Program: Custom Addressbook
URL: http://www.freebyte.com/addressbook
Freeware version: 1.1

If you want more features than the freeware version
has to offer, try the shareware version 
at http://www.freebyte.com/addressbook

Custom Addressbook has been created by
Henk Hagedoorn
Copyright Freebyte! 1997 - 2001
software@freebyte.com
http://www.freebyte.com

Conditions of use

You can use this program free of charge in any commercial or non-commercial setting. You can only distribute this program if you don't charge any money for the program itself. You only can distribute this program if you do not change or omit the any of the files inside the zip package. For other arrangements, please mail the author. 


Files included in this package
readme.txt (this file)
uninstall.txt (uninstall information)
first.dat (initial data file)
AddressBook.exe (the program)
install.exe (the installer)
install.script (the installer script)


What is Custom Addressbook?
It is a very flexible small program to store and edit address, phone, mail and other data.


Why is it 'Custom'?
The program can be totally adapted to suit your needs. You can easily define new address fields and categories. You can also order and delete them.


Supported platforms:
The program runs on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP.


Installation: automatic
Just run install.exe . The program does not mess up your system by installing dlls, it just copies the .exe and .text files in one directory, and creates shortcuts to them.

Installation: manual
Copy the files into one directory, and start Addressbook.exe by double-clicking on it.

Uninstalling
To uninstall, please follow the steps in the document uninstall.txt

Running from floppy
The program will run directly from a write enabled floppy and you can save your data to floppy as well.
It can also run directly from CD-Rom or a write protected floppy but you can't save anything when the media is write-protected. 


Using Custom Addressbook (Main Window)
* Adding a new address item: 'menu/item/new', 'popup menu/new' or the insert key when the focus is in the left pane (white items list).
* Deleting an address item: 'menu/item/delete selected items', 'popup menu/delete selected items' or the delete key when the focus is in the left pane (white items list).
* Moving an address item to another category can be done with 'popup menu/move selected items to/'
* Printing all address items in one category: 'menu/items/print all items in category'
* Printing selected address items: 'menu/items/print selected items' (you can select more then one address item by clicking them with the ctrl key pressed).
* Printing all address items in all categories: select the tab 'all data', then do 'menu/items/print all items in category'
* Resizing the left and right panes can be done by dragging the separator line between the two panes.
* Saving the data can be done with 'menu/data/save'
* Minimizing to tray can be done with menu/file/minimize to tray. The system-tray is the small area of the Windows taskbar where you also can find the clock. Addressbook automatically saves any changes when minimized to the tray.
* Double clicking on multi-line (attribute) editboxes will enable you to edit the contents of that edit box in a large notepad like editor.
* Pressing F2 in a multi-line attribute editbox will show the large notepad like editor also, pressing F2 in the editor will close the editor, in the same manner as pressing 'OK' with the mouse.
* The size, position and split of Custom Addressbook windows will be stored automatically, so that the next time you start up Custom Addressbook its windows will have remembered their previous status.
* Non-western/Asian language support: menu/options/language mode
* Changing font: menu/options/font
* Shortcut keys in the left attribute edit area: 
    ctrl-home: go to first edit box
    ctrl-end: go to the last edit box
    ctrl-down: go to the next edit box
    ctrl-up: go to the previous edit box
    down: go to the next edit box if the current one is single-line
    up: go to the previous edit box if the current one is single-line
    enter: go to the next edit box if the current one is single-line
    shift-enter: go to the previous edit box
    ctrl-L: go to the listbox on the left
    ctrl-M: Minimize to tray


Additional features of the shareware version:
(see http://www.freebyte.com/addressbook)
* password protection
* encryption of the data file
* auto-dial
* active URL's (double clicking on an Internet address field opens the browser loading that address).
* built-in backup function
* import data from many database programs (using comma separated files)
* search
* copy/add items to clipboard
* items can be in more than one category
* menu/items/select all
* etc. etc.


Making a backup
The file address.dat contains the actual address data after the first menu/file/save action. Back-up this file regularily. The shareware version has a built-in backup function.

Customizing Custom Addressbook (Settings Window)
With the settings screen (menu/options/settings) you can customize many aspects of Custom Addressbook.
* To customize the tile, edit 'filetitle' in the first tab
* You can add and remove categories (like office, home)
* You can add and remove attributes (like first name, last name, address)
* You can make attributes and categories visible or invisible
* You can adjust the vertical size of each attribute edit box (property 'lines').
* You can change the order in which categories and attributes appear in the main screen by dragging the items with your mouse in the lists in the settings screen.


Technical background: the Data files
When the program is run first, the address data used by the program is taken from the file first.dat which has been created by me and contains some meaningless example data. 
After the user has changed or added some data and saved it, all the data is saved in a new file called address.dat. After that, because address.dat exists, first.dat will be ignored and is no longer of use.
The reason of existence of first.dat is to prevent users overwriting address.dat (and consequently deleting their own data) when they are installing an update.
Summary: if address.dat exists, that file is used, otherwise first.dat is used and address.dat is created after the first save action.



Updates

To receive automatic notification on updates of this and other Freebyte Software programs, you can join the software email-newsletter for free at http://www.freebyte.com/service


New features:

Added in version 1.0:
attribute settings: enable/disable printing of individual attributes

Added in version 1.0.2:
menu/options/font: to set the font displayed in the edit boxes and the listbox.
menu/options/language mode: to set the IME mode (for Asian and non-European language use).

Added in version 1.1:
menu/file/minimize to tray: minimizes Addressbook to the system-tray.


Future Additions:
* export to CSV files
* enhanced search functions
* enhanced printing functions
* printing address labels
* sort options
* Option for more then one user, each user using his/her own address.dat database file
* etc. etc.