Agreement
Message Pad Unregistered User Licence Agreement

This is a legal agreement between you (an individual) and Io Development.  By using the Message Pad Unregistered v1.1 program, any of the data files associated with it, Setup files necessary for its installation, or any of its documentation files (all of which to be defined herein after as "SOFTWARE"), you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.

This Licence Agreement is governed and bound by the laws of England and Wales.

In case of any part of this Licence Agreement being held to be invalid or illegal, it shall be null and void to the extent of the illegality only.

Warranties

Io Development expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE.  The SOFTWARE is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, without limitation to, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.  The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the SOFTWARE remains with you.

Use of Software

By using the SOFTWARE, you are granting permission for data external to the SOFTWARE to be modified in order that the SOFTWARE will work correctly.

No Liability for Consequential Damages

In no event shall Io Development or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever.  Including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profit, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other financial loss arising out of the use or inability to use any of the Setup SOFTWARE provided.  These terms apply even if Io Development has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Exclusive Remedies

Io Development's entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall not exceed the price paid to Io Development for the SOFTWARE.

Software Licence

1. Grant of Licence.

Io Development grants you (one designated individual) the right to use the Message Pad v1.1 Setup SOFTWARE and its data contained, in the manner provided below:

(a) An unregistered user licence permits you (one designated individual) to use the program on any computer system for accessing and using the SOFTWARE.

(b) You may make an unlimited number of copies of the SOFTWARE. You may only give unmodified complete copies of the original Setup SOFTWARE (the data that was originally included on the Message Pad Unregistered Setup/distribution media).  The Message Pad Unregistered program may not work correctly if it is not

installed using the Setup SOFTWARE.

(c) In the case of a distribution to a third party, that individual must agree to the terms outlined in this Licence Agreement before they use the SOFTWARE.

2. The SOFTWARE, including any images and text incorporated in the SOFTWARE, is owned by Io Development and is protected by United Kingdom and European copyright laws and international treaty provisions.  You may not reproduce or distribute any part of the SOFTWARE or any written materials accompanying the SOFTWARE except as otherwise provided herein.

3. You may not rent or lease the SOFTWARE.  Message Pad Unregistered v1.1 is Shareware.  This means that anyone can use the unregistered SOFTWARE without having to pay for its use.

Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, or if you desire to contact Io Development for any reason, please write to the address below.

Manufacturer is:

Io Development

12 Waterhall Road

Fairwater

Cardiff CF5 3LL

United Kingdom

E-mail Io Development at: iodevelopment@angelfire.com

Message Pad Unregistered v1.1

Copyright © 1997-1998 Io Development.  All rights reserved.


Acknowledgements
Message Pad Unregistered v1.1

Copyright © 1997-1998 Io Development.  All rights reserved.

Acknowledgements

For contribution of their services and support throughout the development of Message Pad, Io Development would like to acknowledge the following:

Carl Morris

For assistance in software design, and documentation

Carl Morris

David Nash

Anthony Black

For assistance with code design

Carl Morris

David Nash

For assistance in beta testing

Everyone involved with distribution

See Also:

About Message Pad, How to register Message Pad


Order Form
Message Pad v1.1 Order Form

NOTE: By completing the Order Form and registering Message Pad, you acknowledge and agree to the terms for purchasing the software, and the End User Licence Agreement for the full registered version of Message Pad.

Message Pad v1.1

£15 per copy (£17 outside Europe)	£____________

*TOTAL	£____________

Name	____________________________________

Address	____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Postal/Zip Code	______________________________

Phone Number(s)	______________________________

______________________________

Email Address	______________________________

Occupation	______________________________

* From where did you obtain the shareware version of Message Pad?

_________________________________________________________________

* Any suggestions as to how Message Pad could be improved?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________


How to register Message Pad

The full version of Message Pad contains many features that are not available in this unregistered version.  These include fonts, printing capability, more than two Event Schedules, more than two Text Items, greater customisability and a calendar from the Message Window.

The full version of Message Pad (Single/Domestic User Licence) costs just £15 (pounds sterling) or £17 if you register the software to an address outside Europe.  For discount Corporate User Licences, please contact Io Development in writing, electronically or by phone.

By registering Message Pad, you will be supporting the future development of software by Io Development.  As a registered user of Io Development's software you will receive reports on software development and forthcoming releases and a technical support line should you need it.  Your personal information will not be given to any other organisations.

Please print this article and complete the order form on the tear-away section below.  If you prefer, you can write the relevant details clearly on a slip of paper.

Payment

Only cheques and crossed postal orders are acceptable as methods of payment.  Please allow twenty-eight days for delivery (and additional 5 working days for orders paid for by cheque beginning on the date of payment of the cheque).

You are advised to keep or make safe copies of the Setup disks once you receive them, to safeguard against accidental data loss.  Unfortunately, Io Development cannot send further Setup disks to a registered user unless another registration is made.

Registrations should be sent to:

Io Development

12 Waterhall Road

Fairwater

Cardiff CF5 3LL

United Kingdom

Telephone: (+44) 01222 555 769

E-mail: iodevelopment@angelfire.com

Should you have any queries about registering Message Pad, please contact Io Development in writing, electronically or by phone, using the details given above.

NOTE: When Io Development receive the Order Form, your details will be kept in a database and recorded for future reference by Io Development.  This information will not, under any circumstances, be disclosed to an organisation, agency, individual or individuals outside Io Development.

By completing the Order Form and registering Message Pad, you acknowledge and agree to the conditions above, the terms for purchasing the software, and the End User Licence Agreement for the full registered version of Message Pad.

Click here to view the End User Licence Agreement for the REGISTERED version of Message Pad

Click here to view the Order Form


Crossed Postal Orders

Please make postal orders payable to Io Development and cross them with two parallel lines.  This makes them act like cheques (only cashable by Io Development) and therefore makes them safer.


Using Help

This help system explains the features and functions of Message Pad.  Each help article consists of a title, the main area of text and a See Also section with links to related articles.

Using links to articles

In many help articles, you will find words that are underlined and coloured green.  These words are links to other help articles.  When you move the mouse over a link, the mouse pointer will change from an arrow to a pointing hand.  When this happens, clicking on the green link name will jump to that help article.

The help buttons

These buttons are located at the top of the help display:

Contents: Takes you to the Contents page of the help system.

Index: Displays a list of available help articles.

Back: If you jump to another help article, you can jump back to the previous one by clicking this button.

Print: Prints out the help page currently displayed on the screen.

Keeping Track of Help Articles

Should you need to frequently view a particular help article, a bookmark option is provided.  This means that whenever you open or use the help system, you can select that bookmark from a list and immediately display that help article.

To create a bookmark, click on the Bookmark menu and then click the Define… option.  You can then type in a new bookmark name or accept the one that has been provided.  Click OK to assign the bookmark.  This bookmark will then be stored in a list that is displayed whenever you click the Bookmark menu again.

NOTE:  Occasionally you may find that a Message Pad dialogue displays itself over the Help display window, obscuring some of the display.  When this happens, click the right mouse button on a part of the Help display window, select the Keep Help on Top menu item and click On Top.  You will then be able to see the entire Help display window.

See Also:

Using the Quick Help Systems, About Message Pad


End User Licence Agreement
Message Pad End User Licence Agreement

This Licence Agreement applies to the Message Pad v1.1 registered software.

This is a legal agreement between you (one designated individual) and Io Development.  By using the Message Pad v1.1 registered software, any of the data files associated with it, Setup files necessary for its installation, or any of its documentation files (all of which to be defined herein after as "SOFTWARE"), you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.

This Licence Agreement is governed and bound by the laws of England and Wales.

In case of any part of this Licence Agreement being held to be invalid or illegal, it shall be null and void to the extent of the illegality only.

Warranties

Io Development expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE.  The SOFTWARE is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, without limitation to, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.  The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the SOFTWARE remains with you.

Use of Software

By using the SOFTWARE, you are granting permission for data external to the SOFTWARE to be modified in order that the SOFTWARE will work correctly.

No Liability for Consequential Damages

In no event shall Io Development or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever.  Including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profit, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other financial loss arising out of the use or inability to use any of the Setup SOFTWARE provided.  These terms apply even if Io Development has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Exclusive Remedies

Io Development's entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall not exceed the price paid to Io Development for the SOFTWARE.

Software Licence

1. Grant of Licence.

Io Development grants you (one designated individual) the right to use the Message Pad v1.1 Setup SOFTWARE and its data contained, in the manner provided below:

(a) A single-user licence permits you (one designated individual) to use the program on any computer system for accessing and using the SOFTWARE.

(b) Each licensed user may make an unlimited number of copies of any material from the SOFTWARE if such copies shall be used only for internal purposes and are not republished or distributed (either in hardcopy or electronic form) beyond the user's premises.

(c) You may purchase additional single-user licences from Io Development to permit additional individuals to install and use the SOFTWARE.  If additional single-user licences for the SOFTWARE have been purchased, only the individuals for whom the licences have been purchased may use the SOFTWARE.

2. The SOFTWARE, including any images and text incorporated in the SOFTWARE, is owned by Io Development and is protected by United Kingdom and European copyright laws and international treaty provisions.  You may not reproduce or distribute any part of the SOFTWARE or any written materials accompanying the SOFTWARE except as otherwise provided herein.

3. Other Restrictions.

You may not rent or lease the SOFTWARE.  You may make a permanent transfer of the SOFTWARE by providing Io Development written notice of your name and address, and the name and address of the person to whom you are transferring the rights granted herein.  In case of a transfer, you may not retain copies of the SOFTWARE and accompanying written materials, and the recipient must agree to the terms of this Agreement.

Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, or if you desire to contact Io Development for any reason, please write to the address below.

Manufacturer is:

 Io Development

12 Waterhall Road

Fairwater

Cardiff CF5 3LL

United Kingdom

E-mail Io Development at: iodevelopment@angelfire.com

Message Pad v1.1

Copyright © 1997-1998 Io Development.  All rights reserved.