Technotools/Technotools (Chestnut CD-ROM)(1993).ISO/os2tools/chron23/chron.hlp

OS/2 Help File | 1990-10-11 | 8KB | 215 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Extended Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Chron is an application that will dispatch a task at a given time and date.  A
task can be either a program to be executed or a message to be displayed.
These tasks can be scheduled to run one time only, or on a daily, weekday,
weekly, monthly or annual basis.

The first time the program is started, you will be prompted for the fully
qualified filespec that will be used to store the tasks when the program is
exitted and restarted.  There is no restriction on the filename as long as it
is a valid FAT file name.

It is assumed that this file does not exist.  If there is a file that exists
with that name, you will be asked to confirm the file name.  The author's
choice of a file name is CHRON.DAT.  If you do not specify a fully qualified
name, the program will automatically fully qualify it based on the current
drive and directory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Actions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Once the program has been started and tasks have been added to the task list,
you can manipulate those tasks.  To manipulate the tasks, use the Edit menu
item.  To change the name of the file to which the task list is written, select
the Database Name option. To exit the program, select the Exitoption.  To
display the version of the program, select the Aboutoption.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Edit Tasks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

An Edit Tasks selection will allow you to change an existing task.

You can delete the task permanently from the task list by pressing the Delete
button.

You may change tasks by pressing the Change button.  You may change the name of
the task, text of the message, or the time at which the task is scheduled to
run.  In this release, you are not able to change the frequency at which the
task is run.

If you would like to make a copy of the task, press the Duplicate button.  This
will create a copy of the task, place it in the task list and put you in change
mode on the task.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Database Name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Database Name menu item allows you to specify the name of the file into
which the task list will be written. You may change the name of the file at any
time.  However, you must exit the program and restart it for the new database
name to go into effect.

You should fully qualify the name of the database file.  If you do not, the
program will fully qualify the name for you based on your current path setting.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Options ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The options allow for tailoring of the package to your tastes.  Currently,
there are two things that can be customized: the weekdays and whether the
program beeps the speaker when a message is dispatched.

The weekdays are customized by pressing the check boxes that correspond to your
work week.  This option is relevant only for those tasks that have been
scheduled via the schedule  weekday menu item.  The initial default work week
is Monday through Friday.

You are required to select at least one day.

You have the option of deciding whether the speaker beeps when a message is
dispatched.  To select speaker on, press the check box so that the X is
displayed.  To turn the speaker off, click the check box so that the box is
empty.  The initial default is off


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Exit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Selection of this option will cause the Chron program to terminate.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Schedule ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Once the program is started, you add tasks to be scheduled by selecting the
"Schedule" menu item.  When the dialogs have been completed, the task will be
added to the task list and the database will be rewritten.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. One Time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A One Time selection will schedule the task to execute a single time.  When
that task has completed execution, it is removed from the task list
permanently.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Daily ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Daily selection will schedule the task to execute on a daily basis. When that
task has completed execution, the next day is computed and the task is replaced
in the task list, scheduled to be executed at the same time tomorrow.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Weekday ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Weekday selection will schedule a task to execute on a weekday.  A weekday
defaults to Monday through Friday, but it can be changed by setting the options
to choose a different work week arrangement.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Weekly ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Weekly menu selection will schedule a task to execute on a certain day of the
week.  When that task has completed execution, the same time next week is
computed, the task is replaced in the task list, scheduled to be executed at
the same time next week.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Monthly ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Monthly menu selection will schedule a task to execute on a certain day of
the month.  When that task has completed execution, the same time next month is
computed, the task is replaced in the task list, and scheduled to be executed
at the same time next month.

The way in which next month is computed is a little complicated. There is a
problem when trying to determine the day of the month.  For example if you
selected monthly execution to run on the 30th of the month starting September
30th, the program doesn't know if you want the next scheduled run to be on the
30th of October, or the 31st of October.  In other words, the program can't
determine if you want to schedule it for the 30th or for the last day of the
month.  This program assumes that if you scheduled a monthly task to execute
within the last five days of the month that you are scheduling relative to the
end of the month.  In the above example, the program would assume you meant the
last day of the month.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. Yearly ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Yearly menu selection will schedule a task to execute on a certain day of the
year.  When that task has completed execution, the same time next year is
computed, the task is replaced in the task list, and scheduled to be executed
at the same time next year.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14. Message Tasks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Message tasks display a specified message at a specified time.  To create a
message task to be dispatched at a given time, select the schedule menu option
and select a frequency at which you want that message displayed. Fill in the
date and time on the dialog box and press the Message button.  You will then be
presented with a dialog that asks for the name of the task, and the message.
When that date and time arrive, the message will be displayed on the
Presentation Manager screen.  Unless the One Time menu item was chosen, the
time at which to display the message is computed and the message is added back
to the task list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 15. Program Tasks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Program tasks execute a specified program at a specified time.  To create a
program task to be dispatched at a given time, select the schedule menu option
and select a frequency at which you want that program launched. Fill in the
date and time on the dialog box and press the Program button.  You will then be
presented with a dialog that asks for the name of the task, the name of the
program (with the .EXE or .COM extension), and optionally the parameters that
would be typed on the command line if this program were launched from a full
screen OS/2 session.  You will also be asked to decide if you want to run the
program as a Presentation Manager application, a windowed text application, or
a full screen application.  If you are unsure, select the option to Let the
program decide.

If you want to schedule a batch file (.CMD) to execute, you must specify the
program as CMD.EXE with a parameter of /C followed by the name of the command
file and the parameters associated with the batch file.

When that date and time arrive, the message will be displayed on the
Presentation Manager screen.  Unless the One Time menu item was chosen, the
time at which to display the message is computed and the message is added back
to the task list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16. Keys Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are no special keys for this program.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 17. Registration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is a Shareware program.  If you like this program, and use it on a
frequent basis, a registration fee is encouraged.

The shareware charge is:

 o $15 for individuals.

 o $25 per copy for companies with 25 or less employees.

 o $40 per copy for companies with 26 or more employees.

 Site license agreements are available on a case by case basis.

 Please send any correspondence to:


   Gary Murphy
   1022 N. Cooper
   Olathe, KS 66061

   Prodigy: [VWSD07A]
   CIS:   [73457,365]

 You are more likely to reach me on Prodigy than CIS, as I frequent that board
 more.

 Any comments, positive or negative, are welcomed.  Enjoy.