Copyright: ® American Databankers, 1994


Main Help Menu

Getting Started: Things You Should Know

Tutorial: How To Use the Files on This Disc...

Help with Menu Items

Pushbuttons

GIF Picture Viewer


Getting Started: Things You Should Know

Each SoftwareVAULT Collection contains thousands of programs and resources of every size and variety. To help you find your way through this sea of software, we have included the SoftwareVAULT Librarian program.

The SoftwareVAULT Librarian is a program that:

(1) Lets you sort through the thousands of programs and resources in the SoftwareVAULT collections.

(2) Helps you find programs of interest.

(3) Helps you to transfer these files and programs to your hard drive so that you can use them.

Please note that to use SoftwareVAULT files you MUST transfer them to your hard drive!

The files on the CD are compressed and must be "UNZIPPED" to your hard drive so they can be accessed.  (Don't worry, the Librarian does this automatically for you.)

(We "ZIP" our files up so that we can include more software on each SoftwareVAULT collection, giving you more value for your dollar.)


Tutorial: How To Use the Files on This Disc...

You can use any of the thousands of programs and resources on a SoftwareVAULT Collection with just a few easy steps...

Step 1: Find and select a program or resource you'd like to use. You can either "browse" through various file "Groups" using the "Contents" menu item or "Find" specific subjects using the "Search" menu item. You'll discover long lists of files, each followed by a one sentence description of what that file does. Once you find one that looks interesting, double-click on it with your mouse. A "File Operations" box will appear.

Step 2: Select to "Unzip" the file to your hard drive. There are four different options on the "File Operations" box. You can either view extended information about the file, browse the contents of the "zip" file, copy the file to your hard drive, or unzip the file to your hard drive.  If you are curious, you can view the extended information on the file you have selected. Not all files have extended information, so don't be surprised if it's the same as the one-sentence description. Unless you're a veteran SoftwareVAULT user, browing the file contents and copying the file to your hard disk might be confusing. (Note for veteran users: "Browse file contents" serves as a handy GIF viewer for GIF files.) OTHERWISE, THE MENU OPTION YOU ALWAYS NEED TO SELECT IS "UNZIP TO HARD DRIVE". Selecting "Unzip to hard drive" will properly decompress the file and transfer it to your computer.

Step 3: Select the drive and name a directory in which to put your file. Once you've chosen to unzip the file to your hard disk, a directory selection menu will appear on your screen. Choose the directory you would like to hold the file. IT'S USUALLY A GOOD IDEA TO CREATE A NEW DIRECTORY FOR A ZIP FILE. Don't worry. The SoftwareVAULT Librarian can do this automatically. Simply make up a new directory name and type it in the "Dir Name" box.  Note that the directory you type in will be created in "Directory" path specified under the "Dir Name" box. To change the path, click through the "Directories" selection box until you find a path that matches where you want to create your new directory.  Make a note of where you create your directory so you can find it once the Librarian is finished! Finally, the Librarian will ask you if you want to "create the directory", and when it does, answer "Yes".

Step 4: Use your file. Exit the Librarian and go to the directory you created to hold your file. You will discover that your one ZIP file has probably decompressed into a collection of smaller files. To start the program, look for the file with a ".exe" on the end of it's name. This is the main executable for the program. Running it should start the program!


Help with Menu Items

File

Contents

Search

Text

All CD's

Windows

Help


File

Change CD-Rom

Exit


Change CD-Rom

Select "Change CD-Rom" to use other SoftwareVAULT Collections.

When you select "Change CD-Rom" be sure to place the disc you would like to use in your CD-ROM drive.

Note: If you are running the Librarian directly from your CD, this option is disabled.


Exit

Select "Exit" to exit the SoftwareVAULT Librarian.


Contents

"Contents" allows you to explore SoftwareVAULT in two different ways with either "Group Browser" or "Browse-Copy Files". It also contains "Hottest Hits" and "Statistics".

Group Browser

Browse-Copy Files

Hottest Hits...

Statistics...

File Operations Box


Group Browser

Brings up an array of buttons. Each button highlights a certain topic of software. Click on a button to explore the categories contained in that group. Clicking on a specific category will bring up a complete list of all the programs and resources contained in that category. Note: If there is only one category in that group, the files list for that category will immediately appear. See the Tutorial section of this help file to see how to use these programs.


Browse-Copy Files

If you don't want to sort through groups of software categories, you can explore the entire category list. Clicking on a specific category will bring up a complete list of all the programs and resources contained in that category. See the Tutorial section of this help file to see how to use these programs.


Hottest Hits...

Each SoftwareVAULT collection contains an assortment of the very best shareware programs on the market today. "Hottest Hits" Info contains complete reviews of these outstanding programs.


Statistics...

"Statistics" provides a statistical breakdown on the makeup of this SoftwareVAULT Collection.


File Operations Box

There are four different options on the "File Operations" box. You can either view extended information about the file, browse the contents of the "zip" file, copy the file to your hard drive, or unzip the file to your hard drive.  If you are curious, you can view the long description of the file you have selected. Not all files have extended information, so don't be surprised if it's the same as the one-sentence description. Unless you're a veteran SoftwareVAULT user, browing the file contents and copying the file to your hard disk might be confusing. (Note for veteran users: "Browse file contents" serves as a handy GIF viewer for GIF files.) OTHERWISE, THE MENU OPTION YOU ALWAYS NEED TO SELECT IS "UNZIP TO HARD DRIVE". Selecting "Unzip to hard drive" will properly decompress the file and transfer it to your computer. For a complete explanation of the file transfer process, see the Tutorial section of this help file.


Search

The SoftwareVAULT Librarian allows you to hunt for files that interest you in several different ways:

Choose Category

Find Filename

Find Text


Choose Category

Executes the Librarian's Browse-Copy function for a specific category.


Find Filename

Allows you to find files based on their title. Type a title into the "Find File" box and click on the "OK" button. The Librarian will assemble a list of the files with titles similar to the one you specified. See the Tutorial section of this help file to see how to use these programs.


Find Text

Allows you to run a keyword search to find files on certain subjects. Type a keyword into the "Find Text" box. The Librarian will sort through the descriptions of all the files on the disc and will assemble a list of files with subjects related to your keyword. See the Tutorial section of this help file to see how to use these programs.


Text

The text files contain information on how the SoftwareVAULT collections are assembled and how you can register shareware programs requiring registration.


All CD's

Selecting "All CD's" allows you call up a master files listing for all other SoftwareVAULT collections.  The master listing is topically organized by group, using the same twelve groups found in the Group Browser.  Note the number next to each file name. Each number corresponds to a collection in the SoftwareVAULT series.

1 = Collection 1

2 = Collection 2

3 = Gold

4 = Games

5 = Windows

6 = Platinum

7 = Emerald

If you would like to examine a listed file use the Change CD-Rom function found under the File menu to switch to the appropriate collection and then the Find Filename function in the Search menu to retrieve the file.

Note: "All CD's" uses Microsoft Write to view the lists of files. Microsoft Write is capable of searching lists for keywords as well as printing them out.


Windows

The "Windows" menu item allows you to arrange your Librarian screen in various ways.

Cascade

Tile

Arrange Icons

Close All


Cascade

Select "Cascade" to evenly spread your Windows across the screen.


Tile

Select "Tile" to squarely arrange your Windows side-by-side.


Arrange Icons

Select "Arrange Icons" to neatly arrange the icons for minimized Windows.


Close All

Select "Close All" to close all open Windows except for the main Window.


Help

Selecting help opens this help file. If you are having difficulty understanding how to use this help file, click on the "Help" menu item above.


Pushbuttons

The SoftwareVAULT Librarian is equipped with some handy pushbuttons to make using SoftwareVAULT quick and easy.

Button Panel: This Pushbutton executes the Librarian's Group Browser.

Stack-o-Files: This pushbutton executes the Librarian Browse-Copy function.

Binoculars: This pushbutton executes the Librarian's Find Text function.

Door: Clicking on this button will Exit the Librarian.

Question Mark: Clicking on this button executes this help file.


GIF Picture Viewer

The Software Librarian allows you to view GIF (digitized pictures found in Category #16 of most collections) directly off the SoftwareVAULT disc. Select "Browse File Contents" from the "File Operations" box to view a GIF picture. Note: Loading a GIF picture for viewing may take a few moments. See the "Tutorial" section of this help file for more details on using the File Operations box.