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The Dialer TM Version 2.30 _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER GRH Software 6266 Scotthille Drive S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49546-9608 (c) Copyright 1993 by Gary Heitz All Rights Reserved The Dialer v2.30 Table of Contents ================= Heading Page ======= ==== Welcome 3 What Is Shareware? 3 Shareware Vs Registered Versions 4 Disclaimer 4 Features and Options 5 Requirements 6 Distribution Files List 6 Getting Started 6 Configuring The Dialer 8 COM Ports 8 Baud Rates 8 Pulse or Tone Dialing 9 File Viewer 9 Dialing Delay 10 Modem Init String 11 Hang Up 13 Ignore Numbers 13 Save Configuration 14 Main Screen 14 Search for a Name 16 Tagging Names 17 Placing a Call 18 Toggle 21 Options 22 Add to The Dialer's List 23 Edit an Entry 26 Sort the Telephone List 26 Load a List 28 Begin Call Timer 30 Manually Dial a Number 31 Delete from the List 32 Create a Telephone List 32 Make and Edit Macro(s) 33 User Support 34 Registration Benefits 34 Order Form 36 -2- The Dialer v2.30 Welcome ======= Welcome to GRH Software's version 2.30 of The Dialer. This product was written so that a minimum amount of time and computer knowledge will ever be needed to learn all of the many features of The Dialer. What Is Shareware? ================== Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or shareware. The shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. The Dialer, copyright 1993, is the property of Gary Heitz and GRH Software. It is a shareware program and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using The Dialer and continue to use The Dialer after thirty days, you must make a registration payment to GRH Software. The registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. Anyone distributing The Dialer for any kind of remuneration must first contact GRH Software at the address below for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering The Dialer immediately. However, GRH Software must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of The Dialer. You are encouraged to pass a copy of The Dialer along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy of the -3- The Dialer v2.30 latest version of The Dialer along with other special offers. Whether you are a registered or an unregistered user, you may obtain product support in any of three ways. You may use E-mail, telephone, or the U.S. mail. The required addresses and numbers are listed below. Please contact Gary Heitz if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions. Shareware Vs. Registered Versions ================================= The shareware version of The Dialer has a screen that asks you to register your copy of The Dialer as you exit back to DOS. This reminder is not present in the registered version. In fact, on the registered version, when you are finished, the screen blanks before returning to the DOS prompt. This blanking will help save your screen from burn-in. The main screen in this program displays whether the program has been registered, and if so, to whom it is registered. Both the shareware versions and the registered versions are identical in all other features. DISCLAIMER ========== THIS PRODUCT, ALONG WITH ITS RELATED FILES, IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. ANY LOSS INCURRED FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE USER. IF THE PROGRAM SHOULD PROVE TO BE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ANY AND ALL LOSSES. -4- The Dialer v2.30 Features and Options ==================== o EASY set up o Dials the telephone for you o Maintains a telephone book that includes names, numbers, and descriptions o Has a log that saves the name of the person you called, when, and how long you talked o Use the log and timer even when someone calls you o Take notes while talking o Instant redialing of busy numbers o Tag several numbers to call - after one call, the next is dialed o Can make touch-tone sounds after the phone is answered o Can make touch-tone sounds even on pulse dialing systems o Easily add, edit, and delete names o Stores an unlimited number of names, numbers and descriptions o Able to ignore an area code or any sequence of numbers o Rearrange the telephone book in six different ways o Huge notepad o Dial a number not in your list o Several telephone books allowed o Easy access to your log o Displays a call timer o Tone and pulse dialing o Mouse and keyboard control o COM1 and COM2 support -5- The Dialer v2.30 Requirements ============ Modem Must be a Hayes compatible modem connected to COM1 or COM2 Files COMMAND.COM must be somewhere on the DOS path or the current disk. Monitor a color monitor is not necessary but is recommended Distribution Files List ======================= The following files should be included on your disk: DIAL.BAT A batch file for starting The Dialer DIALER23.DOC The complete documentation file DIALER23.EXE The Dialer itself REGISTER.DOC Print this out to register The Dialer README.DOC Brief introduction documentation OMBUDSMN.ASP ASP Ombudsman's statement VENDOR.DOC Description for disk catalog vendors FILE_ID.DIZ Description for BBS's Getting Started =============== The first thing you should do is read the README.DOC file on the original copy of The Dialer. This file contains any new information about The Dialer that you will need to know to get started. The next thing that you need to do is make a copy of the original disk. Use the DOS's diskcopy command or other similar program to accomplish this task. DO NOT run The Dialer before making a backup copy. Failure to do this will cause new files to be written to the original disk. This will not harm anything but you will not have the original disk anymore. -6- The Dialer v2.30 You will need to have your telephone hooked up to your modem. There should be two telephone plugs on the back of your modem. One of these needs to be connected to your phone line. The other plug should have your telephone connected to it. You want to have these connected so that The Dialer can use your modem for the actual dialing of your telephone. After that, you will need to install The Dialer either onto your hard drive or if you prefer, onto a floppy diskette. The program will run much faster on a hard disk but there are advantages to having it on a floppy disk. If you make all of your calls from your computer that has a hard disk drive, the best place to install The Dialer would be on that computer's hard drive. If, however, you often plan to call from a notebook computer linked to a telephone line, then placing it on the notebook's hard drive or on a floppy diskette would be the better choice in most instances. One thing you need to keep in mind though is that the more names and numbers that you keep in your personal phone book, the more disk space it will occupy. Depending on the size of your floppy diskette, this may not be a problem. The hard disk installation is still your best bet. Once you have decided where to install The Dialer, type INSTALL and press the ENTER key. Simply follow the directions that appear on the monitor and soon you will be ready to make your first call with The Dialer. To run The Dialer, type DIAL and press ENTER. A few quick checks of your hardware will be made and then you will see the configuration list of questions. The Dialer needs to know this information to run itself, your modem, and the telephone properly. Because this is the first time you have run The Dialer, you need to configure it. -7- The Dialer v2.30 Configuring The Dialer ====================== See figure one to see how the screen will look during the configuration process. Each question asked in this process will be explained in full. COM Ports ========= The first question in the configuration process is: "What COM port does your modem use." The Dialer uses one COM port inside your computer to communicate with your modem. You need to type a number, either a 1 or a 2, to let it know where your modem can be found. These are the two legal numbers allowed on this question. If you are not sure which port your modem is connected to, enter the number one. This will at least get you started with The Dialer. If you later receive a message that says that the modem does not respond to any of the commands, you probably need to change this option to the number two. If your modem is connected to either COM port three or four, simply disconnect the cable from that port and move it to either COM port one or two. Baud Rates ========== Next, you must enter the preferred baud rate of your modem. The baud rate that you choose is not important to the call that you make but is very important to The Dialer. Your modem must communicate at the baud rate that you select or The Dialer will not be able to work with the modem. Check the owner's manual that came with your modem for this information. It probably will be capable of several baud rates. Choose any one of those listed in the owner's manual and enter that number in the second option of the configuration menu. The Dialer will accept rates of 300, 1200, 2400, and 9600. If you can't locate this information, try 1200. Most modems can communicate at this baud rate. Some modems have a problem dialing correctly at the 300 baud rate. If The Dialer dials a number and just seems to be sitting there doing nothing, change this part of the configuration to a different baud rate. -8- The Dialer v2.30 Pulse or Tone Dialing ===================== Pulse dialing is used by many telephone systems to dial a number. It is actually a rapid series of clicks made by the modem or telephone quickly switching the receiver on and off the hook. To dial an eight, the modem or phone will switch the receiver on and off the hook eight times in rapid succession. Tone dialing on the other hand is very different. It uses sounds, or tones, to dial a number. Not all telephone systems allow for touch-tone dialing yet. Check with your telephone company if you are not sure. The third question you'll be asked in the configuration process is whether your phone line can use pulse dialing or tone dialing. If you're unsure, choose tone dialing. The reason for this is that many more companies use tone impulses to route your call to the proper department. Some companies only need to hear your tones to complete an order that you want to make. Tone dialing also makes for faster dialing. This may end up keeping you from going insane if you ever need to make several telephone credit card calls within a short period of time. If your phone must use pulse dialing, you can still use tones after the telephone number has been dialed. To do this, you would set up the telephone number to dial followed by the capital letter "T" and then the rest of the numbers that you want dialed for you. For example, you need to call 555-5555 and then you need to speak to the person on extension 316. The 316 probably needs to be tone dialed by a touch-tone phone, though. You can still make this call because The Dialer is capable of both types of dialing even if your phone system is not. Your phone number that you want to dial would look like this: 555-5555-T-316. Again, the letter "T" tells The Dialer to switch to tone dialing before dialing the remainder of the number. The first seven digits of the phone number would be dialed in pulse mode and then the remainder of the numbers would be sent out as touch-tone sounds. File Viewer =========== Next, you are asked to give the name of a file viewer that you like to use. This viewer is used any time you want to view the contents of the log file when you are running The Dialer. The log itself is stored as a plain ASCII text file that can be read by practically any word processor or text file viewer. The Dialer has a viewer of its own built-in. To use -9- The Dialer v2.30 this viewer, simply answer "TYPE" to the prompt. However, there are many excellent text viewers on the market today that allow many features that could come in very handy while viewing the log. Some allow printing and even editing, scrolling, etc. Answer this question with either "TYPE" (do not include the quotation marks) or the name of the viewer that you want to use. You need only type the first eight letters of the viewer's name. The filename's extension is not needed. If you choose a text file viewer other than TYPE, you must copy that program with any files that are needed by that program to the same disk directory that conatins The Dialer so that The Dialer is can find them when they are needed. On the other hand, the viewer may be located somewhere on your DOS's path. If you are not sure of what your DOS's path is, make sure to copy your file viewer and its related files to the same disk and directory as the rest of The Dialer's files. If you fail to do this, you will not be able to see the log while running The Dialer which will cause the program to end after displaying an appropriate error message. Dialing Delay ============= When you are making telephone credit card calls, or similar calls, you often need to wait several seconds before making another touch-tone sound on your telephone to complete the dialing sequence. This also can happen when you dial a number and then have to press certain numbers to reach the type of service you want. This can all be handled very easily by The Dialer for you. However, you need to tell it how long to wait when you type in your telephone numbers. The tilde (~) sign is used to represent this delay period. If you type the number two here, then whenever The Dialer is dialing your phone and comes across a tilde sign, it will pause for the amount of time that you specify in this fifth question. For this example the delay would be for two seconds. Using the number two is a good starting point. You can always come back to this menu and change your answer to this or any of these questions. Look at this example which further explains this delay concept. Pretend that you want to dial GRH Software and want to use your telephone credit card to make the call. Of course this depends on how your telephone company is set up but this example is how many work at least. First, the number would contain a zero, an area code and the number you are calling. Then you would wait for the special tone from the phone company telling you to continue. After that, you would enter your home area code, phone number and calling card PIN number. -10- The Dialer v2.30 0(616)676-2270~~~~(555)555-5555-1234 |------------- --- ------------ ---- | | | | | | | | | +-- Your PIN number | | | | | | | +-- Your area code and phone number | | | | | +-- delay (tilde string) - 4 tilde signs at 2 seconds | | each means a pause of 8 seconds at this point in | | this dialing sequence | | | +-- the number you are calling - in this example GRH Software | +-- required by some telephone companies to start the credit card call The example contains several hyphens and parentheses that are not needed. These will be ignored by The Dialer but do help to clarify the example. They can be used in any telephone number that you enter because they often help you to check that the number has been typed correctly. Again, though, they are not necessary but are allowed in The Dialer. Modem Init String ================= This question is critical to the proper functioning of The Dialer. It must be correct to get the full features and benefits of The Dialer. The first time you configure the program, a default modem initialization command string is offered as a suggestion. If you truly don't know what these letters and numbers mean, you may need to consult your modem's owner's manual. The following explanation may be enough to help you know what the best set-up for your modem is, though. If you are not sure, you can either leave this modem initialization string as it is or consult your modem's owner's manual. AT - First, your modem init string must begin with the letters "AT". These two letters tell the modem to start paying ATtention - that there are some commands for the modem coming. S7=45 - This tells your modem how long to wait for the person you are calling to answer their telephone. In this bit of code, the number of seconds to wait is set to 45. This is about seven rings. You may change -11- The Dialer v2.30 this number to any accepted by your modem (again, consult your modem's manual for specific instructions and limits). You may even delete this code (or any of the codes listed here) from the string in order to use the default set-up of your modem. However, if your modem's defaults are not compatible with The Dialer, you will have problems placing your calls. I would suggest that you leave the codes unless you know of certain tricks to make your particular modem work more efficiently. M1 - This turns your modem's speaker on so that you can hear the number being dialed or when someone answers. If you were to set this to M0, you would not be able to hear the speaker at all and may not know when someone has answered their phone. On the other hand, The Dialer does give complete directions to you as it operates. One of the directions tells you when it is done dialing and for you to pick up your phone. Therefore, you do not necessarily need to hear your modem's speaker to complete a call. X4 - This is a command that is used purely by The Dialer. You will see very little evidence of this command as you make a call. It is used to pass information between your modem and The Dialer. If you change this command, be careful because communication between your modem and computer will be garbled. V1 - A value of V0 would cause the modem to speak to The Dialer in numbers instead of in English words. The Dialer is programmed to expect English communications from the modem. Again, unless the default of your modem is V1, do not alter this command unless you are sure of what you are doing. Q0 - This allows your modem to let The Dialer know what is going on. If this command were not here, The Dialer would think the modem wasn't doing anything at all. L3 - The L command is for the loudness for the modem's speaker. L1 is the quietest volume while L3 is the loudest. Some external modems have a volume control that allows you to manually set the loudness. If you have this type of modem, you may wish to change this command to L4 which allows you to manually adjust the volume of your modem at any time. These are the necessary commands for using The Dialer. You may need to add other commands for your particular modem to get it working properly. Again, consult your owner's manual to be sure. -12- The Dialer v2.30 Hang Up ======= After The Dialer dials a number, you are told to press ENTER. This will hang up the modem and begin the call timer. The reason that the modem is hung up is that it allows you to more clearly hear the person on the other end. In order to do this, The Dialer has to know how to hang up your modem. The default hang-up string will suffice for most modems. Check your manual to know for sure if the code ATH0 will work correctly on your particular modem. Ignore Numbers ============== The last question is "What numbers to ignore when dialing a phone number." This is a very versatile option. Let's say that you go on a business trip to Chicago and want to use The Dialer. You have a separate telephone list for clients living in Chicago. The only problem is that you usually call them from your home town and have their area code programmed into each phone number. You can configure The Dialer to ignore that area code, or any other numbers, by listing the number sequence to ignore in this option. The Dialer would use your telephone list from home and just ignore the area code when dialing - just as though you were still at home but without the long distance charges. You can change this line to instruct The Dialer to ignore any sequence of numbers. It could be an area code as stated above, a dialing prefix that may be required to dial out of your office, or anything you wish. Whatever it is, The Dialer will not dial that sequence of numbers but will dial the rest of the phone number. The numbers that you want ignored may be anywhere in the phone number. This is because some number sequences are long and an area code that you want ignored may be deeply imbedded in the number. With this feature you, therefore, you need to be careful. If you type that you want to ignore the number five, for example, and the number you are calling is 1-313-555-5555, all of the fives would be ignored. -13- The Dialer v2.30 Save Configuration ================== To save the newly entered configuration, press the F1 key. If you decide that don't want to make any changes and leave the information as it was, press the ESC key and nothing will be altered. +--------------- Configure The Dialer ---------------+ | | | What COM port does your modem use? 1 | | | | What baud rate do you want to use? 2400 | | | | Do you prefer Pulse or Tone dialing? T | | | | What file viewer do you use? TYPE | | | | How many seconds to delay for the ~ sign? 2 | |----------------------------------------------------| | What is your modem's initialization string? | | AT S7=45 M1 X4 V1 Q0 L3 | | | | What is your modem's hang up command? | | ATH0 | | | | What numbers to ignore when dialing a phone number?| | 1-616 | | | +-------------- F1=Save ESC=Abort --------------+ Figure 1 Main Screen =========== After configuring The Dialer, you will be presented the main screen (See figure 2). You will see the large bold letters THE DIALER across the top of the screen. Under that is a window that contains the beginnings of your personal telephone book. The top of the telephone book's window explains how to navigate around inside the telephone book. It says "ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done F5=narrow search TAB=toggle." -14- The Dialer v2.30 There is only one number listed in the phone book at the beginning. It is that of GRH Software. It is there as a sample entry in case you need any support for The Dialer. The entry is valid and will call GRH Software if you press the ENTER key. You can add more names and numbers quickly and easily by using the options' menu. This menu will be explained soon. First, we need to go over the main screen and explain its features. XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | Ada Township | | Better Business Bureau | Car Parts Supplier | Dentist | Family Doctor | GRH Software [] | Heitz, Gary Version 2.30 | Mail Order Software Company (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Manufacturing World UNREGISTERED USER | Pizza | Please register. +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6266 Scotthille Drive SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546-9608 | Calls: 2 Figure 2 We will first take a quick tour of the parts of this screen and then get into more detail. As you can see in figure two, several entries have already been added to the sample phone book. At the bottom of this window you will see the total number of names that have already been added to the phone book. But, only ten are visible at any one time. On the right side of the window is a scroll bar. This will show you approximately where you are in the book. If the little notch on the scroll bar is near the top of the bar, you are looking at some of the entries near the beginning of the -15- The Dialer v2.30 book. If the notch is near the bottom, then you are viewing the entries near the end of the list. To the right of the window is the copyright notice. Your name will be displayed here after you have registered The Dialer. Search for a Name ================= Now, let's find out about the scrolling window. You can move around inside this window in several ways. One is to use the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard. Another way is to use the Page Up and Page Down keys. These later two keys will move through the names in the book by one screen at a time. That means that you will see ten names at a time as you go through the list. Yet, another way is to use the Home and End keys. These will do just what you would figure them to do. The Home key will put the very first ten entries into the window - it will take you to the first page, or top, of the telephone book. The End key will instantly display the last ten entries in the phone book. There is still another way to navigate within this window. If you have a mouse installed on your computer and have its control program loaded into the computer's memory, you will see a little rectangular box on the right scroll bar. This is the mouse's cursor. To move the highlight bar, and move it to a new name, simply position the cursor on the scroll bar in the approximate position that you want. Then press and hold the left mouse button. This will scroll the highlight bar up or down in the list. Play with this a few times to get the hang of it. Don't worry, you can't mess anything up in the process. There are still two more ways to move around in this window. You will notice that the first letter of each name in the window is a different color. You can quickly move around in the window just by pressing the beginning letter in the name for which you are looking. This is very fast and convenient for smaller lists. However, if you have three hundred names in your list and two hundred all begin with the letter "L", pressing the letter "L" isn't going to do you much good if you want the one hundred fifty-sixth person listed. Don't worry, press the F5 key and a little window will open asking you to enter the letters to search for. You can type a more specific beginning of the name, let's say "Ledd", and press ENTER. You will immediately see the entry that begins with the letters "Ledd" under the highlight bar. However, if there is not a name that begins with that combination of letters you will obviously not see that -16- The Dialer v2.30 name highlighted. You can type an entire name for which to search or just narrow the search by typing a few letters. Do not use any letters that you are not looking for, such as "*" or "?", they are not needed. This feature of pressing the F5 key is called a narrow search. It is also written at the top of the window in case you forget where you put this documentation. The next time you press the F5 key during the same session, these same letters will be displayed in the narrow search window. These can be typed over, altered, or accepted again as the search key. Tagging Names ============= Pressing the plus (+) key or the INSERT key will tag the name in the telephone list that is covered by the highlight bar. You will see a right facing arrow directly to the left of the item that you tagged. Look at figure three. To untag an item, simply press the minus key (-) or the DELETE key. This will erase the tagging arrow on the left of the highlighted name. You may tag only one name or you can tag as many names as you wish. Pressing the SPACE BAR will mark every name in the telephone book, unless all the items were previously tagged. In this case, all of the tagged items will become untagged. When you begin autodialing the calls, the order in which the tagged names will be dialed will begin with the first tagged name in the list. After that call is processed, the next tagged name will be dialed. This process will continue until all the tagged names have been dialed. Each name will be untagged as the call is successfully completed. If a number is busy or not answered, it will be left tagged. Each number will be dialed in order until all the tagged names have been successfully called or until the dialing sequence has been aborted. -17- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | Ada Township |>Better Business Bureau |>Car Parts Supplier |>Dentist | Family Doctor |>GRH Software [] | Heitz, Gary Version 2.30 | Mail Order Software Company (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Manufacturing World UNREGISTERED USER | Pizza | Please register. +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The author of The Dialer | Calls: 4 Figure 3 Placing a Call ============== To place a call that uses a number from your telephone book, move the highlight bar to the name of the person you want to call, see the section "Search for a name" above for a complete explanation on how this is accomplished, and then press the ENTER key. You also can make the selection by pressing the left mouse button instead of using the ENTER key. Once you have selected the number to dial, a new screen will appear. See figure four for what this screen looks like. -18- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | GRH Software | | 6266 Scotthille Drive SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546-96O8 | | 1-616-676-227O | | Try #1 | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------+ Version 2.30 | Press F5 to take notes. | (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Press ESC when your call is done. | UNREGISTERED USER +-----------------------------------+ Please register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Call timer: OO:12:O4 | August 25, 1993 | Time: 1:25:33 pm Figure 4 As you can see, the name of the person you are calling is listed at the top of a new window that has appeared in the middle of the screen. In this example it is GRH Software. Beneath that name is a comment line. This comment can be added to your telephone book whenever you add a number to the list or edit the list. It is a description, or any comment, that you want for that person. In this example, it is the address of GRH Software. Beneath that is the telephone number that is being dialed by your modem. The last line in the window displays the number of dialing tries that have been attempted. Under this window are two other smaller windows. The one on the left is another directions' box. It says that you can press the F5 key when you want to take notes during your conversation. Pressing this key will open a full screen for your note taking (see figure five). -19- The Dialer v2.30 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Type your comments and notes below. Press F1 to go back. | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Figure 5 As you can see, there is ample room for your note taking. The top of this window explains that you simply have to press the F1 key to go back to the other screen. You absolutely do not have to worry about losing your notes if you do decide to return to the other screen. You can easily return to your note taking by pressing the F5 key again, and again, for as often as you like. Looking back at figure four, you can see that the bottom line of the directions' window explains that you need to press the ESCape key when your call is done. When you do this, you can take any last minute notes that you want. The note taking screen will display any notes that you had been working on up to that point. The only difference now is that the directions at the top of the screen have changed slightly. Now the directions state that you can take some last minute notes or, press the F1 key to save your log of the call. Your notes will be saved along with the -20- The Dialer v2.30 log. Lastly, you will see the length of the call. This will all be saved on your disk in a log file. Each telephone book that you create will have its own list of names and numbers. It also will have its own log file associated with it. If you later want to print out a copy of a specific log file, you would need to load the log file that belongs to the particular phone book in which you are interested. You create other telephone books by using the "Create a telephone list" in the options' menu. There can be as many lists as your disk can hold. If you use more than one disk, you have virtually an unlimited number of personal telephone books available for use. Each book can contain a maximum of three hundred names, descriptions, and numbers. The default list has the name of DIALER.LST. You load different lists from the "Load a telephone list" in the options' menu. Toggle ====== By pressing the TAB key, the information bar at the bottom of the screen will change. It will switch between the description (see figure two) that you gave for each name and the person's telephone number (see figure six). Press the TAB key to see the telephone number of the person whose name is highlighted in the window on the left. Press it again to view the description. You can change any description or phone number easily by using the options' menu. This menu will be described completely in the section marked with the heading "OPTIONS." -21- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | Ada Township | Better Business Bureau | Car Parts Supplier | Dentist | Family Doctor | GRH Software [] | Heitz, Gary Version 2.30 | Mail Order Software Company (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Manufacturing World UNREGISTERED USER | Pizza | Please register. +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1-616-676-2270 Figure 6 OPTIONS ======= Pressing the F1 key will pop open a window on the lower right portion of the screen (See figure seven.) Several options will be displayed in this window. To make a selection, simply highlight the desired option and press either the ENTER key or the left button on your mouse. To abort and return to the main screen, press ESC or the right mouse button. You may, also, press the ESC key on your keyboard, or the right mouse button, to end using The Dialer and return to the DOS prompt. -22- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ +---------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | | ENTER=pick ESC=back | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| |---------------------------| | Ada Township | Add to The Dialer's list | Better Business Bureau | Edit an entry [] | Car Parts Supplier | View The Dialer's log | Dentist | Sort the telephone list | Family Doctor | Load a telephone list | GRH Software | Begin call timer | Heitz, Gary | Manually dial a number | Mail Order Software Company | Delete an entry | Manufacturing World | Configure The Dialer | Pizza | | Create a telephone list +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ | Make and edit macro(s) | +---------------------------+ Figure 7 Add to The Dialer's List ======================== The appearance of the screen for adding an entry and for editing an entry in the telephone book are exactly the same. The exception is that when you first see the "Add to The Dialer's list" screen, the spaces for you to enter the name, description and telephone number are blank. When you "Edit an entry", these spaces are completed and only need to be altered. Figure eight shows what these screens will look like. This option will add a name, description, and a telephone number into the phone book. When you select this option, a new window will open where you'll enter these three bits of information. First, type the name of the person or company you want to add to the telephone book. This name can have a maximum of thirty-six characters. Next, you may type a note, or description, of up to sixty characters. This note could be an address, an account number, or even a credit card -23- The Dialer v2.30 number. The last entry line is for the number to be dialed. The number may be as long as sixty characters. The valid characters to use for the phone number are: ~, #, *, (, ), -, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J. The separators (, ), and - are used only for your convenience as they are ignored by The Dialer and are not actually dialed. This is not a problem though. The call will go through. A special character that you may want to use is the tilde, which looks like a small wave in the air ( ~ ). What this tells The Dialer to do is pause for the time that you specified when you went through and configured The Dialer. To change the amount of time that the tilde represents, reconfigure The Dialer by going to the options menu and choosing "Configure The Dialer." As an example, let's say that you typed the number to dial as 555-5555~~~8. For this example, let's assume that you specified that the tilde would pause for two seconds when you went through the configuration process. Therefore, each tilde would represent two seconds. So, three tildes at two seconds each would equal a total pause of six seconds. The Dialer would dial 5555555, pause for six seconds, and then dial the 8. The letter "T" tells The Dialer to switch to tone dialing. You would use this letter in a phone number if you had to use pulse dialing and then switch to tone dialing later in the dialing sequence. For example, let's assume you were calling a store because you wanted to place an order. You could dial the number in pulse mode and then place your order using tones. The number may look like this: 555-5555-~~~~-T-1234. The 555-5555 would be dialed in pulse mode and then there would be a pause for the specified amount of time. The modem would then make the tone sounds for the numbers 1234 that would be required to place the order. The letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J are very special to the telephone number. They are used to represent any series of numbers that you want. These are often called "macros" by other programs. These macros can be defined in the options' menu under the heading of "Make and edit macro(s)." Let's say that you want the letter "A" to represent your credit card number (maybe 515-555-5555-5555). You can have any telephone number include your credit card number by simple adding the letter "A" into the number at the proper place. Using this example, the number 111-1111-A would be dialed by The Dialer as 111-1111-515-555-5555-5555. The numbers that the letter A represented would be dialed and not the letter A itself. There are ten of these letters (or macros) that can be used in your phone numbers. You can even have one macro use another macro letter as: 555-5555-A where the macro A would equal 111-B. Whatever numbers the letter B represented would be inserted into the proper location in the -24- The Dialer v2.30 macro labeled A. The only restriction here is that a macro cannot reference itself. To finish typing the new telephone number entry, press the F1 key. The entry will be added to the telephone book and saved on the currently active disk. You'll then be returned to the main screen where you can make a call or use any of the other options again. A maximum of three hundred entries may be stored in any one telephone book. XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Edit an entry | |--------------------------------------------------------------| | | | Name: | | GRH Software | | | | Note: | | 6266 Scotthille Drive SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546-9608 | | | | Number: | | 1-616-676-2270_ | | | +-------------------- F1=Save ESC=Abort --------------------+ Figure 8 -25- The Dialer v2.30 Edit an Entry ============= This option requires that you highlight the name to be edited before you select this option. To do this, go back to the main screen and move the highlight bar to the name in the telephone book that you want to edit. Then, press the F1 key for the options menu and then choose the "Edit an entry" option. You will then see the name, description and telephone number of the entry that you chose. You will be allowed to edit any part of this entry. Read the section that is labelled "Add to The Dialer's list" for the complete directions on the features and possibilities that are available, here. When you are through editing, you can exit by pressing the ESC key or the F1 key. Pressing the ESC key will abort all of the changes and return you to the main screen. Using the F1 key will save the new information and return you to the main menu. Sort the Telephone List ======================= When you sort the telephone list, you are arranging the names in a specific order. The most common method of this type of sorting is that of alphabetical order. In The Dialer, you have other options available for rearranging the telephone book, though. As you can see in figure nine, there are six different ways to arrange, or sort, the telephone list. To execute a method of sorting, move the highlight bar to the desired option by using the up and down arrow keys and then press the ENTER key. If you are using a mouse, move the highlight bar by positioning the mouse's cursor on one option and then double click the left mouse button. After a few seconds the list will be sorted. The newly arranged book will be saved on your disk and you will again see the main dialing screen. The first possibility is to sort the names in ascending order. Ascending order means that all the names will be arranged alphabetically from A through Z. This is the way the telephone company's phone book is arranged. The second option will sort the list in reverse alphabetical order. This means that the first letter or character of each name will be arranged -26- The Dialer v2.30 so that the last letter of the alphabet will go first in the list and the first letter will be placed last. The next two methods of sorting will arrange the list in order by using the persons telephone number as the criterion for the arrangement. Sorting in ascending order would be in the order from least to greatest. This method uses the value of each digit in the telephone number to determine the sorting order - not the value of the number as valued at several millions or billions. The first digits of each number are compared and sorted accordingly. If these first digits are equal, then the second two digits are compared. This is exactly the way you would alphabetize two words - first compare the first letter, then the second if you need, and so on. For example: If you had a number that was a long distance number like 1-555-5555 and then a number like 444-4444, the order would be 1-555-5555 then 444-4444 because the first digits of the numbers would be arranged with the one going before the four. All the telephone numbers in the entire list would be arranged in the same manner. By sorting the numbers in descending order, the results would be exactly opposite that of the third option above. Now the list in the example would be sorted with the 444-4444 coming before the 1-555-5555. This is because the list is now being arranged in order from greatest to smallest. The Dialer will keep a running total (refer to figure two) of how often you called each person in your telephone list. This will be displayed at the bottom of the main dialing screen. The highest number of calls that is allowed is 32,767. This means that you can call someone more than twenty-nine times each day for the next three years before the maximum number of calls will be reached. You will still be able to use The Dialer as usual after that point but, the number will not be incremented any further. The telephone list may be arranged in order by using the number of times each person has been called. When the list is arranged in ascending order, the least often called person will be listed first. When you choose descending order, the people you call the most often will be printed at the top of the list. -27- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | Ada Township | Better Business Bureau [] | Car Parts Supplier | Dentist +--- Sort telephone list ---+ | Family Doctor | Name - Ascending Order | | GRH Software | Name - Descending Order | | Heitz, Gary | Number - Ascending Order | | Mail Order Software Company | Number - Descending Order | | Manufacturing World | Calls - Ascending Order | | Pizza | | Calls - Descending Order | +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ +---------------------------+ Figure 9 Load a List =========== You can load a telephone list in either of two ways. The first method is to use the options' menu that appears in figure ten. As you can see, there are five different lists displayed in the window. Each of these five lists can have a maximum of three hundred phone numbers contained within it. You see five numbers in this example but there could actually be hundreds of lists that you could create and choose. If you have more than can be displayed in the window at once, you can scroll the window by using the cursor control keys in the same manner you do when you choose a person to dial. Briefly these keys are the up and down arrow keys, the Page Up and Page Down keys and even the Home and End keys. The mouse may be used to move around in the window, also. To select the new telephone book to load, move the highlight bar over the desired file name and press the left mouse button twice or tap the ENTER key. -28- The Dialer v2.30 There is another method for selecting the new telephone book to load. This can be done from the main DOS prompt. For example, imagine that you want to load the list OHIO.LST from figure ten. From the DOS prompt you would type: DIAL OHIO.LST and press ENTER. This would start The Dialer and load the list named OHIO.LST. People who are familiar with DOS's batch files can use this feature to quickly load specific telephone books by simply typing a short batch name. The batch file would take care of the rest for you. Here's an example of just such a batch file. This batch file would start The Dialer and load the telephone book named OHIO.LST. Each of these lines would need to be typed exactly as they are shown to insure that everything would work correctly. The batch file's name could be a short name that you could easily remember and quickly type as "OHIO.BAT" or something similar. Here is all it would take to make such a batch file. @echo off dial ohio.lst XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | Ada Township | Better Business Bureau | Car Parts Supplier | Dentist | Family Doctor +-- ENTER=pick ESC=back --+ | GRH Software | OHIO.LST | | Heitz, Gary | NWCLIENT.LST | | Mail Order Software Company | DIALER.LST | | Manufacturing World | LAWYER.LST | | Pizza | | MICHIGAN.LST | +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ +---------------------------+ Figure 10 -29- The Dialer v2.30 Begin Call Timer ================ Another feature of The Dialer is that you can have full access to the call timer, the note taking screen, the log, and anything else that you would normally use when you place a call, even when someone else calls you. If you are called and want to use the timer, log, or any other features, simply open the options' window by pressing the F1 key and then selecting "Begin call timer" from this window. A screen will pop open like the one shown in figure eleven. It is exactly like the screen you would see if you had originated the call, but this time the person's name that you are talking with will not be displayed on the screen. You may want to add this name in your notes to help you remember with whom you were talking. XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | - No Description - | | Incoming call | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------+ Version 2.30 | Press F5 to take notes. | (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Press ESC when your call is done. | UNREGISTERED USER +-----------------------------------+ Please register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call timer: OO:O5:O6 | August 25, 1993 | Time: 1:21:51 pm Figure 11 -30- The Dialer v2.30 Manually Dial a Number ====================== Use this option when you want to dial a number that is not in The Dialer's telephone book and you do not want it added therein (See figure twelve). This number will be dialed for you, allowing the use of the call timer, the log, and so forth. If you decide to make another call manually using The Dialer, the number you had typed the last time will be displayed again. You can alter the old number, use the old number again, or type a completely different number. XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +----------------------------| Manual Dialing |-----------------------------+ | Type a phone number. Use ~ to pause 2 sec. Press ENTER to dial. | | 1-616-676-2270_ | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Version 2.30 (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz UNREGISTERED USER Please register. Figure 12 -31- The Dialer v2.30 Delete from the List ==================== If you choose this option, a window will appear on the left that looks very much like the telephone book. This time it is red to warn you to be careful. Use your mouse or the keyboard's arrow keys to highlight the name you want to erase. Press ESC, or the right mouse button, if you change your mind and decide not to delete anything. Also, press ESC when you are done with your deletions. Press the F10 key or the left mouse button to delete the entry that is currently highlighted. Be careful because there are no second chances here. Create a Telephone List ======================= Select this option when you want to create a new list of telephone names and numbers. This may be for a different city, type of client, or anything else. A small window will open like that shown in the following figure. There you will be allowed to give the new telephone book a personalized name. Figure thirteen uses the example name of "NWCLIENT" for new clients. You may type a name of up to eight characters. When you have finished, press the ENTER key. The new list will be created after you make a call, add, or edit, an entry in that phone list. Make sure that you have enough disk space to hold a new list. The list will begin very small but increase in size as you add more names and numbers. This will use increasingly more disk space. -32- The Dialer v2.30 XXXXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX XX XX TM +--------------------------------------+ +------ Create a list ------+ | ENTER=dial F1=options ESC=done | | Type the name of the NEW | |-- F5=narrow search TAB=toggle --| | file you want to create. | | Ada Township | Don't include an extension| | Better Business Bureau | (.LST). Then press ENTER.| | Car Parts Supplier | NWCLIENT_ | | Dentist +---------------------------+ | Family Doctor | GRH Software [] | Heitz, Gary Version 2.30 | Mail Order Software Company (C) 1993 by Gary Heitz | Manufacturing World UNREGISTERED USER | Pizza | Please register. +--------- Total entries: 108 ---------+ Figure 13 Make and Edit Macro(s) ====================== The letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J are very special to the telephone number. They are used to represent any series of numbers that you want. These are often called "macros" by other programs. These macros can be defined in the options' menu under the heading of "Make and edit macro(s)." Let's say that you want the letter "A" to represent your credit card number (maybe 515-555-5555-5555). You can define any telephone number to include your credit card number by simple adding the letter "A" into the number at the proper place. Using this example, the number 111-1111-A would be dialed by The Dialer as 111-1111-515-555-5555- 5555. The numbers that the letter A represents would be dialed and not the letter A itself. There are ten of these letters (or macros) that can be used in your telephone numbers. You can even have one macro use another macro letter as: 555-5555-A where the macro A would equal 111-B. Whatever numbers the letter B represented would be inserted into the proper location -33- The Dialer v2.30 in the macro labeled A. The only restriction here is that a macro cannot reference itself. User Support ============ If you need any assistance while using The Dialer, there is a support telephone number available. This support will be available to you free of charge for three months from the date of registration. To receive technical support, call: (616) 676-2270. Registration Benefits ===================== You may use The Dialer for thirty days to decide whether it will satisfy your needs. If you like it or use it after the thirty days, please register it by using the order form below. As a registered user, you will receive: o free upgrades of The Dialer for one full year, or the next upgrade free, whichever is greater. These will be shipped to you automatically when the new version is released which is often months before you will see the upgrade elsewhere. o three months of support in the event that you experience any problems with The Dialer o notification of new releases from GRH Software o the ability to have The Dialer customized to your specific needs. The added cost of this option can be negotiated. I hope you find The Dialer useful and, if so, will take the time to register. If you use it for thirty days and do not find it useful, please erase it. -34- The Dialer v2.30 If you have any questions, ideas, comments, or suggestions, please let me know at the address below. All comments are welcome. GRH Software 6266 Scotthille Drive S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49546-9608 Or, you may leave E-mail at: 75676,556 on CompuServe G.HEITZ on GEnie GHEITZ on America Online -35- The Dialer v2.30 THE DIALER V2.30 Order Form PLEASE PRINT Name _________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________ City _______________________________ State ________ ZIP ______________ Country (if outside USA) _____________________________________________ Check the type of registration you prefer. [ ] Option #1: $15.00 ______ Receive the latest version of The Dialer. Free upgrades for one year or the next upgrade - whichever is greater. Three months of support. Notification of all new releases from GRH Software. [ ] Option #2: $25.00 ______ Includes everything from option #1 and a printed user's manual. [ ] Option #3: $10.00 each _____ copies x $10.00 = ______ Site registration - multiple copies used at one location. Includes everything in option #1. Sub total ______ Michigan residents add sales tax ______ Total (All prices are in U.S.currency.) ______ Please circle the type of disk that you prefer. 5.25" 3.5" EITHER Mail this completed form with your check or money order to: GRH SOFTWARE 6266 SCOTTHILLE DRIVE SE GRAND RAPIDS MI 49546-9608 Thank you for registering The Dialer! -36-