Cycle View™ Users’ Manual
Stand Alone, Inc.
Modified 9/24/02 for Version
1.1
Table of Contents
1 Welcome and
Registration............................................................... 2
1.1 Included Files.............................................................................. 2
1.1.1 Readme.txt............................................................................ 2
1.1.2 Cycle View.prc........................................................................ 3
1.1.3 Manual Folder......................................................................... 3
1.1.4 License.txt............................................................................. 3
1.1.5 Order.html............................................................................. 3
1.2 System Requirements.................................................................. 3
1.3 Registering Cycle
View™............................................................... 3
1.3.1 How to Register...................................................................... 4
1.3.2 Necessary
Information............................................................ 4
1.3.3 Entering the
Registration Code................................................. 4
1.3.4 Contacting Stand
Alone Inc...................................................... 4
1.3.5 Business Hours....................................................................... 5
1.3.6 Email..................................................................................... 5
1.3.7 Phone.................................................................................... 5
1.3.8 Regular Mail........................................................................... 5
1.3.9 World Wide Web..................................................................... 5
1.4 Reporting Problems...................................................................... 5
2 Installing and
Upgrading Cycle View™................................................ 6
3 Using Cycle View™........................................................................... 6
3.1 Getting Started............................................................................ 6
3.2 Entering and
Viewing Data............................................................ 8
3.2.1 Navigating in
Chart Mode......................................................... 9
3.2.2 Navigating in
Calendar Mode................................................... 10
3.2.3 Entering Data....................................................................... 11
3.2.4 Show Data/Change
Colors Page.............................................. 16
3.2.5 View Menu............................................................................ 17
3.2.6 Sample data entry................................................................. 17
3.2.7 Temperature
display.............................................................. 18
3.2.8 Statistics and
Predicting future menstrual periods and ovulation 19
3.2.9 Options Menu........................................................................ 22
3.3 Frequently Asked
Questions........................................................ 23
1 Welcome and Registration
Cycle View™ is a record keeping application for data relating to a woman’s menstrual cycle. It allows the user to record signs and symptoms by calendar day, and to view the data in a graphical format. It also calculates time-based statistics about the menstrual cycle.
1.1 Included Files
Included in this archive are the following packages:
1.1.1 Readme.txt
This short file contains information on registration, ordering the software, and the license agreement.
1.1.2 Cycle View.prc
This is the software package that you need to install on your Palm Powered Device.
1.1.3 Manual Folder
This folder contains an html version of the user’s manual, as well as an images folder which contains the graphics for the html manual. To use the html manual, open it using any web browser.
1.1.4 License.txt
This file contains the software license agreement. Please read this before using the software. By installing, copying, or otherwise using this software, you agree to be bound by the terms of the license agreement.
1.1.5 Order.html
This document provides a link to our web site to order the software. To use this link, first open Order.html though a web browser while connected to the internet. Tap the link, and you will be taken to our web site.
1.2 System Requirements
Please refer to the Cycle View™ product Page at http://www.standalone.com/ for any updates to the list of supported Palm Powered devices. Throughout this manual, Palm Powered device is used to refer to all of these units. As of this writing, Cycle View™ requires Palm OS 3.5.
1.3 Registering Cycle View™
Cycle View™ is shareware, and costs $12.00
Stand Alone, Inc.'s software is called shareware, which means that we allow our users to try our software, fully functional, for 30 days. After 30 days, our software expires and becomes disabled until you register it. In order to register our software, you must purchase it. However, once you purchase our software, the lifetime registration allows you free upgrades to any future version of the software.
1.3.1 How to Register
There are several ways you may order your registration code from us.
You can order online at our website, using our shopping cart. Please Note: Our Shopping Cart requires that you use a current browser, such as Internet Explorer 4.5 or better, due to security precautions.
Email us at sales@standalone.com
1.3.2 Necessary Information
Please have the following information ready when you contact us: your Palm User Name (see our website for directions for finding your User Name), and the name of the desired software.
1.3.3 Entering the Registration Code
You can enter your registration code by one of two ways:
If your program has expired, simply enter into the program that you have registered and then tap the Enter Registration Code or Enter Password button on your Page. Then enter in the registration code.
If your program has not expired, then you must go into the program and then tap on your Menu button. The Menu button is located on your graffiti pad. Then tap on Option at the top of the Page. Finally, tap on Enter Registration Code or Enter Password and enter your registration code.
If you have any questions about registration or our registration policy, please feel free to email us at sales@standalone.com.
1.3.4 Contacting Stand Alone Inc.
There are several ways to get in touch with us at Stand Alone, Inc. Email is the preferred Page of communication. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or compliments, please do not hesitate to contact us through any of the methods listed below.
1.3.5 Business Hours
Stand Alone is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday. We are closed on Saturday and Sunday. These times are CST and GMT -5.
1.3.6 Email
Internet: info@standalone.com
1.3.7 World Wide Web
1.4 Reporting Problems
If you find a problem in our software, it would be helpful if you reported it to us. To report a problem, please email us with Problem Report Request in the subject line. The email should include the following information: the type of Palm device you are using (i.e. Palm IIIx), the software name and version number (i.e. Super Names v1.5), the error message, a brief description of how we can recreate the error, and your name and email address so we can contact you when the problem has be fixed
When reporting problems, it is best to email us, rather than calling, so that the programmers have a written record of the information they need to solve the problem.
2 Installing and Upgrading Cycle View™
Windows users: If you have a CD containing our software, insert the CD into your PC, and click install at the indicated area for the desired software. Follow the installation instructions given on the screen. Once the installation process is completed, you only need to HotSync to load the software onto your Palm. You may also download the installer directly from our website.
If you download the software from a website, you might encounter a .exe file, which is an automatic installer. You should run this installer from the Windows desktop. Follow the instructions displayed on the screens. At the end of the process, simply HotSync without further modification.
If you would rather not use an installer, you may download the .zip file from our website, unzip the file, and install the included Cycle View.prc and Mathlib files onto your handheld. This process should only be used by those already familiar with installing software manually.
Mac Users: Download the .zip or .hqx file from our website or from the CD. Unzip the files using Stuffit Expander or other free utility. Then drag the .prc file and Mathlib file to the “Files to install” folder within your handheld folder.
3 Using Cycle View™
This chapter explains the basics of using Cycle View™.
Please note: All images in this manual show the appearance of Cycle View™ when run on a color-capable Palm Powered device. If your device does not support color, Cycle View™ will appear only in the colors supported. Note that Cycle View™ will not operate on Palm OS handhelds that do not support grayscale or color.
3.1 Getting Started
Once Cycle View™ is installed, tap its icon to open it.
The About Cycle View™ Page is displayed. Tap OK or Enter Registration if you have registered (paid for) the product and wish to enter your code.
If the following screen is displayed, the MathLib file is missing from your Palm. The reason for its absence depends on how Cycle View™ was installed on your handheld. You may obtain the file from the Cycle View™ package on our website.
3.2 Entering and Viewing Data
The data entered into Cycle View™ can be viewed in two different modes, chart mode, or calendar mode. Both are shown in the diagrams below. Several navigational tools are available to you in these modes. Tap the Mode Change buttons to switch back and forth between the modes. Tap the Show button to turn on or off the display of the various types of information available.
In the chart mode, a row display indicator is located near the top of the screen. There are 8 boxes in this indicator, which correspond to the number of rows displayed below. Tap the leftmost box to display only one row, and the rightmost box to display 8 rows. Note that the bottom row in each set will remain the same. This bottom row corresponds to the active month.
In each mode, a special indicator highlights today’s date. In chart mode, this is a vertical arrow above the date. In the calendar mode, today’s date has a colored border.
At the bottom right of each display, two arrows allow you to scroll month records backward (up) or forward (down). The same scrolling can be accomplished by using the scroll up and down hard buttons on your handheld, or the Jog Dial on your Sony Clie.
You may also use the Date Picker to change the displayed month. Tap on the picker on the upper right to activate it.
3.2.1 Navigating in Chart Mode
In chart mode, each month is represented by a line with small tick marks and periodic large tick marks. A label to the left indicates which month is represented. The year on the top left of the screen is for the active month, which is the last month displayed on the screen.
Each tick mark designates a day of the month to its right. A large tick mark indicates that the day of the week is Sunday. The month shown below, September 2001, has 30 days, and the second day of the month is a Sunday.
To select a day of the month, tap in the area to the right of the tick mark. A rectangle framing that day is drawn, and the date is indicated after the month label on the left of the screen. In the diagram above, September 14th is selected.
Also, you may select a day by tapping the Edit Button, and selecting a day using the calendar picker.
To view the data for a given day, lift the pen while the desired day is selected. If no day is selected, no data will be shown.
To view a single month in isolation and in larger scale, tap the name of the month on the left side of the screen. This will also set the row indicator to a value of 1.
3.2.2 Navigating in Calendar Mode.
In calendar mode, each month is represented by a standard calendar interface. The date is shown at the upper left corner of each square.
Tap a day to select it. The day will highlight. To view the data for a given day, lift the pen while the desired day is selected. If no day is selected, no data will be shown.
Also, you may select a day by tapping the Edit Button, and selecting a day using the calendar picker.
To change months in calendar mode, scroll up and down with the scroll arrows at lower right. You may also pick the desired month by tapping the date picker at the upper right.
3.2.3 Entering Data
When a day is selected from calendar or chart mode, a data screen is displayed for that date. The following data may be entered on this screen:
Flow: The amount of menstrual flow observed. This is a pulldown menu with an editable list.
Pain: The amount of pain experienced. This is an editable pulldown menu.
Mood: Self-explanatory. This is an editable pulldown menu.
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Temperature: Daily body temperature, for those who use temperature to predict or indicate ovulation. The temperature can be entered using the farenheit or centigrade scales.
Start/End: Choose one to designate the start or end of a menstrual period for statistical purposes.
Pill: Select if a contraceptive pill was taken that day.
Ovulation: Select if data indicates the day of ovulation. This may be suggested by temperature, or other signs or symptoms.
Notes: An editable text field for any comments.
Select OK to save all entered data.
Select Cancel to restore original data.
Select Clear to set all data to default values.
To edit a popup list, select “Edit List…” The edit screen is displayed. Select an item to edit.
An edit item screen will be displayed, with an editable text field. Replace the text as desired.
Here is an example of data entered into the data screen. Selections were made for flow, pain, and mood, the start box is checked, and notes were entered. After data entry, tap OK.
In chart mode, the data entered above appears as below. Note that the colored data indicators are located in the space designated for December 3, 2001.
The data is displayed as follows:
Flow is indicated by a red vertical bar. The height of the bar corresponds to the amount of flow.
Pain is indicated by an orange horizontal line. The height of the line corresponds to the amount of pain.
Mood is indicated by a purple vertical bar, which points downward. The height of the bar corresponds to the mood value.
The fact that this day is the start of a menstrual period is indicated by a black vertical bar which appears at the left side of the day, and protrudes above the baseline.
The presence of notes is indicated by a yellow dot on the baseline.
In calendar mode, the day appears as follows:
Note that the appearance is the same, although the start indicator is further to the left of the other data.
3.2.4 Show Data/Change Colors Page
Use the Show/Change Colors Page to control the display of information. The check boxes at left determine the on/off status of each of the indicated data displays. Using these controls, you can isolate the display of individual data elements. Tap on the color rectangles at right to select a new color for each item. Tap “Set Default Colors” to return the colors to their original settings. Tap OK to save all changes.
3.2.5 View Menu
The View menu presents the following options:
Today: Scrolls the calendar so that the active month is the current month.
Select Month: Displays a picker to allow the selection of any calendar month.
Show All Data: Sets all of the on/off buttons to on, and displays all data.
Hide All Data: Sets all of the on/off buttons to off, and hides all data.
3.2.6 Sample data entry
Here is a sample of data entered and displayed in chart mode.
Here is the same data with flow data (in red) hidden. This was hidden by unchecking the flow check box on the show page. Notice that the red data bars have disappeared.
The following data are present:
There are 4 menstrual periods represented, with starting dates 8/6/01, 9/4/01, 10/1/01, and 10/30/01. The periods last 4, 4, 3, and 3 days, respectively. There is mood and pain data entered for each, but no notes or other data entered. Full moons are displayed for each month.
The month of October appears as follows in the calendar view:
Notice that data is available for 5 different days of the month.
3.2.7 Temperature display
The figure below shows the current chart with temperature data entered for September 12-18. Note the points plotted in green for those dates. The position of those points is determined by the average temperature setting in the preferences. You may set Preferences by Choosing Preferences in the Options menu. For the diagram below, the average temperature was 98.6 F.
For the chart below, the average temperature was set to 99.2 F. This change causes the data points to be shifted downward.
3.2.8 Statistics and Predicting future menstrual periods and ovulation
Choose Statistics from the Options menu. The following screen is displayed:
Cycle View™ will calculate the averages and standard deviation for the periods you have already entered. The numbers here are calculated from the 4 periods entered in the previous screens. Please note: Any interval between periods of less than 7 days or greater than 60 days will be ignored in the calculations.
Open the preferences screen using the Options menu and check Select future MP’s. Tap Done.
The following is displayed:
Note that the menstrual periods anticipated using the calculated averages are now plotted on the chart. These periods are drawn with a stripe pattern. Since these are predicted events and not actual data, there is no indication of this status on the data screens corresponding to these dates.
The predicted periods are drawn indefinitely into the future, using all of the previous periods entered as data. The lower the standard deviations in the statistics page, the more accurate these predictions will be. If you enter many periods and your cycles are fairly regular, the predictions should be fairly accurate, at least for the next few months. As these predicted dates are extrapolated based on current data, the further you go into the future, the LESS ACCURATE these predictions will be.
You may also predict future ovulation dates. However, these dates are calculated based on a number of days counted back from the beginning of a future period, using a number that YOU specify. For most women, the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, or the days between ovulation and the start of the period, is relatively constant from cycle to cycle. For many women, this number is 14 days. When there is variation in cycle length, it is usually due to a change in the number of days from the beginning of the menstrual period until the next ovulation.
In the Preferences Screen (see above) check the box marked Show future ovulation X days before period. Then select a number from the popup menu. You should select a number based on the usual number of days between your ovulation and the beginning of your period.
To determine your ovulation date in any current cycle, you must choose a date based on clinical grounds: either a rise in your basal body temperature, a specific set of symptoms, a change in your cervical mucous, or another sign. You may want to consult with your health care provider for assistance. Once you have determined how many days are in your luteal phase, you should enter this number in the Preferences screen.
In order to view your predicted ovulation dates, you should check BOTH the Show future menstrual period and the Show future ovulation buttons. Then tap OK. If enough data is entered, an O will be drawn on the dates of your anticipated ovulation date.
BE CAREFUL: Your predicted ovulation date is just a guess
based on your past history. If you are trying to avoid pregnancy, you will not be
safe if you try to predict your ovulation and base your sexual activity on this
prediction!!
3.2.9 Options Menu
Many of the functions included in the options menu have already been described. The following are also included:
Show Data/Enter Colors: This item displays the Show Data screen, which is described in section 3.2.4.
Clear Current Month: Recall that the current or active month is the month at the bottom of the list of months in the chart. Choose this item to completely erase all data for the current month.
Beam Software: Cycle View™ requires two software files, Cycle View.prc and MathLib. Select this item to beam both files to another handheld. Beaming the usual way will not beam the MathLib file.
Enter Registration Code: If you have paid for Cycle View™ and want to enter you code so that it will not expire, select this option.
About: Information about Cycle View™ and Stand Alone, Inc
3.3 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I entered several periods, but the statistics do not seem to come out right. What happened?
A: There are several possible explanations. First, make sure that you have designated the first and last days of each menstrual period with “Start” and “End”. Second, make sure that you haven’t skipped any periods.
Q: How do I use the ovulation indicator?
A: The date of your ovulation is information that you must estimate using several pieces of data (for better accuracy) which may include ovulation symptoms that you may experience, or a rise in temperature. Also, you may want to count a fixed number of days back from your next period to estimate your ovulation date. This interval varies from person to person.
Q: What do I do if I would like to have new features added, or existing features changed?
A: Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@standalone.com.
Cycle View™ is a trademark of Stand Alone,
Inc.
Palm Powered is a trademark of Palm, Inc.
HotSync and Palm OS are registered trademarks
of Palm, Inc.