GuildBoss™
User's Guide
Revision 2000.07.11
Copyright © 1997-2000 Paul H Soares, Jr.
Please bear with me as I'm currently in the process of rewriting and updating this entire manual from the ground up. Screenshots will be added, hyperlinks will be created, sections will be rewritten, etc....
-- Paul, 7/11/2000
Table of Contents
Introduction
Data Entry
Database
Properties
Member Status
Roster Grid
Roster
Grid Designer
Ranks
Deeds
Email and ICQ
Boilerplates
Drop-List
Manager
Image Manager
Ledgers
Reports
Database
Utilities
Database
Templates
Application
Options
Exporting
Rosters
GuildBoss is a guild and clan management program for Windows 9x+/NT.
GuildBoss is chock-full of powerful features that make running a guild or clan an absolute breeze! Here's a list of just a few features that GuildBoss has to offer a frazzled guild or clan boss:
GuildBoss is compatible with just about any multiplayer game available, new or old, regardless of genre, e.g. Diablo, EverQuest, Quake, Tribes, Ultima Online, Asheron's Call, Starcraft, etc., etc..
Free 30-Day Trial
GuildBoss is distributed as shareware. Essentially this means you may use GuildBoss for a 30-day free trial period in order to see whether or not it fits your needs. After the 30-day trial is over you must either register GuildBoss (see "Registering GuildBoss" below) or remove it from your system. Should you continue to use GuildBoss after the 30-day trial period you will be in violation of the license agreement (and the law!).
Please read the License Agreement before using GuildBoss!
Registering GuildBoss
Should you decide to keep GuildBoss after the 30-day trial period you must register it.
Please refer to the Help file for detailed ordering information or, for the most up-to-date information, point your browser to http://www.guildboss.com/order.html
The benefits of registration include:
Two important concenpts you should be aware of with regard to data entry in GuildBoss: data validation and saving.
Data Validation
In most cases, GuildBoss uses as friendly and unobtrusive a way to inform you when a validation error occurs as possible. Rather than pop up a message box and freeze you in the field until it's fixed, GuildBoss will display a small 'warning' icon adjacent to the offending data, give a beep, and send you on your way to the next field.
At this point you can do one of several things:
Validation occurs when you move the cursor out of a field by pressing Tab or by clicking in another field. This way you'll know immediately if the data you entered was accepted or not. If not, then GuildBoss will notify you with the warning icon as described above.
NOTE: Where applicable, each section in this document will include a table of the data entry fields outlining the data type (alpha, numeric, date, etc.), the maximum length (if any) and the validation rules applied (if any).
Saving Your Data
Data is saved as you work. Just about any time you hit an OK or OK & Save button your data is being written and committed to the database file.
The Database Properties window is where you'll enter general information about your guild or clan as well as set a few global guild-specific properties.
[this section is under construction but the new manual is coming soon]
Members are the heart of your organization and as such, most of your time spent in GuildBoss will be managing your roster. Following is a complete breakdown of the Member Profile window as well as detailed descriptions of the Member Status fields.
[this section is under construction but the new manual is coming soon]
The member status options may be used to monitor a member's current status quo with regard to four general areas, described below. When a particular "condition" is met for any given status you will be notified automatically with a visual cue in the form of a small image appearing in the member's profile row in the Roster Grid—this is referred to as a status flag. You may then evaluate the situation and take appropriate action based on the actual status flag and whatever condition was met.
Currently there are four pre-defined status flags that you may opt to use and each is described in detail below. If you don't want to use a particular status flag you can remove it from the Roster Grid via the Roster Grid Designer. Simply select the field from the drop-down and uncheck the 'Visible' checkbox.
Here are the four pre-defined status flags:
Outstanding Dues
Definition
This status flag is displayed when a member has overdue membership (dues) fees. Should you decide to use this status option you are required to set the Base Amount and the Billing Cycle fields in the Database Properties window.
How to Modify
Each member has a "Dues Owed" field in their profile that, at the start of a new Billing Cycle (set in the Database Properties window), will automatically be increased by the Base Amount. When this happens the status flag will appear (a little dollar sign icon) and remains until the member has "paid up". A member is "paid up" when their Dues Owed field is set to 0 (zero) via one of the methods mentioned below.
AutoDues
If you choose to use AutoDues you will be prompted when it's time to bill your members (based on the current 'Dues' settings in the Database Properties window). You will then have the opportunity to choose one of the following procedures:
Base Amount of your guild dues, as well as any Rank Tax (see Rank section below) if applicable.
After the members are billed, AutoDues then updates the Next Billing date based on your chosen Billing Cycle (these settings are located in the Database Properties window), by adding a number of days to the current date. For instance, if your Billing Cycle was set to "Weekly" and AutoDues just billed on 6/1/1999, then the Next Billing date would become 6/7/1999 (6/1/1999 + 7 days). The formula is:
Next Billing = (Current Date + Number of Days In Cycle)
By choosing this option you can essentially cancel the current billing cycle altogether and move on to the Next Billing cycle.
Modifying 'Dues Owed' Manually
You can also set a member's Dues Owed field manually in the Member Profile window or by choosing "Modify 'Dues Owed' amount..." from the Member|Update Status menu.
If you choose the above-mentioned menu you will be presented with the "Update Dues Owed" dialog. If you choose to use this method you can select multiple members from the Roster Grid and update them all in a single pass.
Using the Update Dues Owed dialog window
This little dialog allows you to adjust the Dues Owed field of the selected members. There are two options available on this window:
Promotion/Demotion (Deeds Scoring System)
Definition
This status is used to determine when a member is ready for a possible rank promotion or demotion. It works in conjunction with the 'Promotion' and 'Demotion' flag properties of the member's current Rank. [See "Rank Properties"]
When a member's Deed Tally is equal to or greater than the rank's 'promotion' flag an 'up arrow' image will be displayed. If the member's Deed Tally is equal to or less than the rank's 'demotion' flag then a little 'down arrow' image is displayed.
At this point you are simply being notified that the member has *technically* qualified for a rank adjustment but the actual modification in rank is left up to you. Reason being that you may not want to promote or demote when this happens...perhaps there is a probation period or maybe a vote is required by committee. Thus, you have the option of doing it at your leisure.
How to Modify
There are two methods at your disposal for modifying a member's Deed Tally score:
[See the "Deeds" section below for more information on Deed Tally, Journal of Deeds, and the Deeds Scoring System]
Inactivity (missed Roll Call)
Definition
This status gives you a visual cue when a member hasn't "checked in" within the defined number of days. You set the number of days in the "Database Properties" window.
For example, you may require that all members check-in by replying to a "roll call" email or page within 10 days. If they don't reply within the specified time then their "inactive" status flag appears and they can be put on an "inactive" list that gets posted on your web, perhaps giving them a short grace period to check-in before having their membership automatically revoked by GuildBoss [BETA NOTE: possibly coming soon]
How to Modify
There are two methods at your disposal for modifying a member's Last Check-In field:
Reminder Notes
Definition
This flag is displayed when important reminder notes exist in a member's Profile. It's main purpose is to notify you that something important needs attention with regard to the member in question. Think of it like one of those little yellow (or 'pink' depending on your preference) sticky notes.
For example, perhaps you are scheduled to meet a member online on a particular night. You could plop a little note to yourself in the member's Reminder Notes so that the flag appears next to the member's name.
To remove the flag simply clear out the notes.
How to Modify
There are two methods at your disposal for modifying a member's Reminder Notes field:
The Roster Pane Grid is where your member records are displayed. By clicking on a rank in the Rank Pane the roster listing is automatically refreshed to show only those members belonging to the selected rank and its subranks (if any).
Roster Count
A count of the visible members listed in the grid is displayed in the lower right hand corner of the screen, in the Status Bar. Click on the top 'root' rank for an entire count of all members.
Filtering the Roster
You may quickly and easily filter the roster list by using Status Filter options. Simply pull down the Member menu and choose Status Filter. From there you can choose which member status field you wish to filter by.
When you set a filter the Roster Pane will show only those members that meet the status condition. For instance, if you checked the "Outstanding Dues" filter option then only those members with outstanding dues would be displayed.
Note that when a filter is applied you will see a "Filtered" message in the status bar (and also above the Roster Pane) as a simple reminder that a filter is active.
Sorting the Roster
Simply click the desired column header and the entire grid will be sorted by that particular field's data, alphabetically. You can toggle the sort order (ascending and descending) by clicking the same header a second time.
NOTE: The 'Rank' field automatically sorts by 'Rank Authority' rather than alphabetically.
The Roster Grid Designer window is where you customize the layout of the Roster Pane Grid. Basically, you define the properties of the columns that make up the grid. In turn, each property has some kind of effect on the layout of the grid when you make a change.
How to Customize the Roster Grid
To design the layout of the grid you modify the columns within it, which in turn, defines the layout. Each column has the following properties that you can change:
To edit a column's properties you must first select it from the "Available Columns" drop-list or simply by clicking the 'mirror' column within the "Preview" grid.
What You See Is What You Get!
The "Preview" grid is a WYSIWYG look at what the actual Roster Pane Grid will look like if you save the current modifications to the layout. You can select a column to edit by clicking it in the Preview grid. You may also change the Width and Position properties by resizing and repositioning right from within the Preview grid.
Saving the Layout
Changes you make to the columns are not put into effect until you click either the "Save & Close" or "Save" buttons. At anytime you may "back out" of any unsaved edits by clicking the "Cancel" button.
After saving and closing the Roster Grid Designer the actual Roster Pane Grid will be updated to reflect any changes you have made.
NOTE: The Roster Pane Grid automatically resizes to fit the window so your column widths may not match up entirely after you save your changes.
It is assumed that you know what a 'rank' is and how a 'ranking structure' impacts your guild or clan. With this assumption in mind I'm not going to go into a lengthy discussion about the theory of organizational hierarchies, but rather explain to you how to use the ranking features of GuildBoss to its utmost potential.
Ranks are used to classify, or categorize, your members into a hierarchical structure. This structure can be governmental in nature in order to establish a firm and authoritative "pecking order", or it can be a simple grouping tool...or both!
The ranking system in GuildBoss works just like most real-world ranking systems in that the ultimate goal is to organize your members into logical and manageable "groups" and give the individuals within the groups some type of power and/or control over other groups and/or individuals. This structure creates a semblance of order and gives specific duties and responsibilities to those within the ranks.
When used in conjunction with the Deeds Scoring System, ranking gives you a convenient method of tracking a member's individual performance. Essentially you can define 'promotion' and 'demotion' flags that notify you when a member is due for a rank adjustment (up or down!).
Modifying Your Ranks
Adding Ranks
Select Rank|New... from the menu and choose the type of rank you wish to add. Type in a name for the rank and click OK.
Rank Type
There are two types of ranks: Group and Position. Essentially, a rank 'Group' is a container in which to organize your actual rank 'Positions'.
The folder icon represents groups while positions are shown as an assortment of icons. NOTE: you may use custom icons for your ranks.
Members can be assigned to Rank Positions but not to Groups. Think of a group as a department, or branch within your guild that simply categorizes the available positions, or jobs, that members can be assigned to.
Sample rank group and rank position structure:
Military (Rank Group)
|_ Colonel (Rank Position)
|
|_ Captain (Rank Position)
|
|_ Sergeant (Rank Position)
Intelligence (Rank Group)
|_ Director (Rank Position)
|
|_ Master Spy (Rank Position)
|
|_ Field Agent (Rank Position)
Note that in the above sample it makes sense that you cannot assign a member directly to a Rank Group but rather you may assign them a Rank Position within a group. For instance, you cannot give a member the rank of Military as that is a group. You can, however, assign members to the rank positions within the Military group, such as Colonel and Captain.
Take a look at the provided sample database, KON.GBF, for more ranking examples.
Editing your ranks
Click a rank and select 'Properties' from the Rank menu and the Rank Properties window will appear.
There are four tabs across the top of the window: General, Authority, Flags, and Images.
The General tab is available for all rank types but the others may be disabled depending upon the type of rank you're attempting to edit. The reason for this is because some of the properties do not apply to the current rank. For example, you cannot set an Authority level for the Group Rank type.
Here's a description of the fields per tab:
General
Name: the first field is the rank's name
Type: this is the type of rank. The type of rank tells GuildBoss how to behave in certain situations. Currently there are five types:
- Guild: represents the entire guild
- Group: folder to organize positions
- Position: actual member ranks
- Unranked: container for the unranked
- Recycle bin: bin of deleted members
Description: general notations such as job description, duties, tasks, purpose, etc.
NOTE: The General tab is always available for all rank types but the fields may be locked to prevent editing. For instance, you cannot rename the Recycle Bin.
Authority
Authority: this is the rank's 'power' rating within the structure. It's how you set the 'pecking order' among your ranks.
This number determines the order in which members are listed in the Roster grid when you order the roster by rank. It also determines where ranks are positioned in the Rank Pane, in "ascending" order. Thus, lower numbered ranks are actually positioned higher in the rank pane.
The same goes with members; the LOWER a member's rank Authority, the HIGHER they'll be positioned. For instance, a King might be set to '1' because he has the most authority and a lowly Peasant might be set to '999' because they have no authority at all. You may enter a number from 1 to 999.
Note that ranks may share the same authority level! This simply means that they are on an even keel and neither holds sway over the other. They would most likely report to their superiors if a dispute arises. But more importantly, they will be ordered in the grid accordingly.
Flags
Rank Tax: Rank tax is an additional periodic fee that is billed to members of the rank in question when AutoDues goes into effect. Essentially, it's a nifty method of charging members for dues based on their rank. [For more information on guild dues and the AutoDues billing system, refer to the 'Member Status' section above]
Rank maximum: this is the maximum number of members that can have this rank.
Deeds scoring: these two figures define the upper and lower boundaries for the current rank's Promotion and Demotion flags. Essentially the Promotion Flag defines the point total (Deed Tally) a member needs in order to be considered for a promotion to a higher rank. And the Demotion Flag defines when to consider a member for a Demotion to a lower rank. [See the "Deeds Scoring System" section for more information]
Images
Displayed when rank is selected: This is the image displayed with the rank in the Rank Pane when the rank is selected (highlighted).
Displayed when rank is not selected: This is the image displayed with the rank in the Rank Pane when the rank is NOT selected.
[See the "Image Manager" section for more information about managing your rank images]
Deleting Ranks
Select the rank and choose the Rank|Delete menu. You will be prompted for confirmation of the deletion.
NOTE: if the rank you wish to delete has sub-ranks beneath it, they will be deleted as well!
If there are members currently assigned to the rank that you're deleting they will automatically be changed to "Unranked".
TIP: right-click in the Rank Pane for a shortcut menu.
"Our deeds disguise us. People need endless time to try on their deeds, until each knows the proper deeds for him to do. But every day, every hour, rushes by. There is no time."
-- Haniel Long (1888-1956)
What is a Deed?
By definition a deed is:
In GuildBoss deeds can be used as a performance measurement with regard to your members. Deeds are used in conjunction with Ranks in order to establish a sort of promotion and demotion "schedule". You may then use this schedule for automatic notification of when a member has qualified for an adjustment in rank.
NOTE: Using deeds in GuildBoss is completely optional.
Deeds Scoring System
This is a sort of promotion/demotion scheduling system. You have the option of using this point-based system to help you determine when a member is ready to be considered for a promotion or demotion. Every member has a "Deed Tally" score that can be modified by keeping a journal of certain deeds, or events, that members carry out during their term of service. [See 'Journal of Deeds' for more information]
Deeds have a Base Point Value assigned to it, which can be positive or negative depending upon the actual deed. Thus, when you edit a member's Journal of Deeds his or her Deed Tally will go up or down based on the deed's point value.
When a member's Deed Tally reaches their current rank's Promotion Flag, then he or she is ready for a possible promotion. If, however, their Deed Tally happens to go DOWN (because of poor performance) and it reaches their rank's Demotion Flag then you might consider a rank demotion... [see the "Rank" section for more information]
Note that you have complete control over the deeds and the points associated with them. [see the 'Deeds Manager' section for more information]
Sample scoring scenario:
Let's say you have a member named Dudley Doright and his current rank is Elite Knight. He has performed his duties well, most of which are recorded in his 'Journal of Deeds' and has accumulated many deed points as is proven by his Deed Tally score of 235.
Here's a look at how the nearest ranks stack up in Dudley's guild:
| Rank | Promotion Flag | Demotion Flag |
| Knight Lord | 500 | 250 |
| Elite Knight | 250 | 100 |
| Knight | 100 | 50 |
| Squire | 50 | 0 |
As you can see Dudley is only 15 points away from his current rank's Promotion Flag of 250 so he's being extra careful these days to be a good doobie and hopefully be promoted to Knight Lord.
With this in mind Dudley decides to go out and hunt and kill two members of a rival guild. Why two? Well, because he knows that every time he kills a rival member he will be awarded at least 10 deed points per kill. Here's a snippet from Dudley's guild's Deeds List:
| Deed | Base Value |
| Confirmed kill, lvl 1 monster | 1 |
| Confirmed kill, lvl 2 monster | 2 |
| Confirmed kill, fellow guildmember | -25 |
| Displayed bravery in battle | 3 |
| Displayed cowardice in battle | -5 |
| Confirmed kill, rival member | 10 |
| Completed EASY quest | 5 |
| Completed MODERATE quest | 15 |
| Kicked superior in nuts | -50 |
If Dudley can manage to kill his quarry and refrain from kicking his male superiors where it counts he will be awarded 10 points for each kill and his Deed Tally will rise to 255 thus putting him over his current rank's Promotion Flag!
At that point Dudley does not automatically get promoted but rather his Deed Tally status flag will update to display a small 'up' arrow image next to Dudley's name in the Roster Pane. I've left the actual promotion decision to you, the boss. The idea of the image is just to let you know when a member has met the required conditions to be considered for a change in rank. Ultimately, the actual modification in rank is left up to you.
TIP: if you've ever played D&D then think of the Deed Tally as Experience Points (XP) and the Promotion Flag as the XP needed to go up an Experience level. And think of the Demotion Flag as one Experience level lower than the current. Remember the Vampire's Level Drain? :-) They could suck a complete level right out of your character! ARGH!
Deeds Manager
The Deeds Manager window is where you'll maintain your list of deeds. Looking at the window you'll see a grid with two columns:
Description: This is the description of the deed, or event. You are limited to a maximum of 50 characters and each description must be unique.
Base Value: This is the base point value associated with the deed. This number will be applied to a member's Deed Tally score if the member happens to perform the deed and you record it in their 'Journal of Deeds'. The Base Value *can* be a negative number. The accepted range is -999,999 to 999,999. Typically you will assign negative numbers to those deeds that are classified by your organization as "bad" behavior" or "poor performance" or perhaps deemed "contrary" to your organization's goals, beliefs, religion, etc.
Obviously, the act of classifying deeds as "bad" or "poor" is completely subjective and is left entirely up to you, the boss. For instance, intentionally killing a fellow member might be considered "bad behavior" in a Knighthood but be perfectly acceptable in a Guild of Assassins.
You can sort the deeds by either Description or Base Value by simply clicking the column header. The default sort order is by Description.
Editing Deeds:
Editing your deeds is fairly straightforward and you should be able to figure it out in a few minutes of practice. However, here are some tips about what the buttons do:
New: Click this button to bring up the Deed Properties window where you can enter a new deed.
Edit: Select a deed from the list and click this button when you wish to change the deed's Description or Base Value data. The Deed Properties window will pop up showing the selected deed.
NOTE: you can simply double-click a deed for the same effect.
Delete: Select a deed and click this button to remove it from the database permanently. You will be prompted for confirmation.
NOTE: you can select/deselect multiple deeds using the standard Windows 'SHIFT-click' or 'CTRL-click' methods.
Journal of Deeds
The Journal of Deeds window is essentially a log of a member's past deeds with some statistics tossed in for good measure. You can add, delete, duplicate, and archive deed entries here. Let's have a closer look.
The Journal is broken down into two parts, Entries and Statistics:
Entries
This is a log of the member's past deeds. Following is a brief discussion of each field in the grid.
Log Date……this is the date the entry was logged in the Journal.
Description…the description of the deed (comes from the Deeds Manager)
Base Value…the *base* point value of the deed (comes from the Deeds Manager)
Adjustment…this is the manual adjustment value
Net Value….. this is the actual value that is ultimately applied against the member's Deed Tally score. It is the product of the Base Value + Adjustment.
Beneath the grid is the sum of the figures in the Net Value column, making up the member's current Deed Tally total. In some cases an image will appear to the right of this sum--it's the same image from the Roster Pane--indicating that the member has qualified for a promotion ('up' arrow) or demotion ('down' arrow).
Statistics
Clicking this tab causes four new fields to be displayed. The two on the left show the member's current rank's "Promotion" and "Demotion" flags. The two on the right show the *balances* that the member would need to qualify for a promotion or demotion, respectively.
Essentially, if the rank flags have previously been set [See the "Rank" section] the latter two figures are calculated by subtracting each of the rank's flags from the member's current Deed Tally:
Promotion balance = (Promotion Flag - Deed Tally)
Demotion balance = (Demotion Flag - Deed Tally)
If the rank flags have not been set you will see zeros. In addition, if the member has qualified for promotion or demotion then the respective figure will show zero.
For example, if Duck of Death had a Deed Tally of 505 and his current rank's Promotion Flag was set for 500, the "Promotion balance" field would show '0' and you would also see the 'up' arrow image next the Deed Tally field.
Sorting the List
By default the list is sorted chronologically with the most recent deeds at the top. You can change the sort by clicking any of the column headers. Click a column twice and the list will toggle between ascending and descending order.
How to Modify the Journal
There are five methods at your disposal for modifying the journal, four of which you can do right from this window by using the buttons. The fifth method must be accessed from the main program window and is discussed later in this section. For now let's talk about the four methods accessible from the Journal of Deeds window:
Adding a new journal entry:
Journal entries are made via the New Journal Entry dialog window as described below:
Deed……….. this is the deed you want to add as a new entry in the member's Journal. You may add a generic "adjustment" entry by selecting "[Adjustment]" from the list.
Base Value…this is the chosen deed's Base Point Value that's already been defined via the Deeds Manager window. This field is populated automatically after you select a deed from the drop-down box.
Adjustment…By default, the Net Value (see below) is populated with the chosen deed's pre-defined Base Value. However, you may use this field to adjust the Net Value as you see fit, based on your current scenario.
Net Value….. this is the actual value that will be applied against the member's current Deed Tally score.
After choosing a deed from the drop-down box the Base Value field will be populated automatically with the deed's pre-defined Base Point Value. The Net Value will also be populated with the Base Point Value unless there is an adjustment value in the Adjustment field, upon which it be calculated from the two figures.
NOTE: you may also access the "New Journal Entry" directly from the main program interface by choosing "Add a new entry to Journal of Deeds..." from the Member|Update Status menu. This is a great way for adding an entry for multiple members!
Duplicating existing journal entries:
You can duplicate an entire entry (or entries!) by selecting from the list and clicking the "Duplicate" button. Duplicated entries are exact clones with the exception of the Log Date which will be set to the *current* system date at the time the duplication took place. You will always be prompted for confirmation before duplication.
Deleting journal entries:
Deleting entries is as simple as selecting them and clicking the "Delete" button. What a concept! You will be prompted for confirmation before deletion.
NOTE: Upon deletion of an entry the Net Value that had been applied to the member's Deed Tally will be reversed.
Adjusting 'Deed Tally' to rank's required minimum:
The fifth and final method of modifying a member's journal of deeds can be achieved from the main program interface by choosing "Adjusting 'Deed Tally' to rank's required minimum" menu item from the Member|Update Status menu.
Choosing this menu item causes GuildBoss to create a new "[Adjustment]" entry for the selected member(s). The purpose of this action is to modify the member's Deed Tally score so that it equals their current rank's minimum required score (demotion flag + 1). The Net Value of the adjustment varies based upon what the difference between the member's current rank's Demotion Flag and their current Deed Tally is at the time of the adjustment.
Comes in handy for a quick promotion or a swift punishment.
QuickMail and QuickPage
QuickMail and QuickPage are two fast and easy methods of staying in touch with your members. They are accessible from the Main program window via toolbar buttons or directly from the Roster Pane's shortcut menu.
What You Need to Make it Work
Both QuickMail and QuickPage use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for sending messages via the Internet. In order to use these functions you must have access to an SMTP mail server. If you're currently able to send and receive Internet email then you have access to an SMTP server—you just need to find out the name of the server.
QuickPage uses ICQ's EmailExpress feature and thus the members you're paging MUST have ICQ!
How to Configure QuickMail/QuickPage
You need to tell GuildBoss a few things before being able to send email and pages. Follow these steps to set it up properly:
How to send a QuickMail or QuickPage Message
Follow these simple steps to create and send emails and pages:
NOTE: you may use standard Windows mouse+key combos to select multiple items, just like you do in Explorer. For instance, hold down CTRL while you click and you can pick and choose members anywhere in the list. Or use the SHIFT key and select whole ranges of members.
NOTE: Both fields are required! You cannot send a message without a subject or message body.
If you've got any boilerplate messages stored in your database you can click the Boilerplate button to bring up the Boilerplate window. From there simply select which pre-written message (i.e. boilerplate) you wish to send and click the Send button to transfer the message to the Send Message window.
At this point the status bar should give you an indication what the current status is and if everything is going okay. If you have problems, refer to the SMTP Status Log.
NOTE: Make sure you're connected to the internet before attempting to send your message!
SMTP Status Log
GuildBoss will log the transaction to a file called "SMTP.LOG" and place it in the \BIN subfolder. If you run into any problems you can take a look at this log by clicking the Status Log button for possible clues as to the cause. If the problem isn't obvious you may send this log file to me and I'll look into it and give you a diagnosis.
Status logging begins when you click the Send button and ends when the connection between GuildBoss and the SMTP server is closed, either due to a successful transaction or a failed one. Thus, you must wait until the transaction is completed before opening the log file.
A Note About Sending ICQ Pages
QuickPage uses ICQ's EmailExpress feature. Essentially, GuildBoss sends your message to the member's ICQ pager through your SMTP server rather than using ICQ directly—this is an ICQ feature and it works quite well. The member will still receive your message as a page but it will appear to them as an ICQ EmailExpress page rather than a standard ICQ page.
NOTE: In order for the member to receive the page they must have their 'EmailExpress' option enabled in their ICQ settings! If they have disabled it then they won't get the page. The EmailExpress feature is enabled by default when ICQ is installed so unless the member went in and manually disabled they should receive the page just fine.
What is a Boilerplate?
A boilerplate is oft-used, recyclable text. By definition it is, essentially, "generic composition that can be written once, saved on disk, and used, either verbatim or with slight modification, into whatever documents that later require it."
So how does it work in GuildBoss?
Boilerplates in GuildBoss take the form of email and ICQ page messages. Essentially, you may pre-write an unlimited number of commonly used messages and store them in your database file. Once a boilerplate message is written and stored you can send it at any time via the Send Message or Boilerplate Manager windows with a couple of clicks.
Here's a short list of some example boilerplate messages:
How to Manage Your Boilerplates
Pull down the Tools menu and select 'Boilerplate Manager'. The ‘Boilerplate Manager window is made up of a drop-list box entitled "Boilerplates" and beneath this are two input boxes where you'll type in your boilerplate message's Subject and Body.
Here are the steps involved in maintaining boilerplates:
Creating a New Boilerplate
Modifying an Existing Boilerplate
How to Send Your Boilerplate Messages
Boilerplate messages are sent just like regular messages, that is, via the Send Message window. By doing it this way you have an opportunity to make small edits to the pre-written subject and body (in the Send Message window!) without having any effect on the actual boilerplate saved in the database.
Okay, here's how you actually do it:
Note that edits made to the text in the Send Message window have no effect whatsoever on the stored boilerplate.
Also note that you can open the Send Message window first and then click the Boilerplate button to choose the message you wish to send.
What is a Drop-List?
A drop-list is a special kind of data entry field that provides you with a list of data items to choose from. Sometimes this field is called a drop-down box or combo box. In GuildBoss they are referred to as a "drop-list" because you click a little down-arrow button and a list of items "drops" down so you can choose one. You can also type the first letter of the item you wish to choose and the drop-list will automatically select the first matching item.
In the Member Profile window--under the "Custom" tab—there are four customizable drop-lists. You maintain the data items that fill these drop-lists by using the Drop-List Manager.
You may fill each drop-list with virtually any data that you wish but you should keep in mind a few general rules of thumb:
In addition, here's a list of rules and conditions that apply to drop-list management:
How to Maintain your Drop-Lists
Pull down the Tools menu and select 'Drop-List Manager'. The window is made up of a drop-list box entitled "Drop-List" and below this is a small single-column grid displaying. To the right of the grid are the edit buttons that you will use to maintain the items in the grid.
The "Drop-List" drop-list (hmmm...) is a list of the actual custom 'lists' that you have control over. As explained above these lists are directly "connected" to the Member Profile window. In other words, there is a drop-list box in the Member Profile window's "Custom" tab for each of the lists that you maintain right here. When you add items to a list via the "Drop-List" Manager you are essentially adding items to the corresponding drop-list box on the Member Profile window!
For instance, let's say you run an Ultima Online guild and so you define "Drop-List #1" as "Race" and fill the list with all of the available "races" within the game.
As a result, drop-list #1 in the Member Profile window is renamed "Race" and is filled with the items you just entered in the Drop-List Manager! Now, you can set each of your members to one of the race 'types' listed in the drop-list simply by pulling down the list and clicking the race. You'll also notice that you now have a column in the Roster Pane grid entitled "Race" as well.
There are many conveniences afforded by using data lists in an application like this. Without going too deeply into the theory of data normalization and the relational data model, here's a quick list:
This is where you maintain the images that can be assigned to your ranks in the Rank Pane. Each Rank can have TWO images assigned to it to be displayed based on the following events:
In most cases you will assign the same image for both events but you may want to show an "opened" and "closed" image for a nice visual effect. Keep in mind that it doesn't matter to GuildBoss what you choose--this feature is entirely for aesthetic purposes only and has no effect internally.
For example, for a Rank Group you might want to show the obligatory "opened folder" when selected and the "closed folder" when not selected.
Supported Images
GuildBoss supports Bitmap, Icon, GIF, and JPEG format.
Note that the image will be resized to fit into a 16x16 square no matter how big or small it actually is. With this in mind you should try to use standard Windows icons or create your own 16x16 images so that the image doesn't become completely smooshed and distorted.
The Image Manager Window
Pull down the Tools menu and select Image Manager. The window is made up of a list box, a picture box and a bunch of buttons. When you click an item in the list a label will also be displayed echoing the full path to the image.
Let's have a look at the fields:
Managing Your Images
Managing your images is fairly straightforward and you should be able to figure it out in a few minutes of practice. However, here are some tips with regard to each of the buttons:
Add: Click the "Add" button to bring up the Add Image dialog where you can select and name an image. [See "How to add an image to the Image Manager" below for more details]
Remove: Select an image from the list and click the "Remove" button to delete the reference and remove the item from the images list.
Set >>: Select an image and click this button and the image (on the Rank Properties window) will change to the chosen image. NOTE: the Set >> button will be disabled if the Rank Properties window is not open.
Where do all these images go?
It's important for you to understand how GuildBoss handles your chosen images so here's an explanation.
When you assign an image to a rank, GuildBoss stores a reference in the database to the image's location on your system. When the database is opened GuildBoss goes out and loads it up. If GuildBoss cannot locate the file at the location specified then it will automatically assign the default GuildBoss image to the rank, and in the Image Manager the item will be bolded, italicized, and colored red to give you a visual indication that the image file could not be found.
If this happens you must re-add the image based on its new location or copy the image back into the originally specified folder. You will also be required to re-assign the image to any ranks that were using it before it got "lost".
How to add an image to the Image Manager
Follow these steps to add an image:
How to assign an image to a Rank
Follow these steps to assign an image to a rank:
What is a Ledger?
A ledger, in GuildBoss, is like a simplified spreadsheet that you may use to store information about some "thing". What exactly is a "thing"? Well, for starters, here's a quick list of some possible candidates for a ledger:
Inventory, Obituaries, Tournaments, Allies, Servers, Weddings, Bounties, Rivals, Land titles, Classifieds, Treasury, Quests, etc.
The possibilities are endless.
A ledger is made up of columns and rows. The columns can also be defined as the "fields", and rows as "records". Ledgers are completely customizable in that you can set the column captions to be anything you wish and you can fill the row "cells" with practically any data. Here's a sample "Inventory" ledger generated by GuildBoss:
| Item Name | Units | Location | Value/unit | Donated By | Condition |
| Backpack | 9 | Warehouse #2 | 14 g p | various members | varies |
| Boots of Speed | 1 | Guild vault | 2,250 gp | SOL Nidon | excellent |
| Cape w/guild insignia | 16 | Guildhouse | 2 gp | n/a | varies |
| Healing Potion | 3 | Warehouse #1 | 100 gp | various members | good |
| Iron helm | 7 | Warehouse #1 | 10 gp | SOL Falcon | good |
| O.J. Simpson doll | 1 | Warehouse #1 | 10,000 gp | Kato | missing a glove |
| Scroll of Summoning | 1 | Guild vault | 6,400 gp | Silk (ally) | good |
| Silver dagger | 4 | Warehouse #2 | 30 gp | SOL Abyss | 1 excellent, 3 fair |
| Turnip | 34 | food stores | 5 sp | Bob the turnip farmer | good |
That's pretty much it! Just like a spreadsheet, eh? The best part is that you can have as many ledgers as you like and you can use them for practically anything.
Here's a quick checklist of rules and conditions that apply to ledger management:
How to Maintain your Ledgers
Pull down the Tools menu and select 'Ledger Manager'.
The Ledger Manager window is made up of a drop-list box entitled "Ledgers" and beneath this is a grid that is used to display the current ledger's items, or "records". Before you can add items you need to have a ledger!
Here are the steps involved in maintaining ledgers:
Creating a New Ledger
Modifying an Existing Ledger
Adding Records to a Ledger
Sorting the Ledger Records
Generating Ledger Reports
All reports are currently generated in HTML format. The layout is basic in nature but you have some control over the HTML formatting of the page and table attributes. Additionally, you may create freeform "blocks" of HTML and insert them into your reports as needed. Please continue reading this section for more information.
Page Setup
This particular window gives you some basic control over the layout of your HTML reports.
Most of what you can do here is basic and fairly straightforward. For the most part you can define the settings that affect page and table fonts, colors, and background images, as well as table border and cell settings. Additionally, you can insert pre-written blocks of HTML that you create using the Freeform HTML Editor into both the header and footer sections of the page.
Note that when you open the Font selection dialog that the available sizes differ from the sizes used in HTML standards. Actually, the sizes are the same but the mapping is different. For example, a 10 pt font is defined as "2" in HTML source code. You shouldn't need to be concerned about this as the size of the font sample is the actual size anyway--you really don't need to know the number associated with it in HTML. Just thought I'd say it here in case you're an HTML guru!
Note that when you modify the HTML layout preferences the sample will change as well. This sample only shows your FONT and COLOR settings! It does not display images or borders or other effects. GuildBoss is NOT a WYSIWYG web page editor!—it's just a lowly little guild and clan management system...
Freeform HTML Block Editor
This window allows you to create your own "reusable" blocks of HTML code and save it to the database. Once this has been done you may insert these blocks into your HTML reports by simply selecting a block for both the Header (above the data) and Footer (below the data). The blocks are selected on the Page Setup window described in the section above.
Displaying Images for Members
There is field called 'Report Images' in the Member Profile window where you can enter filenames of any images you wish to have displayed with a member's record (row) in the roster report tables.
For instance, if you award medals to members you can enter the filenames of the images you use for such awards so that when you generate roster reports the proper images will be displayed for the members.
NOTE: If you want multiple images displayed for single member simply enter all of the filenames in the field and separate them with a comma. For example, if Member X has been awarded three medals and you want to have them shown on the report you'd enter the filenames sort of like this:
medal2.gif,medal4.gif,award2.jpg
I've included a few images of medals in the full install that you may use for such purposes.
Other image ideas might include:
Defining a Virtual Path to your Images
You can define a path to your images in the 'Application Options' window under the 'Web & FTP' tab. This path is used when GuildBoss generates HTML code to point to your images on the web server where your images are stored. For this reason you don't need to enter any path information in the filenames of your images in the 'Report Image' field. (see the 'Application Options' section for more details)
NOTE: the Images path setting is for a 'virtual' reference to image files existing on your web host. The images aren't stored in the database nor is it assumed that they're even on your local hard drive! All you need to do is enter the filenames of the images in the 'Report Images' field, enter a virtual (server) path where the images are stored, and let GuildBoss handle generating the HTML source code to display images in roster reports.
Roster Reports
Roster reports are generated based on the currently selected rank tree and visible members. Thus, you can report on your entire roster by selecting the "root" rank or you can focus on one or more particular rankings by selecting the desired top rank group or rank position.
GuildBoss currently sports these roster reports:
General Listing — This report is a simple straight-line listing of the visible roster. Members are sorted on the report exactly as they appear in the Roster Grid within a single table.
By Rank Position — This report organizes the visible roster into separate groupings based on each member's Rank Position. Each Rank Position has its own table showing its respective members.
By Rank Group — This report organizes the visible roster into separate groupings based on your rank tree scheme. For instance, if you have a Military Rank Group and beneath it are 3 Rank Positions, then there will be a single Military table with all of the members of any of the Military ranks in that table.
Blocking Member's Email and ICQ Information from Reports
In the event some of your members do not want their email and/or ICQ number printed on the roster reports, there are two options available in the Member Profile window (under the "Contact" tab) for you to "block" this information. Simply "check" the appropriate options in the member's profile as desired.
ICQ Status Indicator
ICQ has provided a way for its members to display their "ICQ status" to others on a web page using an "ICQ Status Indicator". Essentially, if a member is an ICQ user (and has an ICQ number entered in their profile) you can opt to have an image displayed on your roster reports showing the member's current ICQ status: online, offline, or disabled. This feature is entirely optional, of course, and you can enable or disable it any time via the Application Options dialog, under the Tools menu.
Additionally, the ICQ Status image will be hyperlinked with the member's ICQ number so others (even non-ICQ users) can send the member a message via email using ICQ's EmailExpress feature. The image will not be hyperlinked if the member has chosen to block their ICQ number from being printed on web reports.
Saving Reports
Reports are automatically saved as HTML files in the \Reports subfolder by default. You may, however, specify a different default 'Save To' folder in the Application Options window under the Reports tab. The name of the file is inherited from the report's title by default.
Alternatively, you can tell GuildBoss to prompt you with the infamous 'Save As' dialog box, after each report is generated, giving you the opportunity to specify a name and location other than the defaults.
In order to keep your database files in good working condition GuildBoss provides you with a special compacting tool as well as a repair tool in the event of file corruption.
Compacting Databases
As you change data in a database the file can become fragmented and use more disk space than is necessary. Periodically, you can use the Compact utility to compact your database and defragment the file. The compacted database is usually smaller and often runs faster and decreases the chances of corruption.
To keep your databases functioning optimally you should compact periodically. How often you compact is relative to how often you make changes, as well as the amount of changes you make. Suffice it to say that if you modify a database on a daily basis then you should compact it at least once every couple of weeks. On the other hand, if you make only a few small changes in a week's time then you don't have to compact more than once every couple of months.
How to Compact a Database
To compact a database go to the "Tools" menu and select "Database Utilities" and then choose "Compact Database". Next, select the database (or database template) file that you wish to compact.
NOTE: You cannot compact an open database so close your database before compacting.
Repairing Databases
This tool attempts to repair a database that's become corrupted due to an incomplete database operation, such as an interrupted data write. Corruption of this type usually stems from improper closure of the file. For instance, if the system shuts down due to power outage while to application is writing data to the file.
When a database file becomes corrupted you will receive an error message when you attempt to open it. You will not be able to use a corrupted file until it is repaired successfully.
How to Repair a Database
To repair a database go to the "Tools" menu and select "Database Utilities" and then choose "Repair Database". Next, select the database (or database template) file that you wish to repair.
If the repair is successful you will be prompted to compact the file--which is strongly recommended.
NOTE: Repairing is an "all or nothing" proposition; if it works then you'll be able to continue using the database but if it does not work then the file is no longer useable. For this reason it's a very good idea to always have a backup file.
NOTE: You cannot repair an open database so close your database before repairing.
What is a Database Template?
Essentially, a Database Template is a standard GBF file but saved with a GBZ extension and placed in the \Templates subfolder.
You can then use these Templates as a starting foundation when you create a new database so that you don't have to re-enter all of your custom and/or game-specific information from scratch all over again.
For instance, you might have a database filled to the brim with data that is very specific to Ultima Online or EverQuest, not to mention your specific preferences and options.
Here's a sample list of some stuff that can be saved in a Template for future re-use:
How to create a database from a Database Template
Follow these simple steps to create a new database that is based on a Template.
How to create your own Database Templates
Creating your own custom Database Templates is a cinch but first make sure you read the "What is a Database Template?" section above.
Follow these steps:
NOTE: Remember, Templates are completely identical to the databases you use to create them from. Thus, if you just wanted a totally generic EverQuest template, for example, you wouldn't want to include any Rank or Member information but you would want to include such static data as Race, Class, Hometown, Faction, etc.
[this section is under construction but the new manual is coming soon]
Application options are the settings you may define to control certain behaviors and default actions of GuildBoss in certain circumstances. Note that application options are "global" in effect in that they remain static across all guild databases rather than being based on individual databases. For instance, you can tell GuildBoss to send deleted members to the Recycle Bin and it will remain constant with all of your guild databases.
Application options are categorized based on generally related topics and are organized under separate tabs. Here's a quick look at each of the option categories:
General
A generic group of options.
"Show field tooltips in properties windows"
This option toggles the little pop-up tips in the fields on some properties windows.
"Show balloon help in Roster Pane grid cells"
This option toggles the pop-up balloons that show the entire contents of a cell when you place your mouse cursor over a cell in the Roster Pane grid.
"Automatically open the last opened database"
GuildBoss remembers the name and whereabouts of the last opened database and will gladly load it up when the application is first started but only if this option is checked.
You may export your rosters by choosing the "Export Roster To" menu item under the "Tools" menu. From there you may choose the output format for the export file.
Export Format
Currently there is but a single format option and that is 'Comma Separated Value' file. A .CSV file is a simple ASCII text format with the fields of each record separated by a comma. The first records in the file are the names of the fields, or columns. Most any popular database or spreadsheet program can import .CSV files easily such as Microsoft Access and Excel, FoxPro, FileMaker, Quattro Pro, etc., etc..
Member Status Fields
Due to the fact that the status fields are 'True/False' toggles (with the exception of the Deeds Status field) they are exported as a single letter, either "T" or "F" to signify the actual True/False value.
The Deeds Status field is handled a bit differently in that there are three possible values: promotion, demotion, or blank. These values are exported as follows:
"P" = promotion
"D" = demotion
Blank = neither
Saving the Export File
Upon choosing this function you will be prompted to name the file and pick its location. The default 'Save' location is the \Bin subfolder.