README.TXT PAFco (c) 1994 Chris Miksanek. Information for unregistered users of PAFco. Welcome to PAFco, the first PAF add-on utility which allows you to link photos to your individual and marriage records. PAFco also gives you the power to create reports you could never generate before. PAFco is shareware. If you like it, and use it, please register. Registration is painless. Send $20 to: Chris Miksanek 190 Oakland Grove Elmhurst, Illinois 60126 I will send you the latest version of PAFco, a jumbo user's guide, and a sample PAF database and photo repository. You'll also get one free upgrade. Installation ------------ To "install" PAFco, simply copy all of the files into your existing PAF directory. PAFco and its associated files (including any photos), must reside in the same directory as your PAF/Family Records database files and *YOU MUST EXECUTE PAFco FROM WITHIN THAT DIRECTORY*. Using PAFco ----------- This is a full-functioning version of PAFco. It's quite easy to use, even without the registered user's jumbo user's guide. Simply type "PAFCO" from within your PAF directory. Once launched, the main menu has the following options: RIN - RIN report sub-menu MRIN - MRIN report sub-menu NOTE - NOTE utilities LOG/NOLOG - Create a hardcopy log of your session WAIT/NOWAIT - Pause the display when the screen is full or autoscroll. Photo - Displays the RINs and MRINs with associated photos. EXPORT - Export RIN/MRIN data. RIN/MRIN Sub-menus. RIN and MRIN have similar submenus which let you view an individual RIN or MRIN (just specify the RIN/MRIN number), view all ("ALL"), or filter the list by name (NAMEF), date (DATEF), or place (PLACEF). If you filter by name, for example, a popup will ask you to specify a name or part of a name. You might, for example, specify SMITH to have a report of all Smiths in your database. Likewise, if you specify DATEF (short for Date Filter, by the way), you can specify JAN for a list of those in you database born (RIN) or married (MRIN) in January. PLACEF will report on those RINs or MRINs born or married (respectively) in the place you specify on the popup prompt. FILTER LISTS ARE VERY POWERFUL! NOTE Sub-menu. The note submenu allows you to specify a RIN number, "ALL," or a "FIND STRING." Find string is unique in that it will search all notes for the specified string. You might ask, for example, "who *WAS* it who was in the Marines," and rather than look through your RIN notes one by one simply invoke a find for "MARINE" and the note(s) which contain that string will be displayed. Photo Quick Start ----------------- Version 1.0 of PAFco allows you to link GIF photos to your PAF/Family Records database. To do this, name your photo either RIN# or MRIN# where "#" is the RIN or MRIN of the associated photo. For example, if you have a photo of grandma Betty who is RIN #117 then name her GIF photo RIN117.GIF. If you have a great old wedding photo of your great-grandparents and their MRIN is #42 then name their GIF photo MRIN42.GIF. It's that simple. When you display either the RIN or MRIN record summary in PAFco the associated photo (if any) will display as well. Press ESC to exit from the photo display. The next version of PAFco will introduce more powerful photo features including the ability to link different photo types. Export Jump Start ----------------- The EXPORT submenu is quite obvious. Type RIN or MRIN to export your RIN or MRIN data. You should have your log enabled to capture your data. You'll note that some of it is truncated on the display. This is OK, it's the log you care about when exporting. Take your exported data and copy it into a spreadsheet or database (refer to your spreadsheet or database user's guides for more info), from there, your imagination's the limit as to what you can do. Chart the average age of your ancestor's in the spreadsheet, for example. The Parameter File ------------------ A few of the parameters for running PAFco can be tailored to your needs. Refer to the documentation in the PAFCO.PRM file for more information. NOTE: if you edit the file to change it, it must be saved as an ASCII text file. What's Ahead ------------ Well, I hope you'll tell me. What would you like to see in the next version of PAFco? If user response is encouraging (it's been for the Macintosh version of this program, by the way), there'll be a significant upgrade with version 2.0 (free for registered users). Version 2.0 will include full export ability, the ability to maintain additional photo formats (BMP, etc...), and a host of other goodies. Are you a Windows users? Would you like a Windows version? Are you a DOS user? Do you apperciate that people are still developing DOS software? Are you an OS/2 user? Would you like to see an OS/2 version? Talk to me. That's it for now. Thanks for trying PAFco. Please share unregistered copies with your friends, associates, user group, and local BSS. (c) 1994 Chris Miksanek * 190 Oakland Grove * Elmhurst, Illinois 60126 INTERNET ID: chrismik@aol.com /*