Project Deadline Countdown Timer Manager Instruction Manual

Project Deadline Countdown Timer Manager

     Project Deadline Countdown Timer Manager (PDCTM) is a software program for Windows computers that provides a constantly updated list of projects you are working on and tells you how long (in days, hours, and minutes) until the project is due. It displays a list of all your projects on screen, arranged in ascending order of how long you have before the project is due. PDCTM allows you to assign a project name, status indicator, and deadline to each project on your list, and to edit these properties at any time as long as the project is active. It also allows you to attach an unlimited number of comments to each project. It allows you to delete a project when it is completed, and you can call up a file of deleted projects. Both current and deleted projects can be searched in any field (project name, comments, status, or deadline) to allow you to easily find information on specific projects.
     Note: This program comes with a sample file, which will be displayed when you first run it. This is just to help you get familiar with the program. You will want to create your own files once you are familiar with the program, as explained in the instructions.

Registering Project Deadline Countdown Timer Manager

     From the time you first run PDCTM, you have a 30-day trial period to evaluate it. During that time, PDCTM will be fully functional. If you decide you like PDCTM, you should register and pay for it ($25). At the end of the trial period, if you do not pay for PDCTM and input the registration code you receive, PDCTM will be deactivated. That is, it will no longer display information on your projects. It will be reactivated when you input the registration code, which you will receive when you pay for PDCTM.
     There are several ways to pay for PDCTM. The easiest way to register a single copy is to go to the LeithauserResearch.com site. From there, you can go to the payment page (links are in the third paragraph on the home page). Scroll down the page to the place where PDCTM is listed. Input the serial number that appears on the registration screen for PDCTM (the screen that asks you to register and input your registration code) and then click on the "PayPal buy now" button. You will be sent the registration code by email. You will normally receive this code within a day, although it may take a little longer under unusual circumstances (Internet problems, etc.).
     You can also pay for PDCTM by clicking on the Print button to print a form. You can then mail this form to the address given on the form or fax it to the fax number given on the form. You can pay by enclosing a check or by filling out the credit card information on the form. You can also pay by phone using your credit card. The number to call is 386-410-6769.
     Volume discounts are available. Call 386-410-6769 or send an email to [email protected] with information on how many copies you want to license for a price quote.

Main screen

     The main screen displays the current project file. A project file contains a list of the projects in that file. Each project has a project name, a list of comments, a status, and a due date. These pieces of data are displayed on the screen in individual text boxes. The comments text box is a drop down list box, so you can have multiple comments for each project. The screen also displays a box that shows how long before the project is due. If the project is overdue, the box shows how far overdue it is, and the time is shown in red. There is a scroll bar on the right side of the screen to allow you to scroll up or down the list.

     Below the array of text boxes are five buttons, three of which are initially disabled. These buttons and their functions are as follows:

Add - This allows you to add a new project to the list. When you click on this button, you will see the Add Projects Form. This form has text boxes for Project, Comment, Status, and Deadline. Input the project name in the Project text box. You can input a comment in the comment box. You can also input something in the Status text box. You must put a date and time in the Deadline text box. This would generally be in the format Date Time, such as 9/22/2010 2:30 PM. The program is fairly flexible about the format. If you leave off the year, it will assume the current year. You can abbreviate the date, like "jan 3 2011 5 pm". If you input a date format that is totally unrecognizable, the program will give you an error message and let you try again.
     You can select a color for the text by clicking on one of the colored boxes next to the text box. When you have input all the information, click on the Add button. The new project will be added to the current project file and the text boxes will clear. You can then add another project. When you finish adding projects, click on the Close button to return to the main PDCTM screen.

Edit - This button is normally grayed out (disabled). To enable it, you must select a project to edit by clicking on one of the text boxes (preferably a Projects text box) on the main screen to select a project to edit. This will enable the Edit button. Once you have enabled the Edit button, when you click on the edit button you will see the edit screen. The screen displays the project name, a dropdown list of the comments, the project status, and the project deadline. It also displays color boxes. Basically, it looks just like the Project Add screen, except that the information from the project you selected is filled in for you. You can change any of these. To change a comment, select the comment you want to change from the list box. Edit the comment in the text box and then either hit the Enter key on your keyboard or click on the Edit button. Erasing the text of a comment completely will delete that comment. If you are editing the comments, you must hit Enter or click on the Edit button after you change each comment or the change will not stick. That is, if you edit one comment and then select another comment without pressing Enter or clicking on the Edit button, the changes that you make to the first comment will not be recorded. For the project name, status, or deadline, you can make all the changes before you click on the Edit button or press Enter. However, remember that you must either hit the Enter button or click on the Edit button at least once before you close the project edit screen, or the changes you make will not take effect. When you click on the Close button or the X at the top right of the screen, the Edit screen will disappear and the main PDCTM screen will appear.

Delete - If you select a project (by clicking on one of the text boxes for that project on the screen) and then click on the Delete button, that project will be deleted from the current projects file. It will be transferred to the deleted projects file, which will be discussed shortly. You will be asked if you are sure you want to delete the project before it is deleted. Once a project is deleted, it stays in the deleted project file indefinitely, and the only way to put it back in the file is to recreate the project from scratch using the Add button and the Add Comments button (described below).

Add Comment - If you click on one of the text windows on the screen to select a project, the Add Comment button will be enabled. Once it is enabled, if you click on it a screen will appear that allows you to input a comment. Once you input a comment in the text box and click on the OK button (or press Enter), a comment will be added to the project you had selected. If you click on the Add Comment button by mistake and do not want to add another comment to that project, you can click on the Cancel button or press Esc instead.

Search - The search button allows you to search the project file for projects that have certain characteristics. For example, you might want to search for all projects that contain a certain comment, or all projects that are due on a certain day. When you click on the search button, a search screen appears that allows you to input search parameters. This screen appears in front of the main PDCTM screen, so you can see both at once. First select the field you want to search (project name, comments, status, or deadline) by clicking on one of the option buttons. Then input a string of text that you want to search that field for. You do not have to match the entire contents of the field. If you input a string to search for, such as John, the search screen will search for any project that has that string within the field you described. Note that you must input the exact string you are searching for. This is particularly important if you are searching for a due date. If the due dates are in the format "5/19/2010", you cannot input "May 19, 2010." The search is, however, case-insensitive, so searching for "john" will find you "John" or "JOHN." Once you have input the search string, click on the Find button. If the search finds a project that matches your search parameters, that project will scroll to the top of the main screen. You will be able to see this behind the search screen. The caption of the Find button will also change to Next. This means that if you click on that button again, the search will find the next project that matched your search criteria. You may repeat the process. When no more projects are found that match your criteria, a small label will appear that says "Nothing found." And the button will go back from Next to Find. This means that the next time you click on it, the search will start again from the top of your search list. The search also goes back to the top pf the projects file if you change the search text of the field to search. When you are finished searching, click on the close button to make the search screen disappear.


     In addition to the text boxes and buttons on the main screen, there are File, Help, and (if you have not yet registered PDCTM) Register menus at the top of the main PDCTM screen. These are explained below.

Files

     There are several options under the Files menu.
     Create new Project file - You can have any number of project files. This makes PDCTM very flexible. If your each of your projects has only one deadline, you can put all of your projects in one file. However, suppose you have many jobs going on at once and each one has many deadlines. For example, suppose you are a wedding planner. Each wedding might involve many projects, such as ordering the cake, arranging for the band, getting the flowers, and so on. You could make each wedding you are planning one project file. Within the file, you could list each of these projects with its own deadline. Thus, for each wedding you are planning (or each house you are building, or whatever), you could create one file. Then, you could call up the file for each job when you want to check on it, and see all the projects of that job together. To create a new project file, click on Create New Project File under the File menu. You will then see a screen that asks you to input the file name. Input any descriptive name in the text box and click on the OK button. You will then go back to the main PDCTM screen, which will be blank. You then begin adding projects to the file, using the Add button as described above.
     Change Project File - This option allows you to change the current project file. When you click on this option, the Select Project File screen will appear. Select which project you want to load by either double clicking on a project name from the list or click on a project name and then click on the OK button. You can cancel and remain with your current project file by clicking on the cancel button.
     View deleted projects - This lets you view a screen that lists all the information on the deleted projects from your current project file. For example, if your current project file is "Smith House", you will see all the projects deleted from that project file. The screen looks much like the PDCTM main screen. It displays an array of text and drop down combo boxes for Project names, comments, status, and deadlines. It does not display a box for the amount of time left for each project, since the project is over (which is why you deleted it). There are also far fewer buttons at the button, because you cannot edit, delete, or add comments to deleted projects. There is a Search button that acts just like the Search button on the main screen. There is a print button to allow you to print a report on the deleted projects. Basically, you can scroll up and down the list of deleted projects and search them to get information on the deleted projects, but you cannot alter them them.
     Print � This allows you to print a report on selected projects. This means that you can select projects you want a report on. When you select the Print option under the File menu, you will see the Print screen. This looks much like the Search screen, and for good reason. You can select which projects to print just like you search for projects. Select which field you want to use as the basis for which project to print a report on. Then input a string in the text box to indicate what property you want to use as a basis for printing. For example, suppose you usually put the name of the manager of each project in the comments box, and want to print reports on all projects managed by John Smith. You would select Comments as the field to use and put John Smith in the text box. Then you would click on the Print button or press the Enter key on your keyboard. (Be sure to turn on your printer first.) PDCTM will then print out all the reports that have John Smith in any of the comments. The report will list the project name, status, deadline, and list all the comments associated with each project.
     Exit PDCTM - This closes down the PDCTM controller.


The Register menu

     If you have not yet registered PDCTM, this option will appear on the top of the main PDCTM screen. Clicking on it will display the registration screen, which also appears when you first run PDCTM until it is registered.

Uninstalling PDCTM

     To uninstall PDCTM, use the uninstall procedure in the Windows Control Panel by clicking on Settings under the Start button, then select Control Panel and then select either Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features and pick PDCTM from the list of programs. Note: Exit the PDCTM control panel before doing this.

Bug reports, help requests, suggestions

     If you need help with this program, have found a bug, or have a request for additional feature, please contact Leithauser Research. The best way is to send an email to [email protected]. You can also call Leithauser Research at 386-410-6769 or send a fax to 386-740-7699.
     If you are suggesting an additional feature or other improvement, we will make these changes and release a new version soon if we believe these improvements would have broad appeal. You will be notified when the new version is released. If we feel that the changes you suggest are not commercially viable, we can still create a custom version of PDCTM for you for a fee. Contact Leithauser Research if you are interested in this.

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