I. Installing Parent Timer
II. Logging In
III. Parent Control Panel
A. Users / Administrators
1. Privileges
2. To Do List
B. General Settings
1. Startup & Warnings
3. BKG (Background) & SS (Screen Saver)
3. Idle & EPass (Emergency Password)
C. Registration
IV. Tray Icon
Emergency Password: The emergency password has two uses. (1) It's used to create a new user upon installation of the program. If you are reinstalling Parent Timer, the installer will NOT overwrite the settings file. (2) If for any reason the settings file is missing, this password will be used to create an administrator called "Parent."
Username: This is the initial user account for Parent Timer upon installation.
Registration: Here you must enter your registration key. If the key is incorrect, or you do not enter a key, the installer will continue to install the demo. You may enter your key at a later time in Parent Timer's Parent Control Panel, or when the trial period ends.
Destination Folder: This is where Parent Timer is installed. By default Parent Timer is installed to your Program Files directory. It may be a good idea to change this to your windows system (system32 on 2000/xp) directory to hide it from children.
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This is where you login to Parent Timer. While Parent Timer is locked, no programs may be on-top, unless is on the "Allowed Programs List."
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Here you Add/Remove users, and set their own preferences, and set general settings.
User: The "child" user that is bound by time allowance and/or time schedule (or none, depending on preferences). This user CANNOT change system clock, close Parent Timer, gain access the system registry or access windows task manager (in windows 2000/xp user cannot access task manager. However: Use can access task manager in windows 98/98 because Parent Timer does not show up in the list).
Administrator: The "Parent" user. An administrator may do any system task and access the Parent Control Panel.
Enable Account: When checked the user may login. When unchecked the user may NOT access the account.
Enable Time Allowance: When checked, this user is bound by a time limit. Once time runs out, the user may NOT access his/her account.
Add time each day: This option allows you to add time to your Childs account each day without having to login and physically changing the time.
Enable Time Schedule: This enables the use of the time schedule. This option is very similar to version 2's bedtime settings, but here you can add specific times when the child can or cannot use the computer, including calendar dates. Each time schedule item is organized by priority. The first item on the list takes priority over the others. You may change the priority by arranging the items in the list with the up/down arrows.
Allow login when none apply: When Time Schedule is enabled, Parent Timer will check this schedule against the system clock to determine whether or not to allow access, or terminate access. If none of the items apply, this option decides whether or not the computer may be used.
Behavior: This is how the To Do list operates.
Leave checks alone: Self-Explanatory. The program does not clear checks.
Clear checks each day: Each day Parent Timer clears the checks on the list. Great for a chore list!
Clear checks each week: Each week (every Monday) the checks are cleared.
Do not allow login when list is not complete: When one or more checks are unchecked, the To Do List appears when a user attempts to login.
This is where the global settings of Parent Timer are set.
Startup Parent Timer on Startup (All windows users): This starts Parent Timer when you boot up your computer, on any windows user.
Startup Parent Timer on Startup (Current user only): This starts Parent Timer when you boot up your computer on the windows user you're currently logged into.
Disable Task Manager as System Policy (Windows 2000/XP only): Normally Parent Timer kills the execution of the task manager when locked, and when a child is logged in. This disables the Task Manager on the current windows user before and after Parent Timer starts.
Warnings: Here you may set custom warning messages for your child when he/she is using their time. You may set a custom time and message for each item. Below the message box you will notice a small box that starts with "{HOUR}". These items are called tags. When a warning message is displayed these tags are replaced with their described attribute. You MUST type each tag exactly (by case).
Background: Here you can set a background image to appear behind the login window. It's much better than staring at a dull blank screen.
Screensaver: Here you can specify a Screensaver, not to be confused with the windows Screensavers. A Screensaver was originally used to "save" the screen because the old computer monitors used to burn their image into itself when one image was left on the screen so long. The Screensaver "saved" the screen from doing this. Today Screensavers are used just to look nice. Monitors today don't have this problem.
Idle Preferences: When you are idle, you can have Parent Timer log-out of your account. This is great for kids that walk away from their computer and forget to logout. Maybe a Parent logged into their account and forgot to logout.
When user id idle, logout: This is where you enable/disable the idle feature.
Idle Time: How long you want Parent Timer to wait until it logs the user out (Idle Time, in seconds).
Emergency Password: Here you can reset your emergency password. You entered this password when installing Parent Timer.
"Allowed Programs" are programs that are allowed to run when Parent Timer is locked. This feature is useful when your child wants to do their homework, but don't have time left. It is HIGHLY recommended that you add your virus scanner to this list incase it decides to scan your computer while Parent Timer is locked. If the virus scanner tries to scan your computer while Parent Timer is locked it will be terminated, unless it's on the list. It may be a good idea to add programs that physically come up on startup (with a splash screen).
Here you can update/change/enter your key.
This is located next to your system clock display. It looks like a key with a "3" tag on it. Right click on this icon to display options.
How much time left?: Displays how much time is left (for normal users).
To Do List: Displays the users To Do List.
Parent Control Panel (for Administrators only): Display the Parent Control Panel
Change Password: Here you can change your password. You MUST supply the old password. You can change the password without the old password in the Parent Control Panel.
Log Off {USER}: This is how you log off your account.
Displays the "To Do List." The user selected in "Username" is who's "To Do List" that appears.
Lists "Allowed Programs." These programs may be executed from this menu. You may also un-hide all Allowed windows by clicking "Show All."
Here you may Shutdown, Restart, or Logoff the computer.