Copyright: IDate (TM) - Copyright 1993-1997 Chiam Yih Wei


Contents
IDate (TM) for Windows

Shareware Version 4.27
Copyright © 1993-1997 Chiam Yih Wei. All rights reserved.

The popular shareware Personal Reminder System for Windows.

Contents:

Shareware Notice & Registration

An Overview

The File Menu

The Options Menu

The Setup Menu

The IDate Editor

Constructing a Data Base

Password Protecting IDate


Overview
Overview of IDate for Windows

See also:

Contents

The IDate Editor

Shareware Notice & Registration

IDate is a Shareware personal organizer cum reminder which is designed to assist you remember important dates and events.

Messages will pop-up to your screen upon starting Windows when you put IDate in the StartUp group.  You can customize IDate so that messages will start popping-up from a specified period of time from the actual date intended, i.e. an Early Warning System.  You may also choose to setup IDate such that it will not allow Windows to exit before you read all your messages for the day.

Perfect for reminders of birthdates, anniversaries, appointments, deadlines etc.  Use IDate to generate reminders for the week, month or
even year!

IDate has two main components, namely the Main program and the Editor.

The Main program displays the dates and messages that go with them when the pre-defined warning period is reached. You have the option of choosing either the standard view or the que card view for the Main window.

The Editor enables you to build and manage the data bases that will contain your dates and messages. It allows you to set specific options for every individual record as well as define default settings.

IDate supports files which use the Data Bank 2.x format. It converts these files with 100% compatibility. IDate files are saved with an .IDT extension. IDate files have a unique format. Therefore you are advised against editing them using text editors or word processors.


Notice
IDate (TM) for Windows

Shareware Version 4.27
Copyright © 1993-1997 Chiam Yih Wei. All rights reserved.

Shareware Notice & Registration

IDate is SHAREWARE. You may use it for an evaluation period of not more than 21 days. After this period, you must register if you wish to continue using IDate. Upon registration, you will no longer have to tolerate the reminder screens which pop up every now and then. You will also receive free bug-fixes for IDate if they are any! Registered users will also be given a unique User ID and will receive technical support from the author.

You will be entitled to free updates and new versions of IDate in the future once you register IDate now.

To register BY CHECK, MONEY ORDER, CREDIT CARD OR IF YOU ARE A NEW USER (I.E. NOT UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION OF IDate), please run the program REGISTER.EXE provided with the package. Please follow the instructions in the program.

To register BY CASH OR IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION OF IDate, please print out the form in the file REGISTER.WRI and send it together with US$20 to the address below:

CHIAM YIH WEI,
PASIR PANJANG P.O. BOX 140,
SINGAPORE 911125.

Internet EMail: ptlabs@post1.com

The PTLabs Page: http://www.post1.com/~ptlabs

Registered Users of:

IDate 2.01 need only to pay US$12.00.
IDate 3.00, IDate 3.00a and IDate 3.00b need only to pay US$10.00.
IDate 4.05 need only to pay US$8.00.
IDate 4.10 and 4.20 need only to pay US$5.00.
IDate 4.25 and 4.26 get this update free. (Please use the same User ID)

All registered users of IDate from version 4.25 onwards will enjoy free updates and new versions of IDate from now on.

Site licensing is also available when purchasing multiple copies of IDate. Please contact the author for prices of site licenses.

The unregistered evaluation copy of IDate is freely distributable as long as the ZIP file is distributed as a full package in its original state.

Disclaimer:

THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS-IS". NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE AS TO IT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON. ANY REMEDY FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM IT, INCLUDING SUCH FROM NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, EVEN AFTER NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES WILL NOT BE PROVIDED.


Editor
The IDate Editor

See also:

Constructing a Data Base	The File Menu	The Records Menu	Shareware Notice & Registration

Overview

IDate comes with an internal Editor which is used for editing, creating and maintaining IDate files. It also supports files saved in Data Bank 2.x format. The IDate Editor allows you to set detailed options for each record of your data base. However, the IDate Editor can only be accessed if IDate is not password protected.

For more information on Data Bank 2.x Personal Address Book shareware, please contact the author, Chiam Yih Wei.


File Menu
IDate File Menu

See also:

The Options Menu	The Setup Menu	The IDate Editor

The File Menu of the main program consists of:

Load

Loads up a file to be scanned in IDate. The file must be of IDate format. Files which are of Data Bank 2.x format can be converted with 100% accuracy using the IDate Editor.

Print to File

Prints out the messages that appear now into a text file of your choice. Useful for generating hard copies of appointments etc when preparing for travel.

Editor

Opens the IDate Editor. If a file is loaded in the main window, the Editor will point to the current record displayed, for easier editing of records.

Range

Specifies the range for IDate to scan forward. This option allows you to see all the messages for the events which will occur in the specified range of days.

Exit

Exits IDate.


Options Menu
IDate Options Menu

See also:

Que Card View	The File Menu	The Setup Menu	The IDate Editor

AutoLoad

Allows you to specify the file that IDate  will load automatically every time it starts up. A tick will appear next to this option if the AutoLoad file has been set. To erase the AutoLoad setting, simply click Cancel when you are at the AutoLoad dialog box and answer Yes when IDate asks if you wish to delete the current AutoLoad file.

Font

Allows you to choose the default font name and size that IDate will use in the Message Box.

Sound

Use the items in the sub-menu to specify whether you want to disable audio alert, use the default Windows beep, or to specify your own .WAV or .MID file as the sound IDate will play to alert you of any active messages.

Protection

Exit Pop Up

With this option set, IDate will prevent Windows from exiting whenever there is a message to be read. If there are messages to be read, IDate will automatically pop up and stop Windows from exiting when the user tries to exit Windows.

If this option is not set, IDate will close unconditionally whenever Windows exits.

Toggle View

This feature toggles the main view between the standard window and a que card-type window.

Once Daily

This new feature enables you to only launch IDate once daily. If this option is used, IDate will only check the AutoLoad file once a day. If the AutoLoad file is not set, this option is ignored. To override this option, use the command line option /notonce. An example is:

id427.exe /notonce

in Program Managers Run dialog box. This will disable this option temporarily.


Update
IDate Editor

See also:

Constructing a Data Base

Open Command

Performs the same function as the Open command in the File Menu.

Save Command

Performs the same function as the Save command in the File Menu.

Quit Command

Performs the same function as the Quit Editor command in the File Menu.

New Rec. Command

Creates a new record.

Del. Rec. Command

Deletes current record.

Dup. Rec. Command

Duplicates current record.

Update Command

Updates the current record. All changes will be updated into memory. This command  is automatically executed when you move within the data base.


Current Record
IDate Editor

See also:

Overview of the Editor	Records Menu	Constructing a Data Base

Current Record

This scroll bar is used to indicate the current record in the data base you are editing. Use it to move around the data base.


Records Options
IDate Editor

See also:

Constructing a Data Base	Shareware Notice & Registration

Activate

Tells IDate to activate the message every year, month, week, day, or simply once. Use this option for anniversaries, monthly events, weekly schedules and the likes.

If you select Yearly, IDate will remind you of this event every year.

If you select Monthly, you will be reminded every month, based on the day of the date entered.

If you select Weekly, IDate will remind you of the event based on the weekday (i.e. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc).

If you choose Daily, IDate will flag this event everyday, regardless of the date entered.

If you select Once, IDate will warn you of the event only once, at the specified date.

The Activate setting can be used together with the Warn in Advance setting to further enhance the flexibility of IDate.

Enabled

Determines whether the record is enabled. If a record is disabled, it will not show up on the main program until you enable it. Use this option with extreme care as IDate will not inform you of the passing of the date of a disabled record. A default setting of Enabled is recommended.

Backdated Warning

Forces IDate to flag messages that are within the last 3 days from the current date. This acts as a safety net in case you do not launch IDate on the day the message should be flagged. It is recommended that you enable the Backdated Warning feature by default.

This option is not available for messages which are activated Daily.

Automatic Clean Up

This option can be used for messages that are one-off, meaning they are only meaningful for one particular day.

With this option turned on, messages which are activated Once and has the current  system date will be removed from the data file upon loading it from the main window. Use this option together with the Confirm Clean Up feature from the main window for better automated management of your data files.

When used with Confirm Clean Up, you can purge events which only occur once, like meetings, appointments etc.


Warn in Advance
IDate Editor

See also:

Backdated Warning	Constructing a Data Base

Warn in Advance

Use this feature to tell IDate to flag the message a pre-defined of days before the actual date. This is especially useful for birthdates and important meetings or appointments. IDate will warn you of the event in advance every time it loads the file unless you disable the message by not checking the Enabled check box.

The valid values are from 0 to 49. Setting the Warn in Advance value to 0 means that IDate will not flag the message before the actual date of the event.

Using Warn in Advance with the Activate setting will give you enhanced flexibility in managing your reminders.


Date and Messages
IDate Editor

See also:

Warn in Advance	Constructing a Data Base	Shareware Notice & Registration

Date

Type in the date you want the message to appear. This is the actual date that the event will occur. Coupled with the  Warn in Advance feature, IDate will be able to remind you of the event in advance.

Messages

Type in the messages that you want IDate to display when the specified date is reached. You have about 1kB of space in this text box.


File Menu (Editor)
File Menu (IDate Editor)

See also:

Constructing a Data Base

The File Menu contains:

New

Creates a new data base.

Open

Opens a previously saved file. The file may be in IDate or Data Bank 2.x format. The default extension of IDate files is .IDT and the default for  Data Bank 2.x files is .BNK.

If the file is of Data Bank 2.x format, IDate will extract the records that have valid birthday entries. All other information in the Data Bank 2.x file will be saved as Messages. Records without valid birthday entries will be ignored.

Save and Save As

Saves the current data base into a file. The file generated will be of IDate format.

Set As Default

Sets the current values for Warn in Advance, Activate Annually, Enabled and Backdated Warning as the default values for future records. Existing records will not be affected.

Quit Editor

Quits IDate Editor.


Records Menu
Records Menu (IDate Editor)

See also:

Current Record	Constructing a Data Base

New

Appends a new record to the existing data base or creates the first record in a new data base. The default values will apply to the newly created record.

Delete

Deletes the current record.

Find

Finds text specified by you. Any highlighted text in the text boxes will be used as the default search string.

Find Next

Finds the next matching text.

Duplicate

Duplicates the current record and places it at the end of the current data base.


Protection
IDate Protection

See also:

Overview	Shareware Notice & Registration

What is Protection?

The Protection option is used to password-protect your IDate program from unauthorized users. It allows you to specify a password to lock up the Load, Editor and AutoLoad options as well as the Setup menu in the main program. Disabling the Editor will block any attempts made to corrupt your data files or program settings.

Enabling Protection

Close the Editor window if it is open. Protection cannot be used if the Editor is open.

Select the Options/Protection menu from the main program. If no password already exists, you will see a window with two text boxes. Enter your password and retype it to ensure you have not made a typing mistake. Then click OK to activate Protection. A tick will appear next to the Protection option when Protection is enabled.

Disabling Protection

Select the Options/Protection menu from the main program. Enter the existing password once and click OK. Protection will be removed if your password is valid.


Constructing a Data Base
Constructing a Data Base using the IDate Editor

See also:

The IDate Editor	File Menu	Records Menu	Shareware Notice & Registration

Starting the IDate Editor.

To launch the IDate Editor, the Protection feature in the main program must not be enabled. Dsable it if it is already set.

For more information on Protection, see Protection

Launch the IDate Editor. To do that, click on the File/Editor menu in the main program or use the shortcut key of Ctrl+E. You may also click on the Editor button or the right mouse button to bring up a menu with the Editor choice. Once the Editor is launched, you are ready to start.

Setting the Date.

Fill in the Date text box with the date that you want the record to be linked with. IDate will activate this record when the date is reached. Dates must be filled in using a valid format. It is recommended that you fill in the date using the format specified in the International settings in the Control Panel. Nonetheless, IDate Editor accepts several other formats. IDate Editor will give an error message should the format of the date you specify is invalid.

The Messages text box.

IDate will display the Messages in this box when flagging this record. Feel free to put in any type of message. You have roughly 1kB of space to work on here.

Warn in Advance.

This feature is used to instruct IDate to flag this record in advance. That means that IDate will warn you when the date of the record approaches. Simply drag the scroll bar to whatever value desired and the corresponding value will be reflected just on top of the scroll bar.

Setting the other options.

It is recommended that you enable the Activate Annually, Enabled and Backdated Warning options. For further information on the functions of these options, see Records Options

There, now you have a constructed a record for your data base. Repeat the procedure to append more records to your data base. Use the Records menu to create, delete and duplicate records.


Setup Menu
IDate Setup Menu

See also:

The File Menu	The Options Menu	The IDate Editor

Minimize When Idle

When this option is checked, IDate will be a minimized icon when loaded if there is no AutoLoad file or when there are no messages to display in the current AutoLoad file. IDate is said to be idle in this situation.

Exit TimeOut

This option determines if IDate will automatically exit after a preset amount of time when there are no messages upon load-up, or in other words, when IDate is idle. Useful if you wish to free memory and resources when there are no messages for you to read.
Any positive number is accepted as a valid value. However, a value of 5 or more seconds is recommended. This value should be increased when the computer is slower. IDate will not exit if idle when the Exit TimeOut value is zero.

To activate the program before it exits automatically, simply click on any part of the form when the form is not minimized. IDate will not stop the TimeOut countdown if you click on it when it is iconified (i.e. the Minimized When Idle option is set to true.)

You may never be launch IDate properly if you set this value to a value so small that IDate will exit almost immediately after it is launched. This may also be caused if your computer is too slow. If you are ever caught in this situation and wish to manually override the settings, change the TIMEOUT value in the ID427.INI file to 0. This will disable the Exit TimeOut function.

Confirm Clean Up

Tells IDate to confirm every clean up it attempts to perform. Clean ups are performed when a record satisfies all of the conditions below:

1. The Automatic Clean Up option is turned on for the record.
2. The current system date is the same as the Date of the record.
3. The record is enabled.
4. The record is Activated only Once.

Use this feature together with the Automatic Clean Up option from the IDate Editor for better automated management of your data files.

When used with Automatic Clean Up, you can purge events which only occur once, like meetings, appointments etc.

Save Settings on Exit

Tells IDate to save current settings on exit.

Save Settings Now

Saves all current settings now.

You may also force IDate to save the settings during the current session without exiting by holding down the Shift key and proceed as if you were going to exit the program. The current settings of the program will be saved without exiting.


Que Card View

See also:

Contents	Overview

IDate supports two window types for the Main window. The Standard View is the one which IDate will start up in the very first time you launch IDate. This view consists of a row of buttons at the top, with the message box on the left and a contents list on the right.

The Que Card View shows an enlarged message box, with the current date on the window title bar and a column of buttons on the left. This view is more concise and resembles a que card.

The descriptions of each button follow:

Toggle View

Switches between Standard View and Que Card View.

Exit

Exits IDate.

About

Displays copyright message, version description and license information.

Back

Shows the message immediately before the current message in the message queue.

Next

Shows the message immediately after the current message in the message queue.