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THE MOTORHOME MANAGER (tm) ______________________________________________________________________ Version 2.1 Software for the traveling family. for use on all IBM PC's and Compatibles. Copyright (c) 1990 SHELTER ISLAND PRESS ______________________________________________________________________ User's Manual Copyright (c) 1990 Shelter Island Press All Rights Reserved Programs and Files Copyright (c) 1990 Shelter Island Press All Rights Reserved Portions of the programs Copyright (c) 1989 Microsoft Corporation The Motorhome Manager is a trademark of Shelter Island Press All other marks in this manual are the trademarks of their respective companies DISCLAIMER & WARRANTY Shelter Island press hereby disclaims all warranties relating to this software, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Shelter Island Press be liable of any indirect, consequential, special or exemplary damages such as, but not limited to, loss of revenue, data, anticipated profits, lost business or any other economic loss arising our of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, this Software. Your sole and exclusive remedy for any and all claims against Shelter Island Press arising out of or in connection with this product, whether based on contract or tort, is the refund of the purchase price or replacement of the Software. _____________________________________________________________________ SHELTER ISLAND PRESS 2726 Shelter Island Drive #46 San Diego, California 92106 U.S.A. (619) 696-7756 i SINGLE-USER SOFTWARE LICENSE You are free to copy and distribute this Software as long as you do not charge ANY fee for the Software, and as long as you include all files, documentation and copyright notices. A nominal fee may be charged for media, expenses and handling, but must not exceed $15.00. THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT FREE, NOR IS IT PUBLIC DOMAIN If you find this Software to be satisfactory after a 30 DAY EVALUATION PERIOD, and intend to continue using it for your purposes, you are obliged to send a registration fee of $49.95 to Shelter Island Press. With your paid registration, you will receive the following: 1. A diskette with the latest version of the Software 2. A printed manual 3. A registered user ID# for phone support 4. You will be placed on the list for notification of ALL upgrades. 5. A diskette containing unregistered versions of other Shelter Island Press products for your review (a $20.00 value) Your timely registration will be greatly appreciated. ┌─────────┐ ┌─────┴───┐ │ (tm) ──│ │o │────────────────── │ ┌─────┴╨──┐ │ Association of │ │ │─┘ Shareware └───│ o │ Professionals ──────│ ║ │──────────────────── └────╨────┘ MEMBER This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). The ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to The ASP Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536 ii SHAREWARE - HONEST PRICES FOR HONEST CUSTOMERS I'm often asked why I choose to market my software through shareware channels. The answer is really quite simple. I am able to make a decent living providing quality software at honest prices to honest people. What's the difference between Shareware and Commercial software? Glitz. Pure and simple. There are no pretty boxes with mega-buck artwork on them, no full page ads in Computer magazines. Just good, high quality software. In 1981 I published my first commercial piece of software, and was immediately overwhelmed with the cost of marketing, packaging, and distribution. In order to be at all profitable, the mark-up on the software was astronomical. Wholesalers and Distributors wanted a MINIMUM of 50%; packaging was another 10%; business overhead & advertising was another 30% - leaving 10% (usually less) for my income! Although we did show consistent profit on sales, the net return was far less than we wanted, and the end consumer paid a premium price. Shareware is based on a rather unique concept these days - honesty! The truth is, most people are honest. Shareware operates on the principle that if you like, and intend to use, an authors software, then you are obligated to send that author a registration fee. There is no coercion, no force...just honesty. You will not find any of my software to be "crippled" (e.g. works only for a while, or allows a minimum of entries). I ship full-featured software and rely on your honesty and satisfaction for reimbursement. If you have not investigated the shareware market, please do yourself a favor. You will find a remarkable amount of professional software at reasonable prices. You can test them BEFORE you buy, and can therefore choose your software library carefully. This approach needs your cooperation, so please, register your software at your earliest convenience. Scott Diener iii TABLE OF CONTENTS _____________________________________________________________________ Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION How to Use This Manual ....................................... 1 Why .......................................................... 1 What ......................................................... 1 How .......................................................... 1 The READ.ME File ............................................. 1 Chapter 2 INSTALLATION System Requirements .......................................... 2 Running SETUP.EXE ............................................ 2 Starting the Software ........................................ 3 Chapter 3 AUTHOR'S COMMENTS Hi-Tech Traveling ............................................ 4 The Computer as A Tool ....................................... 4 Being Organized .............................................. 5 General Uses for This Software ............................... 5 Chapter 4 EXPLANATION OF MODULES Food Inventory ............................................... 6 Meals Inventory .............................................. 7 Supplies Inventory ........................................... 8 Campsites .................................................... 9 Trip Planning ................................................ 9 Contacts ..................................................... 9 Parts Inventory .............................................. 9 Projects & Repairs ........................................... 10 Maintenance Tickler .......................................... 11 Equipment Inventory .......................................... 12 Summary ...................................................... 12 Chapter 5 SOFTWARE OPERATION Introduction to Files, Subfiles & Records .................... 13 The Main Menu ................................................ 13 The Working Screen ........................................... 14 Pull-Down Menus .............................................. 14 The Index Window ............................................. 17 The Information Card ......................................... 17 Summary ...................................................... 18 iv CHAPTER 1 ______________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL This Manual has been written with the novice user in mind. Those who have experience with computer software may choose to skip portions and go directly to using the software. Generally speaking, the Manual has been written in a WHY, WHAT, and HOW format. That is, Chapter 3 explains WHY the software has been designed, Chapter 4 explains WHAT areas the software modules cover, and Chapter 5 cover HOW the software works (menus, instructions etc). If you are not familiar with the standard software conventions (pull- down menus, hilight bars, etc.) you will need to "play" with the software a bit. Push a few keys, make a few entries, jump around (but not on) the keyboard, and don't worry that you might hurt something. You cannot "destroy" the software, and even in a worst-case scenario, you could always re-install and start fresh. So by all means, play! WHY It is important that you have a fairly good understanding of WHY this software is as it is, in order to fully utilize it's capabilities. So, we suggest that you carefully read Chapter 3 before you begin using the system. WHAT Once you understand the WHYs, you will want to spend some time reading the section on WHAT. Chapter 4 reviews, in detail, each module in the system. Reading this section will be especially important prior to collecting the data to input in the modules (it IS helpful to know what to collect, after all!) HOW Lastly, life will be pretty simple for you in this software if you spend a little time in Chapter 5. Experienced and inexperienced users alike will find that the interface (that's computer jargon for "how easy is it to understand just by looking at it?") has been very well designed. Nonetheless, read a bit of Chapter 5 to familiarize yourself with some of the labels that are used (like, "what is a File?"). We have made every attempt to keep this manual short and simple, and you should find that it takes you a mimimum of reading time to learn the How's of the software. THE READ.ME FILE You may find, on the PROGRAM DISK, a file labeled "READ.ME". This file contains any errata, updates or special notes that were too late for press time. You may view these files by printing them on your printer. To print these additions/changes, simply do the following. Insert the PROGRAM DISK in drive A: Type: TYPE READ.ME >PRN ENTER If you wish to skip the printing and view the file on screen, simply omit the >PRN in the line above. 1 CHAPTER 2 ______________________________________________________________________ INSTALLATION Chapter 2 INSTALLATION SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS IBM Compatible PC, XT or AT 512 Kilobytes memory (RAM) Two 5.25" (or 3.5") Floppy Drives or One Floppy Drive and 1 Hard Drive Color (CGA,EGA,VGA), Mono, or LCD Display Dot Matrix printer FLOPPY DISK SYSTEM If you are using a Floppy Disk based system (such as a portable) it is important that you FORMAT 10 floppies prior to running SETUP. Each database module in the system may require a great deal of storage space (depending on the volume that YOU enter). It is therefore recommended that you place each module on a separate disk. The SETUP program will automatically prompt you to switch disks for each module. However, if you choose, you MAY place as many modules as you want on one floppy. In this manner you can "group" the modules according to function. For example, FOOD, MEALS and SUPPLIES may be placed conveniently on one floppy. You must be CAUTIONED, however, that the data may become too large to fit on the floppy if you combine modules. As a rule of thumb, a 5.25 (360K) floppy can hold up to 500 records (items), while a 3.5 (720k) can hold 1000! HARD DISK SYSTEM You may store as many records on a hard disk as you have disk space. On a 20 megabyte drive, you could store over 30,000 records! RUNNING SETUP Your Shelter Island Press Software comes with a simple and easy configuration program, SETUP. This program will automatically set up all necessary files on your hard or floppy disks. To activate the configuration program do the following: Type: SETUP ENTER Simply follow the step-by-step instructions on the screen, and your software will be automatically configured to your hardware! 2 RUNNING THE SOFTWARE Once the SETUP program has been run you may run the Shelter Island Press software by doing the following: FLOPPY DISK SYSTEMS Insert the PROGRAM disk in drive A and a formatted DATA disk in drive B. Type MH Enter HARD DISK SYSTEMS From the drive where you installed the software (e.g. C:) Type CD\MOTORHOME Enter Type MH Enter 3 CHAPTER 3 ______________________________________________________________________ AUTHOR'S COMMENTS Chapter 3 AUTHORS COMMENTS HI-TECH TRAVELLING Computers have long been aboard motorhomes, oceangoing vessels, field research stations, etc, and have proven to be quite reliable. In recent years we have seen an explosion of portable computer technology, and with it a remarkable increase in reliability. I have utilized a portable, battery based computer on my boat for two years now - on a DAILY basis - with not one failure! This little workhorse has withstood the rigors of rough passages, and even took a four foot fall during one particularly severe broach! With just a bit of forethought to placement (i.e. don't set the silly thing outside during a storm!) your on-board computer should provide you with years of reliable service. After all, the electronics in the computer are not really different than in your portable T.V.! THE COMPUTER AS A TOOL This software is about TOOLS. Not ordinary vehicle tools, but new, exciting tools. I have had too many less-than-exciting days searching for a maintenance-part that I KNOW I bought, wondering just WHEN I last changed the engine oil, pondering over a mental list of "to do's", or scrambling frantically for the warranty date on a defunct piece of equipment. I needed a TOOL. The general "kind" of record keeping we all need on our motohomes is exactly what computers do best! So I wrote this software to be the TOOL. Although TOOLS are not particularly meant to be fun, I think you'll find this software to be so. And it "works" as a tool, if you use it properly. So let me take a minute to explain the underlying idea of this TOOL. Even if we didn't have a responsibility to help conserve the resources of the planet, wasting paper is an expensive habit! We have all been so thoroughly indoctrinated, partly by the early (and very unreliable) days of computers, that we MUST make HARDCOPIES of everything, all the time! This software has been designed to act as a WORKING instrument, and as such hardcopies should be unnecessary. If you simply do timely back-ups on your disk data, you will be safe. The actual point of it is, when you NEED to look up data, don't stumble through a mountainous pile of printouts. Take 1 minute to turn on the computer, query for the item, and find the data you need...quick, easy, and quite reasonable! THE COMPUTER IS THE TOOL, NOT THE PRINTOUTS! 4 BEING ORGANIZED Ok, let's be candid. NO SYSTEM WILL WORK IF YOU DON'T ORGANIZE AND MAINTAIN YOUR DATA! Like any other Tool, if you don't use it correctly this Tool will not be too functional. The purpose of a software system like this is to take a tremendously cumbersome manual operation, and convert it into a SEMI-automated, not-nearly-as-cumbersome operation. Keeping your data files updated does take time. You will need to periodically update your stores, supplies, parts etc. as you use them. This software will allow you to spend minimum time at the task, and will provide you with the ability to accomplish remarkably fast searches. GENERAL USES Planning and Budgeting The Shelter Island Press Software is, above all, a planning tool. By using the modules you can thoroughly and reasonably plan your costs, timeframes for trips, maintenance schedules etc. As you become more familiar with the SEARCHING and SORTING capabilites of the system, you will find that your Planning becomes a pleasure, not a chore. Inventory and Shopping Keeping track of items on a motorhome, regardless of size, is sometimes a monumental task. Keeping track of HOW MUCH of an item one has is even more difficult. The Shelter Island Press Software will allow you to confidently track your inventories (food, supplies, parts, etc) and to access them IMMEDIATELY! Shopping lists therefore become ridiculously easy - ask the computer what you need! Recordkeeping and Tracking Using the Shelter Island Press Software, you can keep detailed records on most every aspect of your motorhome. Detailed maintenance records can prove to be quite valuable if you should decide to sell the motorhome, and detailed purchase records can give you an exact analysis of your actual cost of operation. If you are leasing out your motorhome, these aspects of the software become of focal importance. Yes indeed, the Tax Collector does like detailed histories and records! 5 CHAPTER 4 ______________________________________________________________________ EXPLANATION OF MODULES Chapter 4 EXPLANATION OF MODULES FOOD INVENTORY The FOOD INVENTORY module allows you to catalog all foods aboard the motorhome and to detail exactly where each item is stored. There are several important rules that you must follow in setting up your inventory system. Names Generally you should type in the names of the inventory items based on the name of the food contained. For instance, if you have a can of "FRENCH STYLE GREEN BEANS" you should enter into the computer "GREEN BEANS: French Style". In this manner your inventory items will naturally group together. All inventory items will be alphabetically sorted based on the name you have given, so if you use brand names, have them follow the same naming rule (e.g. Clam Chowder: Campbell's). Categories You will be asked to provide a Category for each of the items you enter into the food inventory. It is important that you make every attempt to BE CONSISTENT in the naming of categories. For instance, you should avoid entering "Green Beans" on one occasion and "Beans: Green" on another. When you ask the system to sort and find all "Green Beans", it will NOT find "Beans: Green"! Sizes Generally, the packages you inventory will have sizing information on them. It is best to enter this information in the inventory. You may, however, establish your own sizing rules. For instance, you may assign a size like "3 person" or "1 person" to items in order to quickly locate a size appropriate to the demand. Base Quantity This field refers to the initial inventory amount you desire to store on the motorhome. Your shopping lists for replenishment will be generated by comparing on-hand amounts with the Base Quantity. For instance, if you have a Base Quantity of 30 cans of Tomato Paste and your current inventory shows only 10 left, your shopping list would reflect the need to buy 20 cans! You may modify the Base Quantity at any time to more accurately reflect your needs. Running Inventory In the Foods Information card you will note a table designed specifically for keeping your running inventory. The first column of the table, ID, is used to enter the initials of the person who inventoried the items shown in the following columns. The Quantity column is used to keep your running inventory. Each time you use an item from a particular storage location, you should subtract it from the Quantity shown. 6 MEALS INVENTORY The Meals Inventory Module allows you to pre-plan a series or group of meals for your motorhome. By pre-planning you should be able to greatly reduce both the quantity and cost of the foods you purchase. You will find that you actually do less "impulse" buying! You may plan any number of meals, but it is suggested that you start off with about 1 dozen each for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack. We recommend that you purchase a good cookbook and utilize it as a reference and resource. In this manner, you will not only be able to pre-plan your meals, you will have instructions on how to prepare them too! Categories As was mentioned, we suggest that you plan for 4 discrete categories, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack. By categorizing all of your Meals entries, you will be able to sort and search for the different categories (e.g. "I wonder what kind of dinners we have that use canned tuna?"). Once again, you should ensure that you are consistent in assigning the categories, or you will inevitably miss the data in a subsequent search. Cookbooks There are innumerable cookbooks on the market for "people on the go", and you should investigate them carefully for use aboard your motorhome. Generally, we suggest that you search for a Cookbook that has been specially prepared for the on-the-go family. Shirley Deal's book "The Cruising Cook" is an especially fine example that we are always pleased to recommend. Quantity The Quantity field in this module is used in a slightly different fashion. It refers to the TOTAL NUMBER OF MEALS that have been planned (and purchased). You may, for instance, plan for 25 meals of "Baked Salmon Almondine", and as you serve those meals subtract from the Quantity figure you started with. In this manner you not only have a running inventory of Food Items (in the Food Module) but you have a running inventory of MEALS! In the Inventory of Necessary Items fields you should enter an entire meal (not just a "dish" or recipe). For instance, with our Baked Salmon Almondine we would enter not only the salmon, but also the salad, vegetable, bread, butter, dessert etc. In other words, the entire meal. 7 SUPPLIES INVENTORY The SUPPLIES INVENTORY module allows you to catalog all supplies aboard the motorhome and to detail exactly where each item is stored. There are several important rules that you must follow in setting up your inventory system. Names Generally you should type in the names of the inventory items based on the functional name of the supply item. For instance, if you have a package of "Whole Wheat Flour" you should enter into the computer "Flour: Whole Wheat". In this manner your inventory items will naturally group together. All inventory items will be alphabetically sorted based on the name you have given, so if you use brand names, have them follow the same naming rule (e.g. Salt: Morton's Iodized). Categories You will be asked to provide a Category for each of the items you enter into the supplies inventory. It is important that you BE CONSISTENT in the naming of categories. For instance, you should avoid entering "Paper Towels" on one occasion and "Towels: Paper" on another. When you ask the system to sort and find all "Paper Towels", it will NOT find "Towels: Paper"! Sizes Generally, the packages you inventory will have sizing information on them. It is best to enter this information in the inventory. You may, however, establish your own sizing rules. For instance, you may assign a size like "3 person" or "1 person" to items in order to quickly locate a size appropriate to the demand. Base Quantity This field refers to the initial inventory amount you desire to store on the motorhome. Your shopping lists for replenishment will be generated by comparing on-hand amounts with the Base Quantity. For instance, if you have a Base Quantity of 30 one pound bags of flour and your current inventory shows only 10 left, your shopping list would reflect the need to buy 20 bags! You may modify the Base Quantity at any time to more accurately reflect your needs. Running Inventory In the Supplies Information card you will note a table designed specifically for keeping your running inventory. The first column of the table, ID, is used to enter the initials of the person who inventoried the items shown in the following columns. The Quantity column is used to keep your running inventory. Each time you use an item from a particular storage location, you should subtract it from the Quantity shown. 8 CAMPSITES The Campsites module allows you to keep an accurate record of all sites you use, or intend to use. Provision has been made for you to enter all necessary information for contacting each site, and for maintaining a record of your "experiece" at each. Questions like "did we like that place when we were here last?" are quickly answered. TRIP PLANNING The Trip Planning module is perhaps the most "fun" module in the Shelter Island Press system. It allows you to construct detailed route plans, as detailed as you choose to make them! The bulk of the Trip Planning module is self-explanatiry. You will see, also, that a section has been provided for your comments and notes about the trip. Having quick access to your own notes can be a real life-saver! CONTACTS The Contacts module has been provided because it is one of those "simple" items that is so easily overlooked when starting out on an exciting trip. This module allows you to easily catalog all of the wonderful people you meet along the way. You can enter information on entire families, and use the system to maintain future contact with these friends. A section has been provided for you to customize for your own individual needs. You may enter in Additional Information in any format you desire, limited only by the amount of space provided for each data file. PARTS INVENTORY The PARTS INVENTORY module allows you to catalog all spare parts aboard the motorhome and to detail exactly where each item is stored. There are several important rules that you must follow in setting up your inventory system. Names Generally you should type in the names of the inventory items based on the functional name of the supply item. For instance, if you have a 1/4" stainless bolt you should enter into the computer "Bolt: 1/4" Stainless". In this manner your inventory items will naturally group together. All inventory items will be alphabetically sorted based on the name you have given, so if you use common names, have them follow the same naming rule (e.g. Bolt: Carriage). 9 Categories You will be asked to provide a Category for each of the items you enter into the supplies inventory. It is important that you BE CONSISTENT in the naming of categories. For instance, you should avoid entering "Stainless Hardware" on one occasion and "Hardware: Stainless" on another. When you ask the system to sort and find all "Stainless Hardware", it will NOT find "Hardware: Stainless"! Sizes Generally, the items you inventory will have sizing information on them. It is best to enter this information in the inventory. You may, however, establish your own sizing rules. Base Quantity This field refers to the initial inventory amount you desire to store on the motorhome. Your shopping lists for replenishment will be generated by comparing on-hand amounts with the Base Quantity. For instance, if you have a Base Quantity of 30 one quarter inch Stainless nuts and bolts and your current inventory shows only 10 left, your shopping list would reflect the need to buy 20 sets! You may modify the Base Quantity at any time to more accurately reflect your needs. Running Inventory In the Supplies Information card you will note a table designed specifically for keeping your running inventory. The first column of the table, ID, is used to enter the initials of the person who inventoried the items shown in the following columns. The Quantity column is used to keep your running inventory. Each time you use an item from a particular storage location, you should subtract it from the Quantity shown. PROJECTS AND REPAIRS Projects and Repairs are a difficult area for most motorhome owners to "keep up with". Often times, while in the midst of a repair or project, one will notice something ELSE that needs attention. Most of the time these things get "lost in the shuffle" until such time as they present themselves in a demanding manner! This module, then, allows for the scheduling and prioritizing of repairs and projects. It is important to utilize this module appropriately, and several rules need to be observed. Category Each item in the inventory should be given a category, such as REPAIR or PROJECT. You may establish as many categories as you like, but you should ensure that you remain CONSISTENT throughout. For instance, you might establish the following: Exterior Projects Interior Projects Engine Projects Equipment Installation Mechanical Systems 10 As you can see, the list can be endless. You should avoid too detailed a list as you will then find it difficult to remember the categories when entering the data! All categories should be mutually exclusive, that is, they should not allow overlaping of items. Prioritizing Each project or repair should be assigned a priority number, from 1 to 10. This will allow you to carefully schedule both your time and your resources to accomplish the important items first. You should establish objective criteria for assigning these priority numbers. The following are recommended guidelines: (1) Any system REQUIRED for survival, e.g. expand water tank capacity. (2-5) Any system REQUIRED for the safe operation of the motorhome, e.g. Engine Alternator or Injectors. (6-8) Any system directly related to comfort, e.g. Table latches or New bedding. (9-10) Any other items that are not vital to motorhome operation, e.g. Attach bicycle carriers. By keeping an up-to-date list of projects and repairs, you will be able to search and sort for all items in a particular category, priority or even scheduled date! You will furthermore be able to quickly re-assess project scheduling when confronted with changes in plans, resources etc. MAINTENANCE TICKLER Although this may seem like it belongs under the Repairs and Projects module, the Maintenance Tickler is SPECIFICALLY for scheduling the ongoing and repetitive maintenance on your motorhome. Planning and Scheduling Unless you carefully, and realistically, plan your maintenance, chances are you will be constantly behind! This module should help you to establish a maintenance schedule that is in keeping with the needs of you and your motorhome. Prior to using this module, you should sit down and carefully estimate the number of hours each maintenance item requires, and establish a frequency that is in keeping with the manufacturer's recommendations (or with the level of your own requirements). You may want, for instance, to change engine oil every 6 months or 50 hours; or you may want to apply 2 coats of wax every 3 months...it's really up to you. However, you should be realistic. Establishing a schedule that can't be done will avail you little (e.g. waxing every 2 weeks - ugh, what a though!) 11 The module allows you to detail exactly what parts and supplies you need to accomplish the maintenance item. Again, you should be as realistic as possible, and should make your list based on your experience. Listing 30 quarts of oil as necessary for an oil change is not too helpful. List EXACTLY what you need, and then you will have a much better idea of the cost! You will also find a section for general notes about each maintenance item. You may use this to jot down special procedures, tools or highlights that you want to remember each time you perform the maintenance. For instance, if you always need a 1/2" box-end wrench, a pair of vice-grips and a five-pound hammer to to a certain job (sound familiar?) then you can note that in your information card for the task. A quick glance at the index prior to crawling in the engine compartment can save a great deal of frustration ("honey, could you hand me the vice-grips?....NO, the vice-grips, you know...the pliers with the funny looking end...NO the funny looking OTHER end....."). EQUIPMENT INVENTORY The Equipment Inventory has been provided simply as a convenient way for you to itemize your equipment and repair histories. By appropriately categorizing, as in all other modules, you can quickly access your equipment information. Included in the equipment information is, of course, warranty information. Having quick access to the serial numbers, warranty dates, dealer etc. may make all the difference in getting proper service on your equipment. The Service and Repair section of the Equipment inventory allows you to keep accurate records for EACH equipment item. SUMMARY All of the modules in the Shelter Island Press software have been designed to maximize your access to information. It cannot be emphasized enough that it is up to you to ensure that your information is up to date. NO system can be so automatic that is "senses" when you have changed something! Careful records will allow you to make better decisions, both functionally and economically, about your motorhome. Since each of the modules presents you with essentially identical demands, you might want to establish a routine for all family members, so that your data files remain consistent. In the event that your inventories become unreliable, you will find that using the computer and the Motorhome Manager you can re-inventory in record time! 12 CHAPTER 5 ______________________________________________________________________ SOFTWARE OPERATION Chapter 5 SOFTWARE OPERATION INTRODUCTION TO FILES, SUBFILES & RECORDS The Motorhome Manager is really nothing more than an electronic filing program that has powerful search and sort capabilities. It keeps lists (each called an index) of information just as you might keep a file of index cards. Main Files A "file", in the Motorhome Manager, is a complete index of all items in a particular module. The Food file, for instance, contains ALL of the foods you have on board. There are 10 modules in the Motorhome Manager, so there are 10 Main Files. Think of these as 10 drawers in a file cabinet. SubFiles A "subfile", then, is a portion of a Main File. That is to say, if you were to search the main Food file for all instances of a particular category of the file (e.g. all Soups) you could then save the new index as a separate Subfile. You could then sort a subfile of the subfile! In fact, there really is no limit to the number of times you can "nest" (a sort on a sort on a sort...) these searches. In this manner you could find all soups (sort 1) made by Campbells (sort 2) that are in 12oz containers (sort 3) etc! Records Ok, then, what exactly is contained in Files and subfiles? Records. Each module will be comprised of a main file of records, along with any subfiles that you have sorted and saved. Using the file cabinet example, each of the ten drawers is full of individual folders called records. These records contain all the information on ONE item (one food item for example) and only one item. Each record is composed of several data FIELDS (category, price, size, etc) pertaining to the module. In summary, the data fields are filled in by you for each individual record, and the records are then assembled into a Main file. Sorting & searching is simply a method for finding particular characteristics that some of the record share in common. A subfile is an index to a group of records that have been sorted in this fashion. MAIN MENU The Main Menu is simply a list of the 10 modules in the system, along with help and exit instructions. The first item on the list will always be highlighted when you are placed in the Main Menu. You may move this highlight by pressing one of the arrow keys (up/down) until it rests on the menu selection you desire. Pressing the Enter key at this time will load the Main File for that module and take you to the Working Screen. 13 WORKING SCREEN The working screen is the heart of the system and is comprised of a "window" which will display the index, and is bounded at the top and bottom by "command" lines. At the top of the screen you see the words File, Search, Print, Quit and Help. These constitue the Pull-down menu and will be explained in detail in the following section. In the upper right hand corner you will always be presented with the name of the file (Main or Subfile) that is CURRENTLY in memory and on the screen. In the lower right hand corner you will always be presented with the current time and date. In the lower left hand line of the screen you will always be presented with instructions on what to do or with instructions on what data to enter. If you ever have doubts about what to do next, please be sure you read this lower line. PULL-DOWN MENU The Pull-down menu system has become pretty common in software these days, and is a very powerful way to offer the end user a sophisticated yet easy-to-use software package. Simply put, it is nothing more that a series of SubMenus from which you may select choices. At the top of the screen the command line reads; File Search Print Quit Help Each of these words is the key to accessing a submenu, one for each word. In order to activate this line, you must first press the F1 key. You will note that the instructions for accessing the menu are always displayed in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. When you press the F1 key, the first item on the line (File) is highlighted, as is the first letter of all other items. You may view the menu associated with any item in two ways. First, you may move the highlight to the item and press the Enter key. Second, you may simply press the appropriate LETTER corresponding to the first letter of the word (e.g. press the letter P to access the Print menu). When you have done one of these, you will see a menu box appear under the menu heading you have selected (hence the name Pull down menu!). These submenus operated just as the Main menu. Move the highlight to the menu selection desired and press the Enter key (or you may simply press the first letter of the menu selection you desire). You may leave (abort) any menu simply by pressing the ESC key. In fact, the ESC key is normally THE key you should use to abort or to escape from ANY screen, menu or action. There are five choices in the pull down menu associated with File, each pertaining to some aspect of the FILE. 14 To load and view the Main File for a module (e.g. Food), you simply press the Enter key (or the letter "L"). This will erase whatever file is on the screen at the time and present you with the Main file for the module. To load a DIFFERENT MODULE MAIN FILE, you must exit back to the MAIN MENU. To add a new record to the Main (or sub) file, you would select the next menu item. Selecting this option will place you in a blank information card (record) and allow you to type in the information. If you happen to be working in a subfile at the time you add a new record, the new record will be added not only to the subfile, but also to the Main file. It will NOT be added to any other subfiles. For that reason, it is suggested that you exit any subfile and load the Main file for a module prior to adding any new records. To view a subfile that you have created (we'll get to that function in a minute) you would select the next menu item. This will present you with the index and allow you to add, delete or modify any records in the subfile. Although you may add to the file, it is again suggested that you add only to a Main file and then re-sort the subfile items. In this manner you can always assure yourself that all subfiles are up to date. To erase a subfile, you choose the next menu item. Once a subfile has been erased, it is quite easy to recreate it using the Search command. So...don't worry too much if you accidentally erase a wanted subfile! Once you have searched and sorted the Main file (and have therefore created a Subfile) you may save the sort to the disk by using the next menu selection Save New Subfile. This will allow you to re-view the Subfile at a later date. It is suggested that you be very conservative in creating and saving subfiles, as this eats up valuable storage area on your disk. Since you can create (sort) these Subfiles on-the-fly, there really is no particular reason to save them to the disk. However, you may do so with this last menu selection. There are two pull-down menu items associated with the SEARCH command. The power of the Motorhome Manager lies in this search procedure, so experiment with it a bit so that you may develop the full benefit of your data. When you select the first data item, you will begin a series of steps necessary to search and sort the data in your records. First, you will be presented with a blank Information Card for the module with which you are working. In each data field you will notice a NUMBER instead of any normal data. This NUMBER is the number of the data field itself, and is used to identify the data field you wish to search. For instance, if you wanted to know what canned Vegetables you have on board, you would enter the Food Inventory module, select the Search - Define Common Features menu item, and then look for the data field number corresponding to Category...in this case field number 2. 15 At the bottom of the screen you will be asked to enter the field number (or range) you wish to search. Once you have entered a number (or range) you will see another window requesting you to describe the relationship to search for. The following are the choices: 1...is equal to 2...is greater than 3...is less than 4...is greater than or equal to 5...is less than or equal to 6...is not equal to Continuing our example, if you are looking for all foods falling into the category Vegetable, you would press the number 1...is equal to. We have now told the system to search field 2 for all items that are equal to...ah, we have one more step. We must tell the system WHAT to search for. In this case, we would enter, at the prompt, the word Vegetable. Now the system will search the Food file for all records having field 2 equal to the word Vegetable. It is important that you enter the search criteria (e.g. vegetable) exactly like the data in the fields (and to enter the data in the fields in a CONSISTENT manner). You will otherwise find yourself searching fruitlessly ...the computer will search for what you told it, rather than for what you wanted! If you enter only a partial word (e.g. Veg for Vegetable) the system will find all instances matching that criterion. If you entered, for instance, the letter "S" searching for Soups, you would end up with not only all the Soups, but also all the "S"alads, all the "S"ardines, etc! So, when possible be SPECIFIC in your searches. When you have a very long index of items, it is quite inconvenient to scroll through the whole list looking for a single item. In order to overcome this, the system has the capability of searching for a specific record that you request by name. The Find Specific Record menu item is the key. Simply enter the name (or partial name) of the record and the system will immediatly present you with the Information Card on that record. If you enter a partial record name (e.g. "Beef" searching for "Beef Stew") you will be presented with the first MATCH the system finds (in this example, "Beef Burgers" comes before "Beef Stew, so you would be presented with it first!) Printing in the Motorhome Manager is really very straighforward. When you select the PRINT menu, you will be presented with five options. You may print a list of all the items in the particular database (say, FOOD). You may also print a complete file of ALL information on ALL database items. In fact, you will be printing the complete Information Card for every item if you select the All Records In File option. 16 You may also print any Individual data card by selecting the corresponding menu item. When printing it is important that you ensure the printer is on and loaded with paper prior to beginning the print-out. Although there is no danger of harming the printer, or of harming your data, you will find that you waste a great deal of paper RE-PRINTING an incomplete list! When you are finished working on or viewing a particular module, simply select the QUIT pull-down item and subsequently the Return to Main Menu item. This will allow you to quickly jump amoung the modules. If you are finished with the system, you may select the Exit to DOS item. This will clear the software from the computer memory and return you to the operating system (or any shell menu system you may have installed). YOU MUST NOT TURN OFF THE COMPUTER PRIOR TO EXITING TO DOS or you WILL destroy the files you have been working on. The Help menu items give you the ability to instantly review a particular area of software operation, while still in the system. Each of the help areas are self-explanatory, so we won't go into detail here. THE INDEX WINDOW The first question that arises, of course, is "What is an Index?". Well, generally speaking an index is really nothing more than a list of items that refer (or point) to individual records in a database. The Motorhome Manager utilizes an index for each of the modules. For instance, you may have a list (index) of 100 food items on the screen, and may desire to view (or edit) the information you have on a specific item. By selecting the item from the index, you will be presented with the database record for that item. Moving Around the Index Screen The index screen operates in an identical fashion to all of the software menu's. The first item in the index will be highlighted, and you may move the highlight by using the up and down arrow keys. You may NOT edit an index item directly. You must first move the highlight to the item, press the ENTER key to view the Information Card on the item, and then make any revisions to the data that are necessary. THE INFORMATION CARD When you have selected an index item by pressing the Enter key, you will be presented with a pop-up Information Card on that item. At the top of the screen, you will notice that the menu line has changed. It now reads Modify Delete Save Next Previous Quit You may select any of these menu items just as you do any menu selection in the Motorhome Manager. If you select the Delete function, you will remove the individual data from the database PERMANENTLY, so please ensure you are careful when doing so. 17 Using the Next and Previous keys, you can "flip" forward and backward through the Information Cards. This allows you to move around in the database rather rapidly. However, it is usually much faster to find a specific record using the built in Search function. Entering and Editing If you have selected the Modify option or are entering a card for the first time, you may move around the fields on the card by using the arrow keys or simply by pressing the enter key to move on. You may use the back arrow key or the backspace key to correct an entry. If you have made changes to the Information card, or are entering it for the first time, it is importatant to remember to select the Save function from the menu line. If you do not save the information, all data will be lost. When you are finished with the Information Card, you may Quit or you may press the ESC key to return to the Index Window. SUMMARY The Motorhome Manager software has been written to optimize the learning time for the end user. Each module operates in an identical fashion, so as you work with one module your are automatically learning about all the others. There is very little you can do to "damage" the software or your files, so you should feel free to experiment. You should particularly experiment with the powerful search and sort functions, as these form the really "useful" parts of the day-to-day operation. Should you encounter any difficulties or "bugs" with the software operation, please feel free to call us at the number below. We are generally available Monday thru Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00p.m West Coast time. You may also leave a Compuserve message via EasyPlex. Send to Scott Diener; 72010,1340. Shelter Island Press (619) 696-7756 18 SHELTER ISLAND PRESS 2727 Shelter Island Drive #46 San Diego, Calif 92106 (619) 696-7756 Delivered To: Date: ____________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ======================================================= INVOICE ======================================================= Qty Description Unit Price Total ___ The Boater's Helper 49.95 _____ ___ The Motorhome Manager 49.95 _____ ___ Home Entertainment Manager 19.95 _____ ___ Maillist Manager 19.95 _____ ___ Just A Simple Menu Program 19.95 _____ ___ Self-Health Stress Manager 79.95 _____ ___ UNREGISTERED versions of ALL 20.00 _____ of the above listed software ___ 7.25% Sales Tax (Ca Residents) _____ ___ Shipping & Handling 2.50 ------------------------------------ TOTAL ______ The software shown above has been delivered and accepted by the customer. Upon receipt of this paid invoice, a printed manual, current disk, and user ID number will be sent to the customer. ======================================================== Disk type: ___ 5.25" ___ 3.5" ========================================================