FutureWare Media Asset Tracker! FutureWare's Media Asset Tracker ("MAT") is a powerful tool that can increase productivity in managing and working with media assets. This tutorial is designed to get you using MAT efficiently in a short time. Each functional area is covered in a short section in sufficient detail to get you up and running as quickly as possible, with links to more extended information so you don't get buried in unwarranted complexity.

Each area covered will bring up various forms and windows, each with their own set of buttons and controls, which we suggest you ignore for now and address only those mentioned in the tutorial; the rest will be covered in due course.

Before the Tutorial proper, we'd like to present a "typical" day using MAT, which has the advantage of quickly integrating the sections that follow.

A Day In The Life Of MAT: A View From 10,000 Feet

You've installed MAT, read the Tutorial, and have some Clients, Projects and Assets in the system. You've satisfied yourself that MAT really eliminates a lot of hassles and saves time, which everyone knows is money.

You start working on one of the Assets by double-clicking on it in the Worksheet, when you get a call: Client panicking, need meeting ASAP. There are some things that need to be finished, so you add some Reminders, close MAT, and go to the meeting. When you return and start MAT, all of your work is automatically restored with MAT's SnapShot manager; it's as if you never left. The Reminders pop-up automatically, so you take care of those first.

So you continue working when another call comes in: The Acme project has to have a change and be shipped out ASAP. You take a snapshot of the Worksheet and open the Acme Project, make the changes to several asset files, and get ready to ship it to the client by making a Package, ZIPing everything up within MAT itself. The client has both an email address and an FTP site; you could email the Package from MAT, but it's a little large, so instead you FTP it to the client, also within MAT. When this is done, you recall the snapshot of the project you were working on before the interruption occurred.

As you start working on the recalled project, a question comes up, so you email the client for an answer inside MAT. A little later, you finish the project, which has to be sent to a service bureau for film generation. The service bureau has supplied you with their order form generator template (made with a MAT-related program distributed to service bureaus at no charge), so when you make the Package you include filling out the electronic version of the order form, which is included in the Package for the service bureau to read and process; one more piece of paper eliminated!. You made some Comments on the project and several of the assets, and these were automatically included in the instructions to the service bureau when the Package was built. There isn't a big hurry on this one, so you send the Package via FedEx, entering the airbill number into MAT for later expense capture when the Package is closed.

At this point you could back-up the completed project using the Package BackUp option, but there could be some changes later in the week so you pass on this.

An old client calls and wants some changes to a project you archived several months ago. You open MAT's Archive, find the old archived project, and restore it so you can make the changes for another cycle.

It's the end of the month, and next month's newsletter will have to be prepared for one of the clients. You select this month's newsletter project and duplicate it with one mouse-click, and all the common assets are already in place; the only thing needed now is the editorial changes and ad copy that will start coming in before long.

By now it's lunch time, and you go get something to eat.

The tutorial is organized in the following sections, which should be followed sequentially.

Some Preliminaries First
MAT organizes information in its integrated Relational Data Database in a hierarchy. At the hierarchy's top are Clients, who have Projects, which in turn contain Assets. Client and Project information may not exist as files, but Assets are files of various kinds, located on local or networked hard drives, and on removable media such as floppies, ZIP, JAZ or CDs. MAT doesn't manipulate the Asset files directly, but maintains information about where they are located, and their relationships to Clients and their Projects.

MAT uses a number of "main" tabsheets to present information for display and management. Some of these tabsheets have their own set of sub-tabsheets to provide a "drill-down" view of more detailed information. The most important main tabsheet is the left-most one labeled "WorkSheet", which is where most of the day-to-day use of MAT occurs.

MAT uses a common toolbar with various buttons that perform specific functions. Not all of the toolbar buttons are displayed or enabled at the same time, but only those that are applicable to the selected main tabsheet. Positioning the cursor over a toolbar button will briefly display a short description of its function. Toolbar buttons are denoted with a symbol, like New Button [NEW] .

All of the functions performed by the toolbar buttons can also be done using the main menu items, which are denoted like .

The functions performed by the toolbar buttons can also be performed with various keyboard combinations, denoted as . In the following sections, the keyboard combination for a toolbar button will be included when the button is first described.

The [Help] toolbar button is used to open the Help system to the section that pertains to the selected tabsheet.

The [How Do I] toolbar button is used to describe specific sequences required to do a particular operation or function.

This section of the tutorial will add a Client, a Project, and one (or more) asset files associated with the Client's Project. We suggest that you have a specific Client, Project and asset files in mind before you get started.

Now that these preliminaries are out of the way, the first Tutorial can be started.

 Adding A Client First Things First: Clients
Clients are the top of the information hierarchy maintained by MAT's database.

To add a client:

1. Select the Clients main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click on the New Button [NEW] toolbar button (or use the Add New Client keyboard combination), which enables the edit boxes for Client information data entry.

3. Fill in the Client's CompanyName with at least three characters. Although the additional client information doesn't need to be entered at this time, it should be for completeness. Some things (e.g., sending the client an email) can't be done unless the associated information is entered. It's easy to change or add client information later.

Adding A New Client

4. To save the entered client information to the database, click the Save Button [SAVE] toolbar button (or use Save keyboard combination). Clicking the Cancel Button [CANCEL] toolbar button (or the Cancel keyboard combination) will cancel all entries and not add anything to the database.

You've just added your first Client! Now you can add a Project, but first some comments.

If you want to add more clients, click the New Button toolbar button instead of the Save Button toolbar button. This will save the newly entered client information to the database, and the new/next client's information can be added using steps 3 and 4 above.

Client information is displayed in the Worksheet main tabsheet for quick reference, but cannot be changed there.

Clients are denoted in the Worksheet main tabsheet in black font.

 Adding A Project Second: Adding A Project For The Client
Clients have Projects, and Projects are the logical repository for Assets. More specifically, Projects contain information on where the associated asset files are located.

To add a Project:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination), where most of the items covered in this tutorial will take place.

2. Click on a Client name in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet

3. Click the New Button toolbar button, and then click the menu item; you can also use the Adding A Project For The Client keyboard combination.

Adding A Project For The Client

This automatically selects the Worksheet's Project tabsheet, enables the edit boxes for Project information data entry, and sets a default ProjectDescription of ClientName.Projectnn, where 'nn' is the next internal project number (obtained from the database). This default Project description is selected and highlighted; just start entering information from the keyboard to change the default Project description, which must have at least three characters.

4. When all the Project information is entered, click the toolbar's Save Button button, or the Save keyboard combination. Clicking the Cancel toolbar button (or the Cancel keyboard combination) will cancel all entries and not add anything to the database.

Projects can have a due date that can be entered by tabbing into, or clicking on, the DueOn entry box, which opens a calendar pop-up with "today's" date set. To enter a due date, select the month and day required, and then click on the calendar's button. To clear a due date, click the calendar's button.
Entering Project Information

You've just added your first Project! Next are adding (or associating) Asset files with the Project, but some comments here may be helpful.

Projects can also have their own folder, to which Asset files can be copied or moved when they are added to the Project. To set a Project's folder, click the button, which opens a (Browse For Folder) dialog. Select the folder as required and click the dialog's button, which will set the Project's folder to that selected in the dialog.

Projects are denoted in the Worksheet main tabsheet in blue font, unless the project has a due date that is before "today's" date, in which case the Project will be denoted in red font.

 Adding An Asset File Third: Adding Asset Files To A Project
Projects are the logical repository for Assets, which consist of various kinds of files (e.g., video clips, Pagemaker, etc.). MAT doesn't move or otherwise manipulate these asset files, but maintains information about where they are, and associations between them and Projects (and their Clients).

To add an Asset file:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click on a Project description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet

3. Click the New Button toolbar button, and then click the Add Asset File To The Client's Project menu item (or use the Add Asset File To The Client's Project keyboard combination).

Adding An Asset File To The Client's Project

This opens a (Find File) dialog where the asset file to be added can be searched for. Once an asset file is found, double-click on it's name.

Finding An Asset File

4. When the asset file is selected, a form is opened where the AssetDescription is entered, which by default is set to ClientName.ProjectDescription.Assetnn, where 'nn' is the next internal asset number (obtained from the database). This default Asset description is selected and highlighted; just start entering information from the keyboard to change the default Asset description, which must have at least three characters.

If the Project has a folder, then the Asset file can be copied or moved to the Project's folder, as selected by the radio buttons at the bottom of the form. A copy merely duplicates the selected Asset file to the Project's folder, which is convenient for re-using "templates" for various Projects. A move first duplicates the Asset file to the Project's folder and then deletes the Asset file from its original folder.

5. Click on the form's Save Button button. The asset file will be added to the selected Project's node in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet's Summary sub-tabsheet. Asset files are denoted in the Worksheet in green font. Clicking on the Cancel Button buttons at any time during the sequence will terminate adding an asset file to a Client's Project without making any changes to MAT's database.
Entering Asset Information

Worksheet's Summary sub-tabsheet

You've just added your first Asset File to a Client's Project! Again, there are a few comments before you actually get to work.

Trying to add the same asset file to a Project is not allowed. An error message to this effect will be displayed, and the sequence will be repeated starting at the Find File dialog.

When the (Find File) dialog is used the first time in a session, the file types are set to All. As asset files are added, the set of file types are also added to the Find Dialog's file types combo box. Whenever an asset file is added, its file type will appear as the selected file type in the Find Dialog's file types combo box, but other file types (including All) can be selected.

The Worksheet's Summary sub-tabsheet has a lot of information that is color-coded and augmented with various graphic symbols for quick at-a-glance representation of status, file types, locations, etc. The Summary sub-tabsheet is organized into three stacked horizontal bands. The top band has quick information about the selected Client, such as contact, phone numbers, etc., all in black font. The middle band has information about the selected Project, all in blue font. The bottom band has detailed information about the selected Client Project's asset, all in green font.

Before some actual work is done with an asset, add some additional asset files to the Client's Project using the steps outlined above. When ready, proceed to the next section where it all comes together.

 Launching The Asset's Tool Program Fourth And Final: Production Work With The Asset Files
Your actual workproduct consists of creating, developing and modifying various kinds of Asset files using an assortment of tool programs (e.g., PageMaker, PhotoShop, etc. ). Launching a tool program for a selected Asset is really simple: Double-click on the Asset in the Worksheet's Summary sub-tabsheet. (You can also launch the tool program by clicking the Asset in the treeview and using the keyboard combination.) This causes several things to happen:

1. The tool program is launched, and the Asset file is opened within it. For example, double-clicking on an Asset file with a txt extension will open the Asset file in NotePad; an xls extension will open the Asset file in MS Excel; etc.

2. MAT is minimized and its icon put into the Task Bar

3. A Meter is started which, among other things, is used to capture elapsed time spent working with the tool program for the Asset file.

The tool program launch association is maintained by Windows for each file extension type, and these associations are used by default when an Asset file is double-clicked and there are no other associations maintained internally by MAT. The tool program association can also be assigned for use within MAT with the {Configuration|LaunchAssociations} Main Menu item.

Additionally, a specific tool launch program can be assigned for use within MAT to a specific Asset file using the ToolProgram combo box in the (Changing Asset) form; these specific associations have precedence over any others that may exist, and are managed in MAT's {Configuration|ToolPrograms} Main Menu item. As an example, double-clicking on an Asset file with an html extension will open the internet browser, but instead a tool program can be associated so that the html Asset file can be edited instead of displayed in the browser.

 Sending An EMail Sending EMails
If the EMail Gateway is active (done using the {Configuration|MyInfo} Main Menu item) then emails can be sent from the Worksheet or Client main tabsheets if the Client information includes an email address. EMails can also be sent to Service Bureaus in the ServiceBureau main tabsheet if the Service Bureau information includes an email address. In either case, an email can be sent by clicking the Sending An EMail toolbar button, which opens a (Sending EMail) form.

If a Project (or a Project's Asset) is selected in the Worksheet's treeview, then the email form will include the Project's description as the email subject, which can be changed directly entering information from the keyboard. If a Client is selected in the Worksheet's treeview, then the email subject will have to be entered before the email can be sent. In either case, once a message has been entered, the form's button will be enabled, and clicking it will send the email to the Client. When an email is sent from the Worksheet, an email Comment will automatically be added for the selected treeview object (either the Client or Project) using the email's subject line as the Comment's description.

In the Client and ServiceBureau main tabsheets, clicking the Sending An EMail toolbar button will also open the (Send EMail) form, where again the subject and message has to be entered before the email can be sent.

 Comments Comments: Things To Keep In Mind
Comments are short "notes" that can be linked to a selected Client, Project or Asset item (called a linked object), which are displayed in the Comment grid at the bottom of the Worksheet whenever a linked object is selected in the Worksheet's treeview.

To add a Comment:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click on a Client, Project or Asset description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet

3. Click the New Button toolbar button and then click the Add Comment menu item, or use the Add Comment keyboard combination, or double-click on the Comments grid at the bottom of the Worksheet, which selects the Worksheet's Comment sub-tabsheet and puts it into an entry mode. Enter the comment text as required. Comments must be between 10 and 250 characters in order for them to be saved.

4. To save the Comment to the database, click the Save Button toolbar button (or use Save keyboard combination). Clicking the Cancel Button toolbar button (or the Cancel keyboard combination) will cancel the new comment entry and not add anything to the database.

Adding A Comment For The Selected Asset

The Comment will be linked with the link object selected in step 2 (i.e., Client, Project or Asset), and will be displayed in the Comments grid at the bottom of the Worksheet in descending entry date/time order (i.e., the most recent Comment for the linked object will be at the top of the grid) when the object is selected in the Worksheet's treeview.

Comments are denoted by comment types that have graphic symbols associated with them for at-a-glance reference. By default, the General comment type is assigned when a Comment is added, but this can be changed to another comment type by selecting the appropriate entry in the comment type combo box. MAT comes with a set of comment type symbols, and these can be augmented by using the {Tools|CommentTypes} main menu item to add graphics, either loaded from FutureWare's MATUserGroup web site or made by you directly.

If the Include Comment In Package Build checkbox is checked, then the Comment will be included in the object's Notes when a Package is built that includes the object.

Comments can on occasion be longer than what can be shown in the comment grid. To show all of a comment's text, click on a Comment in the comment grid and then select the Worksheet's Comments sub-tabsheet.

Some Comments for a selected object are generated automatically by MAT, such as when a Package is generated, an EMail sent or an FTP transfer is done.

Reminders Reminders: So You Won't Forget
Reminders are really a "to do" feature, in which short notes of action items are linked to a selected Client, Project or Asset item (also called a linked object) that should be taken care of near term. Reminders are displayed in a grid in the Worksheet's Reminders sub-tabsheet.

To add a Reminder:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click on a Client, Project or Asset description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet

3. Click on New Button toolbar button and then click the Add Reminder menu item, or use the Add Reminder keyboard combination, which selects the Worksheet's Reminder sub-tabsheet and puts it into an entry mode. Enter the Reminder text as required, which must have between 10 and 250 characters before it can be saved. When a Reminder is added, its status is set to Open.

4. To save the Reminder to the database, click the Save Button toolbar button (or use Save keyboard combination). Clicking the Cancel Button toolbar button (or the Cancel keyboard combination) will cancel the new Reminder entry and not add anything to the database.

Adding A Reminder

The Reminder will be linked with the object type selected in step 2 (i.e., Client, Project or Asset), and will be displayed in the grid in the Reminders sub-tabsheet of the Worksheet, grouped first in status (Open or Closed) and then in descending entry date/time order (i.e., the most recent Reminder for the linked object will be at the top of the grid) when the object is selected in the Worksheet's treeview.

When a Client, Project or Asset item is selected in the Worksheet's treeview at the start of a session (or after a Reminder has been added during a session), and that item has some Open reminders, then the Reminders sub-tabsheet will be automatically selected and have an active Reminders icon Reminders, and the open items will be listed in the grid in descending entry date/time order (followed by any Closed Reminders, also in descending date/time order).

Reminders can be closed by double-clicking on them in the grid in the Reminders sub-tabsheet. When all Open Reminders are closed, the Reminders sub-tabsheet will have an inactive icon Reminders , indicating that all Reminders have been closed and all can be reviewed in the grid

Viewing Reminders

 

Reminders can on occasion be longer than what can be shown in the grid. The entire Reminders text is displayed when clicking on a Reminder item in the grid.

A Package will not be built if the Project, or any of its associated Assets, have any open Reminders. Instead, the Reminders will be displayed by automatically opening the Worksheet's Reminders sub-tabsheet.

SnapShots SnapShots: Picking Up Where You Left Off
During a "typical" day, work will be done on more than one project, sometimes for more than one client. Switching back and forth can be tedious and time consuming, which is why MAT has SnapShots, which are complete "information images" of the Worksheet main tabsheet that can be saved and recalled with a couple of mouse clicks.

SnapShots are managed by the (SnapShot Manager) form, which is opened with a mouse right-click on the Worksheet's treeview and then clicking the SnapShot Manager pop-up menu item. SnapShots are named for quick reference and ease of selection.

To make a SnapShot of the Worksheet's current state, click the New Button button (or use the New Button keyboard combination) in the (SnapShot Manager) form, which generates a default SnapShot description consisting of the date and time when the SnapShot is created, prefixed by the successive first letters of the active Client, Project and Asset descriptions in the Worksheet's treeview. This default description can be changed by entering the new description directly, which must have between three and 31 characters in order to be saved. To save the new SnapShot, click the Save New SnapShot button (or use the Save New SnapShot keyboard combination), which automatically closes the (SnapShot Manager) form. To cancel a new SnapShot, click the Cancel button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination), which doesn't close the (SnapShot Manager) form. Making A New SnapShot
 
To close the (SnapShot Manager) form, click the Close button (or use the Close keyboard combination).

If any SnapShots have been made, then they will be displayed in a list box in the (SnapShot Manager) form when it is opened; if a SnapShot has been previously loaded then its entry in the list will be selected, and its description displayed for quick reference.

To delete a SnapShot, select it in the list box and click the Delete SnapShot button (or use the Delete SnapShot keyboard combination), which removes the SnapShot and closes the (SnapShot Manager) form.

To load a SnapShot, select it in the list box and click the Load SnapShot button (or use the Load SnapShot keyboard combination), which closes the SnapShot Manager's form, saves the current SnapShot (if active), and loads the selected SnapShot. SnapShots can also be loaded (and the current SnapShot saved) by double-clicking on its entry in the list box.

Viewing SnapShots2

If some changes have been made to the Worksheet's state since a SnapShot was loaded, open the SnapShotManager and click the Update SnapShot button (or use the Update SnapShot keyboard combination), which saves the Worksheet's current state to the current ShapShot and closes the (SnapShot Manager) form.

MAT has one more ShapShot that is made automatically when MAT is closed, and recalled automatically when MAT is started, allowing you to pick up where you left off without any additional effort.

 Navigation Aids: The Common Toolbar Buttons
Many of MAT's functions can be initiated by clicking a button in the common Toolbar, whose specific operations are denoted as a "hint" when the cursor is positioned over a particular toolbar button. These functions can also be initiated by selecting a Main Menu item (whose icons are the same as those on the toolbar buttons), as well as keyboard combination shortcuts.

Some of the toolbar buttons (and their companion Main Menu items) are always displayed, while others will only be displayed as they relate to a specific area within MAT. Similarly, some of the toolbar buttons (and their companion Main Menu items) will be enabled and disabled depending on the operation being performed.

The toolbar's buttons are generally organized into functional groups, and are described in the following sections in the left-to-right order in which they appear on the toolbar. Their associated Main Menu item is denoted as {}, along with any keyboard combination shortcu.

{Edit|Cut}
Used in the Worksheet main tabsheet, conditionally removes the currently selected Asset for a subsequent Paste operation to another Project, using the System's Clipboard.

{Edit|Copy}
Used in the Worksheet, copies the currently selected Asset for a subsequent Paste operation to another Project, using the System's Clipboard.

{Edit|Paste}
Used in the Worksheet, inserts a previously Cut or Copy Asset from the System's Clipboard into the selected Project.

{File|Find}
Finds a specific record (or group of records) based on an entered search criterion defined in a companion Find form.

{Edit|Duplicate}
Used in the Worksheet, duplicates a selected Project to create a new Project with the same Assets.

{Edit|New}
Starts a new (or add) item creation and insertion by starting an edit mode. The Worksheet will offer additional choices from which the specific creation can be selected.

{Edit|Modify}
Starts an edit mode and modifies, or changes, the properties of the currently selected item.

{Edit|Delete}
Removes the currently selected item by marking its status to Inactive. Strictly speaking, items are never deleted in the ordinary sense except when a Purge is done.

{File|First}
Selects the first (i.e., top) item in the active top grid or treeview.

{File|Prior}
Selects the previous item (i.e., up), if any, in the active top grid or treeview.

{File|Next}
Selects the next item (i.e., down), if any, in the active top grid or treeview.

  {File|Last}
Selects the last (i.e., bottom) item in the active top grid or treeview.

{Edit|Save}
Saves property values as a result of a New or Modify operation.

{Edit|Cancel}
Cancels any pending property changes made during a New or Modify operation.

{File|Refresh}
Refreshes the items in the active top grid or treeview using a SELECT ALL find criterion.


Opens the integrated Help subsystem's topic specific to the active tabsheet.


Opens the integrated Help subsystem's How To... topic specific to the active tabsheet.

(File|Print)
Prints either the screen or the items depending on the active main tabsheet.


Used in the Worksheet, expands and displays all Projects for the Clients listed in the treeview.


Used in the Worksheet, expands and displays all Assets for the Projects listed in the treeview.


Used in the Worksheet, collapses all listed Projects into their respective Clients in the treeview.


Used in the Worksheet, collapses all listed Assets into their respective Projects in the treeview.


Used in the Worksheet, displays only the Projects and associated Assets for the selected Client in the treeview, removing all others Clients' Projects.


Used in the Worksheet, Client and ServiceBureau main tabsheets to send an email.

Modifying MAT Information
Changes can be made by clicking the Modify Button toolbar button (or using the keyboard combination), which in all cases opens an edit mode. The edit mode can also be opened by double-clicking an entry in a top grid, such as on the Clients and ServiceBureaus main tabsheets.

Entries that can be changed will have white backgrounds, and many of them will be validated before they can be saved.

Changes can be saved by clicking the Save Button toolbar button (or using the Save keyboard combination), and cancelled by clicking the Cancel Button toolbar button (or using the Cancel keyboard combination).

Locating Information Easily And Quickly
Finding something easily and quickly to work on or re-use is one of MAT's primary strengths, which becomes increasingly important as the number of Projects and their Assets increase over time.

To facilitate this, clicking the Find Button toolbar button (or the keyboard combination) will open a (Find Builder) form, with entries that are specific to the database section associated with the active main tabsheet. These entries are collectively called the find query (or find criterion), which are then used to search for items matching the find criterion in MAT's relational database.

Find Builder

The find query generally consists of selected status' values (which are usually set automatically by MAT), text descriptions, or other data elements specific to the active database section (e.g., selecting a DueDate when searching for Projects) and can be combined in logical AND/OR sequences (similar to a boolean search done on a web search engine).

When a text entry is made (e.g., an Asset's description) then the find operation will locate all entries that match the text entry, either partially or completely depending on how the entry is made. As an example, entering "John" for a Client contact will find and display all Clients in which the word "John" is in the Client Contact field; entering "John Doe" will be somewhat more restrictive. Text entries are not case-sensitive.

   Every item in MAT's database has a unique ID number (e.g., Asset ID, Client ID, etc.) which is automatically generated when the item is created. These ID numbers always appear as the first item in a top grid. Any entered ID value will take precedence over all other entered query values.

When the find query entries are completed and form is closed by clicking its Find Query toolbar button, the database will be searched for matching criterion and the result displayed in the active tabsheet's top grid. The find query values will be saved and reloaded when the (Find Builder) form is subsequently opened during the session that MAT is active.

If no items are found, then the grid will be empty. To refresh the grid using a SELECT ALL find query, click the Refresh Query toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination).

Moving Assets Among Projects
In the Worksheet, Assets can be moved among Projects in one of two ways: They can be cut (i.e., removed) from one Project and then pasted (i.e., added to) another Project; or they can be copied from one Project to another, in effect becoming a shared Asset. It is important to note that an Asset file is not actually moved, but instead it is assigned (or re-assigned) within MAT, which tracks the Asset file associations with Projects. An Asset cannot be cut or copied into the Project where it is a source.

A cut or copy Asset operation is pending until the associated paste operation is done. Selecting any non-related item in the treeview (e.g., a Client description) during this pending state will cancel the pending operation.

To move an Asset from one Project to another:
1. Click an Asset entry in the treeview, and then click the Cut toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click a Project entry in the treeview, and then click the Paste toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination).

  To copy an Asset from one Project into another:
1. Click an Asset entry in the treeview, and then click the Copy toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click a Project entry in the treeview, and then click the Paste toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination).

Folders, Planning And File Organization
You probably already have a lot of asset files in various folders, and there may be a temptation to organize them in some way before you start using MAT. Our strong recommendation to this is: Don't do it! Not only is it disruptive and time-consuming, but things can get lost in the shuffle, and besides you already know where everything is. It is far better to just start using MAT and leave things where they are; MAT keeps track of them any way, so you don't have to waste time moving things around.

However, when adding new Projects and Assets, it may be convenient to plan and organize a new file storage organization. MAT accommodates this by allowing a root folder to be specified for both Clients (in the Client main tabsheet) and Projects (in the Worksheet's Project sub-tabsheet) that can be organized in a hierarchical manner similar to MAT's logical internal and presentation organization. An added benefit of this is to make it easier to do backups of all your important and valuable asset files.

In the Clients main tabsheet, the root folder into which all Project folders would be placed is specified with the ClientFolderName(Path) edit box, which can be searched for by clicking the adjacent button.

Similarly, Project root folders (which should be under their respective Client's root folder) into which all new Asset files would be placed is specified with the ProjectFolderName(Path) edit box in the Worksheet's Project sub-tabsheet, which can also be searched for by clicking the adjacent button. Generally, a Project root folder is a sub-folder of it's Client root folder, and should be entered as such.

When this is done, a folder organization would look something like:

C:\ClientOne\
C:\ClientOne\Project1\
C:\ClientOne\Project1\Asset1
C:\ClientOne\Project1\Asset2
...
C:\ClientOne\
C:\ClientOne\Project2\
C:\ClientOne\Project2\Asset1
...
C:\ClientTwo\
C:\ClientTwo\Project1\
...

You don't have to explicitly create these folders and subfolders: MAT will create them automatically whenever an Asset file is added to a Project that has a root folder specified and you elect to use it.

Assuming that Client and Project folders are defined as above, then when an Asset file is added to a Project, the bottom of the form that opens in the Adding Asset Files To A Project sequence described above will have a radio group where the manner in which the Asset file is copied (or moved), if at all, into the Project folder can be selected. A copy merely duplicates the selected Asset file to the Project's folder, which is convenient for re-using "templates" for various Projects. A move first duplicates the Asset file to the Project's folder and then deletes the Asset file from its original folder.

Assets Assets: More Than Just Files
Asset files, which we'll call just Assets from now on, are files of various kinds (e.g., PageMaker, Illustrator, text, images, etc.) that are physically located on a local hard drive, on network drives, and removable media such as ZIP, JAZ and CDs. MAT doesn't make any changes or otherwise modify these Assets (which is done by the associated tool programs), but maintains information on where the Assets are located and their attributes, and associates them with Projects, which in turn are associated with Clients, in an information hierarchy stored in MAT's relational database.

From MAT's perspective, the Assets (represented by their location and attribute information in MAT's database) are of two basic kinds: free (denoted in green font) and shared (denoted in fuchsia font). The distinction is that free Assets can be launched with their associated tool program in MAT's Worksheet main tabsheet, while shared Assets can't. In practice, free Assets are changed, sometimes frequently, in the ordinary course of a Project effort, and are specific to that project; shared Assets are used for multiple Projects (and sometimes Clients), and typically are common resources that are used over and over again with few (if any) changes.

When an Asset is added to a Project (as detailed above), it is a free Asset that can be changed at any time by launching the Asset's associated tool program in the Worksheet. This can be changed by a mouse right-click anywhere in the Worksheet's treeview, which opens a pop-up menu with several Asset-related items.

To make a free Asset into a shared Asset, click on the Asset's entry in the Worksheet's treeview, right-click the mouse, and click the Share Asset menu item. This will mark the Asset as Shared in MAT's database, and change the Asset's description font color in the treeview and Summary sub-tabsheet to fuchsia. Once an Asset is marked as shared, it cannot be launched with its associated tool program. Changing a shared Asset to a free Asset can only be done in the Assets main tabsheet.

Free Assets can be locked (and unlocked), which prevents the Asset from being launched with its associated tool program. To lock an Asset, click on the Asset in the Worksheet's treeview, right-click the mouse, and click the Lock Asset menu item, which prevents the Asset from being launched, and puts a Lock Asset symbol to the left of the Asset's filename in the Summary sub-tabsheet's Asset band. To unlock an Asset, click on the Asset in the Worksheet's treeview, right-click the mouse, and click the UnLock Asset menu item, which allows the Asset to be launched with its associated tool program, and removes the Lock Asset symbol.

To add a shared Asset to a Project, click on the Project's description in the Worksheet's treeview, click the New Button toolbar button, and then click the Adding A SharedAsset To A Project menu item (or use the Add Shared Asset To Project keyboard combination).

Viewing The Assets
All of the information on Assets maintained by MAT can be viewed by selecting the Assets main tabsheet (or using the keyboard combination), which diplays the Assets according to their classification of free or shared. This will list all of the Assets in the top grid, while the bottom grid will detail the Clients and Projects that use a selected Asset in the top grid. Double-clicking on an Asset in the top grid will open a form that displays the details and provide a toolbar button to convert a free Asset to a Shared Asset, and vice versa.

Viewing Asset Information

 Shared Assets: Increased Productivity Through Re-Use
Shared Assets are those that can be used for multiple Projects without having to changing them. Common examples would be background artwork, boiler plate text, etc. Shared Assets are made "known" to MAT when any free asset file has been added to a Project and converted to a Shared Asset.

To add a Shared Asset to a Project:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination)

2. Click on a Project description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet

3. Click the New Button toolbar button, and then click the Adding A SharedAsset To A Project menu item (or use the Adding A SharedAsset To A Project keyboard combination). This opens an (Add Shared Asset To Project) form, in which the SharedAsset database can be filtered in the form's FindSharedAssetBy tabsheet, either by FileTypes or AssetTypes. By default, all of them are checked, indicating that they will be included in the Find criterion. Click one of the checkboxes to toggle its inclusion in the Find, or click the button to uncheck all the checkboxes, or click the to check all the checkboxes.

Adding A SharedAsset To A Project

4. Click the Find Shared Assets By Type toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination), which will display all of the Shared Assets according to the checkbox selections done in the FindSharedAssetBy tabsheet.

5. To add a Shared Asset to the Project, click on a SharedAsset entry in the grid and click the Add Selected SharedAsset To The Project toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination, or double-click a SharedAsset entry in the grid. This will add the selected Shared Asset to the Project, using fuchsia font. To cancel adding a SharedAsset to a Project, click the Cancel button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination).


Sometimes it's necessary to make modifications to a Shared Asset, which requires that it be copied as a free Asset. To do this, click a Shared Asset in the grid, and then click the checkbox, which does several things.

Converting Selected SharedAsset To A Free Asset

1. If the Project has a foldername, then it will be placed into the FreeAssetFolderName's display box, otherwise the Shared Asset's foldername will be placed into the FreeAssetFolderName's display box, and the button will be enabled to change it if required.

2. If the Project does not have a foldername, or if the Project's foldername is different than the Shared Asset's filename, then the Shared Asset's filename is modified by inserting a date/time stamp ("_mmddyy_hhmmss") immediately prior to the file extension (which will not be changed), and placed into the FreeAssetFileName edit box. If the Project has a foldername and it is different than the Shared Asset's foldername, then the Shared Asset's filename will be placed into the FreeAssetFileName edit box without modification.

To select another folder for the new free Asset, click the button (or use the keyboard combination), which opens a (Browse For Folder) dialog. Select the folder as required and click the dialog's's button, which will put the selected foldername into the FreeAssetFolderName's display box.

When clicking the toolbar button, the (Add Shared Asset To Project) form will be closed, the Shared Asset selected in the grid will be copied to the folder defined in the FreeAssetFolderName display box using the filename in the FreeAssetFileName edit box as a free Asset, with an asterisk "*" at the start of its description, all of the attributes of the Shared Asset will be assigned to the new free Asset (except the Shared status), and it can be modified in the same way as any free Asset.

Some caution is advised when making a free Asset from a Shared Asset. Some tool programs imbed certain file information (e.g., fonts) into the Asset file using absolute paths (i.e., driveletter + foldername + filename), and require that the Asset's filename not be changed in order to maintain these.

 Creating New Asset Files
In contrast with MS' various Office products, most tool programs do not have a published COM interface, and thus cannot be manipulated directly by MAT, with the result that creating new Asset files must be done directly with the respective tool program. This issue can be addressed in MAT in one of two ways.

1. Open the tool program and create a new Asset file, then add the newly created Asset file to MAT as described in the Adding Asset Files To A Project section above. This would have to be done every time an Asset file has to be created, which lacks automation and requires additional manual steps.

2. Using the tool program, create some "blank" Asset files beforehand as template files and save them in a convenient folder. Then in MAT, use the Adding Asset Files To A Project section with one exception: Enter a new filename for the template Asset file in the (New Asset) form's CopyAndRenameAssetFileAs edit box, which will copy the selected Asset template file (either to the same folder or to a defined Project folder) and give the copy the new filename, leaving the original template file unchanged and ready for a new creation copy assignment for another new Asset file. This eliminates additional manual steps, and automates the Asset addition within MAT.

Duplicating A Project Project Duplication: Asset Re-Use To The Max!
Any Project that has some Assets can be duplicated into a new Project with copies of the Assets, which can save considerable time in production work.

As an example, consider a monthly newsletter, which has many Assets that seldom change, if ever (e.g., backgrounds, gutter, long-term contract ads, etc.), and editorial content that does change from month to month. Duplicating, say, January's newsletter Project to a new Project named February will have all the common Shared Assets from January, with February's free Assets immediately available for editing and changing. With MAT, this all happens with a couple of mouse clicks.

To duplicate a Project:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination)

2. Click on a Project description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet (called the source Project)

3. Click the Duplicate Button toolbar button (or use the Duplicate keyboard combination), which opens a (Duplicating A Project And Its Assets) form. The new ProjectDescription will have a default value of ClientName.Projectnn, where 'nn' is the next internal project number (obtained from the database). This default Project description is selected and highlighted; just start entering information from the keyboard to change the default Project description, which must have at least three characters.

4. To copy the source Project's Assets to a new Project folder, set a new Project folder by clicking the button (or use the Browse keyboard combination), which opens a (Browse For Folder) dialog. Select the folder as required and click the dialog's button, which will set the new Project's folder to that selected in the dialog. If the selected folder is the same as the source Project's folder, then a warning message will appear (you can't copy the Asset files onto themselves), which can be removed by either manually entering the new Project's foldername, or double-clicking the NewProjectFolderName edit box, which will alternately append the new Project's description to the folder selected in the dialog. If the new Project's folder does not exist when saving by clicking the Save Button button, then it will be created automatically.

Duplicating A Project And Its Assets

5. The source Project's Assets will be listed at the bottom of the form, will all of them selected (checked) by default. To not copy an Asset file to the new Project, un-check its entry. Similarly, if you want copies of the Shared Assets to be copied then check the checkbox.

6. Select how the source Project's free Assets will be named when they are copied into the new Project's folder. By default, they are copied without any name change, but the free Assets' filenames can be modified by other means, that can be selected with the appropriate radio button.

7. To duplicate the source Project using all the selections made above, click the Save Button button (or use the keyboard combination). To cancel the Project duplication, click the Cancel button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination).

If the duplicate Project is saved, then it will appear in the Worksheet's Summary tabsheet along with all of the duplicated Assets.

Asset files that are copied to the new Project's folder have all the attributes of their source Project counterparts except Comments and Reminders.

 Packaging Asset Files For Delivery Packages: Collecting Asset Files For Delivery To Others
A Package is a collection of a Project's Asset files that are copied into a single folder, along with comments, instructions, contact information and optionally an order form, that can be used as a backup or sent electronically or on physical media to a Client or Service Bureau for film generation. The copying can be the individual Asset files, or they can be separately or collectively ZIPed. Basically, making a Package is selecting the Asset files as sources, and where the Package that will contain these Asset files will be built as a destination.

To make a Package:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination).

2. Click on a Project description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet (called the source Project)

3. Right-click the mouse over the treeview on the left, and then click the pop-up menu item, which opens a (Make Package) form. The new Package's description will have a default value of the source Project's description with a suffix of "_mmddyy", which will be selected and highlighted; just start entering information from the keyboard to change the new Package description, which must have at least three characters.

Packaging Asset Files For Delivery

If any of the Asset files are on removable media (e.g., floppies, CDs, JAZ or ZIP) then a notice for a required marshalling folder will appear, into which the Assets files are collected before the Package is built. If you have defined a marshalling folder (using the {Configuration|MyInfo} main menu item) then it will be automatically inserted in the MarshallAssetFilesTo edit box.

All of the source Project's Asset files are displayed in a listbox and checked, indicating that they will be included in the Package build. To remove an Asset file from the Package build, uncheck its entry in the listbox.

The Package's destination (i.e., the Drive and FolderName, or complete path, in the [ Package Drive + FolderName (Path)] edit box) is selected by clicking the upper-right , which opens a (Browse For Folder) dialog, and selecting a drive and root folder where the Package's files will be written. The source Project's description will be automatically appended to the selected root folder, which can be changed if required.

If the Package's destination is a CD and there is no marshalling folder defined, then a (Browse For Folder) dialog will be opened, and the marshalling root folder can be selected. The source Project's description will be automatically appended to the selected root folder, which can be changed if required.

Clicking an Asset description in the listbox will display information about the Asset file, including its size, filename, and any comments that were marked to be included in a Package when the comment was created.

The PackageFor radio group selects the disposition of the Package, either as a backup, or for the source Project's Client, or a Service Bureau, which is selected in the combobox.

4. When all the Package information is entered as described below, click the Save Button button (or use the Save keyboard combination). To cancel the Package build, click the Cancel button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination).

5. If any of the selected source Asset files are on removable media, then they will be prompted for during the marshalling process.

6. When the Package is built, a notice will be display information about the Package. If the Package is destined for a CD, then the notice will include where the Package's files are marshalled for the CD Write program.

Both the Package's destination and marshalling foldernames have the source Project's description appended to the respective selected root folders, which can be changed manually. Additionally, double-clicking on either of these edit boxes will alternately toggle between the root foldername and the appended folder name.

If MakePackageHeader is checked, then a package header file will be generated and included in the Package. This is a text file that includes contact information, general instructions, and Asset file information (including the associated tool program and its version number).

The Package's storage Location (e.g., a carrousel slot number) can be entered for quick reference if the Package's destination is removable media.

The Package's files can be unZIPed, individually ZIPed, or collectively ZIPed as required, which requires the WinZip program to be present, as well as the Command Line Interface option, which can be downloaded at no cost from http://www.winzip.com/wzcline.cgi.

If a Service Bureau is selected, and an order form definition file is present, then the first Asset file that requires an order form will be selected and the order form displayed for any processing or handling requirements.

If the source Project has any comments that have been marked to be included in a Package when the comment was created, then they will be displayed in the Package Instructions memo box, which can be edited directly.

Similarly, any Asset files that have marked to be included in a Package when the comment was created will be displayed in the Asset File Instructions memo box, which can also be edited directly.

If any Asset file marshalling is done, and the Package's destination is not a CD, then the marshalling folder and its contents will be deleted when the Package is completed.

Viewing Package Information
Package information can be displayed by clicking the Packages main tabsheet (or with the View Packages , which details the Packages in the top grid, and the Assets for selected Packages in the bottom grid. Double-clicking on an Asset entry in the bottom grid will display that Asset's information in a form.

Presenting Package Information

Packages that are not made as backups have an initial status of Hold, indicating that the Package media is waiting for further handling, or actually being produced in the case of a CD using a CD-Write utility program. Some of a Package's information can be changed by first clicking it in the top grid and then clicking the Modify toolbar button (or using the Change Package Information combination), or by double-clicking it in the top grid, which opens an edit mode.

The Package's Location can be changed, and its SentBy set as required. If the SentBy is either FedEx or UPS, then a TrackingNumber edit box is enabled where the airbill or shipping document number can be entered. If a SentBy other than Hold has been selected, then the date (if any) at which the Package media is returned can be entered.

To save changes to a Package's information, click the Save toolbar button (or use the Save keyboard combination). To cancel any changes, click the Cancel Button toolbar button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination).

Sending A Package Electronically
If a Package is built for a Client (or a Service Bureau), and the EMailGateway is defined (done in the {Configuration|MyInfo} Main Menu item), and the Client (or Service Bureau) has either an email address or FTP access parameters, then the Package can be sent to the Client (or Service Bureau) by email or FTP.

If these conditions are met, then the (Sending Package) form will open, where the package files can be sent as an email attachment, or by FTP. If both email and FTP are enabled, then an email can be sent describing the Package, with the Package itself sent by FTP if the email attachment option is not selected.

If the Package was sent successfully then a Comment will be added to the Project indicating when, how, and to whom the Package was sent, and the Package files can also be deleted.

Sending A PAckage Electronically

Archiving Projects Archives: Off-loading Assets No Longer Needed
Archives are similar to Packages, being a copy of a Project's Assets (both free and shared) that are typically put on removable media (e.g., floppy, JAZ, ZIP, CD) for storage. Unlike Packages, Archives do not include a Package Header or Comments, and any free Assets can be deleted from the local system for better resource management. The copying can be the individual Asset files, or they can be separately or collectively ZIPed. Basically, making an Archive is selecting the Project as a sources, and where the Archive that will contain these Asset files will be built as a destination.

To make an Archive:

1. Select the Worksheet main tabsheet (or use the keyboard combination)

2. Click on a Project description in the treeview at the left of the Worksheet (called the source Project)

3. Right-click the mouse over the treeview on the left, and then click the pop-up menu item, which opens a (Make Archive) form. The new Archive's description will have a default value of the source Project's description with a suffix of "_mmddyy", which will be selected and highlighted; just start entering information from the keyboard to change the new archive description, which must have at least three characters.

Making An Archive

If any of the Asset files are on removable media (e.g., floppies, CDs, JAZ or ZIP) then a notice for a required marshalling folder will appear, into which the Assets files are collected before the Archive is built. If you have defined a marshalling folder (using the {Configuration|MyInfo} main menu item) then it will be automatically inserted in the marshalling edit box.

All of the source Project's Asset files are displayed and will be included in the Archive build.

The Archive's destination (i.e., the Drive and FolderName, or complete path) is selected by clicking the upper-right button, which opens a (Browse For Folder) dialog, and selecting a drive and root folder where the Archive's files will be written. The source Project's description will be automatically appended to the selected root folder, but this can be changed if required.

If the Archive's destination is a CD and there is no marshalling folder defined, then a (Browse For Folder) dialog will be opened, and the marshalling root folder can be selected. The source Project's description will be automatically appended to the selected root folder, but this can be changed if required.

4. When all the Archive information is complete, click the Save Button button (or use the keyboard combination). To cancel the Archive build, click the Cancel Button button (or use the Cancel keyboard combination).

5. If any of the selected source Asset files are on removable media, then they will be prompted for during the marshalling process.

6. When the Archive is built, a notice will be display information about the Archive. If the Archive's destination is to a floppy, JAZ or ZIP drive, then a prompt will appear to mount the media and to either proceed or cancel the file copying. Before the copying is done, a check is made to insure that there is enough room on the inserted removable media, and a warning will appear if there isn't. After the files are copied to the removable media, a prompt will appear for confirmation of deleting all the free Asset files. If the delete confirmation is given, then the free Assets will be deleted (but not any shared Assets), the source Project and all of its free Assets will be marked as Archived, and the Archive status will be set to Committed, otherwise the Archive status will be set to Hold and no further action will be taken.

The archive's files can be unZIPed, individually ZIPed, or collectively ZIPed as required, which requires the WinZip program to be present, as well as the Command Line Interface option, which can be downloaded at no cost from http://www.winzip.com/wzcline.cgi.

If the Archive is destined for a CD, then the notice will include where the Archive's files are marshalled for the CD Write program. Any deleting of the Archive's free Assets will have to be done in the Archive main tabsheet as described in the following section.

Both the Archive's destination and marshalling foldernames have the source Project's description appended to the respective selected root folders, which can be changed manually. Additionally, double-clicking on either of these edit boxes will alternately toggle between the root foldername and the appended folder name.

Viewing Archive Information
Archived information can be displayed by clicking the Archives main tabsheet (or with the keyboard combination), which has the Archive information in the top grid, and the Archived Assets for selected archive in the bottom grid. Double-clicking on an Asset in the bottom grid will display that Asset's information in a form.

Presenting Archive Information

Changes to the Archive information can be done by selecting an Archive in the top grid, and clicking the Modify Button toolbar button (or using the keyboard combination), or by double-clicking the Archive entry in the top grid. This will open an edit mode, and allow the changing (or setting) of the Archive's storage location using the Location edit box.

When the edit mode is opened, if the Archive's VolumeSN entry is empty (as can happen when archiving to a CD after the files are marshalled), then a prompt will appear to mount the archive removable media, where the media's volume serial number and volume label (if any) will be obtained and set in the Archive information.

If the Archive's status is Hold, then setting it to Committed will result in a prompt for confirmation of deleting all the free Asset files. If the delete confirmation is given, then the free Assets will be deleted (but not any shared Assets), the source Project and all of its free Assets will be marked as Archived, and the Archive status will be set to Committed.

To save any changes to an Archive, click the Save Button toolbar button (or use the Save keyboard combination). To cancel any changes, click the Cancel Button button (or use the Cancelkeyboard combination.

Restoring A Project From An Archive
If an Archive has been committed (indicating that the Archived Project's free Assets have been removed from the local system), then the Archived Project and its archived files can be restored to the local system by selecting the committed Archive in the top grid and clicking the Duplicate Button toolbar button (or using the Duplicate keyboard combination). This will prompt for loading the archived removable media, followed by a form where the destination folder can be specified. The archive's free Assets will be copied to the destination folder, as will any archived free Assets that are either not found or whose status is other than Active.

Service Bureaus: Production Of Deliverables
Service bureaus are typically the ones who generate various kinds of deliverables (e.g., film generation) based on a Project's Asset files, which can be assembled in a "Package" that can be sent either by email or FTP.

The ServiceBureaus main tabsheet is where service bureaus are added and their information changed, and any Packages sent to the service bureau reviewed.

To add a service bureau, click the New Button toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination), and enter their information as required. To save any changes, click the Save Button toolbar button (or use the keyboard combination), which can also be cancelled by clicking the Cancel Changes Button toolbar button (or the keyboard combination).

There is validation done on the service bureau information in order to save any changes. The ServiceBureauCompanyName edit box must have at least three characters, and any entered email address must be "reasonable".

To change a service bureau's information, select it in the top grid and click the Modify Button button, or use the keyboard combination, or double-click its entry in the top grid.

Electronic Order Forms
Any Package made for a service bureau can have a package header included in the Package, which is a readable text file with the filename of matpkg_mmddyy_hhmmss.txt, which among other things will detail each Asset file's information, including any tool program and its version number.

Service bureaus can require an order form to be filled out, which can be done within the (Make Package) form if the service bureau provides you with an order form definition file (generated by the MatViewer utility for service bureaus from FutureWare), which by default has a filename of ServiceBureauName_OF.txt. This file can be entered into the service bureaus' information in the OrderFormFileName edit box, and which can be located using the adjacent button. If the service bureau has such a file when it is selected when a Package is being built, then their order form will appear in the lower right-hand section of the Make Package form for each Asset filetype that the service bureau selects. When the service bureau receives your Package, they'll be able to open an electronic version of their order form from the Package for their internal processing.

 Support: You're Never Alone
MAT is a powerful tool that allows you to become more efficient and productive and, above all, allowing you to focus on what you do best. As with any tool, there are always questions and issues that come up that cannot be addressed by the Help subsystem. We have two ways to address this issue.

The first is to send FutureWare an email with a question or comment within MAT itself, by clicking the {Help|Support} Main Menu item. This requires that your EMail Gateway be defined, using the {Configuration|MyInfo} Main Menu item.

The second is to access the FAQ Website, done by clicking the {Help|FAQWebsite} Main Menu item, which opens FutureWare's MAT FAQ web site with your default web browser. There, among other things, you can see the latest news related to MAT, tips, tricks, and shared image files that you can download and use for AssetTypes, ModeTypes, and CommentTypes, all administered using the respective {Configuration|_Types} Main Menu items.

Reviews
You can submit a review, with comments, gripes, tips, even questions and such by clicking on the {Help|About} Main Menu item, and then double-clicking on the SerialNumber, which connects to our product review web page. We pay close attention to these because they not only benefit us, but all the other users of this and other FutureWare products.

You can also submit a review by going to www.futurewaredc.com/reviews and enter the SerialNumber, found on the (About This Program) form opened by clicking on the {Help|About} Main Menu item. There you can give the MAT program a rating, enter a review, and see what others have said about the product.