(This release updates the XTimer Spy extension. For details, about developments effecting XTimer Spy, see the document, "About This Update," in the folder, "XTimer Spy ƒ.")
This document is not the "Help" . Full documentation for XTimer is available on XTimer's Apple Menu. Save a text copy of the Help for easier reading. For additional information, beyond the Help, See the document, "XTimer Q&A" . Also: Press the space bar for a pop-up short-cuts screen, when you have XTimer running.
If you haven't seen XTimer with "Greg's Buttons" , GO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
XTimer 1.6 offered for the first time, automatic tracking; to Start and Stop XTimer, for users of CompuServe, America Online (including AOL's Web browser), and eWorld. Version 1.7 added automatic tracking, that now tracks users in and out of Free areas on AOL and eWorld.
Now, 1.8 Adds A New Dimension
Automatic MacPPP tracking!
and
Automatic Rate-Switching!
& Automatic Log Clearing!
This version virtually manages itself! So, all of you thousands of users out cruising the Web via MacPPP, you can now use XTimer to automatically track and log your time and expenses! If you have multiple online accounts, XTimer can now adjust the current rate as needed. When your billing cycle resets every month, XTimer can clear your logged times from the previous month and begin logging your new charges! After configuring the right settings (see the Help for more details); you may need to do little more than leave XTimer out running!
You need to be registered to have and use all automatic tracking, including the new MacPPP tracking. XTimer Spy automatically tracks the online services. MacPPP tracking does not require XTimer Spy, but it does require registration to activate it. (For more information on XTimer Spy, read the document, "XTimer Spy - MUST READ".)
XTimer, without automatic tracking, is still a very versatile and useful program. But, it is much more powerful with automatic tracking. It's worth your time and money to invest in a program that pays for itself.
XTimer isn't available at computer stores, it's only available in the global computer warehouse store-- the internet! If you pay for commercial applications that do what you want, then you should take seriously the shareware concept; and when you find a quality shareware program that meets your needs-- buy it!
XTimer takes you seriously, when your time is money.
For more information on the new Rate Switcher and Log Clearing, see the Help. Both features may be selected and configured from the Settings menu. For information about Auto-Tracking, see "XTimer Auto-Tracking & XTimer Spy" in the Help, and read the documents included with XTimer Spy.
Please, before you leap to type out a letter, when you are confused about how some of the more powerful features of XTimer work, try to figure it out yourself first, or talk to others you know are using the program. I get a lot of mail. Increasingly, I am having to resort to very short and often pre-written responses to questions. Most of the time, the questions I get are covered in the documentation. If you are having problems, it is possible there's a bug in the program that must be fixed, but more than likely it is not a bug, but rather is a common situation which has been covered in the documentation. Don't be afraid to twiddle with the program. Experiment and see what happens; try out the different menu items. You can always start over by trashing the XTimer Preferences, located in your Preferences folder, within your System folder. Learning by doing is the easiest way to see how things work.
Thanks for your understanding.
Coming Soon!!
The XTimer Web page will be online in very short order. I had hoped to have it ready before this release, but I'm a newbie on the Web and it's taking a time to sort out everything. This site will be a great place to introduce your friends to XTimer. It will also be a place to hear what's coming up in future releases, and to download new versions with features and fixes not yet released anywhere else.
I plan to introduce alternate registration payment methods, such as by credit card, to make it easier to register, especially for those outside of the United States.
I'm hard at work on XTimer 2.0, a major upgrade release which is a complete overhaul of the code, to make it more efficient and more modular, enabling me to expand features more easily and to allow scripting, for even more power. 2.0 will not be scriptable, but versions shortly thereafter will be. 2.0 will change the format of how some things are handled, so users can have greater control over how rates are calculated. 2.0 will add "Accounts" to the present structure, which uses only "Rates". This will allow users to bill multiple rates to accounts. The current limitation of 7 rates will be increased. I am not sure where that will land, yet, since I would like to introduce a commercial version. I can't put everything into the shareware version; however; I will put enough in to convince users who need the more powerful features that the commercial version is worth investigating. Keep your eyes peeled!
The Mailbag:
I know a lot of the mail I receive is from those who are new to the online world. That's no surprise, since the number of people coming online is growing exponentially. There's a lot to get used to when you come online for the first time, and it may seem overwhelming at first. I remember asking, "Hey, what does .sit mean?!" "What files should I download?"
Everyone becomes an explorer when they enter cyberspace. I've posted little tidbits in the notes, here, before, just for the fun and interest of readers; like the information at the end of this document about where registrations have or have not come from. (Are there any Mac users in Idaho?) People seem to like it, so this time I thought I'd just share what some of my favorite downloads are, for those of you who are just getting into the water, or even for those of you who know your way around. Who knows, maybe one of my favorites will become yours.
Favorites In Our Home: I mentioned Greg's Buttons, above. That's my all-time favorite. Décor makes our desktop pretty, by displaying graphics in place of the usual patterns. Bail prevents many useless accidental launches of large programs, which take forever to load; by letting you kill the launch, in process, by holding down the mouse button. ArtValve has saved me loads of time, which would have been wasted receiving artwork, I can do without, from AOL. My wife plays Solitaire Til Dawn, endlessly. Jewelbox had us both addicted, for a long time. As an author, I couldn't live without DropStuff and ResCompare. I'm also pretty fond of a simple extension that does nothing except cause the default button to be REPLACE when you get that system dialog that asks you if you want to replace the existing file with your new one of the same name. Its name is what it does, Replace! Another fine program, I use daily, is TypeIt4Me. It's name is also what it does.
Hope you find something interesting in that list. (-:
Note: The files above that are shareware are all programs we have registered.
(The author of ArtValve graciously provided me with a complimentary registration. Thanks, Bill.)
What does it mean to register?
Registration simply means that you pay for the program. XTimer will prompt you with a shareware screen every few days, reminding you that if you continue to use XTimer, you should pay for the program.
What to do:
First, print out the registration form.
Either select the item, "Print Registration Form" from the Apple menu, or click
the button on the shareware screen, and XTimer will dutifully print it out for you.
Second, fill out the form. No biggie. Just enough info to tell me who you are, how to
contact you, what your system setup is like (so I can identify problems that may
come up on certain systems), and there's space for you to write comments about
XTimer.
Third, fold up the form and mail it to the address shown on the form, along with your
payment.
What happens next:
Lickity split, you get a registration code that will work with your name. Time to let XTimer know you're a paying customer. Select "Register" from the shareware screen, or from the Apple menu. Enter your name and code into the spaces provided. Presto, XTimer personalizes your copy (peek at the About screen now...), pats you on the back, and you're on your way. No more shareware screen, or bothersome items on the Apple menu, and now you have access to MacPPP tracking and XTimer Spy!
XTimer can be registered online via CompuServe (GO SWREG), XTimer is #5002.
You will usually receive your code within hours of registering.
Users mailing in registrations from outside of North America may deduct $3.00 towards the cost of their postage, from their registration fee.
Note: Those of you who registered, paying at the old shareware fee of $5, after the grace period ran out; will not be able to register versions of XTimer beyond v1.5, until you send in your upgrade payment. I notified those this applies to of this consequence when I sent you your registration code.
If you should have received a new code for version 1.6 and I have not contacted you, please contact me. I have complete records and I can verify your registration and forward your new code to you quickly.
I received a couple of letters on these problems; after investigating, I determined that I wasn't able to cure them, at this time. I want you to be aware of them, so you can address them in your usage as you feel necessary.
When sending Notices with a dialog which must be responded to, XTimer
uses a part of the operating system called, "The Notification Manager".
The System doesn't seem to provide a way to time-out Notices sent to
users via the Notification Manager. When a Notice with a dialog is
posted, applications running have to pause and wait for the user to
respond to the dialog. If you leave XTimer running unattended, be sure
and check the box in your preferences, "Skip Dialog With Notices", to
prevent Notices from interfering with the operation of running
applications.
Exception: After Dark alters the way the System handles Notices sent
to the Notification Manager. In order to keep itself running, it accepts
Notices in place of the user, when it is in front, and creates a copy of the
Notice, which it sends when the user takes back control of the computer.
The result is, XTimer is fooled into believing the user has seen and
responded to the Notice, so it keeps sending Notices. This can result in
your receiving multiple Notices all at once when you pull out of your
screensaver. I have yet to hear from Berkeley Systems about solving
this problem. I cannot remove messages from the queue in the manner
After Dark does, due to technical differences between system startup
programs and applications.
Thanks to all the beta testers.
Enjoy the program!
Eric (-:
Support for XTimer-XTra, sibling program to XTimer, was discontinued in March 1995 due to lack of interest; however, in time XTimer will incorporate features that will eliminate the need for two versions.
States unrepresented by registrations:
Idaho, Utah, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi
West Virginia, Delaware, Maine, and Vermont.
International registrations have come from these countries:
Canada, Germany, Belgium, Austria, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, perhaps Whales too, I am unable to determine the origin of some addresses simply listed as from the UK), Sweden, Switzerland, France, Spain, The Netherlands, and Hong Kong.
