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tm C h r o n o L o g VERSION 1.02 A Personal Information Management System USER'S MANUAL Copyright (C) 1993, ComputerEase, Prince George VA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED T a b l e O f C o n t e n t s INTRODUCTION............................................................ 2 System Description...................................................... 4 Definitions............................................................. 6 Events............................................................... 6 One-time events................................................... 6 Recurring events.................................................. 6 Reminders............................................................ 7 CrossKeys............................................................ 8 System, databases, files............................................. 8 ChronoLog File Requirements............................................. 9 System Files......................................................... 9 Program Files..................................................... 9 Help File.........................................................10 Information Files.................................................10 Database Files.......................................................11 Computer Hardware/Software Requirements.................................12 System Installation.....................................................13 Installation from a ChronoLog "Master" Diskette......................13 Installation When System Files Have Been Compressed..................13 Database Initialization (CLINIT.EXE).................................14 First-time Initialization.........................................14 Subsequent Initializations........................................14 Creating a DOS Path..................................................15 Using a Virtual Disk or RAMDRIVE........................................16 The Loading Process Explained...........................................17 ChronoLog - the Main Module (CHRONO.EXE)................................18 Screen Headers and Footers...........................................18 The Daily Schedule Screen............................................18 Using the Keypad..................................................19 Daily Schedule Screen Action Keys.................................19 The Daily Schedule Help Screen (key = H)..........................20 Adding a New ChronoLog Event (key = A)............................20 Adding a ONE-TIME Event........................................20 Adding an ANNUAL Event.........................................21 Adding a MONTHLY Event.........................................21 Adding a WEEKLY Event..........................................21 Adding a BI-WEEKLY Event.......................................21 Adding a BI-MONTHLY Event......................................22 Adding a SEMI-ANNUAL Event.....................................22 Adding a Monthly Varying Event.................................22 Adding an Annual Varying Event.................................22 Conflicts......................................................22 Viewing an Event (key = ENTER)....................................23 Modifying an Event (key = M on VIEW EVENT Screen)..............23 Deleting an Event (key = D on VIEW EVENT Screen)...............23 Searching for Events (key = S)....................................23 Searching for Events Containing a Character String.............24 Searching for Events by CrossKey...............................24 Maintaining Your CrossKey List (key = X)..........................24 Adding a New CrossKey (key = A on the CrossKey screen).........24 Deleting a CrossKey (key = D on the CrossKey screen)...........24 The CrossKey Matrix (key = M).....................................25 The Print Menu (key = P)..........................................25 Print Appointment Schedule (All Events)........................26 T a b l e O f C o n t e n t s Print Appointment Schedule (Selected CrossKeys)................26 Print Month Calendar on Narrow Paper...........................26 Print Month Calendar on Wide Paper.............................27 Print One-Time Events for a Selected Period....................27 Print All Recurring Events.....................................27 Printing the PhoneLog..........................................27 Printing the ToDoList..........................................27 Print the Results of the Last Search...........................27 The Calculator (key = C)..........................................27 The 3-Month Calendar (key = 3)....................................28 PhoneLog (key = L)................................................28 PhoneLog Data File Location....................................29 Data labels....................................................29 Adding a New PhoneLog Entry....................................29 Selecting a PhoneLog Entry.....................................30 Modifying a PhoneLog Entry Name.............................30 Modifying PhoneLog Data Items...............................30 The PhoneLog Autodial Feature...............................30 Deleting a PhoneLog Entry......................................31 Printing the PhoneLog..........................................31 DOS Direct (key = D)..............................................31 Data Required by DOS Direct....................................31 DOS Direct Data File Location..................................32 Adding a New DOS Direct Application (key = A)..................32 Modifying a DOS Direct Application (key = M)...................32 Deleting a DOS Direct Application (key = D)....................32 Executing a DOS Direct Application (key = ENTER)...............33 Changing the DOS Direct Table Order (key = C)..................33 The ToDoList (key = T)............................................33 ToDoList Data File Location....................................33 Adding a New ToDoList Item Here (key = A)......................33 Adding a New ToDoList Item To End Of List (key = E)............34 Modifying a ToDoList Item (key = M)............................34 Deleting a ToDoList Item (key = D).............................34 Undeleting the Last Deleted ToDoList Item (key = U)............34 Changing the ToDoList Order (key = C)..........................34 The Utility Program (key = U).....................................34 Setup Menu.....................................................34 Screen Colors...............................................35 Personal Heading (Screen and Printout)......................35 Printer Options.............................................35 Number of Days For APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE..................35 Printer Output Port......................................36 Graphic/Non-graphic Printing.............................36 Enable/Disable Printer Check.............................36 PhoneLog Data Labels........................................36 Conflict-Checking Parameters................................36 Work Space (Temporary Disk Storage).........................37 Screen blanking.............................................37 Changing the Time Representation (CIVILIAN/MILITARY)........38 Toggling the opening ChronoLog Logo Screen On/Off...........38 Setting Data File Locations.................................38 PhoneLog Data File Location..............................38 DOS Direct Data File Location............................38 T a b l e O f C o n t e n t s ToDoList Data File Location..............................38 System Copy....................................................39 System Copy on Floppy Disk..................................39 Compressing System Files....................................40 ChronoLog Registration Form....................................40 Putting ChronoLog to Sleep (key = Z)..............................40 Quitting ChronoLog (key = ESC)....................................40 Automatic Daily Reminding (CLTODAY.EXE).................................41 Registration, Support, and Licensing....................................42 Registration.........................................................42 Registration Fee..................................................42 System Access.....................................................43 System Identification Code.....................................43 The ProgramKey.................................................43 System Recovery................................................43 Redistribution Incentive Royalties................................44 Technical Support....................................................45 Site Licenses........................................................45 Technical Notes and Acknowledgements....................................46 Version Changes.........................................................47 Version 1.01.........................................................47 Version 1.02.........................................................47 Some Words About Shareware..............................................48 WARRANTY DISCLAIMER ComputerEase makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including without limitation any warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose, other than to guarantee that this product, at the time of its creation, was delivered in good faith with no subversive motives such as computer viruses. ComputerEase shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, special or consequential arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by the user. ComputerEase shall not be liable for any damage to data or property which may be caused directly or indirectly by use of the program. IN NO EVENT WILL COMPUTEREASE BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. - 1 - INTRODUCTION ------------ Everyone's life consists of sequences of events. We constantly plan for the future whether we realize it or not - almost every move we make follows an invisible script which we spend a lot of time thinking about and implementing. No one past the age of kindergarten can operate without some sort of plan. It is often critical that we do certain things at certain times, and that conflicting circumstances don't hinder us. Some lives are "busier" than others, of course, but even that can be relative. For example, I know people with many responsibilities who have no problem keeping track of their complex schedules strictly by memory. I also know people who can't remember that tomorrow is Saturday. I, for one, am closer to the latter category than the former. I give myself far too much credit for having any sort of recall capability, and it constantly gets me into frustrating situations. Several years ago, when I first became a manager, I came to a quick conclusion that I was not nearly organized enough to do the job. I couldn't keep track of my own daily activities, much less eighteen other people. Sure, I tried to keep a pencil calendar, but it was cumbersome and inflexible. Planned activities for my employees and me changed too frequently - my appointment book quickly became a mess of erasures and strike-outs. I had other problems: - My job required me to do status briefings and reports where I had to summarize past events for my bosses, sometimes for as much as a year. Many days (and nights) found me sifting back through old files, trying to re-capture dates and sequences of events. - As a supervisor, I had to write annual performance evaluation for all of my employees. This was a particularly arduous task, because with 18 people - as much as I appreciated them individually - their efforts all started to run together over a year's time. And these evaluations were very important to their careers. So, it wasn't just that I had trouble being in the right place at the right time, I also needed to remember past events - and who was involved. Knowing that I desperately needed help, I surveyed the software world for organizing tools. There were many Personal Information Managers (PIMs), calendar-making, scheduling, reminding software packages on the retail and shareware markets. But nowhere could I find a system that would do ALL of the things I needed done. So, as an old, washed-up programmer who still loves it, I began working on what was to become ChronoLog. It was very simple at first, - 2 - then gradually evolved into what I believe is a fairly sophisticated piece of software. I have never really stopped working on it since I began in 1987, although I didn't offer it for use by others until a couple of years ago. It went through several name changes. From what I first called "my little reminder program" evolved REMNOTES (I never really liked that one); then RECALL (a commercial PIM came out named INSTANT RECALL); then NCONTROL (I discovered not one but two programs named IN CONTROL: a shareware prospect management system and a Macintosh PIM - I decided to let those guys worry about trademark infringement). Finally I settled on ChronoLog, and I think that the name is very descriptive. It's a time manager (Chronos is Greek for time); it keeps all input in Chronological order; and, because it doesn't delete events which have past, it serves as a permanent LOGbook of the user's life. In 1991, I submitted ChronoLog's predecessor, NControl, to the annual software contest conducted by the Department of Defense's Command and Control Micro User's Group (C2MUG) - and won first place in the General Utility Category. From the response I got from DOD employees who had downloaded it and used it, I decided that it may be good enough to expand on, commercialize a bit, and distribute as shareware. So I began work on version 2.0 of NControl, which became ChronoLog! I still use it extensively myself - all of the chaos and confusion in my life is still here, only now much more organized. Give ChronoLog a try - maybe it will help you, too! Doug Patrick ComputerEase Prince George, VA - 3 - SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ------------------ ChronoLog is a Personal Information Manager - a PIM. It allows you, the user, to enter DATA about your job (or any other facet of your life) which is personally important to you, organizes it, and presents it back to you as INFORMATION. Its primary purpose is to ensure that you are kept aware and reminded of future events for which you have a responsibility. Its strongest feature is the management of resources, scheduling people or things and ensuring that conflicts are minimized. (It shouldn't, however, be confused with detailed project management tools such as Timeline or Harvard Project Manager. They are designed to handle specific, definable projects with prescribed boundaries. ChronoLog has no beginning nor end - it is a permanent record of all aspects of your life.) ChronoLog is extremely easy to use. It has been purposely designed so that all screens and processes are intuitive and/or self-explanatory. Every screen has all possible actions (other than use of the keypad for scrolling) displayed at the bottom. Full documentation and system "help" is provided, of course, but even a new computer user could sit down and begin using it without referring to either! This User's Guide will explain in detail the many things that ChronoLog will do for you, but here is a quick summary: ... it allows you to create (and, if necessary, modify or delete) notes on upcoming "one-time" events (anytime in the future). Then, as the date approaches, it will relentlessly remind you every time you execute the program. ... it allows you to store events which recur on a regular, predictable basis. This type of event is entered only once and NEVER ceases to remind you - unless you delete it. ... it allows you to categorize events so that you can keep separate control over groups of resources, by using CROSS- reference KEYwords, or CrossKeys. (As mentioned in the introduction, it was originally designed for managing people, but use your imagination...). A special feature, called the CrossKey Matrix, graphically displays category utilization for any two month period - by pressing a couple of keys! ... it checks and warns you of potential conflicts, either for events in your personal schedule or those managed by CrossKey. ... it prints monthly calendars in block format for both narrow and wide carriage printers, appointment schedules, and user-tailored lists of events past, present, and future - all in a couple of keystrokes. - 4 - ... it provides you with a permanent record of events - all events entered into ChronoLog stay in the system FOREVER, unless you delete them. You can use the system to recall significant events in your life which occurred YEARS ago, with names and places! ... it has a search feature which lets you find events by entering a character string, or a CrossKey. ...it has several additional features such as a telephone directory, a calculator, a "to-do" list, and a perpetual calendar. It will also let you execute your other DOS applications from an internal menu, without leaving ChronoLog! ...it is "customizable" to suit your own needs. You have complete control over most system parameters. - 5 - DEFINITIONS ----------- Certain definitions are essential for you to understand how ChronoLog works. ** Events --------- Events are what you, the user, enter into the system for the purpose of (1) creating a reminder on a daily schedule or calendar, or, (2) simply recording something that you would like to be able to recall in the future. Events: ...contain a narrative description of the event. ...cover a period of time, which may be a range of days, a single day, or, if you desire, a span of hours on a single day. ...may be categorized (by using the CrossKey), which will help you control groups of resources or situations. There are two types of ChronoLog events, "one-time" and "recurring". *** One-time events ------------------- One-time events are entered into the system to create a reminder and/or record a specific event, such as a trip or a business meeting. *** Recurring events -------------------- Recurring events recur on a regular, predictable basis. From the time of entry, recurring events remain in the system unless deleted, and ChronoLog automatically handles the repetition. There are eight types of recurring events: annual, monthly, weekly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, semi-annual, monthly varying, and annual varying. The latter two, the varying events, are recorded as "relative" times in the month or year, such as "the 3rd Tuesday every month", or "the 2nd Wednesday in August every year". Recurring events are stored by ChronoLog only once, just as one-time events are. However, the dates of recurring events are not fixed, but "floating". When ChronoLog loads each day, it converts these entries to the next occurrence of that particular day or date for annual and annual varying, the next two occurrences for semi-annual, the next four occurrences for bi- monthly, and the next eight occurrences for the remaining event types. - 6 - ** Reminders ------------ When ChronoLog is first loaded each day, all EVENTS are "expanded" into REMINDERS to create the DAILY SCHEDULE, which shows upcoming events in a scrollable form. "Expansion" means that if an event is scheduled to occur over a period of several days, then you need to be reminded not once, but EVERY day during the duration of the event. Reminders are displayed: ...on a single line on the DAILY SCHEDULE screen if the event is to occur only on one day. ...on two lines, one for the BEGINNING day and one for the ENDING day, if the event is for a range of days. ...on three lines if the time span includes the current date (the event is in progress). In addition to the BEGINNING and ENDING lines, it will also show the current progress of the event, i.e. "today is the 3rd day of a five-day event". Consider the following examples: BUSINESS MEETING. A one-time event is entered into the system, and the date and time is recorded. As the date approaches, a single reminder line will scroll nearer the top each day, finally declaring "TODAY" in the date portion. (It will also pop up with the CLTODAY program when the exact date arrives...refer to the section later in this manual for a description of the CLTODAY program.) Then, when the date is past, the event will "scroll back into your past". FOUR-DAY TRIP. A one-time event is entered into the system recording the dates on which the trip begins and ends: EVENT ---> 06-29-92 to 07-02-92 Trip... As the beginning date approaches, two reminder lines will scroll up, one showing "BEGINS" and the other "ENDS": REMINDERS on 6-26-92 ---> 06-29-92 Monday BEGINS Trip... 07-02-92 Thursday ENDS Trip... When the event is in progress, the note is converted to "Day n of 4", in addition to the BEGINS and ENDS: REMINDERS on 6-30-92 ---> 06-29-92 Monday BEGAN Trip... 06-30-92 TODAY Day 2 of 4 Trip... 07-02-92 Thursday ENDS Trip... At the conclusion of the trip, as the event scrolls back into your history, the event will be again shown on two lines, as "BEGAN" and "ENDED". - 7 - REMINDERS on 7-03-92 ---> 06-29-92 Monday BEGAN Trip... 07-02-92 Thursday ENDED Trip... ** CrossKeys ------------ CrossKeys are intended for more advanced use of the system - in fact, the program can be very useful without them. However, if you do need to "categorize" events for any reason, CrossKeys will help you. The term CrossKey is intended to be a generic term (a CROSS-reference KEYword, for short), which can be used for a wide variety of applications. The most obvious use (and the one most referred to in this documentation) is for management of a staff of employees. Simply enter each of your employee's names as a CrossKey and attach it to events which concern him or her. This way you can avoid planning an important project or trip for the employee during his vacation! (See the section entitled "The CrossKey MATRIX".) Or, use CrossKeys if your work involves duties which fall into definable categories. For instance, you may want to use categories such as "TRAVEL", "MEETINGS", "CONFERENCES". A regional sales manager for a restaurant chain could use the restaurant locations as CrossKeys. A rental agency could use each rental property as a CrossKey. But again, use your imagination... ** System, databases, files --------------------------- ChronoLog, when installed on a single computer, is in total a SYSTEM. On any given computer, you may choose to have multiple ChronoLog DATABASEs (i.e. to keep business and personal events separate). A separate DOS subdirectory is used for each DATABASE. Each DATABASE is made up of FILES (with the extension .CL1) which contain the data that you enter. It should be noted for the benefit of purist readers that this is not a true database. The term is used in a generic sense for brevity. - 8 - CHRONOLOG FILE REQUIREMENTS --------------------------- A ChronoLog system is made up of system files (files which are required for executing the system) and database files (files which contain the data you enter). ** System Files --------------- To run the system, you must have nine PROGRAM files (the .EXE files which run the system) and one HELP file. There are an additional five files which provide INFORMATION about the system. These fifteen files are collectively referred to as the SYSTEM FILES. There is normally only one copy of the system files on your computer, even though you may need to create multiple databases. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not delete any of the fifteen files! If you become a registered user, you may be entitled to a royalty (see the section "REDISTRIBUTION INCENTIVE ROYALTIES") for passing the system on to another person, or uploading to a bulletin board. In order to pass the system on (by using UTILITY -> SYSTEM COPY), you MUST PASS ALL FIFTEEN FILES! *** Program Files ----------------- Following is a "snapshot" description of the nine program files. Refer to the respective sections for detailed discussions of their use. CLINST.EXE This is the ChronoLog installation program. It's only use is to create a subdirectory on the hard drive and transfer the ChronoLog System Files to it. It is not absolutely essential that this program be executed - the system files may simply be copied into an existing subdirectory if you desire. It is provided for the benefit of DOS users unfamiliar with DOS commands. CLINIT.EXE This is the initialization program which must be run before a database can be created. Any attempt to execute any of the other programs before this one will result in the statement "ChronoLog has not been initiated in this subdirectory." being displayed, and a program termination. No harm is done, it just won't work! CHRONO.EXE This is the main ChronoLog program. All of the programs below run "beneath" CHRONO, or as standalone programs, if - 9 - you wish. CLPRINT.EXE This program is used to print calendars, appointment schedules, etc. CLTODAY.EXE This program, normally inserted into your AUTOEXEC.BAT file for execution on each system boot, will display reminders for the current day's events. CLPHONE.EXE This is PhoneLog, the phone directory program. CLDOSDIR.EXE This is the DOS Directory program. You may enter any application on your computer, then select and run from a menu. CLTODO.EXE This program maintains a list of the things for which you have immediate concern. CLUTIL.EXE This is the UTILITY program, which contains your SETUP routines and other miscellaneous functions which you may find useful. *** Help File ------------- CHRONO.HLP This file contain help information which is available when ChronoLog is executed. *** Information Files --------------------- MANUAL.EXE This is self-extracting compressed file, which, when executed, produces CHRONO.DOC, the ChronoLog User's Manual which you are now reading. README This file contains brief load-and-go instructions. PACKING.LST This is a small file containing a list of the fifteen ChronoLog system files. FILE_ID.DIZ This file provides a brief description of the system for use by vendors, bulletin boards, etc. VENDOR.DOC This is a text file detailing distribution requirements and restrictions. - 10 - ** Database Files ----------------- ChronoLog automatically generates a number of files to make up the database (none are present when first installed), identified by the DOS extension .CL1. Learning the following information about those files is not required for operation of the system; it is offered for information purposes only. SETUP.CL1 This file is generated when CLINIT is run. It contains the parameters necessary for running ChronoLog, which may subsequently be changed by running CLUTIL. There is a separate SETUP file for each DATABASE on your computer. CROSSKEY.CL1 This file will contain CrossKey information, should you desire to use this feature. ONETIME.CL1 This file will contain ChronoLog one- time event data. RECURING.CL1 This file will contain ChronoLog recurring event data. OVERFLOW.CL1 This file will contain the extra-long event descriptions for both one-time and recurring events. TODOLIST.CL1 This file will contain the "things-to- do" items entered by executing CLTODO.EXE. PHONE2.CL1 This file will contain PhoneLog data entered by executing CLPHONE.EXE. DOSDIR.CL1 This file will contain the instructions for executing other DOS applications which are entered by executing CLDOSDIR.EXE. - 11 - COMPUTER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS --------------------------------------- ChronoLog has been designed to operate in a minimum DOS environment, i.e. 8086 CPU, MS-DOS 2.11, with monochrome display. There are, however, some relevant facts which must be considered. Although it is technically possible to run ChronoLog on a floppy disk, it strongly recommended that hard drive installation be chosen if available, because (1) ChronoLog data files are dynamic and can only expand so far before a floppy is filled, and (2) the size of the programs requires the subordinate programs such as the PhoneLog and DOS Direct to be loaded as overlays. This can be painfully slow on a floppy system. After the system has been used over a period of time the growing files will cause considerable degradation to a less- powerful CPU, also. For that reason, I would recommend nothing less than an 80286 processor for full use of the system. The only video graphics is the opening "logo" screen, which is bypassed if ChronoLog does not detect an EGA (or better) video adapter. - 12 - SYSTEM INSTALLATION ------------------- Shareware products typically get passed in a variety of ways, therefore installation may differ depending upon where you received your copy of the system. They may be on a "master" diskette, with all files separate, or they may have been "compressed" into a single file, the technique of most bulletin boards. (If you are not familiar with file compression, read the section entitled "COMPRESSING SYSTEM FILES".) The compressed file may even have been converted into a self-extracting .EXE file, depending on the practice of the BBS or vendor. Shareware vendors or distributors may have added some of their own files. ** Installation from a ChronoLog "Master" Diskette -------------------------------------------------- If you are installing from the ChronoLog "master" diskette(s), one 3 1/2" or two 5 1/4" floppy(s), the files are not compressed. Use the following procedure to install: - There should be at least 15 files. See the file PACKING.LST for listing of the minimum files required. - Insert the 3 1/2" floppy or 5 1/4" floppy #1 (contains the file CLINST.EXE) into a floppy drive. - Type CLINST (the ChronoLog System Installation Program). This will create a subdirectory on your hard drive and copy the system files into it. (If loading from 5 1/4" floppy, you will be prompted to insert floppy #2.). CLINIT (the ChronoLog Database Initialization Program) will execute automatically. ** Installation When System Files Have Been Compressed ------------------------------------------------------ If you have the ChronoLog files compressed into a single file (the file name SHOULD be CHRONnnn.xxx, where nnn = the version number and xxx = compression extension), use the following installation procedure: - You do not need to run CLINST. Instead make sure that the compressed file has been copied to the subdirectory on your hard drive wherein you want the ChronoLog system files to reside. - Uncompress CHRONnnn.xxx. If the uncompress is successful, you may delete CHRONnnn.xxx. - There should be at least 15 files uncompressed. See the file PACKING.LST for listing of the minimum files required. - You are now ready to proceed to type CLINIT (the ChronoLog Database Initialization Program) to initialize a database in the subdirectory where the system files reside. Regardless of how you received your copy of ChronoLog, you - 13 - must have as a minimum all nine of the program files plus CHRONO.HLP to run the complete system. From this point on, the installation instructions are written to assume that you have UNCOMPRESSED all of the system files. ** Database Initialization (CLINIT.EXE) --------------------------------------- None of the system .EXE programs will execute until you have initialized a database for the subdirectory in which you are currently working. Go back and read the definition if you are unsure of what a database is. The CLINIT program creates a SETUP file with default values which you may later customize to suit your needs. Each ChronoLog database is identified by a unique 7- character (maximum) name, which allows the user to distinguish between multiple ChronoLog directories. *** First-time Initialization ----------------------------- You will be asked to input a heading line which will appear atop the ChronoLog screens and printouts. This may be your name, your organization name, or anything else you choose. It may be changed at any time by executing UTILITY -> SETUP -> PRINT OPTIONS. You will not be asked for a database name on the first initialization. ChronoLog assigns your first database the name "MAIN". *** Subsequent Initializations ------------------------------ Each time CLINIT is executed in a new subdirectory, your hard drive is searched to locate the MAIN database and certain information is extracted to create a new SETUP.CL1 file for your new database. You will be asked for a unique 7-character database name. The system will not accept a database name which already exists on your computer. You will be asked if you would like to create unique data files for storing your PhoneLog, DOS Direct, and TodoList information, or simply use the information for these applications which is stored in the MAIN database. The default is to use the MAIN database for each of these, but the option is available should you choose to use it. The option may be changed at any later time by selecting UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG, DOS DIRECT, AND TODOLIST DATA FILE LOCATIONS. - 14 - ** Creating a DOS Path ---------------------- If the user wishes to establish more than one database, there is no need to copy all of the system files to each subsequent database subdirectory. Simply add the original (MAIN) subdirectory to the PATH command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Please note that this does NOT provide a path to any data files. Since you may have multiple databases, you must load ChronoLog in the MS-DOS subdirectory where the data files are located! - 15 - USING A VIRTUAL DISK OR RAMDRIVE -------------------------------- ChronoLog creates a temporary "work space" daily which basically consists of expanding database events into DAILY SCHEDULE reminders. This work space can reside on your hard or floppy disk if you desire - as a matter of fact, when a database is initialized the default work space is the current subdirectory. There's a MUCH better way. Since this work space is only temporary, the logical location for it is on a virtual disk or RAMDRIVE. For the new DOS user, this is using available RAM to emulate a hard disk drive. The good thing about a virtual disk or RAMDRIVE is that it makes disk access as fast as memory access; the bad thing is that when your computer is turned off, the information is lost. In normal situations this could be disastrous, but for ChronoLog, it is a perfect utilization. No attempt has been made to make the Virtual Disk or RAMDRIVE the default, because there are different versions depending on the version of DOS you are running, and your RAM utilization may vary depending on other applications. The decision must be yours. Use the UTILITY -> SETUP menu to change the work space assignment. See the section entitled "WORK SPACE (TEMPORARY DISK STORAGE)" for a discussion. If you choose to use a virtual disk or RAMDRIVE (and you really should!), consult your DOS user's manual for installation instructions. - 16 - THE LOADING PROCESS EXPLAINED ----------------------------- As explained in previous sections, an extensive loading process takes place the first time a ChronoLog database is accessed each day. All events previously entered into the system are "expanded" into the lines which you will see on the Daily Schedule screen, sorted into ChronoLogical order, and stored in the temporary "work space". Then, for the remainder of the day, when ChronoLog is executed, the work space is accessed and updated along with your permanent (.CL1) files. See the section "Reminders" in the definitions for a detailed account of this process. The point that needs to be made here is that the work space must be regenerated at some point after midnight each day. In the past, at least one user has left ChronoLog in execution on his PC at the office, for remote access early the next morning from his home to "set up his day". The user discovered that all dates and times still reflected the previous day's. The reason is simply because the system was not allowed to go through its daily event-to-reminder "expansion" process - exiting ChronoLog, then running it again. - 17 - CHRONOLOG - THE MAIN MODULE (CHRONO.EXE) ---------------------------------------- As previously mentioned, CHRONO.EXE is the main module, from which all of the other programs (except CLINIT and CLTODAY) can be "called". ** Screen Headers and Footers ----------------------------- The top of most of the ChronoLog screens (not the MATRIX and PhoneLog screens) contains information about the system: the current date and time-of-day, the database name, the current ChronoLog module name, the user's header (assigned during the initialization process, and modified if desired by UTILITY -> SETUP), and the System Identification Code. The bottom of most of the ChronoLog screens is used for two purposes: (1) ACTION KEYS which, when pressed, execute a subordinate process, and (2) HELP and ERROR INFORMATION which alert you to available options or error conditions. ** The Daily Schedule Screen ---------------------------- The opening display when you execute ChronoLog is the DAILY SCHEDULE screen. This is a scrollable array of all EVENTS expanded into ChronoLogically-ordered REMINDERS. The scrollable reminders in the array display the date, day of the week, start/stop times (if any), CrossKeys (if any), and the event description. The day of the week is replaced by the words TODAY and TOMORROW, if applicable. The day of the week is abbreviated if the reminder has times associated with it, and spelled out in full if not. The word "BEGINS" is displayed for the first day of a multi-day event, the word "ENDS" for the last day. If it is a multi-day event in progress, the string "DAY x OF y" is displayed for today. The remainder of the screen line consists of: - The event type if it is a RECURRING event, enclosed in ellipses {}. - Any CrossKeys associated with the event, enclosed in brackets []. If the number or length of the CrossKeys is too long, the CrossKey representation is replaced by an asterisk [*], which only indicates the presence of one or more CrossKeys. - The event description. If the event description extends beyond the screen width, it is truncated. When the program first loads, it scans your database, sorts all of your current events in ChronoLogical order, then displays them with events scheduled for today (or nearest in future) at the top of the screen. - 18 - *** Using the Keypad -------------------- Use the keypad to scroll the DAILY SCHEDULE events as follows: UP/DOWN ARROWS Move the cursor bar one line PGUP/PGDN Move the screen display a page in the appropriate direction HOME Return to the current day's events CTRL + HOME Jump to beginning of event file END Jump to bottom of event file *** Daily Schedule Screen Action Keys ------------------------------------- The bottom of the DAILY SCHEDULE screen displays the ChronoLog modules which may be called from here. This consists of pressing the first letter of the action desired, the ENTER or ESC keys. Following are the actions and keys. ACTION KEY ------ ----- HELP. Display help information. H Add a new ChronoLog event. A View the highlighted event. ENTER (Modify or delete event from here.) Search for groups of events. S Maintain your list of CrossKeys. X Display the CrossKey MATRIX. M Call the Print Menu. P Pop up the calculator. C Pop up the 3-month calendar. 3 Call the ToDoList program. T Call the PhoneLog program. N Call the DOS Directory program. D Call the Utility program. U Clear the screen (Zzz). Z Quit ChronoLog. ESC The following sections describe the actions possible from the Daily Schedule screen. - 19 - *** The Daily Schedule Help Screen (key = H) -------------------------------------------- The Daily Schedule Help Screen is a scrollable display which describes all of the actions possible on the Daily Schedule screen. *** Adding a New ChronoLog Event (key = A) ------------------------------------------ This option allows you to enter any type of event into your ChronoLog database. You will be asked to enter the dates, times, description, and associated CrossKeys for the event you wish to record. Following is a list of all the actions possible when each data item has been completed on the screen (exceptions to these general rules are noted in the individual data item descriptions): - Press ENTER or TAB to advance to the next data item - Press SHIFT + TAB to back up to the previous data item. - Press F10 to indicate that all the data necessary for the EVENT has been entered. The minimum data items for an event are EVENT TYPE, BEGINNING DATE for a one-time event or the RECURRING DATE for a recurring event, and the EVENT DESCRIPTION. - Press ESC to quit the add process and return to the Daily Schedule screen. You will first be asked to select the EVENT TYPE. This is done by pressing the UP or DOWN ARROW KEYS on the keypad, then pressing the ENTER KEY to select. Since this is the first data item, SHIFT+TAB cannot be used to back up. For a quick, on-screen description of each event type, HELP is available by pressing the H key. **** Adding a ONE-TIME Event ---------------------------- You will be asked to record: ...DATES: Each event is assumed to have a beginning and ending date. As each is asked of you, use the ARROW and PGUP/PGDN keys on the keypad to adjust the dates, then press the ENTER key to record each one. The keypad method is intended to greatly simplify the date-entering process and to ensure that dates are accurately recorded. ...TIMES: As with the dates above, use the ARROW and PGUP/PGDN keys to adjust the times in 15-minute and hourly - 20 - intervals. Times are recorded using military time notation (24-hour clock), or in civilian notation (a.m. and p.m. designated). You may have only a beginning time with no ending time, if the ending is uncertain. Or, if time is unimportant for this event, you may bypass the time by pressing the SPACE BAR. ...The EVENT DESCRIPTION: Use the available space to describe the event. This is a free-screen editor; all input is in "typeover" mode with automatic wordwrap. Do not press the ENTER KEY at the end of each screen line - this signals the completion of the EVENT DESCRIPTION. If no CrossKeys have been defined, the event is stored at the completion of the EVENT DESCRIPTION. ...CrossKeys: If you are using CrossKeys in your system, you may use the CrossKey list on the right of your screen to attach any CrossKeys to this event. To select a CrossKey, use the KEYPAD to move around on the list and press the SPACE BAR to "tag" the CrossKey. Tag as many as you wish to attach to the event, then press the ENTER key. NOTE: simply pressing the ENTER key will NOT attach the highlighted CrossKey. **** Adding an ANNUAL Event --------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll the month and day for the annual event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding a MONTHLY Event --------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll the day of the month for the monthly event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding a WEEKLY Event -------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll the day of the week for the weekly event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding a BI-WEEKLY Event ----------------------------- Use the keypad to record the date of the FIRST OCCURRENCE of the bi-weekly event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. (ChronoLog will automatically repeat at two-week intervals from that date forward.) Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. - 21 - **** Adding a BI-MONTHLY Event ------------------------------ Use the keypad to scroll the date of the FIRST OCCURRENCE of the bi-monthly event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. (ChronoLog will automatically repeat at two-month intervals from that date forward.) Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding a SEMI-ANNUAL Event ------------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll the date of the FIRST OCCURRENCE of the semi-annual event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select. (ChronoLog will automatically repeat at six-month intervals from that date forward.) Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding a Monthly Varying Event ----------------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll in order the WEEK NUMBER (1st - 5th) and the WEEKDAY (Sun - Sat) for the monthly varying event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select each. Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. **** Adding an Annual Varying Event ----------------------------------- Use the keypad to scroll in order the WEEK NUMBER (1st - 5th), the WEEKDAY (Sun - Sat), and the MONTH (Jan - Dec) for the annual varying event, pressing the ENTER KEY to select each. Then enter the EVENT DESCRIPTION and attach CrossKeys as above. If you have continued to the end of the add process, the system will ask you to wait while it permanently stores the event and reconstructs the DAILY SCHEDULE with your new entry. **** Conflicts -------------- Using the criteria you have established under UTILITY -> SETUP, ChronoLog will warn you if the date and time of an event you have just entered is in conflict with another. If one or more is found, a window will appear displaying the conflicting events, and you will be asked your intention to add or bypass the adding of the event. See the section titled "Conflict- Checking Criteria" for a discussion. - 22 - *** Viewing an Event (key = ENTER) ---------------------------------- The reminders on the DAILY SCHEDULE screen, in order to be scrollable, may have truncated event descriptions. Also, if the attached CrossKeys take up too much of the available screen line, they are replaced by an asterisk [*]. To view an event on the DAILY SCHEDULE screen in its entirety, move the cursor to select the event and press the ENTER key. The event will be displayed on the same screen in which it was added to the system. The event may be modified or deleted from here, if you wish. **** Modifying an Event (key = M on VIEW EVENT Screen) ------------------------------------------------------ Refer to the section titled "Adding a New ChronoLog Event", for instructions on how to change the individual data items for the event - all of the rules (TAB, SHIFT+TAB, F10, etc.) which applied to the add process apply to the modification process. As you move about the screen, the cursor will stop on every data item, which you may change if you wish. If you want to leave the item unchanged, simply press the ENTER key. **** Deleting an Event (key = D on VIEW EVENT Screen) ----------------------------------------------------- While VIEWing the event you want to delete, press the D key. ChronoLog will ask "Are you sure you want to delete this event?". If you press the Y key, the event will be permanently deleted from the database. *** Searching for Events (key = S) ---------------------------------- The SEARCH MENU allows you to search your database for events containing a specified character string and events with specified CrossKeys. The results of the search are displayed in a scrollable table. You may select and VIEW an event just as you can on the DAILY SCHEDULE screen, by using the KEYPAD to move the cursor bar and pressing the ENTER KEY. To print the results of a search, press ESC to return to the DAILY SCHEDULE screen, then select the PRINT MENU. An option will be on the menu to "PRINT THE RESULTS OF THE LAST SEARCH". The ability to print the results of any search will remain until another search is done. - 23 - **** Searching for Events Containing a Character String ------------------------------------------------------- A character string entered for search must be at least three characters long. At some point, when your database has grown large and many matches are found, you may be told that the results of the search is too large and asked to repeat the search with a longer string. You may choose to only search for future events. **** Searching for Events by CrossKey ------------------------------------- When one of these options is selected, you will be asked to specify the CrossKeys for which you wish to search. You may select as many as you like. As in the string search, you may choose to search for only future events. *** Maintaining Your CrossKey List (key = X) -------------------------------------------- This option allows you to add CrossKeys to or delete CrossKeys from the current database. If you have already entered at least one CrossKey, a scrollable table will appear on your screen; if not, you will be given only the opportunity to add a new one. **** Adding a New CrossKey (key = A on the CrossKey screen) ----------------------------------------------------------- CrossKeys may be up to 16 characters in length. An attempt to add a new CrossKey which already exists for this database will be rejected. You may add up to 30 CrossKeys to any database. **** Deleting a CrossKey (key = D on the CrossKey screen) --------------------------------------------------------- Extreme care should be taken when deleting a CrossKey from your database. CrossKeys are the backbone of the system. Remember that an ChronoLog database has no beginning nor end, and that one of the most important features of ChronoLog is its use as a permanent record! Once a CrossKey is assigned to an event, unless REMOVED FROM THE EVENT by modifying the event itself, the historical value of that assignment should be forever. Here's what happens when a CrossKey is deleted from your list: - the ENTIRE database of events is scanned and all assignments of that CrossKey are removed. - 24 - - the CrossKey is added to the beginning of the EVENT DESCRIPTION for those events. The result is that you will no longer be able to use the CrossKey to isolate the event for searching, printing, etc. *** The CrossKey Matrix (key = M) --------------------------------- The purpose of the CrossKey MATRIX screen is to graphically display the use of CrossKeys for the coming two-month period, to assist you in avoiding resource conflicts. It is only used, of course, if you have defined CrossKeys for the database. The matrix depicts your CrossKeys on the left side of the screen, with time in days across the top. Thus, the matrix junction will display the number of events which have been recorded for that CrossKey for that date - i.e. a "2" would indicate that the highlighted CrossKey has been attached to two events for that day. If you have designed your system so that CrossKeys identify resources, numbers greater than one indicate a potential resource conflict and may warrant your attention. Use the arrow keys on the keypad to move about the matrix. When the cursor reaches a "spot" with a number, a window will appear on the screen which shows the events for that CrossKey on that date. When the matrix is executed from the Daily Schedule screen, it always uses the current day as the "base" date, and extends two months in the future. You may, by pressing the F5 key on the matrix screen, reset the base date to any other. The matrix will be redrawn for the two months following the date selected. *** The Print Menu (key = P) ---------------------------- The Print Menu offers a choice of several print options. All of them offer the choice of being directed to an attached printer, or to a disk file of your choice. The latter choice allows you to export these files to another configuration's printer, or even to send to another location by electronic mail. Printer options are set using the UTILITY -> SETUP menu. AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you direct your output to an attached printer, ChronoLog will verify that the printer is attached to the proper port (selected in UTILITY -> SETUP -> PRINTER OPTIONS) and is online. Some user's have reported that this check does not work properly for some printers - it reports a printer error of some sort even though there is none. I have worked and tested this problem to the very best of my ability, and simply can't - 25 - explain this inconsistency. So, if you encounter this problem, select the UTILITY -> SETUP -> PRINTER OPTIONS menu and disable the print check. **** Print Appointment Schedule (All Events) -------------------------------------------- Selecting this option will cause an appointment schedule to print for all events scheduled for the next "n" days. The default value of "n" is 7 days but may be reset to your choice via UTILITY -> SETUP. The appointment schedule will display a three-month calendar across the top of your printout, followed by all events for the period, separated for each day, with times displayed. **** Print Appointment Schedule (Selected CrossKeys) ---------------------------------------------------- This option is the same as the previous, except that you may elect to print only those events which match certain CrossKeys. A table will be presented on the screen for you to select the CrossKeys of your choice. **** Print Month Calendar on Narrow Paper ----------------------------------------- Narrow paper is standard 8 1/2" x 11" fanfold computer paper. The month calendar is a standard, block format calendar which should run correctly on most printers which can print in condensed (17-pitch) mode. If your printer is capable of printing the IBM extended graphics character set, select Graphics mode via UTILITY -> SETUP, otherwise leave it set at Non-graphics mode. A window will appear with a message to manually set your printer to condensed mode. This manual set is not necessary if your printer is EPSON-compatible. You will be asked to choose the month to print (the default is the current month). Calendars can be printed for any month, past or future, whether they contain events or not. In each block on the calendar, all of the events which you have recorded for that day will print. Times and CrossKeys will appear in front of the event descriptions. Multiple events on a single day will be separated by a dotted line. A single-month calendar will use as much paper as it needs to print, i.e. if your event descriptions are long, the calendar may print across the perforation on a fanfold-paper printer, or on multiple pages on a sheetfed printer. - 26 - **** Print Month Calendar on Wide Paper --------------------------------------- This option is the same as the previous, except that it is designed to print on wide (14 1/2" x 11" fanfold computer paper) by widening each block proportionately. **** Print One-Time Events for a Selected Period ------------------------------------------------ This option will print all one-time events for a selected period of time, in ChronoLogical order. You will be asked to specify the beginning and ending months. **** Print All Recurring Events ------------------------------- This option will print all recurring events in your database. **** Printing the PhoneLog -------------------------- Selecting this option will print all of the PhoneLog entries on standard (8 1/2" x 11") paper. It will print the entry name on the left side of the paper, with corresponding data items containing data printed on the right. **** Printing the ToDoList -------------------------- Selecting this option will print all of the items in the ToDoList on standard-size paper. **** Print the Results of the Last Search ----------------------------------------- The results of the most recent event search (see section "Searching for Events") may be printed with this option. This is simply a printout of all events located by the search, in ChronoLogical order. *** The Calculator (key = C) ---------------------------- The calculator is extremely easy to use. It offers the use of five functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponentiation. The corresponding MATH OPERATORS are: + - * / ^ It allows for the temporary storage of nine "hash" totals which can be recalled by pressing a function key. These totals are only available during this particular execution of the - 27 - calculator - if you return to the DAILY SCHEDULE screen, the "hash" totals will not be available for the next use of the calculator. At every point in the calculation process, all possible keystrokes are displayed at the bottom of the screen. Following are step-by-step instructions for using the calculator: - START: Enter a number followed by a MATH OPERATOR. - Enter the second number. You may end the second number by: - Pressing "=" (or the ENTER KEY). The total will be calculated and displayed. Continue by: - Pressing another operator. You will be asked to enter another number (go to START above). - Storing the hash total in a function-keyed memory location. - Pressing C to clear the calculator. - Pressing another operator. At any point in the above steps, when asked to "enter a number", you may instead press a function key to recall the total previously stored there. *** The 3-Month Calendar (key = 3) ---------------------------------- The three-month calendar displays the previous, current, and following months. You may scroll backward and forward through time by using the ARROW and PGUP/PGDN keys on the keypad. *** PhoneLog (key = L) ---------------------- PhoneLog is another easy-to-use yet powerful feature of ChronoLog, which may be loaded as a standalone program (name: CLPHONE.EXE) or by pressing "L" on the ChronoLog DAILY SCHEDULE screen. All entries in PhoneLog are kept in alphabetic order in a scrollable array on the left side of the screen. The order is automatic; you don't have to have the scroll bar in any certain position when a new entry is added. On the right side of the screen are eight data fields which, when scrolling through the names in the directory, are associated with the name on the left UNDER THE SCROLL BAR at any given time. - 28 - The phone directory may be scrolled by using the keys on the keypad: UP and DOWN arrow keys will move the scroll bar one line; PGUP and PGDN will move the scroll bar a full page; HOME and END will move the scroll bar to the top and bottom of the file. In addition, pressing an alphabetic character will "jump" the cursor bar to the next name which begins with that character. Notice that the PhoneLog "action keys" are different from the other ChronoLog modules, i.e. INS to add an entry instead of the letter A. This is because PhoneLog scrolling has the additional feature described in the previous paragraph - pressing an alphabetic character key is used to quickly find directory entries. **** PhoneLog Data File Location -------------------------------- If you create multiple databases, you may choose to build a separate PhoneLog data file for each new database, or maintain one "central" file in the MAIN database. This question is asked when you execute CLINIT to create the new databases. Select UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG, DOS DIRECT, AND TODOLIST DATA FILE LOCATIONS to change this option at any time. **** Data labels ---------------- The labels in the center of the screen for the top six data fields may be customized to suit your own requirements. When you first execute PhoneLog, these labels will say "PhoneLog Label #1" (through #6), and should first be assigned a meaningful label by running UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG OPTIONS. See the section "PHONELOG DATA LABELS" for instructions on setting/resetting the labels. Once these labels are set and data has been recorded using the labels, they shouldn't be changed, unless you want to go back and change all of the underlying data. The labels on the two bottom data fields, ADDRESS and REMARKS, are fixed and new labels cannot be assigned. **** Adding a New PhoneLog Entry -------------------------------- Press the INS key to add a new PhoneLog entry. The program will display a highlighted line on the left side of the screen wherein you may type the name. Of course, the name of a person should be entered "last name first" to facilitate its location later. When the name has been entered, a highlighted bar will appear in the first data field on the right side of the screen. from this point, you may scroll up and down the right side of the screen with the UP and DOWN arrow keys, entering data on any of the lines that you wish. Pressing ENTER on any line will also - 29 - move the highlighted bar down the screen. Press the F10 key to store the completed entry. (If the ENTER key is pressed on the bottom line of the REMARKS field, the entry will be stored.) ESC may be pressed at any time to discontinue entering data for this entry. **** Selecting a PhoneLog Entry ------------------------------- Move the cursor bar to the entry to select and press the ENTER KEY. A box will appear on the left side of the screen with the selected name and all options that apply to this screen. From here you may modify any data associated with this entry (including the name), add new data items, or use the Autodial feature, if you have a telephone sharing a common line with your computer modem. ***** Modifying a PhoneLog Entry Name ------------------------------------- When an entry has been selected, the name field may be edited by pressing the F5 key. Pree the ENTER KEY when finished editing - the name will be moved to the proper place in the alphabetical order if necessary. ***** Modifying PhoneLog Data Items ----------------------------------- To modify or add a data item to the right side of the screen, simply move the cursor bar to the proper line on the right side of the screen and edit. Press the ENTER KEY when the item is correct. Press F10 to save the modified data or ESC to quit without saving any changes which were made. ***** The PhoneLog Autodial Feature ----------------------------------- In order to take advantage of the Autodial feature, you must have a modem connected to a serial port (COM1 thru COM4) on your computer, and a telephone sharing the same phone line. The line may be shared by inserting the line from the phone into the RJ11 receptacle labeled "PHONE" on your modem. If your modem does not have this receptacle, you may also purchase an inexpensive two- way line splitter, insert the common end into the wall jack and the "split" ends into both the modem and the telephone. To use the Autodial, use the keypad arrow keys to select the number on the right side of the SELECT ENTRY screen, remove the telephone receiver, and press the F3 key. Some situations require that you insert preliminary numbers - 30 - before dialing. This may be a code for an outside line in an office arrangement, or a personal accounting code. If you have this requirement, select UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG OPTIONS and record the "pre-dial" numbers. This will eliminate the need to insert these numbers in all of your data entries. Then, when preparing to use the Autodial feature, simply press the F2 key to automatically dial this preliminary number. **** Deleting a PhoneLog Entry ------------------------------ Move the cursor bar to the entry name to delete and press the DEL key. You will be asked to confirm the deletion. If you respond "Yes", the name and all associated data will be deleted from your PhoneLog. **** Printing the PhoneLog -------------------------- To print the PhoneLog, return to the DAILY SCHEDULE screen and select PRINT -> PHONELOG. You will be asked to confirm your intention to print. If you respond "Yes", your entire PhoneLog will be formatted and printed. *** DOS Direct (key = D) ------------------------ This feature is provided so that the user could load ChronoLog at the beginning of the day, and never unload it! It would be the "command central" from which all other computer applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets, etc. could be run. DOS Direct can be run as a standalone program (name: CLDOSDIR.EXE), or by pressing "D" on the ChronoLog DAILY SCHEDULE screen. An infinite table of software applications can be loaded into DOS Direct. When executed, the table of application names is scrolled by using the keypad keys (UP/DOWN arrows, PGUP/PGDN, HOME, END). **** Data Required by DOS Direct -------------------------------- Five data items are stored for each application entry: - The application name. This is the name that will appear in the screen array. - The subdirectory from which you want to execute the application. - The command line or string that will load and run the application. This is the .EXE, .COM, or .BAT file plus - 31 - any command line parameters (i.e. WP DOCUMENT.FIL). - prompt switch (Y/N): Y = request DOS to prompt for command line parameters at run time N = do not prompt - pause switch (Y/N): Y = pause (freeze screen) at end of execution before returning to DOS Direct N = do not pause **** DOS Direct Data File Location ---------------------------------- If you create multiple databases, you may choose to build a separate DOS Direct data file for each new database, or maintain one "central" file in the MAIN database. This question is asked when you execute CLINIT to create the new databases. Select UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG, DOS DIRECT, AND TODOLIST DATA FILE LOCATIONS to change this option at any time. **** Adding a New DOS Direct Application (key = A) -------------------------------------------------- A screen will appear that will prompt you sequentially for the five data items described above. DOS Direct checks to ensure that you do not enter a non- existing path on the SUBDIRECTORY line. **** Modifying a DOS Direct Application (key = M) ------------------------------------------------- The existing data for the application under the cursor bar will be displayed. You will be prompted sequentially to either replace or leave unchanged each of the five fields. **** Deleting a DOS Direct Application (key = D) ------------------------------------------------ The application under the cursor bar will be deleted after you have been asked to confirm the deletion by pressing the letter D a second time. - 32 - **** Executing a DOS Direct Application (key = ENTER) ----------------------------------------------------- The application under the cursor bar will be executed. An error condition will occur if: (1) the subdirectory path cannot be found; or (2) the command line is not valid. **** Changing the DOS Direct Table Order (key = C) -------------------------------------------------- The application under the cursor bar will begin blinking. You may now use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move the application entry to the new location of your choice. Press the ENTER KEY when correct. *** The ToDoList (key = T) -------------------------- The ToDoList is a quick-and-easy way to keep track of those things which require your immediate attention. The ToDoList can be run as a standalone program (name: CLTODO.EXE), or by pressing "T" on the ChronoLog DAILY SCHEDULE screen. The entries are displayed on single lines in a scrollable table. There may be 17 entries (one screenful) in your ToDoList at any given time. **** ToDoList Data File Location -------------------------------- If you create multiple databases, you may choose to build a separate ToDoList data file for each new database, or maintain one "central" file in the MAIN database. This question is asked when you execute CLINIT to create the new databases. Select UTILITY -> SETUP -> PHONELOG, DOS DIRECT, AND TODOLIST DATA FILE LOCATIONS to change this option at any time. **** Adding a New ToDoList Item Here (key = A) ---------------------------------------------- This allows you to insert an item at a specific point in the table. When performed, the table will "expand" and a blank line will appear at the point where the letter A key was pressed. Simply enter the item on the line and press ENTER to store. - 33 - **** Adding a New ToDoList Item To End Of List (key = E) -------------------------------------------------------- This is the same as the previous paragraph, except the item is appended to the bottom of the ToDoList. **** Modifying a ToDoList Item (key = M) ---------------------------------------- The item under the cursor bar will be highlighted. Edit the line, then press ENTER to replace the previous entry. **** Deleting a ToDoList Item (key = D) --------------------------------------- The item under the cursor bar will be deleted. **** Undeleting the Last Deleted ToDoList Item (key = U) -------------------------------------------------------- This feature will restore the last item deleted DURING THIS EXECUTION of the ToDoList. **** Changing the ToDoList Order (key = C) ------------------------------------------ This feature allows you to change the priority of the items in your list. When performed, the item under the cursor bar will begin blinking. You may now use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move the item to the new location of your choice. *** The Utility Program (key = U) --------------------------------- The Utility Program provides several miscellaneous functions for using ChronoLog to its best advantage. It is made up of scrollable menus and submenus, as described below. Utility can be run as a standalone program (name: CLUTIL.EXE), or by pressing "U" on the ChronoLog DAILY SCHEDULE screen. **** Setup Menu --------------- The SETUP MENU allows you to set certain parameters which may be necessary for proper execution of ChronoLog on your computer, or maybe just "cosmetic" changes to suit your personal taste. - 34 - ***** Screen Colors ------------------- This feature allows you to change the colors of the ChronoLog screens. Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the table, then press the function keys as described below to select the colors you like. Notice that some lines are "related" to other lines. For example, the four colors for the DAILY SCHEDULE - which allows for color-coding different types of events - obviously must have the same background color. So when you change the background color for any of the four, the other three automatically change as well. Also, the DAILY SCHEDULE scroll bar shows the foreground colors of the four events, to give you an idea of the clarity of print when the two colors are used. The following function keys are used: KEY ACTION --- ---------------------------------------- F5 Change foreground color. F6 Change background color. F7 Resets all colors to the default colors. F8 FOR THE TOP LINE ONLY - Change the screen background "fill" CHARACTER. ***** Personal Heading (Screen and Printout) -------------------------------------------- This allows you to change the "heading" line - your name or organization name - that will appear in the upper right corner of the ChronoLog screens and atop all printouts. This heading is initially stored during the creation of each new database in your system - when CLINIT was executed. ***** Printer Options --------------------- These options are used to set or reset information needed for printed output. ****** Number of Days For APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE ---------------------------------------------- The default number of days for the APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE is arbitrarily set at 7. This option allows you to change this, if you wish. - 35 - ****** Printer Output Port -------------------------- This option allows you to change the printer output port. It may be set to any of the three parallel port addresses: LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3; or any of four serial port addresses: COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4. The default is LPT1. ****** Graphic/Non-graphic Printing ----------------------------------- This option only affects the printing of block-type monthly calendars. If your printer has the capability of printing the IBM extended character set graphic characters, you may set this option to "G". The default is "N" (Non-graphic). ****** Enable/Disable Printer Check ----------------------------------- This allows you to enable or disable the check which ChronoLog performs to see if the printer is attached to the proper port and is online. Some users have reported that this feature does not work properly for all printers. If this is true in your case, select DISABLE. ***** PhoneLog Data Labels -------------------------- The six data labels which appear on your phone directory screen can be customized for your own use by this option. Simply select the one you wish to change, edit, then press the ENTER KEY to store. ***** Conflict-Checking Parameters ---------------------------------- When a new event is added to the database, the system can be instructed to first verify that the event does not conflict with other events. Because the use of CrossKeys is left to the user's discretion, the manner in which conflicts are checked may be similarly set. There are four criteria for checking, any or all of which can be set using this option. You may, of course, elect to bypass conflict checking altogether. Following are the criteria with their descriptions: (1) Display any events in the database which have ANY CrossKeys attached which exactly match ANY CrossKeys attached to the event currently being entered, and has a date/time span which overlaps. This choice would be appropriate if CrossKeys are being used - 36 - to manage resources. (2) If the event currently being entered has NO CrossKeys attached, display any events in the database which have NO CrossKeys attached, and has a date/time span which overlaps. This choice would be appropriate if CrossKeys are not used, or if they are being used to manage resources but not attached to events concerning yourself. (3) If the event currently being entered has CrossKeys attached, display any events in the database which have CrossKeys attached EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NONE THAT MATCH, and has a date/time span which overlaps. This choice would be appropriate if CrossKeys are being used to simply categorize daily tasks ("TRAVEL", "MEETINGS", "CONFERENCES", "ABSENCE", etc.). (4) Display any events in the database which have a date/time span which overlaps, regardless of CrossKeys. This choice would be appropriate if you prefer to be warned about ANY possible conflict, regardless of who are what is involved. ***** Work Space (Temporary Disk Storage) ----------------------------------------- ChronoLog requires a "work space" which it must create new with the FIRST system startup each day. This option allows you to change the location of the work space because of disk space limitations or, more importantly, to DRASTICALLY IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM BY USING A VIRTUAL DISK! Refer to section "USING A VIRTUAL DISK OR RAMDRIVE" for a detailed discussion. The default location for the work space is in the same subdirectory as the database. If you change to another logical hard drive, the work files will be created in the root directory for that drive. ***** Screen blanking --------------------- ChronoLog allows you to cause the screen to go blank after a period of keyboard inactivity. This is to ensure that video "burn-in", or etching of images into the screen, does not occur. The period of time is entered in seconds; the default is 120, or 2 minutes. You may also manually blank the screen by pressing the Z key on the Daily Schedule screen. See the section titled "Zzz". - 37 - ***** Changing the Time Representation (CIVILIAN/MILITARY) ---------------------------------------------------------- ChronoLog's first use was in the federal government, and all time representation was displayed by using the 24-hour clock format (i.e. 1730 hours instead of 5:30 p.m.). This option allows you to choose the time representation you desire, civilian or military. ***** Toggling the opening ChronoLog Logo Screen On/Off ------------------------------------------------------- The opening logo screen which appears only during the first execution of ChronoLog each day, may be set off if you want to bypass it. NOTE: The logo screen changes patterns if allowed to continue running. Let it run for a minute or so and watch! ***** Setting Data File Locations --------------------------------- This option applies only to databases other than MAIN when using multiple databases. ****** PhoneLog Data File Location ---------------------------------- You may choose to have a separate PhoneLog for this database or use the data in the MAIN PhoneLog data file. Simply move the cursor bar to this option and press the ENTER KEY to toggle. ****** DOS Direct Data File Location ------------------------------------ You may choose to have a separate DOS Direct for this database or use the data in the MAIN DOS Direct data file. Simply move the cursor bar to this option and press the ENTER KEY to toggle. ****** ToDoList Data File Location ---------------------------------- You may choose to have a separate ToDoList for this database or use the data in the MAIN ToDoList data file. Simply move the cursor bar to this option and press the ENTER KEY to toggle. - 38 - **** System Copy ---------------- Use this option to make a floppy diskette copy of the fifteen system files. This method will ensure that all files, and only the necessary ones, are copied for the purpose of passing to a friend or uploading to a bulletin board. If you are a registered user, you will be asked to enter your name, which, along with your system identification code, will be copied along with the system files. Then, if anyone who receives this copy subsequently registers, your name and code will be recorded on his registration form. ComputerEase will then "share the wealth" with you by forwarding $10 of his $35 registration fee! Please read the section titled "Redistribution Incentive Royalties". Please ensure that the name is entered just as it was when you registered. ***** System Copy on Floppy Disk -------------------------------- The entire system requires approximately 700k of disk space. When making a system copy, ChronoLog will determine if the disk you have targeted is large enough to hold this much file space. If you have indicated a double-sided, double-density 5-1/4" floppy, you will be directed to insert two floppies. The files will then be copied as follows: DISK#1 DISK#2 ------ ------ CHRONO.EXE CLPRINT.EXE CLUTIL.EXE CLDOSDIR.EXE CLINIT.EXE CLTODAY.EXE MANUAL.EXE CLPHONE.EXE CLINST.EXE CLTODO.EXE VENDOR.DOC CHRONO.HLP README PACKING.LST FILE_ID.DIZ The target floppy(s) must be empty. If they contain data, you will be given the opportunity to erase the data on the floppies or discontinue the operation. - 39 - ***** Compressing System Files ------------------------------ The method of file compression for the purpose of uploading to a bulletin board must be left to the discretion of the user, because bulletin boards do not have a standard compression procedure. Most require a specific format, such as .ZIP or .ARC; some allow self-extracting .EXE files, some do not. The purpose of this section is to ensure that the file is given the proper name, and the proper files are included, regardless of the procedure used. The complete system is compressed into a single file named CHRONnnn.xxx, where nnn is the version number and xxx is the appropriate extension. The files which are included are the fifteen system files listed in the section "ChronoLog File Requirements" and also the separate file PACKING.LST. IMPORTANT: If you are a registered user, the file ROYALTY.DUE, which was created during the UTILITY -> MAKE SYSTEM COPY process, must also be included so that you will be entitled to a Redistribution Incentive Royalty. **** ChronoLog Registration Form -------------------------------- This option presents some information on the screen about the benefits of registration, and generates an ASCII-format disk file named "REGISTER.FRM". This file may then be completed by exiting ChronoLog and edited with an ASCII (please, no word processing) editor and printed, or printed and completed in pencil. *** Putting ChronoLog to Sleep (key = Z) ---------------------------------------- This feature serves two purposes: if you are don't intend to use ChronoLog at your desk for a period of time, it will prevent screen "burn-in", plus, if you are in an open work space with much foot traffic, it will provide a degree of confidentiality. Press any key to "re-awaken" ChronoLog. *** Quitting ChronoLog (key = ESC) ---------------------------------- Press ESC to terminate the ChronoLog program. - 40 - AUTOMATIC DAILY REMINDING (CLTODAY.EXE) --------------------------------------- CLToday is a separate program which, when executed, shows any events in your system which have been recorded for the current date. The best and intended use of this is to insert the command CLTODAY (preceded by the DOS Path if necessary) into your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that it always executes when you first boot up your computer, thus serving as a quick reminder of the day's happenings. If you choose to use CLToday in this manner, you must first do a DOS change directory (CHDIR) to the subdirectory containing your MAIN database. This subdirectory should have an ASCII file named CLTODAY.DAT which contains the path to each of your ChronoLog databases. You may use a standard ASCII editor to add or remove the entries in CLTODAY.DAT as you desire. If you have multiple databases in your system, CLToday scans ALL of them and creates a scrollable array of events for the current date, with the appropriate database specified. If there are no reminders for the current date, the program displays a window stating "NO EVENTS FOUND FOR TODAY", then proceeds. - 41 - REGISTRATION, SUPPORT, AND LICENSING ------------------------------------ ChronoLog is not public domain software, nor is it free software. ChronoLog is copyrighted to ComputerEase, Prince George, VA. Non-registered users are granted a limited license to use ChronoLog on a trial basis for the purpose of determining whether it is suitable for their needs. Use of ChronoLog, except for this limited purpose, requires registration. Registration permits a user the license to use ChronoLog on a single computer. Multiple computers will require multiple registrations. Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (sysops) may post ChronoLog for downloading by their users. Distributors of public domain or user-supported software, other than operators of electronic bulletin board systems, may distribute copies of ChronoLog after obtaining written permission from ComputerEase. ** Registration --------------- To register your copy of ChronoLog, select UTILITY -> REGISTRATION FORM. See the section titled "ChronoLog Registration Form" for a discussion. Until registered, this product is considered an "evaluation copy". Full use of the system is limited to 90 days from the date it is loaded. After two months, a message will appear during the loading process, warning that the evaluation period will expire on {date}. When that date is reached, the ability to add new events to the system will be curtailed - all other features remain functional. A ChronoLog registration licenses you to full use of the product. Registration includes mailed notification of updates and priority support. Users need register only one version of ChronoLog - registration includes licensed use of all upgrades. If you are using an earlier version of ChronoLog, you will automatically be sent the latest version. *** Registration Fee -------------------- Individual registrations for ChronoLog are available from ComputerEase at a cost of $35.00. ComputerEase will provide you with the most current release of ChronoLog in object code form on your choice of 5 1/4" diskette or 3 1/2" diskette. All necessary documentation will also be included on the diskette. Quantity discounts are available. Please see the section titled "Site Licenses". In addition, evaluation disks are available at any time for $5. These disks do not include registration. The fee covers diskette, postage and handling. When ordering an evaluation diskette, please specify diskette size. - 42 - *** System Access ----------------- ChronoLog access is controlled by a System Identification Code (SIC) and a corresponding ProgramKey, which is provided when the system is registered. Both are four-character codes. **** System Identification Code ------------------------------- When a ChronoLog system is first installed on a computer, the SIC is created and appears in the information in the upper right corner of most ChronoLog screens. It is used to uniquely identify the system and relate it to the computer on which it is installed; it is also used to identify the user for payment of the Redistribution Identification Royalty. The SIC is printed on the registration form and MUST be provided to ComputerEase when registering. **** The ProgramKey ------------------- Upon receipt of the registration form with the SIC, ComputerEase will provide the user with the ProgramKey, which is algorithmically matched to the SIC and will "unlock" the system and allow full use of the product. You will be instructed at the time of registration how to use the ProgramKey. **** System Recovery -------------------- Very simple - BACKUP: - Keep a copy of the fifteen ChronoLog System Files in a safe place. - Regularly (I do this daily!) make a copy of the .CL1 files for each database. If you have more than one database, label and keep them separate because the files are named the same. Then, if you need restore your system, you may run CLINST to install the MAIN database (or simply copy the files), then copy the .CL1 files to their proper subdirectories. IMPORTANT: if you have multiple databases, you MUST restore database MAIN into a subdirectory with the same name as the original! In other words, if you have database MAIN in C:\CHRONO on your first computer, if you move it to another computer it must be stored in C:\CHRONO. - 43 - *** Redistribution Incentive Royalties -------------------------------------- In order for a shareware product to succeed, it must be widely distributed, because a fact of life is that only a small percentage of "tryers" become "buyers". Distribution is an enormous (and expensive) task considering the number of computer users, BBS, user's groups, etc. With that in mind, I have developed a method which I hope will encourage users to share their copy of ChronoLog with others. I call it a Redistribution Incentive Royalty, or RIR. Here's how it works: if you register your copy of ChronoLog, then use UTILITY -> SYSTEM COPY, your name and system identification code will be recorded with the copy (in a file named ROYALTY.DUE. The copy may go to an individual or uploaded to a favorite BBS. Then, if that individual, or anyone who has downloaded from the BBS, subsequently registers, his registration form will contain your name and code. At that point, I will send you $10 of his $35 registration as a "finder's fee" royalty. Here are some rules and restrictions which apply to this process: - No one is entitled to redistribute this program via a shareware vendor or distributor, or any other method wherein he might receive a personal gain other than the RIR. - The RIR will only be paid for registrations made DIRECTLY from the copy. In other words, if person A provides a copy to person B, and person B makes a copy for person C, who registers, then person A is NOT entitled to the RIR; person B is, providing he has registered his copy. - ComputerEase is not responsible for subsequent registrations being made incorrectly. In other words, if person A provides a copy to person B, who does not register with the form which ChronoLog provides containing the name and code of the "sponsoring" person, then ComputerEase will not pay the RIR. ComputerEase can't be put into a position where it has to "take your word for it". It is part of your responsibility to ensure that individuals who register from your copy do it correctly. - The name of the person due the royalty MUST be the same as the person registered. (To be entitled to the royalty, both the system identification code and the name must match that in ComputerEase's file of registered users.) - An RIR only applies to individual registrations, not site licenses. - If you are a computer vendor, consultant, etc., you may install ChronoLog on your customer's computers. You must, however, be sure that the ROYALTY.DUE file is stored as well. - 44 - ** Technical Support -------------------- Although I certainly prefer that you register your copy of ChronoLog, my policy is to provide support to all users, registered or not. Please contact me with any comments you may have concerning bugs, suggested enhancements, etc. ADDRESS: ComputerEase (Doug Patrick) 7204 John Elizabeth Place Prince George, VA 23875 PHONE: (804) 458-2212 PRODIGY: FFMV24A COMPUSERVE: 71221, 2766 ** Site Licenses ---------------- All corporate, business, government or other commercial users of ChronoLog must be registered. Quantity discounts are available starting at the sixth copy. Orders in quantities of less than 50 units are handled as bulk purchases. Purchases of over 50 units may be handled as quantity purchases or as corporate licensing agreements. Licensing agreements allow duplication and distribution of specific numbers of copies within the licensed institution. Duplication of multiple copies is not allowed except through execution of a licensing agreement. Please write for details. The quantity purchase discounts are as follows: 0- 5 copies: $35 per copy 6- 20 copies: $30 per copy 21-50 copies: $25 per copy 50+ copies: $20 per copy All prices and discounts are subject to change without notice. The Redistribution Incentive Royalty does NOT apply to site licenses, either in instigating a site license or as a result of a copy made from a site licensed system. - 45 - TECHNICAL NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ------------------------------------ ChronoLog is written entirely in MicroSoft QuickBasic version 4.5, with the use of additional subprograms and functions contained in the Crescent Software QuickPak Professional library. A special acknowledgement goes to the following individuals who provided valuable insight and comments during the testing of ChronoLog: Dave Ryan, Thomas Conaty, Hank Black, Michael Moody, John Butcher, Dennis Kaiser, Gordon Dobyns, Wade Johnson, Ed Schmidt, Larry Johnson, John Finger, Herb Andresen, and Bob Hunt. Many of the features of the system were a direct result of their advice. A finished system is only as good as the extent to which it has been tested. Beta testing was facilitated by distribution via the Blue Ridge Express BBS, Richmond, VA, phone (804) 790-1675. My thanks to sysop Webb Blackman, and I recommend the BBS to anyone wanting access to a full-featured BBS - it has 4000 active users and 36 data lines. The file library currently contains 18,492 files! - 46 - VERSION CHANGES --------------- ** Version 1.01 --------------- - Fixed problem: military-format times would not print in APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE. - Fixed problem: "WAIT" was printing middle of MATRIX and wiping out underlying info. - Changed printer check routing to PRNREADY. - Fixed page break problem in PRINT RESULTS OF LAST SEARCH. - Fixed MONTHLY/ANNUAL VARYING date modifications to not restart from the current date each time. - Fixed PhoneLog autodial - this still doesn't work well for some users, but I can't determine why. - Fixed error in MONTHLY events: next occurrence not correct in December because it calculated 13th month instead of 1st month of next year. ** Version 1.02 --------------- - Increased SETUP.CL1 parameter count from 50 to 100. Requires that CLINIT be run to convert existing SETUP.CL1 files. - Discontinued CL1PATH (master database locator) because users were installing to networked computers and ChronoLog couldn't locate the correct boot drive. The information is now stored in the expanded SETUP.CL1 file for each database. - CLPRINT: allowed for disabling printer check because some user's printers did not work properly with this module. - CLUTIL: allowed for choice of building separate PhoneLog, DOS Direct, and ToDoList data files for each database, or use MAIN. - 47 - SOME WORDS ABOUT SHAREWARE -------------------------- Shareware, or user-supported software, is a means for the computing community to receive quality software while directly supporting software authors. It is based on the ideas that: (1) The value and utility of software is best assessed by the user on his or her own system. Only after using a program can one really determine whether it serves personal applications, needs and tastes. (2) The creation of independent personal computer software can and should be supported by the computing community. Copying of programs is encouraged, rather than restricted. The ease with which software can be distributed outside traditional commercial channels reflects the strength, rather than the weakness, of electronic information. Under the user-supported concept, anyone may request a copy of a user-supported program by sending a blank, formatted disk to the program author together with an addressed, postage-paid return mailer and a nominal fee to cover shipping and handling costs. A copy of the program, along with documentation on disk, will be sent by return mail on the user's disk. This program carries a notice suggesting registration for the program. You should register if you are going to use the program on a regular basis. Regardless of whether you register and use the program, you are encouraged to copy and distribute the program for the private, non-commercial, trial use of others. User-supported software is generally not public domain material; most programs of this nature carry a copyright notice. Rather, the author has licensed you to copy and use the program under certain conditions. Likewise, user-supported software is not intended to be free software; it is an experiment in economics, not altruism. It is intended to provide quality software at a low price, while directly supporting the author, without the overhead of distributors, dealers and advertising that produces $200-500 software packages. User-supported software is having a hard time. More and more packages are being taken out of this market, and offered as more traditional, and expensive, products. The reason for this is simple: lots of people are using the packages but very few are paying for them. And without the support of the users, there is absolutely no incentive for software authors to provide their programs in this fashion. There are many good reasons to register. Besides supporting the author (that is, paying for the software you use), you generally get better support and receive mailed notification of updates and other products. In conclusion, if you regularly use a user-supported program (sometimes called Freeware or Shareware) - 48 - and have not sent in a registration to the author, please do so now. Only through the financial support of users will this kind of inexpensive software continue to be available. Thanks for trying shareware...and ChronoLog! - 49 -