The Fone Manager v1.4 --------------------- This version works with the newest version of Stringwriter. The last version did not work correctly with Stringwriter 4.1 due to a bug in Stringwriter that did not allow the last argument flag to be turned off. All is well now and the library is now almost 150 bytes shorter than before. Also, keys [2] and [8] may now be used to scroll up and down individual records that are longer than 7 lines. Many people requested this addition. Also, I have included new versions of my conversion utilities to convert phone lists from other programs to the format that I use. These new versions now sort the list for you and add a help record. If you had problems with converting lists before, try these new programs and everything will be OK. If you had a list that was converted poorly before then just run the CGENERIC program on it and it will be fixed! --------------------------------------------------------------------- I wrote this program over a period of 6 months, constantly improving it and making it the best phone number and address manager ever. It is definitely the fastest program of its type that I have ever seen, and I looked at every one I could find to get ideas from them and to learn their weaknesses so that this program would not make the same mistakes. All of the graphical routines and display routines are written in machine language. The rest is entirely system-rpl. The Fone Manager works on any G or S series HP48 up through revision "P". The Fone Manager is called that because I originally started it out to be just that. However, it is actually a database program that can store information of any type. Here are a list of the main features this program has that others don't or that are much better than others: * Wonderful user interface that makes the program easy to use, not complicated and complex like most others. * Lets you use any editor you like. It has automatic presets for QED or Stringwriter, but it will also let you use any editor you might have. I have never seen this option in any other program and to me it is the worst aspect of other programs => data entry is too slow. * Lightning quick display routines. You can hold down an arrow key and scroll through a list of fifty names in about 11 seconds on a S series and in 5 seconds on a G series. This is a display of the entire record, not just a one line title!! * Has a search routine which scans the entirety of each record for the search string, not just a specific line of each record. This takes under one second to scan through a fifty-record list for a string that appears in the last record (worst-case). That's quick! * The find routine has its own quick command line that doesn't interfere with the rest of the screen. In other words, it doesn't use the ugly HP command line. * Uses the small font to display 7 lines of data with about 25 characters to a line. You may scroll up and down your record if it contains more than 7 lines. This is a lot more than other programs which use a bigger font which makes you unable to display the last line of your address without it wrapping off the screen. * Under 3400 bytes!! Just to see how fast Fone Manager really is, check out these stats. Below are comparison times of the time it takes to scroll through every entry in a 56 person fone list with another popular program: Roldx v6.0 ---------- 23 seconds (highlight-bar mode) (SX) 43 seconds (full screen mode) (SX) Fone Manager / Database ------------------------------- 12 seconds (full-screen mode) (SX) 5 seconds (full-screen mode) (GX) This package contains the following HP binaries ----------------------------------------------- foneman.lib the fone manager library cgeneric a program to convert other fone-lists to this format croldx a program to convert roldx format fone-lists to this format Conversion Programs ------------------- I have included two programs to convert fone-lists made with other programs to the format used in this program which is simply a list of strings. The generic program goes through a list made by another program and takes out any strings it finds, putting them into individual records to be used by this fone-manager. The roldx converter takes a list made with roldx and converts it to my format. If your fone-list is already a list of strings then don't worry, it will work here. Just put your list on the stack and then run the appropriate conversion program. Then use the STO command explained below to store your list into the Fone Manager. Notes on Inner Workings ----------------------- Fone Manager stores your fone list out of site in the Hidden directory. There are also no unsightly parameter files to get stored in you directories. It uses user flags 40-42 to keep track of your personal editor. The Fdata variable, stored in the Hidden directory, is a list of strings. Each record is stored as a string in this list. Commands in the Library ----------------------- Fone Manager is distributed in library form, taking up slightly more than 3300 bytes. This library contains four programs: FONE => runs Fone Manager RCL => recalls phone list so that you can back it up STO => stores a new phone list into the Manager DEL => deletes your phone lists from the Hidden Directory. This is used to free up space or so that you may create a new phone list. (simple enough) Inside the Fone Manager ----------------------- Fone Manager contains 6 commands: ADD => add a record EDIT => edit a record DEL => delete a record (can also use the DEL key) FIND => find a record (search for a string) SETUP => choose your editor (QED/other, Stringwriter, HP48 editor) EXIT => exit Fone Manager ADD: This command will let you enter the editor of you choice and create a new record. This record will be inserted into the main file in alphabetical order automatically. The first line of the record determines the order. You may have as many lines of data as you wish, however only 7 will show up on the main screen of Fone Manager. Any additional lines may be viewed by scrolling with the [8] and [2] keys. When using the HP48 editor, use right-shift "." (right-shift period) to go to the next line. If you press [ON] from the HP48 editor, the record will be aborted and not saved. EDIT: This command lets you edit the current record you are on. You will be put into the editor of your choice. Your record will be re-alphabetized automatically when you are through editing. DEL: This deletes the current record from the file. You will be prompted to make absolutely sure that you want to delete it. The DEL key on the HP48 keyboard does the same thing this command does. FIND: This command enables you to search records for a string. When pressed, a special miniature command line comes up in place of the menu labels and you are prompted to enter the search string. Enter the search string and press enter. Fone Manager will jump to the first record and start searching from that point. It searches the entire record for the search string, not just the first line. It will search through the records until the string is found, and then it will make the record containing the string the new current record. If the string is not found you will be returned to the record from which you started the search. Pressing the NXT key will find the next occurrence of the string after the record you are currently on. SETUP: This command shows you a screen of information to allow you to choose the editor to use with Fone Manager. Your choices are QED, Stringwriter, and the HP48 editor. Pick the number of the choice you want to use. This setting will be saved using using user flags 40-42. It will remain until the calculator is warmstarted or you run Setup again to change the editor. DO NOT change these flags yourself. Fone Manager has precautions built in to handle this, but don't press your luck. If this is a problem for anyone, let me know and I can change the flags used. When QED is selected as the editor to be used, setup will look for a variable named "QED.o" before it will let you select it as your editor. If this variable does not exist then you will get an error message. This is the normal name for the QED executable to have. If you have QED in a library, have the QED.o variable named something else, or want to use a different editor with Fone Manager, then put the name of the file to run in the variable "QED.o". For instance, to use an editor named FOO, store 'FOO' in "QED.o". Fone Manager runs whatever is in this file when it goes to an editor. So, putting a global variable or xlib in this variable will cause it to execute when QED.o is called. Once this is done, QED can be selected from the setup menu. If you have the normal QED installed, everything will be done automatically. When Stringwriter is selected, Fone Manager looks to see if library 1303 (Stringwriter) is stored in a port. If not, you will see an error message. Install Stringwriter into your Hp before using SETUP. If you select the HP48 editor, then you will be using the built-in editor of the HP48. EXIT: Exits Fone Manager Hard Key Assignments -------------------- arrow keys => scroll through the records of your phone list (keys may be held down for lightning-quick repeat action) left-shift / arrow keys => jump to first or last record depending on which right shift / arrow keys arrow key was pressed. (up, right : last record) (down, left : first record) [8] => scroll up a record [2] => scroll down a record DEL => deletes current record. you WILL get an "Are you Sure?" prompt. NXT => searches for next occurrence of search string EVAL => redraws screen if necessary. (Very wide strings could possibly mess up the screen border I have set up) ON => leaves Fone Manager **Note: When you first run Fone Manager, the record you see will be a help screen telling you the hardkey assignments. Once you enter a record, however, you will not see this record again if you use a right/left shifted arrow to jump to the last record. This record is actually the last record + 1. If you ever need help again, jump to the last record and then press the right or up arrow key. This will advance you the the VERY last record, the help screen. You could change this record if you wanted, but it would not be accessible by jumping to the last record. This record is also not searched when using FIND. So don't change it, there is no need. This program is freeware. I don't expect any $ for it, just the comments of those who enjoy it. Anyone with suggestions for improvements or just general comments, may reach me at the following email address: jeoff@tamsun.tamu.edu Enjoy Fone Manager and let me hear your comments. I will be supporting this program, so any comments or bugs, etc will be fixed ASAP. Also, thanks to: Mohammed Fatri, for writing some of the initial graphics routines Rick Grevelle, for letting me use his GX to beta-test Detlef & Raymond, for their tools and ideas Joe Horn, for the sort routine I used in my conversion programs