Copyright: wInformant Copr. (C) 1994 Joseph M. Albanese


Main Index
wInformant Help Index

Copyright © 1994 by Joseph M. Albanese.  All rights reserved.

wInformant™ is a trademark of Joseph M. Albanese.

Click on any of the above buttons with a mouse, or tab to a button and press enter, to jump to the associated topic.

Getting Started

Introduction

Moving Around

Menu Commands

Registration

About Shareware

Why Register?

How to Register

Registration Form

WARNING:  Unauthorized reproduction, distribution or tampering with this program, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.


About Shareware

This software is NOT free.  It is copyrighted material; however, it is distributed as shareware.  As such, the UNREGISTERED SHAREWARE version may be freely copied and distributed.

Contrary to popular belief, shareware is a kind of marketing -- not a kind of software.  The only conceptual difference between commercial software and shareware is that with sharware you are allowed to try the software, for a limited period, before you buy it.

When you install wInformant for the first time, you are automatically granted a 30-day evaluation period, during which to determine if wInformant is of value to you.

At the end of the evaluation period, if you continue to use wInformant, you MUST register it.  Failure to do so is in violation of copyright law and international treaties.

See Also

Why Register?

How to Register

Registration Form


Why Register?

There are lots of great reasons to register shareware.  Here are just a few reasons for registering wInformant:

Reason No. 1 (Registration is Easy and Fast):

Advanced activation code technology now makes instant registrations possible.  With a VISA or MASTERCARD and a quick, toll-free call you can transform your current UNREGISTERED SHAREWARE version of wInformant into the full-featured registered version in seconds.  If you don't have a major credit card, simply drop an e-mail line to us and you will receive your activation code in a flash (usually 24 hours).  If all else fails, fill out the registration form and send it with check, money order or credit card information via USMAIL.

Reason No. 2 (Additional Features):

Let us say, first of all, that the unregistered shareware version of wInformant is a fully-functioning and unrestricted product.  It is not crippled in any way.  That said, when you register wInformant you get some extra functionality.  Here are a few:

-	Multimedia sounds:  If you have a sound card, the registered version of wInformant turns your computer into and electronic sound effects machine.  You also get the Play Theme button enabled on the About dialog.

-	 	Splash screen disabling:  The unregistered version is not restricted; however, the opening splash screens (or dialogs) can be a bit annoying after a time.  Registering allows you to turn off splash screens so wInformant can load faster.  This is particularly good if you prefer to load wInformant at startup.

-	 	Always on top:  Sometimes it is convenient to have wInformant always be the topmost window on your desktop.  The registered version has an Always On Top menu option.

Reason No. 3 (Technical Support):

wInformant is designed to be powerful yet easy to use.  Users of even the best software occasionally require technical help, however.  Registration affords you access to our BBS, e-mail address and telephone technical support staff.  Do not call for technical assistance if you have not registered wInformant.

Reason No. 4 (Free Updates, Big Upgrade Discounts):

Between version major releases, there are likely to be countless interim and maintenance releases of wInformant (1.xx).  When you register, you will be able to use your activation code again and again to convert shareware versions to licensed versions for free.  And, best of all, when the next major release is available you will receive big discounts of as much as 50% on upgrades.

Reason No. 5 (Legalities):

As is stated in the opening shareware license splash, if you use wInformant beyond the evaluation period, you must register it.  In other words, if you use wInformant for more than 30 days without registering it, you are in violation of federal copyright law (and/or international treaties).

See Also

About Shareware

How to Register

Registration Form


How to Register

The cost of registration is $39.00 (US funds only).

Option 1 (Instant Registration):

1.	Have your VISA or MASTERCARD ready.

2.	Call 1-800-766-6861 (or 1-703-666-9533 outside the USA) and ask for wInformant shareware registrations.

Option 2 (Registration by Mail):

1.	Print a registration form by pressing the "Print Form" button of the Registration dialog, or click on Registration Form at the end of this topic under See Also.

2.	Send completed form, along with a check, money order or credit card information, to:

wInformant Registrations

P.O. Box 1126

Martinsville  VA  24114

Option 3 (E-Mail Registration):

1.	Create a message containing:  name of registrant; mailing address and VISA or M/C number, exp. date and cardholder's name.

2.	Send to:

wInformant Registrations

Userid:  72110,3562 on CompuServe

-or-

Internet:  72110.3562@compuserve.com

Option 4 (BBS Registration):

1.	Create a message containing:  name of registrant; mailing address and VISA or M/C number, exp. date and cardholder's name.

2.	Address to:	"Sysop"	Subject:  "wInformant Registrations"

NOTES:	Dont forget to include your return address, no matter which regardless of the registration method you choose.

The NEOCOM office is located in Martinsville, VA so be sure to call between 8am-5pm eastern time.

To get the latest version of wInformant, the best thing to do is to download it from the NEOCOM CBB&FL (bbs: 703-666-9535).

If you do not have access to a modem and would like to have the latest version sent out to you on diskette, simply request the diskette and add $10 for the cost of the diskette plus handling charges.

See Also

Deactivate

About Shareware

Why Register?

Registration Form


Deactivate
Deactivate (Registered Version Only)

The Deactivate button in the lower right corner of the Registration dialog allows you to convert a registered version of wInformant back to an UNREGISTERED SHAREWARE version.

You may be wondering why anyone would want to convert a registered version back to a shareware version.  Well, the answer is simple.  What if, for example, you had registered wInformant and wanted to give a friend a copy to evaluate.  Legally, you cant give them a registered version.  Besides, you should not want to have someone else using a copy with your name embedded in the title bar anyway.

Just be sure you have your activation code written down somewhere so you can convert wInformant back to a registered version.


Registration Form
wInformant Registration Form

To get a hard copy of this form, select File, then Print Topic from the menu at the top of this help window.

Indicate method of payment (payable to NEOCOM Microspecialists, Inc.):

 	[ ] Check or Money Order (US Funds Only)

[ ] MastCard   [ ] VISA   Exp. Date __/__  Acct#: ________________________

Signature: ____________________________

Credit card orders: 1-800-766-6861 or FAX 1-703-666-9534 (8am-5pm EST)

For information, or outside the USA, call [voice]: 1-703-666-9533

[  ] Single Copy Standard Registration

Includes activation code only:	         	$39.00

[  ] Single Copy Premium Registration

Includes activation code & latest version on diskette:	$49.00 (add $5.00 for overseas orders)

Bundling & Multi-Site Licensing Options Available

Call or FAX your proposal to 703-666-9533 [voice] or 703-666-9534 [Fax]

Price:	$_____.__	x Qty	= $_____.__

Overseas or outside USA:	$    5.00	= $____5.00 (if applicable)

                            	Total enclosed:  	= $_____.__ (U.S. funds)

Company: ___________________________   User Name: __________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

City: _________________________________      State: ___     Zip: ______-____

Telephone: (    )___-____	Computer:   [ ] AT Class   [ ] 386   [ ] 486   [ ] Pentium

Preferred media (if applicable):	 [  ] 3.5 in. diskette	[  ] 5.25 in. diskette

How did find out about wInformant?  _________________________________________

Comments/Suggestions:

Send this completed form and registration fees to:

wInformant Registrations

c/o NEOCOM Microspecialists, Inc.

P.O. Box 1126

Martinsville VA 24114

See Also

About Shareware

Why Register?

How to Register


Menu Commands

File menu

View menu

Process menu

Help menu


Introduction

Index

wInformant is an advanced utility package and expert system for Windows. You dont have to be an expert to be able to use wInformant effectively because wInformant is the expert.  Its designed to be easy to use, yet powerful.  wInformant takes the drudgery out of many everyday Windows housekeeping tasks, such as eliminating redundant .DLL and .VBX files.  Beginners and experienced users alike will benefit from the many capabiliites of wInformant.

The seven principal utilities include:

This utility finds files fast, and allows you to edit or execute found files with a simple mouse double-click.

Provides a quick way to test the status of Windows swap-files.  Also makes recommendations about how to improve your existing swap-file situation.

Finds (and optionally eliminates) redundant DLL and VBX files from your hard drive(s).  Only exact duplicates are listed for deletion.  Theres even a feature to protect Windows DLL/VBX files in the WINOS2 directory of OS/2, if you happen to be using it.

The profile editor allows most .INI modifications to be made in only a couple of keystrokes and mouse clicks.  This makes editing .INI files a breeze, and even works with SYSTEM.INI files, too.  Also, breaks the 64K limit!

This advanced uninstaller seeks out and selectively (or en masse) wipes out programs, help files, .ini files, icons, groups, subdirectories, OLE objects and even system.ini entries.  FAST!!!

Finally, an easy way to restart Windows.  Like it or not, Windows does occasionally become unstable of corrupt.  With this handy feature you can exit, and reload Windows with one simple button click.

Hold on to your g-suite; one click of the Eject button and you are on your way to DOS like a bat out of Transylvania.  Be careful how you use this feature; however, because some applications are not intelligent enough to know their being shut down.  Save your work first.


Moving Around

Although the wInformant client area may resized or maximized, it is not recommended.  wInformant is designed to be used as an icon bar.  The size of the icon bar automatically adjusts depending on the video mode.  You can maneuver the icon bar around the Windows desktop in three ways:

Alt-x:	To move the wInformant icon bar directly to a specific corner or to the center of the desktop press Alt-x, where x is a value between 1 and 5.  For example, pressing Alt-1 moves the bar to the upper-left corner.  Alt-2 moves it to the upper-right, Alt-3 to the lower-right, Alt-4 to the lower-left and Alt-5 to the center of the screen.

Alt-M:	Repeatedly pressing Alt-M will cause the icon bar to alternately jump form one preset location to another, starting from corner number one and working its way through to the center location.

Drag:	In spite of the fact that there are preset screen locations, there are no restrictions as to where you may place the wInformant bar.  To manually move the bar click the window title and, as you would with any window, drag the bar to the desired location and release.

wInformant always returns to the location where it was last used.  Keep in mind; however, that if wInformant is shut down by another application (i.e. shutting down Windows) the location settings will not be saved.  In other words, if you want wInformant to remember its current location you should close it down using Alt-F4 or equivalent.


Eject button

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+C

Eject provides the fastest way out of Windows.

Use Eject when you want to exit Windows in a hurry; however, remember to save your important work prior to punching out since there is no prompting.  This is the most important difference between Ejecting and exiting Windows normally (File/Exit Windows..., Alt-F4, etc.).  With Eject there is no exit prompt.  Once the button is pressed, the exit process cannot be stopped.

The Eject button can be disabled by selecting Eject from the View menu.  It is a good idea to do this when setting up wInformant for an inexperienced user, or if you are concerned about hitting Eject accidentally.

IMPORTANT:  Use Eject with caution!


Restart button

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+R

Restart provides a quick-and-easy way to exit and restart Windows.

Windows occasionally becomes unstable subsequent to a General Protection Fault or other critical error, thus requiring you to restart Windows. Restart provides a convenient way to restart Windows using a single mouse click or key combination.

Critical errors are not the only reasons for restarting Windows; a few others might include:

- Modifications to either the win.ini or system.ini files.

- Low memory conditions.

- Video mode changes.

Whatever the reason, Restart is the most convenient way to restart Windows.

NOTE:	Save your work prior to restarting a Windows session.


Search

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+S

Search provides a fast and easy way to find, edit, run or delete files.

Modern, large capacity hard drives are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.  Search can help by simplifying the process of finding lost or missing files.  For example, say you need to find a bitmap file that starts with the letters: ST.  To search follow these simple steps:

1.	Type ST*.BMP in the Search Mask edit box.

2.	Enter into the Starting Directory edit box the drive letter and path of where you want wInformant to begin its search.

3.	Press the Search button.

wInformant will find all matching files, usually in matter of seconds.  The amount of time required depends on a number of criteria, including the number of subdirectories traversed in the search and the number of matching files.  To speed searches, always remember to specify a starting directory.

NOTE:	If you dont have a particularly fast video system you may wish to check the Turbo checkbox.  This feature temporarily turns off list updating during the search.  The only difference you should notice is that you will not see any found entries until the search has completed.

During the search, whether you are in Turbo or not, you will be able to watch numbers updating in the search statistics section of the dialog (pictured below).

The Dirs field contains the number of directories scanned during the search.  Under File Hits you will find the number of files found to match the search criteria specified.  Just to the right of File Hits is a field called Listed.  This number tells how many of the files that were found are actually listed in the answer listbox.  The only time these two numbers are not equal is when the number of hits exceeds the maximum the answer list will allow.  Usually, this happens somewhere between 1000 and 2000 entries.  The last field in the statistics section is labeled Total Bytes and contains the number of bytes (not including FAT overhead) consumed by all the Listed files.  This number gives a quick indication of the amount of disk space you could save by deleting all the listed files.

There are basically three functions available for manipulating listed files in the Search dialog:

1.	Edit...Loads the selected file into the default editor (i.e. notepad.exe).

2.	Delete...Erases the selected file(s).  To select more than one file, hold the Ctrl key while moving the mouse cursor from one entry to the next.

3.	Open...Runs the selected program.  If the selection file is not an executable, wInformant will attempt to load its associated application automatically.

NOTE:	Open is an implicit function.  It is called implicit because there is no Open button.  To open a file or application, simply double-click your mouse on the item you want to run.


Swap-file Process
Swap-file Check

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+W

The Swap-file Check performs a quick analysis of your status of your Windows swap-file.

The swap-file, whether it be temporary or permanent, is one of the most important settings in Windows.  A bad or poorly chosen swap-file can greatly affect performance.  The Swap-File Check feature of wInformant makes it a snap to monitor your Windows swap-file.  It tells what the current swap-file settings are, the status of the existing swap-file and makes suggestions about how to improve your swap-file (when appropriate).  It also shows the drive, path and filename of the current swap-file.  A button, labeled Change, is provided that automatically loads Windows Control Panel for easy swap-file modifications.

NOTE:	A well-chosen Windows swap-file, especially a permanent one, can increase performance by as much as 50% of more.  Dont take this feature lightly.  To find out more about swap-files, consult your Windows documentation.


DLL/VBX Redundancy
DLL/VBX Redundancy Scan

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+D

The DLL/VBX Redundancy scan finds, and optionally eliminates, unnecessary dynamic link libraries and Visual Basic custom controls.

One of the great benefits of the Windows environment is the dynamic link library (or DLL).  DLLs allow multiple programs to share a single set of runtime code, without the need to load multiple copies of the identical code for each application.  This can significantly reduce RAM requirements under such circumstances.  Visual Basic custom controls, which have the extension .VBX are really just specialized dynamic link libraries, and for the sake of this discussion are identical.  As nice as DLLs are, they are not always very easy to keep track of.

wInformant solves this problem with the DLL/VBX Redundancy scan tool.  DLL and VBX files are usually found either in the Windows directory, the Windows system directory or the directory of the program that uses them.  Occasionally, we find several copies of the identical DLL or VBX files in different locations.  Herein lies the DLL paradox:  They save precious RAM and may at the same time be wasting valuable disk space.

The DLL/VBX Redundancy dialog is divided into six sections:

Section 1 (Drive Selection)

The first thing you must decide prior to initiating a scan is which drive letters to include in the search.  wInformants expert system automatically highlights all local, non-floppy drives.  Network drive letters should be displayed but not highlighted.

IMPORTANT:	Do not delete DLL or VBX files on network drives unless you are absolutely sure that you are the only user that will be affected by such deletions.

You may select any combination of drives, local or otherwise.  The maximum number of drives that can be selected at any one time is ten.

Section 2 (Status Box)

The status box shown below displays directories during the second phase of the redundancy scan.

The redundancy scan process consists of three phases.  The first phase consists of a directory scan of each of the selected drives.  In phase two, the all of the system DLLs are pushed onto the System DLL/VBXs listbox. Phase three, the final phase, places all the exact duplicates in the Redundant DLL/VBXs listbox.

Section 3 (Progress Monitor)

During phase three, the progress monitor displays percent complete graphs.  The graph labeled All displays the collective progress of all the drives, while the graph labeled with a drive letter (D: in this case) displays the progress of that individual drive.  As the scan progresses from drive to drive, the driver letter above the latter changes to match the drive currently being scanned.  When only one drive is selected, both graphs display identical values.  When both graphs reach the top of their respective columns, the redundancy scan is complete.  At this point you can start deleting duplicates.

Beneath the progress monitor is a checkbox titled OS/2 Safe.  This feature is for users of OS/2 who run wInformant from standard Windows.  When this box is checked, dynamic link libraries found in the \OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\SYSTEM directory are ignored.  If you are running OS/2 for Windows, or if you do not have OS/2 on your system at all, then it does not matter whether the box is checked or not.

Section 4 (System DLL List)

As previously mentioned, during phase two of a redundancy scan, all of the DLL and VBX files in the Windows system directory are pushed onto this listbox.  These DLL files will be used for comparison during phase three.  The concept of the redundancy scan is really quite simple.  If a DLL is in the Windows system directory, then there is no need for that exact same DLL to exist anywhere else for a particular machine.

Above and to the right of the list box is a number.  It tells how many entries there are in the list.  At the bottom right side of the list there is another number.  It shows the total number of bytes in all the files in the list combined.

Section 5 (Redundant DLL List)

When phase three of the redundancy scan completes, the Redundant DLL/VBXs listbox contains all the dynamic link libraries that were found to be exact matches with those in the System DLL/VBXs listbox.  The term exact match is defined as two files which have the same name, date/time stamp and file size.  Although it is theoretically possible for two DLLs to have the same name, date/time stamp and file size, and yet not be identical, it is extremely unlikely.  It is safe to assume that if a file is listed in the Redundant DLL/VBX listbox it is OK to delete it.  To delete files, select one or more using the mouse and click the Delete button.

NOTE:	Holding the Ctrl key while clicking list entries with a mouse allows you to selectively choose entries that are not necessarily consecutive.

Section 6 (Control Panel)

We have already discussed the function of most of these buttons, but we did not discuss the buttons themselves.  The button labeled Scan is used to initiate a redundancy scan, which by the way is the primary function of the DLL/VBX Redundancy utility.  Directly beneath the Scan button is a button labeled Delete.  It is only enabled when there are entries in the redundant listbox, otherwise it will be grayed and inaccessable.  Use the Delete button to remove files that are highlighted in the redundant list.  Beneath Delete, you will see the Cancel button which, as with any dialog, closes it down .  At the bottom of the list is the Help button that loads this context-sensitive help topic.


Profile Editor

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+O

The Profile Editor provides an easy, intuitive way to edit all kinds of Windows .ini files, including the system.ini file.

Windows .ini files are very useful for application developers and end users alike.  The problem is, however, Windows doesnt include a very good facility for maintaining them.  Profile Editor is designed for exactly this purpose.

The editor dialog may be logically divided into three sections.  The upper left corner of the dialog comprises what is known as the file selection section.

Section 1 (File Selection)

As you can see from this snapshot, there are three file selection options: win.ini, system.ini and other.  A simple button click on either win.ini or system.ini will load up the respective file.  These are the two most commonly used .ini files.  The third option, other, brings up the file open dialog with *.ini as the default extension.  Use this feature when you want to edit an .ini file other than win.ini or system.ini.

NOTE:	When the Profile Editor is activated each time, the win.ini file is automatically loaded.

Section 2 (Section Selection)

The upper right portion of the Profile Editor dialog is devoted to Section Selection.  For those of you new to the concept of Windows .ini files, a section is a header line in an .ini file that is surrounded by ([ ]) brackets.  Sections are usually followed by one or more key lines.

A sample section as it would appear in a text editor (i.e. NOTEPAD.EXE) is shown below:

[wInformant]

RECTLeft=196

RECTTop=369

ScreenPosition=6

LaunchApp=D:\COMMWORK\LL5\LL5.EXE

LaunchNoAsk=N

A number of profile (or .ini) editors are currently available both in shareware and through commercial channels, but many of those are unable to edit the system.ini file.  This is because most other similar programs rely on the Windows API for profile editing system calls.  If all .ini files were the same there wouldnt be a problem with that.  Unfortunately, system.ini is different from other .ini files in that its key values (values on the left side of the = sign) do not have to be unique.  There are many instances of device=, to be found within the system.ini, particularly in the [386Enh].  This is a problem for most other .ini editors, but not with wInformants Profile Editor.


Uninstall

Index

Hot Keys:  Alt+U

Uninstall provides a powerful and user-friendly facility for removing unwanted Windows applications, their associated dynamic link libraries (DLLs), win.ini and system.ini file entries, Program Manager icons and groups.

Windows applications are often more difficult to remove than they are to install. Sooner or later we all have to delete a Windows application to make room for other programs.  The problem is, there are sometimes entries made to the win.ini or system.ini files which would not be deleted if we simply delete the program or directory.  The best way to remove a Windows program is with the programs own uninstall program.  Unfortunately, most programs dont include such a tool.  Hence, we now have wInformant - Uninstall. Windows has a 64K .ini file limitation which means it is crucial to get rid of unnecessary entries periodically.  Uninstall takes care of this automatically, too.

The Uninstall dialog consists of four logical sections.  The upper left corner of the dialog comprises what is known as the group selection section.

Section 1 (Group Selection)

The first step in deleting an application with Uninstall is to select a program group from the Program Groups listbox in the upper-left corner of the dialog.  The snapshot at left shows a sample list.  Note that each group name corresponds to an actual program manager group.  As soon as you select a group, the applications list is automatically updated with all the icons titles for programs in the group.

Another point of interest in the group selection section is the No Prompting checkbox.  Unless you are quite sure of what you are doing, it is a good idea to leave this feature unchecked.  For safety reasons, the checkbox always defaults to unchecked.  When checked, the No Prompting feature bypasses all delete safety warnings.  This can be a time saver if you are confident enough to use it, but it can be very hazardous.

Finally, the group selection has a button labeled Browse, allowing you to uninstall programs that are not in program manager groups.  This is of particular importance to users of third-party shell replacements, such as the Norton Desktop™.  As a matter of fact, you can even use Browse to remove DOS programs.

Section 2 (Program Selection)

The second step is to select the specific application from the Program Selection listbox.  The Program Selection section is easily identified by its icon-embedded list.Identifying applications is easy using wInformant Uninstall icons.  Despite the unique look of the Program Selection listbox, it functions exactly like a normal listbox.  Simply scroll to the icon/program name you want to delete and click it once with the left mouse button.  Once you have selected an application it is time to initiate the analysis by pressing Probe.

At the top of the Program Selection listbox you will notice a title bar.  The title bar also functions as an information toggle.  Press the title bar once to display the full path and filename of the .grp file currently selected. Press it again to return to the group title.

NOTE:	Double-clicking your selection is a shortcut equivalent to clicking once and then pressing Probe on the Control Panel (discussed in next section).

Section 3 (Control Panel)

The third and fifth steps of the uninstall process, as well as a few other miscellaneous things, are performed here.  The third step, which you might already have performed by double-clicking as described in step two, is to press the Probe button.  This causes wInformant to search for programs, directories, associations and other win.ini and system.ini entries.  The fourth step is to select purge operations from the purge queue, and is discussed in the section 4. The fifth and final step in the uninstall process is to press the Uninstall button.  When you press Uninstall, if the No Prompting checkbox is checked then the uninstall process begins without warning.  If No Prompting is not checked (this is the default) the process begins, but a warning message box is displayed prior to each purge operation.

The five buttons of the control panel are described below:

Help:	Loads load context-sensitive help.

Cancel:	Closes the Uninstall dialog and returns to wInformant.

Open:	The Open button loads and runs the program, if one is listed, in the Purge Queue.  This feature is useful if you want to be sure the program you are about to uninstall is actually the one you think it is, for example.

Uninstall:	Initiates the uninstall process.  This button is usually the last step in the uninstall process.

Probe:	Searches for programs, .hlp and .ini files, directories, associations and other .ini file entries.  Found items are listed in the purge queue as described in section 4.

Section 4 (Purge Queue)

The Purge Queue is essentially a list of purge operations which, if highlighted, will be performed during the uninstall process. This is the fourth step of the uninstall process.

Certain purge operations are automatically selected while others are not.  wInformant attempts to preselect items which are least likely to result in ambiguities.  The remaining operations may be manually selected as desired.

NOTE:	You should select purge operations prior to pressing the Uninstall button.  If you do skip this step you will probably not be getting rid of everything you need to.  Take plenty of time to scan through the purge queue.

You may have noticed two small buttons immediately above and at the right side of the purge queue labeled All and Clr.  These provide a quick method for highlighting all or clearing all purge queue entries, respectively.  If there are standard Windows or common-use DLLs, then All does not highlight these entries.  You may manually override this safety feature by manually selecting entries as desired.


File menu commands

The File menu offers the following commands:

Eject	Shut down Windows
Restart	Restarts Windows
Options	Allows you to make changes to the default settings for such features as sound effects and splash screens (registered version only)
Exit	Exits wInformant.


Process menu commands

The Process menu offers the following commands:

Search	Searches for and manipulates found files.
Swapfile Check	Restarts Windows
DLL/VBX Search	Scans for redundant DLL/VBX files.
Profile Editor	Facilitates painless .ini file maintenance
Uninstall	Finds and wipes out applications and their associated files (i.e. .HLP, .INI, DLL, etc.)


Options command
Options command (File menu)

Use this command to access the registered version-only submenu options:

-	 	Splash Screens:  The unregistered version is not restricted; however, the opening splash screens (or dialogs) can be a bit annoying after a time.  Registering allows you to turn off splash screens so wInformant can load faster.  This is particularly good if you prefer to load wInformant at startup.

-	Sound Effects:  If you have a sound card, the registered version of wInformant turns your computer into and electronic sound effects machine.  You also get the Play Theme button enabled on the About dialog.

-	 	Always On Top:  Sometimes it is convenient to have wInformant always be the topmost window on your desktop.  The registered version has an Always On Top menu option.


View Menu
View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Move	Moves the wInformant toolbar through all the preset locations.
Eject	Toggles the Eject button on and off.


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

Index	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Using Help	Provides general instructions on using help.
Shareware Notice	Gives information about the shareware concept.
Registration	Gives registration information.  Also, allows you to enter an activation code to convert to the full registered version.
About	Displays the version number of this application.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your wInformant session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.  wInformant prompts you to save documents with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Keys:	ALT+F4


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.  From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using wInformant and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


About command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the copyright notice, version number and licensing information of your copy of wInformant.


Help Using Help Command
Context Help command

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on some portion of wInformant.  When you choose the Toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark.  Then click somewhere in the wInformant window, such as another Toolbar button.  The Help topic will be shown for the item you clicked.

Shortcut

Keys:	SHIFT+F1


Title Bar

<< wInformant >>

The title bar is located along the top of a window.  It contains the name of the application and document.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

A title bar may contain the following elements:

Application Control-menu button

Document Control-menu button

Maximize button

Minimize button

Name of the application

Name of the document

Restore button


Scroll bars

Displayed at the right and bottom edges of the document window.  The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your vertical and horizontal location in the document.  You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the document.

<< Describe the actions of the various parts of the scrollbar, according to how they behave in your application. >>


Size command (System menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1.	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2.	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3.	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+F7


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the wInformant window to an icon.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.

Keys:	ALT+F9


Maximize command (System menu)

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the maximize icon [image] on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.

Keys:	CTRL+F10 enlarges a document window.


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Note:  If you have multiple windows open for a single document, the Close command on the document Control menu closes only one window at a time.  You can close all windows at once with the Close command on the File menu.

Shortcuts

Keys: 	CTRL+F4 closes a document window

ALT+F4 closes the <<YourType>> window or dialog box


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Switch to command (application Control menu)

Use this command to display a list of all open applications.  Use this "Task List" to switch to or close an application on the list.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+ESC

Dialog Box Options

When you choose the Switch To command, you will be presented with a dialog box with the following options:

Task List

Select the application you want to switch to or close.

Switch To

Makes the selected application active.

End Task

Closes the selected application.

Cancel

Closes the Task List box.

Cascade

Arranges open applications so they overlap and you can see each title bar.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Tile

Arranges open applications into windows that do not overlap.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Arrange Icons

Arranges the icons of all minimized applications across the bottom of the screen.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.

<< If you wish to author help specific to each message box prompt, then remove the AFX_HIDP_xxx values from the [ALIAS] section of your .HPJ file, and author a topic for each AFX_HIDP_xxx value.  For example, AFX_HIDP_INVALID_FILENAME is the help topic for the Invalid Filename message box. >>