Chelsoft Club Membership for Windows Version 1.0
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The beta test shareware version was released in October 1994. The final release version was released in February 1996. If you received this program after the end of 1998 there is every likelihood that the program on this disk will be out of date. If this is the case, please ask your dealer to contact Chelsoft for the latest version. Alternatively, send your shareware disks and sufficient return postage to Chelsoft and we will send you the latest shareware version.

Conversion of other data files
==============================

There is an option to convert files from our DOS Club Membership program to the Windows format. Run the program CONVERT.EXE to carry out the conversion.

If you have other files that you wish to convert, it may be possible to do this - check out the CONVERT.TXT file that is installed with the program. You will need to be reasonably confident to carry out a conversion and have access to programs that can export in Microsoft Access version 1.1 format.

Installation of the program
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A SETUP program is included with Club Membership for Windows. This will create a directory (normally called CLUBMEM) on the drive of your choice and extract all the files on the distribution disks to this directory and the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory as appropriate. You will be prompted to change disks as necessary.

You MUST use the supplied setup program. The files on the issue disks are compressed. Simply copying them to your hard disk will not work.

Certain systems need the following line in AUTOEXEC.BAT:

	C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500

If Club seems to be acting erratically, try adding the above line to AUTOEXEC.BAT and then rebooting your machine.

System Requirements
===================

This program needs Windows 3.1 or later and a Windows compatible pointing device (a mouse or equivalent). The program takes up approximately 5Mb of disk space, plus data files.

We suggest that any Windows user should have at least 4Mb of RAM; 8Mb or more if you regularly run several programs simultaneously.

A reasonably fast hard disk will help this and many other programs to run. If your hard disk seems to be getting slower for no apparent reason, try running a defragmenter such as the one the comes with DOS 6.x. Such a program should be run from the DOS prompt. For safety, we recommend that you backup any important information before running any program that affects your machine at a low level.

If you don't have a reasonably fast machine, try the DOS version of Club Membership - this will run on any PC compatible at reasonable speed. Your shareware distributor should have a copy (check that it's version 3 or later) or, in case of difficulty, contact Chelsoft direct. Your DOS files can be converted to the Windows format when you are ready.

Limitations
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Maximum database size: 1 gigabyte (1,000Mb).

We haven't yet found a report writer that will print out the pictures that can be included with your database. (We're still looking.)

The Header field on reports cannot include an apostrophe ('). If this is a major problem for you, please write or ring us - we can work around it. 

The version of Crystal Reports we use won't allow us to change fonts at run-time. (This is probably a good idea - different fonts take up different space on screen, so changing fonts would almost certainly wreck the report formats.) If you don't like the fonts or font sizes we've chosen, either contact us or get hold of a copy of Crystal Reports and modify our formats (taking a backup first, of course). Alternatively, send the report to disk and format it in a word processor. Or get hold of a Windows report generator program.

Microsoft changed the name and (more importantly) the calling process of their BACKUP program when they moved to version 6 of DOS. If you would prefer to use a different backup program, you will need to alter the CLUB.INI section that currently reads:

[Backup]
Backup Line=MSBackup (or MWBackup or Backup, depending on your DOS version)

Change the wording after Backup Line= to point to your preferred backup program (including the path if it isn't in your DOS path). There is an overall limit of 140 characters for this command. 

If you're running an early version of SMARTDRV with 'lazy' disk writes: DON'T! Modify the entry in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to force SMARTDRV to write changes to disk when the changes occur, not at some future time. Check your DOS manual for further details.

No other intended limitations - if you think you've found one, please contact us. In particular, apart from the registration nagger, the shareware version of the program is IDENTICAL to the full release version.

The shareware version is limited to 60 days use. After this time, you must register to continue using the program. Your data will be completely safe. Should you choose not to register, your data is readable by any other program that can read a Microsoft Access version 1.1 database file.

Customised Reports
==================

The program will recognise up to 2 customised reports. 

If you have access to Crystal Reports, you can produce these yourself (call them CUSTOM1.RPT and CUSTOM2.RPT and place them in the same directory as the main program).

If you have access to another program that can read Microsoft Access format files, you can probably produce your own reports. Programs that can do this include - but are not limited to - Microsoft Access, Excel, Word (useful for mail merges), Borland ReportSmith and Clarion for Windows.

If not, please contact Chelsoft with your requirements for a quote.

All reports are in Crystal Reports format and can be modified by users with access to Crystal Reports - from experience, we suggest that for safety you take a backup of the ones that come with the program before attempting to modify a report.

Club Membership uses version 4 of Crystal Reports. Version 3 reports seem to work OK, we haven't checked earlier versions.

File Format
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The database file is in Microsoft Access version 1.1 format. 

A lot of Windows programs can now read this format - check your program documentation.

Bugs
====

We've got rid of as many bugs as possible. If the program stops running for any reason, don't just tell us 'the program crashed'! This won't help any of us...

If you find a bug in our program, please let us know the following details:

What you were doing at the time (which keys you pressed or where you clicked the mouse).

Machine details - processor, memory, hard disk size & free space, DOS & Windows version, memory resident programs (check AUTOEXEC.BAT & CONFIG.SYS for these), network, printer, etc. Running MSD from the DOS prompt will get most of these details.

Other Windows programs running at the same time - and whether the problem occurs if they aren't running.

Any error message generated.

Whether the problem was a 'one off' or you have been able to recreate it.

Windows programs are complex things - these details will enable us to track down any bugs quickly.

If Windows crashes completely, be aware that the fantastically technical details shown on screen may mean something to Microsoft but don't help mere mortals like us.

Comments and Suggestions
========================

We welcome your comments and suggestions (good and bad). It's how our programs develop.

If we're missing a feature that could be useful to you, please tell us! Chances are, other people could use the same feature and we could include it in a future version of the program. 

Our address and phone number is at the end of this file.

Registration
============

There's always the temptation with shareware to register 'tomorrow'. After 60 days use, you MUST register the program to continue using it (your data will remain safe even if you do not register).

This program has taken a long time to develop and we hope you will find it useful.

If you find yourself using our program on a regular basis, the decent thing to do is to register it! In return, you'll get the very latest version of the program and a printed manual. And the nagging screen at the end of the program will disappear.

In addition, we'll add your name to our database and let you know when brand new versions of the program come out. Rest assured, we won't sell, swap, barter or give away your name to anyone else. And if you'd prefer that we didn't mail you either, simply tell us and we'll exclude you from our mailings as well.

Think about it: 

How many hours would it take you to develop a similar program? 

How much would it cost to have a program written especially for you? 

How much administration time will the program save you?

How much would it cost you to buy the development programs needed?

Wouldn't it be cheaper to register?

Go on! Support British programmers! Register now! (Thanks!)

Chelsoft
8 Little Bayshill Terrace
Cheltenham
Glos
GL50 3QE

Telephone: 01242 575744

email: Trevor@chelsoft.demon.co.uk