School Maestro

  Welcome to School Maestro.  School Maestro is a comprehensive teacher 
productivity tool.  It includes a full featured gradebook program 
suitable for individual instructors or entire school systems.  In 
addition to the gradebook features, the program also does seating 
charts, tracks attendance, conduct and citizenship, creates reusable 
lesson plans, tracks appointments, maintains contact information and 
allows you to create and save your own database queries and form 
letters.  It allows you to add your own database fields for recording 
any type of information and to print reports using those fields.

  This README file contains the basic steps required to install the 
program.  After the program is installed, you can review the on-line 
help system for additional information about program pricing, site 
licenses, an order form, benefits of registering the program, etc.

Installation

  School Maestro includes an automatic setup program that will install 
the program under Windows version 3.1 or Windows 95.  To run the setup 
program from Windows 3.1, do a File, Run and then enter A:SETUP (or B: 
if using the B drive).  From Windows 95, click the Start Button, then 
click Run and enter A:SETUP (or B:) in the Open text box.  The setup 
program may also be run directly from your hard disk or CD-ROM if you 
have downloaded the program or obtained a CD-ROM copy.

  The setup program will locate an existing copy of School Maestro if 
one is installed.  You may install over a previous installation if you 
are upgrading.  The setup program will not delete or modify any of your 
existing data.  The default directory for installing the program is;

     C:\SMAESTRO if installed under Windows 3.1 or
     C:\PROGRAM  FILES\SMAESTRO if installed under Windows 95

  The setup program gives you the option of installing a group window 
and icons under Windows 3.1 or of placing the program on the Task Bar 
under Windows 95.

  The setup program may also be run in manual mode by using the /m 
command line switch.

     A:SETUP /m

  This allows you to specify the installation location of all files.  
You can select the destination location for the program files, shared 
files that go in the Windows subdirectory and shared files that go in 
the Windows System subdirectory.  Using manual mode allows you to 
review the SMAESTRO.HLP file without installing the program.

  The setup program will check all shared files for internal version 
information and only replace those that are the same revision or older.  
This allows you to replace any shared file that may have become 
corrupted by just running the setup program again.  No other programs 
should be running when you run the setup program.  If one of the shared 
files is in use, the setup program will not be able to replace it.  If 
you get a message saying that a file is in use, you should shut down 
the program that is using it.  If this is not feasible, you can elect 
to skip the file.  Since the file is already installed, this is usually 
adequate unless the installed file happens to be an older version.

  School Maestro requires that file sharing be enabled.  If you are 
running Windows for Workgroups or Windows 95, file sharing is 
automatically enabled.  The setup program will install the VSHARE.386 
virtual driver if it is not already installed.  If you are running 
Windows version 3.1 in standard instead of enhanced mode, you will need 
to manually start the SHARE.EXE program prior to starting Windows.  
This is typically done by including a line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  
If the following line is not in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file then use the 
Windows Notepad (or any other editor) to add the line prior to the line 
that starts Windows (if Windows is started automatically).

     C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE  /L:500  /F:5100

  Revise the line as necessary if SHARE.EXE is not located in your \DOS 
subdirectory.  This only needs to be done if you are running Windows in 
Standard mode.  If you receive an error such as "Insufficient File 
Locks" or "Object Variable not Set", then you probably have not started 
SHARE correctly.

  School Maestro requires the Visual Basic run time file VBRUN300.DLL 
to be installed in your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.  This file may 
not have been included with your copy of School Maestro to conserve 
disk space or reduce download times.  Most users would already have 
this file installed on their computer.  If you get a message that you 
are missing this file, you can easily download it or order a copy from 
the program author.

  After running the setup program, you can start School Maestro by 
double clicking its icon under Windows 3.1 or by starting it from the 
Task Bar under Windows 95.  The first time the program runs, it will 
create the database file.  This may take several seconds or more than a 
minute depending on the speed of your computer.

  To view the on-line help without running School Maestro, just double 
click the SMAESTRO.HLP file from the File Manager or Windows Explorer.

Program Support

  Registered users may obtain technical support for School Maestro 
directly from the program author.  Do not call the 800 order line for 
support or to ask questions about the latest version, custom reports, 
etc.  Please help keep the cost of School Maestro low by only using the 
800 number for actual orders.  Technical questions will not be answered 
on the 800 line.

  Depending on how fast you need an answer, you may obtain support by 
mail, email, fax or phone.  If requesting support by mail or email, 
please identify yourself (email screen names do not identify you), and 
describe the problem you are having.  Some problems may require you to 
send a backup copy of your database file (SMAESTRO.MDB).  This file may 
be mailed on a disk or be emailed attached to a message.  If you email 
the file, please email a backup (compressed) copy to minimize upload 
and download times.  You may also need to send a copy of a printout.  
They may be faxed or you can copy the preview screen of the printout to 
the clipboard, paste it into Word, and then email the Word document.

  To obtain support by mail write:
     Russell Stevens
     R&R EdWare
     5191 Pine Grove Drive
     Spruce, MI  48762

  To obtain support by email send a message to:
     Compuserve - 70150,323 or (RAStevens)
     AOL - RAStevens
     Internet - RAStevens@AOL.COM

  Every attempt is made to provide same day email responses.  Email may 
also be used to send custom reports, queries and form letters.

  To obtain support by fax call:
     517-727-2066 - you must call before sending the fax.

  To obtain support by phone call:
     517-727-2066

  Registered users are welcome to call in the evening or on weekends 
when the phone rates are lower.  Please call at reasonable Eastern 
Standard Times.  If no one is available to answer your call please call 
again.  Due to the volume of calls, the author cannot normally return 
calls.  The author will return emergency calls if specifically 
requested.  However, you may be asked to call back.  If possible, you 
should call for support with your computer running School Maestro.  
Please refer to the Common problems and questions section of the on-
line help prior to calling.

