Readme File

Updated 11/6/2001. Save and/or print out this page for your Installation.

MemAud v5.01v1

• History of Revisions - check to see if you need to upgrade, or do the newer features make no difference?
• Important Note on Y2K Upgrade in Version 5.01
• System Requirements
• What is the Password?

• Installation
  • DOS before version 7.0
  • Windows 95/98
  • New Users of MemAud Version 5.xx
  • And, for Previous Users of MemAud Version 4.xx or Clinchy Database Only:
    • Starting MemAud - (1) DOS before v7.00 or (2) WIN 3.x
    • Starting MemAud - WIN 95/98

• Updating the Command Files and Forms

Important Note on Y2K Upgrade in Version 5.01

In versions 4.xx and 5.00xx taking shortcuts on entry of dates can cause confusion. If a date is entered in the format MM/DD/YY on or after 1/1/2000 then the missing century will continue to be 1900. (The documentation is incorrect when it states that a missing century will default to the current century in versions 5.00x.) For example, entering a date as 2/1/00 will make it 2/1/1900 and not 2/1/2000. This version, MemAud 5.01, corrects that shortcut so that leaving out the century will cause MemAud to fill in the current century.

In all versions of MemAud full entry of a date as MM/DD/YYYY will avoid confusion. MemAud in all versions is Y2K compliant. A date is always stored with a four-digit year.

System Requirements

MemAud 5.01 will run on any MS-DOS IBM PC-compatible computer with an Intel 80386/ 486/ Pentium compatible CPU. It will not run on 80286 systems. For those systems please use MemAud version 4.07.

MemAud 5.01 requires a printer (any kind) for labels, a hard drive, and some kind of backup storage (usually a diskette), and 2 MB of hard disk space for the programs. A membership file with 7000 records would require an additional 3.5 MB of hard drive space.

MemAud's engine, "R:base", is a DOS engine. It will also run in a WIN9x window (99% of the time). We do not recommend running in a WIN3.x window. There are just too many memory problems. Pure DOS works best.

What is the Password?

Some programs in MemAud require a password. This is just so the idle passer-by cannot start a program that has the potential (however small) to damage your files. Some database operations need to be preceded by backups, and not done during lightning storms. A non-secret password is just fine for this.

The password is "blivet".

Installation

DOS before version 7.0

For everyone who does not (repeat, NOT) have Windows 95/98 installed, make the following changes.

1: Edit your CONFIG.SYS file so that it contains the following lines (without the comments, and in the same order, with no other commands preceding them. The underscore character, "_", indicates a space; when entering these lines into CONFIG.SYS replace the underscore with a space; otherwise there should be no spaces at all.):

• DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
  Comment: HIMEM.SYS might be found in your Windows directory. C:\DOS is only one possible location.
• DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE_NOEMS
  Comment: Again, the location C:\DOS is only an example. The critical point is that EMM386.EXE must be followed by a space and the NOEMS command.
• DOS=HIGH,UMB
• SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM_/P_/E:1024
• FILES=20
• BUFFERS=16
  Comment: The numbers here for FILES and BUFFERS are minimums. You may make them higher if other programs require it.

2: Using SMARTDRV or another disk caching program will greatly improve performance. SMARTDRV comes in two flavors: SMARTDRV.EXE and SMARTDRV.SYS. Yours should be in the C:\WINDOWS directory. If you have SMARTDRV.SYS add the following line to the CONFIG.SYS file, as above. Place it after all the lines suggested above:

• LH C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.SYS

If you have SMARTDRV.EXE, put the following line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

• C:\WINDOWS\SMARTRDRV.EXE

Check your DOS or Windows documentation for assistance. If you have limited RAM (4 MB) then you may have to use some qualifying parameters on the above command lines.

Installation on Windows 95/98

Add the following line to your SYSTEM.INI file, which should be in your WINDOWS directory. This line should be in the section titled [386Enh]:

• PerVMFiles=25

New Users of version 5.xx:

Create a new directory on your hard drive. Name it NUMEMAUD. We will assume it is on the C:\ drive, but it can be on any hard drive or partition.

Download the following files into the C:\NUMEMAUD directory:

RTCMD.EXE 9/17/2002	216_KB	Command files. Subject to updates. See Updating the Command Files below for update instructions. The current version of MemAud is 5.01v1
RTDOC.PDF 9/17/2002	280_KB	Documentation in Adobe Acrobat format. To download a free Acrobat viewer, click on the graphic ==== >
RTFILE1.EXE	1,362_KB	Database engine. Only needed one time. This file will never change.
RTFILE2.EXE	197_KB	Conversion files for users of MemAud 4.xx or the Clinchy database program.
RBFMAS.EXE 11/30/99	101_KB	Database template. These files are empty and if they overwrite your pre-existing MemAud 5.xx files they will erase all your data. Download only Once. Do not worry if the file date is "new" compared to yours - one download is enough.

• Run the EXE files you have copied. They will create the program, command, and database template files necessary to run MemAud. Then delete RBFMAS.EXE to prevent it from over-writing your database files in the future, and remove the others from the hard drive. If you delete them you can always replace them from this website, but storing them on a secure floppy or two would save you the time, if they are needed.
• Open RTDOC.PDF using the Adobe Acrobat viewer. You may print it or use it as an online manual while running MemAud in a window.

And, for Previous Users of versions 4.xx or Clinchy Database Only:

1. Copy your three existing *.RBF files into C:\NUMEMAUD

2. Run TURNOVER.EXE (it came inside the RTFILE2.EXE file). This will create several files with the extension TRN (old MemAud files) or CLI (Clinchy files) These files are your membership data ready for loading into the new program. Ignore all the beeping and error messages - it's normal. TURNOVER.EXE is simply the old Upgrade program, with the added ability to generate the *.TRN or *.CLI files. It also asks for the password.

3. Start MemAud (see below), choose Menu 6 (Utilities and Troubleshooting Solutions). Run the program NEWGOLD. This will load those *.TRN/CLI files into the new database. It will also delete those *.TRN/CLI and *.RBF files afterwards to prevent duplications.

• Make sure you have downloaded an RTCMD.EXE file that is at least as new as the RTFILE2.EXE file. If you use an old NEWGOLD command file, evil things will happen.
• For NEWGOLD to run, you must run CNFIG first, using the [Page Dn] key to access the second page of the form, and answer the question, Run NEWGOLD (Y/N)? with a "Y". This convoluted process is designed to prevent you from doing it more than once.
• * IMPORTANT NOTE: do not attempt to run NEWGOLD in a WIN3.x window. You will get a memory error (several of them, actually). End your Windoze 3.x session and run "RTIME" from the C:\NUMEMAUD prompt.

Starting MemAud - (1) DOS before v7.00 or (2) WIN 3.x

1. If you want to run MemAud under DOS previous to version 7.00 (the one that comes with WIN95) and not in a WIN3.x window (highly recommended), simply exit (or do not start) Windows, move yourself into the NUMEMAUD directory and type, "RTIME [Enter]". Note: executing the MS-DOS icon from inside Windows does not close down Windows; it just opens a DOS window. You must Close Windows.

2. If you want to run in a WIN3.x window, Mr. Phelps, the agency will disavow all knowledge of your actions. Install the MEMAUD31.PIF file into your chosen work group and use it to start MemAud. This PIF is designed for an installation in C:\NUMEMAUD, so if you have set up in another directory, you will have to edit the PIF.

3. If you are running MemAud for the first time, run FORMLOAD, which is choice #1 on the Utilities and Troubleshooting menu. This makes sure you have the latest program modifications installed. Not running FORMLOAD may give you some very creative error messages when you try to enter real data. Running FORMLOAD more than once won't cause any damage, in case you can't remember if you did it or not.

Starting MemAud - WIN 95/98

1. Copy MEMAUD95.PIF (aka an MS-DOS shortcut file) onto your desktop and use it to start MemAud. This shortcut is designed for an installation in C:\NUMEMAUD, so if you have set up in another directory, you will need to edit the Properties of the shortcut.

2. If you want to run MemAud under pure DOS, end your other WIN95 programs and take the Shut Down option "Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode?" Move yourself into the NUMEMAUD directory and type, "RTIME [Enter]".

• Caution: I have recently installed a large hard drive (13 GB) which required installation of the manufacturer's software because WIN95 does not recognize such a large drive. Now when I use (2) above, I cannot access any hard drives. The only way to run in pure DOS is as in (3) below. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is blaming Microsoft and Microsoft isn't talking to anybody. Sigh.

3. Another way to start pure DOS in a WIN95/98 system is to hit the [F8] key while booting the system. Hit [F8] as soon as the screen says it is starting Windows 95 - you have about 1.6 seconds. Then take the Command Mode option. In some cases you may have to use the Safe Mode Command Option. This disables almost everything but DOS.

• Remember that a disk caching program (like SMARTDRV) will help you work faster, and running in MS-DOS mode will terminate WIN95's native disk caching program. SMARTDRV.EXE can be found in the WIN95 directory on the WIN95 CD-ROM. Copy it into your c:\Windows\System directory, which is usually part of the system path. If so, all you need to do is type "SMARTDRV [Enter]" after closing WIN95 and before starting MemAud, and it will install for your MS-DOS session.

4. If you are running MemAud for the first time, run FORMLOAD, which is choice #1 on the Utilities and Troubleshooting menu. This makes sure you have the latest program modifications installed. Not running FORMLOAD may give you some very creative error messages when you try to enter real data. Running FORMLOAD more than once won't cause any damage, in case you can't remember if you did it or not.

Updating the Command Files and Forms:

Both major and minor updates will be contained in the most recent version of RTCMD.EXE. If the version number you have (printed at the top of MemAud's Main Menu) is the same, a more recently dated RTCMD.EXE contains minor changes. If the version number itself is different, then changes are more important. You can check the History File to see what changes have occurred since your version date.

(1) In a curious case of Catch-22, the version of RTCMD.EXE dated 8/19/99 contains an improved version of FORMLOAD, but you can't run the improved FORMLOAD until you have run RTCMD.EXE the old, unimproved way. So, for anyone downloading RTCMD.EXE dated 8/19/99 or later, where the version you have is older than 8/19/99, do this:

1. download RTCMD.EXE and put it in the NUMEMAUD directory.
2. "run" RTCMD.EXE either by double-clicking it from WIN95/98 Explorer, or by typing "RTCMD" [Enter] from the DOS prompt. This will unzip the command files, and you will have to answer "Y" to each question about overwriting old files. You may keep your finger on the [Y] key until you see a little string of y's running across the screen. Hit [Enter] to get back to the DOS prompt.
3. Exit from the DOS Window, if you run MemAud from WIN95/98.
4. Start MemAud and run FORMLOAD.

(2) If you are upgrading from the version dated 8/19/99 or later, to any newer version, it is simpler.

1. Download RTCMD.EXE and put it in the NUMEMAUD directory.
2. Start MemAud and run FORMLOAD.

After running FORMLOAD for an actual version number change, you should also run CNFIG to check your system configuration.

The End