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Milestones Calendar Software Documentation

Getting Started:
Calendar Screen:
Event Screen:
Options:

Welcome to Milestones Calendar Software

Milestones is an easy to use calendar program for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP. You can easily schedule appointments, plan vacations, add holidays, and automatically calculate birthdays or anniversaries. Organize your health records including doctor and dental visits, weight measurements, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose readings. There's even a built-in menstrual calendar to record your periods and predict future menstrual cycles.

Once you have entered your events, Milestones can draw your calendar right on your desktop wallpaper. This lets you see your upcoming events easily at any time without annoying popup alarms, or having to open the program window. You may control the position, size, and colors that best blend with your wallpaper image.

This documentation will assist you with the operation of Milestones. For easier reference, functions that require you to click on a button on the Milestones screen are highlighted as a Button, and functions that require you to press a key on your keyboard are highlighted as a Key.

The Milestones program and documentation are Copyright 2011 by Mountain Software, all rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication of the program or documentation is a violation of federal copyright laws. The trial version of Milestones may be distributed freely, provided all original and unmodified files are included.

This product has been tested extensively and to the best of my knowledge will not cause problems of any kind. However, neither Mountain Software nor the author (Anthony Watson), will be held responsible for any damage occurring to your system or other software. I also make no guarantee as to compatibility with other software or hardware configurations.

The Milestones calendar was written by Anthony Watson using Power BASIC for Windows. This documentation file was written and validated with the CSE HTML Validator.

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Basic Operations

Click the About button in the upper right corner of the program window to review the program version, release date, registration status, contact customer support, or check for updates.

Click the Help button, or press function key F1 on your keyboard to access the program documentation.

Click the Minimize To Tray button to close the program window. Milestones will continue to run in the background so it can update the wallpaper calendar when the date changes. This also allows easy access to your calendar from other applications. To reopen the program window, click the Milestones icon in Windows taskbar tray, or simply double-click the desktop icon again. If you need to exit Milestones while it is minimized, you can Right click the icon in the taskbar tray and select Exit Milestones from the popup menu. You can also exit Milestones by Right clicking the Minimize To Tray button in the title bar when the program window is open.

To move the Milestones window to a new location, click the title bar and drag the window to the desired position.

To resize the Milestones window, place your mouse pointer over the sizing borders around the edge of the window, then click and drag the window to the desired size.

To make the Milestones window fill your screen, Right click the title bar. Right click the title bar a second time to return to the default window size centered on your screen.

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How to Order Milestones

Milestones is available as a free download from www.mountainsoftware.com/milestones.php.

The program will operate as a 15 day fully functional trial version until you enter an activation code. If you do not enter your code within 15 days, the trial will expire and most program features will be disabled.

If you enjoy Milestones and would like to activate the full program, please visit
www.mountainsoftware.com/milestones.php to purchase an activation code. Activation includes:

  • Unlimited use of the program
  • No trial version "Nag" screens
  • FREE unlimited support by email
  • FREE upgrades for one years


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Customer Support

You may access this help document at any time by clicking the Help button in the upper right corner of the program window, or by visiting: www.mountainsoftware.com/milestones-help.php.

You can learn more about Milestones and download the most recent version from:
www.mountainsoftware.com/milestones.php.

To learn more about Mountain Software and our latest products, please visit our home page at:
www.mountainsoftware.com

If you are unable to find the answers you need on our web site or in this documentation, email us at:
support@mountainsoftware.com

Please include the Milestones version number, and the version of Windows you are using (Windows 7, Vista, or XP). Any additional information you can provide, such as the steps you are taking, or the hardware you are using, will help us better diagnose the problem.

As always, if you have a comment or suggestion for future updates, I would love to hear from you!

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Upgrades

There is no charge for upgrades within one year of your registration date. When your registration expires, you must purchase Milestones again before you can upgrade. There is no obligation to upgrade when your registration expires.

If an internet connection is available, Milestones will check our web site for updates each time you use the program. When a new version is available, an upgrade button will appear in the title bar (below the Minimize To Tray button). You can also check for upgrades manually by clicking the About button, then clicking the "Check For Updates" link.

If an update check locates a new version, Milestones will display the new version number and release date. Click the Upgrade button to install the new version, or click the Details button to see what is new in the update. Your personal data will be not be affected by the upgrade.

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Add An Event

To add a new event click twice on the desired date in the calendar, or highlight the date and press the Enter key. Then select your desired event type:

  • Generic Event - Select this event type if you need to add an appointment, birthday, holiday, anniversary, vacation, or other generic event.
  • Weight and Measurements - Use this event type to record your weight, height, and other body measurements. Using the values you save here, Milestones can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), ideal weight, body fat percentage, and more.
  • Menstrual Cycle - Menstrual events allow you to keep an ongoing record of your menstrual cycle. Milestones will use these records to estimate the start dates of future periods.
  • Blood Pressure - Record your blood pressure readings using this event type, so Milestones can chart your readings for you.
  • Cholesterol - Record your cholesterol readings using this event type, so Milestones can chart your readings for you.
  • Blood Sugar (Glucose) - Record your blood sugar readings using this event type, so Milestones can chart your readings for you.


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Generic Events

Click your desired calendar date to add a generic event. Generic events default to a one time event with no start or end time. You can simply type in your description and save the event. Milestones will only display the first line of your description (maximum 150 characters) on the calendar grid, but you may enter up to 900 lines of text for each event (about 15 pages of text). For better control, you can assign the event to a color coded category or define start and end times.

Categories:

Assigning events to color coded categories makes it easier to identify events for other family members, or to better define holidays, birthdays, pay days, etc. To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Start and End Times:

If your event begins at a specific time, click the Time: display and select the desired start time from the list. Set the start time to "All Day" if there is no defined start time (holidays, birthdays, etc.).

If your event ends at a specific time, click the Ends: display and select the desired end time from the list. Set the end time to "No End" if there is no defined end time. An end time can not be selected unless you have already defined a start time.

  • You may set a start time without setting an end time. For instance, a family reunion may start at 12:00pm, but you may not know ahead of time how long it will last.
  • The start time may be set later than the end time, but you will receive a warning when you save the event. For example, your child may have a sleepover event that starts at 7:00pm but lasts until 8:00am the following day.
Repeat Options:

Unless otherwise specified, events will only show up once on the calendar. If you would like the event to repeat, click the Repeat: display and select your desired repeat method from the list. Milestones will create a new event for each occurrence (maximum of 150 occurrences). This allows you to move or modify individual occurrences if a regular meeting is rescheduled, or if the activity is postponed.

  • To add a Birthday, scroll the calendar back to your actual date of birth, and add an event there using the "Every Year (Calculate Age)" repeat method. This allows Milestones to properly calculate the age for each following birthday.
  • To add an Anniversary, scroll the calendar back to the day you were married, and add your event there using the "Every Year (Calculate Age)" repeat method. Use this same method for any other anniversary events (years you've been employed, vow renewals, when you moved into your home, etc.)
Legal Holiday:

The legal holiday option is used to notify Milestones an event has an effect on other repeating events. For example, if you add "New Years Day" to January 1st, check the legal holiday option so Milestones knows to reschedule vacation days or pay days, even if January 1st falls on a weekday. Legal holidays only affect events that use "Closest Weekday", "Weekday Before", or "Weekday After" repeat modes.

Saving Events:

Click the Save button or press Control+S to save your event. Use this button when adding a new event (one time or repeating), or when you only want to edit a single occurrence of a repeating event.

Click the Save All button when you want to update all occurrences of an event you are editing. If you are adding a new event, this button will have the same result as the regular Save button.

Click the Cancel button to abort any changes you have made and return to the calendar.

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Weight and Measurement Events

Click your desired calendar date to add a weight event. Weight events do not repeat, so you must add a new event each time you want to record your weight or body measurements. You must enter a weight or a height measurement, all other fields are optional unless you want to perform management calculations.

Categories:

To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list. Assign each person in your family to their own category to make it easier to monitor individual progress.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Description:

You must enter a description to identify the weight measurement on the calendar. This can be as simple as your first name. When you add new weight events, Milestones will automatically retrieve the description you last used for that category. This makes it easy to track weights for multiple family members, by assigning each person to a separate category.

Weight:

Enter your weight in pounds, or specify the measure you are using (For example: "6 lb, 9oz", or "102 kg"). Milestones will automatically convert your weight to pounds or kg, depending on the preference you select on the Options screen.

Height and Other Measurements:

Enter your measurements in inches, or specify the measure you are using (For example: "5 ft, 10 in", or "180 cm"). Milestones will automatically convert your measurements to inches or cm, depending on the preference you select on the Options screen.

Manage Your Weight:

Milestones can use your weight, measurements, gender (Male or Female), and activity level to calculate charts that will help you manage your weight. Simply complete all fields and click the Manage button. Your information will be saved, and the management screen will display the results of your measurements.

Saving Events:

Click the Save button to save your event.

Click the Cancel button to abort any changes you have made and return to the calendar.

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Menstrual Events

Add a menstrual event on the first day of your period. Milestones will calculate the time between your periods, then use that average to predict your next twelve periods. To accommodate changes in your cycle as you age, Milestones only averages your cycles from the last year. This generally results in better predictions than averaging cycles over your lifetime. Milestones defaults to a 28 day cycle until you have added at least two menstrual events. The prediction accuracy will improve as you add more menstrual events.

Categories:

To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list. Assign a category to each woman in your family so Milestones can correctly calculate your individual cycles.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Description:

You must enter a description to identify the menstrual cycle on the calendar. This can be as simple as your first name. When you add new menstrual cycles, Milestones will automatically retrieve the description you last used for that category.

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Blood Pressure Events

Add a blood pressure event each time you take your readings (with a home monitor, kiosk at a store, or measurements at your doctor office). Blood pressure normally fluctuates from day to day, so a single high reading isn't necessarily a cause for concern. By tracking your readings in Milestones you can better see how your readings change over time, and when you should seek medical advice.

Categories:

To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list. Assign a category to each member of your family so you can review readings for each person individually.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Description:

You must enter a description to identify the blood pressure reading on the calendar. This can be as simple as your first name. When you add new blood pressure events, Milestones will automatically retrieve the description you last used for that category.

Manage Your Blood Pressure:

Milestones can use your blood pressure readings to chart your results. Simply complete all fields and click the Manage button. Your information will be saved, and the management screen will display the results of your readings.

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Cholesterol Events

Add a cholesterol event to record the cholesterol readings from your doctor's office. By tracking your readings in Milestones you can better see how your readings change over time, and when you should seek medical advice.

Categories:

To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list. Assign a category to each member of your family so you can review readings for each person individually.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Description:

You must enter a description to identify the cholesterol reading on the calendar. This can be as simple as your first name. When you add new cholesterol events, Milestones will automatically retrieve the description you last used for that category.

Manage Your Cholesterol:

Milestones can use your cholesterol readings to chart your results. Simply complete all fields and click the Manage button. Your information will be saved, and the management screen will display the results of your readings.

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Blood Sugar (Glucose) Events

Add a blood sugar event to record the blood sugar (glucose) readings from your home monitor or doctor's office. By tracking your readings in Milestones you can better see how your readings change over time, and when you should seek medical advice.

Categories:

To set the category for an event, click the Category: display and select your desired category from the popup list. Assign a category to each member of your family so you can review readings for each person individually.

You can change the category descriptions by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

Description:

You must enter a description to identify the blood sugar reading on the calendar. This can be as simple as your first name. When you add new blood sugar events, Milestones will automatically retrieve the description you last used for that category.

Manage Your Blood Sugar:

Milestones can use your glucose readings to chart your results. Simply complete all fields and click the Manage button. Your information will be saved, and the management screen will display the results of your readings.

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Edit An Event

You may edit any event by Right clicking the event on the calendar, or highlight the desired event and press the Enter key. The appropriate editor will open for your selected event type:



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Delete An Event

To delete an event from the calendar, simply highlight that event and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

  • Delete Single Event - If you want to delete a one time event, or a single occurrence of repeating events, click the Delete button.
  • Delete Group - If you want to delete all occurrences of a repeating event, or all instances of an event you have copied, click the Group button.


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Moving and Copying Events

To Move an event to a different date, simply click on the event and drag it to a new date on the calendar. You can drag it above or below the calendar if you need to scroll forward or backward in time.

To Copy an event to a different date, drag it to a new date using the Right mouse button. The original event will remain unchanged. The new event will be associated with the same group as the original event, allowing you to Delete all copies at once.

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Print the Calendar

Milestones can print your calendar just as it is shown on your screen:

  1. Open Milestones.
  2. Navigate the calendar until it shows the five weeks you want to print.
  3. Click the Print button.
  4. Click the Printer display and select your printer from the list.
  5. When the printer properties opens, select the paper size and orientation you wish to print to (i.e. Letter, Landscape). Then click OK.
  6. Click the Font display and select a font from the list.
  7. If you wish, you can click on the margin displays and set them as you wish. For instance, you may want to increase the left margin if you are putting the printout in a binder.
  8. Click OK to print the calendar.


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Find Events

Click the Find button on the Event screen to search for events. Enter the phrases you want to find, then click OK. Milestones will find the events that match ALL of your search terms.

Enter search terms in any order. These two searches will both return the same results:

  • appointment doctor
  • doctor appointment
Add quotes to match specific phrases. For example, if you want to find birthday party but not party birthday

  • "birthday party"
Add hyphens to exclude words or phrases. For example, searching for bridal or other showers, but exclude baby showers:

  • shower -baby
Add backslashes to add optional words or phrases. For example, if you want to find eye doctor or ear doctor

  • doctor /eye /ear
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Edit Events

You may edit any event by Right clicking the event in the event list, or highlight the desired event and click the Edit button. The appropriate editor will open for your selected event type:

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Delete Events

Check the boxes next to the events you want to delete, then press the Delete key. Click the OK button to verify you want to delete the selected events.

  • Deleting an event from the event list does Not delete other occurrences of a repeating event, unless you specifically select them.
  • There is no "undo" for deleted events.
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Move Events to New Categories

If you want to move one or more events to a new category, check the boxes next to the desired events, then click the Move button. Click the Category: display and select the new category from the drop down list. Then click the Save button.

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Print Events

  1. Check the boxes next to the events you want to print.
  2. Click the Print button.
  3. Click the Printer: display and select your printer from the list.
  4. When your printer properties dialog opens, select the paper size and orientation you wish to use (i.e. Letter, Landscape). Then click OK.
  5. Click the Font: display and select a font from the list.
  6. If you wish, you can click on the margin displays and set them as you wish. For instance, you may want to increase the left margin if you are putting the printout in a binder.
  7. Click OK to print your selected events.

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Wallpaper Setup

If you wish, Milestones can draw your calendar on your desktop wallpaper image. This lets you see your upcoming events and appointments at a glance without having to open the program window, and without annoying popup alarms that interrupt your work flow.

  • Check the option to Draw Calendar On Desktop Wallpaper if you want the calendar to overlay your wallpaper image.
  • Click the Outlines: option to select light or dark colored outlines for the calendar, with opacities ranging from completely transparent to solid. In general, dark outlines show up best with light colored wallpaper images, and light outlines show up best with dark colored wallpaper images. Feel free to experiment to find the combination that works best for you.
  • Adjust the position of the calendar on your desktop by dragging the preview box on the Options screen. The size of the wallpaper calendar is set by the current size of the Milestones window. You can resize the window by following the instructions in Basic Operations.

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Edit Categories

To get you started, Milestones includes default descriptions for each event category. You may rename the categories at any time by clicking the Edit Category Descriptions button on the Options screen.

It is often helpful to name category descriptions for each family member so you can better track and identify what everyone is doing. You may also find it beneficial to dedicate categories to specific tasks like pay days, menstrual cycles, or recycling pickups.

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Import Events From Milestones 1.x

If you are upgrading from an older version of Milestones, click the Import Events From Milestones 1.x button to merge your old events into the new version. A file selector will open for you to select the event10.dat file from your old version. If your old version was installed to the default location, the file selector should open to the msdata folder. Otherwise, you will need to navigate to the Milestones folder, then the msdata subfolder, and select the event10.dat file.

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Import Life Watch Records

Our Life Watch Health Manager was discontinued in 2010. If you used Life Watch to track your health records, you can merge that data into the Milestones calendar by clicking the Import Life Watch Data button. A file selector will open for you to select the lwatch10.dat file from your old version. If your old version was installed to the default location, the file selector should open to the appropriate folder. Otherwise, you will need to navigate to the Life Watch folder and select the lwatch10.dat file.

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Weight Display Mode

When adding Weight and Measurement records to Milestones, you may enter your weight in pounds, ounces, kilograms, or grams. You can choose how these weights will be displayed by clicking the Show Weight In... display on the Options screen and selecting between pounds or kg.

This setting also determines how Milestones will interpret weights that do not specify a scale (i.e. Entering 150 instead of 150 lb, or 150 kg). You can always override this default interpretation at any time by specifying pounds or kg when you enter your weight.

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Measurement Display Mode

When adding Weight and Measurement records to Milestones, you may enter your body measurements in inches, feet, meters, or cm. You can choose how these measurements will be displayed by clicking the Show Measurements In... display on the Options screen and selecting between inches or cm.

This setting also determines how Milestones will interpret measurements that do not specify a scale (i.e. Entering 72 instead of 72 in, or 72 cm). You can always override this default interpretation at any time by specifying measurements as inches or cm when you enter your measurements.

Thank you for your support!
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