STRETCH BREAK (TM) Evaluation PRO Version 3.4c (* Special instructions for file that was downloaded from the Internet) Published and Designed by: Para Technologies 3273 Indiana Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Voice line: 714-546-8619 FAX line: 714-546-4607 E-mail: paratech@earthlink.net http://www.paratec.com Graphics by: Programming by: Imagination Works Jeff Lorenzini Support Systems IMA Studios Copyright 1998 Para Technologies. All rights reserved. ============================================================ CONTENTS OF THIS FILE GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS STARTING STRETCH BREAK ORDERING STRETCH BREAK STRETCH BREAK FEATURES DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS USING THE TRACKER ASP MEMBER DISCLAIMERS ============================================================ GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION Do you ever get aching muscles and stiff joints from sitting in front of your computer too long. A team of health care and ergonomics specialists developed STRETCH BREAK to increase circulation, relieve tension, and help guard against Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. STRETCH BREAK reminds you to stretch and shows you how. Every 30 minutes (programmable) a Windows screen opens and animated figures are shown doing stretches for you to follow. We have made STRETCH BREAK simple to install and very easy to use. You can control the time between stretch sessions, and the number of stretches per session. You can start the stretches at any time, or delay stretches for one or five minutes. This program requires Microsoft Windows and a mouse. It uses 5MB of hard drive space. A monitor with 256 colors is recommended but not required. This is a 10 day evaluation version of Stretch Break PRO. It has all the features and each of the stretches that are in the regular PRO version. See the "Ordering" instructions below for information on how to continue to use Stretch Break PRO beyond the evaluation period. You are encouraged to pass a copy of this program (in its original form) along to your friends and associates for evaluation. This PRO version of STRETCH BREAK contains a Tracker that can monitor the use patterns for the program. Also included in the PRO version is the ability to select the stretches that will appear when the program is run. Included in the HELP file are guidelines for setting up an ergonomically correct workstation. Try STRETCH BREAK for a few days. We think that you will be amazed at how much better you feel while using your computer. Thank you for trying this program. Please write to tell us how STRETCH BREAK worked for you. Arthur Saltzman, Ph.D. President Para Technologies ============================================================ SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT 386, 486, or Pentium IBM compatible system 5 Megabytes of free hard disk space 256 color monitor recommended but not required ============================================================ INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS If you downloaded this evaluation version of STRETCH BREAK PRO from the Internet or (or received it in the form of archive files from some other source), you will need to perform the following steps. 1. Use PKUNZIP or some other unzipping program to extract the contents of the archive file into a temporary directory on your hard drive. The procedure for doing this varies, depending on the form in which you received the package. 2. Execute the "SETUP.EXE" program which you have extracted. For example, if the temporary directory into which you have extracted the STRETCH BREAK package is C:\TEMP, you would execute from File Manager or Explorer, the file, "C:\TEMP\SETUP.EXE". 3. Follow the installation instructions. When you are asked if you want to add STRETCH BREAK to the Startup Group, we recommend that you indicate "yes". This will start STRETCH BREAK as a minimized application each time you start Windows. The stretches will not appear for 30 minutes (default). 4. When you're satisfied that the installation was successful, you should delete the temporary directory from which you installed Stretch Break (C:\TEMP, in the above discussion), including all its contents. 6. A few users have reported that when they try to start STRETCH BREAK they get the message "Missing file CSSPIN.VBX". This means that the file did not properly install. To fix this you should install this file manually. The compressed version of CSSPIN.VBX is named CSSPIN.VB_. You must expand the compressed file to the directory containing STRETCH BREAK. From the DOS prompt, the command to do this is: EXPAND C:\TEMP\CSSPIN.VB_ C:\STRETCH\CSSPIN.VBX Check to make sure that the CSSPIN.VBX file is now in the C:\STRETCH directory. Then you should be able to run STRETCH BREAK. ============================================================ STARTING STRETCH BREAK It is recommended that during installation you allow Stretch Break to be put in the Startup Group so that it starts each time you start Windows. Otherwise you can start Stretch Break by double clicking on the Stretch Break icon. NOTE: If Stretch Break was not put in your Startup Group during installation, you can put it there at any time as follows: 1. While pressing Ctrl, use your mouse to drag and drop the icon from the Stretch Break Group to the Startup Group. 2. Highlight this new icon by clicking on it once. 3. Click on File, and then Properties. 4. Change the command line in the Program Items Property dialogue box to read "C:\STRETCH\STRETCH.EXE -STARTUP." Adding the "-STARTUP" causes Stretch Break to start as a minimized application. The stretches will appear in 30 minutes (default). ============================================================ ORDERING STRETCH BREAK To continue to use Stretch Break PRO beyond the evaluation period you can use your credit card to register by phone. To order additional copies of Stretch Break PRO you can print the form that is in the file ORDERFRM.TXT, or call, write, or fax Para Technologies at the numbers above. Site licenses for multiple workstations are available at reduced rates. Stretch Break can be customized and used as an advertising promotion. A Special Edition is available for bundling with ergonomic products, computer hardware, and software programs. ============================================================ STRETCH BREAK FEATURES Flexibility and simplicity are built into Stretch Break. You select how long to wait between stretch sessions and how many stretches you want to do during each session. The defaults are 3 stretches per Session and 30 minutes between sessions. As each session begins the program determines the last stretch you did in the previous session and then starts you on the next stretch in the sequence. You may start or stop Stretch Break at any time, remove it from the current windows session or delay it by one minute or five minutes. You can also select the stretches you want to do. ============================================================ DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS When you start Stretch Break by double clicking on the icon you will be given the opportunity to change the time between breaks (default 30 minutes) and the number of stretches per break (default 3). You will also be able to select from the following options: STRETCH NOW This immediately starts the stretches. WAIT TO STRETCH You will return to the application you were working on. Stretch Break will return in 30 minutes or in the time you have specified. When the main screen with the animations appears, the following options are available: END THIS SESSION You will return to the application you were working on before you started Stretch Break. Stretch Break will return in 30 minutes or in the time you have specified. OPTIONS A dialogue box will open that will allow you to specify when the next stretch break will begin and the number of stretches that will be displayed. Also, in the Options box you can enable or disable the sound that plays when the "Time To Stretch" screen appears (STRETCH.WAV). You can also enable or disable the sound that plays at the end of each stretch (DONE.WAV). The sounds are contained in the files indicated above. Users may substitute any .wav files if they wish. Also in the Options box is a "Select Stretches" button. This will allow you to select which of the stretches you want to appear. EXIT STRETCH BREAK Stretch Break will be removed from Windows and will not automatically come up again. You may restart the program by double clicking on the icon. HELP The HELP screen appears. Detailed instructions for each of the functions are given. Included in the HELP file are guidelines for setting up an ergonomically correct workstation. NEXT STRETCH The next stretch in the sequence will start. PREVIOUS STRETCH The previous stretch in the sequence will start. At the end of each stretch session a screen will appear briefly to tell you when the next stretches will start. After the specified period of time the Stretch Break Control screen will appear and you can select from the following options: BEGIN STRETCH DELAY FOR 1 MINUTE CANCEL THIS STRETCH DELAY FOR 5 MINUTES If no selection is made, the Stretch Break Control will stay on the screen for one minute and then disappear. The Stretch Break Control will then appear again after the currently selected number of minutes between stretches. ============================================================ USING THE TRACKER A module is included in Stretch Break PRO to allow the tracking of user selections. When the Stretch Break Control screen appears the user must select from the options listed above. The program automatically records each selection. To see the selections that were made you should execute the file TRACK.EXE which is in the C:\STRETCH directory. The Tracker will initially show each of the selections made since Stretch Break was installed. The Tracker also shows the total number of times each item was selected. Choosing "New Date" presents you with a calendar that allows you to designate the time period that is being reviewed. Note: If no item is selected after one minute the Tracker program will record it as a "Timed Out". ============================================================ ASP MEMBER _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Para Technologies is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware- related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 157-F Love Ave., Greenwood, IN 26142 USA, FAX 317-888-2195 or send email to omb@asp-shareware.org. ============================================================ DISCLAIMERS Users of this software must accept the following disclaimer of warranty: PARA TECHNOLOGIES MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY, AND PARA TECHNOLOGIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR TORT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SUCH AS LOSS OF PROFITS OR LOSS OF GOODWILL FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE FOR ANY PURPOSE. SOME STATES MAY NOT ALLOW THIS DISCLAIMER SO THIS LANGUAGE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASE, OUR LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE REFUND OF THE REGULAR PURCHASE PRICE. THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY CALIFORNIA LAW, AND IS DEEMED ENTERED INTO AT ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA BY BOTH PARTIES. The product Stretch Break should in no way be considered a substitute for treatment by a qualified physician. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, suffer from any physical or stress-related disorders or conditions, present or past, or are under the care of a physician or physical therapist, please check with them before trying these stretches. If pain develops or continues, discontinue use and consult a qualified physician. Your risk of injury may be affected by workstation design, keyboard design, posture, chair design, time worked without rest breaks, type of work, activities outside the workplace, and individual physiology. To get the most out of each of these stretches, please read the instructions carefully before you begin. Para Technologies reserves the right to make periodic changes, enhancements, revisions and alterations of any kind to the software or software price without any prior notice to any person, institution, or organization.