Copyright: Copyright © 1995  MPG Software
Citation: Copyright © 1995, 1996  MPG Software


Contents

Welcome to NotifyMe your messaging system for the desktop.

The following Help Topics are available:

About Shareware

Registration

Basic Operation

Basic Features

System Configuration

Popup Menu

Edit Messages

User Preferences

Subscribe to messages

Exit program


About Shareware

Shareware is a way of marketing software, not a category of programs.  Software marketed using the shareware method, in a lot of instances is as robust and feature packed as the competing commercial products.  In other cases developers will create a shareware program out of necessity, when there is no commercial software available to fill a niche.  That is the case with NotifyMe.  Shareware is often considerably less expensive than commercial software.  This in no way reflects a lesser product.  The low pricing is achieved by defrayed marketing, packaging and warehousing costs.

If you have any questions, suggestions or desired enhancements please contact MPG Software at:

MPG Software

P.O. BOX 55376

Phoenix, AZ 85078-5376

or send E-mail to: mgoguen@netzone.com


Registration

REGISTRATION FORM

NotifyMe  version 1.1

____single user license        @   $19.95 ea        $________

____single server license      @  $299.95 ea        $________

____site license               @  $799.95 ea        $________

____corporate license          @ $1499.95 ea        $________

Shipping/Handling - USA/Canada      $3.00                   .

Shipping/Handling - Outside USA     $8.00           $________

Arizona residents please add 7% sales tax:          $________

                               Total                $________

All orders will be send by US mail unless requested otherwise.

Prices subject to change without notice.                     .

Name:   ______________________________________________________

Company:______________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Where did you obtain NotifyMe ________________________________

Any comments or suggestions? _________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to:

Michael P. Goguen

MPG Software

P.O. BOX 55376

Phoenix, AZ 85078-5376

mgoguen@netzone.com


Basic Operation

Listed below are a few basic operating instructions for NotifyMe:

•	Users will always receive the default NotifyMe message file and have the option to subscribe to receive messages from any other message files they select.

•	When a new message appears the text color will change to the color associated with the highest priority new message.  To notify the system you have seen the message click the LEFT mouse button on the message.  The color will then change to the color associated with old messages.  This will also stop sounding the wave file associated with the new message.  You can change color and wave file associations in the Preferences window.

•	To display the popup menu click the RIGHT mouse button on the message.

•	To minimize the scrolling message doubleclick on the message.

•	Message files are displayed in the following order: Default message file, Forced message files in the order specified in the Forced Files Window, the message files subscribed to by the user in the order specified in the Subscription Window.

•	Holding down the left mouse button on the scrolling message will stop the message from scrolling until the left mouse button is releases.

See also:

Basic Features

User Preferences

System Configuration


Basic Features

Listed below are some of the features of NotifyMe:

Creating messages:

•	A priority can be set for each message in the Message Editor.

•	A start and stop date and time can be set for each message in the Message Editor.

•	You can force message files to be received by all users executing this copy of NotifyMe in the Messages Window.

Receiving messages:   Use the Preferences Window to modify most of the setting listed below.

•	A user may subscribe to receive messages from any message files on any drives which are accessible from the workstation.  Use the Subscription Window to subscribe to message files.

•	Each message may be assigned one of four priorities; Low, Normal, or High priority messages may have visual and audible cues assigned to them.  A message which is assigned a priority of None will not notify the user of a change in the message.  This is useful for updating statistics or other frequently changing messages.

•	Each priority type can cause a specified wave file to play when a new message is received for an audible notification to the user of a new message.

•	Each priority type can cause the color of the message text to be changed for visual notification to the user of a new message.

•	If the program is running minimized as an icon the icon can be set to flash when a new message is received based on priority.

•	When a new message is received the message window can be automatically moved on top of all other windows based on priority.

•	The speed at which the message scrolls across the screen can be set by the user.

•	The message may be displayed at the top or bottom of the screen or minimized.

•	The font and size of the message text may be selected by the user.

•	Each message is separated by a message delimiter which can be set by the user.

•	The message window can be set to always stay in front of all other windows that are open.

•	By default the program checks for new messages every minute.  The refresh rate may be changed by the user.

See also:

Basic Operation

User Preferences

System Configuration


System Configuration

The NOTIFYME.INI file in the same directory as the NOTIFYME.EXE file contains the configuration information for the NotifyMe program.

The following keywords are found in the [NotifyMe] section:

MsgExtension           The default message extension for NotifyMe message files.

MaxMsgsPerFile     The maximum number of messages allowed in each message file.

MaxMsgsLen           The maximum number of characters in the scrolling message window.

Tip:  If you have memory constraints you may want to lower the possible size of the scrolling message or the number of messages which can exist in any one message file.

The [Forced Files] section lists the message files which all users executing NotifyMe from this directory will be forced to view.  You should not update the [Forced Files] section manually, use the Message Editor to select and deselect message files to be forced.

The DefaultMsgEditor keyword in the [Workstation Setup] section tells whether users who run the setup.exe file in the NotifyMe directory will have the Message... selection on their NotifyMe menu.  To have the Message... selection added to the users menu set DefaultMsgEditor = 1, if it is set to 0 the selection will not automatically be added to the user’s NotifyMe menu.

The Message... selection of the popup menu allows users to open the Message Editor which can be used to manage NotifyMe messages.  It can be removed from the popup menu of individual users by setting the CantEditMsgs keyword in the [NotifyMe] section of the users win.ini file to 1.

Tip:  You should handle allowing specific users to edit message files through your network operating system by only giving the users you want to edit messages write access to the NotifyMe message files.


Default Message file

The default message file is always displayed for all users.  The default message file name is NOTIFYME.MSG.  The default NotifyMe message extension is .msg.  It can be changed in the NOTIFYME.INI file which can be found in the directory NOTIFYME.EXE was executed from.  The MsgExtension keyword in the Setup section of the NOTIFYME.INI file stores the default message extension.

The Message Editor uses the default message extension to list NotifyMe message files.

Tip:  To emulate not displaying the default message file remove all messages from the file using the Message Editor or set the stop date on all messages in the file to a date previous to today.  If the file is deleted the program will try and create it automatically.


Popup Menu

Click the Right mouse button while the mouse pointer is over the scrolling message window to display the popup menu.

Clicking on a menu item will display help about that item.


Refresh the scrolling message

The Refresh selection of the Popup Menu will immediately check for any new messages.  By default the program will check for messages every minute.  The Refresh Rate can be changed in the Preferences Window.


Minimize or Restore

The second menu item of the Popup Menu will display Minimize if the scrolling message window is being displayed or Restore if the window is being displayed as an icon.

The Minimize selection of the Popup Menu will display the scrolling message window as an Icon.  The user’s preferences can be set to automatically restore the window or have the icon flash when a message of a specified priority arrives.

The Restore selection of the Popup Menu will display the scrolling message window on the top or bottom of the screen depending on the user’s selection in the Preferences Window.


Edit messages in a message file

The Messages... selection of the Popup Menu will open the Edit Messages Window.  To disable this menu item for a user set the CantEditMsgs keyword in the [NotifyMe] section of the user’s win.ini file to 1.


Modify user preferences

The Preferences... selection of the Popup Menu will open the User Preferences Window.


Manage user subscriptions

The Subscriptions... selection of the Popup Menu will open the user’s message Subscriptions Window.


About box

The About selection of the Popup Menu will display the NotifyMe About box.


Close scrolling message window

The Exit selection of the Popup Menu will close the scrolling message window and end the program.


Messages Window

The NotifyMe Message Editor window is used to Add, Edit, Delete, and Sort the messages in a message file.  You may also Force a message file to be viewed by all users from this window.

To open the Messages window select Messages... from the Popup menu.

Clicking on an object on the window will display help about that object.


Add Edit Delete Messages

Add a message:

To Add a new message click the add button on the Message Editor window a new message line will appear in the Messages Listbox and the cursor will move to the Message Text editbox.  Type in a new message then press the tab key to add start and stop dates and times for the message.  If no start or stop date or time is entered the message will always display.  Press the tab key once more to select a Priority for the new message.  By clicking the Up or Down buttons the message can be moved toward the beginning or end of the message file.  To actually have users view the new message the message file must be saved by clicking the Save button.

Edit a message:

To Edit an existing message click the message in the Messages Listbox of the Message Editor window.  The full text of the message will appear in the Message Text editbox.  Modify the message text and/or the start and stop date and time or the Priority.  Then click the Save button to save the changed to the message file.

Delete a message:

To Delete and existing message click the message in the Messages Listbox of the Message Editor window.  Then click the Remove button, the message will be removed from the Listbox.  To have the message removed from the message file click the Save button.


Message File

The message file currently being edited.  To select another message file click the Browse... button.


Messages Listbox

Displays a list of all messages in the message file in the order they will be displayed in the scrolling message window.  The currently selected message will be highlighted.


Message Text

Allows the user to edit the full text of the currently selected message.


Start Date & Time

Specify a Date and/or Time in the Start: Groupbox of the Message Editor Window to start displaying the currently selected message in the scrolling message window.  If a date is specified without a time the currently selected message will start displaying at 12:01am the morning of the date specified.  If a time is specified without a date the currently selected message will start displaying at the specified time everyday and stop at midnight.

If no Start or Stop, Date or Time is specified the message will always be displayed.

Tip:  If only the month and day are specified in a date field the date will be effective for all years.


Stop Date & Time

Specify a Date and/or Time in the Stop: Groupbox of the Message Editor Window to stop displaying the currently selected message in the scrolling message window.  If a date is specified without a time the currently selected message will stop displaying at 11:59pm the evening of the date specified.  If a time is specified without a date the currently selected message will start displaying at 12:01am everyday and stop displaying at the specified time.

If no Start or Stop, Date or Time is specified the message will always be displayed.

Tip:  If only the month and day are specified in a date field the date will be effective for all years.


Priority

Select a priority from the Priority: groupbox of the Message Editor Window for the currently selected message.  User’s may set specific preferences based on the priority of a message in the Preferences Window.  A High Priority message may display is Red, sound a siren, and automatically popup the scrolling message window to be viewed.  A Low Priority message may be green and sound a chime.

A message which has a priority of None will never notify the user when it is added to the scrolling message window.  This can be useful for displaying real time statistics or other data which may change on a regular bases.  If the priority is None the system will not notify the user every time the statistics are refreshed.


Add a message

Click the Add button of the Message Editor Window to create a new message. Then enter the message text, select a priority, and set the date and time the message will be displayed.  Remember to click the Save button to save your changes to the message file.


Remove a message

Deletes the currently selected message from the message file being edited.


Move message Up

Moves the currently selected message up on position in the order the messages will be displayed on the scrolling message window.


Move message Down

Moves the currently selected message down on position in the order the messages will be displayed on the scrolling message window.


Open / Create a message file

Click the Browse... button of the Message Editor Window to open or create a file to be edited.

Clicking on an object on the window will display help about that object.


Message file name

Type the name of the message file to create or open here then click the OK button.  You may doubleclick on a message file in the listbox below to open a message file.


Message files

This listbox displays all of the files matching the criteria in the File Name: editbox.


Currently selected directory

This is the currently selected directory.  All message files in this directory will be displayed in the listbox to the left.  To change the directory use the listbox below.


Change directory

To change the currently selected directory doubleclick on a directory in this listbox.


Drives

Select a drive from this listbox.


List files of Type:

This listbox specifies the type of files to be displayed in the listbox above.


OK button

Click the OK button to open the file listed in the File Name: editbox.  You may also search for files matching the criteria in the File Name: editbox.  Example to list all Text files enter *.txt in the File Name: editbox and click the OK button.


Cancel button

Click the Cancel button to close the window without taking any action.


Force message file to be viewed

Click the Force button to force all users to view the messages in the file currently being edited.  If the file is already being forced the button will have an asterisk on the left side of the button [image].  If you click on the button it will remove the file from being forced.  If the file is not currently forced clicking the Force button will open the Force Messages Window.


Force Messages

To open the Forced Messages window click the Forced... button from the Edit Messages window.

Clicking on an object on the window will display help about that object.


Forced message files

List of the message files which are being forced to be viewed by all users.  They are listed in the order they will be viewed.


Select message file(s)

Click the Select button to open the Select Message Files to Force Window.  This will allow you to select files that you want to force all users to view.


Move a message file up one position in the display order

Click the Up button to have all messages in the selected file display earlier in the scrolling message window.


Move a message file down one position in the display order

Click the Down button to have all messages in the selected file display later in the scrolling message window.


Remove a message file from being displayed

Click the Remove button to stop all messages in the selected message file from being viewed by all users.


Close the window without saving any changes

Click the Cancel button to close the window without saving any changes.


Close the window and save any changes

Click the OK button to close the window and save all changes made.


Save message file

Click the Save button to save any changes made to the message file being edited.


Close window

Closes the window without saving any changes made to the message file being edited.


Open Help Window

Click the Help button to open the help window you are now viewing.


Preferences Window

To open the Preferences window select Preferences... from the Popup menu.

Clicking on an object on the window will display help about that object.


Set notification style based on Priority

Select the Notification Priority to be modified.  If “Normal Priority” is selected the items in the Priority Level groupbox will reflect their state for notification of a normal priority message.


Notification Play Sound

If the Play Sound checkbox of the Preferences window is checked the wave file associated with the selected priority will be played during notification of a new message.  To change the wave file associated with the selected priority click the Change Sound button.


Notification Flash Icon

If the Flash Icon checkbox is checked and the program is running minimized the icon will flash during notification of a new message of the selected priority.


Notification Bring Message To Top

If the Bring To Top checkbox is checked the scrolling message window will be displayed in front of all other windows during notification of a new message of the selected priority.


Change Colors

Select the type of color to be changed by clicking on one of the three color radio buttons.  Then click the Change Color button to select a new color.  The New Message color will reflect the color of the scrolling message during notification of a new message of the selected priority.


Always On Top

If the Always On Top checkbox is checked the scrolling message window will always display in front of any other windows.  This will make the scrolling message window always visible regardless of the application being used.


Scroll Speed

Moving the scroll bar to the left will slow the speed of the scrolling message and moving it to the right will speed up the scrolling of the message.


Display message

Select where to display the scrolling message window.


Message Separator

The text in the Msg Separator editbox will be displayed between each message which is displayed on the scrolling message window.  The maximum length of the message separator is 12 characters the text in the editbox will scroll if it does not all fit in the editbox.


Refresh Rate

The Refresh Rate editbox is used to select the number of minutes between refreshing the scrolling message.  The value may be a number between 1 and 99.


Audible Limit

The Audible Limit editbox is used to select the number of times the audible notification will sound when a new message is received.  The audible notification sounds each time NotifyMe refreshes the messages until the user has clicked on the scrolling message.  The value may be a number between 0 and 99.  Enter 0 to have no limit set on the number of times the audible notification will occur.

Tip:  If you are frequently away from your workstation do your neighbors a favor an set the Audible Limit to a number between 1 and 5.  If you receive a new message and are not available to notify the program you have read the message by clicking on the scrolling message window, the audible notification will sound every minute until you click on the scrolling message window.  This tends to be annoying to other users after an hour or so.


Change Font

Click the Change Font button to select the size and type of font to display in the scrolling message window.  The window will automatically be sized to fit the selected font.


Change Sound

Clicking the Change Sound button will open the Sound dialog box from the Control Panel.  Select one of the Notify Me items in the Event listbox the select a wave file to associate with the selected NotifyMe priority.  The selected wave file will play when a new message of the priority is displayed in the scrolling message window.

To stop playing a wave file when a new message is displayed associate the NotifyMe item in the Sound dialog to <none> or uncheck the Play Sound radio button on the Preferences window.


Close Window

Closes the Preferences window.  All modifications to any of the items in the Preferences window are immediately processed.


Subscriptions Window

To open the Subscriptions window select Subscriptions... from the Popup menu.

Clicking on an object on the window will display help about that object.


Message Subscriptions Listbox

List of the message files which the user has subscribed too.  Subscribing to a message file will display all the messages in that file to the user.  The message files are listed in the order they will be viewed.

Tip:  The display order of the messages in the scrolling message file is determined as follows.  First the Default message file, Second all of the Forced message files in the order selected in the Forced window, Third all of the message files selected in this listbox in the order listed.


Select Message Files for Subscription

Click the Select... button to open a dialog box to select message files to subscribe too.  You may select multiple files in a directory by holding down the Ctrl key while selecting the files.


Remove Selected Message File From Subscription Listbox

Clicking the Remove button will remove all messages in the selected message file from the scrolling message window.