 StarCharts for Windows

Introduction

If you're like most parents, you at one time or another, have found yourselves coaxing, bribing, threatening, nagging, pleading, insisting, or all-of-the-above to get your children to do what they should do.  Now there's a better way.  Introducing... StarCharts for Windows*.  StarCharts was designed to assist you with the difficult task of raising helpful, self-reliant children.  By providing them with daily, visible reminders of what they are expected to do and positive reinforcement for jobs well done, StarCharts will help your children to take a more active part in household chores and encourage them to develop new behaviors.

To learn how to use Help, press F1.

Contents of StarCharts Help

Registration

Legal

Getting Started

Menu Options

How To

Guidelines for Choosing Chores/Behaviors

Technical Support

* StarCharts for Windows - Copyright  1995 by Steven C. Strouse

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation


Registration

This copy of StarCharts is being distributed as shareware. If you find it useful and are continuing to use it after a 30 day trial period, you must register it.  To register it you must send a check or money order in the amount of $19.95 for basic registration or $24.95 for full registration to StarBrite Software or place a credit card order with Public software Library (PsL).

Basic registration will entitle you to the latest version of StarCharts, a key that turns off all registration reminders and three telephone support calls (maximum connect time per call of 30 minutes).  Full registration consists of everything in the basic registration package plus a printed copy of the manual.

Ordering by Check or Money Order

Ordering by Credit Card


Ordering by Check or Money Order

If you wish to order StarCharts directly, print a copy of the registration form and send it along with a check or money order to:

StarBrite Software

3803 Kentucky Derby Drive

Florissant, Mo. 63034

To print a copy of the registration form, jump to the registration form  topic (click on the green registration form in the above line), and select Print Topic from the Help File Menu.


Ordering by Credit Card

To order by credit card from Public software Library (PsL) call 1-800-2424-PsL or 713-524-6394 from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon-Thurs., 7 a.m. - Noon Friday or send your order by FAX to 1-713-524-6398 or by CompuServe Email to 71355,470 or Internet mail to 71355.470@compuserve.com.  You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.

Please be sure to include your credit card number and expiration date on all credit card orders.

PLEASE NOTE:  StarBrite Software cannot be reached at the numbers above.  These numbers are for PsL, a credit card order taking service only.  Contact them only if you wish to place an order.

 Any questions about shipment status, refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, etc. must be directed to StarBrite Software, 3803 Kentucky Derby Drive, Florissant, MO. 63034 or by telephone at (314)839-9877.

To print a copy of the registration form, jump to the registration form topic (click on the green registration form in the above line), and select Print Topic from the Help File Menu.


Order Form
Registration Form

StarCharts (latest version)    Circle Media:  5.25" (1.2M)  3.5" (1.44M)

    Basic registration (includes latest version, three telephone support

    calls, registration key):  _____  Copies @ $ 19.95 each  ________

                                              OR

      Full registration ( Basic registration plus printed copy of the

    manual):                     _____  Copies @ $ 24.95 each  ________

    Enclosed is a check or money order for total of:         $ ________

Payable to StarBrite Software

     I got my copy

     of StarCharts from: ____________________________________

    Your Name:          ______________________________________

     Your Address:       _____________________________________

                         __________________________________________

     City, State, ZIP:   ______________________________________

     Mail To:

                                StarBrite Software

                                3803 Kentucky Derby Drive

                                Florissant, MO.  63034


Registration Form

StarCharts (latest version)    Circle Media:  5.25" (1.2M)  3.5" (1.44M)

    Basic registration (includes latest version, three telephone support

    calls, registration key):  _____  Copies @ $ 19.95 each  ________

                                              OR

    Full registration ( Basic registration plus printed copy of the

    manual):                     _____  Copies @ $ 24.95 each  ________

    Credit Card total of:         $ ________

Credit Card:   __MasterCard   __Visa  __American Express  __Discover

Credit Card Number:  _____________________________

Expiration Date:  ___________________

    I got my copy

    of StarCharts from: ____________________________________

    Your Name:          ______________________________________

     Your Address:       _____________________________________

                         __________________________________________

     City, State, ZIP:   ______________________________________

     Mail To:

                                PsL

                                P.O. Box 35705,

                                Houston, TX.  77235-5705


Shareware

Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register.  The authors of shareware programs are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and many depend on programming for their livelihood. The author of a shareware program only gets compensated for his/her efforts if people like yourself have the integrity to send in the registration.   Shareware programs are of comparable quality to commecial software and should not be regarded as second-rate products.  Many commecial software packages on the market today were initially offered as shareware.

Copyright laws apply to both shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights.

This is a shareware copy of StarCharts. It is provided at no charge to you for purposes of evaluation. If you find it useful, please send in your registration.  You may also pass along the evaluation copy to your friends.


Legal

DISCLAIMER

The author, Steven C. Strouse, or his assigns accept no responsibility for any loss or damage of any kind, including, but not limited to, losses of a physical, mental, social, financial, marital, or of whatever nature, resulting from the use, or the purported use of StarCharts, for any purpose whatsoever. You use StarCharts entirely at your own risk.


Guidelines for Choosing Chores/Behaviors

When deciding which tasks and/or behaviors your children should be responsible for, involve them in the process.  Sit down with them and generate a list of chores they can perform and/or desirable behaviors they can learn or improve.

Note:  You can use StarCharts to make the list(s) by performing the first five steps of Getting Started.

Things to consider when making your lists:

1)  The task or behavior should be age-appropriate

2)  The task or behavior should be well defined

3)  Training may be required

4)  Have the right equipment

5)  Set a good example


The task or behavior should be age appropriate
1)  The task or behavior should be age appropriate

The abilities of children of a certain age group vary widely.  Click on one of the following age groups for suggestions of task/behaviors that may be appropriate for your child.

Ages 2-3

Ages 4-5

Ages 6-7

Ages 8-10

Ages 11-12


The task or behavior should be well defined
2)  The task or behavior should be well defined

A task should have a definite, measurable goal.  This is especially true for younger children.  A task such as "Put dolls in toy box" is an example of a task with a definite, measurable goal.  The goal is to have all the dolls in the toy box.  The measure is that there are none remaining in other parts of the room.  A task such as "Clean the living room" may be too general.  It could be broken down into several, more definite tasks such as: "Vaccuum living room", "Straighten magazines on coffee table", "Dust coffee table & piano".  The same principles can be applied to behaviors.  "Have good manners", for instance, is really a whole set of behaviors which can be broken down into: "Says Please & Thank You", "Speaks when spoken to", "Sits straight at the table", "Says Hello/Goodbye", etc.


Training may be required
3)  Training may be required

 Most children cannot be expected to perform a task or exhibit a behavior if they have never been shown how.  You must take the time to show your children what to do.  A good approach is to first do it yourself while your children watch.  Then, let them try it while you watch.  Assist them where necessary but try to resist the temptation to "take over".  Praise them lavishly for all sincere attempts.  By training your children you also communicate to them your expectations of what constitutes satisfactory completion.  Be careful, however, that your expectations do not exceed their abilities.


Have the right equipment
4)   Have the right equipment

If one of the assigned tasks for a child is to "Sweep the Kitchen" make sure that the child can handle the broom.  A smaller broom may be required.  If you require that the toys in a child's room be picked up, make sure there are enough accessible toy containers to accommodate them.  If "Setting the Dinner Table" is on a child's task list, make sure that he/she can reach the dishes.


5)  Set a good example

As you know, children are very observant.  Please do not expect them to keep their rooms immaculate if you're in the habit of leaving your clothes on the floor and your bed un-made.


Ages 2-3  Up to two tasks a day

1.  Undress

2.  Hang pajamas on low hook

3.  Dress with help

4.  Simple grooming - wash face, brush hair

5.  Help with bed making

6.  Tidy bedroom with help

7.  Empty bathroom wastebasket

8.  Pick up toys and put in proper place

9.  Empty own hamper and carry clothes to laundry area

10.  Bring in newspaper

11.  Keep pillow straightened on sofa

12.  Place magazines in rack or assigned place

13.  Carry own dishes from table to counter

14.  Empty small wastebaskets in bathrooms or bedrooms

15.  Trash pickup in yard

16.  Saying Please and Thank You


Ages 4-5      Up to four tasks a day

1.  Everything from 2-4 plus:

2.  Simple grooming - wash face, brush teeth and hair

3.  Tidy bedroom with help

4.  Help clear table after meals

5.  Take old newspaper to trash or recycle bins

6.  Put inside and outside playthings away

7.  Empty bathroom and/or bedroom wastebaskets

8.  Help Set table for dinner

9.  Take dirty clothes to laundry area

10.  Feed and water pets

11.  Get the mail and put in proper place

12.  Water plants or garden

13.  Dust low bookshelves

14.  Help put groceries away

15.  Wash hands before meals


Ages 6-7      Up to five tasks a day

1.  Everything from 2-5 plus:

2.  Shake area rugs

3.  Feed fish

4.  Hang up school clothes and change to play clothes

5.  Help parent put away items that are out of place

6.  Scrub potatoes for baking

7.  Wash dishes

8.  Place items for school by the door

9.  Switch off unused lights

10.  Straighten books and game shelf

11.  Help prepare meals

12.  Water plants and flowers

13.  Help put away groceries

14.  Care for pets

15.  Sweep kitchen

16.  Wash bathroom sink


Ages 8-10      Up to five tasks a day

1.  Everything from 2-7 plus:

2.  Help younger child with bed making

3.  Practice music

4.  Dust living room furniture

5.  Empty all wastebaskets

6.  Sweep patio and wash patio table

7.  Clear the table and do dinner dishes

8.  Bring in wood (winter) or pick fruit (summer)

9.  Do homework, place items for school by door

10.  Clean cabinets or drawers

11.  Clean own closet

12.  Wash sink, toilet and bathtub

13.  Scrape and stack dishes

14.  Prepare a simple meal

15.  Strip bed weekly and wash sheets

16.  Wash or dry dishes

17.  Sort wash by color, wash and dry, fold and put away

18.  Wash windows and mirrors

19.  Help adult clean refrigerator

20.  Mop the floor

21.  Read a simple recipe and cook

23.  Paint garage shelves or fence


Ages 11-12      Up to five tasks a day

1.  Everything from 2-10 plus:

2.  Vacuum carpets

3.  Put bike in garage

4.  Rake leaves

5.  Make breakfast

6.  Pack family lunches

7.  Help prepare and serve meals

8.  Load dishwasher or wash dishes

9.  Be a banker (give children money for lunch)

10.  Wipe washer and dryer

11.  Do the family wash

12.  Wipe off freezer

13.  Oil or wax furniture

14.  Vacuum baseboards

15.  Make dessert for dinner

16.  Bake cookies for lunch

17.  Tend garden in season

18.  Mow lawn and rake leaves

19.  Wipe bathroom walls


GETTING STARTED

To begin using StarCharts follow these steps:

1) Create a StarChart File

2) Create a StarChart

3) Define Assignment/Award Tokens

4) Define Tasks/Behaviors

5) Make Assignments

6) Print the Chart

7) Evaluate/Reward progress


Create a StarChart File

Select "File" from the menu and choose the "New" option.  The "New File" dialog box will appear.  Move the cursor inside the "Charts For" edit control and click the left mouse button.  The text entry cursor will appear.  Enter the name of the person to which the charts will belong.  As you enter the name, a filename will be constructed in the "Filed In"  edit control.  After entering the person's name, you can change the filename by moving the cursor into the "Filed In" edit control, clicking with the left mouse button and using the editing keys.  ( For more tips on editing see the "Working with Text" section in the Window's 3.1 Users Guide.)   If the directory name displayed to the right of Of Directory" is not correct, change it by selecting the appropriate drive from the "Drives" combo box and the appropriate directory from the "Directories" list box.   When  the chart owner's name, filename and directory are all correct, click the OK" button.  Having created a new file, the "New Chart" dialog will now automatically appear.  This dialog allows you to perform the next step which is to Create a StarChart


Create a StarChart

If you have just created a new file, the "New Chart" dialog will automatically appear.  If however, you are working with a file that already exists and you wish to create a new chart, select "Chart" from the menu and choose the "New" option.  When the "New Chart" dialog box appears, move the cursor into the "New Chart Name" edit control and type in the name of the new chart.  If you are working with a new file, choose the "EMPTY" radio button in the "Initialize" box.  If you are working with an old file and wish to base your new chart on an existing chart, choose the "USE PREVIOUS" radio button in the "Initialize" box, then choose the name of the existing chart from the drop-down list.  After all selections have been made, choose the "OK" button to create the new chart.  A row of dates should appear at the top of the chart grid beginning with last Sunday's date and ending with Saturday's date.  The next step is to Define Tokens


Define Tokens

To define tokens, choose "Tokens" from the menu and select the "Choose..." option.  A dialog box with the title, "Tokens", will appear.

When defining tokens, you must first decide if they will have value.  If you don't wish to give the tokens value, then choose the "Units = NONE" radio button in the "Value" box.  When this option is chosen, the "Units" edit control next to the token picture does not come into play.  If you wish to use a point system, choose the "Units = POINTS" radio button in the "Value" box.  When using a point system, you can give each selected token a different point value by changing the number in the "Units" edit control next to the token picture before adding it to the "Selected Tokens" list.  Tokens with higher values can be awarded for exceptional performance.  If you wish to tie the StarChart to allowance or monetary rewards, choose the "Units = DOLLARS" radio button in the "Value" box.  If you choose this option you must also decide the value of a unit and type it into the "One Unit =    Dollars" edit control (decimal values such as 0.01 are permitted).

Tokens will be placed on the StarChart when you are making daily task assignments or showing that daily tasks have been accomplished.  The more tokens you choose, the more interesting the chart will appear.

To select a token, choose its name from the list of "Possible Tokens".  Upon clicking the name of the token, a picture of it will appear below the "ADD  >>>" button.  If you wish to add it to the list of "Selected Tokens", click on the "ADD  >>>" button.  Its name will be removed from the "Possible Tokens" list and placed on the "Selected Tokens" list.  Another way to add a token to the "Selected Tokens" list is to double click on its name in the "Possible Tokens" list.  Make sure that the "Units" edit control contains the desired number before you add a token using the "double click" method.  To remove a token from the "Selected Tokens" list, select its name from the list, then click on the "<<< REMOVE" button, or simply double click on its name.  To change the order of the tokens in the list, simply select the name of the token you wish to move, then click the UP or DOWN button.  Having chosen the desired tokens, the next step is to Define Tasks/Behaviors


Define Tasks/Behaviors

To define a task or behavior, select "Task" from the menu and then choose either "New Text Task" or "New Symbol Task".  The "New Text Task" option should be used for older children who can read, since it only permits you to type a description of the task or behavior.  An example of a text task might be, "Puts the yard toys away".  The "New Symbol Task" option can be used for children who cannot read.  This option allows you to choose a picture from a pre-defined selection to represent the task or behavior.  A short description can also be included for the symbol task.

To define a text task, select the "New Text Task" from the menu.  An "Edit Task" dialog will appear.  Click in the "Task Name" edit control and enter the text for the task.  If you enter more letters than can fit in the control it will scroll so that the new letters you type will be visible.  After entering the text for the task, click in the "Goal" edit control and enter the number of units that will serve as a goal for the task.  (As an example of setting a goal value,  suppose you are using a point system and have determined that performing the specified task on any given day will be worth 1 point.  If the goal is to get your child to perform the task every day of the week, then set the goal value to 7.  The total value displayed at the end of a row on the chart will be red until the goal is achieved or exceeded at which time it will be black.)  If you wish to be more descriptive about the task you are defining, you can add extra comments in the edit control provided for that purpose (click in the "Comments" edit control and enter your comments).  The comments will not show up on the main chart window, but they will appear anytime you edit the task.  Click the "OK" button to complete the text task definition.

To define a symbol task, select the "New Symbol Task" from the menu.   An "Edit Task" dialog will appear.  Select a task from the "Task Name" combo box.  To do this, click on the down arrow next to the "Task Name" control.  A drop down list will appear.  Choose one of the tasks from the list.  A picture will appear under the "Task Symbol" field for the selected task.   Enter the number of units that will represent the goal for this task by clicking in the "Goal" edit control and typing in the number of units.  To enter a short description of what the picture represents, click in the "Label" edit control and type in the description.  This description will be displayed on the main chart window under the picture that it describes.  Click the "OK" button to complete the symbol task definition.

A newly defined task will appear at the end of the task list in the main chart window.  If more tasks are defined than can fit in the main window, the new task will not be displayed.  You can view the new task by scrolling to the end of the chart.

Having defined all the tasks and/or behaviors the next step is to Make Assignments


Make Assignments

Having defined the tasks and/or behaviors, the next step is to decide when they should be performed.  Tasks/behaviors can be divided into two categories; those that can be scheduled and those that must be performed when the opportunity presents itself.  An example of a task/behavior that can be scheduled is bed making.  An example of the other type is saying "please and thank you".  Both types can be placed on a chart.  For each task/behavior that can be scheduled, decide on what days of the week it must be performed and put a token in the columns for those days.  Tasks/behaviors that cannot be scheduled should be left blank.  (Note:  It is not necessary to schedule the whole week in advance.  You may prefer to schedule one day at a time.)   To place a token on the chart, move the cursor to the appropriate row, column location and click the left mouse button.  The first token that you defined in the tokens dialog will appear on the chart.  To remove it, click the middle mouse button.  If you click the left mouse button twice without pressing the middle button, the second token will appear.  Each click of the left mouse button will display the next token in the list.  Each click of the right mouse button will display the previous token in the list.

When the list of tasks is complete and  assignments have been made, the next step is to Print the Chart  and hang it in a conspicuous place in the child's room.  You may also want to print another copy of the chart and hang it on the refrigerator or some other central place.


Print the Chart

To print the chart, select "Chart" from the menu and choose the "Print..." option.  A dialog labeled, "Printout Sizing" will appear.  Choose either the "All On One Page" radio button or the "Tasks Per Page" radio button by moving the mouse pointer into the appropriate circle and clicking the left mouse button.  If you choose the "All On One Page" radio button then press the "OK" button, all of the tasks defined for the current chart along with header information and column totals are printed on a single page.  All task symbols and tokens are scaled appropriately.  If you choose the "Tasks Per Page" radio button, you can control the number of tasks printed on a page by entering a number in the edit control next to the radio button.  The more tasks you specify per page, the smaller the tasks will appear on the printed chart.  As you enter a number in the edit control, a caption at the bottom of the dialog will show the number of pages required to print the chart.  Keep in mind that the header information at the top of the chart requires the same amount of space as two tasks and that column totals requires the same amount of space as one task.  To print a sixteen task chart all on one page using the "Tasks Per Page" radio button would require that you enter a value of nineteen in the edit control ( 2 for header + 16 for tasks + 1 for column totals = 19).


Evaluate/Reward Progress

Keep a crayon or marker near the chart.  When the child completes a task, he/she should make a mark in the appropriate box on the chart  to indicate that it is done.  You may wish to set aside a few minutes each day to determine how well your child is performing his/her assignments.  Look at the marks on the chart and perform any necessary inspections.  Have your child accompany you and talk to the child about what is expected.  Remember though, to keep your expectations in line with the child's abilities.  It is very important to include the child in this activity.   If you wish, you can sit down with your child at the computer, open his/her chart file and allow him/her to replace the assignment tokens with award tokens for tasks/behaviors that have been successfully completed for that day.  If you find daily evaluation too time consuming, you may wish to make them less frequently, relying on the children to mark their charts as they accomplish their tasks.


Menu Options

File Menu

New

Open

Save

Save As

Exit

Recent File List

Chart Menu

New

Open

Clear

Delete

Print

Print All

Tokens Menu

Choose

Single Select

Row Select

Row Increment

Task Menu

New Text Task

New Symbol Task

Delete

Reorganize

Notes Menu

Show Chart

Show All

Print Chart

Print_All

  For information on how to define notes, see Define Notes .


File|New

Create a new StarChart file.  The StarChart file may contain any number of StarCharts with the only limitation being the amount of available disk space.  In the dialog box that appears when this option is selected, you specify to whom the charts will belong and the name and location of the file in which they will be stored.  After you have completed the fields in the "New File" dialog and selected the "OK" button, the "New Chart" dialog will appear.  It is in this dialog that you will begin to define your first StarChart.  After you have specified the name of the first StarChart and selected the "OK" button, a new StarChart will be added to the StarChart file.


File|Open

Open an existing StarChart file.  A dialog box will appear that allows you to select the name and location of the file you wish to open.  This option can be used in the event that the desired file does not appear in the list of four most recently used files found below the "Exit" option in the File Menu.  Once a file has been opened, its name will be added to the top of the most recently used file list and the last chart in the file will be presented in the main window.


File|Save

Save the current StarChart file.  This menu option allows you to save any changes to the current StarChart file without closing the file.


File|Save As

This menu option allows you to save the contents of the current StarChart file to a file with a different name and different owner.  By using this option, you can use the same charts for more than one person.


File|Exit

Exit the StarCharts program.  If a StarChart file is open and has been modified without being saved, you will be asked if you desire to save the changes.  If your answer is "yes" to the save-changes-prompt, the file will be updated with your changes.  If a file is open, it will be closed and the program will terminate.


File|Recent File List

The "Recent File List" appears just below the "Exit" option in the File Menu.  The list is comprised of the four most recently used files.  When you select any one of the four files in the list, that file will be automatically opened, provided it exists.  Anytime a file is opened, its name will be added to the top of the list.


Chart|New

The New option under the Chart menu allows you to create a new StarChart.  A dialog will appear in which you will specify the name of the new chart and whether or not you want to base the new chart on an existing chart.  If you are basing the new chart on an existing chart, select the "USE PREVIOUS" radio button and pick the name of the existing chart from the drop down list.  If you base the new chart on an existing chart, the new chart will initially have all the same task/behavior and token definitions as the existing chart.


Tokens|Choose

This menu option will present a dialog that allows you to define or change the list of tokens being used for the current chart.  As well as permitting you to define or change the list of tokens, the Tokens dialog will let you assign point or monetary value to the tokens.  Tokens are little pictures that indicate an assignment or an award for a task/behavior that has been accomplished.  Once the list of tokens has been selected, they can be placed on the StarChart by moving the cursor into the appropriate box and clicking the left mouse button.  Each click of the left mouse button will present the next token in the list.  A click of the right mouse button will present the previous token in the list.  Note:  Tasks must be defined for the chart before tokens can be placed on it.


Chart|Open

The Open option under the Chart menu allows you to open a  StarChart.  If there is already a chart open and you have changed it, you will be asked if you wish to save the changes.  If you answer "Yes",  the chart will be updated in the chart file; a "No" will cause the changes to be discarded.  After the current chart has been closed, you will be presented with a list of the existing StarCharts in the chart file.  When you choose one and click the "OK" button, the selected chart is opened and displayed and becomes the current chart.


Chart|Delete

The Delete option under the Chart menu allows you to selectively delete charts in the current file.  In the dialog that appears after choosing this option, select the chart you wish to delete from the list then click the "Delete" button.  You will then be asked to confirm the deletion.  If your answer is "Yes" the chart will be marked as deleted and finally removed when you select the "OK" button to end the dialog.  Selecting the "Cancel" button to end the dialog will undo any chart deletions.


Chart|Print

The Print option under the Chart menu allows you to print the current chart.  You can either print all of the chart information on one page by selecting the "Size To Fit" option in the print dialog, or you can specify the number of tasks you want per page by selecting the "Tasks Per Page" option.  For the "Tasks Per Page" option, the chart header information counts as two tasks and the column totals counts as one task.


Chart|Print All

The Print All option under the Chart menu allows you to print all of the charts in the file.  The setup for this option is the same as for the Print Chart option.


Task|New Text Task

The New Text Task option under the Task menu allows you to define a task/behavior by describing it in words.  This option is needed to represent tasks/behaviors for which there are no pre-defined symbols.   It is especially useful for older children who can read and have capabilities that go beyond the pre-defined symbol tasks.  After you select the New Text Task option from the menu, a dialog will appear.  Move the cursor to the "Task Name" edit control and click the left mouse button.  Type a description of the task/behavior that your child should perform.  If the text you type is longer than the edit control, the text will automatically be scrolled to the left allowing you to enter more.  If you need to back up to correct something, use the left arrow key.  The text you enter in the "Task Name" edit control should be fairly terse, since this is the text that will show up on the chart.  If you need to be more descriptive (i.e. provide instructions) move the cursor into the "Comments" edit control and type in a more lengthy description.  While typing text in the "Comments" section, you must use <Ctrl><Enter> if you wish to start text on a new line.  Type a number in the "Goal" edit control if you are using a point or monetary system and  you want to give your child a weekly goal to aim for.


Task|New Symbol Task

The New Symbol Task option under the Task menu allows you to choose from a set of pre-defined symbols to represent the task/behavior you wish your child to perform.   This option is especially useful for younger children who cannot read and have limited capabilities.  After you select the New Symbol Task option from the menu, a dialog will appear.  Select the name of one of the pre-defined symbols from the "Task Name" combo box.  The symbol representing the selected task will be displayed in the "Task Symbol" area.  You may also enter a terse description of the symbol in the edit control labeled, "Label".  Both the selected symbol and the label will appear on the chart.  Type a number in the "Goal" edit control if you are using a point or monetary system and  you want to give your child a weekly goal to aim for.


Task|Delete

When the Delete option under the Task menu is selected a dialog will appear that allows you to selectively delete tasks from the current chart.  Choose the name of the task to be deleted in the "Chart Tasks" list box, then click on the delete button.  Choose the desired response to the confirmation window that will be displayed showing the task to be deleted.  Repeat the above steps for all the tasks to be deleted then click the "OK" button.   If you click the "Cancel" button, none of the "deleted" tasks will be removed.


Task|Reorganize

The Reorganize option under the Task menu allows you to change the order of the items in the task list for the current chart.  When you choose this option from the Task menu a dialog will appear with a list box showing the current order of the tasks.  To move a task, select it by clicking on it with the left mouse button.  Now click on the Up button to move the task towards the beginning of the list or the Down button to move it toward the bottom of the list.  Once you are satisfied with the order, click on the OK button.  The new order of the tasks will be reflected in the main window.  If you decide not to change the order of the tasks, simply click the Cancel button.


Notes|Show Chart

To show all the notes currently defined for the current chart, select the Show Chart option from the Notes Menu.  A scrollable window will appear containing the notes for the current chart.


Notes|Show All

To show all the notes for the entire file, select the Show All option from the Notes Menu.  A scrollable window will appear containing the notes for the entire file.


Notes|Print Chart

To print the notes defined for the current chart, select the Print Chart option from the Notes Menu.  The notes for the current chart will be printed on the system printer.  It you wish to change the system printer, go into the Window's "Control Panel" and choose the "Printers..." option.  Follow the instructions in the Windows user's manual for setting up printers.


Notes|Print All

To print the notes defined for all charts in the file, select the Print All option from the Notes Menu.  The notes for all of the charts in the current file will be printed on the system printer.  It you wish to change the system printer, go into the Window's "Control Panel" and choose the "Printers..." option.  Follow the instructions in the Windows user's manual for setting up printers.


How To...

Define Notes (daily reminders)

Use Sample File to Create New File


Define Notes

In addition to daily task/behavior assignments, you may wish to write daily notes/reminders.  To do this, move the cursor into the column header with the appropriate date and click the left mouse button.  A dialog will appear that allows you to enter notes for that date.  Click the left mouse button in the box labeled, "Notes", and begin typing.  (Note:  "Working with Text" in the "Notes" edit control follows the same procedures as those called out in the Microsoft Windows User's Guide.)  Things to include in the notes section might be appointment times, school sports and activities times, scout meeting reminders, etc.   When you are finished entering the notes, choose the "OK" button to save them.  Since all of this information gets saved in the StarChart file, you will have a permanent record that can be recalled instantly. By choosing the "Notes" option from the menu, you can view or print the notes anytime.


Use Sample File to Create New File

To create a new file from a sample file, first open the sample file.  Make all of the changes you desire to the sample file and then select the "Save As" option from the File Menu.  Specify the new filename and owner ("Charts For:" edit control) in the "Save As" dialog then select the "OK" button.


Technical Support

If you are hopelessly confused and you have gone through this on-line help without finding the answers you seek, call me.  No-charge support is available via a toll call between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Call (314)839-9877 and ask for Steve Strouse

When you call, you should be at your computer and have the following information at hand:

1)  Your name

2)  Your address and telephone number

3)  The version number of StarCharts (See About under Help)

4)  The type of hardware you are using

5)  The exact wording of any message that appeared on your screen

6)  A description of what happened and what you were doing when the problem occurred

7)  A description of how you tried to solve the problem


Tokens|Single Select

When this mode is set, one token will be added or removed from the chart each time you click in a box on the chart.


Chart|Clear

This option removes all tokens and notes from the current chart.


Tokens|Row Select

When this mode is selected, the box containing the mouse cursor and all boxes to the right in the current row will be filled with the same token.


Tokens|Row Increment

When this mode is selected and you click in a box to add a token, the box containing the mouse cursor will be filled with a token, the box immediately to the right of it will be filled with the next token in the list, the box to the right of that will be filled with the next token, and so forth until all boxes to the right of the cursor have been filled.