Getting Help for Reminder

About Date Reminder

What is the program all about? Overview of the functionality and purpose of Date Reminder.

Main Screen

Display of the actual events. Event editor and calendar can be accessed from here.

Event Editor

How can events be defined or edited, which actions can be performed due to an event and which preferences can be set?

Calendar

Calendar function of Date Reminder.

Data File Format

Definition of the Date Reminder data file format for import.

Register

How can I become a clear-conscienced user of this software?

Register Form

Print this out for software registration.

Note: Names used in this documentation may be registered trade marks or subject to copyright by other companies. Usage of these names does not imply claims or violation of any of these rights.

Disclaimer of warranty: This software comeswithout any warranty. Especially liability and demands of compensation resulting in data loss, program damages or any other loss based on usage of this program are expressively excluded.

"Date Reminder for Windows" is a copyright 1996 by Claus Vielhauer.


About Date Reminder

Date Reminder for Windows is a reminder tool for Microsoft Windows 3.1 and above, which allows you to be notified of unique, yearly, monthly, weekly or daily events. Each event will be prompted in a main text message window and may optionally be linked to some action (bell, playing of WAV-files or program execution). The content of the text message is freely user-defined.

Maintenance of the event database is supported by an event editor, but also a definition of the Date Reminder datafile format is available in {Data File Format}. Interfaces to other applications may be built using this format.

A never-ending calendar is also included in Date Reminder allowing you to view a complete yearly calendar from the years 0000 to 9999.


Main Screen Help
Main Screen

Displays actual events and date time. Editing screen and calendar can be accessed from here:

All messages which are due at a specific date will be displayed in the central event message display window. Events have titles according to the event category (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and unique). Each category title can be freely defined. In case the total numbers of event text lines exceed the visible section of the display, you can use the scroll-bars at the right to access invisible lines.

If you assigned any sound to one or more of the events, you will hear this sound (either a system-beep or the sound of a WAV-file if your computer has a playing facility), everytime the main screen opens.

Program executions, assigned to a event will be executed after closing of the Data Reminder program.

Use the buttons OK, Edit and Calendar to close Reminder, edit your event database or view the built-in calendar accordingly.


Event Editor Help
Event Editor

Dialog for editing events and program configuration.

The screen consists of six different tabs: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly and Unique events plus one tab for Preferences. The latter allows you to define the header text for each event type. This text will be displayed on top of each section in the central event message display windows of the main screen. Further, it lets you define whether Date Reminder will prompt you before each program execution due to a particular event:

All other tabs have basically the same layout. A list on top shows all stored events for each types, whereas in the lower part the fields for data manipulation are located:

When entering the edit screen, you will only be able to view all events. In order to edit, you will have to either double-click the entry or press the Edit button:

Please remind, that you will have to select the first blank line just below the last entry and then change to edit mode, if you wish to define a complete new event. The field values for Date (actual event date) and Notify (date of first notification) must be entered in the format according to your Windows country settings.


Calender Help
Calendar

Calendar function of Date Reminder. The built-in calendar displays a yearly calendar for a selectable year:


Data File Format Help
Data File Format

This section is only intended for users of Date Reminder for Windows, who whish to built a custom interface from other applications.

For normal usage, there will be no need to bother with this file description, as all data manipulation can be performed with the built-in editor more comfortable than using text editors.

Date Reminder for Windows uses an INI-style text file for storing event data. This file is named 'REMINDER.DAT' and must reside in the Reminder directory. Due to Windows INI-file limitataions, its file size must not exceed 64 kBytes! All lines beginning with a semicolon ";" will be treated as comments and therefore be ignored.

REMINDER.DAT consists of a total of six sections:

[SETTINGS]	Preferences & Registration data

[UNIQUE]	Unique Event data

[YEARLY]	Yearly Event data

[MONTHLY]	Monthly Event data

[WEEKLY]	Weekly Event data

[DAILY]	Daily Event data

Each section may only contain specific entries (see below). The section order should be kept.

Following is a plain description of the contents of these six sections:

[SETTINGS]

The section [Settings] must be followed by eight entries which store general program settings:

[SETTINGS]

prompt_unique=	<Title for unique events in main display>

prompt_yearly=	<Title for yearly events in main display>

prompt_monthly=	<Title for monthly events in main display>

prompt_weekly=	<Title for weekly events in main display>

prompt_daily=	<Title for daily events in main display>

prompt_execution=	{yes|no} -	prompt before program

execution due to an event

registration_name=	<Your registration name> (Registered version only)

registration_key=	<Your registration key> (Registered version only)

[UNIQUE]

The section [Unique] stores all unique event data. Each event reflects one entry line. Entry lines must follow the syntax:

DD/MM/YY|ddd|<displaystring>=[	EXE(<Path>\<filename>)

|	PLAY(<Path>\<filename>)

|	BELL

|	SHOW	]

DD/MM/YY	event date (e.g. 25/12/97)

ddd	number of days to notify before event date. Must be either zero

or a negative integer (e.g. -7 would notify one week in advance)

<path>\<filename>	denotes either a program file to be executed upon the event 	(PLAY) or a WAV-sound file (PLAY) to be played. Option BELL 	will sound the system bell upon occurance of event, whereas 	SHOW will perform no other action than displaying in main 	window.

The following sample will display the message 'Kathie's wedding!' and play the sound file 'C:\WINDOWS\TATAA.WAV' every day between 10. and 17. of May, 1997:

17/05/97|-7|Kathie's wedding!=PLAY(C:\WINDOWS\TATAA.WAV)

[YEARLY]

The section [Yearly] stores all yearly event data. Each event reflects one entry line. Entry lines must follow the syntax:

DD/MM|ddd|<displaystring>=[	EXE(<Path>\<filename>)

|	PLAY(<Path>\<filename>)

|	BELL

|	SHOW	]

DD/MM	day and month of event (e.g. 25/12)

For a description of all other parameters see section [Unique].

The following sample will display the message 'CHRISTMAS!' and execute the Windows game Solitair 'C:\WINDOWS\SOL.EXE' every day between 24. and 26 of each year:

24/12|-2|CHRISTMAS=EXE(C:\WINDOWS\SOL.EXE)

[MONTHLY]

The section [Monthly] stores all monthly event data. Each event reflects one entry line. Entry lines must follow the syntax:

DD|ddd|<displaystring>=[	EXE(<Path>\<filename>)

|	PLAY(<Path>\<filename>)

|	BELL

|	SHOW	]

DD	day of event (e.g. 25)

For a description of all other parameters see section [Unique].

The following sample will display the message 'Pay check' and sound the system bell between the 24. and 25. of each month:

25|-1|Pay check=BELL

[WEEKLY]

The section [Weekly] stores all weekly event data. Each event reflects one entry line. Entry lines must follow the syntax:

D|ddd|<displaystring>=[	EXE(<Path>\<filename>)

|	PLAY(<Path>\<filename>)

|	BELL

|	SHOW	]

D	weekday of event (0=Sunday, .. ,6=Saturday)

For a description of all other parameters see section [Unique].

The following sample will display the message 'Sunday' each Sunday:

0|0|Sunday=SHOW

[DAILY]

The section [Daily] stores all Daily event data. Each event reflects one entry line. Entry lines must follow the syntax:

<displaystring>=[	EXE(<Path>\<filename>)

|	PLAY(<Path>\<filename>)

|	BELL

|	SHOW	]

The following sample will display the message 'Good Morning' and sound the system bell every day during start-up of Date Reminder:

Good Morning=BELL


Register Help
Register

Date Reminder for Windows is Shareware. As other Shareware products, this grants the following rights to you:

-	You may freely evaluate this software for a period up to 30 days. If after the

testing period you decide that this program is usefull and you like to further

work with it, you are required to register your copy.

-	Copies of the unregistered Shareware version of this program may freely be

copied and distributed for evaluation purposes. It may also be enclosed in

commercial shareware libraries as long as exclusively copying fees arise with

this distribution only do not exceed the value of 10 US$. No persons or

institutions other than the author are in the legal position to register this

product.

-	The shareware version of this software is fully functional. The only limitation is

a reminder window, opened everytime the event editor is accessed.

PLEASE BE FAIR AND REGISTER SHAREWARE!

How to register:

For registration, you will be asked to provide your personal registration identification along with the registration fee to the author. In return, you will receive your personalised registration key. Once you have both at hands, you simply choose the function "Register" in "Help" menu. You will be prompted both values and after entering, the program will work without any further limitation and show you personal registration ID in "About".

Your registration key will be valid for all future updates of this program. Simply obtain the updated Shareware version and register according to these instructions.

PLEASE DO NOT FURTHER DISTRIBUTE NEITHER YOUR PERSONALISED COPY NOR YOUR PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION!

Last not least - how can I forward my contribution to the author and obtain my personal key?

Registration fee is DM 15.00 per license. Discounts apply for registrations of 5 and more licences at a time and for educational purposes. Please contact the author.

Europe residents:

Please send the completed order form along with either money order or check (EuroCheque) of the value of the registration fee (DM 15.00, please only Deutsche Mark currency as bank charges for currency conversions easliy exceed the value of registration fee) to the author:

Claus Vielhauer

Pankratiusstraße 7

D-64289 Darmstadt

Germany

You could also send the equal value amount cash in your local currency (e.g. FF 50 or GBP 5), but this does not appear to be safest way to transfer money.

Sorry - I'm still looking for an efficient way for on-line registration. Any proposals will be appreciated.

Non-European residents:

In this ever-shrinking world, it still seems to be a problem to convert money from one currency in another, at least for small amounts. Still, I am looking for an economic way allow perform world-wide registration easily - but it appears that we will have to wait for cyber-cash.

Only three possibilities allow a money transfer without having fees that exceed the registration value:

-	Any check made payable in Deutsche Mark. This certainly only possible for

European residents (EuroCheque)

-	Any check (preferably Traveller cheques) made payable in US$

-	Cash in any currency equal to the value of DM 15. This cannot be

recommended due to a lack of security, but seems to work quite well...

If you don't see a way to transfer the fee by either of those means, you are encouraged to use the unregistered version until I can find a way for a registration in your country. Anyhow, a short notice in this case will be highly appreciated!

Please send the completed order form along with registration fee (equal to DM 15) to the author:

Claus Vielhauer

Pankratiusstraße 7

D-64289 Darmstadt

Germany

Any hint on a efficient way for on-line registration will be appreciated.


Register Form

Please send completed registration form to the author:

Claus Vielhauer

Pankratiusstrasse 7

D-64289 Darmstadt

Germany

Internet e-mail: JanaClaus@aol.com

I would like to order the following registration licenses for the program

Date Reminder for Windows version 1.1

at a price of DM 15,- each.

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| no. licenses | preferred reg. ID (6 to 10 chars)| amount |

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My address:

_________________________________________(Name)

_________________________________________(Street)

_________________________________________(City)

_________________________________________(ZIP / State)

_________________________________________(Country)

_________________________________________(e-mail address)

_________________________________________(fax number)

I have encluded the overall registration fee amount of DM          by

O	cheque

O	separate money order no. ___________________

O	cash

O	sorry, couldn't forward contribution. Please

contact me as soon as additional means of

payment are available

I discovered the Date Reminder for Windows by

O	surfing on the net

O	library of online provider _____________________

O	Shareware collection CD title __________________

O	Other

________________________                __________________

Signature                               Place & Date

Your personal registration key and software license will be forwarded to you immediately after reception of this form by the fastest mean (preferably e-mail or fax, if n/a first class mail).