SoftBlox SmartTasks for Windows 3.1 --------------------------------------------- The SmartTasks Utility is a Task Manager and, if you so desire, a shell replacement. It provides one-click access to all active applications, all existing groups and applications within, and the most recently run tasks. In addition it supports save/restore of multiple desktop layouts, and a command line with history. It's primary purpose is to provide a fast and efficient means of controlling running tasks, selective launching and desktop customization. It does this in a fast and efficient package with minimal resource consumption. This version is a beta release distributed free of charge for personal use. It should be removed upon commercial release of the product (1/93), on an honor basis. SmartTasks is not freeware and as such should not be distributed by any third parties or included on any shareware disks. The commercial version of SmartTasks includes enhanced customization, network support, extensive hypergraphic online help, a full setup and de-installation facility and several other related utilities. In addition it supports full drag-and-drop server capability to the desktop. It is priced at $30.00 SRP and for a limited time it will be bundled with SmartPad for Windows (another retail product from us providing sophisticated macro recording/playback, full DDE client and server, application-specific floating and embedded toolbars - like SmartIcons, Speedbars and Excel type toolbars but even better - for any existing Windows app or apps you develop, and much more...). We offer very, very attractive volume, redistribution and site license pricing for any of our products. To minimize download time for this distribution, no setup and/or online help is supplied. To install Softblox SmartTasks Utility on your computer, follow these steps: 0. Unzip the downloaded ZIP file. 1. Copy SBTASKMN.EXE to your desired directory. 2. Copy SBICTLW.DLL to a Windows System directory such as c:\windows or c:\windows\system -or- to a directory specified in your PATH. VERY IMPORTANT: This beta release is being distributed without a Setup/Installation procedure. As such there is no version checking for any prior copies of this DLL. Since we have a set of retail products out in the market, as well as freeware packages being distributed, it is important to ensure that you have the latest version of this DLL in your path. All previous apps are upward compatible with this DLL. 3. Install SmartTasks in a Softblox Program Group or in another Program Manager Group of your choice, using the "New..." selection of the "File" Menu Item. -or- alternatively, just run the SmartTasks program from the "Run..." selection of the "File" Menu Item. 4. Once the SmartTasks application is running, you can install it as the default task manager and/or shell by checking the appropriate buttons in the "Options..." dialog. -alternatively- You can modify your SYSTEM.INI file to make SmartTasks your default Task Manager and/or shell. To do so: a. Insert lines in the '[boot]' section as follows: taskman.exe=\...appropriate path...\SBTASKMN.EXE shell=\...appropriate path...\SBTASKMN.EXE The first line, if specified, will make SmartTasks the default taskmanager (invocable by dbl-clk on the desktop or hitting CTRL-ESC). The second line will make SmartTasks the default shell. b. If you have any existing lines with 'taskman.exe=' or 'shell=', precede them with ';' (semi-colon). This will in effect comment them out. If you make any of the above-mentioned changes, please make sure you exit and restart Windows to allow for the changes to take effect. You can 'recycle' Windows by clicking on the "Quick Restart" button within SmartTasks itself. 5. Further information on your system setup and on how to contact us may be obtained from the "About..." box. If you would like to recieve any information on our products and services and/or review copies please don't hesitate to call and/or leave a message for us. ------- Softblox is a firm of intense industry veterans specializing in providing systems and client-server development tools for the Windows and OS/2 environments. Special emphasis is on connectivity issues and high-throughput transaction processing in conjunction with IBM's VM and MVS host environments including SQL/DS and DB2, OS/2 DBM and SQL Server. We provide tools for performance monitoring, active and passive connections using DDE and/or OLE, and DLL libraries providing Remote Procedure Call capabilitites in support of dynamic and static SQL access to remote servers/hosts. Support for all transport protocols including APPC, Decnet, TCP/IP and Netbios. Softblox Incorporated 58 Oakwood Road Huntington, NY 11743 Telephone # Voice (516) 424-8851 Fax (516) 424-0884 CompuServe Acct: 76477,3563