Price: $19.99
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Price: $19.99 |
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© 2004 Solitude Technology, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Note This document contains information and details regarding the PC-Alarm and Security System usage and configuration. This document is current as of 04/28/2003 and may now contain changes or updates since last modified. Please see section 1 (Finding More Information) for information on getting the latest available release documentation.
This help file contains the following topics:
For the latest product information, please see the PC-Alarm and Security System website at www.pc-alarm.com.
Thank you for taking the time to review the PC-Alarm and Security System® Software. All of us at Solitude Technology, Inc. are committed to the development of quality software that everyone can use in their every day lives.
Our goal is to allow users like yourself to put your computer to work at all times even while away: maximizing the value of you PC.
We realize that we may not be able to satisfy every user all of the time. So today, we are going to concentrate on making you happy. Your questions or feedback regarding any aspect of the PC-Alarm and Security System® software would be greatly valued. We will make every effort to accommodate your software needs.
Send Feedback to Solitude Technology, Inc.
Solitude Technology is taking PC security to a whole new level. Unlike firewall and virus protection applications that concentrate solely on network, email or software protection, PC-Alarm and Security System turns your PC into a self-defensive personal alarm system.
The PC-Alarm and Security System® software acts very much like a normal screen saver. But this is no ordinary screen saver. It locks the computer's keyboard and mouse when armed to prevent unauthorized access to your PC. But if someone tries to access your PC while you are away, it not only prevents unauthorized access, it will also notify you instantly via email, network messaging and/or dial your specified phone number(s) and play a pre-record wave file.
If you have a pager or cell phone that supports text messaging via email, you can go virtually anywhere and still be notified. If you have a cell phone, you can simply define an alarm notification to dial your cell phone number. There is no limit to the number of alarm notification messages posted by the PC-Alarm and Security System software in the event of an alarm.
The PC-Alarm and Security System Software monitors much more than just mouse and keyboard activity. If your PC has a microphone (as most do these days), it will also monitor sounds in and around the area of your PC. It will then notify you in the event that your home fire alarm starts blaring. You can customize and test the microphones record volume, maximum sound tolerance and sound duration to help prevent false alarms. It will also monitor your home security system or inexpensive door mounted alarms you can purchase at most electronics stores.
If your PC has a web cam that supports the motion activated auto record feature, the PC-Alarm and Security System will also monitor disk writes to the video output folder. In the event that someone enters the area surrounding your PC and your web cam software starts recording, you will be notified. This feature allows the PC-Alarm and Security System to offer protection beyond your PC. Your home or office and other personal property are also protected.
Compatible with Windows 98/Me/NT/2K and XP ©
Try it free for thirty days. Download now!
Periodic software updates will be available for downloading. Each release may include multiple bug fixes as well as software enhancements. If enabled, the PC-Alarm and Security System software will automatically check for newer software updates every two weeks.
An active Internet connection must be available at some point following the two week interval for the automatic software update check to be successful. If you use Dial-Up Networking (DUN) or Remote Access (RAS) to connect to the Internet, you may want to use the manual update check option periodically whenever you are connected to your ISP.
To initiate the software update check options, choose the Check for Software Update menu item from the Settings menu.
Note: You will only see a software update available notification window if the automatic software check determines that a newer version of the PC-Alarm and Security System is currently available for download. If you are currently running the latest available version of PC-Alarm and Security System software, you will not see a window of any kind.
When checking for an update manually, a message will always be displayed after the update check has completed.
To use the PC-Alarm and Security System, you need: - Personal or multimedia computer with a Intel Pentium® II or higher processor
Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP® operating system or Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later (will not run on earlier versions)
For use on Windows 98: 16 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) required to run programs individually; more memory may be required to run additional programs simultaneously
For use on Windows NT/2000 and XP®: 32 MB of RAM required to run programs individually; more memory may be required to run programs simultaneously
10-40 MB of available hard disk space required; approximately 10 MB required for a typical installation, depending on configuration.
VGA or higher-resolution video adapter (Super VGA, 16.3 million color display recommended) run at 800x600 or greater.
Microsoft compatible pointing device and keyboard. Additional items or services required to use certain zones: Additional hardware may be desired. (modems, web cams, alarms, etc...)
9600 or higher baud modem (56k data/voice compatibility recommended)
Multimedia computer required to use sound and other multimedia zones.
Microphone required for sound zone.
Internet access with SMTP support required to use e-mail notifications.
Internet connection, long distance, cellular and pager services may require payment of a separate fee to a service provider
Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.5 or greater.
Prior to the initial installation, you may wish to download the latest version of the PC-Alarm and Security System® software from our website at www.pc-alarm.com/Downloads. Alternatively, you may wait until after the installation and the PC-Alarm and Security System® software will perform a software update check automatically.
To install from an Internet download
To install from CD-ROM
To reinstall
Note: xxx will identify to the version of PC-Alarm and Security System® software contained within the setup application.
After you have successfully installed the PC-Alarm and Security System software, it is highly recommended that you perform the following steps to ensure property system security and monitoring.
Post Installation Instructions
Run the PC-Alarm and Security System main application. The icon for the main application is located in the start menu by left-clicking - Start\Programs\PC-Alarm and Security System\PC-Alarm.
Choose User Options option from the Settings menu or left- click the User Options action button located at the top of the main application window.
From the User Options window, left- click on the User Pins tab.
You must create at least one user account with a Full Access - access level. Be sure to remember this pin code. It will be required to access the PC once the system is armed.
Add any additional pin codes at this time only if desired. It is a good idea to enter at least two PIN codes with full access to the PC.
From the User Options window, left- click on the Security Options tab.
Check any of the available system options you would like to activate at this time.
From the User Options window, left- click on the Alarm Modes tab.
Check any of the available alarm mode options you would like to activate at this time.
From the User Options window, left- click on the Arming Options tab.
Verify the auto-arming and alarm notification delay settings are suitable for your specific needs.
From the User Options window, left- click on the Logs tab.
Verify the log file settings are correct for your specific needs. Note: Error is the default and recommended logging level for the every day user.
Choose Alarm Settings option from the Settings menu or left- click the Alarm Settings action button located at the top of the main application window.
From the Alarm Notifications window, click the Internet Connection button located on the right-hand side of the window.
Verify the Internet connection settings are correct. Certain alarm types, such as the email notification require a connection to your local Internet service provider (ISP) to complete successfully.
Define you desired alarm notification details. This is how you will be notified in the event that the PC-Alarm and Security System detects an alarm.
Test each alarm notification you defined using the Test Alarm button located on the right-hand side of the Alarm Notifications window.
If you would like to check for a software update now, verify your PC is currently connected to the network or you ISP.
Choose the Check for Software Update option from the Settings menu. Using the manual check will display a message on completion every time.
The main PC-Alarm and Security System application window was designed to break each area of functionality down into individual functional groups or areas. Each window displays specific functional areas based on relevance to the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
Tool Bar
| Button Name | Description |
| User Options | Display the User Options dialog. |
| Alarm Settings | Display the Alarm Settings dialog. |
| Online | Check out the latest news online at www.pc-alarm.com. |
| Arm Away | Arm the PC-Alarm and Security System software in away mode. Two separate arming modes are supported so you can enable/disable certain zones based on whether or not you will remain in the area of your PC or leaving. See Zone Settings. |
| Arm Stay | Arm the PC-Alarm and Security System software in stay mode. Two separate arming modes are supported so you can enable/disable certain zones based on whether or not you will remain in the area of your PC or leaving. See Zone Settings. |
| Hide | Minimize the PC-Alarm and Security System software. An icon will be placed in the windows icon tray. To re-display the main window, simply left-click on the pad-lock icon. |
| Exit | Exits the PC-Alarm and Security System application. |
Window Selection Tree Control
 |
Using
the left mouse button, left- click on the item in the tree control you would
like to view.
For a detailed explanation of each of the child windows please see each section's description in the table of contents (TOC). Note: If you have downloaded and installed additional zones from our website, you will see these zones added as sub-items under the Zone Settings parent tree item. |
The system summary window is used to display the following information:
This window will be automatically displayed each time you login to the PC while armed in away mode.
Zones are defined as: software or hardware related items monitored by the PC-Alarm and Security System while the system is armed. The standard installation will contain five zones. These zones will be displayed within the Zone Settings section of the window selection tree control. Zones are actually standalone snap-ins and run independently from the main application.
Note: Additional zones will be available in the near future for download from our website at www.pc-alarm.com. Zones downloaded will monitor your PC in addition to the original five zones included in the PC-Alarm and Security System software installation. Some of these zones will be made available free of charge, while others will require you to own a registered version of the PC-Alarm and Security System Software.
Arming Modes
There are two different arming modes supported by the PC-Alarm and Security System software. By default, each mode assumes you will be in the area of your PC or away while the system is armed.
This enables you to specify when certain zones should be enabled or disabled when you remain within the area of your PC. For instance, you wouldn't want the mouse and keyboard I/O monitored while you are working at your PC, but you may want application or system logs monitored.
You may not want the PC-Alarm and Security System software to monitor the sound zone while you are near your PC as well. The next section will explain the different arming modes in a little more detail:
Away Mode
Away mode assumes that you are leaving the area of your PC and the PC-Alarm and Security System software should prevent anyone from accessing the PC while you are away. The virtual keypad will be displayed while armed in away mode. No user input, other than a numeric pin code, is accepted. All other mouse and keyboard input is ignored.
Stay Mode
Stay mode assumes that you will be working at or remain within the area of your PC. While armed in stay mode, you can continue using your PC with unrestricted access.
Zone Settings
Now that you have an understanding of the two different arming modes, lets discuss how to setup each of the zone's settings to work best for you. You can choose to use the default arming mode settings or adjust these settings to fit your preferred conditions.
To adjust a zone's arming mode, simply left-click the desired zone in the Zone Settings section of the window selection tree control. This will display the selected zone's Zone Settings window.
Disable this zone until I login to the PC.
This option will disable the zone after an alarm notification message is generated. Depending on the zone type, you may or may not want to be notified more than once per day if this zone encounters an alarm.
Example:
If the File I/O zone encounters a specific error message and triggers an alarm notification message, you may only want to know about the first occurrence. Disabling this zone after an alarm will prevent any further alarms being generated by this zone until the next time you login to the PC.
Therefore, hopefully giving you a good night's sleep.
Re-arm as soon as notification message is posted.
If you select this option, the zone will automatically re-arm itself after posting all of the defined alarm notification messages. This zone will notify you over and over again regardless of whether or not the selected zone had previously encountered an alarm.
Keep in mind that your PC may be at the office and you may not be able to access the PC immediately. If you are out to eat or sleeping, ect... you may not want to be bothered. When choosing this option, be sure that you don't think the sleepless night scenario mentioned above can happen with this zone.
Away Mode - This will enable the selected zone only when armed in away mode.
Stay Mode - This will enable the selected zone only when armed in stay mode.
Both Away and Stay - This will enable the selected zone in both away and stay modes.
Disable - This option will disable the selected zone regardless of the arming mode.
3. Customize the zone settings to fit your specific needs.
4. Test the zone to verify your settings are correct.
The mouse I/O zone will monitor all mouse activity while the system is armed. If anyone moves the mouse more than the pre-defined distance in pixels, an alarm will be generated.
To view this zone's settings, left-click on the Mouse I/O item in the window selection tree control. This will display the Mouse I/O settings window.
You can adjust the custom settings by left-clicking the Custom button located on the Zone Settings - Mouse I/O window. Click the OK button to save any changes.
Default Settings:
Re-arm after an alarm is encountered.
Arm Mode - Away Mode
Maximum distance is 800 pixels.
Testing
Test the settings by left-clicking the Test button located on the Zone Settings - Mouse I/O window. Press the Start button to start tracking the mouse movement.
You will see the percentage control value increment while moving the mouse. A siren animation will appear after an alarm has been triggered. Alarm notification messages will not be processed when testing.
The Folder I/O zone will monitor a list of one or more defined folders for disk writes while the system is armed. If your PC has a web-cam or video camera that has a motion sensor activation to start recording automatically, you can add the camera's video home video output folder to the list of folder that should be monitored by the Folder I/O zone.
See your camera's owners manual for details on feature availability and configuring.
Note: You are not required to have a video camera to use this zone. If you have another hardware device or application that writes data to the hard drive and you would like to know when this occurs, you can use the Folder I/O zone to monitor this folder using these same guidelines.
Subfolders contained with a defined folder will not be processed. Each sub-folder within a defined directory must be added separately.
To view this zone's settings, left-click on the Folder I/O item in the window selection tree control. This will display the Folder I/O settings window.
You can adjust the custom settings by left-clicking the Custom button located on the Zone Settings - Folder I/O window. Click the OK button to save any changes.
Default Settings:
Re-arm after an alarm is encountered.
Arm Mode - Away Mode
Polling Frequency is every 10 minutes.
Testing
Set your video camera up to start recording automatically when motion is detected. If you want to use this zone with another hardware device or application, start it instead.
Test the settings by left-clicking the Test button located on the Zone Settings - Folder I/O window. Press the Start button to start the test.
You will see the percentage control value jump to 100% and a siren animation after an alarm has been triggered. Alarm notification messages will not be processed when testing.
Hint
This zone is used to extend the area of protection beyond the walls of your PC. Used in conjunction with a web cam, this zone will increase your area of protection. There are various web cam makes and models that will work with this zone.
Visit our website at www.pc-alarm.com for a list of supported products.
The File I/O zone will monitor application log files while armed. For each file being monitored, you can define strings or tokens that will be used as a query into each file being monitored. If a line within the log file is found that matches one of these strings or tokens, an alarm will be generated.
This zone can be used to monitor an application's log files for specific error or status messages. Developers can add logging to an existing application to so it can be monitored by the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
An example token might read: System Error 2202.
Note: Only ASCII based text files are supported at this time. Each line of the log file must also contain a linefeed at the end to qualify.
If desired, you can select an output folder and use a wild card for the file name. Every file matching the specified filename's wild card criteria will be monitored. If existing log files already contain one or more of the token strings when the system is initially armed, it WILL NOT generate an alarm.
The File I/O zone will store the original file size of each monitored file when the PC-Alarm and Security System arms. Token string queries start one byte past the initially stored file size when this zone is activated. No processing will be performed until the monitored file's length increases past the original file size stored on initialization of the File I/O zone.
If additional log files are created after the File I/O zone is initialized, these files will be queried starting at the beginning of the file as long as wild cards are used for the filename. If a monitored file's length is shortened, Example: the file is truncated and a new file is created using the same file name, it will be treated the same as a new file. Queries will then start at the beginning of the file.
To view this zone's settings, left- click on the File I/O item in the window selection tree control. This will display the File I/O settings window.
You can adjust the custom settings by left- clicking the Custom button located on the Zone Settings - File I/O window. Left-click the OK button to save any changes.
Note: If your application writes data to a different folder for each day of the month or any other unique path each day, week or month, you can enter predefined folder and file paths even though the may not exist yet. If the folder does not exist at the time processing occurs, it will simply be ignored until the next processing cycle.
Default Settings:
Re-arm after an alarm is encountered.
Arm Mode - Both Away and Stay
Polling Frequency is every 10 minutes.
Note: You can conserve valuable system resources and CPU time by increasing this value if possible. Decreasing this frequency will consume more resources. Especially if the number of log files or the log file sizes are excessive.
Testing
Start the application or process that writes to the monitored log files.
Test the settings by left-clicking the Test button located on the Zone Settings - File I/O window. Left-click the Start button to start the test.
The status list will continuously display the current processing status.
You will see the percentage control value jump to 100% and a siren animation after an alarm has been triggered. Alarm notification messages will not be processed when testing.
The Keyboard I/O zone will monitor all keyboard activity while the system is armed. If anyone types (presses) more than the pre-defined maximum number of allow keys, an alarm will be generated.
*Note: While the PC-Alarm and Security System is armed in Away Mode, typed keys will be logged to the activity log for later review. This logging will only take place while the system is armed in Away mode and the Virtual Keypad is visible.
To view this zone's settings, left-click on the Keyboard I/O item in the window selection tree control. This will display the Keyboard I/O settings window.
You can adjust the custom settings by left-clicking the Custom button located on the Zone Settings - Keyboard I/O window. Click the OK button to save any changes.
Default Settings:
Re-arm after an alarm is encountered.
Arm Mode - Away Mode
Maximum number of pressed keys is 3.
Note: Multiple key combinations count as a single key pressed. Example: Ctrl-Alt-Del = 1 key pressed.
Testing
Test the settings by left-clicking the Test button located on the Zone Settings - Keyboard I/O window. Press the Start button to start the test.
You will see the percentage control value increment while typing. A siren animation will appear after an alarm has been triggered. Alarm notification messages will not be processed when testing.
The Sound (Microphone Monitor) zone will monitor sounds using your PC's microphone while the system is armed. You define the maximum sound tolerance (how loud a sound can be) and duration of sound prior to triggering an alarm. If a sound is detected louder than the maximum sound tolerance and equal to or longer than the defined duration, an alarm will be generated.
Because sound is wireless and many surveillance devices emit sounds, this zone can be used to monitor a countless number of individual devices. From home fire alarms to home security systems, this zone will monitor everything that emits sound.
This zone will also extend the area of protection beyond the internal parts of your PC. There are hundreds of products on the market today you can purchase for your home or office to increase your area of protection. From door mounted security alarms to motion sensors. There are numerous products that are compatible with this zone.
Visit our website at www.pc-alarm.com for a list of supported products.
Sound File Storage
When the Sound (Microphone Monitor) zone generates an alarm, a .wav file is created and stored in the sounds folder. To view the sound files stored within this folder, select the View Saved Sound Files option from the Settings menu. These files will remain in this folder until you delete them.
Warning!
Your PC speakers can produce sounds that can interfere with this zone. Be sure to disable screen saver sounds and don't leave music playing while this zone is armed. If you want to listen to music while you are not at your PC, simply disable this zone.
To view this zone's settings, left-click on the Sound (Microphone Monitor) item in the window selection tree control. This will display the Sound (Microphone Monitor) settings window.
You can adjust the custom settings by left-clicking the Custom button located on the Zone Settings - Sound (Microphone Monitor) window. Left-click the OK button to save any changes.
Default Settings:
Disable after an alarm is encountered.
Arm Mode - Away Mode
Maximum tolerance is 95%
Duration is 30 seconds.
Testing
Test the settings by left-clicking the Test button located on the Zone Settings - Sound (Microphone Monitor) window.
Click the Select Recording Device and Define Settings button to select your recording device. The Sound (Microphone Monitor) can only monitor one sound device at a time even when multiple microphones are connected to your PC.
Adjust the recording level for this selected device. Increasing the recording level will extend the listening range of your PC. If your alarm or other device is in the next room, you may need to set the recording level to the maximum allowed setting. See Windows system help for more information on the Recording Control window.
Press the Start button to start testing.
While in test mode, you can activate the alarm device to determine if your sound tolerance levels are suitable. You can tell a sound exceeds the defined maximum tolerance level when five or more peaks (yellowish green lines) cross the red tolerance lines.
If you need to increase your PC's listening range or sensitivity, decrease the maximum tolerance level until you reach your desired settings. Keep in mind when lowering the maximum tolerance level, the risk of generating a false alarm will increase.
The goal here is to adjust this zone's settings so that everyday sounds will not be too loud or with a duration long enough as to trigger a false alarm. Example: You don't want the sound tolerance to be so low that the Sound (Microphone Monitor) will generate and alarm because of a TV or radio in the area of the PC.
Also, you don't want to defined duration to be too short if a phone is located around the PC. A phone ring can last up to two seconds, thus triggering an alarm.
You will see the percentage control value increment as a sound that exceeds the maximum allowed tolerance level progresses. A siren animation will appear after an alarm has been triggered. Alarm notification messages will not be processed when testing.
The activity logs window is used to display the PC-Alarm and Security System logging data. Depending on the logging level defined in the User Options window, various application activity messages will be displayed in this window.
All alarm related messages are logged regardless of the selected logging level. This window will only display the most recent 500 lines of log file data.
Event Type Combo
You can use the event type combo box to zoom in on a specific type of log message. After selecting a different event type you must then press the Reload button to refresh the event log list.
Browse
Up to four different log files can be stored at a single time. This button will allow you to select and view previous log files.
Reload
Refreshes the event log list. You should do this after the application is running and would like to view the latest logging information. To save system resources, this list does not automatically reload itself.
Open
Click the open button to bring up the current log file in notepad. This will allow you to view the entire file at once.
Play
If the attachment column contains a value greater than zero, this means that the Sound (Microphone Monitor) zone stored a .wav file because it triggered an alarm. Highlight this line in the list and you will see the Play button. Press Play to listen this sound.
Note: For details on locating sound files that may not appear in the list, see Sound (Microphone Monitor).
Used to visit us online at: www.pc-alarm.com.
This is a great source for the following:
Latest Updates
Downloading Additional Zones
Support
FAQ
Supported Hardware
Latest News
Pricing and Purchasing Information
The User Options window allows you to customize various application settings and create user PIN codes. PIN codes are used to access the PC and/or disarm the PC-Alarm and Security System.
You can access the User Options window by left-clicking on the User Options button located at the top of the PC-Alarm and Security System main window.
You can also access the User Options window by selecting the User Options item located in the Settings menu.
This section will explain each User Options window in detail. The User Options window contains the following screens:
The first window displayed in the User Options window tab page is the About window. From this window you can perform the following tasks:
Credits
View a list of credits for the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
Pricing Information
Check the latest pricing and purchasing information for the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
Enter Registration Code
You will receive a registration code via email after purchasing a PC-Alarm and Security System software license. Use this button to enter the received registration code.
For your convenience, you can copy and paste the 25 digit registration code (include the hyphens) in the provided field in the middle of the window. This will automatically populate the five on-screen registration code fields for you.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
User PIN codes allow you to define who should be able to disarm the PC-Alarm and Security System software after an alarm has be triggered. And also, disarm the PC-Alarm and Security System software when armed in Away mode regardless of whether or not an alarm has been triggered.
By default, this screen starts in add mode when initially displayed. This means you can start entering information for a new user PIN without having to click the New button first. Once entered, click the Modify button to add the new user PIN to the Current Users list.
To modify an existing user PIN, click on the desired item in the Current Users list. The screen will automatically populate the edit fields with the selected user PIN record's information.
User Name
Enter a short user name in this field.
Pin Code
Enter the user's assigned PIN code. You will be prompted to verify this value using the PIN Verification window if you are adding a new user PIN record or whenever you chose to modify and existing user PIN.
Note: Characters are not allowed. You must assign user PIN code using numbers only. User PINs can be up to 128 digits in length.
Description
Enter a description for this user.
Access Level
Two different user access levels are support.
Access All - Gives this user full access to the PC and allows them to disarm the system even if an alarm has been triggered.
Stop Alarm - Prevents the user form logging into the PC while the system is armed in Away mode. If the user enters their user PIN, the PC-Alarm and Security System software will automatically disarm itself for a period of one hour. After a one hour pause, the PC will automatically rearm itself.
The virtual keypad will remain active until a user PIN with full access has been entered.
Account Expires
If you would like to provide this user access for a set time period, select the expiration date for this user PIN. After this date, this user's PIN code will no longer be valid and will be ignored by the PC-Alarm and Security System software while armed in Away mode.
New
Creates a new user PIN record.
Modify
If the User Pins window is currently in Add mode, the newly created user PIN record will be added to the Current User list.
If you are currently modifying a previously created user PIN record, your changes will be stored and the Current User list will be updated.
Delete
Deletes the currently selected user PIN record.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
The Security Options window allows you to define various security options supported by the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
Prompt user for master pin when executing main application
This option works in conjunction with the Automatically run with Windows option setting located on the Alarm Modes page of the User Options window. Checking this option will prompt the PC-Alarm and Security System software to force a user to enter a full access level user PIN code every time the application is executed.
The user will not be able to close the virtual keypad window without entering a user PIN with full access to the PC. This can be helpful if you do not have user accounts setup for your PC, but would like to restrict user access to specific users.
Prompt user for pin code each time activate from the tray menu
This option will require someone to enter a user PIN with full access each time the PC-Alarm and Security System is activated from the system tray. This can prevent unauthorized users from accessing the PC-Alarm and Security System configuration information.
Disable default windows screen saver while armed
The PC-Alarm and Security System will work either in conjunction with or by disabling the default windows screen saver. Checking this option will notify the PC-Alarm and Security System software to disable the default windows screen saver while running.
For extra security, the PC-Alarm and Security System software was designed to work together with the windows screen saver. These two processes working together will increase the PC-Alarm and Security System software's ability to prevent unauthorized access to your PC.
Disable Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) while armed
Checking this option will disable the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys while the PC-Alarm and Security System software is armed in Away mode. Experienced users can bypass the PC-Alarm and Security System software using the task manager and it is recommended that you select this option.
Disable Task Keys (Ctrl-Esc, Alt-Tab, Alt-Esc) while armed
Checking this option will disable the Ctrl-Esc, Alt-Tab, Alt-Esc key combinations while the PC-Alarm and Security System software is armed in Away mode. Experienced users can bypass the PC-Alarm and Security System software using these keys and it is recommended that you select this option.
Disable Start menu and taskbar while armed
Checking this option will disable the Windows start menu while the PC-Alarm and Security System software is armed in Away mode. Experienced users can bypass the PC-Alarm and Security System software using the start menu and it is recommended that you select this option.
Factory Defaults
Reset every control value on this screen to the recommended default settings.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
The Arming Modes window will allow you to specify the following settings.
Automatically run with Windows
Check this option if you would like the PC-Alarm and Security System software to automatically execute each time you login to your PC. This can help prevent unauthorized access to your PC regardless of whether or not your PC uses standard windows security.
Disable automatic software update checks
Check this option if you would like to prevent the PC-Alarm and Security System software from automatically checking for newer software updates. If not checked, the PC-Alarm and Security System software will attempt to check for a newer software release about once every two weeks.
Note: The PC-Alarm and Security System software will only check for a new release if your PC is connected to the Internet when the update checking period occurs. The PC-Alarm and Security System software will not initiate an Internet connection to check for software updates under any circumstances.
Hide virtual keypad while armed
Check this option to hide the virtual keypad while the PC-Alarm and Security System software is armed in Away mode. This option can be used by anyone who would like to prevent others from knowing that the PC-Alarm and Security System software on a PC.
A black screen will still be displayed to prevent access to the PC. However, the keypad will not be visible.
Mute audible alarm tones
Checking this option will prevent the default sounds from being played by the PC-Alarm and Security System software after an alarm has been triggered. The default sounds are played once every fifteen seconds to notify whomever may be in the area of the PC that an alarm has been triggered and a user must enter a valid user PIN to prevent the alarm notifications from being generated.
Factory Defaults
Reset every control value on this screen to the recommended default settings.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
The Arming Options window allows you to define various aspects of the PC-Alarm and Security System software behavior.
Automatically arm the PC-Alarm and Security System after waiting ....
Checking this option will enable the PC-Alarm and Security System software to automatically arm in Away mode after waiting the defined time period without any keyboard or mouse activity.
Depending on your zone settings, where your PC is located or even your sleeping habits, you may simply want to manually arm the system in Away mode whenever it is covenant for you. This option allows you to decide whatever is best for you.
Alarm Notification Delay Timer
This section allows you to specify how much time the PC-Alarm and Security System software should allow a user to enter a valid user PIN between the time and alarm has been triggered and the point in which the alarm notification messages are sent.
If your PC is located in the back of you home or office, you may want to allow for additional time to get to your PC and disarm the PC-Alarm and Security System software.
Factory Defaults
Reset every control value on this screen to the recommended default settings.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
The User Options Logs window is used to define the default log folder and logging level. You can select any of the pre-defined logging levels. The default setting is Error however you can decrease the severity level of the messages that get logged. Decreasing the severity level will increase the size of you log files, but the additional information getting logged can help with any future troubleshooting needs.
All Alarm messages are logged regardless of the selected logging level.
OK
Closes the User Options window saving any changes you may have made.
Apply
Saves any changes you may have made without closing the User Options window.
The Alarm Notifications window allows you to define the notification messages that should posted after an alarm has been detected. This section allows you to define how or who should be notified in the event that the PC-Alarm and Security System software detects an alarm and a user did not enter a valid user PIN code within the maximum allowed time span. See Alarm Notification Delay Timer for details on setting this delay.
To offer the maximum flexibility with the notification process, the PC-Alarm and Security System software supports up to four different notification types:
Note: Both Away and Stay modes will post alarm notifications messages after an alarm has been detected.
The email notification will allow you to define one or more email addresses that should be notified if the PC-Alarm and Security System software detects an alarm.
If your pager or cell phone supports email messaging, you can use this alarm notification type to be notified from almost anywhere when a zone has be breached.
System Requirements:
The email zone requires access to your ISP's SMTP server to send each of the defined email alarm notification messages. Be sure to define and test your Internet Connection settings prior to arming the system. You can access the Internet Connection Settings window by left-clicking on the Internet Connection button located on the Alarm Notifications window. If your PC connects to your SMTP server through the network or a dedicated Internet connection you can skip this step.
The following information is required to process an email alarm notification:
Alarm Name
Short name used to identify this alarm notification.
Alarm Description
Alarm notification description information.
SMTP Server
This is the SMTP server address that will be used to send the email. Check with your network administrator or ISP if you are unsure of this value.
Example : smtp.mycompany.com or mail.mycompany.com
User Name
Enter your assigned user name required to access your email account when sending email.
Password
Enter your assigned password required to access your email account when sending email.
Message From
Enter the email sender's email address.
Example : jsmith@msn.com
Send To
Enter the email recipient's email address.
Example : jsmith@mycompany.com
Alarm Message Body
Enter the alarm notification's message body in this field. This is the information that the email recipient will receive to notify them after the PC-Alarm and Security System software has detected an alarm.
Preview
Use this message to preview the message body. Certain pagers and cell phone can only receive a specified number of character within each email message. This window will display the total number of characters contained with the alarm message body. The total message size is only an estimated length. Depending on the number of zones that detected a breach, the total message body length may be slightly larger.
Insert Token
Use this button to insert any one of the pre-defined alarm message tokens. These tokens are translated to actual values just prior to sending the email message.
Example :
$(AlarmDate) - Translates to the date the alarm was triggered and the alarm notification message was sent.
OK
Closes the window saving any changes you may have made.
Cancel
Closes the window discarding any changes you may have made.
The phone notification will allow dial a phone number and play a selected .wav file once someone answers the phone on the other end. This can be helpful if you do not own a pager or you cell phone does not support email messaging.
System Requirements:
This alarm notification type requires a modem that support voice communications. Please see your modem's documentation to verify voice communications is supported. Please see the Pager / Dialer section if your modem does not offer voice support.
Recording Your Own Sound Files
You can record and store your own custom wave files by using your PC microphone and the Windows Sound Recorder. Please see the Windows documentation for details.
Wave File Format
When recording your own, please save the sound files using the following wave format settings:
Audio Format: CCITT u-Law
Audio Sample Rate: 8.000 kHz
Audio Sample Size: 8 bit
Channels: 1 (Mono)
The following information is required to process a phone alarm notification:
Alarm Name
Short name used to identify this alarm notification.
Alarm Description
Alarm notification description information.
Modem List
This list will display each modem installed on your PC. Select the voice compatible modem that should be used when posting this alarm notification message.
Phone Number
Enter the phone number that should be dialed when posting this alarm notification message.
Max Attempts
Enter the maximum number of attempts that should made when dialing this number. If there is no answer or the number cannot be dialed because the line was busy, the PC-Alarm and Security System software will retry the phone number this many times before processing the rest of the phone alarm notifications.
Sound File (Wave)
Use this field to select a pre-recorded .wav file that should be played when someone answers the previously dialed number.
Play
Left-click this button to preview the selected .wav file.
Browse
Use this button to browse for a .wav file on your hard drive.
OK
Closes the window saving any changes you may have made.
Cancel
Closes the window discarding any changes you may have made.
The network message notification will allow you to send network messages to a remote computer located on your network. This can be helpful if you want to keep notifications in house and want the alarm notification to be processed quickly.
System Requirements:
Sends messages to other users, computers, or messaging names
on the network. The Messenger service must be running to receive messages.
The following information is required to process a network message alarm notification:
Alarm Name
Short name used to identify this alarm notification.
Alarm Description
Alarm notification description information.
Server IP or Name
IP address or computer name that should
receive this message. If the name is a computer name
that contains blank characters, enclose the alias in quotation marks (" ").
* Sends the message to all the names in your group.
/DOMAIN:name Sends the message to all the names in the workstation domain. If name is specified, the
message is sent to all the names in the specified domain or workgroup.
/USERS Sends the message to all users connected to the server.
Alarm Message Body
Enter the alarm notification's message body in this field. This is the information that will be sent by the PC-Alarm and Security System software when posting this alarm notification message.
Note: Because the windows messenger service is used to process these alarm notifications, new lines and carriage returns are not supported.
Preview
Use this message to preview the message body. This window will display the total number of characters contained with the alarm message body. The total message size is only an estimated length. Depending on the number of zones that detect an alarm, the total alarm message length may be slightly larger.
Insert Token
Use this button to insert any one of the pre-defined alarm message tokens. These token are translated to actual values just prior to sending the email message.
Example :
$(AlarmDate) - Translates to the date the alarm was triggered and the alarm notification message was sent.
OK
Closes the window saving any changes you may have made.
Cancel
Closes the window discarding any changes you may have made.
The pager / dialer notification will allow you to send a page to a pager that does not support email message. It will also allow you to dial a phone number, but instead of playing a .wav file once someone answers, it will just send numeric tones.
System Requirements:
Your PC must contain a working modem to
utilize this alarm notification type.
The following information is required to process a pager / dialer alarm notifications:
Alarm Name
Short name used to identify this alarm notification.
Alarm Description
Alarm notification description information.
Modem List
This list will display each modem installed on your PC. Select the modem that should be used when posting this alarm notification message.
Phone Number
Enter the phone number that should be dialed when posting this alarm notification message.
Post Dialing Rules
The post dialing rules are processed immediately after the phone number has been dialed. It is recommended that the first rule processed be a wait period of at least 15 seconds. This will allow the phone line to process at least one ring before continuing with the rest of the rules.
There are two different types of rules allowed:
Wait - Used to process delays.
Send Digits - Used to send numeric digits such as a pin code or return number.
Add
Adds a new rule to the post dialing rules list.
Modify
Modifies the currently selected rule in the post dialing list.
Delete
Deletes the currently selected rule in the post dialing list.
Move Up
Move the item selected in the post dialing rules list up one position.
Move Down
Move the item selected in the post dialing rules list down one position.
Connect
Test the pager / dialer alarm notification message.
OK
Closes the window saving any changes you may have made.
Cancel
Closes the window discarding any changes you may have made.
For the latest pricing and purchasing information, please see the PC-Alarm and Security System website at www.pc-alarm.com.
© 2003 Solitude Technology, Inc.. All rights reserved.