MDE InfoHandler for Windows
===========================

Program for managing  and categorizing of personal and workgroup
information: notes, documents, dates, birthdays, documents, programs, 
Internet links, Email, News, and more.

Version 6.0


Content
------
   1. Installation
   2. De-Installation
   3. Short Description
   4. Documentation
   5. Hints for Using InfoHandler with Screen Resolution 
      800 x 600 or Less
   6. Versions
   7. Known Problems
   8. Time-limited Evaluation, Registering and Support


1. Installation
---------------

You need Microsoft Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 or later versions of 
these operating systems to run InfoHandler. 

To install MDE InfoHandler start 'setup.exe' which you find in the 
installation archive. This program will guide you then through the 
further installation process.  

Generally, it is not necessary to end other programs before installing 
InfoHandler. On the other hand, if you have a prior version of 
InfoHandler installed on your system make sure that this is not running 
when you start setup of the new version, otherwise the new version 
would not be installed correctly.

If newer versions of system libraries have to be installed you are asked
to reboot the system at the end of the setup. Reboot the system in this
case before starting InfoHandler.

MDE InfoHandler comes in two localized versions: English and German.
If you are using the dual-language setup package (setup in German)
you can prevent installing both by selecting custom setup and removing 
all components that have the not wanted language in their description. 
If you install both versions (the default) the selected version on first 
start of the program depends on the global country settings of your 
computer (English for all but German settings). You can change the 
language independently of the global settings using 'Options' on 
menu 'Extras'.

After the installation is complete you'll find an entry for InfoHandler 
in Menu Start/Programs. Use this to start the program. 

2. De-Installation
------------------

If you want to undo the installation of InfoHandler select 'Software' 
from the system control panel. In the tab 'Install/Deinstall' select 
'InfoHandler' in the list of installed programs and then click on 
'Add/Remove'. After that, all installed components are removed from 
the system.


3. Description
--------------------

MDE InfoHandler manages your information in special databases called 
'InfoBases'. You'll create one of these infoBases for every type of 
information that you want to manage. You organize the info by 
assigning 'Categories' to the 'InfoRecords', manually or 
automatically. These Categories are much more powerful than the 
familiar keywords, often used when storing information and documents, 
and their organisation is quite unusual. You organize 
Categories per InfoBase in up to 16 different CategoryGroups. If you 
once did introduce a new Category for new info you never again 
would have to type-in that Category for other info but select it readily 
from various lists as needed. So you cannot misspell it, but you can 
change its identifier globally any time. 

The Categories and CategoryGroups come into play when you search for 
interesting informmation in a voluminous infobase. By using the Categories, 
you then formulate queries upon the InfoBase by making selections from 
various lists and assigning logical operators to combine them. It may sound 
complex, but is performed with just a few clicks of your mouse. Your 
search may be narrowed further by setting constraints for various time 
stamps forming part of a record. You can also assign a special time stamp, 
we call it 'InfoTime', which you may use eg for appointments,  
birthdays, or any other timed data.

A third interesting feature of an Infobase record is a 'Reference', or link, to 
an external object, such as a file or folder of the local file system, 
or an Internet page. You are able to manipulate the referenced objects 
from within InfoHandler. InfoHandler also supports "drag & drop" in 
various forms. You may drag the icons of documents or URLs (Internet 
addresses) onto an infoBase window, thereby creating one or more 
references.

'Alarms' turn InfoRecords into events. You can link any number of
alarms with any number of records. If such an alarm is raised precise 
to the minute you can activate the linked record with one klick of your
mouse. Alternativly you can also set 'free' alarms that are not linked
to InfoRecords.

The rich functionality of InfoHandler is complemented by a 
sophisticated graphical user interface. You may adjust this freely to 
the varying demands of the diverse InfoBases and the current task. As
a convenience, every InfoBase always remembers its last layout.



4. Documentation
----------------

MDE InfoHandler offers many functions for the management and organisation 
of information of various types. Accordingly, the user interface is 
somewhat sophisticated and perhaps a little overwhelming to the user 
at first sight. But please, do not throw in the towel immediately, 
try to get an overview at first!

There is no paper-back handbook but an extensive "on-line" 
context-sensitive help. We tried hard to make this a really efficient 
help and hope that you use it intensively.

For the beginner we wrote a couple of introducing chapters. Here you 
find among other things an active screenshot of an InfoHandler window 
with explanations of the different parts popping up after clicking with 
the button of your mouse.

Further down in the list of contents you find hints for using the 
program.

Let also the "tip of the day" guide you step by step to a more efficient
usage of the many possibilities of InfoHandler.

Particularly informative for the novice are the added examples, which 
you find in the subfolder 'Examples' of the installation folder (if you 
didn't exclude them explicitly during setup). 

The first example with the file name 'Example.0..TheBasics' offers a 
step by step introduction to the most important and common actions to 
build simple InfoBases and should be the starting point for every 
beginner. The other examples introduce more advanced features and could 
be studied peu à peu later on.

The second example with the file name 'Example.1..Links' demonstrates 
the use of links to various external objects. It contains 
also links to the other sample InfoBases that you can load from there.

The third example with the file name 'Example.2..CD-Collection' 
demonstrates an application without links but with a rich set 
of 'Categories' and use of the InfoTime.

The fourth example with the file name 'Example.3..Anniversaries 
demonstrates the managment of dates. Since we cannot give you an 
example with your own appointments for the next days, as a substitute, 
we offer these "days of remembrance". 

The fifth example with the file name 'Example.4..Addresses 
demonstrates the automatic initializing of the text of a new InfoBase
record from templates and working with TextFields in this text.


5. Hints for Using InfoHandler with Screen Resolution 800 x 600 or Less
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of its rich graphical interface InfoHandler should be operated 
best at screen resolutions of 1024 x 768 or higher. If you want to work 
at lower resolutions you should take some measures to make most of the 
limited space. Here are some possibilities:
 - Set the Windows Task Bar to automatically hide.
 - Maximize the InfoHandler main window as well as the contained 
   InfoBase windows.
 - Hide the tool bars and the status bar using the resp. commands 
   in the menu 'View', or customize the tool bar with a few really
   important buttons and drag it to some place where it is not 
   in the way so much.
 - Try to adjust the layout of the InfoBase Windows optimally to 
   the specific task using the 'splitter bars'.
 - Using command Extras/Options select 'small' for all font settings.
 - If you manage dates using the 'dates control' window move this 
   to the lower right corner in such a way that only those parts 
   remain visible that you need frequently.


6. Versions
-----------
You find information about changes in the diverse InfoHandler versions
in the accompanying file versions.htm or (up-to-date)
on our Web-site.


7. Known Problems
-----------------
Currently there is a problem if you work with very big InfoBases (more 
than about 5000 records) under certain versions of Windows NT (not under
Windows 98). Please read the article in he online doc about big InfoBases 
if you plan to go to these order of magnitude.


8. Time-limited Evaluation, Registration and Support
---------------------------------------------------

MDE InfoHandler is distributed as Shareware and is not free software!

As Shareware, MDE InfoHandler is freely distributable You may pass on the 
files of the installation package (and only these) to others. This includes
distribution by mediums such as CDs.

We grant everyone the 
right to install this program on his or her computer and evaluate it up to 
60 days with unrestricted functionality. After this period the program can 
be used without restrictions only after entering a personalized serial number. 

For more details about the trial license and registration please 
consult the chapter on registration in the online documentation 
(online help) or visit our Web Site for the most up-to-date info. 

If you have any questions or suggestions concerning InfoHandler please 
use the e-mail address given below.

Please do contact us if you encounter any serious problems installing 
or running InfoHandler!

We hope that you find InfoHandler useful for you!


mdeSoft
Blumenstr. 21
D-83607 Holzkirchen
Germany
fon ++49-8024-92416
fax ++49-8024-92417
web: http://www.mdesoft.com
e-mail: infohandler@mdesoft.com
