Internet Log Meter InterLog (Version 2.2a) This ReadMe file contains the installation procedures, a quick setup summary as well as more detailed information for those who are curious to find out more about InterLog. Refer to Interlog.hlp for further details on the new Backup feature and on how to use InterLog with a script language. This programme is FREEWARE and may be FREELY DISTRIBUTED. INTRODUCTION InterLog is a small program that monitors your time on the Internet and gives you an instant readout of your actual session time, your remaining time (based on your monthly allowance) as well as a total usage time since your monthly renewal. This is also recorded in a log file. This information is available even when the program is reduced to an ICON (Window 3.1) or a BUTTON on the taskbar (Windows 95). This newly revised version (2.2a) features automatic backup of usage time information and may be used with script language to allow for automatic activation and closure under Windows. It also supports multiple providers (separate accounts). An option is provided to have the ICON remain on top of your BROWSER if you so wish, allowing for a constant readout. INSTALLATION All the files necessary to run InterLog are compressed into one ZIPPED file called intlog22.zip (indicating the current version 2.2 file). It is suggested that intlog21.zip be copied to a temporary directory and unzipped. The file SETUP.EXE should then be called from inside WINDOWS using the RUN command. Setup will offer to create a directory on DRIVE C: (this can be changed at setup time) and will create a new group called INTERNET LOGMETER. No changes will be done to your existing "INI" file; InterLog will create an INTERLOG.INI file of its own. InterLog needs to be installed and active before you connect to the Internet. To ensure this, INTERLOG should be copied to your STARTUP group; so that whenever you start Windows, InterLog will be active and will appear as an icon at the bottom of your screen. Exiting Windows will automatically close InterLog. SETUP If your using Windows 3.1 or 3.11, InterLog will default to using as a trigger. To use Trumpet Winsock or another Dialer, go to the Setup button in the main window and select the options under "Triggers". Selecting in the trigger window will tell InterLog to start counting following a carrier detect from your phone line. If your using Windows 95, InterLog will default to using Carrier Detect only to identify when you are connected to the Internet. In order to prevent InterLog from counting your on-line time when you are using your modem for other purposes, select your DialUp application from the Drop List in the Trigger Group. For example, if you are using the DialUp network from inside Windows 95, minimize InterLog, start up a normal Internet session and while you are connected, double click on InterLog, go to the Setup window and select the Drop List in Triggers to view all of the applications active at the time. You will see a list of title such as Connect, Connect To and Connect To ??????? which indicates the name you have given to your Connection. Click on this selection and minimize InterLog again. The next time you will log on, InterLog will watch for a carrier detect and wait until it sees the Connect To ?????? before starting to count; this way, if you use your modem for fax or to connect to another BBS, InterLog will not count your logon time. From the Icon menu list (or right mouse button on the taskbar for Windows 95) select "Status" for a description of your present configuration. Options are changed through the "Setup" dialog from the "Main" dialog. Refer to the Windows Help file for detais on how to set up InterLog with 2 or more accounts. GENERAL DOUBLE CLICKING on the icon will give you more detailed statistics as well as give you access to a setup menu where various parameters may be entered to reflect the term of your Internet provider's contract. To program InterLog to remain on top select "Stay On Top" from the system menu that comes on when you SINGLE CLICK on the ICON, or from inside the Setup window. In Windows 95, click the right mouse button to view the System menu. The "Stay On Top" feature is somewhat redundant in Windows 95 since the whole taskbar can be programmed to remain on top. InterLog also maintains an on-going log (INTERLOG.DAT) of each call made to your Internet provider. To access the log, press the Readlog button. The LOGON line shows the time you were given access to the Internet as well as the ADDRESS that your SLIP or PPP connection assigned to your request if that option was selected in the Setup screen. At LOGOFF, the total session time is computed and recorded. The log readout is in fact a small text editor from which you can "cut and paste" to and from the "Clipboard". The size of the log is limited to approximately 32K; a warning will appear when this limit is reached; you may then elect to remove earlier entries (using Edit from the menu) or rename the ASCII file "INTERLOG.DAT" to save its content. A new "InterLog.dat" will automatically be created. NORMAL OPERATION InterLog will default to the date you install it for the purpose of computing your monthly usage and will use a monthly allowance of 35 hours. You can change this using the Setup window and adjusting the parameters to reflect your particular situation. If your are on a monthly schedule, InterLog will automatically reset your allowance at the end of the month and increment the start date to the new month. Note that if you change the date, InterLog will reset the monthly total to the indicated monthly allowance unless you cancel the operation. You may use the Preset function to adjust the Cumulative Time to a value other than zero on if necessary. If your Provider offers free access during a certain period, use the Option button in the Provider Services to access a secondary dialog, select Free Time and enter the time you want InterLog to Stop and Start counting using the From and To scrollbars . If your monthly allowance is unlimited, you may select "Unlimited" at which point the monthly hours will default to the maximum number of possible hours for the given month. After a month, the usage time will revert to zero and start the upward count to the maximum again. In the ICON mode, the top row indicates the session time in Hours:Minutes and the bottom row indicates your remaining monthly time in Hours:Minutes as well. Should your monthly usage exceed your allowance, the readout will start counting up and colour will change to red to indicate a SURCHARGE mode. In Windows 95, the InterLog button on the taskbar will show the session time on the left and the remaining monthly time on the right; in the surcharge mode, a minus sign will appear next to the remaining time. The statistics window is a convenient way to see at a glance the percentage of time used versus the number of days left in the month. I find it particularly useful when you approach the end of the month and you realize that you have enough hours left to download those lengthy files that you have been wanting to do but kept putting off. On the other hand, it will also tell you at a glance when your are down to 20% of your total allowance and you still have 25 days to go in the month... HOW IT WORKS? InterLog checks the carrier detect function of your modem and, optionally, the presence of an active application that you use to connect to the Internet such as Trumpet Winsock. Once is has received your TC/IP address using your HOSTNAME that it will detect if the Seek IP Address function is enabled, InterLog logs in your LOGON time and continues monitoring your session until you disconnect, at which time it will record your LOGOFF time, compute your total session time and record it the file INTERLOG.DAT. Initially, InterLog scans your communication ports to detect a MODEM. Once detected, the presence of a MODEM will be recorded internally. If it cannot find your MODEM, it will warn you and ask that you go into SETUP to specify the location (ComPort) of your MODEM. Note that InterLog cannot Test for a MODEM, using "TestModem" if your modem (or Comm port) is already in use; make sure tcpman or any other dialer is OFF before trying the test. Should you wish to "uninstall" InterLog, delete all the files in the directory INTERLOG and the INTERLOG.INI from the windows directory as well as the ICON in the INTERNET LOGMETER group. Other files used by InterLog are of the DLL variety and are only installed on your computer if they do not exist. They are the standard BORLAND public domain DLLs and are most likely used by a good number of programs already installed on your computer; these files should not be removed unless you are certain that they are not used by other programs. A list of installed files appears at the end of this text. This programme is FREEWARE and may be freely distributed. If you find it useful, or wish to report problems installing and using it, send an E-Mail to rcote@inasec.ca. or rcote@sympatico.ca Robert Côté/Denise Baribeau Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Revised January 1996 List of Files readme.txt (this file in ascii format) InterLog.exe (the executable) gauge.vbx (used by the executable) InterLog.hlp (the InterLog help file in HLP format) bivbx11.dll (borland VBX support) ctl3dv2.dll (Microsoft 3d resources) bwcc.dll (Borland resources) The last three files will only be installed if they do not exist on your computer already. (This program was tested under Windows 3.1, 3.11 and Windows 95 using US Robotics 14.4, 28.8 internal modems and a MegaHertz PCMCIA 14.4 modem) January 8, 1996