Copyright: Unregistered evaluation copy of HELLLP!


yesyesyes 3 0yesEasyCD HelpTRUEEasyCDyesyes04/07/96


Table of Contents
CD-Helper Help Contents

What Is CD-Helper?

Using CD-Helper

Registering CD-Helper

Tips for using CD-Helper

About CD-Helper


Help file produced by  HELLLP! v2.7 , a product of Guy Software, on 04/07/96 for Unregistered User.

The above table of contents will be automatically completed and will also provide an excellent cross-reference for context strings and topic titles.  You may leave it as your main table of contents for your help file, or you may create your own and cause it to be displayed instead by using the I button on the toolbar.  This page will not be displayed as a topic.  It is given a context string of _._ , but this is not presented for jump selection.

HINT:  If you do not wish some of your topics to appear in the table of contents as displayed to your users (you may want them ONLY as PopUps), move the lines with their titles and contexts to below this point.  If you do this remember to move the whole line, not part.  As an alternative, you may wish to set up your own table of contents, see Help under The Structure of a Help File.

  Do not delete any codes in the area above the Table of Contents title, they are used internally by HELLLP!

Adding a new item

Editing an item

Removing an item

Opening an index

Creating a new index

Creating a Program Manager/Start Menu item

Running an item

Setting preferences

Exiting the program

The Edit window


What Is EasyCD?
What Is CD-Helper?

CD-Helper allows you to keep indices of the content of CD-ROMs.

The Idea:

Everyone loves getting hundreds of megabytes of software on magazine CD-ROM cover disks.  But who has the disk space to install all those applications, demos, games and multimedia?  I certainly don't.  That will come in handy some day you think, I'll remember that.  So, when that day comes will you remember it?  And if you do, will you remember where it is?  Not if you've got a large CD-ROM collection like me.  What you need is a program to help you...

The program:

CD-Helper can be used in a two different way.  The first way is to set-up Program Manager/Start Menu items for your CD-ROM apps.  You then have them on your desktop, so when you run them CD-Helper tells you which CD-ROM to insert and then runs it for you.  The second way is to run CD-Helper and browse through your indexes of apps, then simply double-click the one you want to run.  You're told which CD-ROM to insert and off you go.

So you can have all those apps or games or movies on your desktop but not on your harddisk and you're told which CD-ROM to insert to run them.


Using EasyCD
Using CD-Helper

CD-Helper can be used in two ways.  You can build up your index of CD-ROM programs within CD-Helper and then run the items by loading CD-Helper and double-clicking the item.  Alternatively it's possible to build the index in CD-Helper and then add program manager icons for each item.

When CD-Helper is first run you are prompted for an index name.  Enter a name, for example index1 or movies or june-cd.  The name must be 8 characters or less i.e. a filename.

When the program is run with no command line parameters the main window will appear.  It works by storing indexes of items, where each item is a program to run or file to load into a program.  There is an area to display all your index entries, some buttons for quick access to common features and a menu for access to all functions.  The following topics describe the various functions of CD-Helper:

Adding a new item

Editing an item

Removing an item

Opening an index

Creating a new index

Creating a program manager item

Running an item

Registering CD-Helper

Setting preferences

Exiting the program


Adding a new item

You can add a new item to the current index by clicking the New... button or the File|New... menu item or by dragging file(s) onto CD-Helper from file manager/explorer.

You will then see either an Open Dialog box or the edit window depending on your preferences setting.  If the Open Dialog isn't present just press Browse...  When you have selected a file you may be offered the option to associate it, again this depends on your preferences settings.  Clicking Yes adds the associated executable to the command line, if you select No you should add your own executable to the command line box in the edit window.

In the edit windows the default item name appears in the top box, it defaults to the file name that you picked.  You may change it to something more descriptive or to anything up to 255 characters long.

The label of the file's drive appears in the bottom edit box, this cannot be changed.  You can also add your own disk description to help you find the CD-ROM to insert.  For example you could put 'red CD-ROM on the second shelf from the top', or maybe 'April PCW coverdisk'.  This field is for your reference only.

When you have finished press OK and the item will be added to index and will be visible in the main window's listbox.


Editing an item

You can edit an item by selecting the item and clicking Items|Edit... from the menu.

The edit window then appears and you are free to change any field or Browse... for an different file.

Press OK to return to the main window and update the item.


Removing an item

Select the item to be removed and click on Items|Remove from the menu.


Opening an index

You can open an index by clicking File|Open Index...  Then select the index name and press OK or just double-click on the name.


Creating a new index

Click File|New Index... to start a new index file, just type a unique filename into the input box and press Enter or click OK.


Creating a Program Manager/Start Menu item

To add the selcted item to your Program Manger or Start Menu press the Add Item... button or click Items|Add Item...  Then select a group to add your program to or type in a unique name and press OK.


Running an item

To execute one of the commands behind an item simply double-click on it.  If you have added the item to program manger or Start menu then you can run it as if a normal program (so you never have to load CD-Helper).  In either case CD-Helper will run the command or prompt you to insert the relavent CD-ROM.  The prompt screen will display the label of the required disk as well as your added description so you can find the disk quickly.


Setting preferences

The following options can be changed in the Preferences dialog:

After Execution:

This sets the action that CD-Helper should do after you run an item by double-clicking on it.  It can Close, Minimise or do Nothing.

Drive to use as default:

Which drive should you see when you use an Open Dialog.  If there is a CD-ROM drive present then CD-Helper will pick this for you.  You can set this to which ever drive you prefer.

Always use associated application:

When you select a non-executable file to add as an item, should CD-Helper automatically use associated application as defined in File Manager or Explorer.  Or should CD-Helper prompt you in each case.

Automatically open "Browse..." dialog for "New..." items:

When you choose New... to add an item, should CD-Helper just bring up the edit dialog or first bring up the Browse... select file dialog.

Default index file:

The index file name entered into the edit box is the index which will be loaded by default when CD-Helper is loaded.  Press the button marked "Make Current Index Default" to change the default index file to the file which is currently open.


Exiting the program

To Exit CD-Helper press the Exit button, select the File|Exit menu item, press Alt-F4 or click the close system menu item.  If you have not registered CD-Helper the registration nag screen will appear before you can exit.


Registering EasyCD
Registering CD-Helper

CD-Helper is NOT free, it is a SHAREWARE program.  Shareware means that you may download and freely distribute the unregistered version, which may be used and evaluated for a period of 30 days.  After such time the program must be registered or deleted from your computer.  Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.  Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.  The shareware system and the continued availability of quality shareware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware you use. It's the registration fees you pay which allow authors to support and continue to develop quality products. Please show your support for shareware by registering those programs you actually use.

Upon registering you will receive a registration number.  Enter your name (as it appears in the registarion e-mail, case sensitive) and number into the edit boxes and press the Register button.  If the correct code you will then be registered.

Registration of CD-Helper costs £10.00 (UK pounds sterling).

Please send cash, or a cheque, to the following address.  Please include your name, address and e-mail address.

Andrew Duke

136 Wricklemarsh Road

London

SE3 8DR

United Kingdom

Name.................................................................................................

Address..............................................................................................

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................

e-mail address.....................................................................................

What you get when you register:

A serial number to register CD-Helper will be sent by e-mail.

No more nag screens.

Peace of mind that the author is not starving to death while you use his program for nothing.

Updated versions will be sent by e-mail as soon as they are released, and at no further cost to you.

Technical support by e-mail (please quote your serial number)


Tips for using EasyCD
Tips for using CD-Helper

1. When CD-Helper requests a CD-ROM, insert the disk and wait for a few seconds to allow the system to spin up the disk.  The requester dialog will reappear if you press OK too soon.

2. Users of Windows 95 may find it annoying that CD-ROMs autoload when inserted.  This does not effect the running of your program by CD-Helper, but is obviously unwanted.  Holding down SHIFT when the disk is inserted will prevent that disk from autoloading.  Autoloading can be permanently turned off by right clicking your My Computer icon and selecting Properties.  From the Device Manager view the properties of your CD-ROM and change the Auto Insert Notification on the Settings tab.


About EasyCD
About CD-Helper

CD-Helper was written by Andrew Duke in Borland Delphi.

The latest information and upgrades can be obtained from the CD-Helper web page at:

http://www.soton.ac.uk/~ajd/cdhelp/

or by e-mailing me:

ajd@soton.ac.uk

Thanks to:

CD-Helper is shareware, please register it.

EasyHTML - The HTML Authoring Tool for those who want complete control over the design of their web documents.

http://www.soton.ac.uk/~ajd/easyhtml/


The Edit window

This dialog allows you to enter or change the properties of your item.  The name which is displayed in your index is displayed in the first edit box.  The second box is for the command line, enter your own or press the Browse... button to find a file.  The third box is for your personal description of the CD-ROM.  For example you could put "red CD-ROM on the second shelf from the top", or maybe "April PCW coverdisk".  This field is for your reference only.  The final field is read only and displays the drive label.

Press the OK button when you are finished, your item will then be appended to the index.


	Unregistered Message

This Help file was produced by an unregistered demonstration copy of the HELLLP! file authoring system.

HELLLP! is a user-friendly system to aid in the production of Windows help files. It requires Microsoft Word for Windows version 2.0 or higher.

HELLLP! is available as shareware from the Microsoft Word for Windows forum (GO WINWORD) and the Windows Software Developers Kit Forum (GO WINSDK) on Compuserve as the file HELLLP.EXE.  The author and copyright owner may be contacted at Compuserve ID 71750,1036.

HELLLP! is available as shareware via the Internet from any FTP site which carries the SimTel collection, as HELLLPnn.ZIP where nn is the version number.

HELLLP! is available as shareware from many major bulletin boards and on many CD-ROM collections.

To assist in finding HELLLP!, we suggest that you do a partial file name search for HELLLP.


 About Shareware:

Shareware is copyrighted software that is distributed by authors through bulletin boards, on-line services and disk vendors.

Shareware allows you to try the software for a reasonable limited period.  If you decide not to continue using it, you throw it away and forget about it. You only pay for it if you continue to use it. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You benefit because you get to use the software to determine whether it meets your needs, before you pay for it.

The shareware system and the continued availability of quality shareware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware you use. It's the registration fees you pay which allow authors to support and continue to develop our products. Please show your support for shareware by registering those programs you actually use.