Copyright: Copyright 1995 Straight Line Medium, Inc.


RESORTS OF THE CARIBBEAN HELP CONTENTS

The contents lists Help topics available for Resorts of the Caribbean.

To learn how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

Menu Bar Options

File - Exit

Reservations

Preferences - Sound

Preferences - Slide Show

Screen Descriptions

Main Menu

Browse

Criteria Search

Viewer Screen

Maps/Regional Info

Island Maps

Slide Show

Resort Detail

Regional Detail

Glossary

Video Viewer

Villas of the Caribbean


Villas of the Caribbean

Straight Line Medium and Island Hideaways first teamed up to produce Villas of the Caribbean which has recently been covered in Caribbean Travel and Life, American Way, Conde Nast Traveler, Brides Magazine, Washington Post Travel Section and featured on CBS News Up to the Minute.

Villas contains over 2200 beautiful full color pictures and comprehensive information on 400 private villas for rent.  Villa rentals range from suprisingly affordable to extravagant.  Resorts and Villas  were designed using the same popular user interface.

Now registered users of Resorts can get Villas for half price: $15.00 plus $4.00 shipping and handling, tax applies for Virginia mailing addresses.  To order call:

(800) CD VILLA  or (804) 784-2693.


File- Exit

Selecting this menu option closes the application.  If properties have been added to the Favorites List, you will be given the opportunity to save the list for future reference.  The Exit button on the Main Menu responds the same way.


Reservations

Provides the phone number for all your travel arrangements and information about the Resort rental representative, Island Hideaways.  This screen may also be reached by pressing the Reservations button in the Resort Detail screen.


Preferences - Sound

Choose Preferences then Sound from the menu bar to reach this screen.  You select voice instructions, music, or no sound at all.  A sound card is required for these features to work.  If your selection is music, choose the type of music you would like to listen to.

You may change the selection at any time and your selection is remembered for the next time you use Resorts of the Caribbean.

Single click OK to activate your selections or Cancel to return to the previous screen with no changes.


Favorites Remembered
Remembered

Several settings are remembered by the application.  Sound settings, Slide Show settings and the Favorites List.  The Sound and Slide Show settings are saved automatically, however the Favorites List is saved only if you choose to do so when prompted during the application Exit.


Preferences - Slide Show

Choose Preferences then Slide Show from the menu bar to reach this screen.  You set the pictures in the Slide Show to change manually or automatically. "Automatically" sets the pace of the Slide Show by the interval you define for picture display in seconds.  Only the intervals provided in the pick list will function.

Select the number of views per property, by single clicking in one of the circles next to the desired option.  The full screen resort pictures are shown when the number of views per property is set to one.

You may change the selection at any time however, if you change the setting during a Slide Show, the show is restarted at the beginning.  Your selection is remembered for the next time you use Resorts of the Caribbean.

Single click OK to activate your selections or Cancel to return to the previous screen with no changes.


Main Menu

The main menu provides four methods to reach a property's description in the Resort Detail screen.  Four buttons labeled Criteria Search, Maps/Regional Info, Browse, and Slide Show are along the bottom of the screen.

The menu bar has selections for File, Reservations, and Preferences.  These menu bar options are typically available from any screen.  The Reservations menu takes you to information about making your Resort reservations.  The Preferences menu allows you to customize the Sound to music or voice instructions, and set the pace for your Slide Show.

The Exit button closes the application.  If properties have been added to the Favorite Properties List, you will be given the opportunity to save them.  The File - Exit option on the menu bar responds the same way.


Voice Instructions

Voice Instructions can be activated from the Preferences - Sound menu bar option.  A sound card is required for the instructions to function.

As each window of the application is displayed Voice Instructions will play.  To repeat the instructions at any time, press the button labeled Voice.


Criteria Search

Use the options on this screen to create a list of properties that match your criteria.  Pick any combination of features and preferences but remember each additional criterion reduces the number of properties which match.  Enter only the criteria you MUST have to return the widest selection of vacation options.

After selecting your criteria and choosing the Begin Search button, the Viewer screen displays.

The Search Criteria screen requires at least one criterion.  If you want to see all properties use the Browse or Slide Show main menu options.

The criteria fields:

Name

Enter the name of a property.  You can enter the full name or a partial entry.

Location

Pick a destination from the list.

Size

Units represent the simultaneous bookings a resort can handle.  Typically it is the number of suites or rooms, however a villa or yacht may have many bedrooms but only accept one party per booking.

Type

Pick, from the list, villas/homes, villa resorts, resorts, or yacht charters.  Villa resorts are identified separately to indicate shared amenities for several villas vs. stand alone villas.

Price Category

Pick the desired category from the list.  The category was assigned to each resort based upon the analysis described in the Glossary.

Desired Key Features

Click on the box in front of the feature you desire.  Resort qualification for a key feature is provided in the Glossary.

Buttons

Begin Search

Searches all properties for those that match all criteria entered.  The results of the Search, the matching properties, are returned for your inspection to the Viewer Screen.

Clear Criteria

Clears all user entries and selections on the Search Criteria screen.

Glossary

Displays the Glossary screen for definitions of Price Category and Feature qualification.

Favorites

Allows direct access to the favorites list in the Viewer screen without performing a search.  A favorites list must have been previously established.

Go Back

Returns to the previous screen.


Glossary

The Glossary provides descriptions for how resorts qualified for providing key features and the method used to categorize their rates.

The Browse screen uses location codes to conserve space.  PLEASE NOTE THE FULL LOCATION NAME of the highlighted resort is on the upper right hand side of the screen just above the feature check boxes.  To decipher any island code just click on that line and see it on the upper right.  In addition, the Glossary provides each code and the full island name.

The Glossary can be accessed from Help on the menu bar and by command buttons labeled Glossary on the Browse and Criteria Search screens.


Key Features

Key Features are the features listed in the Browse screen and Criteria Search screen.   An x in the check box indicates that the resort offers the feature.  The qualifications for each feature are listed in the Glossary.   The Resort Detail Screen  lists all amenities offered by each resort including those not identified as key features.


Viewer Screen

The Viewer screen has two lists of properties, the Search Results list and the Favorite list.  The row of pictures at the top are the pictures for the active  list.  To activate Search Results, press the Activate button just above the Search Results list.  To activate Favorites, press the Activate button just above the Favorites list.  Notice the pictures change as the new list is selected.

You may select a property by single clicking on it's name in the list or by clicking on the picture. As you select Resorts in this screen, the scrolling picture window will display a picture of the property you selected with a red indicator arrow underneath it.  Once a property is selected you can go to the Resort Detail Screen by pressing the Detail button or double click on the resort name or picture.

You may save a property to your favorite list by highlighting the property on the Search Results list and pressing the Select button above that list.  Likewise, you may remove a Favorite by highlighting it on the Favorite list and pressing the Remove button above that list.  You are given the opportunity to save your favorites list upon exiting Resorts of the Caribbean.

The Slide Show button on the Viewer Screen creates a slide show from the active list.  If your Favorite list is active, then the Slide Show is of your Favorite Resorts only.  Likewise, if the Search Results list is active, your Slide Show will be of only the properties in the Search list.

The Go Back button returns to the previous screen.


Active and Inactive

An active object, such as a button or a list, has black text.  Active objects react to mouse clicks.  An inactive object has gray text and will not react to a mouse click.

If your buttons dont seem to work even when they are black, change your Windows Colors in the Control Panel to the Designer selection provided by Windows, this color palette sets the highlighted and inactive text options properly.  If you prefer your custom palette, see your Windows documentation for directions on how to apply custom colors to the various components defined by Windows.


Criteria Search - partial entry

A partial entry is one where you enter only some of the letters needed to spell a resort name.  The search returns all resorts where the first characters of the resort name match the characters you have provided.  For instance if you enter Blue, the search will return Blue Horizons Hotel on Grenada and Blue Waters Beach Hotel  on Antigua.


Maps/Regional Info

This option displays a Caribbean overview map.  Zoom to the detail of an Island Map  by clicking on the island name or land mass.

The Go Back button returns to the previous screen.


Hot Spots

A hot spot is text or picture on a screen which activates when you click on it.  Resorts of the Caribbean has hot spots in the Caribbean Map Overview and on each of the Island Maps.


Island Maps

Island Maps can be reached by one of two methods: 1) Click on the island name or land mass on the Caribbean Map  or 2) Press the Map button on the Resort Detail Screen.

The island map has hot spots for Resorts, yacht departure ports, and airports located on the island.  A single click on a hot spot highlights the selection and gives the name of the Resort, port, or airport.  Resorts and yachts also show a small preview picture.  When several properties can be found at the same location, a list will pop-up with the names.  Highlighting a name in the list will show a small preview picture.

More detail can be reached on both properties and airports by highlighting the item and pressing the Detail button.  The Resort Detail Screen displays with the information for the highlighted property.  If an airport is highlighted the Airport Screen is displayed.  Both detail screens can also be reached by double clicking on the hot spot.

Pressing the Regional button displays the Regional Detail Screen for the location of the property.

The Go Back button returns to the previous screen.


Browse

The Browse screen is a listing of all properties with their name, location, number of units and price category.  A small preview picture and key features displays for the resort highlighted in the list.

The sort order of the list can be changed by single clicking on name, location, units or price category in the Sort By box.  Using the sort feature will group all like items on the selected sort.

You may view Resort Detail Screen for the highlighted property by pressing the Detail button or select one of the other feature buttons.  The Favorites button allows you to add to or view your Favorites List.  The Slide Show offers another way to view the properties.

The Go Back button returns to the previous screen.


Favorites Screen

Select to add the current property to the Favorites List or to go to the Viewer Screen to check the Favorites List.  Add informs you that the property was added or conversely that it is already in the Favorites List.

Press the Cancel button to return to the previous screen without taking any further action.


Slide Show

The Slide Show opens to a preliminary window requesting your choice from four viewing options:

All Properties

View all the properties on the Resorts of the Caribbean CD-ROM in alphabetical order.

Properties by Criteria Search

View properties which match the criteria you enter in the Criteria Search Screen.

Favorite Properties

View the properties you have selected as your Favorites.

Regional Sights

View photos from Caribbean locations.

Press the OK button to proceed or the Cancel Button to return to the previous screen.

Your selections on the Preferences Slide Show determine the pace of your Slide Show.  You indicate between one and four pictures of each property to be included in the show (some properties do not have four pictures available, so the Slide Show will just move on to the next property).   A slide show of full screen pictures is shown when selecting one view per property.  You may reset the selections at any time, although new selections during a slide show cause the show to start again with the first picture.

The Manual Selection

Press Go to begin the slide show.

You control the pace of the Slide Show by pressing the Next button when you want to view a new slide.  You may go forward and backward in the manual mode (the automatic mode goes forward only).  The Previous button moves  from the current slide back towards the first slide.

Press the Detail button at any time to get more detail on the current slide.  If your Slide Show is of properties, you will enter the Resort Detail Screen.  If your Slide Show is of regional sights then you will enter the Regional Detail Screen.

A property may be added to your Favorite Property List by pressing the Favorites button.

Stop the Slide Show at any time by pressing the Cancel button.

The Automatic Selection

The automatic Slide Show allows you to sit back and watch the slides as they change, no action is required by you.  You control the pace of the Slide Show by setting the slide interval in the Preferences Slide Show menu bar option.

Press Go to begin the slide show.

A Pause button allows you to temporarily stop the show so you can do the following:

Press the Detail button at any time to get more detail on the current slide.  If your Slide Show is of properties, you will enter the Resort Detail Screen.  If your Slide Show is of regional sights then you will enter the Regional Detail Screen.

A property may be added to your Favorite Property List by pressing the Favorites button.

Press the Resume button to continue with the Slide Show.

Stop the Slide Show at any time by pressing the Cancel button.


Resort Detail Screen

The Resort Detail screen displays a detailed description of the property, rate information,  pictures, a list of features, and a map with approximate location.

Each property has multiple pictures, so scroll through them in either direction as indicated by an active More button.  An inactive More button indicates you have reached the end of the pictures.

When a full screen picture is available for the picture currently displayed, an Enlargement Button appears just below the picture.

The More button above the rate and description boxes expands the size of each box for easier reading.

The Features listing is scrollable when there are more entries than space allows.

A property may be added to your Favorite Property List by pressing the Favorites button.

Pressing the Regional Info button displays the Regional Detail Screen for the location of the property.

The Reservations button displays the Reservations Screen with the toll free reservation number and other information from the Resort representative.

The Print button prints all Resort Detail text information to the Windows default printer.  No pictures are printed.

The Map button displays a highlighted (bright green) square at the approximate location of the property on the Island Map.

A Video button appears if a video clip is available for the region.  Pressing the button displays the Video Viewer Screen.


Regional Detail Screen

The Regional Detail screen displays Region Facts, Climate,  and pictures.  Points of Interest, Helpful Hints, and Airports for the region are accessible by the press of a button.

Each region has multiple pictures, so scroll through them in either direction as indicated by an active More button.  An inactive More button indicates you have reached the end of the pictures.

When a full screen picture is available for the picture currently displayed, an Enlargement Button appears just below the picture.

More buttons above the Region Facts box and the Climate box, expands the size of the box for easier reading.

A Video button appears if a video clip is available for the region.  Pressing the button displays the Video Viewer Screen.

The Print button prints all Regional Detail text information to the Windows default printer.  No pictures are printed.


Video Viewer Screen

The Video Viewer screen is available from the Resort Detail Screen and the Regional Detail Screen when the selected detail has video available.  The buttons directly below the picture simulate a VCR with Rewind, Play, Pause, Back (one frame at a time) and Stop.  These buttons are inactive until the video is loaded and starts to play.  The larger Cancel Button closes the Video Viewer screen.

If you experience trouble viewing video clips, check to be sure you have installed Video for Windows Version 1.1 or better.  Next, close down any applications running in the background, you may be low on memory resources.


Helpful Hints Screen

The Helpful Hints screen advises you regarding Entry Requirements into the island, Transportation, Money and some General Information.  Just click the circle next to the topic that interests you.

 To return to the Regional Information screen,  press the OK button.


Points of Interest Screen

The Points of Interest screen contains information about Excursions and Sightseeing trips, available Sports and Amusements, area Beaches and Special Events.  Just click the circle next to the topic that interests you.

 To return to the Regional Detail screen,  press the OK button.


Airport Screen

The Airport Screen lists on the left side the airports located in the region.  The airlines listed on the right hand side are the ones servicing the highlighted airport.  If the island does not have an airport it will be indicated.

To return to the previous screen press the OK button.