Copyright: Copyright ® 1994 by Neil J. Rubenking


Contents
MONTOR Help Contents

Overview

Click on an area of the picture below for help with that element of MONTOR's on-screen interface.  If you don't have a mouse, TAB until the desired element is highlighted and then press Enter.


Free System Resources

In order to speed the execution of Windows and Windows programs, Microsoft chose to store certain important program elements in memory belonging to Windows itself.  For example, "handles" for graphic elements on your screen are stored within the GDI portion of Windows.  The areas in which this system-wide information is stored are limited in size, and if they're totally filled up, you can't start any more Windows programs no matter how much free memory you may have.

The gauges labeled GDI and User display the percent free of system resources within those two parts of Windows.  The System gauge displays the smaller of the other two.  Thus there's no point in setting the warning level for GDI or User lower than the level for System.


Memory

The maximum value for memory is calculated as the maximum actual installed RAM plus any virtual memory managed by Windows.  The free memory value is the total free memory available on the system.  This memory may be broken into more than one block, so it may not be possible to load a program as large as the total free memory.


Disk Drives

MONTOR monitors free space on the first four fixed disks it can find.  If the system has fewer than four fixed disk drives, MONTOR will shrink to display only the actual number of drives.  MONTOR will not monitor removable drives such as Bernoulli drives unless they are software-locked in place, making them seem like fixed drives to Windows.  Network drives are also ignored.


Current Value Pointer

Each of MONTOR's gauges has a yellow current value pointer that visually indicates the percentage of the particular resource that's currently free.  If the Jiggle Pointers menu item is checked, these pointers will move up and down slightly, at random.  Numbers on the Free line display the actual amount free of the resource, and the Percent line displays the free percentage in numeric form.


Warning Level Pointer

The red pointer to the right of each gauge shows how far the particular resource can drop before MONTOR will warn you.  To set a new warning level, use the mouse to drag the pointer to the desired level.  If necessary, fine-tune the setting by clicking on the gauge line itself above or below the pointer, to adjust it one percent at a time.  The warning level settings will be saved to MONTOR.INI when you exit the program, if the Save Settings on Exit menu item is checked.

To set a warning level using the keyboard, press the TAB key until the Warn At number below the desired gauge is highlighted.  Then press the Up and Down arrow keys to adjust the value one percent at a time, or PgUp and PgDn keys to adjust it five percent at a time.


Jiggle Pointers

If this option is selected, the current value pointers will move up and down slightly, at random, and the pulse circles will change color.  There is no practical value to this setting, but it makes for a more interesting display.


Save Settings On Exit

If this menu item is checked, when you exit MONTOR it will save all of the warning level settings, the Jiggle Pointers menu item setting, and the resource you selected for display when MONTOR is minimized.  These values are restored from MONTOR.INI the next time you start the program.  In general, you should leave this item checked.


Pulse Circles

The pulse circles serve no useful purpose, but they make the display more interesting.  If you turn off the Jiggle Pointers menu option, the pulse circles will stop changing color too.


Gauges

For each resource it monitors, MONTOR displays a gauge with several associated labels and pointers.  The gauge itself is a line marked in 10% increments, with a yellow pointer indicating the percent free.  A draggable red warning level pointer shows the level at which MONTOR will warn you this resource is running out.

Above each gauge is a Heading label identifying the resource this gauge monitors and a Max value label showing the maximum value for the resource.  Below the gauge is a label displaying the Free amount, another displaying the Percent free, and a numeric representation of the warning level.


File Menu

MONTOR does not need to deal with files, so the File menu contains nothing but the Exit command.


Options Menu

Use the Options menu to  select or deselect Jiggle Pointers and Save Setting On Exit


Icon Display  Menu

When MONTOR is minimized to an icon, it still monitors all resources, but it only displays the current percentage for one of them.  To choose which one it will display, place a check mark next to that item's name on the icon menu.  Optionally, you can click on the resource's name in the monitor headings line.


Monitor Headings

The heading above each gauge indicates which system resource is being monitored by the particular gauge.  One of them will be highlighted - this is the resource whose percentage is displayed when MONTOR is minimized.  Click on any of the headings to highlight it, or use the Icon Display Menu.


Max Value Line

The numbers on the max value line indicate the maximum value for this particular resource.  They are omitted in the case of the free system resources, since the maximum is simply 100%.  The maximum Memory includes virtual memory; the maximum for each disk drive is simply that drive's capacity.


Value Line
Free Line

The Free line lists the current amount of the resource that is free.  It is omitted for Free system resources since the amount free is the same as the Percent.


Percent Line

The value on the percent line corresponds precisely to the position of the Current Value Pointer.  It is simply the  Free line divided by the Max Value line expressed as a percentage.


Warn At Line

If the amount of a given resource drops below the value on the Warn At line, Montor will warn you.  To set this value, simply drag the Warning Level Pointer.  Optionally, press the Tab key until the Warn At value for the desired resource is highlighted and use the up and down arrow keys to change it.  Your settings will be saved when you exit MONTOR, as long as the Save Settings on Exit menu item is checked.


Help Menu

The Help Menu brings up MONTOR's help system or About... box.  You are using the help system now!


Overview

MONTOR keeps track of important resources of your Windows system and warns you when they fall below a user-specified value.  It tracks the three Free System Resources percentages (System, GDI, and User), total free Memory on the system, and free space on up to four disk drives.  For each resource it tracks, MONTOR displays a vertical gauge marked off in 10% intervals.  A yellow current value pointer to the left of the gauge shows the current free percentage of the specified resource.  A red warning level pointer to the right of the gauge shows how low the resource can drop before MONTOR will warn you.