TOOLKIT for ECCO version 2.4
by Walter E. Heindl

TOOLKIT for ECCO consists of the following three useful add-ins for ECCO:

LAUNCHER

ECCO Professional permits files (programs and documents) to be added as 
items, and will launch those files.  However, ECCO requires that the file 
name and path name both appear in the item text - thus still confining the 
user to cryptic DOS 8+3 filenames and pathnames.  While it is possible to 
add a column to show a description, there has to be a better way.

Now there is!  LAUNCHER permits the name of the file to be placed in a 
column titled "File," and will launch that file when it is run.  Now the 
item text can be used for a true file description!

If no file is specified in the File column, LAUNCHER prompts the user to
select a file from a dialog box, and then saves that file in the File
column.

The REGISTERED version of LAUNCHER has two additional features.  First, if 
you omit the full path name, LAUNCHER will look in the WIN.INI file in a 
section titled [Ecco Launcher] for the extension of the file, to find a 
default location.  Second, the registered version of LAUNCHER will launch 
a default application if none is associated with the document.

CLIPFORM

ECCO Professional permits names and addresses to be copied to the clipboard,
to be pasted into other Windows applications.  However, the contents (e.g. 
which columns to include) and format are limited.  The ECCO Shooter copies 
selected items or columns to other Windows applications, but copies the item
only, and not columnar data associated with the item.

CLIPFORM overcomes these limitations by copying data fields YOU choose to 
the clipboard, in the format YOU specify.  It does this by following a 
template file which you create.  CLIPFORM optionally saves its output to
a file you specify.

EDITNOTE

ECCO permits notes to be made for selected items in a text column; e.g. 
Notes.  However, displaying extensive notes in a column view is impossible.  
ECCO will only display text fields as a single line unless the field 
contains embedded CTRL-ENTER characters.  Also, the amount of text that can 
be displayed in a line is limited.

EDITNOTE overcomes this limitation by displaying the currently selected item, 
and any text in a column called Notes, on a familiar 3x5 card form.  
Moreover, the text of notes may be edited, and new notes may be added.

INSTALLATION

To install, copy all the files to your ECCO directory, or any other directory.
The file TOOLKIT.WRI contains instructions for use, and shows how to add these
utilities to your ECCO toolbar.

TOOLKIT requires ECCO version 2.0d or later.  In addition, VBRUN300.DLL
must be present in your Windows or System directory.

REVISION HISTORY

Version 2.4 - February 14, 1995
- LAUNCHER now prompts the user to select a file, if none is specified
  in the Files column.

Version 2.3 - January 9, 1995
- CLIPFORM now optionally saves the output to a text file.
- CLIPFORM will now look for a column value for the parent item, if
  the item does not have a value for the column.  This is useful
  where column information for the parent item (e.g. a company's
  address) is also applicable to sub-items (e.g. employees of that
  company).

Version 2.2 - December 4, 1994
- LAUNCHER added.

Version 2.1 - November 20, 1994
- CLIPFORM now recognizes and handles more common errors.

Version 2.0 - November 15, 1994
- CLIPFORM will now parse date and time fields according to a
  user-specified format.
- CLIPFORM now displays its progress; useful when processing
  multiple items.
- CLIPFORM's speed has been enhanced (up to 100%) when
  processing multiple items.
- EDITNOTE now looks for an .EDN file which contains the name
  of the folder to view.  This makes possible using folders
  other than Notes on the ECCO Toolbar.  (Registered version
  only)

Version 1.1 - November 6, 1994
- EDITNOTE will now take the name of a folder (other than Notes)
  on the command line.  If no command line is specified, Notes
  is used as the default.
- CLIPFORM has been enhanced to more intelligently parse full names
  where only some items are in Last Name, First Name format.

Version 1.0 - October 25, 1994
Initial release

Please report any comments, bugs, etc.:
on America Online:  WaltLawyer
on CompuServe:      73537,1242
via Internet:       WaltLawyer@AOL.COM

LICENSE/DISCLAIMER

This software is offered "as is," without any warranty, express or implied.
This software is licensed for use on a single computer by a single 
concurrent user, or by a single user on all computers owned or principally
used by the user.  ECCO is a registered trademark of Arabesque Software, Inc.