Copyright: Copyright 1994 by Jeff Parker
Citation: Copyright 1994 by Jeff Parker


 Alarm Help Index

Alarm is an easy-to-use but full-featured alarm system for Windows. It allows the user to set an unlimited number of alarms with reminder notes attached to them.  Alarms may be scheduled to recur at pre-defined intervals.

The program also features a SNOOZE interval function, and the ability to modify an existing alarm.  It uses Windows multimedia capabilities to play customizable sounds for alarms.

How To ...

Get started

Add an alarm

Edit an existing alarm

Delete an existing alarm

Register

Commands

File menu

Alarm menu

View menu

Help menu


File menu commands

The File menu offers the following commands:

New	Creates a new document.
Open	Opens an existing document.
Save	Saves an opened document using the same file name.
Save As	Saves an opened document to a specified file name.
Always on Top	Toggles the window to stay on top.
More Options	Edit initial snooze time and register your copy of Alarm
1, 2, 3, 4 command	Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four documents you closed.
Exit	Exits Alarm.


Alarm menu commands

The Alarm menu offers the following commands:

Edit	Edits an existing alarm.
Add	Adds an alarm.
Delete	Deletes an existing alarm


View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

Index	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Using Help	Provides general instructions on using help.
About	Displays the version number of this application.


File New command
New command (File menu)

Use this command to create a new collection of alarms.

You can open an existing collection of alarms with the Open command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+N


File New dialog box

Use this command to create a new collection of alarms.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+N


File Open command
Open command (File menu)

Use this command to open an existing collection of alarms.

You can create new collections of alarms with the New command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+O


File Open dialog box

The following options allow you to specify which file to open:

File Name

Type or select the filename you want to open.  This box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files of Type box.

List Files of Type

Select the type of file you want to open:

Alarm files (*.alm)

Drives

Select the drive in which youve saved the collection of alarms you want to open.

Directories

Select the directory in which Alarm stores the file that you want to open.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File Save command
Save command (File menu)

Use this command to save the active collection of alarms to its current name and directory.  When you save a document for the first time, Alarm displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your collection of alarms.  If you want to change the name and directory of an existing collection of alarms before you save it, choose the Save As command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+S


File Save As command
Save As command (File menu)

Use this command to save and name the active collection of alarms.  Alarm displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your collection of alarms.

To save a collection of alarms with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.


File Save As dialog box

The following options allow you to specify the name and location of the file you're about to save:

File Name

Type a new filename to save a collection of alarms with a different name.  A filename can contain up to eight characters and an extension of up to three characters.  Alarm adds the extension you specify in the Save File As Type box.

Drives

Select the drive in which you want to store the collection of alarms.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to store the collection of alarms.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


Always on Top command (File menu)

Use this command to keep the Alarm application above all other (non-topmost) windows, even when it is not the active window.  One advantage of this is that alarms themselves stay on top as well.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click the application's File, Always on Top menu item.

Or	Click the toolbar Always on Top button.


More Options command (File menu)

Use this command to bring up the More Options dialogue box.  Here you can edit the initial snooze time and enter registration information.


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
1, 2, 3, 4 command (File menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four collection of alarms you closed.  Choose the number that corresponds with the collection of alarms you want to open.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your Alarm session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.  Alarm prompts you to save documents with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Or	Click the toolbar exit button.

Keys:	ALT+F4


Add command (Alarm menu)

Use this command to add an alarm to a collection of alarms.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click the application's Alarm, Add menu item.

Or	Click the toolbar add alarm button.

Keys:	CTRL+A

A dialogue box will appear, with which the characteristics of the particular alarm can be selected.


Edit command (Alarm menu)

Use this command to edit an alarm in a collection of alarms.  From the listbox, highlight the alarm you would like to edit.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double click the alarm you would like to edit in the listbox.  Or click on the Alarm, Edit menu item.

Or	Click the toolbar edit alarm button.

Keys:	CTRL+E

A dialogue box will appear, with which the characteristics of the particular alarm can be edited.


Delete command (Alarm menu)

Use this command to delete an alarm from a collection of alarms.  From the listbox, highlight the alarm you would like to delete.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click on the Alarm, Delete menu item.

Or	Click the toolbar delete alarm button.

Keys:	CTRL+D

A dialogue box will appear, with which you can confirm the deletion of the alarm.


View Toolbar command
Toolbar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in Alarm, such as File Open.  A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Toolbar is displayed.

See Toolbar for help on using the toolbar.


Toolbar

The toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar.  The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Alarm,

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the View menu (ALT, V, T).

Click	To

Open a new document.

Open an existing document.  Alarm displays the Open dialog box, in which you can locate and open the desired file.

Save the active document or template with its current name.  If you have not named the document, Alarm displays the Save As dialog box.

About

Add Alarm

Edit Alarm

Delete Alarm

Always on Top

Exit

Context Help


View Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu item or depressed toolbar button.. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the Alarm window.  To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus.  This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them.  If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button.


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.  From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using Alarm and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


About command (Help menu)

Displays information about your copy of Alarm, including the version number; the copyright, legal, and licensing notices; and some system information for your computer.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the toolbar about button.


Help Using Help Command
Context Help command

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on some portion of Alarm.  When you choose the Toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark.  Then click somewhere in the Alarm window, such as another Toolbar button.  The Help topic will be shown for the item you clicked.

Shortcut

Keys:	SHIFT+F1


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window.  It contains the name of the application and document.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

A title bar may contain the following elements:

Application Control-menu button

Document Control-menu button

Maximize button

Minimize button

Name of the application

Name of the document

Restore button


Scroll bars

Displayed at the right and bottom edges of the document window.  The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your vertical and horizontal location in the document.  You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the document.


Size command (System menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1.	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2.	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3.	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+F7


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the Alarm window to an icon.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.

Keys:	ALT+F9


Maximize command (System menu)

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the maximize icon [image] on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.

Keys:	CTRL+F10 enlarges a document window.


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to exit the program.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Shortcuts

Keys: 	ALT+F4 closes the Alarm window


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Switch to command (application Control menu)

Use this command to display a list of all open applications.  Use this "Task List" to switch to or close an application on the list.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+ESC

Dialog Box Options

When you choose the Switch To command, you will be presented with a dialog box with the following options:

Task List

Select the application you want to switch to or close.

Switch To

Makes the selected application active.

End Task

Closes the selected application.

Cancel

Closes the Task List box.

Cascade

Arranges open applications so they overlap and you can see each title bar.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Tile

Arranges open applications into windows that do not overlap.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Arrange Icons

Arranges the icons of all minimized applications across the bottom of the screen.


Choose Font Dialog
Choose Font dialog box

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Choose Color Dialog
Choose Color dialog box

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Edit Find Command
Find command (Edit menu)

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Find Dialog
Find dialog box

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Edit Replace Command
Replace command (Edit menu)

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Replace Dialog
Replace dialog box

<< Write application-specific help here. >>


Modifying the Document

To be written.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.


Registration

The unregistered version of Alarm is limited to a 30-day trial period.  Use it freely.  As you approach 30 days you should be getting a pretty good sense of whether or not this is software you'd like to continue using.  The registered version of Alarm does not load the help file every time it is launched.

Shareware

This program is shareware; you are given a free, 30-day trial period to determine if Alarm is useful for your purposes.  If you decide to keep the program, you must register it by sending $10.00 to:

Jeff Parker

1915 Mill Road

South Pasadena, CA  91030

When registering, please supply your User Name.  This is usually your own name or a business name, provided it is between ten and twenty-three characters, including spaces.  User Names are case-sensitive, so be sure to print yours exactly as you would like it to appear.

A key number will be sent back to you.  From a menu, select File/More Options.  The "More Options" dialogue box will appear.  There you will find two edit boxes marked "User Name" and "Key".

When you type your user name and key number into the appropriate edit boxes, your copy of Alarm will be registered.  Alarm may be freely distributed as long as no fee is charged for it other than a nominal fee for the media (not to exceed $7.00).  Alarm is copyrighted software and as such may not be altered in any way, and must be distributed with all files intact.  Alarm consists of at least the following files:

Alarm.exe

Alarm.hlp

Ctl3dv2.dll, dated 10/14/93 (or newer version, if one exists)

Even if you decide not to keep Alarm, please send me any comments, questions, gripes, or suggestions that you may have.  I am especially interested in the discovery of any bugs or inaccuracies, and suggestions for features you would like to see in future versions.

INTERNET (e-mail only): JEFFREYP28@aol.com

AMERICA ONLINE: JeffreyP28

Alarm, version 1.3, August 1994.  © 1994 by Jeff Parker.

Warrantee

What, are you kidding?

Alarm is provided AS IS without any warranty, express or implied.  This includes without limitation the fitness for a particular purpose or application and any warranties of salability.

While every attempt was made to be as thorough as possible while debugging Alarm, Jeff Parker shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, special, or consequential arising from a failure of this program or accompanying files to operate in a manner desired by the user.  Jeff Parker shall not be liable for any damage to data or property which may by caused directly or indirectly by use of this program.

In no event will Jeff Parker be liable to you for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of your use or inability to use the program, or for any claim by any other party.

Simply put, don't even THINK about pinning any kind of responsibility on me.  But I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Alarm.hlp © 1994, Jeff Parker.  All Rights Reserved.


Getting Started

Automatic Installation:

If Windows is not running, start Windows.  Insert disk in drive A.  In the Program Manager Window, choose Run from the File Menu.  Type a:\install and press enter.

Manual Installation:

Put Alarm.exe and Alarm.hlp into the same subdirectory (for example, C:\Alarm).  If you use a program launcher such as the Program Manager, set the working directory to this same drive and path.

You should also place Ctl3dv2.dll into your Windows\System subdirectory, but don't copy over a newer version if one exists already.  (In fact, the Windows\System subdirectory copy of Ctl3dv2.dll should be the only copy of Ctl3dv2.dll on your system.)

Launch Alarm, and begin creating a data file.  Save it wherever you wish.

Automatic AND Manual Installation:

You may wish to put Alarm in your Program Manager Startup program group.  This way, Alarm will launch every time you begin a new Windows session.  You can do this by:

1.	Opening the Startup program group

2.	From Program Manager's File menu, choose New.

3.	In the New Program Object dialog box, select the

Program Item option, and then choose the OK button.

4.	Fill in the Program Item Properties dialog box as follows:

- Command line: C:\Alarm\Alarm.exe C:\Alarm\Data.alm

(use your own program location and data file name and location)

5.	Choose the OK button.

For help with the Program Item Properties dialog box, choose the Help button or press F1 while using the dialog box.  Alarm seems to be happiest if it is the last icon in the startup group.

Some of the features in Alarm that may be of interest include:

- Reoccurring alarms:  Once, daily, weekdays, weekly, monthly, annually, and custom reoccurrence

- Reoccurring alarms can have a termination date ("Repeat until:")

- Day of week display when setting alarms

- An unlimited number of alarms

- An unlimited number of collections of alarms (files)

- WAV alarms sounds, which can be individually set for each alarm; select via Browse Button or drop down listbox.  (Listbox is loaded with sounds in your \Windows directory.)

- Alarms always editable

- Configurable snooze time, determined after alarm has fired

- Snooze for up to 999 minutes, hours or days

- Large alarm note field:  up to 32,767 characters

- Note field is always editable

- Always-on-Top option

- Toolbar and status bar

- Context-sensitive help

- Screen location memory

- It's not interpreted (like Visual Basic code); it's compiled.  On most systems, there will be a perceivable speed difference.

History

1.0	Initial release
1.1	Reoccurring alarm termination date ("Repeat until:")
1.2	Day of Week indicator when setting alarms, installation program (Thanks Bob Dolan!)
1.3	3d main window, revised window size and location memory (including if iconic), Toolbar Tips, and FlyBy Status Bar updating (Thanks Todd Osborne!)