Table of Contents

Using Handy Clock

Author's Note


Using Handy Clock
Handy Clock Menu

The Handy Clock menu is pulled up through the Control Menu (the small gray square on the upper left-hand corner of the Handy Clock window).  Through this menu, you can access the functions of Handy Clock.  Specifically, you can set the appearance of Handy Clock, set it's alarm settings, and set the system date and time.

Below is an illustration of the way Handy Clock would normally look.  You can click on the area of the window you wish to inquire on.

Below is the menu of Handy Clock.  This pops up when the mouse cursor is clicked on the Control Menu (the small gray square on the upper left-hand corner).  Using the mouse, you can click on the area of the window you wish to inquire on.


Moving Handy Clock
Move

Clicking this option changes the mouse cursor into a four-directional cursor, and you can move the Handy Clock window by clicking on the caption (where the date and day-of-week is displayed) of the window and then dragging the window to the desired location.

NOTE:

The Handy Clock window cannot be moved if the caption is not visible.  This situation arises when the Handy Clock window is double-clicked to turn it into a plain bordered window; however, the caption can again be restored by similarly double-clicking anywhere on the window area.


Resizing Handy Clock
Size

Handy  Clock can be resized like any normal Windows application.  (For more information on how to resize a window, please consult your Microsoft Windows User Manual.)


Closing the Application
Close

Selecting this option terminates Handy Clock.  You may also press down the Alt key and then press F4 while Handy Clock has the focus.  (For more information regarding how to give a window the focus, please consult your Microsoft Windows User Manual.)


Switching to another task
Switch To

This option may also be activated by pressing the Escape (Esc) key while holding down the Control (Ctrl) key.

This option, among other options,  opens up a window that allows you to switch to a different application that is running at the time.  (For more information on how to use the Switch To window, please consult your Microsoft Windows User Manual.)


Preferences menu option
Preferences

This selection comes up with two submenu selections -- Date Format, and Other Options.  Click the appropriate item you wish to inquire about:


Help, menu option
Help

This option provides help on how to use Handy Clock and Windows 3.1's Help system.


Control Menu/System Menu
The Control Menu is the gray square on the upper left-hand corner of Handy Clock's window.  Clicking on this square once will display the Handy Clock Menu.


Caption
The caption is the top horizontal rectangle of Handy Clock's window.  This area is where the date and day of the week will be displayed, if opted.

If you opted for no date and no day of the week to be displayed (see Date Format under Preferences), the phrase "Handy Clock" will be displayed instead.

The Caption area may be made to disappear in one of two ways.

1)	By double-clicking any part of the Handy Clock window;

2)	By checking the "Plain Window" option in the Other Options dialog box.


Window border
The thick line surrounding the Handy Clock window is called the border, and it allows the resizing of the window.  For more information on resizing a window, please consult your Microsoft Windows User Manual.


Window Area, Hours
This area of the Handy Clock window denotes the hours of the current system time.  It may reflect either a standard or military time format.


Window Area, Minutes
This area of the Handy Clock window denotes the minutes of the current system time.


Window Area, Seconds
This area of the Handy Clock window denotes the seconds of the current system time.


Window Area, Seconds Indicator
A colon (:) would intermittently appear in this area, toggling on and off, with each phase indicating the passage of one second.  However, this toggling may be disabled by unchecking the "Blinking Colons" option in the Other Options dialog box.


Time of Day (AM/PM)
This area denotes whether the time displayed is in the AM or PM.  This applies only to standard time (as opposed to military time).


Date Format Dialog Box
Date Format

The Date Format dialog box is used to customize the way the date and the day of the week (all of which are optional) would look like at Handy Clock's caption area.  (Note, however, that the caption can be made to disappear by double-clicking the mouse cursor anywhere within the boundaries of Handy Clock's window, or by checking the "Plain Window" option in the Other Options dialog box.)

The Date Format dialog box is shown below.  You may use the mouse to click on the areas you wish to inquire on:


Month Display Format
This box contains the various available formats by which the month may be displayed.  The month, if opted,  is displayed on the caption of Handy Clock's window.  (See Handy Clock Menu)


This format displays the month in numerical format without any leading zero for single-digit month numbers.


This format displays the month in numerical format, providing for a leading zero (0) for single-digit month numbers.


This format displays the month using it's first three letters with the first letter capitalized.


This format displays the month using it's full alphabetic name with the first letter capitalized.


This format displays the month using its first three letters, all capitalized.


This format displays the month using it's full alphabetic name, all capitalized.


Choose this option if you do not wish the month to show at all.


This box contains the various available formats by which the day of the month may be displayed.

The day of the month, if opted, is displayed on the caption of Handy Clock's window.  (See Handy Clock Menu)


This format displays the day of the month in numerical format without any leading zero for single-digit day numbers.


This format displays the day of the month in numerical format, providing for a leading zero (0) for single-digit day-of-month numbers.


Choose this option if you do not wish the day of the month to show at all.


This box contains the various available formats by which the year may be displayed.  The year, if opted, is displayed on the caption of Handy Clock's window.  (See Handy Clock Menu)


This format simply displays the last two digits of the year.


This format displays the full four digits of the year.


Choose this option if you do not wish the day of the year to show at all.


This box contains the various available formats by which the day of the week may be displayed.  The day of the week, if opted, is displayed on the caption of Handy Clock's window.  (See Handy Clock Menu)


This format displays the first letter of the day of the week.  In cases where a day of the week may have the same first letter with another, the second letter will also be included.  For example, since Saturday and Sunday both begin with the letter 'S', to avoid ambiguity, they would then be represented as 'Sa' and 'Su', respectively.  Similarly, Tuesday and Thursday would be represented as 'Tu' and 'Th, respectively.


This format displays the day of the week using it's first three letters with the first letter capitalized.


This format displays the day of the week using it's full alphabetic name with the first letter capitalized.


This format displays the day of the week using its first three letters, all capitalized.


This format displays the day of the week using it's full alphabetic name, all capitalized.


Choose this option if you do not wish the day of the week to show at all.


This box contains the various available orders by which the month, day, year, and day of the week may be displayed.  The order that is selected will be reflected on the caption of Handy Clock's window.  (See Handy Clock Menu)


This order will display the month, the day of the month, and then the year.


This order will display the day of the month, the month, and then the year.


This order will display the year, the month, and then the day of the month.


This order will display the year, the day of the month, and then the month.


This order will display the month, the year, and then the day of the month.


This order will display the day of the month, the year, and then the month.


Date Delimiters
Delimiters

Delimiters are symbol(s) utilized to separate the components of a date and day of the week.  In Handy Clock, delimiters are used after the month component, after the day-of-the-month component, after the year component, and after the day-of-the week component.

Each delimiter can be up to three characters in length.  That means that between the month and the day of the month, one can have any combination of characters that one could prefer, to separate the two components.

Since delimiters are appended after a date component, it must be borne in mind that altering the date order (see Date Format Dialog Box) will also change the position of where the delimiters will be displayed.  In other words, the delimiters will follow their respective component so that if the date order of YMD were selected, the year delimiter would be expected to appear between the year and the month date components.


Month Delimiter

Whatever is contained inside this field will be appended after the month format selected.  This field can be up to three characters long.

The only symbol that is reserved by Handy Clock is the tilde (~).


Day Delimiter

Whatever is contained inside this field will be appended after the day format.  This field can be up to three characters long.

The only symbol that is reserved by Handy Clock is the tilde (~).


Year Delimiter

Whatever is contained inside this field will be appended after the year format selected.  This field can be up to three characters long.

The only symbol that is reserved by Handy Clock is the tilde (~).


Day of the Week Delimiter

Whatever is contained inside this field will be appended after the Day-of-the-Week format selected.  This field can be up to three characters long.

The only symbol that is reserved by Handy Clock is the tilde (~).


This button accepts all selections made in this dialog box and will put them into effect immediately.


Pressing this button cancels any changes in the options in the dialog box that might have been made.


This button provides context-sensitive help for this dialog box.


Author's Note
Author's Candid Note

For purposes of practicing how to design an application in Windows, I deliberately went through the pains of creating online context-sensitive help, something seemingly superfluous (due to the simplicity of this application).  Rest assured, any overkill in the online help was simply to reinforce in me the habit of being thorough and not to disparage the user's intuitive ability.

If this application could only provide some utility for its users, or at the very least, make using Windows more fun, then my purpose for releasing this program would've been fulfilled.

I chose not to classify this software as shareware.  Instead, it is public domain (free for everybody).  However, the author would not try to dissuade you from sending a paltry donation of $10 as a token of encouragement.  If you do donate, you will be the first remembered to be sent new releases in the future, not to mention you will be considered by the author as a friend <grin>.

Should anyone wish to send me feedback for any reason whatsoever, I may be reached at my Compuserve ID 72750,3336, or mail correspondences may be sent to the address listed below.

Thank you.

Cordially yours,

David Onglatco

4067 Hardwick Street Suite#122

Lakewood, CA  90712


Other Options Dialog Box

The Other Options dialog box provides various miscellaneous options that affect Handy Clock's appearance, behaviour, and functionality.

Use the mouse to click on the area you wish to obtain help on.


Behaviour of Handy Clock
Dynamic

The dynamic aspects of Handy Clock refers to it's behaviour and mutable appearance on the Windows desktop.


Time Modes; Modes, Time
Time Modes

The Time Modes are standard time and military time.


Clock Styles

Handy Clock can display four different styles of digits, i.e., Normal, Elegant, Shadowed, and Wacky.


Always On Top option
Always On Top

When this option is checked, Handy Clock and all alarms reminder windows (see Alarm Settings dialog box will always try to remain visible on top of any other windows that may already be running on the Windows desktop.


Shy From Mouse option
Shy From Mouse

Checking this option causes Handy Clock to move to a different location on the display screen upon contact with the mouse cursor.  The rationale behind this is to allow Handy Clock to float on the desktop without getting too much in the way.

Upon contact with the mouse, the Handy Clock window will proceed to rotate around the corners of the desktop (display window) in a 'clock'-wise fashion.

Since the Handy Clock window will shy away from the mouse cursor when this option is checked, to access Handy Clock's Control Menu, simply move the mouse cursor towards Handy Clock while depressing the Shift key.

Handy Clock works best when it's window is sized to be small enough to fit in a small corner with the "Shy From Mouse" and "Always On Top" options checked, using the Normal or Shadowed style.


Blinking Colons Option
Blinking Colons

When this option is checked, the colons in between the time elements (i.e., hours, minutes, seconds) will blink in one second intervals.


Plain Window Option
Plain Window

When this option is checked, the caption (see Handy Clock Menu) of Handy Clock's window will disappear, and the date and day of the week (whichever is applicable) will no longer be shown.

This effect can also be brought about by double-clicking any part of Handy Clock's window except the Control Menu (the gray box on the upper left-hand corner of Handy Clock's window).


No Seconds Option
No Seconds

When this option is checked, only the hours and minutes will be displayed in the time display area.


Shadowed Style
Shadowed

The Shadowed style is shown below.  This style is usable no matter what size the Handy Clock window is set at.

See also Normal, Elegant, and Wacky.


Normal Style
Normal

The Normal style is shown below.  This style is usable no matter what size the Handy Clock window is set at.

See also Elegant, Shadowed, and Wacky.


Elegant Style
Elegant

The Elegant style is shown below.  This style is best used if Handy Clock's window is resized to a bigger size, the bigger the better.

See also Normal, Shadowed, and Wacky.


Wacky Style
Wacky

The Wacky style is shown below.  This style is best used if Handy Clock's window is resized to a bigger size, the bigger the better.

See also Normal, Elegant, and Shadowed.


This button is pressed when selection of the different options has been completed.


Pressing this button cancels any changes in the options in the dialog box that might have been made.


This button provides context-sensitive help for this dialog box.


Military Time
This option tells Handy Clock to display the time in military time format.


Standard Time
This option tells Handy Clock to display the time in standard time format.


Set Date/Time Dialog Box

Setting the time through this dialog box will change the system date.

NOTE:

Upon pulling up this dialog box, Handy Clock will fill up the input fields with the system time at the time.  If you were to click the OK button without having modified any of the fields, Handy Clock could set the system time to whatever settings are in the fields, thereby setting the time back.  For example, if the dialog box were displayed at exactly 1:00AM, the time-related fields of input in the dialog box will reflect this time.  Should you click the OK button at 1:01AM, the system date would be set back to 1:00AM because that was what was in the time-related input fields.  Therefore, click the Cancel button instead, or simply press the <Enter> key should you decide not to change the time.

The Set Date/Time Dialog Box is shown below:


This box contains the components necessary to change the system time, i.e., the hour, minutes, seconds., and AM/PM.  The time components entered here should be expressed in standard time format (as opposed to military time format).


This is the field of input for the hours.  Allowable values of input are from 1 thru 12.


This is the field of input for the minutes.  Allowable values of input are from 0 thru 59.


This is the field of input for the seconds.  Allowable values of input are from 0 thru 59.


This field must either be AM or PM only


This box contains the components necessary to change the system date, i.e., the month, day, and year.


This is the field of input for the month.  Allowable values of input are from 1 thru 12.


This is the field of input for the day.  Allowable values of input are dependent on the month entered.  If the month entered were February, and the day entered were 29, such input would be valid if the year inputted were a leap year.  If not, Handy Clock will automatically go forward one day (i.e., to March 1st).


This is the field of input for the year.  Allowable values of input are from 1980 thru 9999, inclusive.


Pressing this button accepts all the date and time values in their respective fields of input.


Pressing this button ignores all date and time values that may have been entered.


This button provides context sensitive help for this dialog box.


Save Settings

There are two ways to save the settings of Handy Clock:

1)	By choosing this option in Handy Clock's menu;

2)	By pressing CTRL-S (Control-S) while Handy Clock has the focus.  The simplest way to give a window the focus is by clicking the mouse one time while the mouse cursor is within the window area.  (For further information about how to give a window the focus, please refer to your Windows User Manual.)

The following aspects of Handy Clock are saved when this option is chosen:

1)	The size of Handy Clock's window and it's position on the screen;

2)	ALL items in dialog boxes (e.g. Date Format dialog box, Other Options, Alarm Settings) except the contents of the Set Date/Time dialog box.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

When the "Shy From Mouse" option is checked (in the Other Options dialog box), Handy Clock will try to stay out of the mouse cursor's way.  Hence, in order to be able to save the abovementioned aspects, one must hold down the SHIFT key while moving the mouse towards Handy Clock's window, and Handy Clock will not move to a different screen location.


Alarm Settings

I have seen quite a few clock and alarm programs, but the lack of one feature has always frustrated me.  Somehow, when an alarm setting has been set for a particular day, and if I didn't use my computer on that day, the alarm would not sound anymore the day after.  In the other case, it would sound the very first day past the date of the alarm setting, and it would do so only once.

The latter is acceptable, but I often have reminders/alarms that require advanced notice.  For example, I like being reminded of birthdays about a week ahead, thereby giving me time to buy a present and/or a card.  It is very possible that I'd be too busy to do what I'm being reminded of on the day the alarm goes off, and I'd forget very soon after that.

Because of my fallible memory, I decided to write my own alarm/reminder program that would solve both of the above problems.  Handy Clock's alarms will sound off its alarms anytime past the date of the alarm setting until you advertently set it off and save the settings.

With Handy Clock, the alarm is sounded by a beep and a small reminder window that looks like this:  (You may use the mouse to click on areas you wish to inquire on.)

Once the above window comes up, you will have the following options:

First, double-clicking the window anywhere within its boundaries will make the window disappear and will automatically turn that particular alarm's setting to off.  (You can verify this by pulling up the Alarm Settings dialog box shown below)  It is, however, not permanent until you save the settings.  Hence, if you desire a particular reminder to pop up again the next time Handy Clock is run, simply double-click the window to rid it off the desktop, but do not save the settings.

Secondly, should you wish the alarm not to sound off anymore (at least until you turn it on again), you must save the settings right after double-clicking the reminder window.  This brings a very important point to make.

Should there be more than one reminder window showing, make sure you double-click the alarms you want to disable permanently first and then save the settings right away.  This way, the remaining reminder windows (the ones you wish to still show up again the next time Handy Clock is ran) can then be double-clicked to disable them for the session, but just don't save the settings.  (Of course you may leave them floating on your desktop indefinitely if you wish.  And if the "Always On Top" option were checked in the Other Options Dialog Box, these reminders will always attempt to remain on top, just like Handy Clock.)

The Alarm Settings dialog box is shown below.  Use the mouse to click on the area you wish to inquire on:


This is an example of an alarm setting that has been selected, and you can tell by the highlight on the text "Alarm 01".  All the settings to the right (e.g. month, day, year, hours, minutes, message, etc.) pertain to this selected setting.


These are the various alarm settings that may be selected.  Once an alarm selection is made, all the information displayed in this dialog box will pertain to the selected alarm setting (e.g. month day, year, hours, minutes, message, etc.).


These are the On/Off switches to enable or disable a particular alarm setting.  When an alarm is disabled (set to Off), you will not be able to modify all the input boxes on the right.  Hence, before attempting to modify any of the alarm settings, switch it to On first.


This is the input field for the month.  Allowable values of input are from 1 thru 12.


This is the input field for the day.  Allowable values of input are dependent on the month entered.  Valid values are from 1 thru 31.


This is the input field for the year.  Allowable values of input are from 1980 thru 9999, inclusive.


This is the input field for the hours.  Allowable values of input are from 1 thru 12.


This is the input field for the minutes.  Allowable values of input are from 0 thru 59.


This determines if the time entered is AM or PM.


This is the input field for the message that will be displayed when the alarm setting is sounded.


Pressing this button accepts all the values in this dialog box.


Pressing this button ignores all changes that may have been made in this dialog box.


This button provides context sensitive help for this dialog box.


Smile!!!


This scroll bar is used to scroll through the various available alarm numbers that may be set.


This shows you the Alarm number that has sounded off this alarm.  There are 50 alarms that you can set.


This is the date setting that you have entered in the Alarm Settings dialog box (see below).


This is the time setting that you have entered in the Alarm Settings dialog box (see below).


This is the message string that you have entered in the Alarm Settings dialog box (see below).


Help Menu

The following is the help menu.  Click the mouse on the option you wish to inquire on:


This option will bring you to Handy Clock's Table of Contents.


This option will give you help on how to use the Help application (i.e., how to find your way around Help).


This option gives you some miscellaneous information from the author about Handy Clock.