OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/wats01.zip/WATSONTV.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1995-06-09 | 19KB | 456 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. General Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WatsOnTV is a quick and simple way of viewing television program listings which
are transmitted on the Internet.

For detailed general information about WatsOnTV for OS/2, see:

WatsOnTV for OS/2 User Manual.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Main Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This main window will appear when you start WatsOnTV for OS/2, and normally the
"Pick date" button will be "enabled".  This means you may select (click) this
button to move onto the next window.

However, if the WatsOnTV for OS/2 program is newly installed, and needs some
setup information, the "Pick date" button will not be enabled. Instead, the
"Files source..." menu will be opened.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. "Files source" Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

With this menu, you will select which type of email file storage system you are
using.  Regardless of the email system, WatsOnTV for OS/2 needs to know the
"base directory" that is being used.  If a "base directory" has not yet been
defined, you will be prompted to define the "base directory" for this system.

The main window (or startup window) allows you to activate the"Files source"
menu and make any changes at any time.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. UltiMail ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

IBM Warp BonusPak includes a program called Ultimedia Mail Lite Client for
OS/2, or UltiMail.  This mail-handling program for Internet handles received
messages by storing their headers in one directory, and the text of the message
in another directory.

WatsOnTV for OS/2 is set up to deal easily with this scheme.  Using UltiMail,
you will have set up a folder called, for example, "TVFILES".  Whenever you
receive a What's On Tonite! file, you will drop it into this folder.  The only
thing that WatsOnTV for OS/2 needs to know is the "base directory" which
corresponds to this folder.

UltiMail generally creates a directory with a name of <username> in which to
store mail files.  The folders created by the user to further organize their
Email will be subdirectories to this one.  Suppose the UltiMail user has set up
a folder called TVFILES in which to save their files.  The "base" directory
that WatsOnTV for OS/2 needs to retain might be:
D:\TCPIP\UMAIL\MAILSTOR\<username>\TVFILES  where D: reflects the disk drive
where the Internet features are installed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. PMMail and other Email programs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Some Internet Email programs, such as PMMail, will store the full received
message (without stripping the header information) in a directory specified by
the user.  Again, WatsOnTV for OS/2 only needs to know the "base directory"
which corresponds to the folder created by the user to save What's On Tonite!
files.  In the case of a PMMail installation, suppose the user has set up a
folder called TVFILES in which to save their files.  The "base" directory that
WatsOnTV for OS/2 needs to retain might be:  D:\TCPIP\PMMAIL\FOLDERS\TVFILES


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. "Networks..." Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This menu item calls up a screen to allow the user to include or exclude
certain networks from the displayed listings.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5. Pick Date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This button allows you to select the date of the TV listings file that you wish
to view.  The type of Email system that you use, and the base directory, are
remembered from session to session.  (The first time the WatsOnTV program is
used, it will prompt for the required information.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. "Select date" window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is the window which is used to select which What's On Tonite! file that
you wish to have displayed.  WatsOnTV for OS/2 knows where to find the files
because the user defines a "base directory" which is stored in the
initialization file.  When a base directory has been correctly specified, the
files whose listings are available for viewing will appear in a listbox.
Simply highlight the desired date in the listbox, and click on the "Select
date" button.  Alternatively, you can double click on the desired listbox line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Change base directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The menu item "Change base directory" can be selected at any time if you wish
to change the base directory where your email software stores What's On Tonite!
files.  The currently selected base directory is displayed in the "Base
directory" entry field.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. "Base directory" entry field ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 This shows the current base directory where WatsOnTV will search for listings
files.  The text shown is right justified, but if the directory path is too
long to be fully displayed the text can be scrolled to the right.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3. The Select Date button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Prior to clicking this button, the user should select (highlight) the desired
listing date in the listbox.  The after clicking the Select Date button, the
listing will be displayed.  Double-clicking the desired listing date has the
same effect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.4. Cancel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to return to the Main Window.  No selection will be made.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. "Select directory" window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This window will help you select a base directory.  Initially it will display
all the directories in the root directory of a specific disk drive.  You may
expand any desired directory to see the subdirectories by clicking on the
associated "+" sign.

When you have found the directory which you wish to designate as your "base
directory", simply double-click on it, or highlight it by clicking once on it
and then click the "Save selection" button.

If the base directory is located on a different disk drive than the drive being
displayed in the Directories view, you can  click on the "Change drive" button.
This will call up the "Change Drives" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.1. "Save selection" button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to store the selected (highlighted ) directory in the Directories
view as your base directory. Double-clicking on a directory has the same
effect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.2. "Cancel" button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to exit without making any changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.3. Change Drive ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to activate a "Change drives" window to change the directory display
to reflect a different drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4. "Change drives" window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This small window contains a "thumbwheel" control which displays a drive
letter.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4.1. Drives thumbwheel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click the "up" or "down" arrows until the desired drive letter appears in the
window, and then click on "Ok".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4.2. Save drive selection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click on Ok when the desired drive has been selected.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4.3. Quit drive selection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to Quit without changing the selected drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. The Listing Display ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This window is used to display the TV programs listed in an Email file.  It
allows "screening" or "filtering" networks that you don't receive, and those
that don't interest you whatsoever.

In addition, you will be able to discard (into the trash basket) those viewing
selections that have already been viewed, or that don't look very appealing.

When the listings are initially loaded into the display window, they are
grouped by category (e.g..  movies, series, sports,...)  However, you will be
able to sort the displayed listing to be grouped by channels, or to show the
entire list by starting times.

You will notice that the vertical separator bar between the "TITLE" field and
the "Channel" field is different than the other vertical separators.  This bar
is called a "split bar" and you can use your mouse, with mouse button 1, to
move the bar left or right to allow more room on one side, or the other, of the
listing display.

A listing count display is shown in the lower right corner of the window, near
the trash can.  This count reflects the number of listings currently retained
in the listing display.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.1. "Networks..." menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This menu item calls up a network "filter" window to allow the user to include
or exclude certain networks from the displayed listings.

The program listings in the What's On Tonite! files identify networks with
abbreviations such as HBO, or ESPN.  For many people this will translate into a
satellite channel such as G5-15, or a cable channel.  Therefore, as a
convenience, WatsOnTV for OS/2 allows the user to add their own channel
designations for each network.

When the listings are being readied for display, if a network is encountered
which is not in the exclude list, nor in the include list, you will be prompted
to add this network designation to one list or the other.  It is important to
understand that at this point it is immaterial whether or not you actually
receive or want to view this channel.  In order to properly filter your
listings, WatsOnTV for OS/2 must be aware of all the network designations in
the listings.  An "Unknown network" message will appear, to alert you to the
missing network designation.  Click on "Ok."  You will now see the "Add
network" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.2. Sorting the listing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 The listing is first displayed in the same order as it is found in the What's
On Tonite! file.  This order is grouped by categories (movies, sports, etc.)
with each category presented in order of program starting time.  WatsOnTV for
OS/2 offers these choices:

      Sort by time

      Sort by channel

      Reload listings


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.2.1. Sort by time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 When you click on this button, the display is sorted strictly by time, with
movies, sports, series, etc., all mixed together for each time slot.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.2.2. Sort by channel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you click on this button, each network is grouped together. This is
convenient if you just want to see the evening lineup for a particular network.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.2.3. Re-load listings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you click on this button, you will cause the display to be reloaded just
as when you first displayed the listing for that date.  However, if you have
made any changes to the Channel Filter, these changes will be reflected in the
new display.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.3. Deleting items from display ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The more selections you can eliminate from the display, the easier it is to
study the viewing choices that remain.  There are a number of techniques you
may use to accomplish this.  It is important to note that when you "delete" an
item, you are deleting from the display only!  The item is still in the What's
On Tonite! file, and if you click on the "Re-load listings" button, the
discarded items will still be shown once more.

You may delete by using the "drag/drop" method or by clicking mouse button 2 on
a listing to get a "delete" context menu.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.3.1. Discarding into the trash basket ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can delete an item from the listing display by dragging the item and
dropping it onto the trash basket in the lower right corner.  You can drop a
single item, or you can select multiple items and delete them all at one time.

There are two ways to select multiple items.  You can "swipe" with the mouse
(using mouse button 1 while swiping over the desired items), or you can add to
your selections by holding the Control key down while you click with mouse
button 1 on individual items.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.3.2. Discarding with the popup menu (context menu) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can click mouse button 2 anywhere on top of the listings and get a context
menu.  This gets a context menu which allows you to delete:

      a single item,
      a selected group of items,
      or all items which precede the selected item in the list.

 The last choice is useful if, for example, it is 10 pm at night, and you wish
 to see your viewing choices for the remainder of the evening.  Simply click on
 the "Sort by time" button, and click on the last listing entry prior to 10 pm,
 and delete all choices upwards.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. "Add network" window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Network designation will already be entered. If you have a cable or
satellite channel that you wish to associate with this network, you may enter
it in the "channel" field.  Now select one of the buttons to either include or
exclude this channel from the listings which are displayed to you in the
future, and click on "Add."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. Include button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Set this button "on" to have the displayed network included in future listings
displays.  If you wish to change this selection in the future, you can do it
easily with the "Network filter" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.2. Exclude button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Set this button "on" to have the displayed network excluded from future
listings displays.  If you wish to change this selection in the future, you can
do it easily with the "Network filter" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.3. "Add" network button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click this button to have save the displayed network, and the channel
designation that you may have entered.  If you wish to make changes to this
setting in the future, you can do it easily with the "Network filter" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.4. User's channel designation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Use this entry field to add a channel designation that is useful for you to
remember the cable or satellite channel that receives this network on your
system.  Remember not to make the entry too long (something like 6 or 8
characters should suffice) or you will be using up too much space for this
column in the listings window.

If you wish to make changes to this setting in the future, you can do it easily
with the "Network filter" window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. The Network Filter Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The network filter performs the first level of selection for you.  Set up the
filter to discard the channels that you don't receive or that you never watch.

For convenience, this window is available from "Networks..." on the menu bar of
either the Main window, or the Listing window. The Network Filter window will
display a list of all the known channels.  Those channels which will be
included in your displayed listings have a green checkmark beside them, and
those which will not appear have a red X beside them.  To toggle a channel
between being included or excluded, simply click on the channel.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1. Adding your own channel designation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may have entered your own designation at the time you added an "unknown
network."  On the other hand, you can easily change your custom designations at
any time, using the Network Filter window.  Find the Network whose channel
designation you wish to modify.  Use the mouse and click button number 2 over
this network.  This will open a small editing window.  It is suggested that you
use a standard format for all of your channel designations, such as (xxxxx).
Keep the channel designation short, or else it will take up an unnecessary
amount of room on your listing window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2. Save network changes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Click here to save changes you made to the include/exclude status, and/or to
the network designations.  These changes will be written to the INI file and
saved for future sessions.

Note:  If you are already viewing some TV listings, the effects the changes
will not be visible until you click on "Re-load listings".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.3. Cancel network changes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Exit this window without making any changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4. Channel designation edit window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Use this window to enter a channel designation that is useful for you to
remember the cable or satellite channel that receives this network on your
system.  Remember not to make the entry too long (something like 6 or 8
characters should suffice) or you will be using up too much space for this
column in the listings window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4.1. Channel designation entry field ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Use this entry field to add a channel designation that is useful for you to
remember the cable or satellite channel that receives this network on your
system.  Remember not to make the entry too long (something like 6 or 8
characters should suffice) or you will be using up too much space for this
column in the listings window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4.2. Channel designation "Ok" button ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Save change as entered in the test field above.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4.3. Channel designation "Cancel" button. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Exit this window without making any changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Definitions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section lists a few basic definitions:

      .INI file

      base directory

      WatsOnTV for OS/2 version 1.0

      What's On Tonite! files


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1. .INI file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The INI file, or Initialization file, is used by WatsOnTV to retain the custom
settings that the user selects.  These settings are :

      Γûátype of Email files used

      Γûábase directory

      Γûáinclude and exclude network settings

      Γûáchannel designations for the networks


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2. base directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is the directory which is the key to finding the location of the Emailed
TV listings files.  Either the files are actually in this directory (as in the
case of PMMail, for instance), or this directory contains pointers to the
actual locations where the files exist (as in the case of UltiMail).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3. WatsOnTV for OS/2 version 1.01 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is a program for reading files containing TV listings.  These files are
distributed on the Internet. For detailed general information about WatsOnTV
for OS/2, see:

WatsOnTV for OS/2 User Manual.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4. What's On Tonite!  (TM) LITE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is a free, daily electronic publication of TV listings produced by New
Century Productions Inc. of Katskill Bay, NY.  You can find more information
about What's On Tonite! files in the WatsOnTV for OS/2 User Manual.  id='Index'
global.