Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup v.1.8

Copyright (c) 2005-2008 OrgBusiness Software.
All Rights Reserved.
============================================================
README file updated on: July 22, 2008


Contents
=========

1. Program Description
2. System Requirements
3. Installing Comfy Hotel Reservation
4. Uninstalling Comfy Hotel Reservation
5. Ordering
6. Contacting Us


1. Program Description
=======================
What is Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup?

This is a more powerful version of Comfy Hotel Reservation, with all of the features of the standard version,
but with the additional capability to share data in real time over the network.
The system is fully scalable and designed to provide extensive flexibility and varied choices.
Hotels and travel agents can achieve maximum time efficiency and best costs in processing reservations.
This modern and extremely handy program makes management a real pleasure. The program enables users
to switch between profiles to view the reservation of any room, it is also possible to view multiple
rooms simultaneously or open the reservations of several rooms at the same time.
Comfy Hotel Reservation can maximize yield and minimize unsold room nights for hotels of any size and 
market orientation. Managing repeat customers and recording customer preferences helps you to retain your
customers. All profiles data is protected with a password preventing unauthorized access. The program has
the Auto Backup feature that allows saving the data to the secured archive. The program also has a built-in
Print Designer, which offers a variety of original templates and options to make a fine and clear printout
of a schedule. What is important, the data from Comfy Hotel Reservation can be exported to many different
formats, like MS Outlook, XML, HTML, XLS and TXT. Supports all versions of Microsoft Windows.

2. System Requirements
======================

To use Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup, your computer or server must have one of the following Windows
operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows ME/NT4/2000/XP/2003/Vista

Your computer must also meet the following minimum operating system requirements:
- Intel Pentium processor (or compatible) at 133 MHz or higher
- 64 MB RAM minimum
- 10 MB of available hard disk space
 
Your server must also meet the following minimum operating system requirements:
- Intel Pentium processor (or compatible) at 133 MHz or higher
- 64 MB RAM minimum
- 25 MB of available hard disk space

3. Installing Comfy Hotel Reservation
==============================
Important Note: Our Ribbon implementation requires the Microsoft GDI+ library to be 
installed. Gdiplus.dll is included with Windows XP. GDI+ is available as a redistributable
file for Windows NT 4.0 SP6, Windows 2000, Windows 98, and Windows Me.
To download the latest redistributable, see:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6a63ab9c-df12-4d41-933c-be590feaa05a&DisplayLang=en

Whether you have a computer dedicated as a network server (Windows 2000, 2003, XP or Vista), Comfy Hotel Reservation
for Workgroup can easily be installed and used in your office. 
Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup is intuitive and easy to use, you should be ready to work with Comfy Hotel Reservation
just by reading this short Quick Start guide.

All information is stored in a central database (Firebird), which resides on a computer (server) that all
workstations can access via the local network or Internet. Firebird is a relational database management system
offering many ANSI SQL features.

1. Server Installation

The first step, choose your server computer. You can choose any computer in your network as data server.
If you have the download zip file (ComfyHotelReservationFWG.zip), unzip the file into a temporary directory and
run self-extracting file ServerSetup.exe.

Installation drives

Server - and any databases you create or connect to - must reside on a hard drive that is physically
connected to the host machine. You cannot locate components of the server, or any database, on a mapped
drive, a filesystem share or a network filesystem. 

Services

On Windows server platforms - NT, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista -  Firebird SQL server will run as a system
service by default. Non-server Windows systems - 95, 98 and ME - don't support services.
After "Server Installation", Firebird SQL server should be running.
                                                                   
The Firebird Guardian is a utility that monitors the server process and tries to restart it if it terminates
abnormally. You should at least find the Firebird server and Guardian in the services listing.
If everything works as designed, the Firebird server process will be running on your server machine upon
completion of the installation. It will also start up automatically whenever you restart your computer.
Before testing the Firebird server itself, it is advisable to verify if the server machine is reachable from
the client at all. At this point, it is assumed that you will use the recommended TCP/IP network protocol
for your Firebird client/server connections.

Firewall settings

NOTE: By default Windows Firewall will ask you if you want to add a program to the exception list the first
time you use the program. Windows Firewall will prompt you with: "Do you want to keep blocking this program?"
You will be asked to choose one of these options: "Keep blocking," which will block the application permanently
and you won't be prompted again. If you do try to access it again, the application will simply not work.
"Unblock" removes the block permanently and allows the application to work as it was designed to.
"Ask Me Later" unblocks now but will always continue to ask you any time you try to access the application.
Choose "Unblock"!

And
By default a Firebird SQL server listens on port 3050 for connection requests from clients.
You can use the following instructions to manually add an exception in the firewall's configuration:

1. From the Start menu go to the Control Panel and open the Windows Firewall control panel. 
2. In the Windows Firewall control panel, click the Exceptions tab.
3. Click Add Port... button and open port 3050 on the firewall.
4. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall control panel. 

Some PC based software firewalls (e.g. ZoneAlarm) will notice the ports that running applications
are listening on and automatically (or after asking the user) will open these ports.

Data Security Agent. Managing users


Username: sysdba
Password: masterkey


Access to the Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup is controlled by the user security profiles.
When Server is installed there is only one user authorized, SYSDBA. SYSDBA is a special user that
is above security restrictions and has full access to all databases on the server.
The default password for SYSDBA is masterkey.

It is strongly recommended to change the SYSDBA password, because this is the default for all database
kits and can easily be guessed by anyone who has ever used Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup.
Only SYSDBA can add, modify, or delete new users. When using Security Agent you will have all privileges
on database residing on the server. 

Security Agent provides interface for SYSDBA to manage users. For example, in the Security Agent control
panel, click the Server Users tab and click "Add" button.



2. Client installation

On other PCs in the network, if you have the download zip file (ComfyHotelReservationFWG.zip), unzip the file into
a temporary directory and run self-extracting file UserSetup.exe to start the Comfy Hotel Reservation User Setup. 

After you have installed Comfy Hotel Reservation, the program starts automatically.

Firewall settings

NOTE: By default Windows Firewall will ask you if you want to add a program to the exception list the first
time you use the program. Windows Firewall will prompt you with: "Do you want to keep blocking this program?"
You will be asked to choose one of these options: "Keep blocking," which will block the application permanently
and you won't be prompted again. If you do try to access it again, the application will simply not work.
"Unblock" removes the block permanently and allows the application to work as it was designed to.
"Ask Me Later" unblocks now but will always continue to ask you any time you try to access the application.
Choose "Unblock"!

Or
1. From the Start menu go to the Control Panel and open the Windows Firewall control panel. 
2. In the Windows Firewall control panel, click the Exceptions tab.
3. Click Add Port... button and open port 3050 on the firewall

Some PC based software firewalls (e.g. ZoneAlarm) will notice the ports that running applications are listening on 
and automatically (or after asking the user) will open these ports.

Connection parameters

Connection parameters are typical for database server:

- remote server name or IP address;
- user name and password.

Server IP address or name

There are two ways to connect to the host (server) computer:

The first method is to connect by using the server's Name.
To find your server's Name:

Server computer ->
1.Right-mouse click on the 'My Computer' desktop icon 
2.Select 'Properties' 
3.Select the 'Computer Name' tab 
4.Look for 'Full computer name'
 
The second way is to connect by using the IP address.
If you don't know the server computer's IP address, go to server computer ->Start | Run,
type cmd and click OK. A black window will appear. Type ipconfig and press enter.
The system will display a list of information. Look at the section for IP Address and write it down. 
It should be a set of four numbers separated by dots.

Access to the database is only possible after successful login.

The next step, Select Home->Resources (rooms) command.
The "Resources" dialog will appear. For creation of any resource choose the "+" button.
Enter the room's info and click OK.
The next step, select Home->Make Reservation command.
The "Make Reservation" dialog will appear. Enter the customer's info (Name, Address, Phone, e-mail,
Date of Birth, Booking notes, comments, etc):

It is sometimes necessary to quickly locate customers. To find a customer:
1. Click the "Search..." button.
2. Select the customer from the list.
3. Click the "OK" button.

Verify that your information is correct.

- Choose the Resource.
- Choose the date.
- Choose the Fee Charged, Reminder or Recurrence and click OK.


4. Uninstalling Comfy Hotel Reservation
================================

To uninstall Server from the Windows Control Panel:

1. Do one of the following:
On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click Settings, and click Control Panel.
On the Windows XP taskbar, click Start, and click Control Panel. 
2. In the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs. 
3. In the list of currently installed programs, click Firebird version x.x.x 
4. In Windows 2000, click Change/Remove. In Windows XP, click Remove. 
5. Click Yes to confirm that you want to uninstall the server. 

To uninstall Comfy Hotel Reservation from the Programs Menu:

1. Do one of the following:
On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click Programs, click Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup
and Client. On the Windows XP taskbar, click Start, click All Programs, click Comfy Hotel Reservation
for Workgroup and Client.
2. Click Uninstall Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup. 
3. In the Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup Uninstall window , click Yes to confirm that you want
to uninstall the product.

5. Ordering
=============

Comfy Hotel Reservation for Workgroup license costs $59.95
Allows for unlimited usage for unlimited computers and users in a single organization or business.
This is intended for companies who plan on implementing our software across many computers in their
company. Price is set per physical location or site. This license can not be moved outside of the
organization or business for which it was originally purchased. Immediately upon registration you
receive your registration key. Comfy Hotel Reservation keys are lifetime. You receive all future program
updates free of charge.

We accept credit cards orders, orders by phone and fax, checks, and wire transfers.
Prices, terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice, please check our web site for the
latest product offerings and prices: http://www.OrgBusiness.com



6. Contacting Us
================

Technical Support

Please email technical support issues to support@OrgBusiness.com 
Registered users will get priority.
Note: before requesting technical support, please ensure that you are using 
the latest version of Comfy Hotel Reservation available from http://www.OrgBusiness.com

Feedback

We are always striving to make our products better. If you have any bugs to report 
or features and improvements to suggest, please email them to support@OrgBusiness.com

Updates

To find out about the latest updates to Comfy Hotel Reservation and other programs being
developed by OrgBusiness Software, visit us at http://www.OrgBusiness.com


Thank you for using our program!
