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Home Suite Documentation

Getting Started:
Addresses:
Vehicles:
Passwords:

The easy way to organize your home records

Home Suite is an integrated collection of tools to organize your addresses, vehicle information, passwords, account numbers, and more.

The Home Suite program and documentation are Copyright 2024 by Anthony Watson, all rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication of the program or documentation is a violation of federal copyright laws. The trial version of Home Suite 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.

Home Suite 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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How to Order Home Suite

Home Suite is available as a free download from www.mountainsoftware.com/suite.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 Home Suite and would like to activate the full program, please visit
www.mountainsoftware.com/suite.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 year


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Customer Support

You may access this help document at any time by visiting: www.mountainsoftware.com/suite-help.php.

You can learn more about Home Suite and download the most recent version from:
www.mountainsoftware.com/suite.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 Home Suite version number, and the version of Windows you are using (XP, Vista, Win 7, etc.). 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 may continue using your current version indefinitely, or purchase Home Suite again to renew your registration another year. There is no obligation to renew when your registration expires.

If an internet connection is available, Home Suite will check our web site for updates each time you use the program.

If an update check locates a new version, Home Suite will display the new version number and release date. Your personal data will be not be affected by the upgrade.

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Address Screen Overview

The address screen lets you keep track of names, addresses, phone numbers, email, web site, and more for your friends, family, and businesses. You can find the addresses you need quickly, send them an email, map their address online, or print an envelope. It's also easy to print mailing labels or an address book for any group of addresses. If you want to exchange addresses with friends, you can export in a variety of formats, or import addresses from vCard or CSV formats.

Addresses are listed alphabetically on the left side of the screen. Use the cursor keys, slider bar, or the wheel on your mouse to move up and down through the list. You can also click on an address and drag up or down through the list. All details for the current record are displayed on the right side of the screen.

You can choose whether to view all addresses in the database, or only those you have selected, by clicking the desired Display Mode on the right. Or, press the Tab key to toggle between the two modes.

You can select an address manually by checking the box next to their name. If you want to select all addresses at once, choose the desired display mode, then press Control/A or click the box above the address list. Search results select addresses automatically.

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Add an Address

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Click the Add button.
  3. Type in the desired fields for the address.
  4. Click the Save button.
Every address must include a first, last, or company name. If you do not define one of these fields, the record will default to an ** Unknown ** company name.

You may copy a field to the clipboard by pressing Control/C, cut the field to the clipboard by pressing Control/X, or paste text into the current field by pressing Control/V.

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Edit an Address

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Highlight the address you want to edit.
  3. Click the Edit button.
  4. Edit the address fields as desired.
  5. Click the Save button.
You can also Right click the desired address in the list to edit it.

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Delete Addresses

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Check the boxes next to the addresses you want to delete.
  3. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
  4. Click the Yes button to verify the delete operation.
You may select (or deselect) a range of addresses by checking the first check box and dragging down to the last box you want checked. Or press Control/A on your keyboard to check all addresses in the current display mode.

You can also Right click a single address, then click the Delete button to delete it.

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Find Addresses

While you can find an address by browsing through the Address list, it is often easier to use the Find function:

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Click the Find button.
  3. Enter the text you are looking for.
  4. Click the OK button (See options below).
Options:

  • OK will always clear the previous search results and start a new search.
  • Narrow will search within the previous search results. For example, you might search for the name "Jones", then narrow that search down to a specific zip code.
  • Widen will add to the previous search results. For example, you might search for "Jones", then widen the search to include "Smith" as well.
  • Exclude will remove any address from a previous search that matches the search text. For example, you might search for "Jones", then exclude any addresses in "Indiana".
Searches are not case sensitive. Searching for "iowa" is the same as searching for "IOWA".

All fields are checked for a match. So a search for "Indiana" could match "Indiana Avenue" in another state.

A word can match your search term even if it's only a partial match. For example, a search for "land" could find "Portland" or "Landover".

You can use the Misc fields of address records to simplify future search needs. For example, you might enter "Xmas List" in a Misc field for people you send Christmas cards too. Then you can just search for "Xmas List" to quickly find addresses you send cards to. Remember to use a unique phrase that wouldn't be a partial match in other searches. For example, just searching for "card" might find "Cardinal Avenue" in addition to your "Xmas Card" phrase.

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Map An Address

The map feature lets you quickly obtain a map or get directions to any address in your address list, using popular online mapping services.

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Highlight the address you want to map.
  3. Select the online mapping service you wish to use, then click the OK button.

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Email An Address

Use the email feature to quickly send an email to anyone in your address list.

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Select the address you want to email.
  3. Click the desired email address displayed under Current Address on the right.
  4. Enter the Subject and Message Body, then Send.
Home Suite uses Windows MAPI interface to open your default email application. Most email clients are MAPI compliant, though you may need to check the options of the program to ensure it is set as the system default.

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Visit a Persons Web Site

If you have entered a web site for an address, you can use the Web Site feature to quickly open that page in your default web browser.

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Select the address with the web page you want to visit.
  3. Click the desired web site displayed under Current Address on the right.

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Import Addresses

The Import feature lets you load vCard or CSV format address files into Home Suite. This can be useful if you are switching from another address program, or if a friend shares their address data with you.

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Click the Import button.
  3. Select the format that matches the address file you are importing.
  4. Click the File button if the addresses are saved in a standalone file. Then navigate to the file you want to import and click OK.
  5. Click the Clipboard button if the addresses have been copied to Windows clipboard.
If your address file is in CSV format, you will need to tell Home Suite which fields to map to the address records. This is necessary because the CSV file may have more, or fewer, address fields than Home Suite supports. The fields may also be saved in a different order than Home Suite saves them.

Once you select the import file above, a screen will show a list of fields and the data from the first record in the CSV file. Home Suite will attempt to match the data to the available fields, but you should check each field to make sure it will be mapped correctly. If you need to make a change, just click on the data next to the field, and select the appropriate field from the drop down list. Click the OK button when you are finished with the field mapping.

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Export Addresses

The export feature lets you save your addresses to an external file if you want to use them in another application or share them with a friend.

  1. Click the Address tab.
  2. Check the boxes next to the addresses you want to export.
  3. Click the Export button.
  4. Select your desired export format. vCard or CSV are recommended if you will be importing the data into another application.
  5. Click the File button if you want to save your addresses to a standalone file. When the file selector appears, navigate to a folder where you want to save your address file, then enter a filename and click OK.
  6. Click the Clipboard button if you want to copy your selected addresses to Windows clipboard. You can then paste the addresses into any other windows application.

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Vehicle Screen Overview

The vehicle screen lets you track fuel and maintenance records for all of your vehicles. You can monitor fuel economy, search for past records (i.e. "When did I replace the tires?"), and see how much you have spent on fuel and repairs. You can even add a photo to each vehicle for easy identification.

Fuel and mileage records automatically adjust to your measurement system (US or Metric), and you can enter records in either format (great for road trips to neighboring countries that use different measurements).

The current vehicle is displayed at the top of the vehicle screen, along with a basic summary of fuel economy and expenses. The fuel and maintenance records for the current vehicle are listed at the bottom of the screen, and are sorted by date. Use the cursor keys, slider bar, or the wheel on your mouse to move up and down through the list. You can also click on a record and drag up or down through the list.

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Select a Vehicle

  1. Select the Vehicles tab.
  2. Click Select Vehicle button.
  3. Select your desired vehicle from the popup list.

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Add a Vehicle

  1. Select the Vehicles tab.
  2. Click the Vehicle Manager button.
  3. Select Add Vehicle from the popup list
  4. Enter the year, make, and model for your vehicle. You can also add a VIN number and license number if you wish.
  5. Click the Save button when you are finished.

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Edit a Vehicle

  1. Select the Vehicles screen.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to edit.
  3. Click the Vehicle Manager button.
  4. Select Edit Vehicle from the popup list.
  5. Change the year, make, model, etc. as desired.
  6. Click the Save button when you are finished.

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Delete a Vehicle

  1. Select the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to delete.
  3. Click the Vehicle Manger button.
  4. Select Delete Vehicle from the popup list.
  5. Click OK to confirm the delete.

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Manage Vehicle Photos

You may attach a photo to each vehicle for easier identification. You may select a JPG, PNG, GIF, or BMP format which will be scaled down as needed to fit the photo area and minimize storage space.

To Add A Photo:

  1. Select the Vehicles screen.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to add the photo to.
  3. Click the Vehicle Manager button.
  4. Select Import Photo from the popup list.
  5. Use the file selector to locate and select the photo you want to import.
To Remove The Photo:

  1. Select the Vehicles screen.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to remove the photo from.
  3. Click the Vehicle Manager button.
  4. Select Delete Photo from the popup list.
  5. Click the OK button to confirm.

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Add a Gas Record

  1. Click the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to add a fuel record to.
  3. Click the Gas button.
  4. Enter the date, start and end mileage, fuel used, and cost.
  5. Click the Save button.
If your computer is properly configured, Home Suite will automatically adapt to the measurement system (US or Metric) that is common for your area. Fuel records will be displayed with miles, gallons, and MPG in the US, and kilometers, liters, and km/l in metric countries. If you move to a new country and change your computer configuration, the fuel readings will change accordingly.

If you travel to a country that uses a different measurement system, you can override the defaults by adding "liters" or "gallons" to the fuels used, and "miles" or "km" to the distances. For example, you might enter 5.5 km, or 8.3 gallons. Home Suite will convert the measurements and display them in the system default for your area.

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Add a Maintenance Record

  1. Click the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to add a maintenance record to.
  3. Click the Maintenance button.
  4. Enter the date, odometer reading, a description, and cost.
  5. Click the Save button.
If your computer is properly configured, Home Suite will default to kilometers in countries that use the metric system, or miles in the US. You can override the default by adding "miles" or "kilometers" to the end of the odometer reading.

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Edit Gas or Maintenance Records

  1. Click the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle with the record you want to edit.
  3. Click on the fuel or maintenance record you want to edit.
  4. Click the Edit button.
  5. Make the desired changes to the record, then click the Save button.
You can also Right click any record to edit it.

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Delete Gas or Maintenance Records

  1. Click the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle with the record you want to delete.
  3. Select the fuel or maintenance record you want to delete.
  4. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
  5. Click the OK button to confirm.
You can also Right click any record, then click the Delete button to delete it.

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Find Vehicle Records

Use the Find feature to locate fuel or maintenance records for the selected vehicle.

  1. Click the Vehicles tab.
  2. Select The Vehicle you want to search.
  3. Click the Find button.
  4. Enter the text you want to search for, then click OK
The Find feature will locate the first record that matches your search. Click the Find button again to find the next matching record. You may repeat this process until there are no more matches, or you change the search text.

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Password Screen Overview

Use the password screen to organize internet passwords, bank account numbers, cell phone serial numbers and account information, drivers license information, software registration codes, and more. Powerful 256 bit AES encryption keeps your password data private and secure. A simple one-click operation makes it easy to copy data to the clipboard for pasting into web forms or other applications, or right click to send emails or visit web pages assigned to the password record. Each password record can have up to 15 user defineable fields, in addition to the record title.

Password records are listed on the left side of the screen. Use the cursor keys, slider bar, or the wheel on your mouse to move up and down through the list. You can also click on a record and drag up or down through the list. All fields of the selected record are displayed on the right side of the screen. Left click any field to copy it to Windows clipboard, or right click fields with email or web site addresses to open them quickly.

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Enter or Change The Master Password

Home Suite uses secure 256 bit AES encryption to protect your password data. Before you can add password records, you must enter a Master password to protect the database. Choose a master password that is easy to remember, but would be difficult for anyone else to guess (i.e. For example, don't enter your birthdate or the name of your spouse). Longer passwords will provide better security than short passwords.

You will be prompted to enter a master password the first time you use the password screen, and you will need to enter the master each time you use Home Suite. To change your master password:

  1. Click the Passwords tab.
  2. Click the Change Master button.
  3. Enter a new password, then again to confirm.
  4. Click the Save button when you are done.
IMPORTANT: Do not lose your master password! There is no way to recover your password data without the master password. It is not stored outside of the encrypted database, and there is no "back door" method of accessing the encrypted data.

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Add a Password Record

  1. Click the Passwords tab.
  2. Enter your master password.
  3. Click the Add button.
  4. Enter a title for the record on the first field line
  5. Enter a title and value for each field, seperating them with a colon. For Example:
    • User: myname
    • Password: mypassword
    • Site: www.mysite.com
    • Join Date: Mar 15, 2009
    • Referred By: mommy
    • Account: 123456789
  6. Repeat for as many additional fields as you need.
  7. Click the Save button when you are done.
You may enter up to 15 fields for each password record. Any blank fields will be removed when you save the record.

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Edit a Password Record

  1. Click the Passwords tab.
  2. Enter your master password.
  3. Select the record you want to edit in the password list.
  4. Click the Edit button.
  5. Make the desired changes or additions to the password record.
  6. Click the Save button.
You can also Right click a password to edit it.

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Delete a Password Record

  1. Click the Passwords tab.
  2. Enter your master password.
  3. Select the record you want to delete in the password list.
  4. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
  5. Click the Yes button to confirm the delete.
You can also Right click a password, then click the Delete button in the password editor.

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Find a Password

  1. Click the Passwords tab.
  2. Enter your master password.
  3. Click the Find button.
  4. Enter the text you want to search for, then click OK
The Find feature will locate the first record that matches your search. Click the Find button again to find the next matching record. You may repeat this process until there are no more matches, or you change the search text.

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