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Shareware Supreme Volume 6 #1
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REMIND10.ZIP
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REMINDME.DOC
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1992-04-28
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REMINDME is a program that performs a simple function: it reminds one of
important dates in the near future. I put this program as the last line of my
AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that each time the computer starts I am reminded of
weddings, anniversaries, etc. REMINDME can be customized in many ways,
including screen colors and the number of days it scans in advance before
displaying dates.
In order to work, REMINDME needs a data file with information in specific
columns:
Cols. 1-2 Month of the event in numbers, with leading spaces for months
January through September (1-9).
Cols. 3-4 Date of the event in numbers, with leading spaces for dates
1-9.
Cols. 5-6 Year of the event, using the last two numbers, e.g. 1927 is
shown as 27. If the year is unknown (you really weren't
going to ask your secretary what year she was born, were
you?), enter two asterisks (**).
Cols. 8-33 The name of the person(s).
Cols. 34-58 The event, e.g. birthday, wedding anniversary.
The following are examples of valid lines from a hypothetical data file:
4 150 Tom Foolery Birthday
(Tom Foolery was born on April 1, 1950)
1114** Myrtle O'Malley Birthday
(Your secretary, Myrtle, was born on November 14, year unknown to you)
62873 Me and My Turtledove Wedding Anniversay
(You wouldn't want to forget your wedding anniversary on June 28, 1973)
52580 Brian Anniv. College Graduation
(You don't have to limit the data to birthdays and weddings)
The data file must be a straight ASCII file, without word processing codes.
Though it can be named anything and stored on any directory, REMINDME is
slightly easier to use if the data file is named DATES.DAT and stored in the
same directory as REMINDME.EXE. It is not necessary that the dates in the data
file be in any special order; the program will automatically sort them by date
before displaying them.
If the data file is named DATES.DAT and is in the same directory as
REMINDME.EXE, then simply typing REMINDME will probably suffice for 95% of
users. If the data file has another name or is in another directory, or if you
wish to customize the program, the following parameters may be added on the
command line following the word REMINDME:
F=filename
This is used when the data file has another name or is in another
directory. The default is a data file named DATES.DAT.
D=days in advance to scan for dates
By default REMINDME will show all dates in the data file within three
weeks of the current date (as stored in the computer). This can be set
to any number between 1 and 365.
C=clear screen before displaying dates (Y or N)
By default REMINDME clears the screen in advance of displaying the
dates. If it is not desirable to clear the screen first, add the
parameter C=N to the command line.
S=sort by dates before displaying them (Y or N)
By default REMINDME sorts the dates so that dates closer to the present
appear before dates farther away. The parameter S=N tells the program to
present the dates in the same order they appear in the data file. If the
data file is very large and the computer is slow, the program will run
faster without sorting. In that case, one may simply manually keep the
data file in a sorted form.
T=text color
A=alternate color
B=background color
REMINDME normally displays dates in yellow (the text color) and the
current date in white (the alternate color) on a blue (the background
color) screen. Any or all of these may be changed by specifying colors
from the following list:
black darkgray
blue lightblue
green lightgreen
cyan lightcyan
red lightred
magenta lightmagenta
brown yellow
lightgray white
Note that no words have spaces, i.e. "lightblue" is a proper color but
"light blue" will not be recognized by the program.
H or ?
Either H or ? on the command line will provide a help screen which
contains a condensed version of this document.
Examples of valid command lines:
REMINDME f=c:\people.dat d=30
(Use the data file PEOPLE.DAT in the root directory and scan for
dates within the next 30 days)
REMINDME s=n t=lightcyan
(Use light cyan as the text color--keeping the other default colors--
and do not sort the dates when displaying them)
REMINDME c=y
(Clear the screen before displaying data. Note: this parameter is not
needed since the program defaults to clearing the screen)
REMINDME ?
(Do not run the program but display condensed information about the
program)
If one wishes to regularly use a complex command line, like:
REMINDME f=c:\wp\files\remember.dat d=14 s=n b=green {line continues}
t=lightcyan a=lightgreen
A one-line BAT file can be created which includes the command line. Then
REMINDME can be invoked through the BAT file. Better yet, place REMINDME and
any parameters in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to insure you will not forget anything
important.
REMINDME is hereby placed in the public domain. I have never had any
problems with the program in over two years of daily use but, of course, I
cannot take any legal responsibility if anything goes wrong on your system.
Michael Cieslak
Rockford, IL
4/28/92