PhoneWatch
Version 1.00
Copyright (C) 1999 Colin Munro

(To view this file, turn on Word Wrap!)

1. What is PhoneWatch?

PhoneWatch is a program for monitoring your internet usage through Dial Up Networking, which is the way most decent ISPs allow you to dial into your internet account. It calculates the cost of your phone bill, takes account of as many discounts as you like and even tells you your online IP address just as an extra!!!

2. Installation

 2.1 Installing into Windows

To install PhoneWatch, you must firstly unzip the distribution package. After you've done that you can copy the PhoneWatch.exe file to whereever you wish, either where you unzipped it to (e.g. C:\Program Files\PhoneWatch) or the Windows directory. Create a shortcut from the Start Menu "Startup" section (by right clicking on the Start button and clicking Explore, and right-dragging the icon from the folder you saved it in to the Startup folder, and selecting Create Shortcut). After this is done, run the Presets.reg file, which will load the preset call rate charges for the UK and 2 BT discounts preset. After that, either restart Windows or run PhoneWatch.exe and it should be ready!!!

 2.2 Setting up for use

After the installation into Windows is complete, an icon of a picture of a red phone should appear in the system tray, beside your clock on the task bar. Right click this, and select Options. This will bring up the configuration dialog box, with 3 pages:

   Statistics

  This page tells you how long you've spent on the internet since the program began logging, how much it cost, how much you paid for and the total.

   Bill

  This page controls your bill. Calls appear in the list as dollar signs, and payments appear as notes. The newest call or payment always appears at the top, and you scroll down for older ones. To add a bill, simply click "Add Bill..." and fill in any details you want to make note of. To add a point when you paid, click "Add Pay..." and just enter the amount you paid, and to delete a call or payment, select the item(s) in the list and press "Delete". Your total bill is also displayed here.

   Setup

  This allows you to set up each of your dial in accounts seperately, as well as a default account (".Default") that will affect all the accounts that are set to "Use .Default". This is the default for all other accounts, so if you only have one account in Dial-Up Networking, there is no need to alter anything but the .Default account. For what ever account you decide to adjust, press "Rates" and check the call rates and daytime hours are correct (although if you use a system like some mobile phone services, all charges cost them same, just enter the same number in all the boxes (please still input daytime hours for correct operation of that system!)). After that, check to see if the minimum charge for a call is correct, if you even have a minimum charge. After this is done, add discounts. The list of discounts shows all the discounts you currently have installed on this account. Click the small + button to add a new discount. The discount system is quite sophisticated, so if you don't want to learn all the features, just click "Presets" and select OK to install it. Do this until all the discounts you have are installed, and click OK in the main setup dialog, and you're ready to record calls!!!

3. During a phone call

During a phone call, you can call up information on a call by right-clicking on the tray icon and selecting "Current/last call info..." or by double-clicking on the icon. If you hold the mouse over the icon, a tool-tip should come up, with the current account you're dialled into, the amount of time you have been connected, the cost and your current IP address.

4. Registration

This program is shareware, and so you are required to register after 30 days of use. The program will continue to function, but you will no longer be using it legally. If you register, the splash screen will be turned off too, and you will be entitled to free bug fixes and updates in the future. The cost of registration is UKP 5, for more information on registration email colin.munro@mice.virtualave.net or visit http://mice.virtualave.net - please register.

5. Distribution

You may distribute only the shareware version of this software, if it is left in it's original unmodified form.

6. Contacting the author

PhoneWatch readme
Version 1.00
Copyright (C) 1999 Colin Munro
http://mice.virtualave.net
colin.munro@mice.virtualave.net
