Keyboard Shortcuts

This table shows special keyboard shortcuts that can increase your productivity and special commands not shown on the menu. Commands that have no counterpart in the menu or toolbar are marked by “*”.

Technical Specifications

The following is technical information for interested users.

[:] To view technical configuration:

1. Choose Help | About | Technical… .

Files required to run Info Select:

• InfoSelect.exe – Main program
• MFC71.DLL – Microsoft Foundation Class library
• BCGCBPRO95671.dll – BCG control library
• BoostLog.dll – C++ library
• CommonGraph.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• Dialogs.dll – Info Select GUI Library
• ElementViews.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• EMailLibrary.dll – Info Select e-mail Library
• FindFiles.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• hrs32.DLL – RTF to HTML conversion library
• HTS10.DLL – RTF to HTML conversion library
• IS_UIComponents.dll – Info Select UI Library
• ISBase.dll  – Info Select Internal Library
• ISConverter.dll  – Info Select converting library from old Info Select versions
• ISTER.dll – Info Select RTF editor Library
• ISUpdates.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• ISWCOMUtils.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• ISWIniFile.dll – Info Select settings Library
• ISWMail.dll – Info Select e-mail Library
• ISWMain.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• ISWMerge.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• ISWTracing.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• MFCISUtils.dll  – Info Select Internal Library
• MLCryptoProvider.dll  – Info Select crypting Library
• MLEMailClasses.dll  – Info Select e-mail Library
• MLLogger.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• MLSocketLib.dll  – Info Select e-mail Library
• MLSpeller.dll – Info Select spelling Library
• NonMFCISUtils.dll  – Info Select Internal Library
• PrintManager.dll  – Info Select printing Library
• QuickText.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• RTFConverter.dll  – Info Select RTF converting Library
• Selector.dll – Info Select Selector Library
• spell32.dll – spell checker library
• SWarnings.dll – Info Select Internal Library
• TER15.DLL – SubSystems RTF Control
• TerExt.dll  – Info Select Internal Library
• TimerComponent.dll  – Info Select timer component
• OVERVIEW.WD3 – Main data file
• InfoSelect.INI – Setup parameters (file is created on first run)

Needed for Spell Checker:

• DICT25.APP – application dictionary
• DICT25.D – main dictionary data
• DICT25.I – main dictionary index
• DICT25.S – small/core dictionary
• DICT25.U – user dictionary – optional, created as words added
• spell32.dll – Spell Checker Library

Files affected during operation:

• *.WD3 – data files
• InfoSelect.INI – settings

Temporary files

Temporary files are created by Info Select to protect data against errors, accidental shut-downs and other interruptions, to log technical information to facilitate debugging problems and to improve our product. The temporary files should get deleted once the program exits normally. You can delete the following temporary files manually after closing the application and you won’t lose information:

• *.noempty – backup of wd3 file created in case of error reading wd3 file (Info Select version 10)
• *.corrupted – backup of wd3 file created in case of error reading wd3 file (Info Select version 10)
• *.copy – backup of wd3 file before converting file to the newest data format (Info Select version 11)
• data.txt – Logs your data changes if the option Home | Options | Saving | General | “Log edits to data.txt file” is enabled.

Temp folder – temporary copies of E-mail and Note attachments
E-mail backup folder – temporary copies of received e-mail.

And these files of technical information needed by tech support:

InfoselectProfile.txt, InfoSelectProfile.xml, assert_g2.txt, remapid.log, converter.log

Optimizing Speed

The speed of Info Select can change depending on the configuration of your system.

If your hard drive light goes on each time you do a search of Overview, you may have a configuration problem or insufficient memory for efficient operation. As a point of reference, on a properly configured minimal CPU (Pentium®  I 133 64 megabyte RAM), Info Select can search a one megabyte topic having 1000 notes in about one second and load or save in about 5 seconds.

Try to give Windows as much access to resources as possible. For additional information on optimizing your system, see your Windows Users Guide.

It is also best to obtain the latest video and printer drivers for your specific display adapter and printer (available from the manufacturers or vendors and some online services).

Working with two computers

One person can use Info Select on two computers. For example, you might need to work at the office and at home.

[:] To prepare to work on a secondary computer:

1. Install Info Select on the second computer.
2. Copy all Info Select data files to the second computer via removable media such as a flash drive.

[:] To move a specific data item (note, topic, database, calendar, etc.) to another computer:

1. In Info Select, choose Menu Ribbon | Insert | Data… and specify something like Briefcase.wd3 as the File name (if you have not done this before).
2. Drag the Selector items you wish to move into the Briefcase File.
3. Select the Briefcase File and choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Close.
4. Place a diskette in the A: drive, and in Explorer copy C:\Info Select G2\Briefcase.wd3 to A:\Briefcase.wd3.
5. Go to the other computer.
6. Choose Menu Ribbon | Insert | Data… and specify Briefcase.wd3 (if you have not already done this).
7. Expand the Briefcase File and make sure it is empty.
8. Select the Briefcase File and choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Close.
9. Using Explorer, copy A:\Briefcase.wd3. to C:\Info Select G2\Briefcase.wd3 and confirm Yes to overwrite the existing File.
10. Expand the Briefcase File and drag the transferred data outside the File.

Using USB Drives for transferring data between computers

One of the easiest and most reliable ways to have your data on two computers is to use a USB thumb or flash drive. By storing your data files on the USB Drive you can easily move your data between machines without having to copy or synchronize data (click here for instructions on storing data in separate locations). These drives are low cost and widely available. As with all important data be sure to make frequent backups – more so for portable media which can get lost.

Copying files between computers

You can move Info Select to another computer. For example, you might need to move Info Select when you buy a new computer.

[:] To move Info Select to another computer:

1. 1. 1. 1. On the old computer, in Windows Explorer, copy all files of extension *.WD2, *.WD3, DICT25.U and InfoSelect.INI files from the old directory to removable media such as a CD or flash drive. The old directory is:
            Version 10: C:\Info Select G2
            Version 4,5,6,7,8 and 2007: C:\Program Files\Info Select
            Version 3: C:\ISW3
            Version 1: C:\ISW
            If you have *.WD2 or *.WD3 data files in other directories copy those too. Use Windows Search to find the files. In most cases all the *.WD3 data files are located in the C:\Info Select G2 folder, and you don’t need to search for them, however if you are not sure, it is recommended to perform a search.
         2. On the new computer, if you haven’t entered any data into Info Select, delete the C:\Info Select G2 folder. Otherwise, leave as is, but rename the Overview.wd3 file to Overview_new.wd3.
         3. Download the appropriate version of Info Select to your new computer from https://www.miclog.com/download/index.htm and install per the web site instructions.
         4. Start Windows Explorer.
         5. Copy all files from the removable media to the Info Select folder (C:\Info Select G2). Confirm overwriting files, as appropriate.
         6. If you copied data from a CD or DVD right click on each *.WD3 file and choose Properties from the pop-up menu. If checked, uncheck Read-Only.
         7. Run Info Select on the new computer.
         8. Single click on Overview at the top of the left side of the screen.
         9. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open…. A file selection dialog appears.
         10. Select C:\Info Select G2.
         11. Select the first *.WD3 file other than overview and click Open. If Info Select indicates that the file is already open click OK.
         12. Repeat from step 9 above for other *.WD3 files except Overview.wd3 (since it is already open).
         13. For any files in the Selector (those displaying a floppy disk icon) showing a path other than C:\Info Select G2, on the keyboard click DELETE and choose to delete the file from Selector Only. Now all your data should be available in the Info Select selector and all files will be located in one folder – C:\Info Select G2.
         14. Remove at least InfoSelect.EXE from the old computer due to copyright.
             If you have data files either copied or backed up to a diskette, you can copy those files to your hard disk and view the data from Info Select.

[:] To restore files from removable media:

1. Close Info Select.
2. Insert the media.
3. Open Windows Explorer and highlight all *.WD3 extension files on the media drive.
4. Choose Edit | Copy.
5. Go to the directory where Info Select is installed (e.g. C:\Info Select G2).
6. Choose Edit | Paste. If you are prompted to overwrite some files, confirm the overwrite if you are certain you want to replace the hard disk data with the new data.
7. In Explorer get the file properties and make sure the Read-Only property is unchecked.
8. Start Info Select.
9. Open any files that are not already listed in the Selector by choosing Menu Ribbon | Home | Open.

The Selector should now show the information restored from the removable media.

Intro to Applications

Info Select has many applications. Those illustrated in this section are just samples. Many are quite specific and are only intended to suggest different possibilities for using Info Select:

• Write and organize business letters
• Track sales leads
• Enter customer orders
• Create, send, store, and organize e-mail
• Make notes on clients
• Track client time
• Make notes in courtrooms
• Write books
• Do group editing
• Setup an information desk
• Make notes on major decisions
• Keep To-Do lists
• Writing advertisements
• Store location of documents or photographs
• Match buyers and sellers
• Organize inventory
• Store business card data
• Track articles in periodicals
• Track equipment in repair centers
• Keep instructions on software packages
• Manage a trade show
• Organize storage boxes
• Help do detective work
• Evaluate resume’s
• Find telephone numbers
• Store names and addresses
• List account numbers
• Record bank transactions
• Take telephone messages
• Keep notes on custom orders
• Record customer comments
• Remember meanings of codes
• List errands to be done
• Store medical histories and techniques
• Enter patient information
• Store litigation reports
• Make airline travel arrangements
• Schedule outside appointments
• General Applications

Maintain a To-Do list

Use Info Select to keep track of things to do. You can store each reminder in separate Topics or maintain an entire list in one Note.

Assist at reception desks

Use Info Select at reception desks as a company reference tool for names, telephone numbers, locations, and other organizational information.

Write business & personal letters

Info Select simplifies the task of writing and editing letters. You can quickly find specific letters by their content. Moreover, there is no need to assign a File name to each letter.

Store business card data

Searching through stacks of business cards can be time consuming. If you store this data in Info Select you will find the information you need instantly. Simply create a separate Note or Form for each card.

Insert text into a word processor

You may find that you use some phrases, paragraphs, or addresses repeatedly in your word processor. To save time, you can store these recurring bits of information in Info Select. When you need a particular phrase or paragraph, switch to Info Select, access the desired item, and then use the Copy and Paste commands to transfer the information into your word processor.

Manage a trade show

Info Select is ideal for managing the fast-paced environment of trade shows and other events. The rapid search capability gets you the information you need instantly.

Before a trade show begins, use Info Select to enter customer names, phone numbers, requirements, sign specifications, booth sizes, carpeting, colors, accessories, utilities, and so on.

During the show, use Info Select to handle such things as technical problems, exhibitor requests, and resource allocation.

Write advertisements

Info Select is useful in writing advertisements and other documents that require frequent revisions. Use the Copy command to create several versions of ads. This way you can compare and contrast old drafts with new ones. You can also jot down new ideas as they come to you, in separate Notes.

Train employees

You can jot down notes in Info Select when learning complex software applications. You can also store special command sequences, procedures, function summaries, and other pertinent material.

Work with clients

Use Info Select to store notes on clients. When a client calls, their questions can be intelligently fielded and potentially embarrassing lapses can be avoided. You will not have to waste time shuffling through papers and your client will have been serviced in an efficient and professional manner.

Expedite orders

You can use Info Select to create a Database for orders or to import data from a pre-existing Database. Use the Search command to retrieve information quickly. This expedites customer service inquiries.

Match buyers with sellers

Info Select can help connect buyers with sellers. For example, if you are in the export business, use Info Select to keep a record of who is selling and at what price. When a buyer requests an item, you will immediately be able to identify a matching seller.

Maintain sale leads

Use Info Select to store, recall, and organize sales leads. Create a Form or Database in Info Select containing information such as:

• prospective client’s name
• contact person
• address
• phone number(s)
• summarized status of the lead
• dated notes on a series of conversations/meetings
• other general information about the prospect
• Create a “HOT” Topic for hot prospects.

Pair resume’s with job requirements

Use Info Select to search through resumes to match applicant qualifications with job requirements.

Store and Edit on-line data

Clippings from the Internet can accumulate quickly. Use Info Select to store and organize them.

Track computer equipment

Keep track of computer equipment. Store descriptions, serial numbers, locations, maintenance histories, user names, and special instructions.

Organize storage boxes

Organize storage boxes by labeling each box with a number and then assigning a Note in Info Select for each box number, with a description of its contents. You will be able to locate stored items immediately by content.

Establish an info base

Instead of sending employees through expensive and time consuming training programs, equip the office with Info Select info bases. Employees can use these info bases to obtain detailed information on any number of topics ranging from technical procedures to company policies. For example, a corporation may want to setup an Info Select info base center where employees can access information about their medical coverage. An employee, who recently has had a physical examination, can simply use the Info Select Search command to determine the appropriate form to fill out.

Find magazine articles

Use Info Select to catalog magazine articles. Simply create an item containing the title of the article and description as well as the name, date, and page number of the publication where the article appears. Any article can then be easily found.

Locate documents and/or photographs

Use Info Select to organize documents and/or photographs. On the back of each document or photograph, assign a sequence number. Store the documents or photographs in sequential order. In Info Select, record the sequence number with a brief description of each document or photograph. This enables you to find all related documents and/or photographs or just one particular document or photograph for a given subject.

Assist repair shops

If you manage a repair shop, use Info Select to answer customer questions when they call or stop by. Create a Note or Form in Info Select for each customer, including the product description, customer’s name, parts used, cost, problems reported, claim check number, date, and progress.

Assist pharmacists

As a pharmacist, you could retrieve procedures, catalog formulas, record patient histories and process telephone orders from both doctors and patients.

Assist detective work

Info Select can be a powerful tool for detective work. The flexible search facility and the ability to view several items of information on the screen at the same time enables you to recognize new relationships between data.

Example Application

The following scenario illustrates some of the ways you can use Info Select while familiarizing you with Info Select terms.

Joe the Carpenter

Joe the Carpenter has just installed Info Select on his computer when the telephone rings . . .

Mary Higgins needs a small room added to the southeast corner of her Lake Street home. Joe creates a Note and enters Mary’s name in the caption. Inside the Note, he enters Mary’s address, telephone number and specifications for the room. She thanks Joe and hangs up.

The telephone rings again. It’s Tom State from the Governor’s office. The Governor, while sitting down, broke his office chair. Immediately, Joe creates a new Note and records Tom’s address, telephone number and specifications about the chair. Now Joe has two clients in his Selector, Mary Higgins and Tom State.

The telephone rings again. It’s Mary Higgins again. She decided she needs the room added to the southwest corner of her home and not the southeast corner. From the Selector, Joe selects Mary’s name. Her Note appears. Joe edits her specifications accordingly.

By the end of the morning, Joe has accumulated twenty-three Notes from various clients in his Selector. He now wants to arrange these clients by their addresses in order to minimize the distance and time spent on travel. He creates a Topic for each of the five neighboring towns and places the address Notes into these Topics .

Before leaving for the first job, Joe needs to make sure he has all the necessary tools and material. He issues a Summary command for a quick listing of the twenty-three jobs and then prints the summary to take with him.

On his way out, the telephone rings. It’s Tom State from the Governor’s Office. He says the Governor has decided to purchase new furniture and will not need Joe after all. When they hang up, Joe cannot remember in which Topic he put Tom State’s Note. Joe then performs a Search for “Tom State”. The search finds the Note and places it in the Search Filter. Joe selects the Note and then Deletes it. Joe creates and prints a new summary to reflect the changes and heads out the door.

Joe returns from his day having been paid by only half his clients. Joe decides to setup two Folders: “Paid” and “Not Paid”. After assigning each Note to the appropriate Folder, Joe can finally stop for the day.

Joe’s Business Blooms

Organized and in control of his records, Joe’s business grows. He realizes he now needs to keep careful records of his business transactions. He creates a Form Database to store these records.

It turns out that Mac, an old carpenter friend of Joe’s, is retiring. He informs Joe he has built up a large client list over the years, but it is stored on an old Database program. Joe says that is not a problem and Imports the names and addresses from the Database into his Info Select Database.

Joe decides to create flyers for his potential new clients. In the flyer, he explains that Mac is retiring and he, Joe, is available for carpentry jobs. He uses the Spell-Check to check for spelling mistakes. When he is finished, he prints copies of the flyer. Joe then uses the Mail Merge feature to print the new names and addresses from the Database onto envelopes. Joe then stuffs, seals and sends out each envelope with a flyer.

Because of Joe’s mailing, his client base increases. He decides to change the name of his company from “Joe’s Carpentry” to “Joe Incorporated”. He issues a Replace command to find every occurrence of the old name and replace it with the new name.

Furthermore, Joe rents an office and hires new employees. He sets up a Network where he can E-mail information to each employee.

Alice in Accounts

Alice in the Accounts Department oversees the purchasing of materials. She uses a Database to input each material’s name, quantity needed, and unit price. One afternoon, she has been entering Material Request slips from her boss when she realizes that she is using the previous week’s Request slips. She issues a Revert command to restore all her data from the previous Save.

When Alice is not processing request slips, she uses the Calendar to organize her workday. She schedules events in her Day View and reviews her schedule for the upcoming month in the Monthly View. She sets a Recurring Task to remind her to send her time sheets to Personnel every other week. She also sets a Tickler to remind her she needs to start working on the Annual Report.

Last week, Joe had scheduled a meeting for Monday at 10am. Alice’s Alarm rang first at 9:30, and then again at 10:00 to remind her of the meeting. She had linked the scheduled meeting to a Note in the Selector. The Note provided her a review of the material that would be discussed in the meeting.

In preparation for the staff meeting, Joe uses the Change Into command to change his “For Meeting” Topic into a Note, adds some additional information, and prints a copy for each person.

Joe with Profit

When Joe receives the Annual Report from Alice through the Network, he performs a search in his Selector to find the Net Profit notes for that year

Miscellaneous

Info Select comes with sample data and templates in a Topic captioned “Supplied Topics”. If you delete this Topic from the Overview, you might want to restore it.

[:] To reinstall Supplied Topics:

1. Exit Info Select.
2. In Windows Explorer, go to the Info Select directory (e.g. C:\Info Select G2) and rename the files Overview.wd3 and Overview.bak to OldOverview.wd3 and OldOverview.bak.
3. Reinstall Info Select.
4. Start Info Select.
5. In the Selector, highlight Overview.
6. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open… and select OldOverview.wd3.
7. Expand OldOverview.wd3.
8. Press ALT + LEFT ARROW, and click OK.
9. With OldOverview selected, press the DELETE key and choose Disk + Selector.

On rare occasions, corrupt data may need to be deleted. If displaying an item locks your system, there is an indirect way to delete the item.

[:] To delete an item without viewing it:

1. Place an empty Topic above the item to be deleted.
2. Click on the item below the item to be deleted.
3. Create another empty Topic.
4. Press Alt+Up
5. While Holding the SHIFT key click on the first empty Topic.
6. Press DELETE and confirm.

Upgrading Versions 1 or 2

This section is only for users upgrading from the following very early versions:

• Info Select for Windows Version 2
• Info Select for Windows Version 1
• Info Select for DOS
• Tornado

Although this version of Info Select has many new features, it retains the key features of earlier versions. This section explains how to install the upgrade, introduces important new concepts, and discusses the differences between new and old versions.

Loading old data

Loading earlier data into the new version

Data from versions 1 or 2 will not be affected when loaded into this new version.

If you are upgrading from version 1 or 2, the new version will install into a new subdirectory. It is recommended that you leave your data from earlier versions in the original subdirectory (e.g., IS or ISW). When earlier version Stacks are loaded, they will be automatically converted to the new format (the original .wd File will remain untouched) and saved in the new subdirectory with the extension .wd3. (Do not rename a .wd File to a .wd3 File.)

[:] To load stacks from earlier versions:

1. From the Selector, click Overview. The stack you load will be inserted below Overview.
2. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Open…. A dialog box appears.
3. From the Files of type list box, select the proper file extension type.
4. Choose the drive and directory where your old files are located (usually C:\IS for the DOS version and C:\ISW for Windows version 1).
5. Choose a Stack to load. You can select multiple stacks by holding down the SHIFT key and clicking on the stacks to load.
6. Click Open. The data will now be loaded and shown in the Selector after a short delay.
7. In the Selector, expand the Stack name. Press the DOWN ARROW key to view your Notes.

Your Notes may appear narrower because proportional fonts are narrower than monospaced fonts. You can widen any window with your mouse. A proportional font is a font in which different character have different pitches (widths). Proportional fonts are also called proportional-pitch fonts. An example of a proportional typeface is Times New Roman and Arial; an example of a fixed typeface is Courier.

New Notes you create now will initially take up the full Workspace area and not have a sizable frame. (See here.)

If you used Note forms, load your USER or USERW stack. This will automatically install your old forms into the Template menu. From the USER or USERW topic, delete any unused items and those labeled Stacknames, Formmenu, Linknames, and Pointers. See 2-7 “Improved Forms” for more information on converting prior version forms. RELATED TOPIC

Note that you can export Files of the new .wd3 format back to a .wd File, provided the new file contains only Notes. To export to .wd format, choose the Topic that contains the Notes you wish to export, choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Save | Export to File…, and choose the .wd extension in the listbox.

Consolidate small Stacks (Files)

When an earlier-version Stack is loaded, it is converted into a File. If you have many small Files, you can consolidate them into a few larger ones. Doing so will reduce the number of Files you need to manage on your hard drive. See Recommended File Sizes.

The Speed of the new version

Info Select will search as fast or faster than earlier versions — but only if your Windows environment is configured properly. If you have a substantial amount of data and an improperly configured system (or one with insufficient memory), you may experience a slow down in processing time. You can speed up saving and searching by closing files that are not in use. See Speed Reference.

Outlining

Perhaps the most significant change to Info Select starting with version 3 was the addition of the Selector at the left side of the screen. This allowed users to do outlining and enter information in a new way. It is important to begin entering your data directly in the Selector on the left side of the screen instead of in Notes on the right side.

An outline can be helpful when you are organizing thoughts, ideas, and any kind of information. When you use an outline, you organize your information into main topics, subtopics, sub-subtopics, and so on.

The new Info Select can display information in “outline” form. These outlines are shown at the left side of the Info Select application in an area of the screen called the Selector. The data contained in the Selector may include various types of information: Topics, Notes, Calendars, Databases, and Forms. Outlining allows you to:

•  Develop a hierarchy for your information
•  Rearrange your information easily
•  Determine the level of detail shown for each item
•  See an overview of your information

Note that you do not have to use the Outline approach. You can still use the earlier free-form approach or mix both methods.

If you choose to use the outlining feature, you may find it quicker to outline gradually as you enter new information, instead of trying to outline all your earlier data at once. See Introduction to Organizing and Viewing Data.

You can Cut and Paste items in the Selector. This allows you to move an item from one end of the Selector to the other without having to resort to “long-distance” dragging. See Moving Items.

Important Differences

The Selector is shown at the left side of the screen

The Selector added important new capabilities for managing information. The Selector takes the place of the Stacknames window, makes it extremely easy to add new Files, allows you to search across multiple Topics, and allows you to categorize information into outlines. It is important to begin entering your data directly in the Selector on the left side of the screen instead of in Notes on the right side.

New items are not automatically placed at the top

In the new version, Notes you create can be placed at the highlighted location in a Topic instead of automatically going to the top. To place an item at the top, first press the HOME key.

New Tickler feature

Ticklers are now entered into the Calendar instead of placing **mm/dd/yy in Notes. Ticklers from earlier versions will be placed in a Calendar automatically. You can delete any ticklers that are outdated. See Calendar and Scheduling.

Bringing Note Frames into View

The edge of a Note frame (which may include a scrollbar), may fall off the edge of the Workspace. When this happens: widen the Workspace by dragging its left edge, drag the Note window into position, or select Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties | Maximized Frame.

No more “Stack Names” window

There is no longer a Stack Names window. Your Files(Stacks) are loaded with a standard File Open command and thereafter remain listed in the Selector. The Selector takes the place of your Stack Names window and serves other functions as well.

No more “USER” stack

The USER or USERW Stack no longer serves a purpose in Info Select. However, you should load the User stack to retrieve any needed forms.

Group commands

Commands applied to an expanded Topic are automatically applied to all sub items in the Topic without the need for a Group prefix command. See Group Operations.

Window frames

You can configure the window frames for new Notes you create. See Changing Item Frames.

[:] Set a frame size and style for new Notes:

1. In the Selector, expand the Templates Topic.
2. Click the starred white Note icon .
3. The default setting for new Notes is to fill the Workspace, since you can see an overview of your data in the Selector. If you wish to retain this default, skip this step. If you want new Notes to be in smaller, sizable frames, select Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties | Maximized Frame and resize the blank window to the size you want for new Notes.
4. If you want the date and/or time to be typed automatically in new Notes, insert @D for date and/or @T for time inside the default Note (with a space between them if you use both) and place the symbol ^ after the @D/@T. This will signify where the edit should start when creating a new Note.
5. In the Selector, collapse the Templates Topic.

If you choose the Maximized Frame style, you may want to convert your old data.

[:] To convert your old data to maximum size window frames:

1. In the Selector, choose the Topic containing your earlier data and expand it.
2. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties | Maximized Frame.
   Repeat these steps as needed for each Topic (Stack).

Form Captions

Form captions are now displayed differently. See Managing Fields.

Phased out features

Ability to list Folders in the Selector are no longer supported.

Differences in Searching

Two ways to leave Search Filter

There are now two ways to leave the Search Filter – F4 and SHIFT + F4. Use F4 to view all items. Use SHIFT + F4 to leave the Filter and stay positioned at the highlighted item.

Search Scope

In the search dialog you can specify whether to search the “text” in items and/or the item’s “captions”.

Cross Topic searching

Unlike earlier versions, you can now search across multiple open Files.

Improved Forms

Two new types of forms are available – Forms and Databases. Both types use dialog box style fields. Databases allow you to control the fields of all records at once by changing a master form.

[:] To convert earlier forms to the new style:

1. From the Selector, choose the earlier form.
2. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties and check Support Text Forms if it is unchecked.
3. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Change Into | Form.
4. Set the field layout manually.

See Adding and Modifying Fields.

Note-based forms from earlier versions of Info Select let you tab between fields marked by bracket symbols.

[:] To use earlier text style forms with [ ] brackets as fields:

1. Create a new Note and set up your form as in earlier versions.
2. Place the ^ symbol in the Note where you want the cursor positioned when you bring up the form.
3. Press ESC.
4. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties. If unchecked, select Support Text Forms.
5. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Templates | Add Template. In the Selector next to the Note you will see a new  icon appear, indicating the item is now a Template.
6. Place the Template in the Templates Topic.
7. Verify that the Field Delimiter character in Menu Ribbon | Home | Options | Editor | Locate fields in text forms using this char is set to an open bracket ([).

[:] To support tabbing between field symbols in a Note:

1. In the Selector, choose the Note.
2. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties. If unchecked, select Support Text Forms.
3. Use TAB and SHIFT + TAB to move between fields.

Additional New Features

Network Ready

Info Select now includes Network and E-mail features. There are also new Network capabilities. See Network Features.

Multiple data types

In addition to Notes, the following items can also be created: Topics, Forms, Databases, Calendars, Fields, and E-mail.

Spell checker

Spell-Check feature has been added.

Window Management

Info Select now offers greater flexibility for managing windows. Windows can be moved with the mouse. Windows can be “Pinned-Up” anywhere on the screen, remaining visible for easy reference or editing. Windows can be nested inside one another and have a variety of frame types.

Full font and character set support

Info Select now supports proportional fonts and basic formatting. See Font Style, Color, and Size.

Improved mail merge

Info Select now offers two ways to use mail merge. You can use the old method, where the data to be merged is stored in the text of your Notes, or you can use the new method, which extracts the data to be merged from an Info Select Database. See Introduction to Reports.

More features

Numerous additional improvements can be found throughout this documentation.

Why Your Text May Be Misaligned

Your text may be misaligned when you load your earlier version stacks. This is because the text in earlier versions uses monospaced fonts, while the text now uses proportional fonts. It is recommended that you use proportional fonts since they use less screen space and offer a larger selection of font types.

[:] To realign your text in a specific note:

1. In Edit Mode, press CTRL + A.
2. From the font combo box below the toolbar, select a monospaced font (e.g., Courier New, Fixedsys, Terminal).
3. Click OK.

If you need to retain the alignment of text in all your earlier version documents, use a monospaced font as your default.

[:] To set a monospaced font as your default:

1. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Options | Font | Notes, Documents, Grids. A dialog box appears.
2. From the Font box, select a monospaced font (e.g., Courier, Courier New, Fixedsys, Terminal).
3. Click OK.

[:] To re-center text lines from earlier versions:

1. Place the cursor at the beginning of the line.
2. Press CTRL + T to remove the spaces.
3. Press CTRL + E to center the line.

Displaying Line Draw Characters

Early Info Select versions supported Line Draw characters. The characters that originated from DOS do not appear in most Windows fonts. If you have a Note where you need to retain the Line Draw characters, apply a font such as MS Line Draw or Terminal that includes these characters. You can create Forms that include data entry fields appearing as rectangular lined boxes. See Forms and Databases.

[:] To change a Note’s font to support DOS Line Draw characters:

1. Click inside the Note in the Workspace.
2. Highlight all the text by pressing CTRL + A.
3. Select a font supporting line draw characters (e.g., MS Line Draw or Terminal).

Tips for Optimal Use

If you have become accustomed to an earlier version of Info Select, you may find it helpful to refer to this section before and after you have become familiar with the basics.

General Tips

The following tips will help you optimize your use of the new version.

Convert small Files into Topics to eliminate the need to manage a large number of files on your hard drive. See Recommended File Sizes.

You can keep several files loaded in the Selector at once. Close large files you are not using to conserve memory and speed up full searches.

Organize your information into outlines with several levels of indentation. See Organizing and Viewing Data and Outlining.

Use the Pin-Up feature to keep a window in view. See Pinning Items.

You can use Topics for one-line Notes. See Creating a New Note.

Use proportional fonts instead of mono-spaced fonts (as in earlier versions). You will need to reformat some Notes, but will be able to fit more text in a window and be able to choose from a much wider selection of fonts.

Make use of the new items – Topics, Calendars, Forms, Databases.

Dividing Topics Into Sub-Topics

If you choose to reorganize your old data into outlines, doing so manually can be time-consuming. To get started, consider dividing data into Sub-Topics automatically. For example, suppose you have a Topic containing many random Notes and you want to bring all items containing the name “Einstein” into their own Topic. You can do this quickly by combining the Search and Split commands. See Dividing and Merging Topics.

Folders instead of codes

In earlier versions, it was suggested that you place codes inside Notes to help classify your information. For example, the characters “*H” may have been used to indicate high priority items. Now, Topics and Folders are available as a means of classifying your data. For example, High priority items can be stored in a Topic or Folder named “Do H”.

Topics as One-Line Notes

A common type of information you might enter into Info Select is a short Note, often as short as one line. You may find it helpful to use the Selector captions as one-line “Notes”. This way, you can arrange data more easily, add sub-topics, and view all information from the Selector.

[:] To create a one-line note in the Selector:

1. Choose Menu Ribbon | Insert | Topic (F11).
2. Type the text.
3. Press ENTER.

Converting Notes Into Topics

When a stack is loaded from an earlier version, it becomes a File consisting of several Notes. You may want to change some of your Notes into Topics. For example, if you had a Note containing a list of items, you can change the Note so it displays as a list of Topics in the Selector. This way, you can arrange your data more easily as well as add information in sub-topics. You can also convert a Note whose text is divided by sub-headings into outline form.

[:] To change a Note into a Topic:

1. From the Selector, choose the Note.
2. If you want to divide your Note into Topics at every line, make no changes to the Note. If you want to divide your Note into a Topic of several Notes, enter a Split Marker (two dashes alone on a line – or the setting in Menu Ribbon | Home | Options | Misc | Note Delimiter) at each point where you want to divide the Note. Anything following a Split Marker, up to the next line, will be taken as the caption of the new Note.
3. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Change Into | Topic.

The original Note remains in the Selector. It can be deleted when desired.

Tutorial

Before using this tutorial, review the General Tutorial.

When you open Stacks created by versions 1 or 2, your old files will not be affected. The data will be converted and copied into the new subdirectory.

[:] Load your old Base Stack – a copy will be made and your old file will NOT be affected:

1. From the Selector, choose Overview. The Stack you load will be inserted below this item.
2. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Open…. A dialog box appears.
3. Under Files of Type list select *.wd.
   Under Drives select C.
   Under Directories double-click C:\ and the old subdirectory (e.g., “ISW”).
   Choose the Base file and click Open. This will copy the File into the new Info Select directory and convert the file into the newer .WD3 File type. (You can load multiple Stacks at once by holding down the CTRL key while selecting several Stack names in the dialog box.)

Your Base Stack appears in the Selector with a triangle icon  followed by the File name. Such Stacks are now called Files. You can open and search several Files at once.

Indented below your Base File you will see a listing of your Notes, each with a white page icon . (If the Notes are not listed, double-click Base.) Next to each Note (white page) icon, you will see the Note’s caption text. Initially, the caption for each Note is taken from the text inside the Note. These captions are called “literal” captions since they literally copy the text of your Note. You can change this caption text by pressing F2 and Editing it.

[:] Browse through your Notes:

1. Browse with the DOWN ARROW key.
2. Click a specific Note in the Selector to view the text of that Note.

Versions 1 and 2 supported only mono-spaced (typewriter style) fonts. This version supports proportional fonts as well. If you select a proportional font as your default, some of the text in your old notes may be misaligned. You can correct this by editing those notes.

[:] Choose your default font:

1. Choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Options | Font | Notes, Documents, Grids. The Font dialog box appears.
2. Select your desired font and point-size. (Smaller sizes allow you to see more data at once.) If you absolutely need maximum compatibility with your old data, use mono-spaced fonts like Courier New or Terminal. To ensure that your printouts are consistent with your screen display, use only True-Type (TT) fonts.
3. Click OK.

[:] Collapse the Notes in your Base File:

1. Double-click the Base File. The triangle icon turns to the right  and your Notes are hidden.

[:] Set a frame size and style for new Notes:

1. In the Selector expand the Templates Topic.
   Click the starred white Note icon .
2. The default setting for new Notes is to fill the Workspace since you can see an overview of your data in the Selector. If you wish to retain this default, skip this step. If you want new Notes to be in smaller, sizable frames, select Menu Ribbon | Selector | Properties | Maximized Frame, then resize the blank window to the size you want for new Notes.
3. If you want the date and/or time to be typed automatically into new Notes, insert @D for date and/or @T for time inside the default Note (with a space between them if you use both) and place the symbol ^ after the @D/@T. This will signify where the Edit should begin when creating a new Note.
4. From the Selector, double-click the Templates Topic to collapse it.

Now, change the order of items listed in the Selector.

[:] Move your Base File:

1. Drag the Base File to the bottom of the Selector using your mouse. Make sure the black drag bar in the Selector is below the last item in the Selector. (If you position the drag bar on another Topic, your Base File will drop into that Topic. If this happens, double-click the Topic, drag Base above the Topic, and double-click the Topic again.)
   Now, drag Base back to the top of the Selector – just under Overview. (Items cannot be placed above Overview.)

You can create new Topics to classify the data in Base. (Adding Topics was described in the first tutorial.) If you do not have the time to classify your old data initially, classify gradually or simply leave your data unclassified as in earlier versions.

You can use the Search and Split features as an easy way to classify your old data.

[:] Divide data into Topics using the Search and Split commands:

1. Select the Base File.
2. Press F5. Into the Search for box enter a Search Key that will extract items you want to group together in a Topic (e.g., a person’s name or a specific subject). Press ENTER.
3. In the Selector, click the Base Topic.
4. Choose Menu Ribbon | Selector | Split.

You will see the original Base File and a new Topic containing just the searched items. You can change the caption of the newly created Topic (as described previously). You may want to drag the newly created Topic inside the original Topic.

You can close a File (Stack) and still have it listed in the Selector. This will conserve memory and speed searching of other data.

[:] Close your Base File:

1. In the Selector, highlight the Base File and choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Close.

The caption will be grayed out to show the File is closed.

[:] Re-open the Base File:

1. Double-click the File to re-open it (or choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Reopen).

Load your USERW (USER in some earlier versions) stack in the same way as Base was loaded above. This will automatically install your old forms in the Template menu. You may delete the special items labeled Stacknames, Formmenu, Linknames, and Pointers.

Load your other Stacks as needed.

Notice that earlier versions had only one type of data (Notes) and had no summary listing of your data. This version has several data types (Notes, Topics, Calendars, Databases, and Forms.) and has a summary listing of your data (in the Selector). The icon in the Selector indicates the type of item. You can add, delete, and rearrange items of all types.

Browse the supplied Topics and Sub-Topics for examples of what this new version can do.

Converting .wd files for sharing

If you want to setup Info Select to share data files on a network, you need to first convert the .wd files to .wd3 format.

[:] To convert earlier version .wd files you wish to share:

1. Using Explorer, copy the files you wish to share to the shared directory created above.
2. In Info Select, choose Menu Ribbon | Home | Open | Open.
3. In the Files of Type box, select *.wd.
4. Choose a File you wish to convert.
5. Click OK.
6. Repeat the above steps for each *.wd File.
7. You may archive the .wd Files to removable media if you wish.

Also see Network Features.

Making the new version work like an old version

You can make this version of Info Select work like prior versions.

[:] To show multiple notes on the screen at one time:

1. See Setting Appearance of New Items.

[:] To minimize the space taken up by the Selector:

1. Drag the line that separates the Selector from the Workspace to the left.

Glossary

Caption – a line of text in the Selector (usually left side of the screen) which summarizes the purpose of or creates a title for a data item.

Workspace – the main area where document text and other data appear, usually located on the right side of the Info Select screen.

Search filter – a mode where only the information searched for is displayed.

Selector – the outlining area usually located on the left side of the Info Select screen.

Status Bar  – a horizontal bar located at the bottom of the Info Select screen.

Menu Ribbon – set of toolbars that are placed on tabs at the top of the Info Select screen.

Context Pane – a toolbar with tabs that allow you to quickly change between different Selector views.