Copyright: Dashboard 3.0 for Windows Help
Citation: Copyright ® 1995 Borland International.


Contents

Overview of Dashboard

Getting Help

Introducing Dashboard

Dashboard Panels

Working with Dashboard

Checking Your Resources

Creating Sticky Apps

Customizing Dashboard

Dragging and Dropping

Launching Programs

Managing Extended Screens

Managing Program Groups with the Program Menu

Managing Program Groups with Program Windows

Moving and Resizing Dashboard

Printing and Faxing

Removing Dashboard

Running Dashboard as a Shell

Using the Command Prompt

Using Dashboard in the Vertical Orientation

Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts

Using Dashboard Readme Files

Using the Dashboard Task Manager

Using Shortcut Menus

Using Toolbars

Working with Layouts


Getting Help

For detailed Help, click the Help button. The mouse pointer becomes a pointer and question mark. Place the pointer on any item and click to see the online Help topic for that item.

Double-click the Help button to see a list of topics. Scroll through the list and click a topic to see more information. Click Search to see the index of topics. Click Contents to see a table of contents of topics.

Help buttons are also included in dialog boxes. To display Help about that dialog box, click the Help button.

Fly-over Help

In addition to the online Help system, Dashboard provides Fly-over Help to identify the components of the Dashboard window. To display Fly-over Help, place the mouse pointer over the item you want to identify, and wait for a couple of seconds. A Fly-over Help box appears, identifying the item. To remove the Help text, move the pointer off the item. To disable Fly-over Help, right-click the Dashboard title bar, and choose Disable Fly-Over Help.

Also make sure to look also in the Dashboard readme file README.WRI for important information about Dashboard that supercedes the information in the Users Guide and in this Help system.

See Also

Standard Windows Help


Introducing Dashboard

Dashboard for Windows is the convenient push-button utility which gives you quick access to and maximum control over your Windows programs.

Dashboard includes these features (and many more):

•	Convenient menus and buttons for launching programs.

•	Drag-and-drop support for launching programs and for printing, plotting, and faxing files.

•	A Taskbar that lets you switch instantly between any of your running programs. You can attach the Taskbar to any edge of your screen, where it's always available.

•	Miniature "extended screens" that make it easy to work with several full-screen programs at once.

•	Context-sensitive Shortcut menus that appear when you right-click any part of Dashboard. Shortcut menus offer quick customization options. Different options are available depending on which part of Dashboard you right-click.

•	A clock and calendar with a built-in snooze alarm.

•	"At a glance" feedback about the available levels of memory and System Resources.

•	User-defined "Shortcut keys" and mouse buttons.

•	"Sticky Apps"--User-selected programs that remain displayed as you switch among Dashboard's extended screens.

•	Snap-off toolbars for frequently used Dashboard panels.

•	Horizontal and vertical orientation of Dashboard.

•	Disk space monitoring with the Drive Watch panel.

•	Convenient vertical and horizontal sizing of the Dashboard window.

•	Font and color choices for the Dashboard window.

•	A layout feature that lets you save your own application arrangement and launch that arrangement when you start Dashboard.


Dashboard Panels

About Button

Alarm Clock and Calendar

Customize Button

Extended Screens

Games

Help Button

Layout Menu

Maximize Button

Minimize Button

Printer Manager

Program Menu

Quick Launch Buttons

Resource Gauge

Restore Button

Show Program Menu Button

Sizing Bar

Snap-Off Controls

System Menu

Task Menu

Taskbar

Title Bar


Checking Your Resources

You can use the Resource Gauge to check the levels of total free memory and Windows System Resources on your system.  You can use the Drive Watch to check the disk space levels on any of your computer's drives. Both features are part of the Resources panel, and you can choose to display either, both or neither of them.

The Resource Gauge shows the level of Windows System Resources currently available on your system.

Each application you open uses System Resources memory.  If the level of System Resources gets too low, you may not be able to open new applications. The Warning Indicator blinks and sounds an alarm as you reach the alarm level for either available free system memory or system resources.

You can display the Resource Gauge in three different ways:

•	Default, which graphically and numerically shows the free percentages of the three types of system resources

•	Fuel gauge, which shows your available memory in the form of a fuel gauge, and includes a warning indicator. A Memory Odometer shows the total amount of free system memory in kilobytes.

•	Bar gauge, which shows the same information as the Fuel gauge, but in the form of a bar plus a Memory Odometer.

You can configure the Resource Gauge to show or hide the Memory Odometer.

The Drive Watch shows the current amount of space for each drive on your system. You can add or remove drives from the panel.

To see more detailed information about your resources and memory, double-click the Resource Gauge or Drive Watch, or right-click them and choose Details. The Resources Dialog box appears.

See Also

The Resources Dialog Box

Resources Main Preferences

Resources Drive Watch Preferences


Changing the Program Menu
Customizing the Program Menu

The Program Menu displays a list of program groups you can work with from Dashboard. These groups are the same as those you see in the Program Manager. You can modify, add, delete, and hide groups using Dashboard and change the order of the Program Menu buttons.

When you modify program groups or add a new group in Program Manager, these changes will not be reflected in the Dashboard groups until you click the Reread from Program Manager button in the Program Menu Preferences, or right-click the Program Menu and choose Reread Groups from the Shortcut menu.  If you close Dashboard and then run it again, the changes will also take effect.

Modifying the Program Menu in the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu, or click the customize button and choose Program Menu as the item to customize.

2.	To make a change to a program group, click that program group in the list, and then click one of the following buttons to choose which task you want to perform on the selected program group.

•	Choose Modify to change the color of the key on the program group button, or enter a new description for the program group.

•	Choose Open to open the program group.

•	Choose Delete to delete the program group from Dashboard and the Program Manager.

•	Choose New to create a new program group.

3.	To change the position of a program group on Dashboard, drag the group to a new position in the list.  The position of the program group's button on Dashboard is changed appropriately. Or, you can click the Sort button to sort the program groups alphabetically.

4.	To hide a group on the Program Menu, click the group in the list and click Hide Group.

If you want to show the group again, click the group and click Show Group.

5.	Choose the Show 2nd row of text option if you want the Program Menu buttons to be full size. If this option is not checked, the buttons will show only a single row of text.

6.	Choose the Show Color Keys option if you want color keys for each program group to be displayed in the Program Menu.

7.	To update Dashboard with changes made using the Program Manager, click the Reread from Program Manager button.

Modifying the Program Menu with its Shortcut menu

Right-clicking the Program Menu displays its Shortcut menu, which contains many of the options available through the Customize dialog box listed above. These options are available:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Snap Off (or Snap On), which detaches (or reattaches) the Program Menu as a separate toolbar.

•	Hide Group (or Show Group)

•	Hide 2nd Line

•	Reread Groups

•	Sort Groups

•	Help, which displays Help about the Program Menu.

Creating a Program Menu toolbar

Right-click the Program Menu and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu, or click the Snap-Off button for the Program Menu.

Rearranging the Program Menu by Dragging

•	In the Dashboard window, drag the Program Menu button you want to move to a new position on the Program Menu.

Resizing the Program Menu

You can change the size of the Program Menu by dragging its borders.

1.	Hold down the Shift key and place the cursor over the border of the Program Menu panel.

The cursor changes to a two-headed arrow.

2.	Press the mouse button over a border.

A dark gray box appears over the Program Manager borders.

3.	Drag the Program Menu border until the Program Menu panel is the size you want.

See Also

Managing Program Groups with the Program Menu

Managing Program Groups with Program Windows

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Customizing Quick Launch Buttons

Use Quick Launch buttons on Dashboard to launch any program directly from Dashboard with a single click. You can create a Quick Launch button by dragging a program to the Quick Launch panel or by setting options in the Customize dialog box.

Creating a Quick Launch button by dragging a program

Drag the program to the Quick Launch panel.  You can drag a program from the File Manager, the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, a program window, or the Command Prompt in the Dashboard Run dialog box. If you want to customize the new Quick Launch button, you can set options for it in the Customize dialog box.

Creating a Quick Launch button with the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click the Quick Launch panel and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu, or click the customize button and choose Quick Launch as the item to customize.

2.	Click New.

3.	Enter a title for the button.

4.	Enter the correct command line (path name and file name) and working directory for the program.

If you don't know the path name for the program, click Browse.

5.	Enter a shortcut key if you want to use the keyboard to start the program or bring it's window to the front of any other open windows.

To enter a shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

If you use this shortcut key when you have a full-screen DOS application running, Dashboard will not launch the application associated with the shortcut key.  If the application is already running, Dashboard will bring the window to the front of the desktop.

6.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program to be minimized when you open it.

7.	If the program includes an icon file, its icon appears on the Quick Launch button.  If the program does not have an icon, Dashboard will display a default icon.  Click Change Icon to change the displayed icon.

8.	Choose one of the three available styles for the button.

•	Choose Unlabeled to display only icons on the buttons.

•	Choose Labeled to display icons and application names on the buttons.

•	Choose Mini to display miniature buttons with icons.

9.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

Modifying the Quick Launch panel with its Shortcut menu

Right-clicking the Quick Launch panel displays its Shortcut menu, which contains these options:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Snap Off (or Snap On), which detaches (or reattaches) the Quick Launch panel as a separate toolbar.

•	Remove Button, which removes the selected button from the Quick Launch panel.

•	Help, which displays Help about the Quick Launch panel.

Rearranging Quick Launch buttons by dragging

•	In the Dashboard window, drag the Quick Launch button you want to move to a new position on the Quick Launch panel.

Rearranging Quick Launch buttons with the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click one of the Quick Launch buttons to open the Customize dialog box with Quick Launch Preferences.

2.	In the Quick Launch button list, drag the program you want to move to a new position. Click Done.

Creating a Quick Launch toolbar

Right-click the Quick Launch panel and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu, or click the Snap-Off button for the Quick Launch panel.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Quick Launch Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Customizing the Alarm Clock

The alarm clock displays the date and time as set on your computer.

You can customize the alarm clock to change its appearance, set the interval for the snooze button, or change your computer's system time.

Modifying the Clock with its Shortcut menu

Right-clicking the Clock displays its Shortcut menu, which contains these options:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Alarms, which opens the Clock Alarms dialog box.

•	Digital (or Analog) switches the clock face between digital and analog.

•	Hide (or Show) Clock.

•	Hide (or Show) Calendar.

•	Hide (or Show) Second Hand.

•	Change Date and Time, which allows you to change your computer's system time.

•	Help, which displays Help about the Clock.

See Also

Clock Preferences

Customizing the Calendar

Setting an Alarm

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Customizing the Printer Manager

You can customize Dashboard's Printer Manager to choose which print devices (printers, plotters, and fax machines) you want to appear in Dashboard, the order in which they appear, and which printer should be the default printer. You can also specify the icons and descriptions for each printer.

Modifying the Printer Manager with its Shortcut menu

Right-clicking the Printer Manager displays its Shortcut menu, which contains these options:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Snap Off (or Snap On), which detaches (or reattaches) the Printer Manager as a separate toolbar.

•	Setup, which opens the Windows Printer Setup dialog box for the selected printer.

•	Hide Printer, which hides the selected printer from the Printer Manager.

•	Help, which displays Help about the Printer Manger.

Rearranging printers by dragging

In the Dashboard window, drag the Printer button you want to move to a new position on the Quick Launch panel.

Installing a new printer, plotter, or fax machine

Dashboard's Printer Manager includes devices that have been installed in Windows. To install new devices, use the Windows Control Panel.

Creating a Printer Manager toolbar

Right-click the Printer Manager and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu, or click the Snap-Off button for the Printer Manager.

See Also

Printer Manager Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Customizing Resources

You can modify the appearance of the Resource Gauge and the Drive Watch panel from the Customize dialog box, or by right-clicking and using the Shortcut menu.  You can view information about your Windows System Resources and total free memory, as well as data about all your drives, and you can set alarms to warn you about low memory on your system.

The options for customizing resources are divided into two cards in the Resources Preferences. For instructions on using these options, click one of the following procedures:

Setting Main Preferences for Resources

Setting Drive Watch Preferences for Resources

The quickest way to customize the Resources panel is to use its Shorcut menu. Right-click the Resource Gauge or the Drive Watch, and choose from these options:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Details, which displays the Resources Dialog box.

•	Hide (or Show) Odometer, which hides or shows the Memory Odometer.

•	Hide (or Show) Gauge, which hides or shows the Resource Gauge.

•	Hide (or Show) Drives, which hides or shows the Drive Watch.

•	Defrag Memory, which defragments your memory, freeing up the maximum amount of available RAM. This may allow some programs to run faster.

•	Help, which displays Help about the Resources panel.

See Also

The Resources Dialog Box

Checking Your Resources


Customizing Extended Screens

You can customize Dashboard's extended screens by specifying the size and appearance of the screens, as well as the number of screens to be displayed. You can create Shortcut keys that let you use the keyboard to move among the screens.  You can also designate certain programs as "Sticky Apps."  These programs remain displayed even when you switch from one extended screen to another.

The quickest way to customize the Extended Screens panel is to use its Shorcut menu. Right-click the Extended Screens panel, and choose from these options:

•	Customize, which displays the Customize dialog box.

•	Compact Size (or Full Size), which changes the size of the Extended Screens in the Dashboard window. See Setting Main Preferences for Extended Screens for more details.

•	Currently running applications. You can switch to one of these applications by selecting it.

•	Update Screens, which synchronizes the Extended Screens with the currently open program windows.

•	Close All Programs, which closes all open programs except for Dashboard.

•	Manage layouts, which opens the Manage Layouts dialog box.

•	Load Sample Layout, which loads the sample layout included with Dashboard.

•	Other layouts you have created are listed here.

•	Help, which displays Help on Extended Screens.

The options for customizing the extended screens are divided into three cards in the Extended Screens Preferences. For instructions on using these options, click one of the following procedures:

Setting Main Preferences for Extended Screens

Setting Shortcut Keys Preferences for Extended Screens

Setting Sticky Apps Preferences for Extended Screens


Rearranging Items on the Dashboard
Rearranging Items on Dashboard

You can rearrange items on Dashboard using the Customize dialog box as well as directly in the Dashboard window.

Rearranging panels from the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click the Dashboard title bar and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu that appears, or click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	Drag the item you want to move in the list to a new position in the list.  As you drag the item, the cursor changes to a two-headed arrow.

In Dashboard's horizontal orientation, the top-to-bottom sequence in the list corresponds to how items are arranged from left to right on Dashboard. For example, if you want the clock to be on the far right, drag it to the bottom of the list.

In Dashboard's vertical orientation, the top-to-bottom sequence in the list corresponds to how items are arranged from top to bottom on Dashboard.  For example, if you want the clock to be at the top of Dashboard, drag it to the top of the list.

3.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

Rearranging buttons on a Dashboard panel

You can rearrange the buttons on certain Dashboard panels and toolbars by dragging.  You can move a Quick Launch button, a Program Menu button, or a Printer Manager button by dragging the button to a new position in its panel.

See Also

Dashboard Panels

Moving and Resizing Dashboard

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

1.	Make all the changes you want in the Customize dialog box.

2.	Choose Save or Save As from the File Menu.

Save saves the current configuration into the configuration file currently being used.  The caption of the Customize dialog box shows the name of the current file.  Use Save As to save to a different file name.

3.	In the Save As dialog box, enter the path and file name for the file in the edit box.  A .cfg extension is automatically added to the new file name and the current configuration file now changes to the new file name.

4.	Click OK, then click Done in the Customize dialog box.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

The Customize Dialog Box


Setting an Alarm

You can use Dashboard's clock and calendar to set alarms to display a message, set off an alarm sound, or launch a program automatically.  If you want to set an alarm for the current day, you can use the clock.  If you want to set an alarm for a day other than the current day, you can use the calendar.  You can set an alarm to go off on a recurring basis or for one time only.

1.	Double-click the Clock or the Calendar on Dashboard, or right-click the Clock or Calendar and choose Alarms from the Shortcut menu. The Clock Alarms dialog box appears.

2.	In the Clock Alarms dialog box, click the Add button. The Alarm Settings dialog box appears.

If you double-clicked the Clock, the date in the Clock Alarms dialog box is automatically set to the current date.  If you double-clicked the Calendar, the date in the dialog box is automatically set to the date you double-clicked.

3.	Specify a time for the alarm.

Enter the hour and minutes or click the up and down arrows to change the setting.  Select AM or PM from the drop-down list.

4.	Next to Alarm Text, type the text you want displayed in the alarm message.

5.	Specify whether you want the alarm to go off on a regular basis or once only.

•	Choose Recurring and select a day if you want the alarm to go off on the same day of every week.

•	Choose Date and enter the specific day, month, and year if you want the alarm to go off only once.  Enter the date in the format DD/MM/YY. You can also click the up and down arrow buttons to change the date.

6.	If the alarm is to launch a program automatically, enter the path of the program and the working directory under Optional Alarm Actions. Use the Browse button to help locate the program and its command line, and choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program to be minimized when you open it.

7.	Choose the alarm's sound from the Sound drop-down list. To hear a sound, select it and click Play Sound.

If you did not install the Sound Driver for PC-Speaker during the Dashboard installation procedure, you cannot hear sound with the alarm.  For instructions on installing the driver, see your Dashboard User's Guide.

8.	Click OK.

See Also

Customizing the Alarm Clock

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Clock and Calendar Preferences


Setting Dashboard Preferences

You can use Dashboard's Preferences to run Dashboard as a shell, to modify the Dashboard window's appearance, to configure Shortcut keys and mouse buttons, and to create toolbars. The options for setting these preferences are divided into six tabbed pages in Dashboard Preferences. For instructions on using these options, click one of the following procedures:

Setting Color Preferences for Dashboard

Setting Main Preferences for Dashboard

Setting Toolbar Preferences for Dashboard

Setting Font Preferences for Dashboard

Setting Shortcut Key Preferences for Dashboard

Setting Panels Preferences for Dashboard


Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

You can create a set of Quick Launch buttons for the programs you use most often. Once a program has been assigned to a Quick Launch button, you can use the button to launch the program.

•	Click the Quick Launch button.

or

•	Drag the Quick Launch button to an extended screen.

If there are more Quick Launch buttons than can be shown at one time, use the scroll arrows to display buttons not currently in view.

See Also

Creating Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a Program Window

Launching Programs with the Run Command


Launching Programs with the Program Menu

1.	Select a program group from the Program Menu.

•	Click the Program Group button to see the program items listed on a menu.

If the Program group is not displayed on Dashboard, click the scroll arrows to display them.

2.	Launch the program.

•	Click the program item in the menu.

or

•	Drag the program from the menu to an extended screen.

See Also

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with a ProgramWindow

Launching Programs with the Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Run Command

Managing Program Groups


Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

1.	Click the Layout Menu button (the third button on the left side of the Title Bar) or choose Layout Menu from the System Menu.

The Layout menu contains the Manage Layouts and Save Layout commands, a list of previously saved layouts, as well as a sample layout. The sample layout contains the Control Panel, Notepad, and Paintbrush.

2.	Click the layout that you want to load.

All the programs associated with the selected layout are launched.  The programs are displayed on the extended screens according to the arrangement you saved.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a ProgramWindow

Launching Programs with the Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Run Command


Launching Programs with the Run Command

1.	Open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

•	Click the Run button.

or

•	Double-click the Task menu.

or

•	Choose Dashboard Run from the Task menu

or

•	Press the Shortcut key you specified in the Dashboard Shortcut keys preferences.

2.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program you're launching to be minimized when you open it.

3.	Launch the program you want to use.

•	In the Command Line box or the Command Prompt box, enter the command line for the program to run and click Run.

If you don't know the command line, click the Browse button or enter DOS commands in the Command Prompt box to locate the program file.

or

•	If the Command Prompt box already contains the program's executable file, double- the file or drag it to an extended screen. When the Command Prompt box is selected, you can also select the file by pressing Shift-F8 to move the keyboard focus into the past commands, then press the scroll arrows to scroll up and down through the commands.

or

•	Click the arrow on the Command Line box to see the last 20 commands used. If the program's executable file is displayed, select the file and click Run.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a ProgramWindow

Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

Using the Command Prompt


Managing Extended Screens

Dashboard's extended screens make it possible to work with your computer as if it had several screens attached to it. Each extended screen on Dashboard represents a full-screen view.

The extended screens contain mini-windows that represent each open program. The size and position of each mini-window on the extended screen is exactly proportional to the size and position of the actual program window on your full screen. For example, if you're running File Manager, and the File Manager window fills 3/4 of the screen, then the File Manager mini-window will fill 3/4 of the extended screen.  Similarly, a minimize program would be represented by a minimized icon on the extended screen.

The extended screens are completely interactive with the full-screen views. If you move or resize a program window on the full screen, the mini-window moves and resizes in a corresponding way.  If you bring one program to the front of another, the mini-windows on the extended screens will reflect the change. Also, if you move mini-windows on the extended screens, the programs they represent will move on the full screen.

To switch back and forth among different programs, click the selector button under the extended screen showing the window you want to view or double-click the extended screen's background.  You can also configure a Shortcut key for each screen in the Extended Screens Preferences. You can designate programs to be "Sticky Apps" so that they are always displayed, regardless of which extended screen you are in.

To move windows among the extended screens, drag the mini-windows or mini-icons in the Dashboard extended screens, or move the full-sized windows by dragging on the title bar.

You can launch programs by dragging them to an extended screen from the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, a program window, the Quick Launch panel or toolbar, or the Command Prompt in the Run dialog box to an extended screen.

You can customize the Extended Screens by using its Shortcut menu, which appears when you right-click the Extended Screens. You can also customize the Extended Screens with the Customize dialog box, which you can display by clicking the Customize button and choosing Extended Screens as the Item To Customize.

See Also

Customizing Extended Screens

Launching Programs by Dragging

Setting Main Preferences for Extended Screens

Setting Shortcut Key Preferences for Extended Screens

Setting Sticky Apps Preferences for Extended Screens


Managing Program Groups with the Program Menu

The row of Program Menu buttons under Dashboard's title bar lists the program groups in Windows' Program Manager. In Dashboard's default configuration, the program items are listed alphabetically. You can change a setting in the DASH.INI file so that the program groups are listed in the same order as they appear in the Program Manager windows.

When you click a program group button, the list for that group opens. If a program group contains a nested subgroup, the subgroup name appears at the beginning of the list, and you can click the subgroup name to view a list of its programs. To return to the main program group list, click the program group name at the top of the subgroup list. The name of the group you are currently viewing is the first item on the menu. To open the program window corresponding to the group, click the group name.

Adding a new program menu button

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the New button.

3.	At the New Program Group dialog box, enter the name of the new group and select a color key setting.  You can also enter the name of the group file if you want.

4.	Click OK.

Hiding a program group on Dashboard

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the program group you want to hide.

3.	Click Hide Group.

If you want to show the program group again, click the group and click Show Group.

Rearranging the Program Menu with the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the program group you want to move in the list and drag it to its new position in the list.

In Dashboard's horizontal orientation, the top-to-bottom sequence in the list corresponds to how program groups are arranged from left to right on Dashboard.

In Dashboard's vertical orientation, the top-to-bottom sequence in the list corresponds to how program groups are arranged from top to bottom on Dashboard.

Rearranging the Program Menu by dragging

•	Drag the button you want to move and drop it in its new position in the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar.

Listing Program Menu Items in the same order as in the Program Manager windows

1. Double- the DASH.INI file to open it as a Notepad file.

2. In the Programs section of the .INI file, change the setting to:

NoMenuSort=1

3. Choose Save from the Notepad File menu.

4. Choose Exit from the Notepad File menu.

5. If the Dashboard is running, close and re-open it.

Deleting a group from Dashboard

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the program group you want to delete from the list of program groups.

3.	Click Delete.

This will delete the program group and associated file from Dashboard and the Program Manager.

Modifying a program group's color tab or description

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click a group in the Program Groups list.

3.	Click Modify.

4.	Enter a new group description or select a new color tab setting.

The group description you enter will appear on the Dashboard program menu button.

Specifying a button height for the Program Menu

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Use the Show 2nd row of text option to display two rows of text on the Program Menu buttons.

Choosing whether to display color tabs in the Program Menu

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Use the Show Color Keys option to add color tabs on the Program Menu buttons.

Updating Dashboard with changes made in Program Manager

When you make changes to the Program Manager's program groups, the changes are not reflected immediately in Dashboard. If you quit Dashboard and then launch Dashboard again, the changes to the Program Manager groups will be reflected in Dashboard's program groups.  You can update them by right-clicking the Program Menu, and choosing Reread Groups. Or, you can use the Customize dialog box to update the Dashboard groups.

1.	Right-click the Program Menu and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Program Menu selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the Reread from Program Manager button.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Managing Program Groups with Program Windows

Program Group Preferences


Moving and Resizing Dashboard

You can move Dashboard to any place on your computer screen, and you can choose between running Dashboard in a horizontal or vertical orientation. You can change the size of the Dashboard window, and you can also resize individual panels within the window.

Moving Dashboard

1.	Put the cursor on the Title Bar.

2.	Drag Dashboard to a new place on the screen.

Running Dashboard in a Horizontal or Vertical Orientation

1.	Click the Customize button.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Main tab.

3.	In Window Orientation, choose Horizontal or Vertical.

4.	Click Done.

Resizing Dashboard

1.	Put the cursor on the sizing border on the left or right edge or on the top or bottom of Dashboard. The cursor becomes a two-headed arrow.

2.	Drag to resize.

When Dashboard is in its horizontal orientation, you can change Dashboard's height by dragging the window's top or bottom border. When Dashboard is in its vertical orientation, you can change Dashboard's width by dragging the window's left or right border.

In the horizontal orientation, the width of the window size is limited by the number of items on Dashboard that can be expanded or hidden from view.  In the vertical orientation, the height of the window size is limited by the number of items on Dashboard. For example, if the Dashboard window only has one printer icon and one Quick Launch button, there's probably no reason to resize.  But if your computer has multiple printers, you may have to resize it to display all the printers. You cannot make Dashboard bigger than is necessary to display all items adequately.

Enlarging Dashboard may cause some of its panels (such as the panels for the printers or the Quick Launch buttons) to be too big to show all of their items.  When that happens, panels on the left (on the top in the vertical orientation) will have priority over panels on the right (on the bottom in the vertical orientation).  For example, if the Quick Launch panel is to the left of the printers' panel, more Quick Launch buttons will be visible than printers.  You can use the scroll arrows to see the other printers, or you can resize the printer panel by holding down the Shift key and dragging the panel borders.

Resizing Individual Panels

When Dashboard is displayed horizontally, you can resize all panels but the Program Menu, and when Dashboard is in the vertical orientation, you can resize the Program Menu as well.

1.	Hold down the Shift key and place the cursor over any of the panel borders.

The cursor changes to a two-headed arrow.

2.	Press the mouse button over a border.

A dark gray box appears over the panel borders.

3.	Drag any of the borders until the panel is the size you want.


Printing and Faxing

The Printer Manager controls all of the printers, fax machines, and plotters you have installed and configured in Windows.

Printing from Dashboard

1.	Select a file to print.

You can select a file from the File Manager, from the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, from a program group window, from the Quick Launch panel or toolbar, or from the Command Prompt in the Run dialog box.

2.	Drag the file to the appropriate printer icon on Dashboard. If the printer is not currently displayed on Dashboard, use the scroll arrows on Dashboard to display it.

If the application with which the file was created is not registered properly with Windows, you cannot print the file by dragging it to Dashboard. You can check the Windows Registration Info Editor to see whether your application is registered. For instructions on opening the Windows Registration Info Editor and for registering an application, see the Readme.txt file that came with your Dashboard program.

Choosing a default printer

The green light denotes the default printer. To choose a different default printer, click the default printer button.

Scrolling in Dashboard to see other printers

If Dashboard is not wide enough to display all printers, the Print Manager portion of Dashboard will include scroll arrows. Click the scroll arrows to see printers that aren't currently visible.

Displaying a printer's full name and description

Rest your mouse pointer over a printer icon to see its full name and description.

Working with the printer's configuration

Right-click the printer and choose Setup from the Shortcut menu to see the Printer Configuration box, and change the appropriate settings.

Installing new printers

The Printer Manager offers a quick and easy way to handle all your installed printers. However, the Printer Manager does not install printers. To install a new printer, use the Windows Control Panel. Refer to your Windows documentation for more information.

See Also

Dragging and Dropping

Printer Manager Preferences


Using Dashboard with a Keyboard
Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts

You can operate Dashboard with the keyboard as well as the mouse. Some keyboard operations are available in Dashboard when you install the program. You can also configure additional Shortcut keys and mouse buttons to perform other tasks.

Using Dashboard's pre-set keyboard operations

Press this key...	To do this...

F12	Bring the Dashboard window to the front of other windows or, if the Dashboard window is already in front, send it to the back of all other windows.  (F12 is the default key for this function.  You can use Dashboard Shortcut key Preferences in the Customize dialog box to set another Shortcut key for this function.)

Shift	When you hold the Shift key and click the Dashboard icon, Dashboard opens without launching the startup layout specified in the Save Layout dialog box.

Alt+(character)	Choose a button or menu command that has its selection character underlined.  For example, if a button is labeled Add, the letter A is the letter for selecting the Add key, and pressing Alt-A is equivalent to clicking the button.

Alt+Spacebar	Show the System Menu.

Shift+F8	In the DOS Command box when the DOS Command Window is active, press Shift-F8 to use the up and down cursor keys to move through the command window. Press Shift-F8 again, and the up and down cursor keys cycle through a history of recent commands.

Ctrl+Alt+Cursor Keys	Move (reorder) items on a list in the Customize dialog box.

Ctrl+F6	Cycle through Dashboard and any open dialog boxes and toolbars.

Arrow Keys 	Select items from menus and from groups within

(up/down/left/right)	a dialog box.  If you use Tab to select an item on the Dashboard window, using the cursor keys will cycle through individual components of the items.

End	Move to last item on a list.

Enter	Equivalent to double-clicking the mouse on the selected item. In a dialog box, equivalent to clicking on the OK button.

Esc	Exit a menu. Cancel out of a dialog box.

Home	Move to first item in a list.

Spacebar	When you press Tab or Shift-Tab to select a Dashboard item, the keyboard focus is then on that item.  Pressing the spacebar then selects that item. Using the spacebar is equivalent to clicking the mouse.

Tab	When the Dashboard window has the focus, use the Tab key to cycle through the Dashboard panels.  When a dialog box is active, the Tab key cycles through groups in it.

Shift+Tab	Cycles through the reverse direction of the Tab key.

Creating Shortcut keys for Extended Screens

1.	Right-click the Extended Screens panel and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Extended Screens selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the Shortcut Keys tab.

3.	Enter the Shortcut key you want for each extended screen.

In Dashboard's horizontal orientation, the numerical sequence of screens in the dialog box corresponds to the left-to-right order of the screens on Dashboard.  In the vertical orientation, the numerical sequence in the dialog box corresponds to the top-to-bottom order on Dashboard. For example, Screen #1 corresponds to the left screen in the horizontal window and to the top screen in the vertical window.

To enter a Shortcut key, click in the Shortcut keys box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination.

If you want to clear the existing Shortcut key, click in the Shortcut key box and press Del or Backspace.

Creating a shortcut key for a Quick Launch button

1.	Right-click a button on the Quick Launch panel and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with Quick Launch selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	Click the Quick Launch button in the list for which you want to specify a Shortcut key.

3.	Enter a shortcut key in the Shortcut Key.

To enter a shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

If you use this shortcut key when you have a full-screen DOS application running, Dashboard will not launch the application associated with the shortcut key.  If the application is already running, Dashboard will bring the window to the front of the desktop.

Creating Shortcut keys and mouse shortcuts to toggle the Dashboard window

You can create a Shortcut key and a mouse shortcut that will bring Dashboard to the front of all other windows or, if Dashboard is already at the front, send it to the back of the other windows.

If you are running a full-screen DOS application, you cannot use the mouse shortcut to toggle Dashboard; you can only use the shortcut key.  Setting the mouse shortcut to be a double-click will not work in applications that do not support a double-click.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard title bar, or click the Customize button.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Shortcut Keys tab.

3.	If you want to use the keyboard to toggle Dashboard, click in the Shortcut Key box and execute the key combination you wish to set.

To enter a shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

4.	If you want to use the mouse to activate Dashboard, click in the Mouse Shortcut box and execute the mouse combination that you want to use.

The mouse shortcut does not activate Dashboard if the currently active window is a full-screen DOS application.


Creating Layouts

You can use Dashboard layouts to open all the programs you want to work with, already positioned in the extended screens and ready to go.  For instance, if you want to work with WinWord on extended screen 1, Paintbrush on extended screen 2, and the File Manager minimized on extended screen 3, you can save that arrangement as a layout.  Then, when you load that layout, all of those programs will automatically open in the original screen locations.

If you have another project that requires working with some other programs in a different arrangement, you can save them as another layout and reload them with a single command when you need to work on this project.

1.	Open all the programs you want to include in the layout.

2.	Arrange the programs on the extended screens.

3.	Choose Save Layout from the Layout Menu.

4.	To automatically load this layout every time you start Dashboard, choose the Load layout on startup option.

If you want to override this option when you start Dashboard, hold down the Shift key when you click the Dashboard icon. Dashboard will not launch the startup layout.

5.	Enter a name for the layout.

6.	Click OK.


Editing Layouts

1.	At the Save Layout dialog box, select a program from the programs list then click Edit.

The Edit Layout dialog box appears.  The dialog box contains the command line and working directory for the selected program.

You cannot edit the command line information.

2.	Enter a name for the program in the Application Name box.  This name is a descriptive name, not a filename.

3.	Enter the  working directory in the Working Directory box.

4.	If you want to open a specific file when you launch the application, enter the file's complete path in the Parameters box.

5.	Choose a size for the program window from the Window Size pull-down menu. You can choose Normal, Minimized, or Maximized for the window size.

6.	To exit the Edit Layout dialog box and save any changes, click OK.

7.	To exit the Edit Layout dialog box without saving changes, click Cancel.


Loading Layouts

Once you have created a layout by saving it, you can launch all its associated applications quickly and easily by loading that layout.

Occasionally, a layout does not load correctly. When you save a Dashboard layout, Dashboard looks at all the currently open programs, finds all the files that control the programs' windows, and saves these file names with the layout.  The next time you load that layout, Dashboard uses these file names to launch the programs.  With most programs, the file that controls the program's window is the same file used to launch it. However, in some instances, the file that controls a program's currently open window is not the same as the one that launches the program. If this occurs, you can update the layout's alias in the DASH.INI to correct the problem. For instructions on updating the alias, see the Dashboard readme file READADV.WRI.

1.	Click the Layout button (the third button on the left side of the Title Bar) or choose Layout Menu from the System Menu.

The Layout menu contains a list of previously saved layouts, as well as a sample layout. The sample layout contains the Control Panel, Notepad, and Paintbrush.

2.	Click the layout that you want to load.

All the programs associated with the selected layout are launched.


Managing Layouts

To change the program information in a previously saved layout, choose Manage Layouts from the Layout Menu.  The Manage Layouts dialog box opens.  Use the Manage Layouts dialog box to make any of the following changes to your layout.

Removing a layout

1.	Select the layout in the Layout list.

2.	 Click Delete Layout.

Changing the name of a layout

1.	Select the layout in the Layout list.

2.	Click Rename.

3.	Enter the new name in the Rename dialog box and click OK.

Loading a specific layout with Dashboard

1.	Select a layout in the list.

2.	Choose the Load layout on startup option.

The next time you start Dashboard, Dashboard will automatically launch the layout.

If you want to override this option when you start Dashboard, hold down the Shift key when you click the Dashboard icon. Dashboard will not launch the startup layout.

Removing a Program from a Layout

1.	Select the program in the Applications for Layout list.

2.	Click Delete.

Editing a program's specifics

1.	Select the program in the Applications for Layout list.

2.	Click Edit.

3.	Enter the appropriate information in the Edit Layout dialog box.

Exiting the Manage Layouts dialog box

1.	To exit the Manage Layouts dialog box and save any changes made, click Save Changes.

2.	To exit the Manage Layouts dialog box without saving changes, click Cancel.


Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm
Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

1.	Double-click the Alarm Clock on Dashboard or click a date in the Calendar.  You can also click the Alarms button in the Clock Preferences dialog box, or right-click the Clock or Calendar and choose Alarms from the Shortcut menu that appears..

The Clock Alarms dialog box opens.

2.	Click Add to add a new alarm or Edit to change an existing alarm.

The Alarms Setting dialog box appears.

3.	Set the time you want Dashboard to launch the program.

4.	If you want Dashboard to display a message when it launches the program, enter the alarm text.

5.	Specify whether you want Dashboard to launch the program on a regular basis or once only.

•	Choose Recurring and select a day if you want Dashboard to launch the program on the same day of every week.

•	Choose Date and enter the exact day, month, and year if you want Dashboard to launch the program once only.  Enter the date in the format DD/MM/YY. You can also click the up and down arrow buttons to change the date.

6.	If you want the alarm to play a sound, click Alarm Sound to choose a sound.

7.	Enter the name, path, and working directory for the program in the Run Program box.

8.	If you want the program to run minimized, choose the Run Minimized option.

9.	Click OK.

See Also

The Alarm Settings Dialog Box

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a Program Window

Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Run Command


Managing Program Groups with Program Windows

When you double-click a program group in the Program Menu, the Dashboard program group window opens and displays program items as icons. The original order of these icons is determined by their order in the Program Manager.  You can use the program windows to launch programs. You can change the position of any icon by dragging it to a new place within the window. You can also click and drag programs into other group windows, copy programs into other group windows, and even create groups within groups.

Launching programs from a program window

1.	Open the group window from which you want to launch a program.

2.	Double-click the program icon.

Moving and copying a program from one group to another by dragging the icon

1.	Open both group windows by double-clicking in the Dashboard Program Menu.

2.	Click and drag the program item icon from one window to the next to move the item. To copy a program, hold the Control key and click to drag the program item to another window.

Moving a program from one group to another using the Move command

1.	Open the group window from which you want to move the program.

2.	Select the program item you want to move.

3.	Choose Move from the File menu.

4.	Click the arrow on the To Group drop-down list and click the program you want to move.

5.	Click OK.

Copying a program from one group to another

1.	Open the group window from which you want to copy the program.

2.	Select the program item you want to copy.

3.	Choose Copy from the File menu.

4.	Click the arrow on the To Group drop-down list and click the program you want to copy.

5.	Click OK.

Creating a new program group within an existing program group

1.	Open the existing group window by double-clicking in the Dashboard Program Menu.

2.	Choose New Group from the File menu.

3.	Type a name for the group and click OK. Enter a group file name as an option.

The new group is displayed as an icon.

4.	Double-click the icon to open the new group window.

Creating a new program item

1.	Open the group window by double-clicking in the Dashboard Program Menu.

2.	Choose New Item from the File menu.

4.	Enter a title for the program item.

5.	Enter the correct command line (path name and file name) and working directory for the program. Click Browse if you don't know the path name for the program.

6.	If you want to use a shortcut key to launch the program, click in the Shortcut Key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing Shortcut Key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

If you use this Shortcut key when you have a full-screen DOS application running, Dashboard will not launch the application associated with the shortcut key.  If the application is already running, Dashboard will bring the window to the front of the desktop.

7.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program to be minimized when you open it.

8.	Click OK.

Changing a program item's properties

1.	Open the group window by double-clicking in the Dashboard Program Menu.

2.	Click the program item for which you want to change the properties.

3.	Choose Properties from the File menu.

4.	Enter the new information in the Program Item Properties dialog box.

5.	Click OK.

Deleting a program item or program group

1.	Open the group window by double-clicking in the Dashboard Program Menu.

2.	Click the program item or program group you want to delete.

3.	Choose Delete from the File menu.

Deleting a program group will delete all of the items and groups contained within it.

Arranging icons in program windows

You can arrange icons manually in program windows, or you can set up a program window so that any icon you add is automatically positioned in line with the current window arrangement.

1.	To arrange icons manually, choose Arrange Icons or Arrange by Title from the Window menu.

Choose Arrange Icons if you want to arrange the icons with an even amount of space between them.  You can set the spacing for the window in the Desktop Control Panel..

Choose Arrange by Title if you want to arrange the icons alphabetically.

2.	To arrange icons automatically, choose Auto Arrange from the Window menu.

When you add a new icon, it will be positioned with an even amount of space between it and the nearest icon.  You can set the spacing for the window in the Desktop Control Panel.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Managing Program Groups with the Program Menu


Running Dashboard as a Shell

If you run Dashboard as a shell program, Dashboard will be the first program to run when you start Windows, instead of the Program Manager.  Running Dashboard as a shell lets you control Windows with Dashboard only.

When youre running Dashboard as a shell and you use the Run command to install a new application, Dashboard launches the Program Manager to install the application.  The Progam Manager remains open until you close it.

If you are running Dashboard as a shell, when you close Dashboard, a prompt appears asking if you want to exit Windows. You can change the appropriate setting in your DASH.INI file so that the prompt doesn't appear.

Customizing Dashboard to run as a shell

1.	Click the Customize button.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Main tab.

3.	Choose the Use Dashboard as Windows Shell option.

4.	Click Done.

Dashboard displays a message saying you need to restart Windows to implement the change.

5.	Click Yes to restart Windows immediately or click No to remain in Windows and continue to work with Dashboard.

If you click No, the next time you restart Windows, Dashboard will be run as the shell.

Canceling the Dashboard Exit Windows Reminder

The first "paragraph" in the DASH.INI file, named Dash, controls the Exit Windows reminder box that appears when closing Dashboard if it is running as the Windows shell.

In this paragraph, the two possible settings are:

NoExitPrompt=0	Exit Windows reminder box appears

NoExitPrompt=1	Reminder box does not appear

To change the setting:

1. Double- the DASH.INI file to open it as a Notepad file.

2. In the Dash section of the .INI file, change the setting to:

NoExitPrompt=1

4. Choose Save from the Notepad File menu.

5. Choose Exit from the Notepad File menu.

6. If the Dashboard is running, close and re-open it.

The Exit Windows reminder box will not appear when Dashboard is closed.  To see the reminder box, re-set the Dash paragraph to NoExitPrompt=0.


Using Dashboard in the Vertical Orientation

When you install and run Dashboard for the first time, the Dashboard window is displayed in a horizontal orientation across the screen.  You can customize Dashboard to display the window in a vertical orientation.

When you run Dashboard in the vertical orientation, the panels are displayed according to the order in the Customize dialog box.  The top-to-bottom sequence in Dashboard corresponds to the top-to-bottom sequence in the dialog box. The vertical position of extended screens corresponds to the screens position in the horizontal orientation.  For example, the top extended screen in the vertical orientation corresponds to the left extended screen in the horizontal orientation.

Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar and choose Vertical from the Shortcut menu. Or,

1.	Click the Customize button.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Main tab.

3.	Under Window Orientation, choose the Vertical option.

4.	Click Done.


Using Dashboard's Readme Files

Your Dashboard program disk contains two readme files that are copied to your hard disk during the Dashboard installation process: README.WRI and READADV.WRI.  These readme files contain supplemental information about Dashboard for Windows that is not included in your User's Guide.

README.WRI contains information about such subjects as installing Dashboard 3.0 over previous versions, and how to remove Dashboard from your computer.

READADV.WRI contains tips on how to customize Dashboard using the DASH.INI file.  You can make the following changes using the DASH.INI file:

•	Cancel the Dashboard Exit Windows reminder.

•	Hide a Dashboard panel.

•	Change the order of program items on the Program Menu.

•	Update layout aliases if your Dashboard layouts don't load correctly.

•	Add new sound files.

•	Change the RGB values for Dashboard's color scheme options.

•	Adjust Dashboard's opening screen position.

•	Change the first day of the Dashboard calendar week.

To see any of this information, open the appropriate readme file in Windows Write by double-clicking it..


Removing Dashboard

If you want to remove Dashboard from your system, you can do so with the Remove Dashboard icon in your Dashboard program group You cannot remove Dashboard while it is running as the Windows shell.

1.	Double-click the Remove Dashboard icon.

Dashboard displays a message asking if you want to remove Dashboard for Windows from your system.

2.	If you don't want to remove Dashboard, click Cancel.

If you want to remove Dashboard, click Remove.

Dashboard displays the Remove Dashboard dialog box containing the path for the Dashboard program.

3.	If you don't want to remove Dashboard, click Cancel.

If you want to remove Dashboard, click OK.

Dashboard is removed from your system. There is one Dashboard-related file remaining--DASHZAP.EXE. It is in your WINDOWS directory, and you must delete this file manually.


Customizing the Calendar

You can use Calendar Preferences in the Customize dialog box to set highlight and alarm colors for your Calendar and to go directly to the current date in the calendar. You can also set the first day of the calendar to either Sunday or Monday by changing a setting in the DASH.INI file.

Customizing the Calendar with the Customize dialog box

1.	Right-click the Calendar and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Calendar selected as the Item To Customize.

2.	To select a highlight color for the current date,  the appropriate color under Today.

3.	To select a highlight color for days with assigned alarms, click the appropriate color under Alarms.

4.	If you don't want any highlight colors displayed on the calendar, choose the No HIghlights option.

5.	To display the current date on the calendar, click Go to Today.

6.	To close the dialog box, click Done.

Customizing the calendar with the DASH.INI file

1. Double- the DASH.INI file to open it as a Notepad file.

2. In the Calendar section of the .INI file, change the setting to:

Weekstart=0;     week starts on Sunday (the default in U.S.)

Weekstart=1;     week starts on Monday

3. Choose Save from the Notepad File menu.

4. Choose Exit from the Notepad File menu.

5. If the Dashboard is running, close and re-open it.

The Dashboard Calendar will now reflect the change.


Using Sticky Apps
Creating Sticky Apps

When you switch from one extended screen to another, Dashboard displays the applications in the new extended screens.  If you want certain applications to be displayed all the time, regardless of which extended screen you are in, you can designate that application to be a Sticky App.

1.	Launch the application you want to designate a Sticky App.

2.	Right-click the Extended Screens panel and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu to open the Customize dialog box with the Extended Screens selected as the Item To Customize.

3.	Click the Sticky Apps tab.

4.	Click Add.

5.	In the Add Sticky App dialog box, select the application you want to designate as a Sticky App from the list of currently running applications.

6.	Click OK.

7.	In the Customize dialog box, click Done.

See Also

The Add Sticky App Dialog Box


Using the Dashboard Task Manager

The Dashboard Task Manager contains a list of currently running programs and lets you easily switch between these programs.  You can also use the Dashboard Task Manager to close programs, to rearrange windows on screen, and to view current task information.

1.	Open the Dashboard Task Manager.

•	Double- the Windows background.

or

•	Choose Switch To from the System menu.

or

•	Press Ctrl-Esc on the keyboard.

2.	To switch to another program, select that program in the Task List and click Switch To.

3.	To close a program, select that program in the Task List and click Close Selected.

4.	To view information about a program's memory usage, select the program and click Task Info.

5.	To arrange all mini-windows in the extended screens in a Tile arrangement, click Tile.

6.	To arrange all mini-windows in the extended screens in a Cascade arrangement, click Cascade.

7.	To realign all minimized icons in each extended screen, click Arrange Icons.

8.	To close the dialog box, click Done.


Using Toolbars

You can select certain Dashboard panels to be toolbars--snap-off panels that are displayed separately from the Dashboard window. You can make toolbars of the Program Menu, the Quick Launch panel, the Printer Manager, and the Taskbar. You can position these toolbars anywhere on screen. In fact, you can "dock" the Taskbar to any edge of your screen. (See Taskbar Preferences. The toolbars are always displayed with Dashboard, even when you switch to another extended screen.

Once you have created a toolbar, you can use that toolbar to perform all the functions of the original panel. For example, you can launch a program by dragging a Quick Launch button from the Quick Launch panel or toolbar to an extended screen. Any changes you make in the Customize dialog box affect both the panel and the toolbar. If you choose the Mini button style in Quick Launch preferences, the buttons on the Dashboard Quick Launch panel and the toolbar will be displayed in the Mini style. Similarly, if you make a change to a toolbar, the change is reflected in the original panel, and vice versa. For example, if you drag a Program Menu button to a new position on the Program Menu toolbar, you will see the new arrangement in the Program Menu when you reconfigure the Program Menu as a Dashboard panel.

If you want to resize a toolbar, drag any of its borders in the appropriate direction.

To snap off a panel as a toolbar, right-click that panel, and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu that appears. Or click the Snap Off button for that panel. A third way to snap off panels is:

1.	Click the Customize button.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Toolbars tab.

3.	Select the check box for the panels you want as toolbars.

4.	If you want the toolbars to be minimized when you minimize Dashboard, choose the Toolbars minimize with Dash option.

5.	Click Done.

See Also

Snap-Off Controls


Dragging and Dropping

You can use Dashboard's Drag and Drop features to launch programs, print files, create Quick Launch buttons, and arrange items on Dashboard.

Launching a program

1.	Select the program you want to launch.

You can select a program from the Program Menu on Dashboard or on the Program Menu toolbar, from a program window, from the File Manager, from the Command Prompt box in the Dashboard Run dialog box, or from the Quick Launch panel or toolbar.

2.	Drag the program to an extended screen.

Printing a file

1.	Select the file you want to launch.

You can select a file from the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, from a program window, from the File Manager, or from the Command Prompt box in the Dashboard Run dialog box.

2.	Drag the file to the Printer Manager.

Creating a Quick Launch button

1.	Select the file you want to launch.

You can select a file from the File Manager, Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, or a program window.

2.	Drag the program to the Quick Launch panel.

Arranging items on Dashboard

You can move Quick Launch buttons, Program Menu buttons, and Printer Manager buttons around in their panel by dragging the buttons.

1.	Select the button you want to move.

2.	Drag the button to a new position in the panel.

See Also

Using Toolbars


Launching Programs by Dragging

1.	Select the program you want to launch.

You can select a program from the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, from a Program Window, from the File Manager, from the Command Prompt box in the Dashboard Run dialog box, or from the Quick Launch panel or toolbar.

2.	Drag the program to an extended screen.

See Also

Dragging and Dropping

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a Program Window

Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Run Command


Setting Color Preferences for Dashboard

You can choose from several colors in which to display the Dashboard window and any toolbars.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Colors tab.

3.	Select the color style you want.

•	If you want to display Dashboard with the default colors, choose the Default Colors option.

•	If you are using Dashboard on a gray-scale monitor, choose the Gray-Scale Colors option.

•	If you want to display Dashboard with a custom color, select one of the color schemes.

4.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Setting Main Preferences for Dashboard

Dashboard's Main Preferences lets you customize the main Dashboard window.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Main tab.

3.	Choose the Dashboard Always In Front option if you want the Dashboard window in front of all other windows at all times.

If you don't choose the Dashboard always in front option, you can still bring Dashboard to the front using a Shortcut key or mouse shortcut.

4.	Choose the Use Dashboard as Windows Shell option if you want Dashboard to be the first program to run when you start Windows, instead of the Program Manager.

5.	Choose the Replace Windows Task Manager if you want to use the Dashboard Task Manager.

6.	Choose the Show icons in menus and screens option if you want to display mini program icons on the extended screens, Program Menu list, and the Task Menu.

7.	Make a choice from the Title Bar Display drop-down list to customize the appearance of the Dashboard Title Bar.

•	Choose standard if you want the Title Bar to show only the window caption.

•	Choose Clock/Calendar if you want the Title Bar to show the current date and time.

•	Choose Resources if you want the Title Bar to show the status of your System Resources and memory.

8.	Make a choice from the Minimized Display drop-down list to change the icon displayed when Dashboard is minimized.

•	Choose standard if you want the Minimized Display to show only the Dashboard icon.

•	Choose Extended Screens if you want the Minimized Display to show the compact Extended Screens icon.

You can switch screens by clicking on the little boxes in the minimized icon.

•	Choose Resources if you want the Minimized Display to show the status of your System Resources.

9.	Under Window Orientation, choose to display Dashboard in the horizontal or vertical orientation.

10.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Setting Toolbars Preferences for Dashboard

The quick ways to snap off a panel as a toolbar is to click the Snap-Off button for that panel, or right-click the panel and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu that appears. However, you can also designate several panels at once as toolbars, from within the Customize dialog box.

You can use the Toolbar Preferences to create Toolbars for the Quick Launch Panel, the Program Menu, the Printer Manager, and the Taskbar.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Toolbars tab.

3.	Choose the panels that you want to use as Toolbars.

4.	If you want the Toolbars to be minimized when you minimize Dashboard, choose the Toolbars minimize with Dash option.

5.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Snap-Off Controls

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Setting Fonts Preferences for Dashboard
Setting Font Preferences for Dashboard

You can use the Fonts Preferences to change the fonts used in the Dashboard window and the toolbars.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Fonts tab.

3.	Choose the font type you want to use from the Font list box.

4.	Choose the font size you want to use from the Font Size list box.

5.	Choose the font style you want to use from the Font Style list box.

6.	If you want to use the default font, click Default Font.

7.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Setting Shortcut Keys Preferences for Dashboard

You can use the Shortcut Keys Preferences to specify the keyboard or mouse combination that toggles Dashboard to the front and behind other windows.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Shortcut Keys tab.

3.	Enter a Shortcut key if you want use the keyboard to toggle Dashboard in front of and behind other windows.

To enter a Shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing Shortcut Key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

4.	Enter a Shortcut key for the Dashboard Run dialog box if you want to use the keyboard to open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

5.	Enter a mouse shortcut if you want to toggle the window using the mouse.

To enter a mouse shortcut, execute the button combination in the Mouse Shortcut box.

You can use any mouse button combination with the left, middle, or right button, except a single- or double-click with the left button.

If you are running a full-screen DOS application, you cannot use the mouse shortcut to toggle Dashboard; you can only use the shortcut key.  Also, if you are using applications that do not support a double-click operation, you should not set the mouse shortcut to a double-click.

6.	Click Done.

See Also

Setting Shortcut Key Preferences for Extended Screens

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts


Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

You can use Dashboard's Command Prompt to launch DOS programs.

1.	Open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

•	Click the Run button.

or

•	Double-click the Task menu.

or

•	Choose Dashboard Run from the Task menu.

or

•	Press the Shortcut key you specified in the Dashboard Shortcut Keys preferences.

2.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program you're launching to be minimized when you open it.

3.	Launch the program you want to use.

•	In the Command Line box or the Command Prompt box, enter the command line for the program to run and click Run.

If you don't know the command line, click the Browse button or enter DOS commands in the Command Prompt box to locate the program file.

or

•	If the Command Prompt box already contains the program's executable file, double-click the file or drag it to an extended screen.

or

•	Click the arrow on the Command Line box to see the last 20 DOS commands used. If the program's executable file is displayed, select the file and click Run.

See Also

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a Program Window

Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Run Command

Using the Command Prompt


Using the Command Prompt

The Dashboard Command Prompt is located in the Dashboard Run dialog box.  You can use the Command Prompt to perform DOS commands.

1.	Open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

•	Click the Run button.

or

•	Double-click the Task menu.

or

•	Choose Dashboard Run from the Task menu.

or

•	Press the Shortcut key you specified in the Dashboard Shortcut Keys preferences.

2.	Enter any DOS command in the Command Line box or the Command Prompt box.

You can also execute a previously entered DOS command by choosing it from the drop-down Command Line list, and then clicking the command you want to use.

3.	Press Enter.

The following list shows you all the commands you can use at Dashboard's Command Prompt.  To view an explanation of a specific command, as well as the command's syntax, click the command in the list.

attrib

call

cd (chdir)

cls

copy

date

del (erase)

dir

echo

edit

exit

find

for

goto

help

if

label

md(mkdir)

path

pause

print

prompt

rd (rmdir)

rem

ren (rename)

set

shift

sort

subst

time

type

ver

vol

xcopy

There are some differences between Dashboard Run commands and MS-DOS commands. For an explanation of these differences, see the Dashboard readme file README.WRI.

If Dashboard does not support a DOS command, it will use a default PIF file called DBPROMPT.PIF file to pass that command on to DOS, where it will be executed. DBPROMPT.PIF is located in the same directory as Dashboard. The results will be displayed in a window.  This window will remain open until you manually close it by double-clicking the Control menu.

You can tell when the DOS command is finished processing by the title bar of the window. When the processing is done, the title bar will read, Inactive DOS Prompt.  You can then manually close the window by double-clicking the Control menu.  If the command does not produce output to the screen, the window will remain blank, and the title bar will change when processing is done.  You can then manually close the window.

The Dashboard Run dialog box does not support the Append, Choice, DOSkey, Graphics, Join, Fastopen, Loadhigh, More, Share, or Defrag commands.

Copyright© 1992-1993 Summit Software Company.

All rights reserved.

See Also

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt


Setting Main Preferences for Extended Screens

The Main Extended Screens Preferences let you specify the number of extended screens you want on Dashboard, as well as the size and background of the screens.

1.	Right-click the Extended Screens and choose Customize, or click the Customize button and choose Extended Screens to open the Customize dialog box with the Extended Screens Preferences.

2.	Click an option to choose the number of extended screens.

If a number is grayed out, there is not enough room on Dashboard for that many extended screens. To make more room on Dashboard, remove items from Dashboard by clicking on one of the Dashboard items listed in the Customize dialog box and selecting Hide Item.  You can then select a larger number of extended screens to display.

If you decrease the number of extended screens on Dashboard, any applications contained in the removed extended screens (the left or right screens) are moved into the closest extended screen remaining on Dashboard.

3.	Choose the display size you want.

•	Choose Full Size if you want to display the extended screens at their full-screen view size.

•	Choose Compact if you want to display the extended screens as a mini icon.

To switch screens, click the appropriate box in the mini icon.

4.	Click one of the background options to select a different background for your extended screens.

•	Choose one of the Predefined backgrounds if you want to use one of Dashboard's backgrounds.

•	Choose Use Windows background if you want to use the current Windows background.

•	Choose Bitmap and click Browse if you want to search for a bitmap file on your system.

5.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Extended Screens Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Setting Shortcut Keys Preferences for Extended Screens

You can assign a Shortcut key to each extended screen on Dashboard. These Shortcut keys let you use the keyboard to switch between extended screens.

1.	Right-click the Extended Screens and choose Customize, or click the Customize button and choose Extended Screens to open the Customize dialog box with the Extended Screens Preferences.

2.	Click the Shortcut Keys tab.

3.	Enter a Shortcut key for each extended screen.

To enter a Shortcut key, click in the Shortcut key box and press the key combination you wish to set.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing Shortcut key, click in the Shortcut key box and press Del or Backspace.

4.	Click Done.

See Also

Setting Shortcut Key Preferences for Dashboard

Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Setting Sticky Apps Preferences for Extended Screens

1.	Launch the application you want to designate a Sticky App.

2.	Right-click the Extended Screens and choose Customize, or click the Customize button and choose Extended Screens to open the Customize dialog box with the Extended Screens Preferences.

3.	Click the Sticky Apps tab.

4.	Click Add.

5.	In the Add Sticky App dialog box, click the program you want to designate as a Sticky App.

6.	Click OK.

7.	In the Customize dialog box, click Done.

See Also

The Add Sticky App Dialog Box

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Setting Main Preferences for Resources

You can use the main resource Preferences to customize the Resource Gauge and to set alarms for memory and System Resource levels.

Modifying the Resource Gauge

Dashboard includes an alarm that warns you when the total free memory or your Windows System Resources are getting low. You can determine the levels at which you want Dashboard to sound an alarm when either total free memory or Windows System Resources reaches a certain point.

1.	Right-click the Resources panel and choose Customize to open the Customize dialog box with the Resources Preferences. Click the Main tab.

2.	Enter exact kilobytes to set an alarm level for free System Memory.

3.	Enter a percentage to set an alarm level for available System Resources (memory set aside for Windows).

4.	Click the alarm sound drop-down list to choose a sound for the alarm.

If you did not install the Sound Driver for PC-Speaker, you cannot set a sound for the alarm.  For instructions on installing the driver, see your Dashboard User's Guide.

5.	Click Play Sound to hear a sample of the sound.

6.	Choose the Display system Memory Odometer option if you want to display the Memory Odometer on Dashboard.

7.	Choose the Display system resource gauge option if you want to show the resource gauge on Dashboard.

8.	Choose Default, Fuel Gauge, or Bar Gauge from the Gauge Type drop-down list to configure the resource gauge display.

9.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Checking Your Resources

Resource Main Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Setting Drive Watch Preferences for Resources

1.	Right-click the Resources panel and choose Customize to open the Customize dialog box with the Resources Preferences. Click the Drive Watch tab.

2.	To add a drive to the Drive Watch panel, click that drive in the list and click Add.

3.	To remove a drive from the Drive Watch panel, click that drive in the list and click Remove.

4.	To display the Drive Watch panel on Dashboard, choose the Display drive watch window option.

If the Drive Watch panel is currently displayed and you want to hide it, deselect the option.

5.	To update the Drive Watch information, click Refresh.

6.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

See Also

Resource Drive Watch Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Launching Programs with a Program Window

You can launch any program from a Dashboard program window.

1.	Double-click the program group you want to open on the Program Menu.

2.	Double-click the icon for the program you want to launch.


Customizing Dashboard

Customizing Extended Screens

Customizing Quick Launch Buttons

Customizing the Alarm Clock

Customizing the Calendar

Customizing Games

Customizing the Printer Manager

Customizing the Program Menu

Customizing Resources

Customizing The Taskbar

Rearranging Items on the Dashboard

Setting an Alarm

Setting Dashboard Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Launching Programs

Launching Programs by Dragging

Launching Programs with the Clock Alarm or Calendar Alarm

Launching Programs with the Command Prompt

Launching Programs with the Layout Menu

Launching Programs with Quick Launch Buttons

Launching Programs with the Program Menu

Launching Programs with a Program Window

Launching Programs with the Run Command


Working with Layouts

Creating Layouts

Editing Layouts

Loading Layouts

Managing Layouts


Using Shortcut Menus

You can right-click anywhere on Dashboard to bring up a context-sensitive Shortcut menu. The Shortcut menu changes according to what part of Dashboard you right-click. A Shortcut menu allows you to immediately perform many operations or customizations without going through normal multiple-step processes.

For example, to hide a program group in the Program Menu, you can either right-click the group, and choose Hide Group from the Shortcut menu, or you would click the Customize button, select Program Menu from the Item to Customize list, select your program group from a list, click the Hide Group button, and click Done.

Even if you just want to save a few steps in a longer process, the Shortcut menus can usually help you. For example, if you want to perform several customizations to the Extended Screens panel, you should right-click it, and choose Customize from the Shortcut menu. The slightly longer way is to click the Customize button and choose Extended Screens from the Item to Customize list.


Customizing Games

To customize the Games panel, right-click it,and choose from the options in the Shortcut menu that appears. The Shortcut menu is different depending on which Game you are playing. To view payoffs or change your default bet, use the Customize dialog box. (Choose Customize from the Shortcut menu.)

See Also

Games Preferences


Customizing the Taskbar

You can customize the Taskbar by right-clicking it and choosing various options from the Shortcut menu that appears.

You get a different Shortcut menu depending on whether you right-click a button on the Taskbar, or right-click the edge of the Taskbar itself. (Note: If a Taskbar is docked at one side of your screen, an easy way to find the Taskbar's edge is to move your mouse pointer all the way to that side of your screen. Right-clicking there will be on the Taskbar's edge.)

Both Shortcut menus have these options: Customize, Snap On (or Snap Off), and Help.

In addition to these, a Taskbar button's Shortcut menu has these application-oriented options: Minimize, Maximize, or Restore (depending on which state the selected application is in), Task Info, and Close.

The additional options on the Shortcut menu of the Taskbar itself (the Shortcut menu that appears when you click its edge) are concerned with position and performance of the Taskbar: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Floating, and Disable (or Enable) Auto Hide.

Auto Hide keeps the Taskbar hidden, but ready to appear. For instance, if the Taskbar is attached to the bottom edge of your screen, it remains hidden until your move your mouse pointer to that edge. Then the Taskbar appears and remains visible until you move your pointer away from it.

A special Shortcut menu appears when you right-click the Dashboard button on the Taskbar. This Shortcut menu combines all the options of the other two types of Taskbar Shortcut menus.

See Also

Using Toolbars

Taskbar Preferences


Setting Panels Preferences for Dashboard

You can add or remove Panels from Dashboard. Removing a panel removes it from memory and keeps it from loading with Dashboard until you add it back to Dashboard.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Panels tab.

To add a panel, select it in the Available Panels box and click Add.

To remove a panel, select it in the Panels In Use box and click Remove.


The Dashboard for Windows Team

Special thanks to all the hard-working Starfish Software people who have contributed to the creation of Dashboard 3.0 for Windows!

Joy Agcongay

Gregg Armstrong

Robert Baker

Liz Benson

Jim Bourne

Corey Bridges

Randall Bronte

Yunming Cai

Liang-Jye Chang

Sasi Eswaran

Fred Felman

Brian Ferrin

Eileen Flannery

Gregor Freund

Rob Gordon

Greg Joy

Philippe Kahn

Catherine Lee

Jennifer Lee

Michael Lee

Sonia Lee

Michael Ma

Lori Poliski

Phil Rose

Brad Sharek

Te Smith

Charlie Wallace

Jennifer Walsh

Hui Wang

Joy Warner

Dave Wolfer

Yonghe Yao

Yang Yu

Qili Zhang


About Button

The About button shows information about Dashboard, including the product number, product version number, and copyright information.


Alarm Clock
Alarm Clock and Calendar

The Alarm Clock shows the date and time set on your computer. When you start Dashboard, the Calendar shows you the current month, with the current date highlighted. You can click the scroll buttons to view past and future months. Hold down the Shift key and click the scroll buttons to scroll forward or back a year at a time.  Double-click the clock or single-click a calendar date to add or edit an alarm and to configure the way the clock and calendar look. You can also right-click either the clock or the calendar, and choose Alarms from the Shortcut menu that appears.

You can customize the clock face to be analog or digital. You can change the appearance of either the analog or digital clock, and you can turn off the second hand on the analog clock. You can also display the current date and time on the Dashboard title bar. You can customize the highlight colors for the current date and for days with assigned alarms. You can also set the amount of time for the alarm's snooze interval.

See Also

Customizing the Alarm Clock

Setting an Alarm


Customize Button

The Customize button is the button with a wrench icon.  It opens the Customize dialog box, which you use to customize and set the preferences for different items on Dashboard. You can use the Customize dialog box to change the positions of items on Dashboard, and you can choose whether to show or hide particular items.  You can specify the fonts and colors to be used in the Dashboard window.  You can configure Dashboard to run as a shell program and set Shortcut keys and mouse buttons to toggle Dashboard in front of and behind other windows. You can save specific configurations of Dashboard in files and load those configurations as needed.

See Also

The Customize Dialog Box


Extended Screens

Using Dashboard with its extended screens is like connecting your computer to several side by side monitors. Although you work with only one monitor at a time, you open programs on all the monitors, and then switch back and forth among them to work with the different programs. Dashboard's extended screens contain miniature windows corresponding to the open program windows, displaying the icons and titles of programs in those windows.

The extended screens are completely interactive with the full-screen views. If you move or resize a program window on the full screen, the mini-window moves and resizes in a corresponding way.  If you bring one program to the front of another, the mini-windows on the extended screens will reflect the change. Also, if you move mini-windows on the extended screens, the programs they represent will move on the full screen.

To switch back and forth among different programs, click the selector button under the extended screen showing the window you want to view or double-click the extended screen's background. You can also configure a Shortcut key for each screen in the Extended Screens Preferences. You can designate programs to be "Sticky Apps" so that they are always displayed, regardless of which extended screen you are in.

To move open windows among the extended screens, drag the mini-windows in the Dashboard extended windows, or move the full-sized windows by dragging on the title bar.

You can launch programs by dragging them to an extended screen. You can drag programs from the Quick Launch panel, the Program Menu or a program window, the File Manager, or the Command Prompt in the Run dialog box.

See Also

Customizing Extended Screens

Managing Extended Screens

Launching Programs by Dragging


Help Button

Use the Help button to find the help you need.

Click once on the Help button and the cursor becomes a question mark. Put the question mark on any item on Dashboard and click there to see specific help for that item.

Double-click the Help button to see an index of help topics. Click a topic to see the instructions you want or click the Search button to locate a particular word or phrase.


Layout Menu

Use the Layout Menu to name, save, and load custom layouts or to edit existing layouts.  When you save a layout, Dashboard saves all the programs currently running, as well as their size and position on the extended screens.

See Also

Creating Layouts

Editing Layouts

Loading Layouts

Managing Layouts


Maximize Button

The Maximize button extends Dashboard horizontally to its full width. When you click the Maximize button, any panels which are expandable increase in size to use more space in Dashboard.  Expandable panels are displayed with scroll arrow buttons to indicate that more items exist than are currently shown.

If none of the current Dashboard panels are expandable, Dashboard does not change its size. If Dashboard is already maximized, this button returns it to its previous width.

You cannot resize Dashboard if it is maximized.  You need to click the Restore button to return Dashboard to its original size.


Restore Button

When you have maximized the Dashboard window with the Maximize button, you can click the Restore button to restore Dashboard to its original size.


Minimize Button

The Minimize button reduces Dashboard to an icon.  You can customize the minimized icon using the Customize dialog box.  You can choose between the standard Dashboard icon, a clock icon, a resources icon, and an extended screen icon. A minimized Dashboard icon will be displayed if Dashboard is specified to be Always In Front, using the Customize dialog box.


Printer Manager

The Printer Manager controls printers, fax machines, and plotters. To print or fax a file, drag the file onto the desired printer icon. You can drag a file from the File Manager, the Program Menu or Program Menu toolbar, a program group window, the Quick Launch panel or toolbar, or the Command prompt in the Run dialog box.

With Fly-over Help enabled, rest your mouse pointer over a printer icon to see the full name and description. Below the printer's icon, the port it's connected through is listed. To see the Printer Configuration box, right-click the printer, and choose Setup from the Shortcut menu that appears. Change the necessary configuration settings then click OK to save the changes.

Choosing a default printer

The green light (or "on" light if you don't have a color monitor) denotes the default printer. To choose a different default printer, click on the default printer light.

Scrolling in the Dashboard to see other printers

If Dashboard is not wide enough to display all printers, the Print Manager portion of Dashboard will include scroll arrows. Click the scroll arrows to see printers that aren't currently visible.

Rearranging Printers on Dashboard

You can move a printer within the Printer Manager by dragging it to a new position.

See Also

Customizing the Printer Manager


Program Menu

The Program Menu lists the program groups from the Windows Program Manager.

Click a Program Menu button on the Program Menu to see an alphabetical list of the programs in the program group. To launch a program, click the program item in the list or drag it to an extended screen.

You can choose the order in which groups appear in the Program Menu, and you can also add new groups, modify and delete selected groups, and open a program window for a group.

If you want to display the Program Menu as a floating toolbar separate from Dashboard, click the Snap Off Program Menu button, or right-click the Program Menu and choose Snap Off from the Shortcut menu that appears. You can use the Program Menu in the same way whether it is on Dashboard or configured as a Toolbar. Any changes you make to the toolbar will appear in the Program Menu when you close the toolbar.

See Also

Snap-Off Controls

Managing Program Groups with the Program Menu

Managing Program Groups with Program Windows

Customizing the Program Menu

Using Toolbars


Quick Launch Buttons

You can create a set of Quick Launch buttons for the programs you use most often. Once a program has been assigned to a Quick Launch button, you can click the button to run the program. You can also launch a program by dragging its Quick Launch button to one of the extended screens.

To change Quick Launch preferences in the Customize dialog box, right-click any of the Quick Launch buttons and choose Customize.  With the Quick Launch Preferences, you can create new Quick Launch buttons, modify or delete existing buttons, choose from three button styles, and change the position of the buttons on Dashboard.

You can snap off the Quick Launch panel as a toolbar, separate from Dashboard.

You can rearrange the Quick Launch buttons on Dashboard or on the Quick Launch toolbar by dragging a button to a new position. If you want to copy a Quick Launch button, hold down the Ctrl key and press the mouse on the button, then drag the copy to a new position on the panel.

See Also

Customizing Quick Launch Buttons


Resource Gauge

You can use the Resource Gauge and the Memory Odometer to check the levels of total free memory and Windows System Resources on your system.  The Resource Gauge shows the level of Windows System Resources currently available on your system.

Each application you open uses System Resources memory.  If the level of System Resources gets too low, you may not be able to open new applications. If the Resource Gauge you have chosen has a Warning Indicator, it blinks and sounds an alarm as you reach the alarm level for either available free system memory or system resources. You can right-click the Resource Gauge and choose Customize to customize the Resource Gauge.

The Memory Odometer shows the total amount of free system memory in kilobytes. You can configure the Resource Gauge to show or hide the Memory Odometer. You can also display the Resource gauge in its default form (a graphical and percentage representation of available resources), or as a Fuel gauge or Bar gauge.

See Also

Checking Your Resources

Customizing Resources


Program Menu Button

Click this button to show or hide the Program Menu, which lists program groups.

The Program Menu Button is not available when you are running Dashboard in the vertical orientation or when you are running the Program Menu as a toolbar.  In either of these configurations, use the Customize dialog box to show or hide the Program Menu


Sizing Bar

You can use the Sizing Bar to change the size of the Dashboard window. The Sizing Bar comprises all four borders of the window. When you position the cursor over a Sizing Bar, the cursor becomes a two-headed arrow. You can drag the Sizing Bar in the appropriate direction to change Dashboard's width or height.

When Dashboard is in its horizontal orientation, you can change Dashboard's height by dragging the window's top or bottom border. The window size is limited by the number of items on Dashboard that can be expanded or hidden from view.  For example, if the Dashboard window only has one printer icon and one Quick Launch button, there's probably no reason to resize.  But if your computer has multiple printers, you may have to resize it to display all the printers. You cannot make Dashboard bigger than is necessary to display all items adequately.

When Dashboard is in its vertical orientation, you can change Dashboard's width by dragging the window's left or right border.

Enlarging Dashboard may cause some of its panels (such as the panels for the printers or the Quick Launch buttons) to be too big to show all of their items.  When that happens, panels on the left (on the top in the vertical orientation) will have priority over panels on the right (on the bottom in the vertical orientation).  For example, if the Quick Launch panel is to the left of the printers' panel, more Quick Launch buttons will be visible than printers.  You can use the scroll arrows to see the other printers, or you can resize the printer panel by holding down the Shift key and dragging the panel borders.


System Menu

The System Menu includes standard Windows System menu commands for working with the window, as well as Dashboard commands to switch to other Dashboard menus.


Task Menu

The Task Menu switches among currently open programs.  You can also use the Task menu to display an open program on the current extended screen, run new programs, and close all programs other than Dashboard, the Program Manager, and DOS applications.

You can synchronize your extended screens to correspond to the currently open program windows by using the Update Screens command on the Task menu.


Title Bar

The Title Bar displays the window caption and can also show the current date and time or information about your system resources, depending on the option you choose in the Customize dialog box. You can also change Dashboard's font, and the change will be reflected in the Title Bar. Click and drag the title bar to move the entire Dashboard.


Drive Watch

Part of the Resources panel, along with the Resource Gauge, the Drive Watch panel displays disk space information for the selected drives on your system.  You can add or remove drives from the display by using the Drive Watch setting in the Resources Drive Watch Preferences.


Taskbar

The Taskbar displays all currently running applications as buttons. Click a button to switch to that application.

Each time you start a program, it is automatically added to the Taskbar. When you close the program, Dashboard removes it from the Taskbar.

The Taskbar can be snapped off from Dashboard as a toolbar by right-clicking it and choosing Snap Off. In addition to making the Taskbar a floating toolbar, you can "dock" it at any edge of your screen.

See Also

Customizing the Taskbar

Taskbar Preferences


Games

You can configure the Games panel to display three different games: Poker, Slots, or Slide Puzzle.

You can adjust your wager in Poker and Slots. The Slide Puzzle is a fixed wager depending on which of the three puzzles you choose to solve. To see how you've been playing, double-click the Games panel. The Games Graph appears, and graphs your finances.

To choose which game appears in the Games panel, right-click the Games panel, and choose the game from the Shortcut menu.

See Also

Customizing Games

Games Preferences


Snap-Off Controls

The Snap-off controls are four buttons that attach or detach the four panels that can be separated from the main Dashboard window: Program Menu, Quick Launch, Printer Manager, and Taskbar.

Each button corresponds to a toolbar, and clicking the button snaps the corresponding toolbar on or off. A triangle in the upper-right corner of the button indicates that the toolbar is snapped off--a separate piece from the Dashboard window. A triangle in the lower-left corner of the button indicates that the toolbar is snapped on--part of the Dashboard display itself. If a panel has been hidden, clicking its Snap-off button displays the panel, in addition to snapping it on or off. Right-clicking the button displays a Shortcut menu, allowing you to customize the panel, or re-activate the toolbar if it is covered or hidden.

See Also

Using Toolbars


The Alarm Settings Dialog Box

The Alarm Settings dialog box lets you specify information about an alarm. Specify options for how and when the alarm should sound, and then click OK.

Here is a description of the options you can use to define an alarm:

Time:  To set the time for the alarm to sound, select the hour and minutes and enter new values. Choose whether time set is AM or PM.

Alarm Text:  Enter the text here that you want to appear with the alarm message.

Show Alarm:	Specify whether you want the alarm to go off on a regular basis or once only.

•	Choose Recurring and select a day if you want the alarm to go off on the same day of every week.

•	Choose Date and enter the specific day, month, and year if you want the alarm to go off only once. Enter the date in the format DD/MM/YY. You can also click the up and down arrow buttons to change the date.

Optional Alarm Actions:  To set the alarm to launch a program, enter the program's name and current working directory. Check the box to have the program opened as minimized. Click Browse to see the command lines and working directories for your files. When the alarm goes off, Dashboard will automatically open that program in addition to displaying the Alarm Text you entered.

Sound:  Choose the alarm's sound from this pull-down menu. To hear a sound, select it in the list and click Play Sound.

If you did not install the Sound Driver for PC-Speaker, you cannot hear sound with the alarm.  For instructions on installing the driver, see your Dashboard Owner's Handbook.


The Clock Alarms Dialog Box

The Clock Alarms dialog box shows all the alarms you've already defined. Double-click any alarm to see details. Use buttons to add new alarms or change existing alarms.

Add:  Adds a new alarm.

Edit:  Edits an alarm; click the alarm you want to change and click either the Edit or Delete button.

To customize your clock preferences (including the time interval for the Snooze feature), click the Configuration button.

See Also

Customizing the Alarm Clock

Setting an Alarm


The Customize Dialog Box

Use the Customize dialog box to choose which items to display on Dashboard and the order in which they should appear.

The list on the left includes all the Dashboard panels. Click any item, and the right side of the dialog box displays the preferences for that item.  Choose the new options you want and you'll see the changes on Dashboard.  To keep the changes, click Done and the dialog box will close.  Your changes will be put into effect.  If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo, and the Dashboard will appear as before.

Choosing which items to include in your Dashboard

To hide any panel from Dashboard, click the panel in the list, and click the Hide button. The text "not shown" will appear next to the item to indicate that it is not currently included in Dashboard. To add any item that was previously hidden, click the item and click the Show Item button. Note that hiding an item does not remove it from memory. To remove an item from memory, use the Panels tab of the Dashboard Preferences.

Reordering the items in your Dashboard

The list of Dashboard items includes a line separating them into two groups. You can reorder items below this line by dragging it to a new position in the list. The top-to-bottom sequence corresponds to their left-to-right sequence in Dashboard when it is in the horizontal position.

Using custom Dashboard configurations

The File Menu in the Customize dialog box lets you configure Dashboard to suit particular tasks and save each configuration as a file for future use.  Later on, when you have to get that task done, you can load the custom Dashboard configuration for it.

To save a configuration, choose Save or Save As from the File Menu.

Save saves the current configuration into the configuration file currently being used.  The caption of the Customize dialog box shows the name of the current file.  Use Save As to save to a different file name.

In the Save As dialog box, enter the path and file name for the file in the text box.  A .cfg extension is automatically added to the new file name, and the current configuration file now changes to the new file name.  Click OK to save the file.

Getting help

To get help on any of the preferences, click the item in the list.  The preferences for that item appear in the right side of the dialog box.  Choose Help from the Help menu to see instructions for working with the preferences.


Dashboard Color Preferences
Dashboard Colors Preferences

You can choose a custom color scheme for the Dashboard window and any toolbars. You can also display the window and toolbars in Dashboard's default colors or in gray-scale.

•	To display Dashboard in a custom color scheme, click the appropriate color box.

•	To display Dashboard in the program's default color scheme, choose the Default Colors check box.

•	To display Dashboard on a gray-scale monitor, choose the Gray-Scale Colors check box.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Program Menu Preferences

To work with Program Menu Preferences, click Program Menu in the list on the left side of the Customize dialog box.

Choosing whether to include the Program Menu on the Dashboard

To remove the Program Menu from Dashboard, click Program Menu from the list on the left and click Hide Item.

If the Program Menu has been removed from Dashboard, the list on the left will indicate that the Program Menu is "not shown." To restore the Program Menu on Dashboard, click Program Menu from the list on the left and click Show Item.

Modifying a program group's color key or description

1.	Click a group in the Program Groups list.

2.	Click Modify.

3.	Enter a new group description or select a new color key setting.

The group description you enter will appear on the Dashboard program menu button.

Creating a new program group

1.	Click New.

2.	Enter a group description and select a color key setting.

The group description you enter will appear on the Dashboard program menu button.

3.	If you want, enter a file name for the group.  The file name setting is optional.

Deleting a program group from the Dashboard

1.	Click a group in the Program Groups list.

2.	Click Delete.

Rearranging program groups

Click the program group you want to move in the list and drag it to its new position in the list. The Program Menu button for that group will be moved appropriately on the Program Menu.

Opening a Group into a Group Window

1.	Click a group in the Program Groups list.

2.	Click Open.

Specifying a height for the Program Menu

Use the Show 2nd row of text option to display two rows of text on the Program Menu buttons..

Hiding a group on the Program Menu

1.	Click a group in the Program Groups list.

2.	Click Hide Group.

Choosing whether to display colors in the Program Menu

Each program group can include a color to make it more identifiable. Use the Show Color Keys option to turn colors on in the Program Menu.

Updating Dashboard with changes made in the Windows Program Manager

Click the Reread From Program Manager button.

Changes you make to groups with the Program Manager while Dashboard is running will not be reflected in the Dashboard groups until you click this button. If you close Dashboard and then run it again, the changes will also take effect.

Canceling changes to Dashboard preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.


Quick Launch Preferences

You can use Quick Launch preferences to add, edit, or delete a Quick Launch button. You can also assign a shortcut key to each Quick Launch button and customize the appearance of the buttons.

Choosing whether to include Quick Launch buttons on the Dashboard

To remove the Quick Launch buttons from Dashboard, click Quick Launch from the list on the left and click Hide Item.

If the Quick Launch buttons have been removed from Dashboard, the list on the left will indicate that Quick Launch is "not shown." To restore the Quick Launch buttons on Dashboard, click Quick Launch from the list on the left and click Show Item.

Adding a new Quick Launch button

1.	Click New.

2.	Enter a Title for the button.

3.	Enter the correct Command Line (path name and filename of the program you want to run) and Working Directory for the program. Click Browse if you don't know the path name for the program.

4.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program to be minimized when you open it.

5.	If the program includes an icon file, its default icon appears on the Quick Launch button. Click Change Icon to change the program icon.

Assigning a Shortcut key to a Quick Launch button

1.	Click in the Shortcut Key box.

2.	Press the key combination on the keyboard.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

If you use this shortcut key when you have a full-screen DOS application running, Dashboard will not launch the application associated with the shortcut key.  If the application is already running, Dashboard will bring the window to the front of the desktop.

Deleting a Quick Launch button

1.	Click the Quick Launch button you want to delete.

2.	Click Delete.

Editing a Quick Launch button

1.	Click the Quick Launch button you want to change.

2.	Make any changes you want, including the title, command line, working directory, icon, shortcut key, and whether the program should run minimized.

Rearranging Quick Launch Buttons

Click the Quick Launch button you want to move in the list and drag it to its new position in the list.

Assigning a button style

Choose one of the three available styles for the buttons.

•	Choose Unlabeled to display only icons on the buttons.

•	Choose Labeled to display icons and application names on the buttons.

•	Choose Mini to display miniature buttons with icons.

Canceling changes to Quick Launch preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.


Clock and Calendar Preferences

You can use the Clock and Calendar Preferences to customize the appearance of the clock and calendar, or to hide either panel.

Choosing whether to include the Clock or Calendar on Dashboard

To remove the Clock and Calendar from Dashboard, click Clock/Calendar in the list on the left and click Hide Item. To remove the Clock only, deselect the Show Clock option in Clock Preferences.  To remove the Calendar only, deselect the Show Calendar option in Calendar Preferences.

If the Clock and Calendar have both been removed from Dashboard, the list on the left will indicate that the Clock is "not shown." To restore both the Clock and Calendar, click Clock/Calendar in the list on the left and click Show Item. To restore the Clock only, choose the Show Clock option in Clock Preferences.  To restore the Calendar only, choose the Show Calendar option in Calendar Preferences.

Customizing the clock

From within the Customize dialog box, with Clock/Calendar selected as the Item To Customize,

1.	Click a Clock Type option. Analog clocks show time with minute and second hands pointing to numbers, and digital clocks represent time as a number.

2.	Click to open the Clock Face drop-down list, and choose an option to specify the appearance of the clock you want.

3.	Choose the Second Hand option to show or hide the second hand on the analog clock.

The second hand may interfere with some communication programs.  If your communication program is experiencing unnecessary time-outs, try turning off the Second Hand option.

4.	Next to Snooze Interval, type the number of minutes in which you want the alarm to reappear after you click the Snooze button in an alarm message.

5.	Click Alarms to set an alarm.

6.	To save the changes and close the dialog box, click Done.

If you don't want to keep the changes, click Undo.

Customizing the Calendar

1.	To select a highlight color for the current date, click on the appropriate color under Today.

2.	To select a highlight color for days with assigned alarms, click the appropriate color under Alarms.

3.	If you don't want any highlight colors displayed on the calendar, choose the No HIghlights option.

4.	To display the current date on the calendar, click Go to Today.

Canceling changes to Clock/Calendar preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.

See Also

Setting an Alarm

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Extended Screens Preferences
Extended Screens Main Preferences

You can use the Extended Screens Main preferences to customize the appearance of the screens.

Choosing whether to include the extended screens on Dashboard

To remove the extended screens from Dashboard, click Extended Screens from the list on the left and click Hide Item.

If the extended screens have been removed from Dashboard, the list on the left will indicate that the extended screens are "not shown." To restore the extended screens on Dashboard, click Extended Screens from the list on the left and click Show Item.

Specifying the number of extended screens

Click an option to choose the maximum number of extended screens.

If a number is grayed out, there is not enough room on Dashboard for that many extended screens. To make more room on Dashboard, remove items from Dashboard by clicking on one of the Dashboard items listed in the Customize dialog box.  You can then select a larger number of extended screens to display.

If you decrease the number of extended screens on Dashboard, any applications contained in the removed extended screens (the left or right screens) are moved into the closest extended screen remaining on Dashboard.

Choosing a display size for the extended screens

Choose one of the two size options for the extended screens.

•	Choose Full Size if you want to display the extended screens at their largest possible size.

•	Choose Compact if you want to display the extended screens as a mini icon.

Specifying the background color for the extended screens

Click one of the background options to select a different background for your extended screens.

•	Choose one of the Predefined backgrounds if you want to use one of Dashboard's backgrounds.

•	Choose Use Windows background if you want to use the current Windows background.

•	Choose Bitmap and enter the name of the bitmap file you want to use.

If you want to search for a bitmap file on your system, click Browse.

Canceling changes to Extended Screens preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Printer Manager Preferences

To work with Printer Manager Preferences, click Printer Manager in the list on the left side of the Customize dialog box.

Choosing whether to include the Printer Manager on Dashboard

To remove the Printer Manager from Dashboard, click Printer Manager from the list on the left and click Hide Item.

If the Printer Manager has been removed from Dashboard, the list on the left will indicate that Printer Manager is "not shown." To restore the Printer Manager on Dashboard, click Printer Manager from the list on the left and click Show Item.

Displaying a printer's paper orientation on the Printer Manager.

Choose the Show paper orientation check box.

Rearranging printers

For the list of printers in the Printer Manager, the top-to-bottom sequence corresponds to their left-to-right sequence in Dashboard horizontal orientation and to their top-to-bottom sequence in the vertical orientation.

To change a printer's position, drag it to a new place in the list.

Showing and hiding a printer

To remove a printer from the Printer Manager, click the printer and click Hide Printer.

If a printer has been removed from the Printer Manager, the list will indicate that the printer is "not shown." To restore the printer on the Printer Manager, click the printer from the list and click Show Printer.

Choosing a default printer

1.	Click the printer you want as the default printer.

2.	Click Set As Default.

Changing the setup of a printer

1.	Click the printer you want to change.

2.	Click Setup.

3.	Use the Windows dialog boxes to change the printer's setup. Refer to the documentation for Windows and for your printer for more information about setup options.

Changing a printer's description and icon

1.	Click the printer you want to change.

2.	Type a description you want to be displayed with the printer icon on Dashboard.

3.	Click Change Icon to choose a new printer icon to be displayed for this printer.

Canceling changes to Printer Manager preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


The Edit Layout Dialog Box

The Edit Layout dialog box lets you change the specifics of a selected program.  The information you see in this box was saved automatically by Dashboard when you created the layout.  After you make your changes, Dashboard will use this information to run programs when you use the Load Layout command.

Editing program specifics

1.	Enter a name for the program in the Application Name box.  This name is a descriptive name, not a filename.

2.	Enter the working directory in the Working Directory box.

3.	If you want a particular file instead of just the program to open as part of a layout, enter the filename in the Parameters box.

4.	Choose a size for the program window from the Window Size pull-down menu. You can choose Normal, Minimized, or Maximized for the window size.

5.	To exit the Edit Layout dialog box and save any changes, click OK.

6.	To exit the Edit Layout dialog box without saving changes, click Cancel.


The Manage Layouts Dialog Box

The Manage Layouts dialog box lets you edit existing layouts.

Removing a Layout

1.	Select the layout in the Layout list.

2.	 Click Delete Layout.

Changing the name of a layout

1.	Select the layout in the Layout list.

2.	Click Rename.

3.	Enter the new name in the Rename dialog box and click OK.

Removing a program from a layout

1.	Select the program in the Applications for Layout list.

2.	Click Delete.

Editing a program's specifics

1.	Select the program in the Applications for Layout list.

2.	Click Edit.

3.	Enter the appropriate information in the Edit Layout dialog box.

Exiting the Manage Layouts dialog box

1.	To exit the Manage Layouts dialog box and save any changes made, click Save Changes.

2.	To exit the Manage Layouts dialog box without saving changes, click Cancel.


The Resources Dialog Box

The Resources dialog box contains information about your total free memory and Windows System Resources.  Use the Resources dialog box to look at resource usage and to set alarm levels for low resources.

The list on the left includes all types of resource and system information you can view and work with. Click any item; the right side of the dialog box displays information for that item.

To print a selected item from the dialog box, click the Print button.  Dashboard will print a copy of the information on your default printer.

For instructions on using any of the specific sections in the dialog box, click one of the following topics:

Memory and Resources

System Environment

Drive Usage

Applications Running

Environment Variables


Memory and Resources

The Memory and Resources information tells you about your total free memory and Windows System Resources.

1.	To display Memory and Resources information, click Memory and Resources in the list on the left of the Resources dialog box.

2.	Type exact kilobytes to set an alarm level for System Memory (the total free memory for your computer.)

3.	Type a percentage to set an alarm level for System Resources (memory set aside for Windows).

4.	Select a sound for the alarm.

5.	To display the System Resource gauge, choose the Display System Resource gauge option.

6.	To choose a gauge type, click the Gauge Type drop-down list and choose Default, Fuel gauge or Bar gauge.

7.	To display the System Memory Odometer, choose the Display System Memory Odometer option.

8.	To print Memory and Resources information, click the Print button.  Dashboard will print a copy of the information on your default printer.

9.	To free up the maximum amount of RAM for your machine, click Defrag Memory. This may allow some programs to run faster.


System Environment

1.	To display System Environment information, click System Environment in the list on the left of the Resources dialog box.

System Environment lists information such as CPU type, monitor type, mouse, keyboard, network, output port, and output devices installed under Windows.

2.	To print System Environment information, click the Print button.  Dashboard will print a copy of the information on your default printer.


Drive Usage

1.	To display disk space information, click Drive Usage in the list on the left of the Resources dialog box.

Drive Usage shows information about available disk space for each one of the drives on your computer.  The information includes floppy drives, hard disk drives, network drives, total disk space, used disk space, and available disk space.

2.	To add a drive to the Drive Watch, select the drive in the drive list and click Add.

3.	To remove a drive from the Drive Watch, select the drive in the drive list and click Remove.

4.	To specify how frequently Dashboard updates the Drive Watch information, enter the number of seconds in the Update Interval box.

5.	To display the Drive Watch on Dashboard, select the Display drive watch window checkbox.

6.	To have Dashboard update the disk space information for all drives, click Refresh.

7.	To print Drive Usage information, click the Print button.  Dashboard will print a copy of the information on your default printer.


Applications Running

1.	To display information about applications that are currently running, click Applications Running in the list on the left of the Resources dialog box.

A list of all currently running applications and their memory usage is displayed.  The list is sorted according to the amount of memory used by each application.

2.	To update the list of applications, click the Refresh button.

3.	To free memory by closing an application, select it in the list, then click Close Application.

4.	To print information about the currently running applications, click the Print button.

5.	To view more information about a specific application, select the application and click More.

The Application Task Information dialog box opens, displaying a detailed breakdown of the application's memory usage.


Environment Variables

1.	To display environment variables information, click Environment Variables in the list on the left of the Resources dialog box.

Refer to Windows documentation and to your application's documentation for more information about the environment variables you need.

2.	To print environment variables information, click the Print button.  Dashboard will print a copy of the information on your default printer.


The Run Dialog Box
The Dashboard Run Dialog Box

You can use the Dashboard Run dialog box to perform DOS commands or to launch programs. You can also use the Dashboard Shortcut Keys Preferences to set a Shortcut key to open the Run dialog box.

Performing DOS commands with the Command Line

1.	Enter a DOS command in the Command Line box.

or

Click the arrow on the Command Line box to see the last 20 DOS commands used. If the command you want to use is displayed, select the command.

2.	Press Enter.

Performing DOS commands at the command prompt

1.	Enter a DOS command at the command prompt.

2.	Press Enter.

Launching a program

1.	Click the Run button, double-click on the Task menu, or choose Dashboard Run from the Task menu to open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

2.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program you're launching to be minimized when you open it.

3.	Launch the program you want to use.

•	In the Command Line box or the Command Prompt box, enter the command line for the program to run and click Run.

If you don't know the command line, click the Browse button or enter DOS commands in the Command Prompt box to locate the program file.

or

•	If the Command Prompt box is active, press Shift+F8 to select the closest file listed in the DOS Prompt window. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the desired file, and press Enter to launch it, or open it in the associated application.

or

•	If the Command Prompt box already contains the program's executable file, double-click on the file or drag it to an extended screen.

or

•	Click the arrow on the Command Line box to see the last 20 DOS commands used. If the program's executable file is displayed, select the file and click Run.

See Also

Using the Command Prompt

Setting Shortcut Keys Preferences for Dashboard


The Save Layout Dialog Box

The Save Layout dialog box lets you save all the programs currently running in their current positions on the extended screens.

1.	Enter a name for the layout in the Layout box.

The Programs box lists all the programs that will be included in the layout.

2.	If you want to launch all the layout's programs when you start Dashboard, choose the Load layout on startup option.

3.	To edit the program's command line parameters and working directory set up by the layout, select a program from the list and click Edit.

Make the appropriate changes in the Edit Layout dialog box.

4.	To remove a program from a layout, select it from the list and click Delete.

5.	To save the current layout, click OK.

6.	To exit the Save Layout dialog box without saving changes, click Cancel.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


The Printer Manager Change Icon Dialog Box

1.	Click the icon you want to use for this printer. Scroll through the box if you want to see more icons.

2.	Click OK.


The Quick Launch Change Icon Dialog Box

1.	If multiple icons are displayed in the Current Icon box, click the icon you want to use.

2.	Change the File Name if the icon you are looking for is associated with a different file. Changing the file here will not change the file used to launch this program.

3.	Select the icon from the box.  Scroll through the box if you want to see more icons.

4.	Click OK.


The Browse Dialog Box

1.	Under List Files of Type, use the pull-down menu to choose the types of files you want to find.

2.	To choose more specific types of files, type their file extensions in the text area under File Name. For example, to look for files with .txt and .doc extensions, type  *.txt; *.doc.

3.	Under Drives, use the pull-down menu to choose the drive where you want to look for files.

4.	Under Directories, double-click to open directories and browse for files. When a directory is opened, files matching the current file names will be displayed in the list on the left.

5.	When you find the file you're looking for, double-click it or select it, then click OK.

The selected path and file name are displayed in the Command Line field in the Customize dialog box.


The Dashboard Task Manager

The Dashboard Task Manager lets you switch between currently running applications or close selected applications. It also contains a list of applications that are minimized. You can also use the Task Manager to arrange open windows in the extended screens.

Switching to another applications.

1.	Select the application in the Task List

2.	Click Switch To.

Closing an application

1.	Select the program in the Task List.

2.	Click Close Selected.

Displaying memory usage information for a program

1.	Select the program in the Task List.

2.	Click Task Info.

Displaying all extended screen windows in a Tile arrangement.

•	Click Tile.

Displaying all extended screen windows in a Cascade arrangement

•	Click Cascade.

Rearranging minimized icons

•	Click Arrange Icons.

Closing the dialog box

•	Click Done.


The Save Configuration File Dialog Box

You use the Save Configuration File dialog box to save the current Dashboard configuration to a new file name.

1.	Enter the path and file name for the file in the File Name box.

2.	Click OK.

3.	Click Done in the Customize dialog box.


The Load Configuration File Dialog Box

You use the Load Configuration File dialog box to load a selected configuration file.  Dashboard will be displayed according to the settings in the new configuration file.

1.	Enter the path and file name for the file in the Directories and File Name fields.

2.	Click OK.

The file you load becomes the default configuration file.  If you close Dashboard while this configuration file is active, Dashboard will save any configuration changes you have made to this file.


The Modify Program Group Dialog Box

You use the Modify Program Group dialog box to make changes to an existing Program Group.

1.	Enter the new name of the group and select a color key setting.  You can also enter the name of the group file if you want.

2.	Click OK.

3.	Click Done.


The New Program Group Dialog Box

You use the New Program Group dialog box to add a Program Group.

1.	Enter the name of the new group and select a color key setting.  You can also enter the name of the group file if you want.

2.	Click OK.

3.	Click Done.


Dashboard Main Preferences

You can use the Main preferences to set options for the main Dashboard window.

Specifying how to display Dashboard

Choose the Dashboard always in front option if you always want Dashboard in front of all other windows.

Using Dashboard as Windows Shell

Choose Use Dashboard as Windows Shell if you want Dashboard to be the first program to run (known as the "shell program") instead of the Program Manager each time you start Windows.

Using the Dashboard Task Manager

Choose Replace Windows Task Manager if you want to use Dashboard's Task Manager to switch between currently running applications.

Including program icons in the Dashboard

Choose the Show icons in menus and screens option to see program icons in Dashboard's extended screens, Program Menu, and Task Menu.

Choosing a Title Bar display

Choose one of the options in the Title Bar Display drop-down list to determine the appearance of the Dashboard's title bar.

•	Choose Standard to include only a title.

•	Choose Clock to include the date and time.

•	Choose Resources to include system resources information.

Choosing an icon for the minimized Dashboard

Choose one of the options in the Minimized Display drop-down list to choose the icon to be displayed when the Dashboard is minimized.

•	Choose the standard Dashboard icon to display only a title.

•	Choose Clock/Calendar to display the current date and time.

•	Choose Extended Screens to display miniature extended screens.  If you choose the extended screens icon, you can switch screens by clicking on the little boxes in the minimized icon.

•	Choose Resources to display system resources information.

Choosing an orientation for the Dashboard window

•	Choose Horizontal if you want to display Dashboard in the horizontal orientation.

•	Choose Vertical if you want to display Dashboard in the vertical orientation.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Dashboard Toolbar Preferences
Dashboard Toolbars Preferences

Use the Toolbars Preferences to designate which Dashboard panels you want to display as toolbars.

1.	In the Toolbars box, choose the panels you want to make toolbars.

2.	If you want the toolbars to minimize when you minimize Dashboard, choose the Toolbars minimize with Dash check box.

You can also make a panel into a separate toolbar by right-clicking the panel and choosing Snap Off from the Shortcut menu that appears.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Dashboard Fonts Preferences

Use the Fonts preferences to choose the fonts displayed in the Dashboard window and any toolbars.

1.	In the Font list, choose the font you want to use.

2.	In the Font Size list, choose the point size you want to use.

3.	In the Font Style list, choose the style you want to use.

4.	To use Dashboard's default font, click Default Font.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Toolbars


Dashboard Shortcut Keys Preferences

Use the Shortcut Keys Preferences to assign a shortcut key and a mouse shortcut to activate Dashboard.  When you use the shortcut key or the mouse shortcut, Dashboard comes to the front of any other windows or, if it is already displayed in front, goes to the back. You can also assign a shortcut key that will open the Dashboard Run dialog box.

Assigning a shortcut key to activate Dashboard

1.	Click in the Shortcut Key box.

2.	Press the key combination on the keyboard.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

Assigning a mouse shortcut to activate Dashboard

1.	Click in the Mouse Shortcut box.

2.	Click the mouse combination that you want to use.

You can use any mouse button combination with the left, middle, or right button, except a single- or double-click with the left button.

If you are running a full-screen DOS application, you cannot use the mouse shortcut to toggle Dashboard; you can only use the shortcut key.  Also, if you are using applications that do not support a double-click operation, you should not set the mouse shortcut to a double-click.

Assigning a shortcut key to open the Dashboard Run dialog box

1.	Click in the Dashboard Run box.

2.	Press the key combination on the keyboard.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Dashboard Run box and press Del or Backspace.

See Also

Extended Screen Shortcut Keys Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts


Extended Screens Shortcut Keys Preferences

Use the Shortcut Keys Preferences to assign a Shortcut key to each extended screen..

1.	Click in the Shortcut key box for an extended screen.

2.	Press the key combination on the keyboard.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing shortcut key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

See Also

Dashboard Screen Shortcut Keys Preferences

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations

Using Dashboard Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts


Extended Screens Sticky Apps Preferences

Use the Sticky Apps preferences to designate an application as a Sticky App.

Adding a Sticky App

1.	Click Add.

2.	In the Add Sticky App dialog box, select the application you want and click OK.

3.	Click Done.

Deleting a Sticky App

1.	Select the Sticky App you want to delete.

2.	Click Delete.

3.	Click Done.


The Add Sticky Apps Dialog Box

1.	To add a Sticky App, select the application and click OK.

2.	To close the dialog box without adding a Sticky App, click Cancel.


Resources Main Preferences

Use the Resources Main Preferences to change the appearance of the Resource Gauge and to set alarms for memory and System Resources levels.  You can also remove the Resource Gauge from the Dashboard window.

Choosing whether to include the Resources on Dashboard

To remove the Resource Gauge from Dashboard, click Resources in the list on the left and click Hide Item, or deselect the Display system resources gauge option.

To restore the Resources on Dashboard, click Resources from the list on the left and click Show Item, or choose the Display system resources gauge option.

Choosing when to sound an alarm for low resources

Next to Alarm, enter the number of kilobytes or the percentage of remaining memory at which you want Dashboard to sound an alarm.

Selecting a sound for the alarm

Choose the appropriate sound from the drop-down list.  To hear the sound, click the Play Sounds button.

If you did not install the Sound Driver for PC-Speaker, you cannot hear sound with the alarm.  For instructions on installing the driver, see your Dashboard User's Guide.

Displaying the system resources gauge

Choose the Display system resources gauge option.

Displaying the system memory odometer

Choose the Display system memory odometer option.

Displaying the drive watch window

Choose the Display drive watch window option.

Canceling changes to Resources Main preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


Resources Drive Watch Preferences

Use the Resources Drive Watch Preferences to add or remove drives from the Drive Watch panel, or to remove the Drive Watch panel from the Dashboard window.

Choosing whether to include the Drive Watch panel on Dashboard

To remove the Drive Watch panel from Dashboard, click Resources in the list on the left and click Hide Item, or deselect the Display drive watch window option.

To restore the Drive Watch panel on Dashboard, click Resources from the list on the left and click Show Item, or choose the Display drive watch window option.

Adding a drive to the Drive Watch panel

Click the drive you want to add in the list and click Add.

Removing a drive from the Drive Watch panel

Click the drive you want to remove in the list and click Remove.

Canceling changes to Resources Main preferences

To cancel any changes you have made in the Customize dialog box, click the Undo button.

See Also

Using Custom Dashboard Configurations


The Application Task Information Dialog Box

The Application Task Information dialog box shows you memory information about the selected application in the Application Running dialog box or in the Task Manager. If you have more than one copy of an application running, the dialog box shows the task memory used by each copy, as well as the common memory shared by the copies.


Games Preferences

In the Customize dialog box, click the button of the game you would like to customize: Poker, Slots, or Slide Puzzle.

Poker

You can see the payoffs for the winning poker hands. You can also change the default bet or reset your money.

Slots

You can see the payoffs for various Slots results. You can also change the default bet or reset your money.

Slide Puzzle

You can see what each of the three puzzles looks like when assembled correctly, as well as the payoffs for each of the puzzles. You can also reset your money or re-scramble the current puzzle.


Taskbar Preferences

Use the Taskbar Preferences to change the position, performance, and appearance of the Taskbar.

Changing the Taskbar's position

You can set where the Taskbar will be when snapped off as a toolbar. Click the button of the placement you want: Floating, Top, Left, Bottom, or Right.

Note: if the Taskbar is currently attached to the Dashboard window, the position will not take effect until it is snapped off.

Changing the Taskbar's performance and appearance

Auto Hide keeps the Taskbar hidden, but ready to appear. For instance, if the Taskbar is attached to the bottom edge of your screen, it remains hidden until your move your mouse pointer to that edge. Then the Taskbar appears and remains visible until you move your pointer away from it.

Always In Front keeps the Taskbar in front of other windows, even when another other window is active. In addition, maximizing a program window fills the screen area up to the area occupied by the Taskbar (at the top, bottom, left, or right of the screen), without covering the Taskbar.

Hide Iconized Apps turns off the display of minimized program icons on the Windows desktop. The minimized program still appears as a button in the Taskbar, and you can reopen the window by clicking the button. This option is especially useful if youve also selected the Always In Front option, since your running programs (minimized or not) are always accessible via the Taskbar.

Select the Taskbar Button Style: Unlabeled or Labeled. Unlabeled buttons only show the appropriate applications' icons. Labeled buttons show the icons as well as the names of the programs and the files currently open.

See Also

Using Toolbars


Dashboard Panels Preferences

You can add or remove Panels from Dashboard. Removing a panel removes it from memory.

1.	Right-click the Dashboard Title Bar, and choose Customize. Or, click the Customize button. The Customize dialog box appears.

2.	In Dashboard Preferences, click the Panels tab.

To add a panel, select it in the Available Panels box and click Add.

To remove a panel, select it in the Panels In Use box and click Remove.


The Program Item Properties Dialog Box

You use the Program Item Properties dialog box to set the properties for a new program item or to change the properties for an existing program item.

1.	Enter a Description for the program item's icon.

2.	Enter the correct Command Line (path name and file name) and Working Directory for the program. Click Browse if you don't know the path name for the program.

3.	Choose the Run Minimized option if you want the program to be minimized when you open it.

4.	Enter a Shortcut key if you want to launch the program with a shortcut key.

To enter a Shortcut key, press the key combination on the keyboard.

You can enter a function key (for example, F4) or a number, letter, or character key, with a combination of the Alt, Ctrl, or Shift keys. Note that to avoid Shortcut key conflicts with other programs, Dashboard might redefine the sequence slightly. For example, if you type Ctrl+O (which is the Windows standard for Open File), the Shortcut key sequence is recorded as Ctrl+Alt+O. The sequence that appears in the text box is the sequence that is saved as the Shortcut key combination. If you enter a key combination that is used in another application, the corresponding function in that application will override the Dashboard Shortcut key.

If you want to clear the existing Shortcut Key, click in the Shortcut Key box and press Del or Backspace.

5.	Click OK.


The Program Group Dialog Box
The Program Group Properties Dialog Box

You use the Program Group Properties dialog box to set the properties for a new program group or to change the properties for an existing program group.

1.	Enter the new Description for the group.

2.	If you want to use a new filename for the group, change the name in the Group File box.

3.	Cick OK.


The Move Program Item Dialog Box

1.	Click the arrow on the To Group drop-down list.

2.	Select the group you want to move the program to.

3.	Click OK.


The Copy Program Item Dialog Box

1.	Click the arrow on the To Group drop-down list.

2.	Select the group you want to copy the program to.

3.	Click OK.


The Run Dialog Box

1.	Enter the command line for the program in the Command Line and click OK.

If you don't know the command line, use the Browse button to find the program's location and command line.

2.	If you want the program to be minimized when Dashboard launches it, choose the Run Minimized option.


The Browse Dialog Box

1.	Under List Files of Type, use the pull-down menu to choose the types of files you want to find.

2.	To choose more specific types of files, type their file extensions in the text area under File Name. For example, to look for files with .txt and .doc extensions, type  *.txt; *.doc.

3.	Under Drives, use the pull-down menu to choose the drive where you want to look for files.

4.	Under Directories, double-click to open directories and browse for files. When a directory is open, files matching the current file names will be displayed in the list on the left.

5.	When you find the file you're looking for, double-click it or select it, then click OK.

The selected path and file name are displayed in the Command Line field in the Customize dialog box.


The Change Icon Dialog Box

1.	If multiple icons are displayed in the Current Icon box, click the icon you want to use.

2.	Change the File Name if the icon you are looking for is associated with a different file. Changing the file here will not change the file used to launch this program.

3.	Select the icon from from the box.  Scroll through the box if you want to see more icons.

4.	Click OK.


Total Memory
Total Free Memory:  The total amount of memory available on your computer, including Windows system memory and other memory not allocated to Windows.


Windows System Resources
Windows System Resources:  Windows reserves a portion of memory for its own operation; this portion is referred to as Windows System Resources.  The two key components of System Resources, GDI (Graphics Device Interface) memory and User memory, each reserve 64K of memory. Windows uses GDI memory for graphics operations, such as bitmaps, lines, and fill patterns.  Windows uses USER memory for the remainder of its features, such as text, menus, and window frames.

Every Windows application you open uses up some of the System Resources' GDI and User memory.  If you have too many applications open, the available level of System Resources becomes too low to launch any new Windows applications.  If you are unable to launch a new application, or the Resource Gauge indicates that your System Resources are too low for the application you want to launch, you can increase the level of available System Resources by closing one or more of your currently running applications.


Working Directory
Working Directory:  When you want to work with data files in a different directory than the proram you use to create those files, you specify a Working Directory in the Customize dialog box.  When you launch the program, the current directory will be the working directory.  Here's an example:  Your word processing program, WinWord, is in a directory named WORD, but you've specified a working directory named MEMOS. When you run WinWord and use the Open command, you'll see MEMOS displayed as the working directory in the Open File dialog box.


attrib
attrib	Displays or sets the attributes (read-only, archive, system, hidden) of files.

attrib [+r|-r] [+a|-a] [+s|-s] [+h|-h ] [[drive:][path]filename] [/s]


call
call	Transfers control from one batch file to another until that batch file ends, returning control to the first batch file.

call [drive:][path]filename [batch-parameters]


cd (chdir)
cd (chdir)	Changes the directory or displays the name of the current directory.

cd [drive:] [path]

cd[..]

chdir [drive:] [path]

chdir[..]


cls
cls	Clears the screen and the command line, as well as removing all previous output from the output window.

cls


copy
copy	Copies a file from one location to another or combines files.

copy [/a|/b] source [/a|/b] [+source[/a|/b] [+ ...]] [destination [/a |/b]] [/v]


date
date	Changes the system date.

date [month-day-year]


del (erase)
del (erase)	Erases a file or group of files.

del [drive:] [path] filename [/p] [/s]

erase [drive:] [path] filename [/p] [/s]


dir
dir	Lists the files and subdirectories in a directory.

dir [drive:] [path] [filename] [/p] [/w] [/a[[:]attributes]] [/o[[:]sortorder]] [/s] [/b] [/l]


echo
echo	Determines whether commands are displayed as they are executed from the command prompt or from a batch file.

echo [off|on]

echo [message]


edit
edit	Opens the specified text file in the Windows Notepad application.

edit [[drive:][path]filename]


find
find	Searches for a string of characters or numbers within a specified file or files.

find [/v] [/c] [/n] [/i] "string" [[drive:][path]filename]


for
for	Allows you to perform a command on a set of files.

When used in a batch file:

for %%variable in set do command [command-parameters]

When used at the command prompt:

for %variable in set do command [command-parameters]


goto
goto	Transfers execution in a batch program to a specified line, rather than the next line in the batch program.

goto label


help
help	Loads the help system.

help [<command name>]


if
if	Tests whether a condition is true before carrying out a command. (If the condition is false, the specified command is not executed.)

if [not] errorlevel number command

if [not] string1==string2 command

if [not] exist filename command


label
label	Displays or changes the volume label assigned to a floppy disk or hard drive.

label [drive:] [label]


md (mkdir)
md (mkdir)	Creates a subdirectory on the specified drive.

md [drive:]path

mkdir [drive:]path


path
path	Determines where to look for executable files (.EXE, .COM, .BAT, AND .PIF) and documents.

path

path [=] [[drive][path][;...]]


pause
pause	Suspends execution of a batch file until the user presses a key or clicks a mouse button.

pause


print
print	Allows you to print a file to the current printer.

print [[drive:][path]filename[...]]


prompt
prompt	Determines how the command prompt is displayed.

prompt [text]


rd (rmdir)
rd (rmdir)	Removes the directory specified by <dirname>.

rd [drive:][path]

rmdir [drive:][path]


rem
rem	Precedes comments in batch files.

rem [comment]


ren (rename)
ren (rename)	Renames files or directories.

ren [drive:][path] filename1|directoryname1 filename2|directoryname2

rename [drive:][path] filename1|directoryname1 filename2|directoryname2


set
set	Displays, sets, or deletes DOS environment variables.

set [variable=[string]]


shift
shift	Allows a user to specify more than ten parameters on the command prompt for a batch file by replacing the contents of the first parameter (%0) with the contents of the second (%1) and shifting each subsequent parameter down in similar fashion.


sort
sort	Sorts input and writes the output to a device or file.

sort [/r] [/+n] [<] [drive1:][path1]filename1 [>[drive2:][path2]filename2]

[command|]sort [/r] [/+n] [>[drive2:][path2]filename2]


subst
subst	Assigns a drive letter to a directory.

subst [drive1: [drive2:]path]

subst drive1: /d


time
time	Displays or sets the system time.

time [hh:mm]ss:[.xx]][a|p]]


type
type	Displays the contents of an ASCII text file within the Windows Prompt Edit Control output windows.

type [drive:][path]filename


ver
ver	Displays the version of your operating system and the version of Windows Prompt Edit Control.

ver


vol
vol	Displays the label and serial number assigned to a drive.  If no drive is specified, the current drive is used.

vol [drive:]


xcopy
xcopy	Copies files, using all memory made available by Microsoft Windows.

xcopy source [destination] [/a|/m] [/d:date] [/p] [/s [/e]] [/w]


exit
exit	Closes the Dashboard Run dialog box.