August 20, 1993 This is the README.TXT file distributed with version 3.1 of Almanac for Windows. Topics discussed in this file are: - Registration - Compatibility - Updating a previous Almanac installation - INSTALLING ALMANAC 3.1 - Foreign language option - Software license & Limited warranty REGISTRATION ------------ Almanac is not free software. It is released as shareware, which provides the opportunity for the program to be evaluated before it is purchased. We hope that after you try Almanac you will like it so much that you will want to register. By doing so you are voting with your pocketbook for us to continue developing high-quality, Windows shareware. Complete information on how to register Almanac is included in the REGISTER.TXT file. COMPATIBILITY ------------- Almanac 3.1 requires version 3.1 of Windows or higher. Almanac is no longer compatible with Windows 3.0. If you are running Windows NT, a 32 bit version of Almanac is available from Impact Software, specifically created for running under Windows NT. If you are running a version of Almanac earlier than 3.0, please be advised that the format of the desktop data files has been changed. Notes and appointments entered in Almanac 1.0 through 1.04 (*.ALD files) will require translation to the new data base format. Registered customers who are upgrading from a version of Almanac before version 3.0 can obtain a translation utility from Impact Software. Overlays created with earlier versions of Almanac (*.ALO files) are 100% compatible with Almanac 3.0. The wedding anniversary gifts are now optional. You may edit any wedding anniversary definitions created with pre-3.0 versions and and check the Wedding check box to display this information. UPDATING A PREVIOUS ALMANAC INSTALLATION ---------------------------------------- Almanac's SETUP utility has been enhanced to update a previous installation automatically. Version 3.1 of Almanac may be installed over version 3.0. SETUP will update the program and help files, and will not overwrite any existing data files on your hard disk. If you specifically want SETUP to replace any release files such as the sample overlay files, delete them from your installation before running SETUP. The format of the calendar files (*.ALC) has been updated in this release. Almanac can read calendar files from earlier versions of the program. The file will be re-written in the new 3.1 format if you select File.Save or when you close Almanac if you have selected the "Save Config on Exit" feature on the Options menu. Once the file has been re-written in the new format, it cannot be used by versions of Almanac prior to 3.1. INSTALLING ALMANAC 3.1 ---------------------- The Almanac package includes a graphical Windows installation program using the standard name of SETUP.EXE. You should place all of the files included in the release package on a floppy disk or in a temporary directory of your hard drive. SETUP requires about 400K bytes to complete the installation of Almanac. Run SETUP by selecting the 'Run...' command from the File menu of Program Manager or File Manager. Enter "d:\SETUP" as the Command Line, where "d" is the drive/directory that you are installing Almanac FROM (for example, A:\SETUP). Select "OK". 1. The first action performed by SETUP is to display the date your computer is set to. Almanac's calendar will not operate correctly if your computer is not set to the correct date. 2. SETUP will then display an Installation Control window. Three pushbuttons allow you to change the FROM and TO drives and paths for your install. SETUP initially sets these values for you so that you can just click the Install button if you do not need to make changes. If you are using Program Manager as your Windows shell, SETUP will allow a Program Group to be selected to receive the startup icon for Almanac. SETUP will inform you when installation is complete. If your Windows installation is configured for French, German, or Spanish language, or if you would like to customize Almanac for another foreign language, please read the following section. FOREIGN LANGUAGE OPTION ----------------------- Although it would be difficult for us to create and distribute our shareware in multiple languages, it is important to try to meet the needs of the many customers who would enjoy such a capability. Almanac 3.1 has been designed to provide the option of customizing the text that appears on the menu as well as the text of calendar displays and prints. Almanac 3.1 will look for the file ALMSTR.TXT in the directory that it is executed from. This file contains the foreign language equivalents for specific text that is used on Almanac's menus and displays. If your Windows installation is configured for either the French, German, or Spanish language, Almanac's SETUP utility will ask you if you would like it to install the appropriate language information for you. If you are running any other language than these or English, SETUP will direct you here for more information. You can build your own ALMSTR.TXT file by first copying the ALMSTR.TXT file from your release disk into your Almanac directory. (SETUP does not install this file - you should only copy it from the release package onto your hard disk if you intend to customize Almanac for a language other than English.) This file is a sample language template that contains the English text used in Almanac's menus and displays. You can edit this file with Windows NOTEPAD or other ASCII text editor, replacing the English text with the appropriate text of the language you would like. It is important that you do not add or delete any lines from this file. Each line of the file contains text that Almanac will substitute for a specific area in the program. Menu items contain an ampersand (&) character in front of the letter of the text that will be underlined and used for Alt-key selection. Hot keys, such as Ctrl-P for File.Print cannot be changed from their English derived defaults. Any line that contains the text "Reserved" is not used by this version of Almanac. Do not delete any lines marked "Reserved" as this will cause any following lines to be incorrectly substituted within Almanac. Almanac will automatically use the new text in ALMSTR.TXT the next time it is executed. Be careful to leave the first line of ALMSTR.TXT unchanged. This contains the major and minor version of Almanac so that later versions can avoid using the file if changes to the contents of the file must be made. We welcome any new language files that you would like to send us, as well as any corrections that you think we should make to the files we are distributing! -------------------------------------------------------- The legalese section... ALMANAC for Windows Version 3.1 Copyright © 1988-1993 by Leonard A. Gray. All rights reserved. SOFTWARE LICENSE Non-licensed users are granted a limited license to use Almanac on a 30-day trial basis for the purpose of determining whether Almanac is suitable for their needs. The use of Almanac, except for the initial 30-day trial, requires registration. The use of unlicensed copies of Almanac, outside of the initial 30-day trial, by any person, business, corporation, government agency or any other entity is strictly prohibited. A single user license permits a user to use Almanac only on a single computer. Licensed users may use the program on different computers, but may not use the program on more than one computer at the same time. No one may modify or patch the Almanac executable files in any way, including but not limited to decompiling, disassembling, or otherwise reverse engineering the program. A limited license is granted to copy and distribute Almanac only for the trial use of others, subject to the above limitations, and also the following: 1) Almanac and all of its release files must be distributed in unmodified form, complete with the file containing this license information. 2) Almanac may not be distributed in conjunction with any other product without a specific license to do so from Impact Software. 3) No fee, charge, or other compensation may be requested or accepted, except as authorized below: A) Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (sysops) may make Almanac available for downloading only as long as the above conditions are met. An overall or time-dependent charge for the use of the bulletin board system is permitted as long as there is not a specific charge for the download of Almanac. B) Vendors of user-supported or shareware software approved by the ASP may distribute Almanac, subject to the above conditions, without specific permission. Non- approved vendors may distribute Almanac only after obtaining written permission from Impact Software. Such permission is usually granted. Please write for details (enclose your catalog). C) Non-profit user groups may distribute copies of the Almanac diskette to their members, subject to the above conditions, without specific permission. Non-profit groups may collect a disk duplication fee not to exceed five dollars. LIMITED WARRANTY Impact Software warrants that all disks provided are free from defects in material and workmanship, assuming normal use, for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. Impact Software warrants that the program will perform in substantial compliance with the documentation supplied with the software product. If a significant defect in the product is found, the Purchaser may return the product for a refund. In no event will such a refund exceed the purchase price of the product. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED ABOVE, IMPACT SOFTWARE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, THE PURCHASER ASSUMES THE RISK OF PAYING THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION AND ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT WILL IMPACT SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT EVEN IF IMPACT SOFTWARE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Use of this product for any period of time constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its contents. U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subdivision (b)(3)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 252.227-7013. Contractor/manufacturer is Impact Software 12140 Central Avenue /suite 133/ Chino, CA 91710