Contents
PhoneMan Contents

Help Topics

Overview

Installation

Getting Started

Controls and Menus

How To Register PhoneMan

How To Contact The Author


Overview

PhoneMan - A Quick Look

PhoneMan provides fast access to all of your phone numbers and addresses. Quick searching and dialing make PhoneMan a useful addition to your desktop.

Fast Searching and Dialing

Unlike other dialers, PhoneMan doesn't make you page through dozens of entries to find the number you're looking for. Just type an entry's first letter to instantly bring up the possible entries. Fine-tune your search with the arrow keys or the mouse. Punch the Enter key (or click the phone button, if you prefer) and you're dialing!

Speed Dialing

Have a number you call often? Just place a check in the SpeedDial box and click OK - it will show up immediately in your personalized SpeedDial menu.

Customize Your Calling Environment

Do you need to use a dialing prefix? Prefer not to hear your modem? No problem - just set your preferences in Dialing Options.  The color scheme is up to you too. Set your color choices in Color Options.

Import Cardfile

If you are like many Windows users, you've used Cardfile in the past to store your phone numbers and addresses. Allow PhoneMan to import Cardfile for you!

Export Your Data

PhoneMan will export your information to a standard text file, delimited any way you like. PhoneMan stores all of your information in a Microsoft Access database; Access users can open a PhoneMan database directly.

A Quick Start

For a quick start, see Getting Started.


Installation

A Note About VBRUN300.DLL

To minimize download time the shareware version of PhoneMan does not include the widely available file VBRUN300.DLL. This should present no problem for the majority of users. If you do not have this file installed in your Windows\System directory, it can be downloaded from CompuServe, many bulletin board systems, or from the Internet. Be sure to copy it to your Windows\System directory.

Version Checking

PhoneMan Setup employs version checking while installing all files. This means there is no risk of overwriting a newer version of the same file during the installation process.

What To Do If You Have Problems

Setup should proceed without problems. If you have problems, try exiting all other applications and then running Setup. If this does not solve the problem, exit and restart Windows before attempting to run Setup. Should these steps not solve the problem, please note the exact circumstances and any error messages observed, and contact the author via CompuServe for further assistance.

Files Installed

PhoneMan Setup installs the following files:

In the application directory:

PHONEMAN.EXE   (the PhoneMan application)

PHONEMAN.HLP   (this help file)

CSRVEREG.TXT   (information about registering by CompuServe)

INSTALL.LOG   (installation log)

In the Windows\System directory:

VSHARE.386	(if required)

MSAES110.DLL

MSAFINX.DLL

MSAJT110.DLL

VBDB300.DLL

CMDIALOG.VBX

CTL3DVB.VBX

MSCOMM.VBX

THREED.VBX

PhoneMan creates databases in Microsoft Access 1.1 format.


Getting Started

Modem Setup And Dialing Options

During installation the basic modem configuration was set. If you are unsure about your modem settings you may want to see dialing options. Dialing options also allow you to set modem speaker volume and a dialing prefix if necessary.

Adding Your First Entry

When PhoneMan is first started with no entries in the file, you will find the cursor ready for your input in the Entry field. Fill in the desired fields and click OK when you are finished. Your entry will show up immediately in the Search list.

To add each new entry, click New and start typing. Click OK to save your changes.

PhoneMan will also import Windows Cardfile files (*.crd).

Finding An Entry

You can rapidly find an entry using the Search list. Set the focus to the Search list by clicking on it or tabbing to it. Type the first letter of the entry to narrow your search. Use the up and/or down arrows, the mouse, or continue typing the first letter of the entry to refine your search.

Dialing An Entry

PhoneMan provides many ways to dial an entry. To dial an entry, you may:

* double-click an entry in the Search list; or

* hit the Enter key (Return key on some keyboards); or

* select Dial from the File menu; or

* use the F5 function key as a shortcut; or

* select a SpeedDial entry from the SpeedDial menu; or

* click on the Dial button

PhoneMan Has Much To Offer!

PhoneMan has many useful features which are covered elsewhere in this Help file. See the Controls And Menus section for information on individual features.


Controls and Menus

Click on any control or menu for information.


Delete Button

Select this button to delete the current entry.


New Button

Select this button to add a new entry.


OK Button

Select OK to save any changes you have made.


Cancel Button

Select Cancel to undo any changes you have made.


Text Field

Text fields allow display and editing of your entries. (Note : When dialing, PhoneMan ignores non-numeric characters in the Phone field.)

Make desired entries or changes and select OK to save your changes, or Cancel to undo your changes.


Search List

The Search list displays all entries in alphabetical order. You can focus attention on the list by clicking it once with the mouse, or using the Tab key. When the search list has the focus, you can search the list just as you would any Windows listbox; simply type the first letter of the entry you want. Hit the first letter several times to move through multiple entries with the same first letter, or use the up/down arrows or the mouse to fine tune your search.

There are many ways to dial the currently selected entry. You can simply hit Enter; you can click on the phone icon; you can double-click the entry; or you can select Dial from the File menu (shortcut key is F5).

If you begin to edit the currently selected entry, the search list and dialing will become unavailable until you have completed your editing by selecting OK to save your changes, or Cancel to undo your changes.


SpeedDial Checkbox

Check this box and select OK to add the current entry to the SpeedDial menu.

Clear this box and select OK to remove the current entry from the SpeedDial menu.


Dial Button

Select this button to dial the currently selected entry.

This button is only visible when a current entry exists and editing is not in progress.


Status Bar

The status bar displays information of interest to the user.


File Menu

Click on any menu item for information.


New

Select File | New to create a new PhoneMan file. You will be prompted for a file name. Once you have created the new file it will become the current file. Changes you make to this file are saved whenever you click the OK button.

To return to the new file the next time you run PhoneMan, use the File | Open command. This will allow you to open any of the PhoneMan database files you have created.

If you would like PhoneMan to start with a file other than the default file (phoneman.mdb), simply edit the command line for the PhoneMan icon or shortcut to reflect the path to your desired file. See your Windows documentation if you need help creating or editing icons or shortcuts.


Open

Select File | Open to open any PhoneMan database file.


Save As

Select File | Save As to save the current PhoneMan file under a different name. The file you have saved as will become the current file.

To return to the saved file the next time you run PhoneMan, use the File | Open command. This will allow you to open any of the PhoneMan database files you have created.

If you would like PhoneMan to start with a file other than the default file (phoneman.mdb), simply edit the command line for the PhoneMan icon or shortcut to reflect the path to your desired file. See your Windows documentation if you need help creating or editing icons or shortcuts.


Import Cardfile

Select File | Import Cardfile to import any Windows Cardfile.

PhoneMan makes some necessary assumptions when importing cardfiles. The index line of a cardfile record becomes the Entry field within PhoneMan. Similarly, the first line of the cardfile record represents the phone number; it is imported into the Phone field within PhoneMan.

The next 3 lines of a cardfile record are assumed to be address lines and are imported as such. Any remaining lines are imported into the Comments field.

The status bar at the bottom of the PhoneMan window will reflect the progress of the import. After importing your cardfile, you may want to review and edit the results.

A Note About Embedded Objects In Cardfile

PhoneMan will not import images, links or other embedded objects from Cardfile. PhoneMan will attempt to ignore these objects. If you encounter errors when attempting an import, remove any embedded objects from the cardfile so that it contains text only.


Export Text File

Select File | Export Text File to export your PhoneMan database file to a standard (ASCII) text file. You will be prompted for a character to define text fields (known as a text delimiter) and a character to separate the fields from each other (known as a field delimiter).

Choose delimiting characters from the dropdown lists provided, or enter your own selections. Choose Continue and provide a file name for your export file.


Dial

Select File | Dial to dial the current entry.

There are many other ways to dial an entry. You can also:

* double-click an entry in the Search list; or

* hit the Enter key (Return key on some keyboards); or

* use the F5 function key as a shortcut; or

* select a SpeedDial entry from the SpeedDial menu; or

* click on the Dial button


Printer Setup

Select File | Printer Setup to define the printer you would like PhoneMan to use.

If you make no changes to the printer setup, PhoneMan will use the Windows default printer settings.


Printer Font

Select File | Printer Font to change the font your printer will use when printing PhoneMan entries.

If you make no changes to the printer font, PhoneMan will use the Windows default printer settings.


Print

Select File | Print to print the current entry.


Print All

Select File | Print All to print all of the entries in your PhoneMan file. The status of the print job will be reflected in the status bar at the bottom of the PhoneMan window.


Open For Repair/Compact

In the unusual event of a power failure or Windows error while PhoneMan is running, it is possible that a PhoneMan file could become corrupted. PhoneMan may not be able to open a corrupted database file.

If you suspect this has happened to your file, try to open the file using this option. If it is possible to repair the file PhoneMan will do so and open the file. After repair you will be able to open the file normally using the File | Open option.

This option may also be used to periodically compress large PhoneMan files, improving performance.


Exit

Select File | Exit to exit PhoneMan. There is no need to save anything on exit; PhoneMan saves all of your changes whenever you click the OK button.


Edit Menu

Click on any menu item for information.


Cut

Select Edit | Cut to remove highlighted text and copy it to the Windows Clipboard.


Copy

Select Edit | Copy to copy highlighted text to the Windows Clipboard.


Paste

Select Edit | Paste to insert text from the Windows Clipboard.


SpeedDial Menu

The SpeedDial menu contains the entries you selected by checking the SpeedDial checkbox.

To dial a SpeedDial entry, simply select it from the SpeedDial menu.

To add or remove an entry to the SpeedDial menu, check or clear the SpeedDial checkbox for that entry and click OK. To remove all entries from the SpeedDial menu, select Options | Clear SpeedDial List.


Options Menu

Click on any menu item for information.


Dialing Options

Click on any control for more information.


Comm Port

The most important setting is the comm port. Set the comm port to your modem's communication port. Default is Comm 1.

Most users have a modem installed on Comm 1 or Comm 2. If you get a 'device unavailable' message when attempting to dial, you have probably selected the wrong comm port. Ensure that no other communications programs are running at the same time, as this will also cause the modem to be unavailable. If you are unsure what comm port your modem uses, check your computer documentation or determine the correct setting by trial and error.


Baud Rate

Baud rate should be set to the highest setting that your modem allows. Default is 19200.

Some modems, particularly newer models, have a limited subset of speeds at which they will communicate. For example, your 28.8 Kbs modem may not work at a setting of 14400, while a setting of 9600 or 19200 will work fine. If you experience dialing problems with a correct comm port setting, try different baud rate settings to find the one that works best with your modem.


Modem Volume

Set the modem volume to your desired setting. Default is Medium.


Dial (Tone or Pulse)

Set your phone's dialing type appropriately (tone or pulse). Default is Tone.


Dial Prefix

Set to your desired dialing prefix, if any. Default is no prefix.

This setting is useful when a prefix is required; for example, when prefixing calls to obtain an outside line, or when canceling call waiting with every outbound call.

The comma character can be a useful part of a dialing prefix. The comma will cause the modem to pause briefly. For example, you might use a prefix of ' 9,' to indicate to the modem to prefix each call with a ' 9', followed by a pause, allowing time for the modem to obtain an outside dial tone. Multiple commas are allowed in the prefix. The exact amount of time the modem pauses varies depending on your modem's factory default setting. Consult your modem documentation for more information.


Timeout

This setting should rarely require any changes. Set timeout to the number of seconds you want PhoneMan to wait for a valid response from your modem before giving an error message. Default is 3 seconds.


Color Options

Click on any control for more information.


sample text

This text box shows how your selected text color will look.


background

This area shows how labels will look with the currently selected background color.


Text Button

Select this button to choose the text color you would like PhoneMan to use in all textboxes and in the Search list.


Background Button

Select this button to choose the background color you would like PhoneMan to use.


Default Button

Select this button to return PhoneMan to the default color scheme.


Clear SpeedDial List

Select Options | Clear SpeedDial List to remove all entries from the SpeedDial menu.


Help Menu

Click on a menu item for more information:


Contents

Select Help | Contents to go to the Contents section of the Help file.


Search

Select Help | Search to search the Help file for a specific topic.


How To Register

Select Help | How To Register to display or print instructions on registering PhoneMan.


About

Select Help | About to display information about PhoneMan.


database

A collection of information. PhoneMan stores the information you enter in a file called a database.

The information in the PhoneMan database can also be easily used by other applications. This is because PhoneMan provides the capability to export your information in a variety of useful formats.

The native database format for a PhoneMan database is the Microsoft Access Version 1.1 format. Users of Microsoft Access, version 1.1 or later can directly open the PhoneMan database files.


Author
Joseph J. Seibert

CompuServe ID 74653,640