Internet Logger is a utility application allows you to keep track of how much time you spend on your internet accounts. It requires System 7 or later. It can also be used to track long distance telephone use or to track time spent on client accounts. First, among many other potential uses, Internet Logger will provide a convenient means to fully document your internet connections, including:
Ñ Tracking session times and cumulative use time by day and month.
Ñ Ability to enter complex session rate structures and automatically estimate session
and cumulative costs by day or month.
Ñ Ability to count down time remaining on either prepaid hours or hours charged at a
flate rate.
Ñ Optional Log file documenting session and cumulative times and estimated costs.
Ñ Optionally compute session times by rounding up to the nearest minute. Some online
services seem to compute times this way. You can check it yourself.
Ñ Allows automatic connection via PPP, SLIP, or operation as a manual timer.
Ñ Allows multiple timers with individual settings. You can keep track of use of
multiple providers conveniently. Each can have it's own log file.
Ñ Compatibility with Open Transport when used with FreePPP.
Timers created with version 1.0 and 1.0.1 of Internet Logger are fully compatible with v. 1.0.2.
The Deal
Internet Logger v. 1.0.2 is shareware. Though all features are fully functional, it is protected. You will not be able to cumulate more than two hours on any one timer unless you register. If you wish to continue to use a timer for more that two hours, pay the registration and I will email instructions for disabling the protection.
All users of MacPPP Timer or InterSLIP timer who have registered before December 1, 1995 are entitled to free upgrades to Internet Logger. If you have registered before December 1, 1995, just send me an email indicating that you would like to upgrade. The most current versions of my programs are available on info-mac mirrors in the comm/tcp/conn/ and on America Online, Keyword - Net Software. If you are unfamiliar with the info-mac archive, point your web browser to:
You might want to check this out once in a while to see what is new!
If you choose to register Internet Logger send $15 US cash (best method outside the US), checks (US$ drawn on a US bank), postal money orders, postcards, letters, disks, bug reports, etc., directly to me at:
Eric Preston
23547 Clark Dr.
Philomath, OR 97370
USA
Internet email: ericpresto@aol.com or EricPRESTO@kagi.com.
America Online: EricPRESTO
If you prefer to pay by credit card, launch the included Register application and follow the instructions. Kagi Shareware processes credit card payments for me.
If you let me know your email address, I will acknowledge receipt of your shareware contribution.
How it works
The Internet Logger Application's icon is a "logger" with an internet symbol for his head. Double clicking on the application icon will launch the program. From the file menu, you can then create a new timer document, open an existing timer document, or view a log file. The application creates and manipulates two type of files. Examples are included in this distribution. The example files were created using the settings that you will find when you open the Preferences in the Internet Logger application.
Timer document files contain all preferences as well as cumulative time and cost data. You create and name one timer document for each type of internet usage that you want to keep track of. If there is more than one user in the household, you might want to create separate timer documents for each individual. If you deal with multiple providers of internet services (i.e., America Online, CompuServe, NetCom), you might want to create separate timer documents so that each can be tracked separately.
Once created, timer documents can be kept anywhere you wish. For example, you might want to keep your America Online timer document in the America Online folder.
You can launch Internet Logger by double clicking a timer document. When you do, the timer's settings and cumulative time data are loaded and a small, draggable timer window appears under the Trash. By default, this is a normal Mac window. If you are using System 7.1 or later, you can choose to use a globally floating window that will always be visible above all other applications. When the timer window is dragged to a new position, the new position is saved and becomes the default position the next time the timer is launched. The blue numbers, on top, display either the time for the current session or the time remaining for hours charged by flat rate. If you enter a flat rate to be charged for a fixed number of hours, clicking on the blue numbers will cause the display to toggle between current session time and a count down of fixed rate time remaining before additional charges are incurred.
The red numbers below display cumulative time for the current day, cumulative time for the month beginning on a day you select, or cumulative time since you last manually cleared the register. By default, the cumulative time keeps incrementing until you manually clear it. By clicking on the cumulative time in the timer window, the display will toggle between cumulative for the day ( displayed like this: 00:00:05 ) or cumulative total/month (displayed like this: 00:00:05 ). Cumulative times can be automatically saved once per minute to provide some protection against loss of data should the computer crash during a timed session.
A Log file document is also created for each timer that has "Log Sessions" selected in the preferences. Log files display and preserve important connection statistics such as log-on time, session time, cumulative time and cost by day and month. An example log file, with data is included in the Internet Logger folder. The log file can be displayed by selecting "View Log" from the Session menu. Log files are TEXT files. They can be opened and edited by Simple Text or any other word processor. The data can also be imported into spread sheet programs for further analysis, if you wish. Log files can grow quite large if you are a major cyber-surfer. I recommend removing the files from the Internet Logger folder once per month to prevent them from exceeding their 32 k size limit. Simply move the file to a new folder. A new log file will be created automatically. Active log files must always be kept in the same folder as the Internet Logger Application.
The Menus
The File Menu:
If you launched the program by double clicking on the Internet Logger icon, the menu bar will appear but no timer will be opened. Selecting "New Timer" will allow you to create a new timer and set up it's preferences and display it's window. Selecting "Open Timer" will allow you to select and open an existing timer and display it's window.
"Hide Timer" causes the timer window to disappear temporarily, the menu will change to "Show Timer." Selecting "Show Timer" will display the timer window once again.
"Save Timer as.." allows you to save an existing timer under a new name. All preference and cumulative time data will be copied to the new timer document. "Save Timer" simply saves the settings and data of the current timer.
Selecting Preferences... will open the Preferences dialog (see below). Selecting "Set Session Rate allows you to enter a rate structure for estimating the cost of your internet usage. Selecting "Quit," terminates your session and quits the program. Selecting "Edit Data" allows you to directly edit the cumulative times and costs. This is handy when upgrading to new versions or adjusting times if you lose data.
Shortcuts
There are several shortcuts to save trips to the menu bar. The timer window has four "Hot Spots" in the corners. The upper left Hot Spot, when clicked, will Begin a session. The lower left will End the session. The lower right spot will Quit. The upper right spot will open the Preferences dialog. If you are using the global window, you also have the following "hot keys" available which will work even if the application is in the background. Pressing Cmd-Esc will toggle the timer window into and out view. Pressing Option-Esc will toggle your connection on, if it is down, or off, if it is up. The log window must be closed to open or close a connection. If you press the Option-Esc with the log window open, the program will not respond. Close the log window and try again.
The Session Menu:
You can initiate your Internet session by selecting "Begin Session." Selecting "End Session" breaks your connection and turns the timer off. Selecting "Clear Today's Toal" will terminate your session and set daily cumulative time and cost to zero. Selecting "Clear Cumulative Total" will terminate your session and set cumulative total time and cost to zero.
The Preferences Dialog
The Preferences dialog has options that allow you to configure timers to suit your own style of use.
Three radio buttons will allow selection of the type of connection that you use. You may chose "Use InterSLIP" for SLIP connections, "Use MacPPP" for MacPPP connections, or Manual Timer for timing some other type of connection.
If you check Auto Clear in the Preferences dialog, the cumulative time will automatically clear on the day of the month that you choose (first day of the month is the default). This is handy if you are billed by your provider by monthly usage and you want to know how much you have used.
If "Auto Save" is selected, the cumulative time data is saved every minute to protect against data loss. If you prefer not to have the periodic disk activity, you can leave this option unchecked.
If "Hide Hot Spots" is checked, the hot spots will not appear on the timer window. This is purely a cosmetic change and the hot spots will continue to function. I've found that new users prefer to have an indication of the hot spots on the window, while experienced users like the plain window. Now it's your choice.
If "Round Session Time Up" is checked, your session time will be rounded up to the nearest minute whenever you terminate a session. Some online services and internet providers seem to compute your usage this way. If they do, selecting this option will result in a more accurate estimate of the time that you will be billed for.
If "Title Bars on Windows" is checked, the next time you launch the Internet Logger application, the timer window will display the title that you have given to your timer. This is handy for keeping track of which timer is currently active, but it also takes up more screen space. Use this feature or not depending upon your need.
If "Log Sessions" is checked, session and cumulative statistics will be logged. If it is not checked, no log entry will be created when you end a session.
If you select "Global Window, " the next time you launch Internet Logger, the timer window will float above all other windows even when the application is in the background. Since the type of window is fixed at launch time, changes in this option will not take effect until the next time that Internet Logger is launched. If you use a version of system software earlier than System 7.1, you will not see the global floating window checkbox. This is normal.
If you have selected either "Use InterSLIP" or "Use MacPPP" a number of other options will be available. If "Auto Launch" is checked, a connection to your currently configured provider will automatically be initiated the next time you launch by double clicking on the Timer document. For MacPPP users, when "'End Session' with Soft Close" is checked, soft close will be used to terminate your session when "End Session" is chosen from the menu or when the lower left hot spot is clicked. "Quit" will always cause a hard close whether this option is checked or not.
If "Close Window when Idle" is checked, the timer window will only appear when your connection is active.
Finally, some users like an audible confirmation that a connection has been made or broken. Checking "Beep on Connect" will cause a system beep when your PPP connection has been made. Checking "Beep on Disconnect will cause a beep on disconnnect.
The Set Session Rate Dialog
This dialog allows you to enter a rate structure for estimating the cost of the time you spend on the internet. You can have up to three different hourly rates apply during different times of day. If appropriate you can have different rates apply on the weekend. You can have a simple flat fee for a specified number of hours either per day or per month. You can also have any combination of flat fee and variable hourly rates.
Simply fill in the dialog from left to right and top to bottom. The dialog will not permit you to enter illegal values ( for example, rates with overlapping time periods, or total time periods that exceed 24 hours ). If you have trouble entering a value that you know is legal, try selecting the AM/PM button before entering the numbers. To confirm that a number has been accepted, click on the number after entering. If it stays the same, it has been accepted. If it defaults to another legal value, the number you entered was not accepted.
Leave the default settings whenever an entry doesn't apply. If you do not need different rates on the weekend, simply fill in the weekday rates. In this case, the weekday rates will also be applied to the weekend automatically.
If you want to start over, press the "Default Settings" button to clear the entry. If you want to restore your last saved settings, you can press "Restore To Last Saved Settings" at any time. Changes that you make in editing this dialog are not permanently saved until you press "Done."
Trouble Shooting
Ñ Internet Logger was working fine, but now it freezes my computer when I launch,
try to quit, open the preferences, etc.
Why?
The settings are stored in a timer document. If your computer should crash while Internet Logger is writing to the file, the file will be corrupted. From that time on, you may see faulty cumulative times, or your computer may crash when you use Internet Logger with the corrupted timer document. To solve the problem, throw the timer document file in the Trash and create a new one. Usually, this solves the problem.
Ñ Sometimes when using the global floating window, the "Hot Spots" don't respond
properly. Why, What can I do about it?
This occurs on a small fraction of Macs and is due to a known bug in the Macintosh Text Services Manager. It can usually be fixed by adding the TSM fix extension to your system folder. If you need this extension, send me an email and I will forward it to you.
Ñ When using the global floating window my system menus do not redraw properly.
Why?
One user has reported that the global floating window interferes with system menu redraws when NOW utilities is installed. I don't know if this is a general problem or not. The problem can be solved by not using the global floating window.
Acknowledgements
Richard Buckle generously provided the code for the MacPPP interface. Steve Dagley shared his FreePPP connect code so that version 1.0.2 is compatible with Open Transport when using FreePPP. The global window is based upon Appe Windows by Matt Slott. Richard Lesnick caught a dozen bugs in beta testing that the rest of the world will now not have to suffer with. Many users of earlier versions provided suggestions and bug reports that have much improved version 1.0.2.
Thanks to all for your help.
Disclaimer
I make no warranties, either express or implied, regarding Internet Logger. Use of this software is at your own risk. I am not liable for damages caused directly or indirectly by Internet Logger.
Limitations on Distribution
Internet Logger v. 1.0.2 is copyrighted to Eric Preston, 1995, and may not be sold or distributed for profit in any form, either with other products (commercial, shareware, or freeware), or in shareware/freeware collections sold for profit, without my prior written consent. MacPPP Timer may be distributed freely provided it is distributed in a non-profit manner, and is provided in its original unmodified form. However, please notify me if it is to be included in non-profit collection on disk, CD ROM, or other media and send me a complimentary copy of the collection that includes Internet Logger.
Version History
Version 0.5º- September 15, 1995. First Public release.
Version 1.0 - November 15, 1995. Many bug fixes. All features functional.
Version 1.0.1 - December 1, 1995. Fixed bug in monthly auto reset. Fixed failure to
get a start time on auto launches and when launching connection from
another application. The log file is now tab delimited, allowing
formatted inport into spreadsheets.
Version 1.0.2 - December 15, 1995. Fixed a bug which caused the wrong session rate
to be selected in some circumstances. Fixed a bug which caused a
computer freeze if the log file exceeded 32K. Loosened the restrictions
on values that could be legally entered in the Set Session
Rate... dialog. This makes the dialog a bit easier to use, while still
