The Simplest Manual Counter Files

  ===  The Simplest Manual Counter v1.0.9 (https://the-simplest-manual-counter.net)  ===

  I) Description

    The Simplest Manual Counter is an open source program of multiple countings the simplest and easiest way with your keyboard.
    Each counter is customized with a name, a key (a letter or a number) of increasing, and a multiplying factor (natural integer) you set at its creation.
    All counters are gathered in worksheets.


  II) User Guide
		
    1) "How to..."
      
      # Run The Simplest Manual Counter on Windows 32 bits minimum
    Follow the chapter III) Installation guide, Step 1 only.
    Then double clic on simplest-manual-counter_w32.exe which is in the "bin" directory. It shall open a command prompt displaying the license and terms of using, thereafter The Simplest Manual Counter application.
    
      # Run The Simplest Manual Counter from the source code on all platforms
    Follow firstly  the chapter III) Installation guide.
    Then run the run-src[.cmd for Windows or .sh for Linux] starter script, which is at the root of The Simplest Manual Counter installation directory, double-clicking on it. It shall open a command prompt displaying the license terms of using, thereafter The Simplest Manual Counter application.

      # Create a counter
    Write the name of the counter in the "name" text zone, its associated key (usually a letter) in the "key" text zone, and optionnaly its factor in the "factor" text zone if the default value '1' has to be adapted. Press "Enter" key or click "add" to validate the new counter.
    It is possible to create a counter at any time: after having opened a file, after having started counting. It keeps the existing counters and their values, and warns of any unicity conflicts (same name or same key with another counter in the worksheet).

      # Open existing counters
    Click on the "Open" button or Ctrl+O to select and open a ".csv" file.

      # Open a new worksheet
    Clic on the "+" tab. All worksheets are independant: saving, increasing, etc... counters of one of them do not interfere with the others.
		
      # Increment any counters
    Each time you press a counter's key, the counter increments of a unit, and the absolute and factors weigthed totals are updated.

      # Decrement any counters
    Each time you press the "Alt" key continuously and a counter's key, the counter decrements of a unit, and the absolute and factors weigthed totals are updated.

      # Undo a counting
    The left arrow can step backward to undo the previous increments/decrements chronologically.

      # Redo a counting (recuperating it)
    The right arrow can step forward to recuperate previous undone increments/decrements chronologically.
        
      # Save in a file
    Click on the "Save" button or press the Ctrl+S keys combination to save the active worksheet's counters in the active ".csv" file.

      # Save As a specific file
    Click on the "Save As" button or press the Ctrl+A keys combination to save the active worksheet's counters in any ".csv" file.
   
      # Recuperate the current work after crash
    The counters are recorded in a temporary file (in %TEMP% directory for Windows, $TMP directory for Linux) after each specific seconds set through the "Settings" menu. In case of a crash of the application without saving, running it again will propose you to open the temporary file when opening the unsaved file.
    Usually, the temporary file is destroyed after quiting the application.
    
      # Set the temporary files recording period against crash
    Click on "Settings" and select the period (in seconds) from the list beside "Recording period (second):" label.
    
      # Set the keys combination to switch from a worksheet to another one
    Click on "Settings" and select the keys combination for switching to a worksheet backward (i.e. previous) and forward (i.e. next) from the proposed lists inside the "Worksheet Shifting Cmd Keys" frame.

    
    2) Hints
    
    The "tab" (|<-
                ->|) key allows jumping between fields/buttons.
    
    The "Esc" key activates the keys (letters) for counting when the cursor is placed in a textual entry zone ("name", "key", "factor").
		
    The "Ctrl+N" keys combination adds a new worksheet. The other worksheets are kept pending.
		
    The "Ctrl+W" keys combination closes the active worksheet while asking for saving the counters if necessary.
		
    The "Ctrl+Q" keys combination closes the application while asking for saving the counters of each worksheet if necessary.
    
    
  III) Installation guide

    The installation follows three steps:
    1) the download/installation of the The Simplest Manual Counter package.
    2) the download/installation of the Perl engine (optional on Windows).
    3) the download/installation of the Perl/Tk module (optional on Windows).
  
    *** Step 1 : The Simplest Manual Counter
    
      Download the last zipped package (http://sourceforge.net/projects/easycounter/files/latest) in your temporary directory.
      Extract all its internal files in a new hosting directory (named "simplest_manual_counter" for instance).
    
    *** Step 2 : The Perl engine to run The Simplest Manual Counter from its source code directly (optional on Windows)

      a) on all platforms
        All the installing scripts are in the sub-directory "install".
        
        Run the appropriate script "hasPerl" with "_win.cmd" extension for Windows, or "_lin.sh" for Linux.
        -> If it prompts the following message "Perl engine is NOT INSTALLED", continue on b) or c).
        -> If you have "Perl engine is already INSTALLED!", go straight to the Step 3.
        
        In both case, a message invites you to press any key to continue... Press a key, and that ends the hasPerl script.

      b) on Windows
        In case the result of the previous a) step tells "Perl engine is NOT INSTALLED", install the engine accepting all the usual configuration parameters of the Strawberry Perl distribution, the open source Perl distribution for Microsoft Windows which is available at http://strawberryperl.com/.
        Once Perl installed, associate through the files explorer the ".pl" file's extension with the freshly installed perl engine application.
        
      c) on Linux
        In case the result of the previous a) step tells "Perl engine is NOT INSTALLED", get the installation package on perl.org site (http://www.perl.org/get.html) or use your system package manager (like rpm -i Perl, dbm).

      For more details about Perl, visit http://www.perl.org/about.html.

    *** Step 3 : The Perl/Tk module
    
      The installation of this module is necessary after step 2 to get the graphical user interface of the application.
      
      a) on all platforms
        All the installing scripts are in the sub-directory "install".
        You can even run hasPerl_[win.cmd or lin.sh] as for the step 2 or directly the appropriate script "hasPerlTk" with "_win.cmd" extension for Windows, or "_lin.sh" for Linux.
        -> If it prompts the following message "Perl Tk is NOT INSTALLED!", continue on b) or c).

      b) on Windows
        Run install_PerlTk_win.cmd
        Once the Perl/Tk module is installed, you'll have the following message "Installation of Perl/Tk SUCCESSFUL!" and a prompt inviting you to press any key to see a graphical interface...

      c) on Linux
        Run install_PerlTk_lin.sh
        Once the Perl/Tk module is installed, you'll have the following message "Installation of Perl/Tk SUCCESSFUL!" and a prompt inviting you to press any key to see a graphical interface...


      Congratulations! The Perl engine and the Perl/Tk module are installed. Now, you can use the The Simplest Manual Counter !

    
  IV) Contact

    Mail to david_balogh at the-simplest-manual-counter.net.

    In any case, I'll try to answer you as fast as possible.

  V) License
    The Simplest Manual Counter is distributed under the GNU General Public License (see COPYING.txt file or http://www.gnu.org/licenses/).
    
  VI) Donation
    If you are satisfied using The Simplest Manual Counter, and wish to encourage for next evolutions, you can donate safely while posting a message through Paypal. Mind that 20% of your donation will be returned to the Perl foundation (https://www.perlfoundation.org/).
    
    As a donator, you can ask to see your personal or institution name, logo on the The Simplest Manual Counter webpage.
    
    As well, feel free to give an appreciation through Sourceforge.net.
    
    At last, you can contact me for any suggestion or estimation of any specific need.

Copyright (C) 2010-2022 David BALOGH (david_balogh at the-simplest-manual-counter.net).