Generations EasyTree/EasyChart 8.0 Version 8 Readme File 06/20/00 [ To read this file, select Edit/Word Wrap from the menu above ] *********************************************************************** About This Document: Thank you for purchasing Generations EasyTree/EasyChart 8.0. This document contains last-minute information about Generations EasyTree/EasyChart 8.0 and other information about the program not found in the Help Files. This README file includes information that pertains to general problems and questions you may have concerning this software or your computer. Should you experience any problems with Generations EasyTree/EasyChart 8.0, please refer to this file for additional help on answering questions about the program and solving technical difficulties. *********************************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS II. STARTING OUT III. GENERAL PROGRAM ISSUES IV. CONTACTING SIERRA I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ----------------------- Windows 95 or 98 Pentium 100 or higher (Preferred Pentium 166 or higher) 16MB RAM (24MB RAM) 4X CD-ROM Drive (24X CD-ROM drive) 50 MB free hard drive space SVGA 800x600 @16-bit high color Windows compatible mouse Windows compatible printer For Internet Options: 14.4 BPS Modem (33.6 BPS Modem) 32-Bit Internet Service Provider II. STARTING OUT ---------------- Program changes may have been made to the product after the User Manual was printed. However, the online help file within the product is very complete and up to date. If you encounter a problem that doesn't seem to match (or be addressed by) the manual, please refer to the online help file for more up-to-date information. A) Installation B) STARTING Generations EasyTree/EasyChart C) What's in Generations EasyTree/EasyChart D) Accessing Internet Links A) Installation --------------- Installation for Windows(r) 95 & 98: To install the software, first make sure you have at least 50MB of space free on your hard drive. Run the file ETEC.exe. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the Generations EasyTree/EasyChart software to your hard drive. B) STARTING Generations EasyTree/EasyChart ------------------------------------ To start Generations EasyTree/EasyChart under Windows(r) 95/98, click on the START button and select Programs. Select the SIERRA option, then Generations EasyTree/EasyChart. Click the Generations EasyTree/EasyChart icon to open to the Generations EasyTree/EasyChart launch screen. C) What's in Generations EasyTree/EasyChart ------------------------------------- Generations EasyTree/EasyChart 8.0 consists of the programs EasyTree and EasyChart, as well as access to the Generations and Heritage Quest websites. D) Accessing Internet Links --------------------------- Generations can take advantage of a web browser to give you direct access to the Web for such activities as downloading additional data, product information, and on-line shopping. In order to access the Web from within Generations, you must have a browser installed and be registered with an Internet Service Provider. If your Internet browser cannot find the links from within the Generations program, each site is listed in the Generations Help file with its web URL for you to copy and paste into your browser. You may also reach the Generations dedicated Web site directly at the following address: http://www.sierra.com/sierrahome/familytree/ III. GENERAL PROGRAM ISSUES --------------------------- A) EasyTree B) EasyChart C) Font Issues D) General Issues A) EasyTree ----------- Issue: Family file: Rebuilding the index takes time -- especially with large files. Solution: Generations only rebuilds the index if the application doesn't close properly. If you don't want to wait for this, hold down the shift key while opening a file to avoid building an index. Issue: Date feasibility checking doesn't understand a date format of straight numbers -- 010484, for example. Solution: This is one date format that Generations won't be able to read. However, the manual dedicates 10 pages to dates, date formats, and custom dates. Please refer to the manual and or On-line help to make sure you're using the correct date formats. Issue: HTML reports can be quite large Solution: When you transfer any file to HTML format, the size of the HTML file is going to be 1.5 times more then the original file because HTML adds tags and markup frames to the text. You should be aware of this before posting to the web if you have space limitations on your web site. Issue: Copied document is truncated after 60 characters in the Memo field. Solution: You can type in more than 60 characters into the memo field. You can also cut and paste, but you must do so line-by-line. If you try to cut and paste a full multi-line text, it will be truncated after 60 characters. Issue: The manual says there is an option to setup Video and Sound default folders, but there is no menu item in EasyTree. Solution: Unfortunately, the manual was sent to print before the product was ready to ship. There is no option to set default locations for Sound and Video files, but these files can still be added to your family file by choosing Sound or Video from the Windows menu or Toolbar. Please see the Help files for more information. Issue: WordPerfect 2000 and other newer Word Processing programs are not in the default list for Report Options. Solution: To set your Report Options, choose Reports from the Options menu. Choose either Word Processor or Web Browser from the Options list. If your application is not defined in the default list, choose Other. Browse your hard drive for the location of your application executable, then choose the executable file from the folder and click open. When you make Reports and choose to send them to your Word Processor or Web Browser, it will now open with your application as the default. Issue: After deleting an event from the Define Person Fields window, the child buttons on the family card seem to be disabled or disappear. Clicking them will not open their family card. Solution: This is a redraw issue in Generations. To enable the child buttons, use the Restore button on the Easytree title bar to make the window small, then click the Maximize button to make the window large again. Issue: The current view of my family cards does not reflect the view selected in EasyTree. Or, EasyTree reverts back to the default view when clicking on a person card to edit it. Solution: There are a couple of workarounds to this issue: A. If you have a certain view that you would like to permanently display when using EasyTree, edit the Default view and save it. You can make a backup of the original Default view by clicking the Duplicate View button in the Define Views window before making your own changes. B. If you wish to use a view temporarily, but do not want EasyTree to switch back to the default view if you want to edit a card, use the EasyTree Shortcuts to open the card for editing. For example, use the shortcut h+ENTER to edit the current husband's card. When you close the card, your selected view will still be displayed. You can revert to the default view again by clicking on the person's name as if you were intending to edit the card. A second click will open the card as normal. B) EasyChart ------------ Issue: Chart prints as blocks of black, or an entire page of black. Solution: Change the settings of the printer to Vector instead of Raster graphics. For more information on making changes to your printer settings, check your documentation or help files. Issue: The boxes in EasyChart only display one line of text after editing the text. Solution: If you edit the text in a 'Person Box' in EasyChart, do not use two carriage returns to create a blank line. Any line after the second carriage return is disregarded, but can still be seen when editing the box. Issue: The boxes in EasyChart are very long and thin after editing the text. Solution: If you fill the 'Person Box' with text without hitting Enter and registering a carriage return the Box becomes one long sentence. After specific information such as a Name, Date, or Location, use the Enter key to start a new line of text. Issue: When choosing to Tile multiple charts, some redraw with oversized, garbled text. Solution: Click on the chart(s) with the garbled text to select it. This will cause the chart to redraw correctly. Issue: Copy/Paste or saving a chart as a graphic causes text in boxes to overflow the boundaries of the box. Solution: This occurs when using small sized fonts. Change the Font size of the Chart text to 12pt or larger, and then save as a graphic or copy and paste. Issue: Caption text flows outside its border or box in the Pedigree Chart. Solution: This is a redraw issue in EasyTree. To allow the caption to draw correctly, do the following: 1. Create a Pedigree Chart from EasyTree. 2. Add a caption to the Pedigree Chart. 3. From the Tree menu, choose Top-to-Bottom. 4. Minimize the Chart in EasyChart, but leave EasyChart Maximized. 5. Return to EasyTree, leaving EasyChart open. 6. Create another chart by choosing Enhanced Hourglass Chart from the Chart menu. 7. Accept the Default settings, and click Chart. 8. EasyChart will come forward with the new chart open. 9. Minimize or close the newly created Enhanced Hourglass Chart. 10. Maximize the Pedigree Chart and the Caption should draw correctly. You can now change the chart orientation back to Left-to-Right. C) Font Issues -------------- Issue: In EasyChart, fonts over 36 characters get clipped in timeline charts. Solution: There are some font styles that don't size well in timeline charts. If you are encountering this problem, simply try a different font style. This should resolve your problem. Issue: Changing the font in "EasyChart" changes the format of the tree and boxes. Solution: EasyChart needs to make adjustments to accommodate larger point size fonts as well as styles. Experiment with larger font styles and sizes prior to making major changes to your layout. Issue: You can make the text too large for the boxes, which, in some cases, will print outside of the text box borders or print off the edge of the chart. Solution: We've tried to accommodate as many font and text sizes as possible. The more information you enlarge, the more likely you won't see everything displayed. Try enlarging the chart by right clicking on the small black box and dragging the chart either left to right or top to bottom. The black box can easily be found at the bottom of the chart. Change the view to 10:1. Issue: In EasyTree, data gets cut off if Windows is set to use Large Fonts Solution: Although we've worked hard to support large fonts in many fields, there may be some places where text appears to be cutoff. The information is still there. Switching to small fonts will correct this problem. Otherwise click on More Info to bring up a dialog screen with entire information or you many need to resize the boxes or scroll back and forth within the text box, title box or field itself. Issue: Type 1 (Adobe) PostScript fonts are not showing up in my list of display fonts to choose; only TrueType (TT) fonts. Solution: Generations doesn't support Type 1 Adobe PostScript fonts. D) General Issues ----------------- Issue: The Windows Task Bar hides the bottom of the Launch screen. Solution: If the Windows Task Bar is set to Always on Top, and the display settings are at 640x480, part of the Generations launch screens may be hidden. To hide the Windows Task Bar, right click on it and choose Properties. Check the Auto Hide option in the Task Bar Properties. Issue: The Launch screen colors do not display well in 256 colors. Solution: Though EasyTree and EasyChart have no visible differences when run in 256 colors, the Launch Screens display best in 16-bit colors. The screens are still usable in 256 color mode, as is the rest of the Generations program. For best results, change your display to 16-bit color in the Windows Display Properties. IV. CONTACTING SIERRA ------------------- A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales B) Technical Support C) Legal Information A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales ---------------------------------- United States U.S.A. Sales Phone: (800) 757-7707 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week International Sales: (425) 746-5771 Hours: Monday-Friday 8 AM to 4 PM PST FAX: (916) 939-1010 Sierra Direct P O Box 629001 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762-9972 Email: customer.support@sierra.com http://www.sierra.com United Kingdom Havas Interactive Main: (0118) 920-9111 Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Fax: (0118) 987-5603 Disk/CD replacements in the U.K. are £6.00, or £7.00 outside the UK. Add "ATTN.: Returns." 2 Beacontree Plaza, Gillette Way, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0BS United Kingdom France Havas Interactive France 32, Av de l'Europe Bât Energy 1 (2e étage) 78 140 VELIZy-Villacoubaly France Téléphone: 01-30-67-90-53 Lundi au Jeudi de 9h à 18h Vendredi de 9h à 17h Fax: 01 30 67 90 94 Germany Havas Interactive Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40 Montag bis Freitag von 10h - 19Uhr Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35 Robert-Bosch-Str. 32 D-63303 Dreieich Germany On-Line Sales CompuServe United Kingdom:GO UKSIERRA CompuServe France: GO FRSIERRA Internet USA: http://www.sierra.com Internet United Kingdom: http://www.sierra-online.co.uk Internet France: http://www.sierra.fr Internet Germany: http://www.sierra.de Disk and or Manual Replacement: Product Returns*: Havas Interactive Sierra On-Line Returns 4100 West 190th Street Torrance, CA 90504 Havas Interactive Sierra On-Line CD/Doco Replacement 4100 West 190th Street Torrance, CA 90504 NOTE: To replace your cd(s) please send only the damaged cd and copy of your dated Receipt, if less then 90 days. After 90 days please include a $10.00 handling fee along with the cd(s). For Documentation replacement, please include a $5.00 handling fee and a photocopy ONLY of either your disk or cd. Payment should be made at the time of your request. Sorry, no credit cards. * Returns to this address valid in North America only. B) TECHNICAL SUPPORT ------------------------- North America Sierra On-Line offers a 24-hour automated technical support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (425) 644-4343, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us via our Web site. Sierra On-Line Technical Support P.O. Box 85006 Bellevue, WA 98015-8506 Main: (425) 644-4343 Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:45 p.m. PST Fax: (425) 644-7697 http://www.sierra.com support@sierra.com United Kingdom Havas Interactive offers a 24-hour Automated Techical Support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (0118) 920-9111, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to aolve y our problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions or contact us via our Internet or CompuServe sites. Havas Interactive offers a 24-hour Automated Technical Support line Havas Interactive 2 Beacontree Plaza, Gillette Way, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0BS United Kingdom Main: (0118) 920-9111 Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Fax: (0118) 987-5603 http://www.sierra-online.co.uk France Havas Interactive France 32, Av de l'Europe Bât Energy 1 (2e étage) 78 140 VELIZY-Villacoublay France Téléphone: 01-30-67-90-50 Lundi au Jeudi de 10h à 19h Vendredi de 10h à 18h Fax: 01 30 67 90 65 http://www.sierra.fr Germany Havas Interactive Robert-Bosch-Str. 32 D-63303 Dreieich Deutschland Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40 Montag bis Freitag von 10 - 19Uhr Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35 Mailbox: (0) 6103-99-40-35 http://www.sierra.de Spain Havas Interactive Avenida de Burgos 9 1º-OF2 28036 Madrid Spain Teléfono: (01) 383-2623 Lunes a Viernes de 9h30 a 14h y de 15h a 18h30 Fax: (01) 381-2437 Italy Contattare il vostro distribotore. C) Sierra Warranty & Legal Information ----------------------------------- Sierra's end user license agreement, limited warranty and return policy is set forth in the EULA.txt, found on the CD, and is also available during the install of the product. Copyright (2000 Sierra On-Line, Inc.)