















                                What Vehicle History?



                   Service History Tracking, Reporting, and Billing
                          of ground-based mechanical devices
                                 for MS-DOS computers




                            Shareware Edition User's Guide












                               Written by Angel Babudro
                                     P.O. Box 132
                                   Paonia, CO 81428














                            (c) 1991-1994 by Angel Babudro
                                 All rights reserved.
















                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                                       CONTENTS



          I.    DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

          II.   COPYRIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

          III.  LICENSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

          IV.   TECHNICAL SUPPORT (HOW TO REACH ME) . . . . . . . . . .   2
                Official Distribution Bulletin Boards . . . . . . . . .   3

          V.    ORDERING METHODS AND REGISTRATION FEES  . . . . . . . .   4
                A. Benefits of Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
                B. How To Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
                C. Pricing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
                INVOICE & REGISTRATION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

          VI.   WHAT DOES THIS SOFTWARE DO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8

          VII.  SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
                A. Storage Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
                B. Using on a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
                C. Using with MS Windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
                D. Using with 4DOS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

          VIII. FILES WHICH MAKE UP THE PACKAGE . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

          IX.   RUNNING What Vehicle History? FOR THE FIRST TIME  . .    10
                A. Quick Start  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    10
                B. Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    10
                C. Using the Menus  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    11

          X.    MANAGING FILES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    11
                A. Making Back-up Copies of Your Files  . . . . . . .    11
                B. Restoring Files from a Back-up Copy  . . . . . . .    12
                C. Formatting Floppy Disks  . . . . . . . . . . . . .    12
                D. Re-Indexing Files  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    12
                E. Packing Files  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    13

          XI.   DATA ENTRY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    13
                A. Service Information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    14
                B. Departments, Mechanics, Service Types, and
                   Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    14

          XII.  REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    15


                                         -i-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          XIII. PREFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    16
                A. Operating Choices  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    16
                   1.  Back-up & Restore Method (16)
                       ________________________
                   2.  Country setting (16)
                       _______________
                   3.  Directory Display Format (16)
                       ________________________
                   4.  Alert Tone (16)
                       __________
                B. Defining your Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    17
                   1.  Laser Printer Soft Fonts (17)
                       ________________________
                   2.  Scalable Fonts (17)
                       ______________
                   3.  Lines per Page (18)
                       ______________
                   4.  Left Margin (18)
                       ___________
                C. Sales Tax Rate and Labour Rate Entry . . . . . . .    18

          XIV.  HELP  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    19

          XV.   ERROR MESSAGES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    19

































                                         -ii-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          I.    DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

                WVH IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OR
          CONDITIONS, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
          THOSE CONCERNING MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
          PURPOSE.  NEITHER ANGEL BABUDRO NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN
          INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF THIS
          SOFTWARE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR
          INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE
          THIS SOFTWARE EVEN IF ANGEL BABUDRO HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
          POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR CLAIMS.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
          AUTHOR'S LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR
          THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM. 
          THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISK AS TO THE QUALITY
          AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE.
                Some States do not allow the exclusion of the limit of
          liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the above
          limitation may not apply to you.
                This agreement shall be governed by the State of Colorado
          and shall inure to the benefit of Angel Babudro and any
          successors, administrators, heirs and assigns.  Any action or
          proceeding brought by either party against the other arising out
          of or related to this agreement shall be brought only in a State
          or Federal Court of competent jurisdiction located in Delta
          County, Colorado.  The parties hereby consent to in personam
          jurisdiction of said courts.


          II.   COPYRIGHT

                WVH is owned and copyright (c) 1991-1994 by Angel Babudro,
          all rights reserved.  You may only use and/or distribute WVH
          under the License terms below.


          III.  LICENSE

                The following terms and conditions apply to the use and/or
          distribution of What Vehicle History?:
                          _____________________

                1. WVH is being distributed as Shareware; it is not free. 
          You are granted a limited license to use WVH for an evaluation
          period of up to 60 days, to determine if it suits your needs. 
          Any other use of WVH or use past this period requires
          registration.

                2. You may keep as many backup copies of WVH as you wish. 
          The Registered Edition is limited to simultaneous use on the

                                         -1-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          number of computers indicated on the Use License.  The
          Unregistered Edition may be used on any number of computers for
          the purpose of evaluation as specified in paragraph (1).

                3. All files originally distributed as part of the package
          (including this notice) must be included without modification. 
          The complete list of files can be found in the PACKING.LST file
          which is part of this package.  The Registered Edition CONFIG.WVH
          file is NOT to be distributed.

                4. Individual users may freely copy this disk and share it
          with friends, family, and acquaintances.  Non-profit groups
          (including user groups and BBSs) may distribute copies of this
          disk.  A fee of no more than $5 may be charged to cover disk
          copying costs.  If the files on this disk have dates more than a
          year old please contact the author for a free update to the
          current version.

                5. Disk distributors and dealers must have written
          permission before selling copies of this software.  When you
          contact me you will receive a free copy of the latest version and
          you will be placed on my mailing list to receive updates as they
          are released.  Disk distributors may charge no more than $10 per
          disk for copies of this software.  If, as a distributor, you
          supply copies to other resellers, the end price to the user may
          not exceed $10.

                6. You must obtain written permission prior to distribution
          as part of any "bundled" packages (e.g., CD-ROM, placing on new
          computer systems, etc.).  Such permission is often granted; the
          author is a nice guy - please write to him with your ideas.

                7. If the software is packaged for retail sale the
          packaging must explain that the software is Shareware, that the
          purchaser is receiving a trial version, and that use beyond the
          trial period requires registration with the author.

                8. You must immediately stop selling/distributing copies of
          this software upon notice from the author.


          IV.   TECHNICAL SUPPORT (HOW TO REACH ME)

                If you have questions or need help, just send a note to me
          through the mail or a BBS listed below.  Registered users, those
          intending to register within 30 days, vendors, and sysops may
          contact me via telephone as well.  Sysops and shareware vendors
          please see VENDOR.DOC for distribution information.

                                         -2-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                Mail        Angel Babudro, "Organic Computer Wizardry",
                            PO Box 132, Paonia, CO 81428 USA
                Phone       (303) 527-6756 Tue-Fri 10am-6pm Mountain Time

                I am normally available by phone during the hours stated
          above.  If you get the answering machine please leave a message. 
          Unregistered users: please try again later; I am happy to answer
          your questions but I cannot afford to pay for the call.

                Official Distribution Bulletin Boards

                   My software packages are "free" downloads on the BBSs
          listed below - you need not subscribe to download my shareware
          (although other files or functions may require subscription).  I
          use the first name "Angelo" on BBSs since it avoids gender
          confusion (I'm used to both names anyway).  Scan for the file
          name WVH*.* to locate the latest version.

          West Coast   Researcher's BBS (CA)        USR Dual (805) 949-8151
                       Enter "J;136" to join the OrganicSftwr conference
                       before downloading, browsing for topics of interest,
                       or leaving messages to me.  This board is huge, by
                       the way; anything you want is here.  One of their
                       specialties is extensive WordPerfect support. 
                       Messages can be sent to me via FidoNet 1:102/1310.

                       Expanding Horizons (CO)    14.4k V.32 (303) 241-2847
                       This is my local BBS.  I access it about twice per
                       week.  The sysops are very nice folks and give 45
                       minutes on the first call.

          Midwest      Rusty 'n Edie's BBS (Ohio), six phone numbers:
                              HST 16.8                       (216) 726-1804
                              Hayes 28.8                     (216) 726-3642
                              Hayes V-series                 (216) 726-3610
                              2400/V32/ZyXEL 19.2            (216) 726-2620
                              USR HST Turbo 21               (216) 726-3628
                              CompuCom Speed                 (216) 726-3584

          East Coast   Excalibur (Central NY)       USR Dual (315) 736-3792
                       FREQ (File REQuest) from this board via RBBS address
                       A:954/401, FIDO address 1:26501, or ICN address
                       91:315/101.

                       WhiTech BBS (NC) ZyXEL 14.4 V32b/V42b (910) 944-1165
                       File Request (FREQ) via Fido address 1:3636/2.



                                         -3-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          V.       ORDERING METHODS AND REGISTRATION FEES

                   WVH has been under constant development since 1991 in
          the hopes that many people will be willing to pay for a small
          part of the development.  If you use this software past the 60-
          day trial period you are asked to pay the registration fee. 
          There are many benefits to registering WVH, as explained in the
          following section.

                A. Benefits of Registration

                The Shareware (unregistered) version of WVH is fully
          functional so that you may try all of its features and know
          exactly for what you are paying.  However, until you register
          your copy WVH will continue to remind you that you are bound by
          law and honour to pay the registration fee or discontinue use of
          the software.  Once the 60-day evaluation period expires, WVH
          will become a little more persistent about "reminding" you: the
          delay at the opening and closing screens will increase by 0.2
          seconds with each use.  Thus, you must put up with a little more
          discomfort each time you use the software past the 60-day
          evaluation period without paying, but it will always continue to
          be fully functional.

                When you register you have the following benefits:

                -  You get the latest version with the latest features and
                   enhancements direct from the author.
                -  You get a complete introductory course in using
                   computers for business which includes sections on
                   hardware, DOS, Windows, and WVH.
                -  Telephone support - you can talk to the software author
                   who can help you right away and is committed to making
                   the software work well for you.
                -  Updates are free - get them from a local BBS or vendor.
                   As new features are added, WVH's price is sometimes
                   adjusted to reflect the dramatic increase in its value
                   to users. By registering now, you pay the current (low)
                   price and are entitled to the higher-priced features.
                -  You can subscribe to receive updates & upgrades as soon
                   as they are released so you will always have the latest
                   features & enhancements.
                -  The Shareware License display and Unregistered Edition
                   delay go away.
                -  It rewards the author for thousands of hours of software
                   development done without pay and from which you are
                   deriving benefit.  It's the right thing to do and will
                   surely come back to you in blessings & good karma.

                                         -4-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                B. How To Order

                Send cash, check, or money order in U.S. funds; Canadian
          cheques or foreign cash are also acceptable.  No Purchase Orders
          please; instead use the invoice (below) and, since you are (and
          have been) using the Unregistered Edition, consider it the case
          that you are paying for already delivered merchandise.

                If you prefer to use a credit card, you can order WVH from
          Public (software) Library with your MC, Visa, AmEx, or Discover
          card by calling 800-242-4PsL (from overseas: 713-524-6394) or by
          FAX to 713-524-6398 or by CompuServe to 71355,470.  THESE NUMBERS
          ARE FOR ORDERING ONLY.  I CANNOT be reached at those numbers.  To
          contact me for information about dealer pricing, volume
          discounts, site licensing, the status of shipment of the product,
          the latest version number, or for technical information, call
          303-527-6756 or write me at PO Box 132, Paonia, CO USA 81428. 
          The idea behind Shareware is that you try it before buying and,
          therefore, product returns are not allowed.

                When ordering from PsL ask for product #11518.

                C. Pricing

          Use License with Disk, Manual, and Computer Course -- $159. 
                License to use one copy of WVH along with the latest
                Registered Edition on disk with automated installation, the
                latest version of this documentation on disk, notification
                of major updates, and a printed 3-ring-bound manual.  The
                manual contains an introductory course in computers plus a
                complete guide to using WVH.  The course covers computer
                components (hardware), DOS & software basics, Windows, etc.
                Companion course disks are also provided.  This course is
                for the newcomer and covers all the topics necessary to
                understand and maintain your computer.  Manuals are printed
                on tree-free paper (50% hemp/50% cereal straw).

          Wholesale & OEM -- If you want to resell WVH or bundle it with
                your product or service please write me with your idea.

          Site License -- If your firm has multiple computers on which WVH
                will be installed you may opt to purchase a Use License
                (above) plus a site license.  With a site license you are
                provided with a disk for each computer but just one printed
                manual which may be photo-copied (although additional
                copies may be purchased).  Discounts range from 30% to 80%. 
                Please write for a copy of the agreement.


                                         -5-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          Free Updates -- When you register I will send you a "key" which
                will allow future releases to work as Registered Editions. 
                You can download from a BBS or otherwise obtain an updated
                copy and it will recognize your registration key.1

          Updates Through The Mail -- An update disk with the latest
                versions of all my shareware costs $7.00 (plus the normal
                shipping outside the continental U.S.).

          Update Subscription -- I will send important updates as they are
                released.  In return you will be expected to send $7 plus
                foreign shipping, if any, to me within 15 days or return
                the disk to cancel this service.  There is no time
                commitment and this subscription can be cancelled by either
                party at any time with written notice.

                Prices and specifications are subject to change without
          notice.  Vendors and sysops see VENDOR.DOC and SYSOP.DOC.

                     Angel Babudro   "Organic Computer Wizardry"
                          Box 132, Paonia, CO 81428-0132 USA
                    (303) 527-6756 Tue-Fri 10am-6pm Mountain Time

                    It's Honest to Register the Shareware you use.

















                              
          ____________________

               1 When  you share  copies with  BBSs and  others be  sure to
          delete  your CONFIG.* file  from those copies.   Not only does it
          contain all the  settings on  your system and  certain pieces  of
          your  data, but it also  contains your registration  key and your
          name.

                                         -6-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                                INVOICE & REGISTRATION
                     Credit card orders see "How To Order" above

          REMIT TO:                       FROM:

            Angel Babudro                   Name___________________________
            "Organic Computer Wizardry"
            PO Box 132                      Company________________________
            Paonia, CO  81428
            USA                             Address________________________

                                            _______________________________

                                            Phone__________________________



          Use License      Registration, disk, & manual      ($159) _______

          Shipping &       Continental U.S. - add $3
           Handling        Canada, AK, HI, VI, PR - add $5
                           Outside U.S.A. & Canada - add $9         _______

                                                  *** T O T A L  = $_______


          Update        Do you want to receive updates in the      YES [__]
          Subscription  mail every 2 to 4 months?  Updates are
                        $4 plus shipping; you'll have 15 days       NO [__]
                        to pay or return the disk to cancel.

          Disk size            [__] 5"                [__] 3"
          Drive density        [__] Low (DD) required  [__] High (HD) okay
          FDFORMAT/FDREAD      [__] FDFORMAT extended densities okay

          Printer make(s) & model(s)______________________________________

          Which version are you using now?________________________________

          I got it from ________________BBS ________________Vendor __Other

          I saw a review in_______________________________________________

          Upon receipt of this paid invoice the latest Registered Edition
          disk and any options ordered above will be sent.  Mail with your
          cash, check, or money order in U.S. funds (Canadian cheques and
          foreign cash are okay).  Put comments on back.  Allow 1-4 weeks
          for delivery.  Thank you for registering!

                                         -7-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          VI.   WHAT DOES THIS SOFTWARE DO?

                What Vehicle  History?  (WVH) was  originally  designed  in
                ______________________
          October  1991  to  track  maintenance  records  for  construction
          equipment.   Over the  years it  has been  expanded to  track the
          maintenance  history of  just about  any ground-based  mechanical
          devices -  cars, trucks,  tractors, motorcycles, big  rigs, power
          generators, or anything else  that is tracked by miles  or hours.
          (An  aviation version is being  researched - please  write if you
          are  interested in this.)  Each "vehicle" has an owner, division,
          or department  identified with  it, which makes  WVH perfect  for
          companies  who  own many  vehicles  or shops  who  maintain other
          people's vehicles.

                WVH will  track parts,  labour, and comments  pertaining to
          each service incident for a vehicle.   In addition, you may enter
          your  parts inventory and WVH  will track stock  levels and sales
          history (including profit margin) on parts.


          VII.  SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

                You will need:

                *   An 8088 or faster PC (a 286 or faster is recommended)
                *   At  least one  disk drive  with at  least 720k  storage
                    capacity (a hard disk is recommended)
                *   MS/PC-DOS 3.1 or higher (v3.3, 5, or 6.x recommended)
                *   At least 400k free RAM
                *   A  dot matrix  or laser  printer if  you wish  to print
                    reports

                A.  Storage Requirements

                Although  the system  is capable  of handling  5.5 millions
          entries per file, you would need a supercomputer or a lot of time
          to  manage it.    Here are  some  practical guidelines  for  your
          computer system:

                PC/XT (8088 or 8086) - perhaps 10 vehicles
                80286 - 10 to 20 vehicles
                80386 - 20 to 50 vehicles
                80486 - Over 50 vehicles

                These are just  recommendations, though.   You can track  a
          thousand vehicles  on a 4MHz XT  if you want to;  it'll just make
          molasses look fast...


                                         -8-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                B.  Using on a Network

                With version 2.2 of WVH I have installed network file locks
          for networks that use the DOS  SHARE.EXE file sharing method.   I
          only have  one computer so I am unable  to test how WVH will work
          on a network,  so if you have  a network and experience  problems
          (such as  error 70), please  give me your  input.  I  will gladly
          send a free update in return for useful information.

                C.  Using with MS Windows

                WVH  can  be run  as a  DOS  application under  Windows 3.1
          although it is not a Windows application (in other words, it runs
          the same in DOS or Windows).  If you don't use  Windows or use it
          only occasionally (as I do), then use WVH from DOS  since it will
          work faster  without Windows'  overhead.   If  you normally  have
          Windows loaded, however,  then go ahead  and set  up an icon  for
          WVH.  To do this, highlight or create a group,  then use File/New
          to  create a  program item  and define  it as  C:\WVH\WVH.EXE (or
          whatever directory you are  using) and set the data  directory to
          C:\WVH or some other, as you desire.

                D.  Using with 4DOS

                WVH has been successfully  tested on 4DOS versions 4.0  and
          5.0  -   there  are  no  special   considerations  or  procedures
          necessary.


          VIII. FILES WHICH MAKE UP THE PACKAGE

                What Vehicle History? consists of the following files:
                _____________________

                WVH.EXE       Main programme
                WVH.HLP       Help file
                WVH.SCN       Screen definitions
                WVH.TXT     * The ASCII text file of this document
                WVH.WP      * The WordPerfect file of this document (so you
                              can format it for your printer)
                PRINTER.DAT   Printer definitions
                FKEY.LST      Function key definitions
                READ.ME     * A file containing late-breaking news
                ORDER.FRM     Order form for all of my software
                FILE_ID.DIZ * BBS description file
                DESC.SDI    * BBS description file
                SYSOP.DOC   * Information for BBS sysops
                VENDOR.DOC  * Information for Shareware vendors


                                         -9-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                These are the files which  make up WVH.  If you  distribute
          evaluation copies to  friends and bulletin boards please  be sure
          to include all of these files.  However, additional files will be
          created  by WVH  which  contain  your  data  and  should  not  be
          distributed  (unless you intend to  share your data  files).  The
          files marked with an asterisk (*) can be deleted if disk space is
          a premium.

                Registered users:   Be sure to  delete the file  CONFIG.WVH
          from  copies  you  share  with  others  since  it  contains  your
          registration stamp, serial number, your name, and some historical
          information pertaining to your data.


          IX.   RUNNING What Vehicle History? FOR THE FIRST TIME

                A.  Quick Start

                To get  started in  a hurry just  type "WVH"  from the  DOS
          prompt and set each of the Preferences screens.  Most importantly
          set  the Sales  Tax and  Inventory preferences.    All Preference
          information can be changed as needed.

                B.  Installation

                Before you  can use WVH you will have to install it on your
          hard  disk or  create a  working floppy  disk.   Since almost  no
          business  uses dual floppy disk systems anymore I won't bother to
          explain  the procedure here.  If  you have a laptop computer with
          dual floppy  disks simply  place the  necessary files (as  listed
          above) on one  disk and use the  other one for  data files.   The
          full Printed Manual contains  details on this.  Contact me if you
          need help with this in order to evaluate WVH before registering.

                If you received  your copy of  WVH on floppy  disk it  came
          with  an INSTALL programme.   If INSTALL.EXE or  any other of the
          files  which make  up the  software are  not on your  disk please
          contact me so I can make the distributor aware of the problem.

                To use the automated installation  programme, go to the DOS
          prompt   (usually  "C:\>"   or  something   similar),  and   type
          "d:INSTALL" where "d:"  is the  letter of the  floppy disk  drive
          with  the WVH disk (e.g., "A:INSTALL" to install from floppy A:).
          You  will be asked to supply the destination drive and directory.
          If you have an existing version of the software on  disk you will
          be informed that it will be updated with the new disk.



                                         -10-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                After  INSTALL  is  finished  you  will  see  some  helpful
          information  for setting up your computer well, and directions on
          how to run WVH.   A batch file called WVH.BAT is  created in your
          root  directory  if  you  so  permit,  and  your  CONFIG.SYS  and
          AUTOEXEC.BAT files are not touched at all, not one little bit -- I
          wouldn't invade your system that way.

                While  in the root directory  you just type  "WVH" to start
          the  programme.  WVH is a batch  file which merely changes to the
          proper drive & directory then runs WVH.  You can delete this file
          if  you are  using  a  menu or  would  rather  type the  commands
          yourself.

                C.  Using the Menus

                WVH uses the familiar  pull-down menus which are common  to
          QuickBASIC,  Windows,  and  Macintosh  applications.   Basically,
          there  is a horizontal menu of  choices -- File, Data Entry, etc.
          Under  each  of the  horizontal choices  is  a menu  of functions
          pertaining to that item -- it is a two-dimensional menu, in other
          words.

                There are two ways to select an item from the main menu:

                1.  Press  the letter  which is  highlighted in  the option
                    description
                2.  Use  the Up/Down/Right/Left  arrows  to  highlight  the
                    option you want then press ENTER (a.k.a. RETURN or CR).

                Some menus do not have highlighted options.  On these menus
          you must use the arrow  keys to highlight your choice  then press
          ENTER.

                If you want to cancel an operation you selected, just press
          the Esc ("Escape") key.


          X.    MANAGING FILES

                The choices under the File menu have to do with your system
          set-up, file management, and ending the programme.

                A.  Making Back-up Copies of Your Files

                File/Back-up  protects your information  by allowing you to
          copy  it  to another  disk.    Version 2.1  of  WVH  will have  a
          Preferences  menu, under which you will be able to choose how you
          want  to perform a back-up -- using  the DOS COPY command or ARJ,

                                         -11-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          LHARC,  or PKZIP compressors.   After you select  this option you
          will  see a summary of  the files to  be backed-up.   If you have
          more than one floppy disk drive you will be asked  to select one.
          All WVH data files will then be backed-up to the floppy disk.

                B.  Restoring Files from a Back-up Copy

                If you ever  need to recover data files  from a floppy disk
          you made using the Back-up command (above), just place the floppy
          disk in its drive and select File/Restore.  If you have more than
          one floppy disk drive you  will be asked to select one,  then the
          data  files will be  copied from the  floppy disk  onto your hard
          disk.

                C.  Formatting Floppy Disks

                This option is  for those  times when you  have decided  to
          make a back-up copy of your data but don't have  a formatted disk
          handy.  File/Format  Floppies lets  you format a  floppy disk  to
          your computer's  standard density  without exiting WVH.   If  you
          have a high density  drive you can only format high density disks
          (in other words, WVH doesn't pass any parameters to DOS FORMAT).

                If  you  have  What  Floppy  Format?   (WFF.EXE)  available
          somewhere in  your search path  WVH will automatically  access it
          for  formatting floppy disks (so  you can do  whatever you want).
          You  will receive a complimentary  copy of the  latest version of
          WFF with your WVH registration.

                D.  Re-Indexing Files

                If you ever notice that  information is missing or  appears
          in any way wrong, it is probably because something has damaged an
          index  file.   WVH will  automatically catch  and fix  most index
          problems (like if power goes out in the middle of the programme),
          but there are times when only you will know that the file indices
          need to be re-built.

                One  common example would be  if you restored  files from a
          back-up  disk.  When you make a back-up (using WVH's File/Back-up
          option) you are only storing the data files.  This saves space on
          your back-up disk.  However, it means that if you  restore from a
          back-up the index files may be  mis-matched to the files.  So you
          would use the File/Re-Index option.

                If you have large  files (thousands of records) re-indexing
          can  take a minute or  more, depending on  your computer's speed.


                                         -12-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          Aside from that, though, it  is harmless to re-index as often  as
          you like.

                E.  Packing Files

                Whenever you  delete information  from the files  WVH marks
          the "slot" (record) in the files as being "available" so that the
          next new  piece of information will use that slot.  If you delete
          a lot of information (for  example, if you delete a  vehicle that
          had a lot of service history  & parts information) there may be a
          lot of disk space being  used to store old information.   This is
          where pack comes in handy.

                Packing  makes a new copy  of all of  your files which does
          not include deleted  records.  For  every deleted record  between
          128 and 512 bytes of disk space will be freed.


          XI.   DATA ENTRY

                This menu of What Vehicle History? lets you enter vehicles,
                             _____________________
          mechanics and other  information into  the data base.   The  Data
          Entry menu is split into three sections:

                1. Regular data entry for vehicle service information

                2.   One-time   data   entry   for   vehicles,   mechanics,
          departments, and service codes

                3. Rarely needed data  entry (schedule next maintenance) --
          this  function is run automatically after you enter service for a
          vehicle,  so you would normally  not need to  access the function
          directly.  This option is not yet completed.

                All data entry screens use the same method of asking you to
          choose  a  code (vehicle,  service type,  etc.).   There  are two
          windows  on the screen: the  left-hand one showing  the codes and
          the right-hand one showing the details.

                As  you move through the codes in the left-hand window, WVH
          shows  you the details  for the code  which is highlighted.   You
          move with the arrow keys, PgUp and PgDn keys, or  by pressing the
          letter or number of  a code.  For example,  if you press the  "G"
          key  WVH will jump  to codes beginning  with the letter  "G".  If
          there are  no codes that begin  with "G" the next  code after "G"
          will be highlighted.



                                         -13-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                You can back-up one step (cancel an operation)  by pressing
          the  Esc key.   Otherwise, just  press ENTER  to select  the code
          which is highlighted and continue with an operation.

                A.  Service Information

                This is normally the most used function in WVH.   After you
          have set up your vehicles, owners, etc. you can enter the  actual
          service information.

                Once  you select  this  option you  will  see the  menu  of
          vehicle  choices.   To  quit just  press  the Esc  (Escape)  key,
          otherwise highlight a vehicle and press ENTER.

                Next  you will  see the  menu of  service types.   Choose a
          service  type which  describes the  information you are  going to
          enter and press the ENTER key.

                If  there  is already  some  service  information for  that
          vehicle then you will see a menu of dates.  The first item in the
          menu is "New date."  Highlight your choice and press ENTER.

                Finally you are  on the  service entry screen.   There  are
          three windows here:  One for parts, one for comments, and one for
          everything else.  You  can jump between the windows  using the F6
          (Jump) key.  Within a  window use the arrow keys to  move around.
          When  you are finished entering  information press the  F7 key to
          save it.

                When  you exit  the  service screen  you  are back  at  the
          vehicle menu  (as above) and the  cycle starts over.   Just press
          the Esc key to stop entering service information.

                B.  Departments, Mechanics, Service Types, and Vehicles

                These  data entry windows all work similarly.  You will see
          two  windows:  One  on the left  which has codes, and  one on the
          right which has the details about the highlighted code.

                Highlight a code  and press ENTER to  edit it's information
          (in the  right-hand window).  To  enter a new code  press the Ins
          (insert) key.   To delete (erase)  a code press  the Del (delete)
          key.

                The  codes  you  define can  contain  up  to five  letters,
          numbers, or symbols.   Only upper-case letters are used.   "AG-5"
          and "AG05" are both  valid codes, though "AG05" has  room for 100
          variations while "AG-5"  has room for 10 variations.  It's a good

                                         -14-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          idea to give some  thought to your coding system  before entering
          all of your data!

                WVH sorts codes in typical ASCII fashion.  One character at
          a time is compared, going  left to right.  For example, here is a
          list of codes in ASCII order:

                1A
                A001          It is best to pad your numbers
                A002          with zeroes (like these three examples)
                A015          so they come out in order.
                A1
                A100
                A1000
                A2
                B001


                Service  Types examples:  Use  whatever works for  you.  If
          you  have  an existing  system, just  use  those same  numbers or
          letters.   Perhaps you  have abbreviations  you use on  invoices.
          You can  use "BR" for  "Brakes", or  you might just  have service
          type "1" for all types  of service if you don't care  to separate
          the service history by service types.  Avoid getting too detailed
          because you will have to enter a separate service record for each
          type of service you want to track.  This might mean splitting one
          service  into two entries -  perhaps you replaced  a radiator and
          replaced  brake pads at the  same time.   If you want  to print a
          report  in the  future  which  shows  just  the  brake  work  (or
          whatever), then make a service type for it.


          XII.  REPORTS

                Highlight the  report you want and  follow the instructions
          on the screen.   For reports which ask for dates - enter the date
          in month-day-year order, entering just the numbers and using a 4-
          digit year.

                You can  choose to print  a report on  the screen,  on your
          printer, or  to a disk file.   If your  print to a disk  file you
          will be  asked for a file  name (which may include  the drive and
          path, if necessary) and  the file will be created using the codes
          for your printer.  If you want a "raw" ASCII file without printer
          codes  then define  your  printer to  be a  "Generic/Daisy-wheel"
          printer.



                                         -15-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          XIII. PREFERENCES

                The  Preferences  menu  contains  options  which  help  you
          customize the operation of WVH and set necessary parameters, such
          as the type of printer you have.

                Please check each Preferences screen before making full use
          of WVH,  otherwise something might  seem wrong with  the software
          whereas it is  due to the  set of conditions  under which WVH  is
          operating.

                A.  Operating Choices

                    1.  Back-up & Restore Method
                        ________________________

                    Under the  File menu  are options  which  allow you  to
                back-up  and  restore your  data  to/from  other disks  for
                safety.  These  operations will  use the  DOS COPY  command
                unless you use this option to change it.

                    You  will see a menu of four  choices of methods to use
                when  backing-up and  restoring:   DOS COPY  (the default),
                ARJ, LHARC, or PKZIP.  In order to use ARJ, LHARC, or PKZIP
                compression   software  you   must  have   the  compression
                programme  available in  your DOS  PATH.  In  addition, you
                will also need enough free memory (RAM) to run both WVH and
                the compression software.

                    2.  Country setting
                        _______________

                    This setting is not currently  used.  I plan to  use it
                in the future to determine whether to use english or metric
                measurements.

                    3.  Directory Display Format
                        ________________________

                    This option is not yet used and can be set to anything.
                For  now, it is included  to maintain a  standard "look and
                feel" of my packages.

                    4.  Alert Tone
                        __________

                    When some type of error or warning message is displayed
                on the  screen, you reach the end of a field, press a wrong
                letter in a menu, etc., WVH can alert you with one of three
                sounds or you may select "No sound" for silent operation.



                                         -16-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                B.  Defining your Printers

                WVH lets  you use a  laser or dot  matrix printer, but  you
          must first define it and the  fonts you want to use for printing.
          Until you define your printer and  fonts there will be a flashing
          message at the bottom of the screen  and you will not be able  to
          print anything.

                The  Preferences/Printer window shows the current settings.
          Use the arrow keys to move around, and press the F3 key to change
          anything.  For example, to set your Title Font move the cursor to
          that line  then  press F3  and  a menu  of choices  will  appear.
          Highlight  a font  to  use  and  press <Enter>.    When  you  are
          finished,  highlight   the  "Ok"   button   and  press   <Enter>.
          Alternately,  you can use a mouse (click  on "Ok") or press F7 to
          save the screen and exit.

                    1.  Laser Printer Soft Fonts
                        ________________________

                    You will need  portrait (SFP) fonts for reports.   Once
                you define  your  font  choices on  this  screen  WVH  will
                automatically use them for all reports.

                    Example: Highlight the "Titles Font" line and press the
                <F3> key - a window of  font choices will appear.2  You may
                choose any  of the built-in fonts  or a soft font.   If you
                choose  "Select a  soft font,"  a window  will pop  open in
                which  you may enter a drive and/or path which contains the
                soft  font  files  (whatever  you enter  here  becomes  the
                default response for next time).  Next you will be shown  a
                list of the soft font files (*.SFP) in that directory.  Use
                the arrow keys and PgUp/PgDn keys to move around, highlight
                the one  you want, and press  <Enter>.  The soft  font file
                name will now be shown on the screen.

                    2.  Scalable Fonts
                        ______________

                    A scalable  font  is a  single  font (e.g.,  CG  Times,
                Univers,  etc.) which  can  be printed  in practically  any
                size.  PCL 5 printers like the H-P LaserJet III and IV have
                scalable fonts built in.   This means  you can pick a  font
                and print in practically any size you want.

                    When you select a scalable font WVH will prompt you for
                the  pitch (cpi) or the point size, depending on whether it
                              
          ____________________

               2 You must define the printer before you can set any fonts.

                                         -17-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                is a fixed-pitch or proportionally-spaced font.  In general
                numbers between 8 and 14 work best.  My favourite  font for
                both my laser and  dot matrix is a Helvetica-Univers-Swiss-
                etc. (sans serif) font at 12cpi or 12 points.

                    3.  Lines per Page
                        ______________

                    Enter the number  of lines  which may be  printed on  a
                page in your printer.  Most of the time you will be working
                with  66 lines total (11-inches of paper printed at 6 lines
                per inch).  On laser printers  the total number of lines of
                often 60 due to half-inch top & bottom margins.

                    I recommend that you  set this to 55 lines,  which is a
                common setting leaving an  inch margin at the top  & bottom
                of each page.

                    4.  Left Margin
                        ___________

                    This  setting  is  the  same  as  it  would  be  for  a
                typewriter  - it is the  distance from the  left margin, in
                inches, at which printing will begin.  If you would like to
                leave space at  the left  edge (e.g., to  3-hole punch  the
                pages) then set this as you wish.  If you use a 10 cpi font
                (or  12 points for lasers) there will be no room for a left
                margin on most  reports.  However, a  12 cpi (or  10 point)
                font, such as  Prestige Elite, will give you room  to set a
                one-inch  margin or so.  Experiment to find what works best
                for you.

                C.  Sales Tax Rate and Labour Rate Entry

                    This window  lets you  set  two important  items:   The
                sales tax rate for your area and whether or not you want to
                enter the labour hourly rate  on the Maintenance Data Entry
                screen.

                    If you do not need to  track sales tax, just enter zero
                for  this.   Otherwise,  enter your  sales  tax rate  as  a
                percentage (i.e., 7.50 for 7.5%).

                    When you are entering service information for a vehicle
                you  are asked to indicate the mechanic or place of service
                which, in turn, indicates  the hourly rate for labour.   If
                you wish you can enter the labour rate  on the service data
                entry screen,  which allows you  to over-ride the  rate set
                for the mechanic or place of service.  This can be handy if
                you  don't want to track  mechanics, only the service done.

                                         -18-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



                In this case you could  set up a single mechanic and  enter
                the hourly rate as it pertains to each incident of service.


          XIV.  HELP

                The Help menu has two options:  About and Index.

                Help/About gives some information about the programme, free
          memory, and file usage.

                Help/Index presents a menu of help topics.   Use the up and
          down arrow  keys to  highlight  a topic  then press  ENTER and  a
          window of  information about that  topic will pop  open.  It's  a
          handy (albeit brief) on-line manual.


          XV.   ERROR MESSAGES

                WVH has three types of errors which you may experience:

                1.  Logical  error - this is a minor problem, not really an
                    error at all.  An  example of this type of error  is if
                    you  try  to enter  a  duplicate vehicle  code.   These
                    "errors" will  appear in a  window and, once  you press
                    ENTER or click on "Ok" WVH will continue its operation.

                2.  File error  - these problems  cause an error  screen to
                    appear  which  suggests  a  possible  solution  to  the
                    problem  and, if you can't fix it, my address and phone
                    number is  shown so you can  mail me the  error or call
                    me.  A common  reason for this error  is that an  index
                    file  contains  a bad  entry  (perhaps due  to  a power
                    outage).  The most common solution to these problems is
                    to re-index your files (File/re-Index).

                3.  Programme  error - this is  a mistake of  mine and will
                    cause  the programme  to abruptly  end with  a one-line
                    error  message and  a message  like "Press  any  key to
                    return to  system."   Report these  errors to  me right
                    away, please.  WVH  is thousands of lines long,  so the
                    bigger it  gets the more likely  it is that  a few bugs
                    will creep  in there somewhere.   These errors  get top
                    priority  and  are  usually  fixed and  a  new  version
                    released within a day.

                If  anything happens that  you don't understand,  or if you
          can't get  WVH to  do what you  want, I would  appreciate knowing

                                         -19-














                                What Vehicle History?
                                _____________________



          about this so I can fix the software  or update the documentation
          as necessary.  Thank you for your help and support!  :)















































                                         -20-







