QuoteTDN™ - Frequently Asked Questions
Differences between the FREEware and the PREMIUM versions
What is the difference between quotes and reminders?
Why don't Quotes display when Reminders are turned on?
Change The Colors In The Alarm Countdown Window
Why does the time color change in the Red Alert alarm window?
Resizing the pop-up message box
Can I stop QuoteTDN™ from popping up when certain programs (e.g. games) are running?
QuoteTDN™ isn't working correctly. How can I refresh the files?
Minimizing QuoteTDN™'s countdown or clock onto the taskbar
Difference between "Display Every Startup" vs. "Display Only Once Per ..."
How are quotations selected? Are they truly random?
Re-displaying a just-viewed quotation
Submitting suggestions and requests for future versions
PREMIUM: Night-mode remains on when alarm clock/countdown in a window
Skins seem to slow down QuoteTDN™ when loading the Main Menu
Graphics appear distorted or skewed
Can QuoteTDN™ be run from a USB or external drive?
Q: In a nutshell, what is QuoteTDN™?.
A: QuoteTDN™ does three things. (1) QUOTATIONS -- our primary purpose is to display a new quote at regular intervals (from every 15 minutes to once-per-day). There are several databases included, ranging from vocabulary-builder packs to witty repartees to sports stats. (2) ALARMS -- can be quickly set, with optional high-visibility designed to catch your eye if you are not always sitting at the keyboard. (3) REMINDERS -- create brief messages that will display at regular, pre-set, intervals for those matters where an occasional reminder would help to cement them in your memory. "In house", we use reminders to remind ourselves to leave work at a certain time, or to get up from the keyboard every couple of hours, or to remember that all-important regular glass of water, or to keep a certain positive thought always in mind.
Q: What are the main differences between the FREEware and the PREMIUM versions?
A: The FREEware version has ALL the basic functionality of the PREMIUM version. It is FREE to download and FREE to use, forever. PREMIUM adds some very nice bells and whistles that augment the fun factor but do not add significant functionality. For a side-by-side comparison of the two versions, check it out here.
Q: What is the difference between quotes and reminders?
A: A REMINDER is a note (created by you) that is displayed -- instead of a quote -- at the same interval that quotations are usually displayed. When reminders are checkmarked, no quotations are displayed, only reminder messages. To see quotations again, uncheck the Use Reminders checkbox on the Reminders and Repeating Quotes menu.
Q: What exactly is a Red-Alert?
A: Sometimes you are away from the computer when your alarm goes off. At those times, it is nice to have something flashing on the computer screen to draw your attention to it. In the FREE version, the time flashes in a small window; in the PREMIUM version, the entire screen can be made to flash.
Q: Why are Quotes not displayed when Reminders are turned on?
A: Display of quotations is supended when either Reminders or Countdown-to-Alarm are active. Both reminder messages and the Countdown-to-Alarm function are designed to be noticed. Allowing quotations to continue displaying would detract from your cognitive awareness of these messages, which would lessen their effectiveness. The PREMIUM version of QuoteTDN™ allows a personalized quotation to be added to the quotation pool, which can function as a type of reminder message embedded within the quotation pool. The personalized quotation is displayed more frequently than any other quotation -- approximately once in twenty-five presentations.
Q: Setup won't run.
A: Setup can be re-run on the same computer, but not on another computer. You require a fresh download of QuoteTDN™'s installation program for each computer. Quote TDN may not be for everyone - if the Setup program does not perform adequately on your computer, please uninstall.
Q: How Do I Change The Colors In The Alarm Countdown Window?
A: The FREE version has only one color scheme. For the PREMIUM version, look on the Alarms menu. Click "Turn on Alarm" and "Red Alert" (even ifyou don't want either one, you will turn them off in a sec) and then choose the desired Red Alert Scheme. When done, uncheck Red Alert and uncheck Turn On Alarm. HOWEVER, you must now SAVE CHANGES as you exit the Alarms menu!
Q: Why does the time color change in the Red Alert alarm window?
A: To keep you aware that time is passing and you may be running late. The alarm is already sounding when the Red Alert flashing begins. Sometimes, you may be away from the computer when the Red Alert begins flashing - how do you know how long since it began? The alarm time starts out white, turns yellow after five minutes, and red after ten.
Q: How do I resize / reposition the pop-up message box.
A: The Settings menu allows you to resize and reposition the pop-up box. QuoteTDN FREE requires that you choose a size, then allows you to reposition the box on your screen.
QuoteTDN PREMIUM provides full size flexibility - you can scale the pop-up box to take the full screen if you want. However, a proportional aspect ratio must be maintained.
Q: Can I stop QuoteTDN™ from popping up when certain programs (e.g. games) are running?
A: Yes. Use a plain text editor like Notepad to create a text file called skipapps.txt and save it in the QuoteTDN folder. Inside this text file, type the exact Window title of the program you do not want interrupted. For example, if you play Civ IV then Civ's title bar text is [ Civilization IV ]. Type exactly that (without the brackets) on a line by itself in the skipapps.txt file. In fact, those are the only characters you need in that file. It might look inadequate but it will work. IMPORTANT NOTES: (1) Capitalization matters! (2) You do not need to type the FULL name of the window title, just enough to be unique. In our example, typing Civiliz is enough. (3) Capitalization is critical! (4) You must use Notepad (or any other plain text editor) to create this file, not Microsoft Word or Wordpad or OpenOffice. (5) You can specify more than one program where quotes will be suppressed by typing each window title on its own line.
Q: QuoteTDN™ isn't working correctly.
A: Delete everything in the QuoteTDN™ folder except QuoteTDN.exe. Double-click on QuoteTDN.exe to run it. All files will be refreshed automatically.
Q: FREE VERSION - I want to minimize QuoteTDN™'s countdown or clock onto the taskbar, but when I click the QuoteTDN™ icon on the taskbar, the program blinks but stays in the window size.
A: That is by design. Clicking on the QuoteTDN™ taskbar icon tells the program to return to a Window display. To minimize QuoteTDN™'s countdown or clock onto the taskbar, click anywhere EXCEPT on the Quote TDN taskbar icon.
Q: PREMIUM VERSION - On the SETTINGS screen, what is the difference between "Display Every Startup" vs. "Display Only Once Per Month / Week / Day" ?
A: Use DISPLAY EVERY STARTUP if you usually "shut down" your computer and turn it off. Use DISPLAY ONLY ONCE PER... if your computer usually enters / returns from "standby" or "hibernation" mode.
If you usually "shut down" your computer, and you wish to see a quotation pop-up only once per week, regardless how often the computer is turned off/on, then choose DISPLAY ONLY ONCE PER... WEEK.
Q: What exactly is the difference between "Initial Quote Display", "Repeating Quotes", "My Reminder Text", and "Insert This Quote"?
A: Initial Quote Display (Settings screen) - The first quote to display when QuoteTDN™ is freshly started.
Repeating Quotes (Reminders screen) - is our term for displaying another quotation after a period of time (configured on the Reminders screen).
Display My Reminder Text Only (Reminders screen) - QuoteTDN™ will only display your reminder text instead of more quotations. Reminders display the same message at the interval specified until you turn them off. They can be useful, for example, to remind yourself of an important thought several times through-out the day (eg. "Leave office by 4pm" or "Walk the cat").
Insert This Quote Into The List (Settings screen) - is available only in the PREMIUM version. This box allows you to add a phrase to the quotation rotation.
Q: How are quotations selected?
A: Randomly.
Q: I saw a quotation a while back and I'd like to see it again. How can I make that happen?
A: Click on the SysTray icon and use "Last" from the More-> submenu.
Q: I have a suggestion for your program, how can I submit it?
A: All suggestions should be submitted through our website. Although our busy staff are unable to respond to submissions, we greatly appreciate all suggestions and feedback. Thank you for helping us make QuoteTDN™ as useful and enjoyable as possible.
Q: PREMIUM: Why does night-mode remain on when alarm clock/countdown not full screen?
A: This is by design. Many users liked the discrete gray-on-black coloring effect in a window and asked us to leave this as an option. To see the brighter colors: (1) Open the menu, (2) Alarms submenu, (3) Select full-screen countdown or clock so night mode checkbox will display, (4) Turn on Red-Alert to display RA Schemes, (5) Ensure the RA Scheme is either Zebra Police or Evening Sky, (6) Uncheck Night-Mode, (7) Reset all other options back to desired settings (esp. Red Alert and While Awaiting Alarm), (8) Save & Exit.
Q: I don't see an icon for QuoteTDN™ beside the clock at the bottom right of the screen.
A: You might need to open the system tray. Look immediately to the left of the clock - do you see a tiny marker? Click it. The system tray should expand and you will see several icons that have been hidden by Windows because they were not used recently.
Q: How do I uninstall QuoteTDN™?
A: First, quit QuoteTDN™. Then, simply deleting the QuoteTDN™ folder will remove Quote TDN from your system.
Q: Do skins slow down QuoteTDN™ when loading the Main Menu?.
A: Yes, they do. But aren't they pretty? You can remove/uninstall skins simply by deleting their folder.
Q: The QuoteTDN™ graphics appear skewed or distorted.
A: Adjust your monitor resolution.
Q: Can QuoteTDN™ be run from a USB or external drive?
A: No. Please download the portable app version of QuoteTDN™ from here. Only the FREE version of Quote TDN is available in a USB-friendly portable app format.