Copyright: Resource Assistant(TM) for VB, Version 1.0.  Copyright © 1997 - 1999, Windmill Point Software.  All Rights Reserved.


Overview

What It Does

Resource Assistant™ for VB allows you to check for common resource problems in a Visual Basic form or collection of forms. Such resource problems include spelling errors, controls that are too small to display in all video modes, forms that are too large to display in all video modes, questionable control orders, and duplicate access keys.

When To Use It

Being able to check for such resource problems makes Resource Assistant for VB valuable when performing quality assurance on a Visual Basic program. You should always run Resource Assistant for VB as a quick resource check before shipping your software.

How To Use It

To check the resources of a form file, open the file using either the Open File or Open Folder command. All resource checks are performed by default, but you can select which checks are performed with the Options command.

Note that Resource Assistant for VB does not check for spelling errors directly. Rather, it extracts all the strings from string resources, forms, and menus, and allows you to paste the strings into your favorite word processor to check for errors. You can copy the resource strings using the Copy Strings to Clipboard command.


Quick Tips

This section presents a few quick tips that will help you get the most out of Resource Assistant for VB.

General Usage

You will get the best results from Resource Assistant for VB if you use it at the beginning and the end of your QA process. You should never use Resource Assistant for VB as the sole means for finding resource problems.

Note that while Resource Assistant for VB does a good job of finding typical resource problems, it is neither foolproof nor exhaustive. It is not able to determine exact dialog box control, and text sizes in standard VGA mode (which at 640x480 is assumed to be the most troublesome video mode), so it has to estimate the sizes (although it is usually accurate to within a couple pixels.) It checks only a subset of the basic Windows controls, specifically static text, command buttons, radio buttons, check boxes, and frames. If your program sets these controls to use fonts other than what was specified in the form then the estimated text sizes will be wrong. If your program changes dialog sizes at runtime then the dialog size estimates will be wrong. Furthermore, the algorithm used to check tab order is based on patterns of typical dialog boxes. Your dialog boxes may be different.

Despite its limitations, Resource Assistant can make your testing process far more productive when used properly. Consider it to be a supplement to the QA process, not a replacement for QA.

Development Advice

Our tests show that control text is most likely to be chopped off due to improper control sizes in a small fonts video mode. Therefore, you are less likely to have control size problems if you create and test your dialog boxes in a small fonts video mode.

Furthermore, there is no reliable way to determine if a small fonts or large fonts video mode is used, so Resource Assistant for VB assumes small fonts. The Report Large Dialog Boxes in Large Font Mode option allows you to check for problems in a large fonts video mode while running in a small fonts video mode. Unfortunately, text size calculations are incorrect when Resource Assistant for VB is run in a large fonts video mode, so you must run Resource Assistant using a small fonts video mode for accurate results.

Opening Files

You can select a file or a group of files using the Open File command. If you want to open all the form files in a folder, you may find it easier to use the Open Folder command, which opens all the form files in the folder, but not the files in any of its subfolders. You can also open files and folders using drag and drop from the Windows Explorer.

Checking Spelling

Resource Assistant for VB does not check for spelling errors directly. Rather, it extracts all the strings from string resources, forms, and menus, and allows you to paste the strings into your favorite word processor to check for errors. You can copy the resource strings using the Copy Strings to Clipboard command.

Checking Large Forms

Resource Assistant for VB verifies that the forms will fit on the screen in standard VGA mode. Note that since Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 both provide a taskbar, the height of the taskbar is subtracted from the 480 vertical pixels. This assumes that the user has the taskbar on the bottom (or top) of the screen, which is usually the case.

Checking Small Controls

Resource Assistant for VB verifies that Visual Basic labels, command buttons, check boxes, option buttons, and frames are large enough to display their text in all video modes. It does not check ActiveX controls. Note that if a control size is too small, the last words are not displayed since they are “wrapped” to the next line, making them invisible. Again, note that the text sizes are estimates, so you should not use Resource Assistant for VB as your only method of checking control sizes.

Resource Assistant for VB assumes that any label with the AutoSize or WordWrap properties enabled will be able to display its text in all video modes. It may return an incorrect error if these properties are not set in the form but are set in a procedure.

Checking Control Tab Order

Resource Assistant for VB checks the placement of the controls in a form and reports the forms that appear to not have a correct tab order. Visual Basic uses the tab order to determine the behavior of the tab key. While it is impossible for Resource Assistant for VB to know for sure if the tab order is incorrect, it uses an algorithm that reports questionable tab order correctly most of the time.

Checking Duplication Access Keys

Resource Assistant for VB checks the form and menu resources for their access keys to make sure they are unique. Resource Assistant for VB also checks for multiple access keys for a single item.


Options Dialog Box

This dialog box gives you options to select what resource problems to check and other options that determine how problems are reported.

Resources Options

Report Large Forms

Verifies that the forms will fit on the screen in VGA mode.

Report Large Forms in Large Font Mode

Verifies that the forms will fit on the screen in VGA mode in large font mode.

Report Small Controls

Verifies that labels, command buttons, check boxes, option buttons, and frames are large enough to display their text correctly in all video modes.

Report Bad Control Tab Order

Verifies that the form controls appear to have a correct tab order.

Report Duplicate Form Access Keys

Verifies that the form text does not have duplicate or multiple access keys.

Report Duplicate Menu Access Keys

Verifies that the menu text does not have duplicate or multiple access keys.

Report Extracted Strings

Extracts all the strings from string resources, forms, and menus.

Output Options

Report No Problems Found

Reports if no problems are found.

Report Missing Resources

Reports if the resource type being checked is not found.


Contact Information

Windmill Point Software

Everett N. McKay, owner

Website:	http://www.windmillpoint.com

Email:	rab@windmillpoint.com

Mail:	Windmill Point

Alburg, VT 05440


Order Form
Resource Assistant for VB Order Form

Once your order is received, you will be given (preferably via e-mail) a registration number that matches your name (for a Personal Use License) or your company name (for a Site License). You should then enter the name and registration number using the Perform Registration command to register the program.

All orders are subject to the Windmill Point Software Assistant Series License Agreement.

Ordering by check: To order by check, send this order form with a check to Windmill Point Software, P.O. Box 490, Alburg, VT 05440. Payment must be in US dollars.

Ordering by credit card: To order with MasterCard or Visa, call Windmill Point Software at 1-802-796-3635 or send this order form with your credit card information to Windmill Point Software, P.O. Box 490, Alburg, VT 05440.

Order Information

Resource Assistant for VB

Personal Use Licenses: 	 _______ copies at $39 each	=	_______

Site Licenses (up to 20 users):	 _______ copies at $79 each	=	_______

Resource Assistant and Resource Assistant for VB

Personal Use Licenses: 	 _______ copies at $59 each	=	_______

Site Licenses (up to 20 users):	 _______ copies at $119 each	=	_______

Vermont residents add 5% sales tax:	=	_______

Total payment	=	_______

Customer Information

Important: In order to create the correct registration number, you must supply the user name (for a Personal Use License) or the company name (for a Site License) used by your computer. If you are unsure of these names, run the Perform Registration command in the Help menu and check the names given in the Registration dialog box.

Name:	_______________________________________________

Company Name:	_______________________________________________

Street:	_______________________________________________

City, State, Zip:	_______________________________________________

Country:	_______________________________________________

Phone:	_______________________________________________

Fax:	_______________________________________________

E-mail:	_______________________________________________

Credit Card Orders

Credit Card Issuer:	_______________________________________________

Credit Card Number:	_______________________________________________

Expiration Date:	_______________________________________________


Assistant Series License Agreement

READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SOFTWARE. THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND WINDMILL POINT SOFTWARE. YOUR USE OF THIS SOFTARE INDICATES THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT.

1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Windmill Point Software hereby grants to you a non-exclusive license to use this computer software and on-line documentation (collectively referred to as the “Software”) only as authorized in this License Agreement. You agree not to assign, sublicense, transfer, pledge, lease, rent, or share your rights under this License Agreement. You may not decompile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse engineer the Software.

2. DISTRIBUTION OF SOFTWARE. If you have a personal use license, you may install the Software on any number of computers as long as there is no possibility that more than one copy will be used at a time. If you have a site license, you may install the Software on any number of computers or on a network as long as there is no possibility that more than 20 users will use the software at a time.

3. COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP. The Software and its copyrights are owned by Windmill Point Software and is protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. You acknowledge and agree that all right, title, and interest in and to the Software are and shall remain with Windmill Point Software. This License Agreement does not convey to you an interest in or to the Software, but only a limited right to use revocable in accordance with the terms of this License Agreement.

4. LICENSE FEES. License fees paid by you are paid in consideration of the licenses granted under this License Agreement.

5. LIMITED WARRANTY. Windmill Point Software warrants, for your benefit alone, that during the Warranty Period the Software shall operate substantially in accordance with the documentation. If during the Warranty Period a defect in the Software appears, you may return the Software to Windmill Point Software for a refund of amounts paid by you under this License Agreement. EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH ABOVE, THE SOFTWARE IS LICENSED “AS IS”, AND WINDMILL POINT SOFTWARE DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHATABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE.

6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. Windmill Point Software’s cumulative liability to you or any other party for any loss or damages resulting from any claims, demands, or actions arising out of this License Agreement are limited to the remedies described in the Limited Warranty in this License Agreement. IN NO EVENT SHALL WINDMILL POINT SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS ARISING FROM THE USE OF OR FROM THE INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE, EVEN IF WINDMILL POINT SOFTWARE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. In no event shall Windmill Point Software’s liability for any damages exceed the license fees paid to use the Software, regardless of the form of the claim. Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

7. TERM. This License Agreement is effective upon your use of this software and shall continue until terminated. Windmill Point Software may terminate this License Agreement upon the breach by you of any term hereof. Upon such termination by Windmill Point Software, you agree to return to Windmill Point Software the Software and all copies.

8. GOVERNING LAW. This License Agreement shall be construed, interpreted, and governed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Vermont. Any action or proceeding arising out of or related to this License Agreement shall be brought only in a State or Federal Court of competent jurisdiction located in Chittenden County, Vermont. The parties hereby agree to in personam jurisdiction of said courts.

If any provision of this License Agreement is found void, invalid, or unenforceable, it will not affect the validity of the remainder of the License Agreement, which shall remain valid and enforceable according to its terms.

If you have any questions concerning this License Agreement, please contact Windmill Point Software, Windmill Point, Alburg, VT 05440