Table of Contents
 API Servant 1.0

Copyright © 1994 by Mark Hanson - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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  Introduction 	  Registration & Support

Click on an item in the following illustration to find out more about it.


Disclaimer

This software and documentation are supplied "AS IS".  The author makes no warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to this software and it's accompanying documentation.

In no event shall the author of this software be liable for any damages arising from the use of this product.  Your use of this software indicates that you have read and agreed to these terms.

Acknowledgements

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Windows and Visual Basic are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.


Introduction
 Introduction 	Order Form

 Introduction

 Installation

 Usage

Introduction

Api Servant is an add-on utility for Visual Basic.

As every experienced Visual Basic programmer knows, it is often necessary to call the Windows API to get functionality that VB doesn't directly provide.  The fact that VB allows this is great, and VB probably wouldn't be very useful if it couldn't call upon external DLL functions.  However, the VB programmer must explicitly declare every API constant, type, and function that he or she plans on using.  Making these declarations is tedious and can really slow down the development process.

Microsoft provides API declarations suitable for Visual Basic in two forms; ASCII text files and Windows help files.  The text files are quite large and cumbersome.  They will not fit into Notepad so you must use a third-party editor to cut and paste the declarations you need.  The help files are indexed alphabetically but there is no search capability.  You must copy and paste declarations one at a time from the help files.  Also, many of the declarations provided with VB are incorrect and/or not entirely safe to use.

API Servant provides a much easier method of copying declarations into your Visual Basic programs.  API Servant contains a database of complete and correct Windows API declarations.  You can perform fast sub-string searches on the database, and copy many declarations all at once.  In addition, API Servant can copy declarations directly to any open VB code window.

Installation

Installing API Servant is simple.  Just place APISERV.EXE, APISERV.DAT, and APISERV.HLP together in any directory.

If you like, add APISERV.EXE to a Program Manger group.  Otherwise, just run it from File Manager or your favorite application launcher.

Usage

To use API Servant, just follow these easy steps:

 	Enter a search string in the text field labeled Look For:.

 	Click the Search button or press the enter key.

 	Select any desired items from the list box on the left by double-clicking or pressing the enter key.  As you highlight different items, the full text of each item is displayed in the window below.

 	Repeat the first three steps until you have selected all the items you need.

 	Click the Transfer button.

 	Select a destination for the transfer.  If any VB code windows are currently open, their titles will appear in the list box.  Otherwise, the clipboard is the only available destination.  Check the "Sort Items" box to have API Servant re-order the items logically before the transfer.


Registration & Support
 Registration & Support 	Order Form

 License

 Registration

 Support

License

API Servant is not public domain or free software.

You are granted a license to use the shareware version of API Servant for an evaluation period of 14 days.  After 14 days, registration is required.  The shareware version of API Servant may be duplicated and distributed for the purpose of evaluation only.  No fee may be charged for distributing the shareware version (other than an administrative fee not exceeding $5).

Distribution of the registered version of API Servant and/or any accompanying license files is strictly prohibited.

Registration

To register API Servant, you may print out and complete the  order form. If you cannot print the order form, please write the equivalent information out by hand.  Send the order information, along with a check or money order for $15 in US funds to:

Mark Hanson

PO Box 10154

Rochester, NY 14610-0154

USA

Please make the check or money order payable to Mark Hanson.

Upon registering the product, you will receive the latest version on diskette.  You will also receive a special license file that will automatically register any future versions of API Servant.

Compuserve members may register on-line by typing "GO SWREG" and selecting ID 3131.  If you register on-line, you will receive API Servant and the license file by Compuserve E-Mail and the registration price will be billed to your Compuserve account.

Support

There are many methods of obtaining support for API Servant:

Send E-Mail to Mark Hanson on Compuserve at 72773,71

Send FidoNet netmail to Mark Hanson at 1:2613/119

Leave a message to Mark Hanson on the support BBS:

1 X. I. S.

Rochester, NY USA

(716) 671-7745

12-28.8K

Contact me at the address indicated in Registration

Your comments and questions about API Servant are strongly encouraged!


Clicking this button fills the list box on the left with constants, types, and declarations that contain the search string specified in the Look For: field.  You can accomplish the same thing by just pressing enter while the cursor is in the Look For: field.


Clicking this button transfers the items from the list box on the right to the clipboard or to an open Visual Basic code window.  Once the items are transfered they are removed from the list box.


This window lets you enter a search string to help you find constants, types, and declarations you are interested in.  Once a search string has been entered, pressing enter or clicking the Search button will fill the list box on the left with items containing the search string.  The search is case-insensitive. Clicking the little arrow to the right shows the last 10 search strings entered.


This list box displays all constants, types, and declarations matching the search string entered in the Look For: field.  Each item is color-coded according to it's category.  Constants are blue, types are purple, and declarations are red. Also, the items are sorted alphabetically within each category.  As you highlight different items, the full text of each item is displayed in the window below.  To select an item for transfering, double-click or press the enter key.


This list box displays all constants, types, and declarations that have been selected for transfering.  Each item is color-coded according to it's category.  Constants are blue, types are purple, and declarations are red.  The items are displayed in the order in which they were selected.    As you highlight different items, the full text of each item is displayed in the window below.  If you decide you don't really want an item in this list box, double-click or press the delete key to remove it.


This window displays the full text of the currently highlighted constant, type, or declaration.  If the full text does not fit in the window, use the scrollbar to view the remaining portion.


Order Form
API Servant Order Form

Select "Print Topic" from the File menu to print this form.

$________	_____ copies of API Servant at $15.00 each

$________	(Order Total)

Remit order to:	Mark Hanson

PO Box 10154

Rochester, NY 14610-0154

USA

Send product to:

Name:	__________________________________________________

Address:	__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Please make checks or money orders payable to Mark Hanson.

Payments from outside of the United States must be in one of these forms:

- US currency

- An American Express money order payable in US currency

- An international postal money order payable in US currency

- A check drawn on a US bank payable in US currency