GRANTHAALOK: THE BOOK-LIBRARY MANAGER
Versions 1.1 & 1.2
Developed by Eastern Star Software, Guwahati (India)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) along with Step-by-Step Instructions about Granthaalok

What is Granthaalok?
We describe it as: "Granthaalok is meant for managing in a password-protected secured way the book-lending & book-returning information of a small library, such as someone's personal (books & discs) collection, a neighborhood library or the mini-library in an academic department. (It doesn't take care of the financial aspects of the library at all.) It simply revolves around the nine basic processes of entry of new books, admission of new members, book-list viewing, member-list viewing, book-lending, book-returning, book-search, book-disposal and member-farewell. There are nine prominent bi-lingual command-buttons for these nine basic processes in the central working screen, and to this familiar screen the program conveniently keeps returning. Performing these processes are extremely user-friendly tasks in Granthaalok. In addition, it has an in-built number-adder for adding prices etc." 
Let's also see how the renowned software-hosting service Softpedia (www.softpedia.com) independently describes Granthaalok: 
"(You can) manage a book collection with this lightweight program. 
Granthaalok: The Book-Library Manager is a database manager that is intended to be used by libraries in order to manage the book collection. It also allows you to record new members that will borrow books from the collection. 
The program enables you to track the book movements between the members and the library collection."

I couldn't find the desktop shortcut (link) to Granthaalok that others have happily got. What to do?
We're sorry that in your case the Granthaalok installer was unable to copy the shortcut (link) icon (file) to your Windows desktop -- in many computers it succeeds! But you may easily do that yourself. To do that, open the working folder (e.g., C:\Grantha), starting from, say, 'My Computer'. From that working folder find and copy the link-file named 'Granthaalok Book-Library' (see picture of that link-file below), and then paste that link-file to your desktop (i.e., the Windows desktop) to facilitate running the Granthaalok application in future.

Why can't we quit Granthaalok by simply closing its main program window? Why should the dumb error message "Can't Quit Visual FoxPro" be encountered?
Because of some intrinsic problem in Visual FoxPro (wherein we wrote the Granthaalok program-set), we could not make the Granthaalok session be saved when the main program window is directly closed by the user. So the direct window-closing operation has been inactivated. Sorry, but we couldn't help it. Don't worry - just click at Quit/ Exit to quit Granthaalok.

Why I am being compelled to define and use a password (the authorization password) in Granthaalok?
It is simply because your library data - the book-lending and returning information, etc. - are precious. You may as well be in charge of a public library, and we don't want anyone to simply sit at your computer while you're away for snacks, say, and enter some false and misleading information into your library package. [For the same reason, don't leave the computer with the Granthaalok session kept open!]
On your first entry into Granthaalok, you can get in with the pre-defined password Guwahati, but it is obviously not a secret. So, as soon as possible, you should define your own authorization password and type it within the above (basic or main) Granthaalok screen, followed by a click at the nearby Take it button.
Note: You may type your authorization password in uppercase ('capital letters'), lowercase ('small letters') or in mixed case - it doesn't make any difference. 

Why do you compel me also to type Yes (regarding today's date) whenever I enter Granthaalok?
This is because all information you enter in Granthaalok today will be recorded against today's date (as that is known by your computer). If the computer's date is unfortunately faulty, all your entered record will later look weird. So, we stress that you really note the today's date displayed by your computer, and manually type Yes to confirm that. If the displayed date is faulty, immediately exit Granthaalok, correct the date in your computer and only then re-enter into Granthaalok.

We're an already established library. Who'll fill in our existing list of library books and members into Granthaalok?
You don't need computer professionals to enter them in Granthaalok (they're even likely to come with some inconvenient pre-conceived ideas). You or your colleagues can easily enter them, provided you have some time and your collection is not very big. Just imagine every existing book or every existing member as a newly acquired book or a newly joining member, click at the Got a New Book or New Member Joins button accordingly, and fill in the book or member details one by one. Just take care to have a unique book-code for each book (in particular, even for every different copy of the same book), and a unique memb-code for each member. The word 'unique' implies here that any two members must have two different memb-codes, while one particular member can't have more than one memb-code. You may choose an appropriate coding scheme for the book-copies and another scheme for the members, as per the exact situations and the long-term needs in your organization.
Note: Better not start filling in book-lending or returning records unless you're finished with filling in the books and members details.

Image: Process of filling in record for a newly acquired or introduced book ("Got a New Book")

Should we fill in our existing book-lending information into Granthaalok?
Yes, you must, but do that after you're finished with filling in the books and members details. However, for obvious reason, fill in only the active lending records, i.e., the records for only those books that haven't yet been returned. [During those days while you're filling in this particular set of information, if someone comes to return a book and if you had already recorded his/her book-borrowing info, do record the return of the book in Granthaalok.] After you're finished filling in the book-lending information, the next fine morning you may safely inaugurate the software in your organization or your home.

How do I fill in a book-lending information into Granthaalok?
For that, first click at the button "Member Taking Books". The list of members appears as follows:

Now press the Down Arrow key and (if necessary) the Up Arrow (in your keyboard) to choose the Memb_code of the member who will borrow (take away) a book. In the example, it is Amanda Smith (coded Publ_3426) who's going to borrow the book, and so the Down Arrow was pressed once to select that memb_code, as shown in the image above. Close the list of members (either by clicking at the close sign - i.e., the X sign - of the members' list, or just by pressing the Esc key). You'll be asked the following question, as shown below:

If you're proceeding in the right direction, click at Yes (or press Y key). Then the member will be asked to define the member-password, if not already defined:

Next the list of books appears, as shown below. [Have you noticed that in Granthaalok, the books or members are listed in alphabetical order of the book-code or the memb-code only?] Now press the Down Arrow key etc. to choose the book_code of the book (here NF_Eng123B) to be lent, as shown in the following image. [Note that there are two copies of the "A Brief History of Time" here, each copy with a different book_code as per Granthaalok requirements, and that here the member is going to issue (borrow) the specific copy coded "NF_Eng123B".]

Now close the list of books above (say, by clicking at its close sign, X). You'll be asked the following question, as shown below:

If that's all right, click at Yes or press the Y key. The member will be asked to fill in her member-password as follows: 

If the member types her member-password correctly, and then you click Continue, the book-lending information will get recorded properly.

Why is there this tedious provision of the member-password? Why this additional pain?
We understand that it's creating a bit of additional complications, but it works as a confirmation from the member that she has actually borrowed the book. If later she forgets and denies taking the book, then it may be pointed out by the library personnel that during issuance of the book she herself must have typed her member-password. It's like a digital signature on the part of the member.
However, if you want to do away with this crosscheck, you may easily do so. If you don't want to call the members to type their member-passwords, you may yourself define (at the beginning) and type (every time later) their member-passwords. In that case, you better choose a common member-password for all members (say, India - i.e., the country of origin of Granthaalok), and always keep typing that member-password without trouble. [Don't make such a common member-password same with your Granthaalok authorization password - in that case some member(s) may easily learn that and create havoc someday.]

Is there a way to find whether a book has been borrowed by someone, and if so, by whom?
Yes. Upon clicking at "Where is the Book", you'll see the following screen:

In this screen you may type either some part(s) of the author's name and/or some part(s) of the book title (however, the spellings need be correct) and click at Search, but in case of limited number of books in your library, may also simply click at All Books. The list of books obeying the search criteria (or the whole list of books, in the latter case) appears, showing their present locations, as shown below (there's also an optional field Rack_kept):

After viewing, close this list of books; you'll be back at the central working screen.

What is the provision to assure a member that the book that she has just returned has properly got recorded as being returned?
After duly recording in Granthaalok the return of a book (via "Member Returning Books") and coming back to the main screen (see the topmost image), click at the top-right History button. Press Down Arrow, if necessary, to go to the most recent part of Granthaalok history and show the member that the return of book has actually got recorded, as shown in the following image:

What happens when a member comes to borrow a book, but has forgotten his/her member-password?
In that case you may of course delete ("A Member Leaves Us") the member and then let him/her re-join ("New Member Joins"), but there is a much simpler way out of this mess. Let's go for Advanced Editing in Granthaalok - it's not so difficult, though it may be dangerous to your data. In the main screen, click at the top-lying Advanced button and fill in the gaps in the following simple declaration (while you type the unchangeable advanced-editing password, it'll not be seen by you, unlike what is shown here):

Now click at Let me browse Members. The following table comes. BE CAREFUL not to change any name or code etc., even unintentionally (say, don't keep a mischievous baby on your lap). To ensure that better, press only the arrow keys or Page Up/ Page Down keys or click mouse, but don't press any other keys such as alphabets or digits. Press Up/Down Arrow keys (or even Page Up/ Page Down keys, if there are too many members) to select the memb_code of the member (here Giuseppe Verdi) who's forgotten his member-password, as shown in the following image:

Now click Right Arrow key, carefully, several times to reach the last column named Del_mpaswd (take care not to press any Up or Down Arrow key - if you do, that would unfortunately change the member you're dealing with!). You'll see a F written on the record corresponding to this member in this column, and it'll be covered with blue color (i.e., remain selected) as in image below:

Now bring your finger carefully towards the T key in the keyboard (yes, be careful!), and press it. The F entry will get converted to T. Now press Down Arrow key to reach another record (yes, that seems necessary - don't know why), and close the list of members. The following screen comes. Mention what you just did, as shown in the image below:

Now click at Save, then click at Save & Exit Advanced, as shown above. This work is over. Next time this particular member issues a book; he'll have to newly define his member-password.

Someone says that in Granthaalok, if you enter information about a book or a member incorrectly, you'll have to first delete that book or member record and then correctly re-enter its data. Is that really so?
No, the case is not that bad. In such case, go for Advanced Editing as discussed in the above answer and proceed to browse books or members as is needed, then edit the member name or book title or author, etc. therein. But, of course, be very careful here to not make any unintentional keystroke in a location where it is not intended or desired.

In some situations, say while defining or entering the member-password, you are not providing a Cancel button - there's only a Continue button. But if a member comes unprepared to define his/her password or has forgotten it, how should we proceed? What to type or click at?
In such case, just don't type anything (also don't let the member type anything) but directly click at Continue. It'll be OK; you'll directly exit to the main screen. However, from Granthaalok version 1.2 onwards, a Cancel button will be introduced to conveniently deal with such situations.

How do I get a book returned by using the "Member Returning Books" option?
After clicking at this button, you'll be shown a list of 'borrowers', i.e., the list of members who have borrowed book(s) (and haven't returned them yet) as shown below. There, by pressing Up/Down Arrow keys, select the memb_code of the member (here Giuseppe Verdi) who has come to the library to return a book (see image).

Now close the list of borrowers above. The following question will be asked: 

If that's all right, click at Yes or press the Y key. The list of books issued ('Bkissud') in his name will appear in a list as follows. Press Up/Down Arrow keys to choose the book_code of the book that the member is going to return (see image).

Now close the above list of books issued. The following question will be asked: 

If you click at Yes or press the Y key, the book-returning information will get duly recorded (if you press N key, it'll not be recorded).

Can a member who hasn't returned some borrowed book(s) leave (i.e., cease to become a member) without returning the book(s)?
No. The return of all the books issued to him/her must be recorded before one is recorded (via "A Member Leaves Us") as having left the library system.

Can a book that hasn't been returned by some member be recorded as having been disposed off?
Unfortunately, it could be thus recorded for versions 1.0 and 1.1, but this will be reversed from Granthaalok version 1.2 onwards.

How to get our running Granthaalok data back into action, in case our computer or its hard disk breaks down someday in the future?
To protect your Granthaalok data from computer or hard-disk failure, you should backup the BACKUP sub-folder (within the working folder C:\Grantha) into a CD/DVD, USB storage (pen) drive or a web-folder (see image below), preferably once everyday (say, in every evening, after closing the Granthaalok package). 

 
Image: Backing up the Backup subfolder by copying it into a USB storage (pen) drive.

In case of a hard-disk (or computer) failure, Granthaalok has to be re-installed first, then these saved (backed up) contents (i.e., the files within the BACKUP sub-folder) has to be copied into the working folder C:\Grantha within the repaired (or new) hard-disk in your repaired computer. Note the two images below.

Image: Copying the contents of the Backup subfolder from the USB storage drive.

Image: Pasting the contents (files) of the Backup subfolder into the working folder C:\Grantha after Granthaalok re-installation.

Note: In case your computer broke down today noon, and you backed up the Granthaalok data yesterday evening, jot down in a notebook what happened in your library today before the computer crashed - like one book introduced, two members returned books, one member borrowed a book, etc. You'll obviously need to re-introduce these data into Granthaalok after re-installation and copying of the backed up contents, to make your Granthaalok data fully up-to-date.

We want to upgrade Granthaalok to a higher version, say to the future version 1.2. Keeping our old Granthaalok data intact, how to do that?
In that case, immediately after a day's backup is duly over, delete the working folder C:\Grantha and imagine that your hard disk has just crashed (and got just repaired)! Thus, re-install Granthaalok (this time, the higher version), then the saved (backed up) contents of the BACKUP sub-folder has to be copied into the working folder C:\Grantha that has formed after the re-installation.

I've come across this instruction file on the web. Is it included in the downloaded program also?
In case of versions 1.0 and 1.1, it hasn't got included. But from versions 1.2 onwards, the working folder C:\Grantha of the installed program will contain these instructions in the form of an HTML file HELP_FAQS, which could be (generally) accessed also from the program interface by clicking at HELP ME! button which would appear (at the location of HELPnEULA in the topmost image) at the very beginning, before entering the authorization password.

Some people have written that completely uninstalling Granthaalok is difficult. Is that really so?
Not at all! Just go to Add/Remove Programs wizard within the Windows control panel, and try uninstalling Granthaalok - it would simply get uninstalled. However, after un-installation, a residual shortcut remained at the Desktop, and a residual folder C:\Grantha remained at the hard disk C-drive with some residual files - you just need to delete that manually.

Developer's E-Mail: rkalita@rediffmail.com OR riturajkalita@yahoo.co.in (latter one is accessed less frequently)
Note: PLEASE, do go through all the above instructions before posting any queries via e-mail.