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SLM-HELP.TXT
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1992-12-17
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Shopping List Manager, Version 2.0
----------------------------------------------------
I. General Instructions
Shopping List Manager (SLM) is an easy to use tool
that allows you to maintain a Master List of items that
you ever buy in your local food mart or super market.
Then, each time you are about to go shopping, you can
spend five minutes with the program to save you a
tremendous amount of time in the supermarket. How? Your
finished shopping list is printed out WITH THE AISLE
NUMBERS, and IN PROPER AISLE ORDER! That means that in the
store you don't have to go down aisles in which you have
nothing, you won't leave an aisle that you need to be in
without first getting everything you need, and you don't
waste time running back and forth to find items you
missed.
Probably the best way to use the program is to take
your regular shopping list (say, from the refrigerator)
and sit down at the computer for a few minutes before you
leave to go shopping. Have all your coupons handy so that
you can mark the items on your list that you have coupons
for - no forgetting to buy the right brand for all your
coupons!
It will take some effort to find all the aisle numbers
for your list. The easiest way to do it - simply write
down the aisle of each item you buy while you're shopping.
Then at home you can add those items. Next time, you'll
have a few regular items in already and for the rest, put
them in the Additional Items List (see later). After a
handful of times going shopping, your whole list will be
done!
If you can spend the effort in the first few weeks,
you'll appreciate it immensely for years!
Happy Shopping!
II. Creating a new Store
Before using SLM, you must create a new Store. (To let
you practice with the program right away, a sample Store
is included. Until you change the Default Store - see later -
the sample Store will come up each time you start SLM). You
can create a new store by choosing New Store from the File
Menu. Give the store name - any name that you would like to
use for the Store, such as Local Mart, or Food Town. You must
also give the Store a file name that SLM will use to
recognize it by. Here, you can use any combination of up
to eight letters - no spaces or symbols. You will not
need to remember this name later.
After doing this, the Edit Store window appears.
III. Editing a Store
The Edit Store window is accessible from the Edit
Store choice under the File Menu, or by entering a new
Store. In this window you can Add, Delete or Edit the
Master Shopping List for a Store. Use the appropriately
labeled buttons for each of these actions. You cannot
Edit or Delete an item before selecting it from the list,
by clicking on it with the mouse. (Hint: Double-clicking
an item lets you immediately Edit it.)
The Item can be any length, and the aisle must be
between 1 and 999 inclusive. For the aisle, you can also
enter a * (say, if you don't yet know the aisle). That will
leave a zero in the aisle column. The maximum number of
items you can have is 5,300.
Version 1.0 did not let you press ENTER between entering
the item and aisle (you had to press TAB). This has been
changed and now data-entry is easier and faster.
Except on the fastest of computers, when you are working
on a long list, there is a delay when adding each item since
the list is continuously sorted. If you uncheck the Always
Sorted box, this problem is avoided.
When you are finished, select Save Changes. To leave
the window and ignore all your changes, select Abandon
Changes.
Clicking on Sort by Item and Sort by aisle allows you
to find items in your list in whichever way is easier for
you. Your selection here does not affect the list's order
elsewhere in the program.
IV. Selecting a Different Store
You may select a different store to Edit, or to go
shopping with, from the Select Store menu choice under
the File menu. Only Stores in the current directory are
displayed, along with the number of items each master
list contains. If necessary, change drives or directories
to find where your Store files are located. To select a
Store, click on its name and then select OK. (Hint:
Double-clicking on a Store selects it.)
If the Make Default box is checked, the Store you
select will be the one loaded when starting the program
next time and from then on.
V. Change Configuration
Under the File Menu, there is a option labeled Change
Configuration. This allows you to change the font and the
font size in the master list portion of the display. A
smaller size shows more on the screen, but may be harder
to read. Also experiment with different fonts to see which
are the easiest for you to work with.
When you press the OK button, your font choices are
saved to disk and will be in effect in all future SLM
sessions unless they are changed again. In addition, the
position of the SLM main screen is saved so that it will
come up next time the way you had it last time.
Note: To save only a new screen position, choose Change
Configuration and Press OK without changing fonts.
VI. Printing a Master List
You can print out a copy of your Master List for the
currently selected store by choosing this option from the
File Menu. You may never need this feature, but it is
there if you ever want it!
VII. Making Your Shopping List
Click on any item in the Master List to add it to your
current shopping list. Clicking with the right mouse
button selects the item and notes that you have a coupon
for it. Holding down the Control key on the keyboard
while clicking an item allows you to enter a Comment for
the item. A Comment is any note you wish to make to
yourself on the list. (For instance, you could add a
comment to 'paper towels' that says '4 rolls'.)
Adding or Removing Comments can be done after the item
has been chosen by selecting the item on your Shopping
List and then clicking on the appropriate button below
the list.
You may remove an item from the Shopping List by
selecting it and then clicking on the Remove Item
Button.(Hint: Double-clicking on the item removes it
too.)
The Shopping List is maintained in alphabetical order
to make it easy to find an item on it while making the
list.
In the Add Comment box (that appears when you wish to
add a Comment), you may choose Coupon instead of OK to
add the word Coupon to the item, with or without an
additional Comment.
The horizontal scroll-bar below the master list allows
you to move sideways across your master list. Each time
you move across, the selection boxes around the items
become underlines.
VIII. Completing the Shopping List
When your list is completed, click on the DONE Button.
You are then offered the option of adding any additional
items not on your Master List. These items might include
one-time-only shopping items, or items you have not yet
added to your list. Also, you can put additional notes to
yourself here.
When instructed, ready the printer to print (i.e. make
sure it is on and the paper is properly positioned if
necessary).
The Shopping List is then printed out for you and
you're ready to go!
IX. Help File
The instructions that you are reading are stored in
the same directory as the SLM program, under the file
name 'SLM-HELP.TXT'. You can read them in any text
editor. Be careful, however, not to change the file or
SLM may not be able to properly display the instructions
later.
(End of Instructions)
Additions and Changes to Version 2.0
Some of these changes have already been mentioned, but
here they all are in one list. Almost all have been inspired
by users (or would-be users) - I thank you all for your
input.
Major changes:
1. The limit for number of items has increased from 92 to
5,300. Consequently, the master list display can be
scrolled horizontally with an on-screen scroll bar.
2. You can now choose the font and font size for on-
screen usage. Choices are permanent until changed
again by the user.
3. Faster and easier data entry of items/aisles has been
accomplished by allowing use of the ENTER key and by
allowing the continuous sort function to be disabled.
4. The help screen scrolls MUCH faster now and allows
marking a line as a "bookmark."
Bug Fixes:
1. Commas can no longer be used while entering items.
2. The incorrectly-spelled ISLE has been changed to AISLE.
3. The help file's extention has been changed to .TXT from
.DOC since .TXT represents a text file (which the help
file is) and .DOC is used by Microsoft Word.
A Word About Shareware
This program is placed into the public domain and may be used
and distributed freely. There are no expressed or implied
warrantees of any kind associated with the use or distribution
of the program or related files.
If you like this program and wish to continue using it, you
are requested to register the program with the programmer and
pay the nominal registration fee (in the case of SLM, $25). It
is only fair to compensate the programmer for his time and
effort spent on creating the program. Compared to retail prices
of software, Shareware in general is a steal. Plus, you can try
it out first with no obligation. It's a great deal!
But it works both ways... so if you are using SLM, please
register it. Registration entitles you to an original program
disk, technical support from the author, and automatic
notification when upgrades become available.
If you have ideas for another type of home-use program to
be run under Windows, let me know too!
Thank you for using SLM and please keep the comments coming!
Joel Rose
185 Shelley Ave.
Elizabeth, NJ 07208
U.S.A.
* End of File *