Boston 2/boston-2.iso/DOS/HILFEN/MODEM/FONE61/XFONEPRG.EXE/arc/FNHELP.DAT

Text File | 1992-02-23 | 15KB | 347 lines

** SAVING NEW ADDED DATA

When entering or modifying data in the ADD, COPY/MODIFY, or MODIFY
screens, the data is saved to the database when you exit the screen by
pressing the ESC key.

However, the MENU ID field must be non-blank, since this is the
information that will appear on the menus.  If this field is blank,
the data will not be saved.

Note that "MENU ID" is one field, even though it appears as two on the
screen.  This feature allows you to organize your personal database
into sub-categories.  You are free to design your own method for taking
advantage of the fact that all entries are displayed alphabetically in
the menus.

** ZZZ WIDGETTelComCo

ZZZ WIDGETTelComCo is a fictious or bogus telecommunications vendor
that has been included in our reference data base to help the user
in building their own Personal Data Base of Point-to-Point calls.  The
fictious company provides SAMPLE data that the USER MUST MODIFY to
comply with their own Telcos' Name, Service, Rates, and Hours for
discounts.

When unable to get data loaded to your data base from the reference
services listed, the user should use ZZZ WIDGETTelComCo.  Several
service types are provided such as:

   LOCAL, for getting sample data for calls within your area code.
   MEXICO, for sample rates and hours of service to Mexico.
   CANADA, for sample rates and hours of service to Canada.
   WATS, business service and rates/hours.
   International, for calls between countries.

The user must then edit this data to accurately represent the
commercial service that is being used.

** MODIFICATION DATE/TIME

When you add a new entry, or modify an existing entry, FONE(tm) marks it
with the current date and time.

This date/time stamp appears on most of the display screens as a
convenient indication of the currency of the data source.

** COPYING DATA TO FORM A NEW ENTRY

The COPY / MODIFY option is designed to allow you to quickly copy most of
the information from an existing entry into a new entry.

The COPY / MODIFY option will make a copy of an existing personal database
entry, then blank out the "MENU ID" field, and place you in the modify
mode for the new entry.

If you just press the Esc key right away, the copied entry will not be
added, since the "MENU ID" field is still blank.  You must at least fill
in that field, and you will probably want to modify the phone number and
other data also.

** PLACING A CALL

You can place a call from the ADD, BROWSE, COPY/MODIFY, and MODIFY
screens.  Press F5 for FIRST (Day or Standard) rate, F6 for SECOND
(Evening or Discount) rate, or F7 for THIRD (Night or Economy) rate
pricing information to be displayed on the CALL screen, then press the
F4 key to initiate the call.  FONE(tm) will use your modem to dial the
number.  Most modems have a speaker over which you will hear the number
being dialed.  When you hear the dialing complete, then pick up your
telephone handset to make the voice connection, and press any key on the
computer keyboard to disconnect the modem from the circuit.

If you do not pick up your handset BEFORE pressing a key to disconnect
the modem, the connection will be lost! This is how you abort the call,
if you suddenly decide you didn't really want to make it.

You must have a modem attached to your computer, and have specified the
correct port number during the SETUP, to use the automatic dial feature.

If you do not have a modem, you can still use FONE(tm).  Just place
the call the way you would normally, using the data in your database.
Then enter the memo as a permanent record of your conversation.  (See
ENTERING/EDITING A NOTE PAD MEMO).
** TIMING AND COST OF YOUR CALL

After placing a call from the CALL screen, you can begin automatic timing
of the call by pressing the F5 key.  Stop timing by pressing the F5 key
again.

If you use the "shell to DOS" option, then return to the program, the
timing function will accurately log the entire time.
** ENTERING/EDITING A NOTE PAD MEMO

From the CALL screen, you may enter a new memo, or edit a previous
memo in the memo field.  To make an initial entry, just type the text.
FONE(tm) will automatically add the date and time of your entry to the
memo.

If a previous memo exists, the F3 key will become active, and will allow
you to swap between the current memo and previous memo(s).  Press the F3
key, and your current memo will be replaced by the previous memo in the
NOTE PAD field.  Press F3 again, and the current memo will re-appear.
The F3 key can be used to toggle back and forth between the current memo
and the previous memo(s).

The following standard editing keys are supported for editing memo text:
  Cursor Up/Down/Left/Right
  Page Up/Down
  Home/End
  Tab/Shift-Tab
  Insert/Delete/Backspace
  Enter/Return



The following additional keys are also supported:
  Ctrl-Y to delete a line
  Ctrl-N to insert a blank line
  Ctrl-Cursor Left/Right to move left/right a word at a time

There IS a limit to the memory which can be allocated to the memo data,
and it will be different for each user, depending upon how the computer
is configured.  We suggest that you limit your total memo entries for
each personal database entry to about 60 lines.

As the number of personal database entries which also have memos increases,
so will the time to find a particular memo increase.  If you experience
an unacceptable delay between the time you select a service for the
CALL screen, and the time the screen appears, you can decrease
this time by making hard copies of some of your infrequently-used memos,
then deleting those memos.
** PRINTING A REPORT

FONE(tm) will print a report containing all information for a
personal database entry, call-log, and rate overview.  Select PRINT
from the PERSONAL DATABASE menu, then select the personal database
entry to be printed.

FONE(tm) does not generate any specialized printer graphics, so the
report can be printed on almost any printer.

** DELETING/UN-DELETING ENTRIES

Choose DELETE from the main menu, then choose the personal database
entry to delete.  FONE(tm) will surround the MENU ID data with
the characters << and >>, and mark the entry for deletion.

With << in front of the name, the entry will now sort to the last
page of the menu.  If you change your mind at this point,
you can still un-delete the entry by choosing UN-DELETE from the
utility menu, then selecting the entry to un-delete.

Warning:
Once the database has been purged of deleted entries with the PURGE
option on the utility menu, any deleted items are permanently gone.

** DELETING A NOTE PAD MEMO ENTRY

FONE(tm) remembers your note pad memo entries and makes them
available on the CALL screen with the use of the F3 key.
If you wish to conserve disk space by deleting old memo entries,
just use the Ctrl-Y (delete line) sequence to delete all lines
in the old memo entry.

** BACKING UP YOUR DATABASE

It is very important that you backup your personal database
periodically.  You have no idea of the number of excuses we and
others have used when soliciting help from the experts in trying
to recover lost data.

The basic rule should be to ask yourself periodically, "How comfortable
am I with losing everything I've done since I last backed up my data?"
If the answer is, "Not very comfortable", then it's probably time to
backup your data again.

The simplest method is to copy your database to a formatted diskette with
the following DOS commands:

  COPY PERSONAL.* A:

If you own a commercial back up utility, then by all means use it.
Many of these also perform data compression, allowing you to squeeze
a large database onto a small floppy diskette.
** RE-INDEXING THE DATABASE

The database menu is driven from a sorted database index on the MENU ID
field.  If some sort of anomaly occurs, and the menu appears to not
reflect the data in the database, you should choose to RE-INDEX the
database.

Some events which could cause such an anomaly include:
  Shutting off the power while in the FONE(tm) program
  Re-booting while in the FONE(tm) program
  A disk error during execution of the program

** PURGING DELETED ENTRIES

When you delete a personal database entry, it is not actually removed
from the database, but just marked as deleted.  The contents of the
MENU ID field is modified by surrounding it with special characters,
so that the entry will sort to the bottom of the menu.

Choose PURGE from the utility menu, and all personal database entry entries
marked for deletion are purged from the database forever, thereby
compacting the database.

** SETTING UP YOUR MODEM

FONE(tm) provides automatic telephone number dialing for those users
who have a Hayes-compatible modem connected to their computer on serial
ports 1 or 2.

If you do not have a modem, you can still use FONE(tm).  Just place
the call the way you would normally, using the data in your database.
Then use the other features of FONE(tm) to conveniently record your
personal database entry data.

If you have a modem attached to your computer, you must specify the
serial communications port to which it is connected.

On the SETUP screen:
   - Enter "A" if you do not have a modem
   - Enter "B" if the modem is connected to serial port 1
   - Enter "C" if the modem is connected to serial port 2

Also see SELECTING PULSE OR DIAL TONE.
** SELECTING PULSE OR DIAL TONE

You may select the method that FONE(tm) uses for dialing numbers.  On
the setup screen, enter a "Y" after "Tone Dialing" if your modem and
phone line both support tone dialing.  Otherwise enter "N", and
FONE(tm) will send pulse dialing commands to the modem when dialing.

Just a reminder:  You must have a modem connected to your computer,
and have specified the port to which it is connected, for auto-dialing
to work.

Also see SETTING UP YOUR MODEM.
** THE FONE(tm) CALL LOG

Each time a timing session on the CALL screen is stopped, FONE(tm) will
offer you the opportunity to add an entry for the timed call into your
personal call log.  Just answer "Y" when the program asks if you want
to log the timed session.

The name of the log file is PERSONAL.LOG.

The FONE(tm) program has a PRINT LOG selection on the personal database
menu, which allows you to print the log file with page formatting.

The log file is a plain text file, which you can edit with any text editor,
if you would like to remove some or all of the log entries.  Each field
in the file is surrounded with quote (") marks, and the fields are separated
by commas (,) so that the log file can easily be loaded into a spreadsheet
or database program.
** SETTING UP SCREEN COLORS

If you have a color monitor, you may choose your favorite colors
for the Entry screen, the Menus and Announcements, and the Exit screen.
The Data Input screen, Browse screen, Modify screen, Call In Progress
screen, and Setup screen colors are predetermined by the program.

When you first enter FONE(tm), the program will automatically
determine what type of monitor interface hardware you have.  Based
on that information, the SETUP screen will contain a default
value for the "Color Monitor" field.  The field will contain a "Y"
if FONE(tm) has determined that you probably have a color monitor,
or an "N" if the program thinks you have a monochrome monitor.

You can override this value by moving to that field with the TAB key,
and specifying a "Y" if you have a color monitor, or an "N" if you
have a monochrome monitor.
** USER MANUAL

I have prepared a complete, and well documented Users Manual for FONE(tm).
The User Manual is very detailed, and was written to serve as a tutorial/
instructional guide for the Novice PC User, or as a handy reference text
for the more experienced PC User.  To encourage New Registrations, I will
send out copies of the User Manual for FONE(tm), by return mail, on a PC
compatible diskette.  The User Manual is in Standard ASCII format suitable
for printing.  For a limited time I will provide Registered Users with the
FONE(tm) User Manual on diskette for only $5.00 plus a shipping charge
of $5.00.  The List Price of the User Manual is $11.95 plus Sales Tax, plus
the shipping/handling fee of $5.00 or $16.95 plus tax.  Again, if you
Register your copy of FONE(tm), the User Manual is yours for only $5.00.
Quantities are limited.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:      EUGENE L. WOODS, PE/EE
                           Engineering Systems Specialist
                           P. O. Box 261267
                           San Diego, CA 92196 / USA
                           TELEPHONE (Voice):  [phone]
** DOS SHELL

You can shell out to DOS, and use DOS commands outside of FONE(tm),
by pressing the F8 key from the CALL screen.  Note that FONE(tm)
uses a significant amount of RAM memory, therefore some memory-intensive
DOS commands may not have enough RAM left to function.

When you are done using DOS commands, type EXIT to return to FONE(tm).

Be sure to change directory (cd) back to the FONE(tm) directory before
exiting from DOS back to FONE(tm).  If you don't, FONE(tm) may not
be able to find its associated database files.

** SAMPLE CALL TIMES

FONE(tm) defaults the sample call times on the RATE and CALL screens to
3, 10, and 30 minutes.  If you'd like to substitute your own preferences,
press the F3 key on the RATE screen, or the F7 key on the CALL screen, and
enter your preferred sample call times in minutes.  FONE(tm) can handle a
surprisingly large number of minutes, but don't go crazy on us!

** TIMING FUNCTIONS OUTSIDE OF FONE
You can use FONE(tm) to time another process outside of FONE(tm) by pressing
the F5 (start timing) key while in the rate screen.  Then press the F8 (DOS
shell) key to temporarily leave FONE(tm).  While you are doing other things,
FONE(tm) is keeping track of the elapsed time, and will display it when you
type EXIT to return to FONE(tm) later.  In addition, FONE(tm) will update
the rate display during your absence.  When you return to FONE(tm), press
the F5 key again to stop the timing process.
** VOLUME DISCOUNTS
FONE(tm) Overview will allow you to specify the volume discount rate, if
one is applicable to the call you are pricing.  Simply press the F2 key
when at the rate screen, and all of the displayed rates will be reduced
by the percentage you specify.
** END
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FILE ID: FNHELP.DAT

- Edited by Gene Woods on 2-23-92.

COPYRIGHT (c) 1986-92, BY EUGENE L. WOODS, PE/EE.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
                       P.O. BOX 261267, SAN DIEGO, CA 92196 / USA

THE TITLE/FILENAME, CONTENTS, AND MANNER OF PRESENTATION ARE FULLY
PROTECTED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.  COPYING OR
REPRODUCTION IS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE
AUTHOR/PREPARER.