                            ForeWarn version 1.0
                             beta test version

Beta Version limitation:
    MMPM is not supported in this release.  Selection of
    sounds for a record will be stored but no sound will be
    played.  The final release is anticipated to have this
    feature completed.

    Like a publication for a conference, I have worked with
    the text and code of this program for many late nights
    and I know that I have overlooked numerous cosmetic
    flaws in the program.  Spelling of various embedded messages
    will probably be found to be in error.  After you stare
    at a user interface for just so long, the errors cease to
    exist.  Please report all cosmetic flaws to the author.

Installation:
    To install the OS/2 version of ForeWarn you must have os/2
    version 2.1 (beta or GA release) installed on the target
    system.  The following system variables must be set:

    FOREWARN_INI
    FOREWARN_DAT

    These two variables can be set in the system config.sys
    so that they will be available to all OS/2 sessions by
    adding the following lines:

    set FOREWARN_INI=d:\driectory\forewarn.ini
    set FOREWARN_DAT=d:\directory\forewarn.dat

    and replace the "d:" with the drive to store the respective
    files and "directory" with the target directory.  The file
    referenced by the variable FOREWARN_INI is the file to store
    initialization information between sessions.  The file
    FOREWARN_DAT is used to store the data used by the program.
    The names of the files can be anything legal to the file
    system used on the particular disk.  If the file system is
    of type FAT, the file name specification must be limited to
    the 8.3 FAT format.  If the file is HPFS the filename can be
    anything legal to OS/2 HPFS format.

    If the destination for the data file is on a FAT
    formatted partition the file cannot have an extension if
    the option for creating backup files is selected.
    ForeWarn will not lose data, it will simply warn the
    user of the problem and stop.  In this case, select the
    Options dialog and turn off backups.

Starting ForeWarn:
    Like its DOS counterpart, ForeWarn uses command line
    options to tell it whether it should simply check the
    dates or if it should enter the edit mode.  Unlike the
    DOS version (which had a multitude of options) the OS/2
    version has only two parameters:

    -e:     enter edit mode
    -c:     check dates only (default)

    Forewarn does not run as a background task and only
    checks the data at the time that the program starts.  It
    is not meant to replace a pop-up calendar.  This may
    change in future versions when the author learns how to
    use threads.  It is easiest to simply add the following
    line to the startup.cmd file:

    start d:\directory\forewarn.exe

    The ForeWarn.HLP file must be located in the help path
    or an error will be displayed when the program starts.

Upgrading from the DOS version of ForeWarn
    Some noticable differences will be found between
    ForeWarn for OS/2 and DOS.  These are listed in the
    following sections.

    Data File Format
        In order to allow for selective sounds a new field
        has been added to the ForeWarn data file.  This
        field has been added just before the message text.
        In the event that the DOS versio loads the data file
        for the OS/2 version, this will simply appear as a
        number before the text of each message.

        The data file can be maintained in the DOS format by
        selecting the Options dialog and turning on the DOS
        compatibility.  This will eliminate the additional
        field but will force ForeWarn to ignore all sound
        specifications in the Edit Dialog box.

    User Interface:
        The DOS version of ForeWarn utilized a Text based
        grouping of windows to allow for separation of
        displayed data and edit fields.  This necessitated
        doubling up the use of the function keys which
        proved to be awkward.  To remedy this, the OS/2
        version has a full edit dialog feature that leads
        the user through the setting of dates.
        Additionally, the edit dialog box has been set up to
        be as close to the OS/2 Application Design Guide as
        possible.

        To further enhance the user interface, Forewarn does
        not go through normal checks to display the warnings
        in dialog boxes when the edit mode is chosen.
        ForeWarn now utilizes colors to indicate the status
        of events.  There are three colors that are used:

        red:        Active dates which meet the criterion
                    for advance notice (i.e. the current
                    date plus the advance is greater than or
                    equal to the target date)
        blue:       Expired events.  If the option to delete
                    expired events has been specified in the
                    options dialog box, these lines will be
                    deleted when the data is saved.  Expired
                    events are events in which the deadline
                    includes a specific year and that year
                    or the actual date has passed.
        black:      Normal data that meets neither of the
                    above.

Future planned enhancements:
    Sounds using MMPM or the DOSBEEP functions.
    Multiple threads
    User selectable colors for events
    Window size and position recall


Contacting the author:
    This product has been developed in the author's spare
    time and not as a result of any funding or cooperation
    by the author's employer.  All tools (including the
    compiler, development environment, and equipment)
    necessary to develop this system were purchased by the
    author.

    Comments for corrections and enhancements are welcomed
    by the author and can be sent to:

        William Scott Hiles
        2 Savannah St.
        King George, VA 22485-9331

    or via email at:

        whiles@relay.nswc.navy.mil

Terms of agreement:
    Like the DOS version of ForeWarn, the OS/2 version of
    ForeWarn has been developed by WiSHware Inc. and may not
    be distributed as part of another product without
    written permission by the author.  This product is
    distributed as FreeWare and the author does not expect
    monetary compensation.  Donations are welcomed to
    support the development of FreeWare products; but is not
    required.
