List Maker 2.2 --------------------- By John Linn, July 1995 List Maker is a organizational tool for your PSION. The program is based on a program I wrote in May of 1995 called Shopping List (Version 1.0). This version (2.2) adds some additional functions not found in the first released of the List Maker program, Version 2.1. Some key features are: - Lists can contain up to 12 categories (Sub-lists) - User defined categories - Ability to have multiple lists and even multiple lists open at one time - Quick, easy use, even while pushing a shopping cart. - User interface consistent with other PSION applications The Shopping List program was designed to be an organization tool for grocery shopping. List Maker is ideally suited to this function, but can also be set up to organize other activities. Examples include packing lists, To Do lists, Christmas shopping lists etc. The List Maker program ---------------------------------- If you are the type of person that organizes your life with lists, this is the program for you. The To Do lists in the Agenda application are similar, but this application has some specific advantages for many types of lists. I suggest you load it up and give it a try. The List Maker program is based on the principle that several small lists are better than one big list. List Maker makes it easy to organize lists, add items quickly, and keep track of crossed off and "skipped" items. The first time you run List Maker, or define a new list, you will be asked to define the list Categories (or sub lists). Adding items to the categories is quick and easy with minimum keystrokes. When you move from making lists to using the list, one key stroke gets you the next category that has items in it, there are several ways to cross out or skip items , and an updated counter lets you know how many items are on the list and how many remain (haven not been crossed out yet or skipped). In addition there are functions to edit and delete items, or add categories (up to a limit of 12) and do other list management actions. At anytime, one key stroke allows you to tidy the list (a term borrowed from Agenda), removing all crossed out items, changing skipped items to active items, thereby leaving the list ready for new additions for next time. Installing the program --------------------------- Copy LIST.OPA to any /APP directory and install from the System Screen using [PSION]-I. The first time you run the program, a directory will be created on the internal disk to hold List information (\OPD\LIST\). This directory will hold 2 types of files: .LST (the actual lists) and .LFM (the format and category information). A set of .LST and .LFM files will be crated for each list you create. Using the Program ----------------------- When you first run List Maker you will be prompted to define the Categories (or sub lists). If want a list to organize your grocery shopping I might suggest categories such as: - Produce - Bakery & Deli - Meat Counter - Dairy Products - Health, Soap & Stuff - Cats & Dogs (Pets Supplies) - Grocery - Frozen Foods For a packing list you might have categories such as: - Clothing - Toiletries - Camping equipment - Food - etc. For a Christmas list: - Mom - Dad - My "One and Only" - Uncle Sam Enter the categories in logical order (I.E. in the grocery store case above, the order in which you encounter them when you walk through the store). You can define up to 12 categories. If you define less than 12 categories you can add more categories later. Categories names cannot have commas (,) in them. Shopping List uses the standard PSION Menu/Hot-key standard as the built-in applications. In addition you can Hot-key any command WITHOUT having to press the [PSION] button. In other words, [PSION]-A is equivalent to just A. Commands -------------- N- Create a new list. Any number of lists can be defined. The defined lists will show-up on the System screen under the List Maker Icon. O- Open existing list. To have more than one list open at a time, open the list using SHIFT-ENTER from the System Screen. If a key pad is assigned to the application (PSION-A from the System Screen), you will be able to jump from one open list to another by pressing the key pad button. W- What's Left moves you from the current category list to the next category that has items to get (I.E. not crossed off). This action is automatic if you cross off or skip all items in a category. T- This is the command to Tidy the list. Be sure because there is no going back. Remember only crossed-out items are deleted and skipped items are converted to normal. R- Remove list. This deletes the list completely, categories and all. I recommend that when you are done with the displayed list use this keystroke because both .LST and .LFM files will be deleted for you. A- Add new items into list. A dialog opens where you enter the Description, select a Category from a choice list, and enter Quantity if desired. Quantity is displayed in the list only if greater than 1. I- This is to cross out or skip a particular Item. Cross out places a cross-out line through the item in the list. Skip puts the item in parenthesis. Both actions removes the item from the "Items left" count. Crossing out or skipping an item also moves it to the bottom of the displayed category list. E- Edit item. Any item on the displayed category list can be edited. The 3 items entered with "add" can be edited, as well as the "crossed out/skipped" status. ". Editing an item moves it to the bottom of the displayed category list D- Delete item. Normally when using your list I don't recommend you delete any items, but rather cross them off. That way you can see what items you have gotten or accomplished so far (giving you a sense of achievement), and if you have crossed out something in error you can "un-cross it out". L- This is a variation on "I". Here all items displayed on the current category list will be crossed out. This is especially helpful if the list only contains a few items that you can pick up or accomplish at the same time. C- This command brings up a dialog enabling you to change to a different category by way of a choice list. You can also quickly change to the next or previous category with out opening the dialog by simply pressing the "<" or ">" keys. K- This command allows you to add more categories to your list up to a limit of 12. Z- Zoom allows you to change the font size of the list. When you start Shopping List, the largest font is used. Pressing "Z" once reduces the font to the smallest size (up to 15 items displayed per column, in 2 columns a max. of 30 items displayed), pressing again brings the font to medium size (12/24), and again you are back to the largest size (10/20). V- About Shopping List displays the Version number, my name, and my e-mail address at America On Line. X- As expected is for eXit. 1-9- This is the another way of crossing out or skipping items. On any category list you can press the number keys to cross off items 1 through 9. Items numbered above 9 must be crossed out with hot-key I. This is the quickest , easiest way to cross out items. Other Info & Hints ----------------------- The "Total Items/Skipped/Remaining Items" info message actually displays Item LINES. If you enter quantity of 2 on a line, this still registers as only 1 item in the count. A count of line items (or item type) seems more helpful to me. List size is not limited. The number of lines displayed in a category list is (up to 30 with the smallest font). If there are more items in that category than can be displayed, an info message will let you know. Shift to a smaller font if possible. Remember, you don't have to press the PSION key to activate the hot-keys. Also remember that all Choice Dialogs (I.E. when changing or selecting Categories) can be made by pressing the Tab key, or by simply pressing the first letter of the choice (I.E. "P" for Produce, "F" for Frozen Food, etc.). This is a big time saver. The program requires only about 20K to run. I have found my Grocery Shopping list works great if I always have it running and have a button pad assigned to it (use [PSION]-A on System Screen). I always have the Add dialog up (hot-key-A). That way, anytime I want to add an item, I press the correct button pad and I am ready to go. When I get to the store, I out of the Add dialog, and then press hot-key-W (What's left) until I get to the first category I desire. As I pick up items, I crossed them off (hot-key-I, number or L). If the item is not available on the shelf, I can skip it (hot-key-I or number ). If the category list no longer contains any active items, the program automatically advances to the next category that has items in it. This continues until I get the "No Items" message. Before I start adding new items for the next shopping trip I do a Tidy (hot-key-T) to remove crossed out items and to change skipped items to active items. This is Freeware -------------------- You can use this program as you see fit at no charge. I do retain copyright. This program cannot be sold without my permission. I have used the program extensively and fixed all problems that I have found, however I cannot be responsible... You know what I mean. My only ask from you is to e-mail me a quick note telling me if you find the program useful. Also report any bugs. Finally, if you have come up with any creative applications for List Maker I would be delighted to hear them. I can be reached at the following e-mail address: JLinn@compuserve.com Thanks for taking the time to evaluate and use my program.