ReadMe file for EasyReference 1.0 (www.RBridge.com), September 1999

Easy Reference is a tool that speeds up the making process of Client-Server and Database systems.
References are used a lot in any client/server application to store the values that you see in combo boxes, list boxes, trees or other controls. 

Easy Reference concept is simple: make your reference information database driven, i.e. change the user interface configurations through modifying data (as opposed to changing code and hard coded entities).

The purpose of this tool is to generate a reference database table that contains multiple categories and items. Each Reference category can be the source of data in a dropdown box or controls used in the applications that link to the reference table tbl_DB_Reference. You can store offices, departments, note types, phone types, skill sets, etc.. and constantly modify their values (or have one system administrator do it) without having to change your code.

Since the program is very flexible and adding extra categories into your code requires very little initial integration, you can add as many controls and categories into your user interfaces as you need with minimal effort. So Easy Reference helps your applications offer more functionality and to be completed in less time. 

Easy reference offers powerful features such as importing reference items from text files, reference cloning, previewing reference items in your application using multiple kinds of controls, and automatic generation of coding integration tips.

The integrated help feature (click on F1 on any screen, any time) provides you with detailed instructions on how to use the program. Even though the user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, you might find guidance useful when doing some advanced tasks. 
If you find any area of the help or the program that needs improvement, or have suggestions, please contact us at support@RBridge.com or visit http://www.rbridge.com/. Also don't hesitate to ask for support about some advanced issues and ideas. 

Easy Reference Users:

Easy Reference is to be used by Client-Server and database systems programmers and designers initially to do the code integration. Once Easy Reference categories are integrated in the application code, Easy Reference can be used by users (not necessarily technical) who are responsible for the systems. Easy reference facilitates day-to-day systems maintenance and database manipulations.
   
Requirements:

Easy Reference is a 32-bit program. It runs on Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0 or Later versions. 
Easy Reference works with multiple database types such as SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Oracle and Sybase. It uses ODBC to connect to any target database for which a driver is available. Easy Reference requires that you use version 3.x or higher as the ODBC Manager.

Easy Reference is written in Visual Basic and requires some VB DLLs, which will be copied upon installation, by running the setup program.

Sheridan Data Widget is a registered Copyright of Sheridan Software (http://www.shersoft.com/)

The Database setup is very simple and done through Easy Reference, multiple databases can be setup with the Reference table. See Easy Reference Database Setup in help for more details.

Some Easy Reference files are installed in your easy reference directory:
EasyReference.exe 
EasyReference.hlp and EasyReference.cnt
ReadMe.txt
ERefCoding.txtand and ErefCodingDW.txt are code files that might be used for the code integration  

To install:

Simply double click on ER1Setup.exe which is an installation program and follow the setup screens.
Because of Simtel.Net rules, the VB6 and MFC42 Run time Dlls are not included in the setup package.

If you are having difficulties running Easy Reference application after the setup (you do not have VB6 installed or have not installed a VB6 program before) then:

  The VB6 and MFC42 runtime files needed for this program can be found at
  this URL:  http://www.simtel.net/simtel.net/win95/dll.html
	However please do not copy or register comcat.dll (it might cause some side effects)
 
You can go to www.RBridge.com to download the full setup version if you are still having difficulties.	   


Contact:
  
support@RBridge.com or visit http://www.rbridge.com/


Distribution:

This Program is available Free (Freeware) and is freely distributable.

