Specifications and Requirements ------------------------------- Software Title: WhizNotes (Version 2.11) Author or Company: Author: Sanjay Kanade E-Mail: 71303.20@compuserve.com Company: Advanced Support Group, Inc. 11900 Grant Place Des Peres, MO 63131-4512 TEL: (314) 965-5630 Registration Fee: $49.95 (plus $4.50 for shipping and handling - USA and Canada only. $9.00 outside USA and Canada.) Availability: Windows Magazine Software Library (AOL) WINSHARE Forum (CompuServe) Filename: WHIZN211.ZIP (AOL) WHIZNT.ZIP (CompuServe) Filesize (ZIPped): 459,994 bytes Filesize (unZIPped): 1,144,211 bytes Keywords: Kanade, NotePad, Help, HC, Topic, WHIZN2,Outline, ASP, Win 3.1 Requirements: Windows 3.1, Help Compiler (if you want to create Windows format Help files with WhizNotes), mouse recommended. Rating (1-10): 9.95 Date of Review: 6/24/95 Installation ------------ Installation Rating: 9 Description of Installation Process: You will need to create a temporary directory in which to extract the downloaded WHIZNT.ZIP file. Once unZIPped run SETUP.EXE. This prompts you for your name and (optionally) your company name (these will appear in WhizNotes About boxes). You are also asked for the name of the directory you would like the program installed into (if you want the files in a different directory from the default just type it in. If it does not exist WhizNotes Setup will create it). The program files are then copied to the specified directory and you are asked if you would like the Setup program to create a Program Manager group and icons. (Don't forget to delete the files in the temporary directory once the program is installed. They are no longer needed.) Features -------- Listing/Description of Features: WhizNotes lets you create individual topics (currently up to 32k each in size) which can contain any type of text on any subject you can think of. You can be extremely flexible in naming these topics (each name can be up to 255 characters long with no restrictions on the characters you can use) making it simple to organize your thoughts (no more trying to remember DOS's eight character filenames!). Related topics can be combined into a single WhizNote file and there is no limit (save drive space) as to how many WhizNote files you can have (You can create a WhizNote file for every subject you need each containing all the topics related to that subject!). You can also organize your topics (within a WhizNote) any way you would like (view them ordered alphabetically by topic name, change the order of the topics within a WhizNote by either using drag-and-drop or by using the "Move" buttons (Top of List, Up One, Down One and Bottom of List) at the right side of the WhizNote, and there are special "dummy" topics which allow you to add visual separators between regular topics) WhizNotes utilizes full drag-and-drop capabilities. You can copy/move topics from one WhizNote to another, rearrange the order of the topics in a WhizNote, create hypertext jumps (see below), etc. If you have a Help Compiler (available in AOL's Software Library under the filename HCP505.ZIP (230,022 bytes ZIPped, 425,653 bytes unZIPped). Keyword: Microsoft Help Compiler), you can convert your WhizNotes files into Windows format Help files (NOTE: This is the easiest, most powerful Help file authoring program I have ever had the pleasure of using!). No other external programs are required (you can however, use your own external Rich Text Format (RTF) editor by utilizing WhizNotes export features but, it is not required). Its innovative macro language allows the easy addition of many potent, advanced help features to the Help files you create. WhizNotes lets you insert hypertext "Jump" statements into your topics (I love this feature!) with simple drag and drop (just drag a topic name from your WhizNote onto the open topic you want the "Jump" placed in - that's it!. Double clicking on the statement moves you to the topic you selected). If you later convert you WhizNote into a Windows format Help file these Jump statements will automatically be converted into Windows hypertext jumps. You can also insert hypertext "Reference" statements. These are similar to Jump statements but, (if you convert the WhizNote into a Help file) instead of it taking you to another area of the Help file, your referenced text appears in a pop-up window. You can also insert Bitmap graphics and MS-Windows Help macros (see the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) Help and WhizNotes Help for details) into your WhizNotes created Help files. WhizNotes allows for complete flexibility in the display of your information. You can set desktop options for all your WhizNotes or just for the one you are currently working on. General Desktop Options are: Set Tabsize, Set Font, and Open Last Used WhizNote on Startup. Options you can set for the current WhizNote are: Title (enter a new title for your WhizNote replacing its current filename) Set Tabsize, Set Font, Open Topics in Normal "Cascaded" Manner (upper left corner), Open Topics at Their Last Cutomized Position/Size, Open Topics on Top of Previous Topics, Restore Desktop When Opening WhizNote (previously open topics are opened at the same position they were the last time the WhizNote was closed). WhizNotes has full search capabilities letting you search for any text within topics (and, optionally, topic contents) and/or text files. Searches can also be case sensitive. When it finds the string you sought the topic containing it is opened and the text is highlighted. Its powerful printing features allow you to print one topic, selected topics, or all the topics in a WhizNote (or the contents of a text file). When printing selected topics (or all topics) you are asked to enter a title (which will be printed at the top center of each printed page) and you are asked if you want a page break before each topic. At the bottom of each page appears the name of the topic on that page and the page number. The last page printed is a table of contents listing each topic and the page the topic can be found on. At the top of the printout is the date and time of the printing and at the bottom is the title you gave to the report and the table of contents page number. When printing a single topic the name of the topic and the page number are displayed at the bottom of the printout. File Menu Options: WhizNotes File Menu's options change with the type of file you are working with. Here is a list of these different options (NOTE: all versions of the following have the eight previously opened files listed at the bottom of the File Menu for easy retrieval): When you first start WhizNotes (and no files are open) the options are: New WhizNote, Open WhizNote, New Text File, View/Edit a Text File and Exit WhizNotes. When working with WZN (WhizNote format) files and NO topics are currently open the options are: New WhizNote, Open WhizNote, Save WhizNote, Save WhizNote As, Save All Modified WhizNotes, Close WhizNote, Add Topic, Open Selected Topics, Delete Selected Topics, Rename Topic, Print Selected Topics, Print All Topics, New Text File, View/Edit a Text File, and Exit Whiznotes. When working with WZN (WhizNote format) files WITH one (or more) topic(s) open the options are: New WhizNote, Open WhizNote, Save WhizNote, Save WhizNote As, Save All Modified WhizNotes, Close WhizNote, Add Another Topic, Delete Topic, Rename Topic, Save Topic, Save to Text File, Print, New Text File, View/Edit a Text File, and Exit Whiznotes. When working with TXT (text format) files the options are: New WhizNote, Open WhizNote, Save All Modified WhizNotes, New Text File, Save File, Save As, Close, Print, View/Edit Another Text File, and Exit WhizNotes. Other Menu Options: WhizNotes Edit Menu (when either a topic or text file is open) has options for: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Select All, Clear All, Insert Date, Insert Date/Time, Use Long Format (yes/no. This will toggle the date to be written out in Day/Month/Date/Year text format or in Month/Day/Year number format), Word Wrap (on/off), Auto Indent (on/off), and Give Word Count (total number of words and total size in characters). When a WhizNote is open (but no topic is open) the Edit Menu's choices are: Copy Topic Contents, Copy Selected Names, Paste New Topic Contents, Select All, Sorted List of Topics, Move Selected Topics (Up, Down, To Top, To Bottom), Force Word Wrap for Selected Topics, and Give Word Count for Selected Topics. Its Search Menu's options are: Find, Replace, and Find Next. When a WhizNote is open (but no topic is open) the "Select Topic Beginning With..." option is added. Its Tool Menu (when a topic is open) has options for: Export Topic to Text File and Create Help File for Owner WhizNote. The Tool Menu (when NO topic is open) has the following choices: Export Selected Topics to Text File, Import Topics from Text File, Import Whole Text Files as Topics, Create Help (converts a WhizNote file into a Windows format Help file), Test Help (runs last created Help File), and Show Topics with No Help Topic Definitions(displays topics for which HelpTopic statements are missing). WhizNotes Options Menu choices (when either no file is open or a text file is open) are: General Desktop Options, Toolbar (on/off), and Statusbar (on/off). If a WZN file is open the Options Menu choices are: Desktop Options for this Whiznote, Prepare Distributable WZN with Latest Options (saves WhizNote options so that you can distribute file to another WhizNotes user), General Desktop Options, Toolbar (on/off), and Statusbar (on/off). The Window Menu has options for: Tile, Tile Horizontal, Cascade, Arrange Icons, Close All Windows, Close All Topics, Minimize All Topics, Next, Previous, and a listing of currently open windows. The Help Menu's choices are: Help Contents, Introduction, New Features, Quick Start Tutorial, Basics of Help Generation, Search Help For, How to Use Help, Registration Reminder (calls up opening reminder screen), and About WhizNotes. WhizNotes Toolbar has buttons for: New WhizNote, Add New/Another Topic, Open WhizNote, Save WhizNote, Save All Modified Whiznotes, Close WhizNote, Desktop Options for this WhizNote, New Text File, View/Edit a Text File, Save Topic, General Desktop Options, Cut, Copy Paste, Find, Replace, Find Next, Print, Export Topic to Text File, Import Topic from Text File, Import Whole Text as Topics, Create Help, Help, and Exit WhizNotes (if a function cannot be utilized in a particular operation the button for it is "grayed out"). WhizNotes also has a Statusbar which gives a description for each Toolbar button function. Help/Documentation Rating: 9.95 WhizNotes comes with a Windows format Help file (created using WhizNotes, BTW) that will comprehensively answer almost any question you may have about the program. Summary ------- Writing this review was a challenge because this program is packed with great features. I could not list them all!! WhizNotes does not fit into any single classification either. It is a note taker (on steroids), a personal info manager, a study aid, an organizer, an outliner, a research tool, a text editor, a super thinking aid, a Windows Help file generator and still more!!! Yes, there are many, many text editors/word processors available but, all they really and truly offer are "bells and whistles" to make your presentations look great. But what do they do to help you create its content? After all, the content is the MOST important part of your work. These other programs focus on the "finished" product but, do not very much to help you in the "creation" process. This is the area where WhizNotes excels!! It helps you get all those bits and pieces of data floating about in the "sea of your mind" and nets them together into a useable and coherent form! Not to mention the fact its powerful printing features produce very attractive looking reports (so much for needing another products bells and whistles)! Another reason I really love this program is that its author is constantly working to improve this wonderful product. Sometimes a great program greats written but, it is not updated over time. This is not the case with WhizNotes. Another reason is that all the improvements made to WhizNotes really enhance the program without making it cumbersome. Some programs I have used have their interfaces or certain functions ruined by so-called improvements. This also is not the case with WhizNotes. Its creator is always listening for good user suggestions to be incorporated into future versions of the program. I do not know what I would do without this incredible multi-use program. This IS my all-time favorite shareware product. Download and register this essential piece of software today! It WILL change the way you work and, believe me, you will never want to go back to the old way again!!! Problems and Suggestions ------------------------ List of Problems Found: There were no compatiblity problems, General Protection Faults (GPF'S), or program errors detected during my evaluation of this software. Suggestions for Improvements: I thought long and hard about an entry for this section but, WhizNotes does all the things it says it does and all the things I have ever wanted it to do - simply and efficiently. One item I feel would add to its already incredible value would be to increase the size of topic/text files it can work with (at present the limit is 32 kilobytes). Another "nice touch that is not really necessary" for a future version (or possibly an add-on) might be a dictionary (for those of us who have a hard time spelling - like me). This would enable you to spell check a WhizNote file without having to export it as a text file and then use an external spell check program. Technical Support ----------------- Technical Support Rating: 9.5 Description: All inquiries made about the program were answered in less than 24 hours (via E-Mail) with comprehensive and helpful responses. Registered users are entitled to free unlimited technical support (via electronic mail) directly from the author (Sanjay Kanade) and limited technical support (via phone) from Advanced Support Group, Inc (see the "What do you get when you register?" section below for details). What do you get when you register? ---------------------------------- You will receive the latest version of WhizNotes on a diskette and a printed brochure pointing out WhizNotes' important features. You are also entitled to purchase subsequent major upgrades of WhizNotes at special discount prices (minor updates are available in a unique way - they are available as small patches included with subsequent shareware versions of WhizNotes. These patches will be automatically applied to your registered version by the Setup program supplied with the shareware version. No longer do you need to call about getting an update. As soon as you download a new shareware version of the program (and run Setup) you get the update. NOTE: I really like this feature!!) You are granted a license for unlimited use of the software, your name will be stamped into WhizNotes' EXE file, and you name will also appear in the programs About box. As a registration bonus, you will receive: an add-on data conversion tool allowing you to export topics in "non-help" Rich Text Format (RTF) for use with your favorite word processor, a file which can fix corrupted WZN (WhizNotes format) files, a utility which can locate hex locations with RTF files (for advanced help file creators), a utility that converts the #define statements in INC files to any other language based on a user-supplied template (also for the advanced help file creator), and a PATCH program that enables you to receive quick bug-fixes directly from the author (via E-Mail). All registration reminders (including those which are embedded in Help files generated by WhizNotes) are disabled. You are entitled to free unlimited technical support via electronic mail directly from the author and limited technical support via phone from Advanced Support Group, Inc (there is no charge for support for the first three months as long as your total connect time does not exceed 30 minutes. Some charges may apply for frequent callers after these time limits). Disclaimer ---------- (DISCLAIMER: This review is provided for information/entertainment purposes only. The author will not be held responsible or liable for any problems which may occur in the use of any of the reviewed software. The author will also not be held responsible if the program reviewed does not operate, in the way stated. With there being so many system configurations - possible confilcts/problems can arise which may prevent the reviewed software from operating in the way indicated. This is not the responsibility of the reviewer.)