=========================================================================
NOTE: THIS ASCII TEXT FILE WAS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE CODE USED TO
CREATE THE ONLINE HELP .HLP FILE. CERTAIN SECTIONS REFER TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
TO SEE THE ILLUSTRATION, YOU MUST GO TO THE ONLINE HELP SYSTEM FROM WITHIN
THE AUTOMATED EPISODE GUIDE -- HIT THE F1 KEY AND GO TO THE NAME OF THE
SECTION THAT REFERS TO AN ILLUSTRATION.
=========================================================================

              Ŀ
                   The Mystery Science Theater 3000    
                     Automated Episode Guide v2.1      
                      16 bit Windows 3.1 Version       
              

                      Ŀ
                        What This Program Does  
                      


This is a full-featured 16 bit Windows 3.1 program that makes it easy to
view info on the popular syndicated TV show, Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Note to Windows 3.1 Users: This program was constructed using the MicroSoft
Foundation Class and requires OLE v2.0 or later to run. If the first time
you run the program, it breaks with an error saying it cannot find a certain
.DLL file, you probably don't have OLE v2.0 or later installed.

To remedy this situation: (1) Download the file OLEDLLS.ZIP from the
Snake-Byte FTP site at ftp://ftp.slinknet.com/pub/snake -- this file
includes the minimum .DLL files that are needed by this program to run.
This is *NOT* the complete OLE 2.0 installation! It includes special
instructions on how to use the contents of the .ZIP file; or (2) Download
the file OLE203.EXE from the Snake-Byte FTP site -- this is the complete
OLE system version 2.03. Run SETUP.EXE from this self-extracting archive.
It copies the various .DLLs and support files to your Windows directory;
or (3) You probably can get the latest version of OLE from the MicroSoft
web page at http://www.microsoft.com.

Note to Win95 users: You also must have OLE 2.0 or later installed on your
system in order for this program to run. If you don't have OLE v2.0 or
later installed on your system, the program will break with the same error
as described above. But, why are you trying to get a 16 bit Windows program
to run under Windows 95 when there is a native Win95 Win32 version of this
program available?! See elsewhere in this document for details on finding
the Win32/Win95 version of this program!
=========================================================================
=========================================================================
                 HOW TO RUN THE AUTOMATED EPISODE GUIDE
=========================================================================
=========================================================================

There are several ways to run this Automated Episode Guide in Windows
3.1 or Win95/Win NT (all of which require OLE 2.0 or later installed)

All of these methods assume that you have already unarchived the .ZIP file
into a directory somewhere on your hard drive...

=========================================================================
             Using The A.E.G. From The Win 3.1 File Manager
=========================================================================

Run the Windows 3.1 File Manager (If you don't know how to do this, see
the Windows 3.1 documentation for details).

Click on the hard drive icon of the drive where the Automated EpGuide
program executable (.EXE) currently resides.

Click on the folder/directory where the A.E.G. program executable is located.

Find the small icon that represents the A.E.G. program executable and
double click that icon.

The Automated EpGuide program should start executing. You should see the
A.E.G. window appear on your Windows desktop. If you don't see the
A.E.G. window, go back to the beginning of this page and make sure you
did everything correctly.

=========================================================================
             Using The A.E.G. From The Program Manager Menu
==========================================================================

Click on the FILE menu at the top of the screen in the Windows Program
Manager (If you don't understand the Program Manager concept, or don't
see the FILE menu, refer to the Windows 3.1 documentation for an
explanation).

A drop down menu will appear with several options.

Click on RUN (it should be the next-to-the-last item on this menu).

A dialog box will appeare on your scree with four buttons: OK, CANCEL,
BROWSE, and HELP.

Use the BROWSE button to tell Windows where the Automated EpGuide
program executable (.EXE) is located on your hard drive. You will get a
BROWSE dialog box where you can click on the various directories and
disk drives that you maintain on your computer -- if you aren't sure how
to use this dialog box, see the Windows 3.1 documentation for more
information.

Once you have told Windows where to find the Automated EpGuide
executable, the RUN dialog box will have the path and filename in the
COMMAND LINE text box. Click on the OK button.

If you did everything correctly, you should see the Automated EpGuide's
window appear somewhere on your desktop. If you don't see the A.E.G.
window, go back to the beginning of this page and make sure you did
everything correctly.

==========================================================================
         Using the A.E.G. From A Program Manager Program Group
==========================================================================

This section shows how to add the Automated EpGuide to an already
existing Program Group on your Windows desktop. If you'd rather put your
new A.E.G. program icon in a separate Program Group, see the Windows 3.1
documentation for details on creating a new Program Group.

Click on the FILE menu at the top of the Windows 3.1 screen in the
Program Manager. A drop down menu will appear with several options.

Click on NEW (it should be the first item on this menu).

A dialog box named NEW PROGRAM OBJECT will appear on your screen with
three buttons (OK, CANCEL and HELP). The PROGRAM ITEM option is already
selected. Click the OK button.

A PROGRAM ITEM PROPERTIES dialog box will appear on your screen with
five buttons (OK, CANCEL, BROWSE, CHANGE ICON and HELP). It also has
four empty text boxes (DESCRIPTION, COMMAND LINE, WORKING DIRECTORY and
SHORTCUT KEY).

Use the BROWSE button to tell Windows where the A.E.G. program
executable (.EXE file) is located. You will get a BROWSE dialog box
where you can click on the various directories and drives that you
maintain on your computer -- if you're not sure how to use this dialog
box, see the Windows 3.1 documentation for more details.

The A.E.G. program's drive path and filename should now be in the
COMMAND LINE
text box. Two other options are available now, but they aren't required:

(1) You can type in a detailed description in the DESCRIPTION text box
(if you don't, Windows will use whatever characters are on the left side
of the dot in the program's filename).

(2) You can change the default icon of the A.E.G. program at this time
(or any other time in the future) by clicking on the CHANGE ICON button.
I've included several icons linked into the A.E.G. executable, but if
those aren't to your liking you can change them by using the BROWSE
button on the CHANGE ICON dialog box that is currently on your screen.

Once you have the path and filename in  the COMMAND LINE text box, hit
the OK button and the A.E.G. icon should appear in the opened Program
Group. If it didn't, go back to the beginning of this section and make
sure you've followed all the steps correctly.

You can now click on the A.E.G. icon to start the program. Skip to the
section on how to use the A.E.G. program once it's up and running.

=========================================================================
            Using the A.E.G. From MY COMPUTER in Windows 95
=========================================================================

Open the "MY COMPUTER" folder and click on the icon of the hard drive
where the Automated EpGuide program executable (.EXE) currently resides.

Open the folder/directory where the A.E.G. files are located.

Click on the icon that represents the A.E.G. program executable (If you
don't understand how to use folders or program objects, see the Windows
95 documentation for more information).

If you did everything correctly, the Automated EpGuide window should
appear somewhere on your desktop. If it didn't, you may have clicked on
the wrong object in the A.E.G. folder.  Go back to the beginning of this
page and make sure you did everything correctly.

NOTE TO WINDOWS 95 / WINDOWS NT USERS: There is a native 32 bit Win32
version of this program available. Windows 3.1 users who have Win32s
v1.3 or later installed can also use this Win32 version!

=========================================================================
            Using The A.E.G. From THE EXPLORER in Windows 95
=========================================================================

Start the Windows 95 Explorer (If you don't know how to run the
Explorer, see Windows 95 documentation for details on starting and using
the Windows 95 Explorer)

Click on the hard drive where the Automated EpGuide program executable
(.EXE file) resides.

Open the folder/directory where the A.E.G. executable is located.

Click on the icon that represents the A.E.G. executable file.

If you did everything correctly, the Automated EpGuide window should
appear somewhere on your desktop. If it didn't, you may have clicked on
the wrong object in the A.E.G. folder.  Go back to the beginning of this
page and make sure you did everything correctly.

=========================================================================
           Using the A.E.G. From a SHORTCUT Under Windows 95
=========================================================================

Right click on the location where you want to create a SHORTCUT for the
Automated EpGuide program (you may put it on the Windows desktop or in
an already existing folder, for example).

A popup menu will appear. Choose NEW from this menu and move to the
CREATE NEW SHORTCUT option from the sub-menu that appears.

A dialog box will pop up. Click on the BROWSE button and specify the
location of the A.E.G. program executable (.EXE file).

Give the newly created SHORTCUT a suitable name and the icon will change
to the default A.E.G. icon and be ready for use.

Double click on the icon to run the A.E.G.  If you did everything
correctly, the Automated EpGuide window should appear somewhere on your
desktop. If it didn't, go back to the beginning of this page and make
sure you did everything correctly.

If you don't understand how to create a shortcut, maneuver the
BROWSE/FILE dialog boxes or any other operation under Windows 95, see
the operating system's documentation.

For details on how to use the A.E.G. program after it's up and running,
see the HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM section...

Note: If you don't like the default A.E.G. icon, there are several other
icons bound into the .EXE file. To change the icon, right click on the
newly created shortcut and chose the PROPERTIES option from the menu.
Click on the SHORTCUT tab in the Properties dialog that appears. Click
on the CHANGE ICON button near the bottom of the  Shortcut tab. A CHANGE
ICON dialog box will appear. All of the available icons that I included
in the .EXE will be shown in the CURRENT ICON area. You can choose one
of these, or if you don't like these, you can hit the BROWSE button and
specify any icon that you like. For more information on choosing a
different icon, see the Windows 95 documentation.

=========================================================================
=========================================================================
                        HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM
=========================================================================
=========================================================================

The following sections takes each Automated Episode Guide area and tells you
what they do and how to use them.

NOTE: The text in these sections was taken directly from the .HLP file that
is used for the ONLINE HELP SYSTEM. Some entries refer to "illustrations".
To see these illustrations and examples, you must go to the Online Help
System from inside the program. Simply press the F1 key after the A.E.G.
is running.

=========================================================================
           The Various Parts of the Automated EpGuide Window
=========================================================================

Note: the size of the window and the specific parts may vary depending on
the TV show featured in the Automated EpGuide.

TITLE BAR: The upper-most portion of the window which has the name of the
TV show featured in the Automated Epguide. The Title Bar also has several
other components: the CLOSE WINDOW button and the MAXIMIZE and MINIMIZE
buttons.

CLOSE WINDOW: This in the upper left corner of the A.E.G. window provides
an alternate method to exit the A.E.G. and other options

MAXIMIZE: This button in the upper right corner of the A.E.G. window will
make the A.E.G. window expand to cover the entire screen. This button is a
two-state 'toggle' style button -- in other words, if you press it and the
A.E.G. window expands to cover your entire screen, the button will change
in appearance. If you press the button a second time, the A.E.G. window will
shrink down to the size it was before you pressed the MAXIMIZE button for the
first time.

MINIMIZE: This button will 'hide' the A.E.G. window. If you are using Windows
3.1, when you press this button, the A.E.G. program is represented as an icon
on the Program Manager screen. If you are using Windows 95 when you press this
button, the A.E.G. program minimizes itself to the system tray (by default, at
the bottom of the screen, unless you have changed your system), and is
represented as a square with a miniture icon and the program title. If you
don't understand the behavior of a minimized program object, see the
documentation for your version of Windows.

MENU BAR: The MENU BAR is directly underneath the Title Bar on the A.E.G.
window. It will have at least four menu titles (EXIT, EPISODES, VIEW and HELP).
In some versions of the A.E.G., a fifth menu title will appear -- CHARACTERS).
To use the menus on the menu bar,  move the mouse cursor over the menu title
and click the left mouse button. The menu title will be highlighted and a menu
will appear with some more menu options.

TOOLBAR: The TOOLBAR is a group of 'buttons' directly underneath the Menu Bar.
Each Toolbar button represents an item on one of the MENU BAR menus. All of the
buttons behave in the same manner, except for the two buttons on the far right
of the Toolbar. See below for details.

EXIT Button: This button performs the same action as the Exit menu option.

HELP Button: This button brings up the A.E.G. Online Help System.

NAG Button: Displays the Shareware message. Be sure to register!

DISC Button: Displays a Disclaimer about the TV show featured in this A.E.G.

INFO Button: Displays a brief bit of information about the data contained in
this A.E.G.

ABT Button: Displays an ABOUT dialog box with the A.E.G. title, version and
programmer's name.

SBI Button: Displays a list of other programs available from Snake-Byte Inc.

TOOL Button: When you first run the Automated EpGuide, you will notice
something is different about this button. This is a 'TWO STATE' button,
which means it TOGGLES an option ON or OFF (the 'ONE STATE' buttons perform
the program action and pop back up, ready to be pressed again, if need be).
The TOOL button starts out in the ON state. The action it performs/toggles
is the same as the TOOLBAR item on the VIEW menu or the Ctrl+T Accelerator
-- IT TOGGLES THE TOOLBAR ON OR OFF. There is a bit of a Catch 22 here,
though: if you use the TOOL button to turn the Toolbar off, you must use
the Toolbar item from the VIEW menu to turn it back on again (checked).

STAT Button: When you first run the Automated EpGuide, you will notice
something is different about this button. This is a 'TWO STATE' button,
which means it TOGGLES an option ON or OFF (the 'ONE STATE' buttons perform
the program action and pop back up, ready to be pressed again, if need be).
The STAT button starts out in the ON state. The action it performs/toggles
is the same as the STATUS BAR item on the VIEW menu or the Ctrl+S Accelerator
-- IT TOGGLES THE STATUS BAR ON OR OFF. See below for a description of the
Status Bar.

<< BUTTON (the arrow pointing left) or PREVIOUS EPISODE button: This button
will jump to the episode data dialog which immediately precedes the last
episode data dialog that you viewed. Note: If you have just started the
Automated EpGuide and you push this button, the program will 'WRAP AROUND'
and display the VERY LAST episode data dialog.

>> BUTTON (the arrow pointing right) or NEXT EPISODE button. This button will
jump to the next available episode data dialog, the one immediately after the
last episode data dialog that you just viewed. If you just started the
Automated EpGuide and hit the NEXT EPISODE button, since you haven't viewed
any episodes, the VERY FIRST episode data dialog would be displayed. Note: If
you are on the VERY LAST episode data dialog when you push this button, the
program will 'WRAP AROUND' and display the VERY FIRST episode data dialog.

\/ BUTTON (the arrow pointing down) or NEXT SEASON button. This button will
jump to the first episode of the season that follows the last episode you
viewed. If you just started the Automated EpGuide and hit the NEXT SEASON
button, the first episode of the SECOND SEASON would be displayed.

/\ BUTTON (the arrow pointing up) or PREVIOUS SEASON button. This button will
jump to the first episode of the season that precedes the last episode you
viewed. If you just started the Automated EpGuide and hit the PREVIOUS SEASON
button, the first episode of the LAST AVAILABLE SEASON would be displayed.

Another Note On The NEXT/PREVIOUS Buttons: The Automated EpGuide 'REMEMBERS'
the last episode you just viewed. In other words, if you were to pick the
THIRD EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON, and then hit the NEXT EPISODE button, the
A.E.G. would display the FOURTH EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON. Then, if you
were to hit the PREVIOUS EPISODE button, the A.E.G. would display THIRD
EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON (again). Use this handy feature skip past
EPISODES/SEASONS and selectively view a specific group of episodes!

WINDOW: The large, white area below the Toolbar and above the Status Bar is
the A.E.G. window.

STATUS BAR: The STATUS BAR is the area beneath the large, white window.
Several components make up the Status Bar: the Status Message area amd the
Keyboard Status area. See below for descriptions of each component.

STATUS MESSAGE AREA: This area of the STATUS BAR displays a brief description
of the Toolbar button or menu item that you currently pressing. The default
message is seen in the illustration above.

KEYBOARD STATUS AREA: This area of the STATUS BAR displays the status of the
three keyboard keys that can be toggled on or off. In the illustration above,
the NUM represents that your Num Lock key is toggled on. CAP would appear in
the left Keyboard Status window if your Caps Lock key is toggled on; SCR would
appear in the right Keyboard Status window if your Scroll Lock key is toggled
on.

WINDOW RESIZE GADGETS: These gadgets allows you to resize the A.E.G. window
to any size that you like. Place the mouse cursor over the any corner of the
A.E.G. window. Your mouse cursor should change into the default DIAGONAL
RESIZE cursor (a small, double-headed arrow). When the cursor changes, hold
down the left mouse button and move the mouse in whichever direction you
desire, depending on what size you want the A.E.G. window to become. The
change is 'real time', ie: as you drag the Window Resize Gadget, the A.E.G.
window grows or shrinks underneath your cursor. One small warning: If you
resize the A.E.G. too small, you may not be able to see the entire STATUS
BAR or one of it's components -- the narrower the window, the less room for
the Status Bar components.

=========================================================================
                             The Exit Menu
=========================================================================

When you select a menu from the Menu Bar, the menu title will be highlighted
in the same color as the Title Bar (colors vary depending on the version of
Windows you are using, or if you have changed your system's color scheme).

A drop down menu will pop up from the menu title. In the above illustration,
for example, the Exit menu drops down to reveal the menu option below it.

You will notice a couple of things:

(1) Each menu option has ONE character underlined. This is the KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT for that menu option. See the section elsewhere in this Help file
which describes KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.

(2) Some menu options have an F-Key or Ctrl-Key listed on the far right of
the drop down menu. These Keys are the ACCELERATOR KEYS for that menu option.
See the section elsewhere in this Help file which describes ACCELERATOR KEYS.

To choose a menu option from the Exit Menu (or any other menu), you simply
move your mouse down until the reversed/highlight is over the option that
you want.

Here's a brief description of the menu options on the EXIT MENU:

PREVIOUS EPISODE: This option will jump to the episode data dialog which
immediately precedes the last episode data dialog that you viewed. Note: If
you have just started the Automated EpGuide and you choose this option, the
program will 'WRAP AROUND' and display the VERY LAST episode data dialog.

NEXT EPISODE: This option will jump to the next available episode data dialog,
the one immediately after the last episode data dialog that you just viewed.
If you just started the Automated EpGuide and choose the NEXT EPISODE option,
since you haven't viewed any episodes, the VERY FIRST episode data dialog
would be displayed. Note: If you are on the VERY LAST episode data dialog
when you choose this option, the program will 'WRAP AROUND' and display the
VERY FIRST episode data dialog.

NEXT SEASON: This option will jump to the first episode of the season that
follows the last episode you viewed. If you just started the Automated EpGuide
and choose the NEXT SEASON option, the first episode of the SECOND SEASON would
be displayed.

PREVIOUS SEASON: This option will jump to the first episode of the season that
precedes the last episode you viewed. If you just started the Automated EpGuide
and choose the PREVIOUS SEASON option, the first episode of the LAST AVAILABLE
SEASON would be displayed.

Another Note On The NEXT/PREVIOUS options: The Automated EpGuide 'REMEMBERS'
the last episode you just viewed. In other words, if you were to pick the
THIRD EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON, and then choose the NEXT EPISODE option,
the A.E.G. would display the FOURTH EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON. Then, if you
were to choose the PREVIOUS EPISODE option, the A.E.G. would display THIRD
EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON (again). Use this handy feature skip past
EPISODES/SEASONS and selectively view a specific group of episodes!

EXIT: This option is pretty self-explanatory. If you choose the Exit option,
the Automated EpGuide will display an acknowledgement and then display a brief
shareware message and return you to the Windows (you can also use the
Accelerator Key F9 to exit the A.E.G.)

=========================================================================
                           The Episodes Menu
=========================================================================

When you select the Episode menu from the Menu Bar, the menu title will be
highlighted in the same color as the Title Bar (colors vary depending on the
version of Windows you are using, or if you have changed your system's color
scheme).

A drop down menu will pop up from the menu title. In the above illustration,
for example, the Episodes menu drops down to reveal three menu options below
it: Season 1, Season 2,  and Season 3.

You will notice a couple of things:

(1) Each menu option has ONE character underlined. This is the KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT for that menu option. See the section elsewhere in this Help file
which describes KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.

(2) The menu options have a small triangle pointing to the right at the far
right edge of each option. These little arrows mean that each menu option
has ANOTHER sub-menu below it.

Read the next section for a description of SUB-MENUS.

=========================================================================
                               Sub-Menus
=========================================================================

Menu options that have a small triangle pointing to the right at the far right
edge of each option have ANOTHER sub-menu below it.

You can "cascade" these SUB-MENUS by highlighting the menu option (the
SUB-MENU will automatically pop up to one side of the option you are
currently highlighting).

You can then move your mouse onto the SUB-MENU in order to highlight one of
the menu options that appear on that SUB-MENU.

Be sure to hold the mouse button down until you are on the SUB-MENU option
that you want to choose! It takes a bit of dexterity on the longer SUB-MENUS.
If this action is too hard for you, read the section on KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.

In the illustration at the top of this page, the user has "cascaded" the
SUB-MENU beneath the SEASON 1 menu option and highlighted the First Episode
on that SUB-MENU.

=========================================================================
                      The Episode Data Dialog Box
=========================================================================

When you choose an episode from one of the Episode season sub-menus, a dialog
box pops up with the episode information (see illustration above -- this is a
'demo' dialog box.

The actual episode data presented on an Automated EpGuide dialog box depends
on the TV show featured in the A.E.G. program.

=========================================================================
                          The Characters Menu
=========================================================================

Some versions of the Automated Episode Guide have a CHARACTERS MENU. This
menu contains a list of characters from the television show featured in the
A.E.G.

The same general actions and attributes apply to these menu options.

Each menu item will display information about the character chosen.

=========================================================================
                             The View Menu
=========================================================================

When you select the View menu from the Menu Bar, the menu title will be
highlighted in the same color as the Title Bar (colors vary depending on
the version of Windows you are using, or if you have changed your system's
color scheme).

A drop down menu will pop up from the menu title. In the above illustration,
for example, the View menu drops down to reveal two menu options below it:
Toolbar and Status Bar.

You will notice several things:

(1) Each menu option has ONE character underlined. This is the KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT for that menu option. See the section elsewhere in this Help file
which describes KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.

(2) Each of the menu options on the View menu may or may not have a black
check mark to the left of the option (depending on whether you have pressed
the TOOL or STAT buttons on the Toolbar; or if you have already picked one
of these menu options, previously). These two menu options are "TWO STATE"
menu options. In other words, they TOGGLE on and off when you choose from
the menu. The CHECK mark means that menu option is ON. See below for more
details on these two menu items.

(3) Each menu option on the View menu has an ACCELERATOR KEY listed on the 
far right side of the menu options (the "CTRL +" and a letter of the alphabet). 
This means that you can use that Accelerator Key to peform the given option at 
almost any time.

Here's a brief description of the menu options on the VIEW MENU:

TOOLBAR: This option toggles on or off (check mark or no check mark). If
you choose this option when there is a check mark beside of it, the check
mark will disappear and the Toolbar will no longer be visible at the top
of the A.E.G. window (or where ever you may have docked it). If you choose
this option when there is NO check mark, a check mark will appear to the
left of the option, and the Toolbar will reappear at the last location you
docked it.

IMPORTANT: If you ever accidentally hit the TOOL button on the Toolbar 
(see elsewhere in this Help file for details of this button) and your 
Toolbar 'disappears', if you want the Toolbar to return, pick THIS menu 
item from the VIEW menu (or use the Toolbar ACCELERATOR KEY) and the Toolbar 
will reappear!

STATUS BAR: This option toggles on or off (check mark or no check mark). If 
you choose this option when there is a check mark beside of it, the check mark 
will disappear and the Status Bar and all of it's components will no longer be 
visible at the bottom of the A.E.G. window. If you choose this option when there 
is NO check mark, a check mark will appear to the left of the option, and the 
Status Bar will reappear at the bottom of the window.

IMPORTANT: If you ever accidentally hit the STAT button on the Toolbar (see 
elsewhere in this Help file for details of this button) and your Status Bar 
'disappears', if you want the Status Bar to return, pick THIS menu item from 
the VIEW menu (or hit the STAT button again; or use the Status Bar ACCELERATOR 
KEY) and the Status Bar will reappear!

=========================================================================
                             The Help Menu
=========================================================================

When you select the Help menu from the Menu Bar, the menu title will be
highlighted in the same color as the Title Bar (colors vary depending on
the version of Windows you are using, or whether you have changed the
system's color scheme).

A drop down menu will appear below the menu title. In the above illustration,
for example, the Help menu drops down to reveal eight menu options below it:
MASTER HELP INDEX (you are here), USELESS HELP SCREEN, SHAREWARE NOTICE,
WEASELY DISCLAIMER, MORE INFO, ABOUT THE PROGRAM and OTHER PROGRAMS.

NOTE: These options may be 'paraphrased' and differ slightly depending on
the version of the Automated EpGuide you are using. Also, on some versions
of the A.E.G., not all of these menu items will appear.

You will also notice a couple of things:

(1) Each menu option has ONE character underlined. This is the KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT for that menu option. See the section elsewhere in this Help
file which describes KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.

(2) All of the menu options on the Help menu have an F-Key listed on the
far right of the drop down menu. These F-Keys are the ACCELERATOR KEYS
for that menu option. See the section elsewhere in this Help file which
describes ACCELERATOR KEYS.

To choose a menu option from the Help Menu (or any other menu), you simply
move your mouse down until the reversed/highlight is over the option that
you want.

Here's a brief description of the menu options on the HELP MENU:

MASTER HELP INDEX: This option invokes the Automated EpGuide Online Help
system. Note: the F1 key and the HELP button on the Toolbar perform the
same action as this menu item.

USELESS HELP SCREEN: This option pops up a pretty much useless reminder
about how to get help while using the Automated EpGuide. Note: the F2 key
performs the same action as this menu item.

SHAREWARE NOTICE: This option pops up details about the Shareware nature
of this program. It lists the name and address of the hard working programmer
who slaved away for countless hours, coding his pathetic fingers into bloody
stumps so you could enjoy this incredible program. Laying it on a bit thick,
aren't I? Well, you know the routine. Note: The F3 key and the NAG button on
the Toolbar perform the same action as this menu item.

WEASELY DISCLAIMER: This option pops up a brief disclaimer which lists the
creator or producer of this TV show and the production company and denotes
their ownership of this TV show.  Note: the F4 key and the DISC button on
the Toolbar perform the same action as this menu item.

MORE INFORMATION: This option pops up a brief bit of info about the episode
data contained in the Automated EpGuide. I usually use this space to let you
know if the version of the program you are using was released before the
featured TV show's current season was complete. Note: the F5 key and the
INFO button on the Toolbar perform the same action as this menu item.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: This option pops up a small message which lists the title
of the Automated EpGuide you are using, the version number, the copyright
notice, and a slimy, vain plug about the programmer of the A.E.G. Humor me,
okay? Note: the F6 key and the ABT button on the Toolbar perform the same
action as this menu item.

OTHER PROGRAMS: This option pops up a list of other nifty programs available
from Snake-Byte Incorporated. You will notice that there is a whole series of
Automated Episode Guides available in several different operating system
flavors. Tell everyone you know about the A.E.G.! Note: the F7 key and the
SBI button on the Toolbar perform the same action as this menu item.

=========================================================================
                           Keyboard Shortcuts
=========================================================================

Each option on each menu (and the menu titles on the Menu Bar) has ONE
character underlined.  This represents the KEYBOARD SHORTCUT for that
particular menu option.

Most people prefer to use their  mouse pointer to click on the menu option
or on a Toolbar button, but these KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS perform the exact same
actions as the mouse.

The way to "activate" the KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS is to press the <ALT> key on
your keyboard -- it should be a small key on either side of the <SPACE BAR>.

When you press  the <ALT> key, you will notice that the first menu title on
the Menu Bar is now highlighted in reversed colors (the color vary depending
on the color scheme that you run on your computer -- though, it should be the
same color as the Title Bar). This means that you now can pick that option by
hitting the <ENTER> key on your keyboard.

For example, if you pressed <ALT> and the EXIT menu title is highlighted on
the Menu Bar, if you were to now hit <ENTER>, the menu beneath the EXIT menu
title will now drop down revealing the other options on the Exit Menu.

You can now use the cursur arrow keys to move the "active" highlighted area
up and down on the EXIT drop down menu, or left and right on the Menu Bar.

=========================================================================
                       Keyboard Shortcut Example
=========================================================================

If you want to view the SECOND EPISODE of the SECOND SEASON of the TV Show
featured in ab Automated Episode Guide, the KEYBOARD SHORTCUT would be as
follows...

NOTE: Press Each Key Listed ONCE In This Sequence, And Don't Hold Any Of
The Keys Down.

<ALT> e 2 2

If you did this action correctly, the EPISODE MENU should drop down, the
SEASON 2 sub-menu should cascade to the side and the second episode should
be highlighted momentarily.

After this, the information for this episode should pop up on an episode
dialog box (see elsewhere for illustrations and descriptions). If it didn't,
go back to the start of this page and make sure you did everything correctly.

=========================================================================
                         Using Accelerator Keys
=========================================================================

If you see an F-key listed on the far right side of a drop down menu option,
that key will execute the given menu option at ALMOST any time during the
Automated Episode Guide's execution.

For example, at anytime after you get the main A.E.G. window up and running
on your screen, you can hit the F1 function key to bring up this Online Help
system.

This F-Key is called an ACCELERATOR KEY, because pressing the key by itself
is all that it takes to activate the given menu option.

NOTE: If one of the dialog boxes is already on the screen (the Other S.B.I.
Programs dialog box, for example), the ACCELERATOR KEY will not work UNTIL
you click the OK button to cancel that dialog box. Also, if you have pressed
the <ALT> key to activate the Menu Bar (for a KEYBOARD SHORTCUT), the
ACCELERATOR KEY will NOT work until you either (1) complete the KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT; or (2) hit the <ESC> key to "de-activate" the Menu Bar, thus
cancelling the KEYBOARD SHORTCUT sequence.

=========================================================================
                     The Automated EpGuide Toolbar
=========================================================================

The Automated EpGuide features a Toolbar for the user's convenience. The
Toolbar has an assortment of buttons which perform various actions. Note:
All of the Toolbar buttons may not appear in certain A.E.G. programs.

If you need more information on using the A.E.G. Toolbar and the action
each button performs, go back to the section entitled THE VARIOUS PARTS
OF THE AUTOMATED EPGUIDE WINDOW...

=========================================================================
=========================================================================
                       THIS PROGRAM IS SHAREWARE!
=========================================================================
=========================================================================

=========================================================================
              The Harsh Reality Of Trickle Down Economics.
=========================================================================

This program took a lot of hard work to produce (several weeks of learning
the Microsoft Foundation Class C++ idiosyncracies, honing the Windows code
and a week or so of entering the data and debugging and proof reading the
output. All of the blood, sweat and tears resulted in many thousands of
lines of C/C++ code!

And, unfortunately, nothing in life is free. But! This nifty little program
almost is! That's right! You can clear your conscience and assure there will
be future updates to this program, as well as other neato-frito programs from
Snake-Byte Incorporated!

All of this for the ridiculously reasonable, almost-FREE sum of $5.00!

How can we afford to let this rare jewel of a program go for the piddly
little amount of $5.00?!?!

Because, here at Snake-Byte Incorporated, we deal in VOLUME! VOLUME!! VOLUME!!!
We'll eat a bug to make a sale! Hurry on down to our Midnight Madness sale
and... Wait a minute. Wrong sales pitch. Sorry. Anyway, you get the picture.
<Insert Normal Shareware Begging/Pleading/Demanding Here>.

What do you get for your $5.00? That warm-tummy feeling of satisfaction
knowingyou did the RIGHT fing. This program isn't "CRIPPLED". I detest
"Crippleware" and decided early on that I wouldn't do that kind of thing.
So, there's no "Registered Version". What you have now is the fully-functional
program. It contains one small shareware notice option onthe Help Menu (that
you don't even have to look at if you don't feel like it). The program shows
that shareware notice screen ONLY when you exit the program, so it doesn't
inconvenience you before or during the program's execution. (And if that gets
your shorts in a bunch, send me a 3.5 inch disk plus return postage and the
registration fee and I'll compile you a special version that doesn't even have
the shareware notice! What a guy, huh?)

Here's where to send the cash/check/money order:

                               Will Morgan
                               2516 Wood St.
                               Texarkana, Tx.  75501

=========================================================================
                  Registering The A.E.G. From Overseas
=========================================================================

Since this show is popular in countries other than the United States, a
perplexing question came up recently from a person in the United Kingdon:

How do I get the proper currency to register the Automated Episode Guide?

Well, John McCoy came up with a solution to this problem. Here's part of
his email message to me with details on getting American currency:

Date:  Sat, 10 Feb 1996 21:31:21
Subj:  American Currency
From: John McCoy <jamccoy@maruabrid.win-uk.net>

All I did was take my VISA card to a Bureau d'Echanges (currency exchange)
and say:

"I would like to buy <amount> US, American Dollars, please." It took a while
for the clerk to follow my intent, but I eventually got <currency amount> in
odd-looking money. I slipped it into an airmail envelope and added stamps,
and an address.

You don't need a card to buy currency, any Bx will take any currency and
sell you any other, and that day's rate for swapping is marked prominently.

=========================================================================
=========================================================================
                        MORE PROGRAM INFORMATION
=========================================================================
=========================================================================

=========================================================================
               The History Of This 16 bit Windows A.E.G.
=========================================================================

VERSION 1.0w: The old generation of the Windows program. Nothing fancy.

VERSION 1.9b: Beta version. Re-Designed the program from the ground up using
              the Microsoft Foundation Class library. Honed the mechanics of
              the program. Added the Toolbar, Status Bar, Online Help System
              New Episode Data dialog boxes and other nifty innovations!

VERSION 2.0w: First release version of the 16 bit Windows Automated
              Episode Guide.

=========================================================================
         Known Bugs and Problems With The 16 bit Windows A.E.G.
=========================================================================

There are NO known bugs or problems (knock simulated wood grain computer desk).

=========================================================================
                      Swatting Any Pesky Insects.
=========================================================================

If you encounter any problems with this program (either bugs in the actual
mechanics of the program, or misspellings and/or incorrect information in
the various episode data fields), please drop send me a message at one of
the e-mail addresses in the last section of this document. I will try and
implement the fix in the next version of the program that I release.

=========================================================================
                        Big Plans For The Future
=========================================================================

I will update this program if/when new episodes/seasons of the show are
completed. If the show is no longer in production, the only updating that
I can do is to correct any misspellings and/or mistakes in the mechanics
of the program. If you spot any incorrect data or bugs in the program,
send me some e-mail and I'll include the correction in the next version.

I  want to add some printing routines so the user can print out a brief
episode list, episodes by season, a particular episode by itself or a
full-blown, everything included episode guide.

I also want to add some search routines.

I'd really like to add some multi-media stuff to the program, like sound
clips or maybe some pictures. But, due to the legal ramifications, this
dream may never come true. Slimy, show-bid'ness lawyers just love to prey
on the little guys who use the images and/or sound clips of their copyrighted
and trademarked clients.

NOTE: There are also 32 bit DOS, 32 bit Win32 and 32 bit OS/2 Presentation
Manager versions of this program available, so if you know someone who'd
be interested in one of those versions of this program, pass the word!

=========================================================================
                       Other Automated EpGuides?
=========================================================================

Yes, TV Buffs and Couch Potatoes! I plan on releasing a series of A.E.G.'s
for various TV shows based on this Automated EpGuide "engine" (See the
section that follows entitled "OTHER SNAKE-BYTE INC. PROGRAMS" for the
A.E.G.'s that are currently available).

If you're interested in seeing an Automated Episode Guide for your favorite
TV show, contact me via one of the methods described in the last section of
this document.

Production of other A.E.G.'s depends on the availability of information about
the TV show and whether or not the show's information translates well into the
A.E.G. format. Some shows just won't work!

=========================================================================
                       Other Snake-Byte Programs
=========================================================================

                        AUTOMATED EPISODE GUIDES

Here are the TV  shows  that are currently available in 32 bit DOS, 32 bit
OS/2 text mode, 32 bit OS/2 Presentation Manager and 16 bit Windows versions.
Check at the FTP site I run at ftp://ftp.slinknet.com /pub/snake

TV Show Name             32 bit DOS    OS/2 Text      OS/2 PM    Win16/Win32
=============================================================================
Mystery Science Theater    Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
The X-Files                Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Quantum Leap               Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Star Trek: TOS             Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Star Trek: TNG             Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Deep Space 9               Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
The Simpsons               Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Babylon 5                  Yes!         Yes!            Yes!         Yes!
Beavis & Butt-Head                                      Yes!         Yes!
============================================================================

                        Also By SNAKE-BYTE INC.

                 THE DALLAS COWBOY FANATIC's COMPANION
      32 bit DOS, 32 bit OS/2 PM & text, 16 bit Win & Win32/Win95

=========================================================================
                 Where To Get These Snake-Byte Programs
=========================================================================

INTERNET:

All versions of all Snake-Byte Inc. programs are *ALWAYS* available at the
FTP site that I take care of at (Please note the NEW URL! My programs are
no longer available at Cloverleaf!):

ftp://ftp.slinknet.com/pub/snake

You can also point your World Wide Web browser to the following URL:

http://www.slinknet.com/~wmorgan/snake.html


FIDONET/FDN:

Super-nice lady Janis Kracht has helped me start (helped? She's done all the
work!) a Snake-Byte Incorporated File Distribution Network! This FDN is
sponsored by the folks at US Robotics modems and if you are a Fidonet BBS
Sysop keep an eye on the back-boned SHAREWARE echo for the "automated" file
release notices. You can then FREQ (File Request) the various files from a
BBS that carries the File-Boned FDNs. A later section of this document lists
the various international file sites that the Snake-Byte FDN are available
from!

Get one Snake-Byte program...get them ALL! We'll make more!

=========================================================================
                       Credit Where Credit Is Due
=========================================================================

Gratitude Department...

Extra special thanks to Frank Miller, my C programming guru. If it weren't
for Frank, I probably would've given up on C programming within the first
few days. He has helped me solve many of my seemingly endless beginner's
problems.

Super-Duper thanks to Janis Kracht for all the work she's done on the
Snake-Byte File Distribution Network! Similar thanks go to the people
at US Robotics for giving shareware authors the oppurtunity to start
FDN's and get their programs to a wider audience.

=========================================================================
                 Contacting The Author Of This Program
=========================================================================

Want to thank me for such a fantastic program?

Bitch me out for wasting your download time and hard drive space?

Suggest future additions to this program?

Have an idea for a future program?

Point out picky little mistakes or actual bugs?

Need a cyber-shoulder to cry on?

Well, for all these reasons except that last one, there, you can contact
me by one of the following methods:

Fidonet Netmail:                 1:3819/128.103
Fidonet Echos I Frequent:        MST3K, NFL and OS/2
Internet e-mail:                 wmorgan@slinknet.com  <--NEW ADRESS!
                                 will.morgan@p103.f128.n3819.z1.fidonet.org
Internet WWW page:               http://www.slinknet.com/~wmorgan/snake.html
Internet FTP site:               ftp://ftp.slinknet.com /pub/snake
US Snail Mail:                   See address in the Shareware Nag...

=========================================================================
         The Snake-Byte Incorporated File Distribution Network
=========================================================================

SnakeByte FDN is carried by all IFDC FileGate HUBs and SuperSites (Zones 1-6),
and EXEC-PC BBS, as well as Planet Connect Satellite Systems, PageSat Satellite
Systems, the FidoNet FileBone, and paonline.com. Files are also available via
FidoNet File Request or first time download at 1:2320/38 (502-245-8117) or
1:2320/100 (502-245-1146), at V.Everything.

=========================================================================
                 International Sites for Snake-Byte FDN:
=========================================================================
     * International HUB/SuperSite Map *     IFDC FileGate Project <sm>
=========================================================================
=========================================================================
Zone 1       Main Site          USRobotics                  Skokie, Ill.
=========================================================================
                         * North American HUBS *
=========================================================================
1:270/101    George Peace       PageSat Satellite Systems   Harrisburg, PA
                                (FidoNet FileBone)
1:3615/50    Planet Connect     Satellite Systems
1:154/280    EXEC-PC BBS                                    Elm Grove, WI
1:124/7009   Lee Laird                                      Garland, TX
1:167/234    Patrick Dufresne                               Quebec, Canada
1:115/251    Tony Tang                                      Wilmette, ILL.
1:2320/38    Janis Kracht                                   Louisville, KY
1:272/44     Ted Delamare                                   Middletown NY
=========================================================================
                 * IFDC FileGate International SuperSites *
=========================================================================
Zone 2       United Kingdom SuperSite                       Fareham, UK
2:251/25     Graham Print - Fareham
=========================================================================
2:281/506    Ron Huiskes                                    Netherlands
             Mainland Europe SuperSite
=========================================================================
Zone 3       Ausralian SuperSite                            Essendon Victoria
3:50/99      Steven Lutrov
=========================================================================
Zone 4       South American SuperSite                       Bolivia, S. America
4:823/1      Adolfo Justiniano
=========================================================================
Zone 5       South African SuperSite                        Port Elizabeth
5:7104/2     Henk Wolsink
=========================================================================
                      * Zone 6, Asian SuperSite *
=========================================================================
6:731/16  Bill English                                      Tokyo, Japan
=========================================================================

