Program: WAOL-Minimize Version: 2.20 Date: 2/1/95 Author: Michael Krane The information below is ALL in the waol-min.hlp file. This program is meant to serve two purposes only; The main thing is that it adds the ability to minimize WAOL during File Transfers; That is why I wrote this. The other item is an AOL Timer to track online time and costs. I had many, many requests for one so I added it. If you like to be able to use your computer while doing file transfers and/or want an AOL Timer then this program is for you. NOTE: This is intended to work with America Online Windows Software Version 2.xx. If you have an older version it may work, but I suggest you upgrade your WAOL software to version 2. Also: This program needs the file vbrun300.dll. (Usually it should be in your Windows System Directory or in your path.) It does not come with this program because most people will already have it and it takes too long to download. If you don't have it, you will need to download it to use this program and the many other Visual Basic Programs that are available. Installation: Put the file waol-min.exe in your WAOL directory or any other directory you want. If you want the help file handy for reference then put waol-min.hlp in the same directory. That's it! (If you want to save disk space then you can delete the help file if you don't need it.) (Note: There are some people having trouble with WAOL starting due to incorrect WAOL installations, (a line incorrect in win.ini). If you have trouble getting WAOL started, then put WAOL-min files in your WAOL directory and it will work properly anyway.) To uninstall, just delete those files. Program Overview: This program is meant to serve two purposes only; The main thing is that it adds the ability to minimize WAOL during File Transfers. If you like to be able to use your computer while doing file transfers, then this program is for you. I do a lot of file uploads or downloads on AOL. The makers of the WAOL Software decided not to let people minimize WAOL during file transfers; (The reason is probably due to low system resources and to minimize the impact of other programs during file transfers.) However, if you don't do disk intensive tasks in other programs while downloading from WAOL, you should be able to allow file transfers to occur in the backround while you still use your computer. That's why I wrote this program. The other item is an AOL Timer to track online time and costs. I had many, many requests for one so I added it. Remember: The timer in this program is just aproximate times; Check your WAOL official time online through AOL. Some Features of this program: Launch WAOL automatically when started. Will allow easy Minimizing and Restoring of WAOL, even during file transfers when the WAOL software normally won't allow it. Will automatically exit WAOL and Waol-min at same time. Timer tracks online time, monthly costs for current month and past 12 Months, automatically stops, starts, saves, and lets you set your specific settings. Some Options that can be set in registered version include: AutoMatic Billing Cycle Tracking AutoMatic Sign-On at Start-Up AutoMatic Closing after unattended sign-off. AutoMatic Timer Stop at Start-Up. Billing Rate, Free Time, Monthly Fee. Position of Display. Many Other little things. (You need the registered version to do things that require writing to the waol.ini file such as: Tracking monthly costs, saving any settings, position, options, AutoSignOn, AutoExit, etc...) Using the Program: Just run waol-min.exe instead of the normal waol.exe to start America Online. Waol-min will automatically find and run America Online. Waol-Min will start up near the top-left of your screen and stay on top so you can always see it. Waol-min has just 3 buttons, "U" for UP, "D" for Down, and the Timer display. (You can also start WAOL-min after WAOL is already running if desired.) Click anywhere on the running Waol-min display, then hit F1 key to bring up the help file reference. Buttons: Left Click "D" to bring Down (minimize) WAOL. Left Click "U" to bring UP (restore) WAOL if minimized. Note: When using the WAOL-Min "D" Button to minimize WAOL, you MUST restore WAOL by clicking the "U" button. (The minimized WAOL icon will not respond to insure compatibility.) Right Click "U" to move the Waol-min buttons. To Move: Grab and drag the title bar to new location. Then Right Click "U" again to hide title bar again. (Position will be saved on exit in Registered version) Right Click "D" to exit WAOL (Waol-min will exit automatically) Right Click "D" while holding Ctrl Key to exit just Waol-min. Left Click Timer Display to Stop (or Start) Timer (When Timer is stopped, an S will be next to the display to indicate Stopped.) Right Click Timer Display to Show All Timer Functions and Set Options. Timer Section: The Timer display shows the approximate number of minutes that you have been on AOL during this current session. The Timer will automatically start up about 1 minute after starting WAOL software and should automatically stop within 3 minutes of signing off of AOL. (It only checks if signed off every 3 minutes to not impact the rest of your computer system as it is a fairly long process.) Left Click the Timer display to Stop or Re-Start the Timer. You will want to manually stop the timer when going to a free area, working offline with mail, etc.. so it doesn't count that time you are not being charged for. There will be an S next to Timer display to indicate it is stopped. Click again to restart Timer after leaving a free area. Right Click the Timer Display to Show Monthly Billing and Set Options Note: You need the registered version to track monthly costs and set options. In the shareware version it will always show the default values for costs, times, etc... (Writing of waol-min.ini is disabled in shareware version, Sorry.) Reset Time for This Session but Save Time So Far This adds the current session time showing on the Timer to the monthly time and saves it to the waol-min.ini and then resets the Timer Display for this session to zero . Reset Time for This Session but Do NOT Save Time This resets the Timer display to zero. The previously saved monthly time is unchanged. Reset Monthly Time to Zero Resets monthly time to zero and writes it to the waol-min.ini; Current Timer is not affected. Do this if you want to reset the current month's time. Adjust Monthly Time to Match WAOL Official Time This Timer is just approximate times as it doesn't automatically track free area time, etc.. Depending on how you use WAOL, it can become inaccurate after a while. Use this feature to correct the previous monthly time in the waol-min.ini file. Check your billing information on WAOL and then adjust your minutes used here. Time for This Session: is same as main Timer display. Monthly Time Prior To This Session: is from waol.ini file saved earlier. Monthly Time Including This Session: is Both above added together. Current Monthly Bill: is derived from the rate,free time, monthly charge, and monthly time including this session. Click to see detail breakdown. Set WAOL-min Options: Click to go to the Options Set-Up Screen Show Past Bills: Shows Previous 12 Months Bills. Close This Window is how you close the Timer Window. About is how you register and contact me. Options Set-Up Screen Set Rate, Time, or Monthly Charge: Set your personal billing information: Hourly Rate, Free minutes, and Basic Monthly Charge so the Timer can figure your costs accurately. Set Start of Billing Cycle so WAOL-min will automatically prompt you, reset, and save monthly costs according to your Billing Cycle. Option Buttons: Set Each the Way you Want Them. Future Start Timer Off or On: If you don't usually sign on right away, then you may want the Timer to start turned Off. Then just manually start it when ready to sign on. AutoClose: AutoClose when goodbye is detected means that after signing off from AOL, if WAOL-min finds the GoodBye Window on WAOL it will automatically close, save times, and exit both programs. (This is good to use if you frequently do unattended downloads and select sign off when finished.) (Note: This is a Timer Function and will only work when the Timer is running as it would be when doing downloads; If the Timer is stopped, this will not work.) WAOL AutoSignOn: AutoSignOn should automatically click the Sign-On buuton of WAOL when you first start it. (This is good to use if you usually sign on as soon as you start the program.) Close this Window: Saves the Settings that were changed and closes the Option Set-Up Window. Future releases: There is really nothing PLANNED at this time, I may add more things later if I feel it will improve it, but other than any bug fixes that may come up, nothing is planned. There are many other programs that do more; This is designed to do 2 specific tasks well and be very small. Waol-min does the two tasks very well using little memory, resources, disk space, screen space, no nag screens, etc. . If you want a program to allow minimizing WAOL during file transfers, and/or a Timer then THIS IS IT. (The timer in this program is aproximate only and that's one of the reasons that this program is inexpensive; It will not actually know when signed on or off, it estimates and therefore can lose a couple minutes each session; It does not know when you switch to a free area automatically, you must tell it. You need to check and adjust your actual times with the AOL official times.) The main purpose of this program is to allow minimizing while doing file transfers and it does that perfectly. The Timer program should be accurate enough for most people's needs and includes quite a few features to make things easy to use. (If you need a more accurate Timer then look at the other, larger, more expensive, etc.. programs.) Registration: Registering adds the ability to Track Monthly Costs, Set Timer Options, Save WAOL-min Position, Auto-Sign on, Auto-Exit, and do everything else that requires writing to the .ini file. All items that require writing to the waol-min.ini file are turned off in the shareware version; Sorry, but I have spent a lot of time and resources on this program. It can easily be evaluated and you can see all the features it has but you need to register to use most options. The registration fee is only $5.00 to cover costs; Still a very affordable program! I hope you find this program as useful as I do. It is released as SHAREWARE. It does NOT have any "nag" screens (But, if you do something that tries to write to the .ini file it will then remind you that you can't do that without registering.) You can use it for thirty days as long as you agree that I am not responsible for anything directly or indirectly related to using this program. After that time, either delete the program or send the registration fee to add the ability to Track Monthly Costs, Set Timer Options, Save WAOL-min Position, Enable all other options including Timer/Off On at start-up, Auto-Exit after sign off, AutoSignOn at startup, AutoReset Monthly cycle, Cover Costs, Make You FEEL BETTER, and to help keep the shareware concept going, (It takes a lot of time to write these programs and do the research. I know most people don't like to pay for shareware, that's why it costs so little. If you use it a lot, it IS certainly worth it. After payment, I will send you the registered version by E-Mail. All registered users will receive future updates if any free for one year. Current Fees: $5.00 Send Registration to me at: Michael Krane 4 Azurean Ct. Mt. Sinai, NY 11766 Please, Please, Please: Include your AOL E-Mail address. Files will be sent by E-Mail. (I will not be able to send you files if I don't have your E-Mail address.) Also state which program you are registering! Contact me at: E-MAIL: Miklk (on America On-line) The program has been fully tested but obviously not in every possible configuration, so PLEASE report any bugs or ideas to me at the above addresses so I can fix it. Other Programs available from me: VBSys Windows System Monitor (Standard Version) VBSysBar Windows System Monitor (Bar Version) (Standard and Bar version are released as one now) PCECM for ProComm+ 2 Windows VBECM for WinFax 4 History: 2/1/95 Version 2.20 Added Features: AutoMatic Billing Cycle Tracking AutoMatic Sign-On at Start-Up AutoMatic Closing after unattended sign-off. Added 12 Month Billing Tracker. Enhancements: Moved Option Setting to Different Window. Made it Easier to Adjust official Time. Added more error checking. Fixed bug with Scheduled Flash Sessions. Many Other little things to make it better. 12/94 Version 2.00 and 2.01 Original Full Release Version with Timer 11/94 Version 1.xx with No Timer Released. THIS PROGRAM IS DISTRIBUTED AS IS. THE AUTHOR (Michael Krane) MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT ABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THIS SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THIS PROGRAM. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Please Register! It's only $5.00)