Important Information for Using KidDesk Family Edition!
This document contains important information not included in the KidDesk Family Edition Guide.
To view this document at a later time, use Write to open "README.WRI". You may wish to print this document now (choose Print from the File menu). Other useful information is available in the on-line Help feature; just choose Contents from the Help menu in the KidDesk Adult Section.
1. Set KidDesk to Start Automatically
To start KidDesk automatically, choose one of the following options:
* "Start KidDesk when starting Windows" (recommended choice)
* "Run KidDesk as the Windows shell" (KidDesk replaces Program Manager)
These options provide the greatest hard drive security and allow for the most independent use of the computer by your children. (Note: Windows must also be set to start automatically for KidDesk to launch when the computer is turned on.)
If you choose "Start KidDesk manually from Windows," you or your child can start KidDesk by double-clicking the KidDesk Family Edition icon in the Windows Program Manager.
Where is Program Manager?
If you choose "Run KidDesk as the Windows shell," you cannot exit to Program Manager. To use Program Manager, do one of the following:
* Use Startup Options to choose either "Start KidDesk when starting Windows" or "Start KidDesk
manually from Windows," then restart Windows for the changes to take effect. Or,
* Add PROGMAN.EXE (as an application) to KidDesk.
2. Using the "Run from DOS" Option to Launch DOS Applications
Use KidDesk's "Run from DOS" feature to eliminate conflicts (such as sound or mouse problems) that often arise while running DOS applications from Windows. First add the DOS application to KidDesk. Then follow these steps:
1) Go to the KidDesk Adult Section (press Ctrl-Alt-A from the Kid Section).
2) Click the Applications tab to see the Applications Card.
3) Double-click the application's icon to see its settings.
4) Click to place an "X" in the "Run from DOS" check box.
Note 1: Using the "Run from DOS" option increases the time a DOS application takes to quit to KidDesk.
Note 2: If you use the "Run from DOS" option and ARE NOT running KidDesk as the shell, you may want to remove applications from the Windows StartUp Group in Program Manager (see #3 Windows StartUp Group, below, for more information).
Note 3: If you are running other applications in MultiApp mode, all open applications are automatically closed when a DOS application is launched using the "Run from DOS" option.
3. Windows StartUp Group
Some of the items in your Windows StartUp Group may appear on KidDesk desktops after returning from DOS applications with the "Run from DOS" option selected. They may also appear on the desks when first starting KidDesk.
To prevent applications from appearing on top of KidDesk, remove the applications from the Windows StartUp Group.
4. Upgrading KidDesk-DOS to KidDesk Family Edition
Installing KidDesk Family Edition DOES NOT erase the KidDesk-DOS program unless you use the Installer's "Custom Installation" to specify the existing KidDesk-DOS directory. You may wish to delete the KidDesk-DOS directory after checking to make sure that KidDesk Family Edition is installed and operating correctly.
5. Troubleshooting Video Problems
Certain video card drivers may exhibit display conflicts with KidDesk Family Edition. If you observe blank or garbled regions, incorrect colors, etc., you may be able to resolve these problems by changing to a different video mode. Follow these steps:
1) Run the Windows Setup utility from the "Main" group of the Program Manager.
2) Choose Change System Settings from the Options menu.
3) Click the "Display" drop-down arrow, and select "VGA."
4) Click "OK."
5) Select "Current" or "New."
6) Click "Restart Windows."
Some video drivers may include their own setup utilities (often found in the Windows Control Panel). Use these utilities to change resolution and monitor colors (e.g., 16 colors vs. 256 colors). Video problems may result from using old video drivers. Contact your video card's manufacturer or Microsoft Corporation for information about new or updated drivers. Low memory situations can also distort the display; close all unnecessary applications before running KidDesk Family Edition (see #6 Low Memory Errors).
6. Low Memory Errors
KidDesk Family Edition requires a minimum of 4 MB RAM to operate correctly. If KidDesk does not launch correctly or if low memory error messages appear, you may be able to correct these errors by increasing the size of the Windows Swap file:
1) Open the Windows Control Panel.
2) Double-click the 386 Enhanced icon.
3) Click the "Virtual Memory" button, then click the "Change" button.
4) Type a larger number in the "New Size" box.
5) Click "OK", then click the "Restart Windows" button.
Please see your Windows Guide for more information.
7. Printing
If part of a printed picture is missing (for example, part of a Notepad border), your printer may not have enough internal memory. Changing to a lower dpi setting should solve this problem. To change the dpi setting, use the Printers Control Panel (see your printer's Guide for more information).
8. Document Collection
KidDesk collects the files your family creates while in applications run from KidDesk. You can exclude certain file types from being collected by adding the file type to the end of the "NoCollect= grp ini tmp inf swp bak" line in the KIDDESK.INI file (see #15 Changes KidDesk Makes to the System Files). KidDesk will not search for or collect files with the extensions listed on this line.
You can also assign which file types are collected for each application. Use the [KidDesk Association] section of the KIDDESK.INI file to specify which file types should be collected for an application. For example, by including the line "Write=wri txt", KidDesk will only collect .txt and .wri files when Write is run from KidDesk. The items in this section over-ride the items specified in the "NoCollect=" line.
9. Using Your Computer's Internal Speaker
To use your computer's internal speaker for sound output, use the information in the "Internal Speaker" help topic, or refer to the "Sound" section on page 5 of the KidDesk Family Edition Guide. Better sound quality can be achieved using a third-party sound device (such as a sound card and external speakers).
10. Which File Do I Add to KidDesk?
When adding an application to KidDesk, you must use the Auto Search or Manual Search dialog boxes to select a specific file. Usually, you will want to add the .BAT, .PIF, or .EXE file with the name of the application. For example, to run Bailey's Book House from KidDesk, you add the file BAILEY.PIF.
Some applications require a specific file to run first. Other applications require additional parameters (characters) in the command line. Refer to the application's documentation for information about which file to start first or other requirements. You can see what file or command line is associated with the application's icon in the Windows Program Manager. Follow these steps:
1) Select the application's icon (by clicking ONCE) in Program Manager.
2) Choose Properties from the File menu.
3) Look at the text in the "Command Line:" box. This information should also appear in the "File Name:" and "Drive\Path:" boxes of the application's Application Settings dialog box in KidDesk.
To enter command line parameters in KidDesk:
1) Go to the KidDesk Adult Section (press Ctrl-Alt-A from the Kid Section).
2) Click the Applications tab to see the Applications Card.
3) Double-click the application's icon.
4) Enter the necessary text in the "File Name:" box of the Application Settings dialog box.
11. "Error loading PROGMAN.EXE" message
If you see the message "Error loading PROGMAN.EXE" when trying to start Windows, do the following :
1) Switch to the Windows directory (i.e., type cd:\windows).
2) Use a text editor to open the SYSTEM.INI file (type "EDIT SYSTEM.INI").
3) Change the "SHELL=" line in the [boot] section to say "SHELL=PROGMAN.EXE".
4) Save the changes.
5) Exit the text editor.
6) Start Windows for the changes to take effect.
12. "Can't find . . . .DLL" Error Message
If you see the error message "Can't find . . . .DLL" when launching KidDesk, do the following to add "kidwin" to your path:
1) Use a text editor to open the AUTOEXEC.BAT file (i.e., type "EDIT c:\AUTOEXEC.BAT").
2) Find the "Path=" or "Set path=" line.
3) Make sure "kidwin" is near the beginning of the path (i.e., "path=c:\kidwin;c:\windows;c:\dos. . .").
4) Save the changes.
5) Exit the text editor.
6) Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
13. What is MultiApp Mode?
MultiApp Mode is an advanced user mode in KidDesk, designed for older or more experienced computer users. It allows a KidDesk user to open and use several applications at one time from the desk. It is NOT a secure mode; task switching and access to Program Manager are allowed. Turn MultiApp mode on/off from the Add Kid or Kid Settings dialog box (see the Add Kid help topic for more information). Many adults give themselves a desktop (with MultiApp mode on) and password, making it easy for parent and child to share the computer.
14. What is Scanning?
Single-switch input with scanning (controlled in KidDesk from the Add Kid or Kid Settings dialog box) is a mode of input often used by users with special needs. In scanning mode, items on-screen are highlighted in sequence, and a click from an input device selects the highlighted item. When scanning is turned on, the mouse is disabled (see the "Scanning" help topic for more information).
Note: A different use of the word "scanning" refers to image scanning (or photo scanning) in which pictures or images are digitized on-screen. For example, using an image scanner (a special hardware device), you can create a digitized computer file of a photograph. In KidDesk, scanned images can be placed in the Picture Frame on the desk.
15. Changes KidDesk Makes to the System Files
During installation, KidDesk may need to change your system files. If changes are made, the original copies of the system files are saved with the extension .KID (for example, AUTOEXEC.KID).
SYSTEM.INI
shell=kiddesk.exe (Only changed if KidDesk is installed as the shell in Startup Options.)
WIN.INI
run= (KidDesk launches these files before starting itself when KidDesk is installed
as the shell. When KidDesk is set to start when Windows starts, KidDesk is
added to this line.)
load= (KidDesk launches these files before executing itself when KidDesk is installed
as the shell.)
AUTOEXEC.BAT
Path=%path%;c:\kidwin (Needed for running KidDesk as the shell.)
The KidDesk Family Edition Installer also creates a KIDDESK.INI file.
KIDDESK.INI
[KidDesk] (The entries in this section are used while running applications from KidDesk.)
restart=
KidID=
run=
appname=
appstart=
NoCollect= (KidDesk excludes these file types from document collection.)
RunAsWindows= (Identifies Windows-based applications with ambiguous file formats.)
RunAsDOS= (Identifies DOS applications with ambiguous file formats.)
SCRNSAVE.EXE= (None) (Saves the Windows screen saver setting.)
shell= (Saves existing Shell= line when KidDesk is installed as shell.)
[KidDesk Associations] (This section allows you to control document collection on a per-application
; EXAMPLE FORMAT basis. See #8 Document Collection, above.)
