This is a beta release. Please make sure you have reliable backups of your projects before using this release.
You must have VB3 Pro installed and working with the Access 2 Compatibility Layer for this program to function. The add-ins require VB4, 16 or 32 bit version.
Installation
To Install Project Manager V4, create a new directory on your hard drive, the name is unimportant, but don't put anything but the included files in it. Unzip all included files into it.
Move the following files to this directory:
1./Pmgr410.exe - the executable
2./System.MDA - the SystemDB file
3./Vbproj4.MDB - the database
4./Pmgr4.hlp - the helpfile
These files must all be in the same directory for the program to work. The System.MDA file supplied must be used as it contains the information on security required to access the database file.
We recommend you put the following files in the program directory as well:
5./*.VBX - program VBX's
6./*.LIC - licence files for VBX's
7./Diskinf.dll
It is suggested you install all the VBX's in the same directory as the program, that way it will not overwrite your systems' VBX's, which are likely different versions and probably incompatible with these. Read the Helpfile "Install" topic for more details.
After doing this, run the program and set the options in the options form right away.
----Add-Ins----
Information on installing the Add-Ins is several paragraphs below. Please read it.
Read the Helpfile topic "Project Manager Overview" before using the program.
-------------Changes to program:--------------
The main program is now PMGR410.EXE, it is still written in VB3 as VB4 is too slow. While you can use long filenames with 32 bit VB4, Project Manager 4 will always truncate them and show the short version of paths and filenames. The timer add-ins should pass the shortfilename.
---VB4 Support
Program now reads VB4 projects, you must use the default file extensions for VB4 of .vbp for project, .frm for forms, .cls for class, .bas for modules. If you convert a VB3 project to VB4, make sure you change the project file extension to .vbp or the program will report that the project file has an incorrect syntax and not read it.
---Dollars/Time Value for Projects & individual components
You can now assign dollar values to projects and individual files within a project can have their own values assigned. When you add a project, you will be asked to provide a default $ per hour amount. You change the values later by running the "File Costs" report. The field for $ value is editable on this grid and you can set the values you wish to use here. When you run the times report, it will calculate your times multiplied by the $ value and give you totals for billing purposes.
---Removable error handlers
When writing error code now, the program will insert lines before and after the code it writes. Do not put any code between these lines. You can now selectively remove error handlers. Anything in between these line will be removed, so do not add anything there.
---------Add Ins-----------
With Win95, put the addins whereever you want (suggest with the rest of the program files) then double click each of the add in files "PM432DLL.EXE" and "PM416DLL.EXE" to have them register themselves in the registry. Reboot now.
With Win3.1/VB4 16 bit put the 16 bit version "PM416DLL.EXE" in the same directory VB4 is in so it can find the add-in. Double click it and it will add itself to the VB.INI file and tell you about it. Reboot now.
After you have copied the files, load VB4 and under the addins menu, check the box for "Project Manger 4 Timer AddIn".
The add-ins for 32 and 16 bit VB4 take care of all time issues with VB4. You don't need to use the main program to load a project now. When VB4 loads it will load a copy of the addin with it. It will add itself to the menu with two submenus, one to pause the timer, and one to load the full program of Project Manager 4.
Projects with longfilenames in the project name or path will not cause a problem, as the addin uses the GetShortPathNameA call to get the shortpath/filename and uses that to search the database to find the current project loaded in VB4.
The addins will function with multiple copies of VB4 loaded, a separate addin is loaded for each copy of VB4 and they all track each project you have loaded individually.
The program will start recording times when loaded (this takes whatever interval you set for Timer Interval on the initial load). If you click Pause Timer, the timer will stop and the menu will change to a checked condition with the text now reading "Timer Paused". It will remain paused until you click the menu again, at which time it will revert to uncheck and read "Pause Timer" and begin recording times again. As you work, it will keep up with the times of each activity accordingly. It records times in the database to the second now. The only time you will need to interact with the addin (other than pausing) is if you load a project that is not in the current PM4 database. Then the program will ask if you wish to add it. If you say yes, it will add the project and then start recording times for it. It does not do any file reading now, I did this in order to keep the addins size and resource load minimal, but will tell you to run the main program to update the project later on.
When the addins record times, they write the current filename using the VBName to the time record. Thus you can run reports later (of your own design) to group and total, etc. using project components, etc.
Of course, the Add-ins do not function at all with VB3 and you will have to record times for VB3 projects as before. One side issue is that I have not yet been able to find a way to differentiate between a copy of 16bit VB4 and VB3, so if you use the main program to handle a VB3 program, you should close VB4 if possible as the program will report VB open even if VB3 is not open, and will try to close VB4. I am working on this still, but so far no solution is in sight.
The Add-Ins have been re-compiled with VB4.0a, hopefully this will solve problems users are reporting with "Wrong Version of RunTime DLL" errors when the add-in tries to load.
Known Bugs with Add-Ins:
1./ The GetShortPathNameA function does not always seem to work. Sometimes it passes the longpathname. If it puts a longpath into the database, the program will not be able to find it. Why fail? Dunno yet.
2./ If you load VB4/16bit with Win95, with the default Project 1, the 16 bit timer addin will GPF with the error code 91. I cannot debug this behaviour, attempts using messages, etc., cause the error to disappear, remove the debug code and it comes back. Doesn't happen if you load a project rather than the default Project 1. Never happens with 32 bit timer addin and the code is identical. Why? Dunno yet.
This is by no means a complete project yet, please remember it is a beta and always make sure you have current backups of your projects. Please send me any error logs written by the program or the addins and try and remember what you were doing (or what the program was doing) when it threw an error. VB4 has added a lot of new complexity. This has not been tested at all with the Enterprise Edition of VB4. If I missed something, please tell me.
