ForceCalc 3.0 	User Guide

•	SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
•	ForceCalc 1.1 runs on  PC’s with Windows95 or higher. Required hard disk space is 5 Mb. Minimum internal RAM memory is 4 Mb.
•	SVGA (800x600) with 256 colors or more is recommended.
•	INSTALLATION
•	Install the program according to the standard Windows95 procedure  (follow the instructions on disk 1).
•	By default, the program will be installed in the “Program Files” folder  (“Visser Services” and “ForceCalc” subfolders).
•	UPGRADING: If installed into the same folder as a previously installed ForceCalc version 1.0, upgrading to version 3.0 is performed automatically. In order to make sure the old variety data are removed, first remove the old version using the Control Panel/Install/Remove Programs feature. If you do not remove the old version, the new version standard DLV/LBO variety data will only be installed if the new database file dates are later than the installed ones. 
•	GENERAL INFORMATION
•	All data used in ForceCalc 3.0 for determination of date and period data with regard to the forcing of flower bulbs are obtained from the dutch DLV (Dienst LandbouwVoorlichting  = Agricultural Information Service) . Read the included General Information on Forcing on Trays of DLV and the dutch LBO (Laboratorium voor BloembollenOnderzoek = Laboratory for Flower bulb research).
•	Important: Note that all data apply to the climate in the Netherlands. Significant deviations in period and date data may occur when ForceCalc is applied for forcing in areas outside the Netherlands with deviating climates. As stated in the license agreement, Visser Services accepts no responsibility and liability for consequences resulting from the use of ForceCalc 3.0 generated data in or outside the Netherlands.
•	STARTING THE PROGRAM
•	Under the Visser Services logo a text indicates whether you still have the “unregistered demo version”. After registration this text will disappear.
	For a full-featured registered version, contact Visser Services. The little “R” button is used to enter your personal registration code, to be provided by Visser Services after registration.
•	In the demo version you can only select from the first 7 varieties out of  the full list with  more than 400 different varieties and you cannot add, edit or delete data.
•	USING  THE PROGRAM
•	 Select a variety  by clicking (with the mouse) on the little arrow beneath the text “Select Variety”. A list appears, from which you can select a particular variety by clicking on it. The scroll-bar next to the list can be used to scroll through the entire list. You can select a variety by typing it’s name in the name field at the top of the list. For example, if you type a “T”, then the list automatically scrolls to the first variety with a name beginning with a “T”.
•	After selection of a variety the following general information appears on the screen:
Forcing on Peat or Water: you can make a data for Forcing on peat as well as on Water. 
     	 Status  (red):	DLV/LBO : The variety data are the standard DLV/LBO data included with  ForceCalc at installation .
	Modified  : you have changed the general or periodic variety data of a standard variety record.
	Added :  this variety has been added by you (or someone else) since installation.
	Added/Modify. : this variety has been added and you and then modified at least once.
	Name Modify. :  You have only modified the name of a standard variety.
	 Color  : indicates the color(s) of the variety.
	 Leaf   : amount of leaves: m   =  much,  n  =  normal,  l  =  little.
Weeks 20oC after G : The number of weeks at 20oC after the stage  G.
Period of Greenhouse Start :  4 periods (columns) with cooling weeks and greenhouse days. Which period is used depends on the greenhouse start date. The number of cooling weeks and greenhouse days thus depends on the period which contains the greenhouse start date. The period column from which period data are used is colored.
Remarks : Used for additional information for your convenience. Some varieties already have a remark added saying it is a mutation of another, meaning that period date have been used from the particular variety from which it is a mutation.
•	Other items on the screen include:
Season: Indicates the season in which you work. ForceCalc automatically starts in the current season (as of this date 1997/1998, July through June). You can change the season using the little arrow buttons at the right.
(Options) button: For setting options. In version 1.1 only one option can be set, i.e. enabling the deletion and modification of standard DLV/LBO records (see section “Editing variety data”). You have also the option to show the week numbers in the schedule and to give the period values in weeks or in days.
 “Print” button: For printing the calculated dates and period results of the selected variety. Click on the button, configure the printer settings if desired and click on Ok. The current window is printed. For example, you can use the print-outs as labels for trays or boxes.
“Edit variety data” button:  Press this button to activate the “Variety data” window for editing or adding variety data  (e.g. modifying period data or adding new varieties). More on this in the section titled “Editing variety data”.
Further, three date bars appear on the screen. Each date bar contains: a row with texts for period and start date identification, a month row and a day row  (the little bars beneath the months). On the day row, the gray thick bars represent the Sunday’s. Each date bar can indicate a certain period with a colored section on the day row. Sundays in this period are colored black, the first day always is dark-blue.
The 3 ForceCalc date bars respectively represent: 
- The period after stage G (yellow bar)
- The cooling phase  (blue bar)
- The greenhouse phase  (green bar)
Also,  4 calendar dates  are shown:
- Stage G (yellow):                    		The date when the variety must have reached stage G.
- Start of Cooling Phase (blue): 		The date when the cooling phase starts.
- Start of Greenhouse Phase (green):       	The date when the flower bulbs must enter the greenhouse.
- End of Harvest (black/purple):     		The end date of the harvest in the greenhouse.

You can  set the start date of each date bar two ways. The first method is using the  4 arrow buttons right next to each date bar (two buttons next to the month row and two next to the day row to either move a month resp. day forwards or backwards. Clicking the arrow buttons changes the start dates of the date bar periods. The second method is by clicking on the month or day row in the date bar itself. The period start date then automatically changes to the corresponding date day or month.
The End of Harvest date corresponds to the end of the third date bar (the Greenhouse Phase). This date can be adjusted per day or month using the arrow buttons under the date field.
	For determination of the periods and dates for a particular variety, you can choose from 4 different approaches:
Use the stage G date as starting point :  	    			click or set the start date on the Weeks after Stage G date bar.
Use the Start of Cooling phase date as starting point: 		click or set the start date on the Cooling Phase date bar.
Use the Start of Greenhouse phase date as starting point: 	click or set the start date on the Greenhouse Phase date bar.
Use the End of Harvest date as starting point: 			use the arrow buttons below the End of Harvest field.
Whatever date you choose as starting point, ForceCalc automatically calculates and presents the corresponding  periods and other dates.
If the start dates fall outside the visible range of the date bar, three extra arrows (<<< or >>>) appear left or right to the date to indicate the outside position of the date relative to the date bar. In most cases, ForceCalc automatically scrolls the date bars across the season in order to keep the periods in the visible range. Should this be impossible (e.g. with very long periods), then you can use the Scroll Bar  (at the bottom of the window) to scroll the date bar across the season manually. 
Editing variety data 
For adding varieties to the list or modifying existing variety data, click on the “Edit variety data” button. Then the Variety data window is activated (and the variety data on the main window temporarily disappear to avoid confusion). 
You can add, delete or modify any data in the database, except the status field, which is to indicate whether the record contains original data from DLV/LBO or data added or modified based on your own experience or knowledge of specific varieties. 
In the Variety data window, move to a particular variety record using  the navigator buttons at the top of the window or click on the list displaying the variety records and use the scroll bar or your keyboard arrow and page-up/page-down keys. Move to a particular field using the mouse, arrow keys or keyboard tab key.
The “C” button is for making a copy of the selected variety. A number is automatically added to the name for identification. You can change the name subsequently if desired (add a space in front, see section “TIPS”).
Depending on the option “Allow deleting/editing of standard DLV/LBO data” you can edit or delete the standard DLV/LBO data included in the variety database coming with the ForceCalc software package. This option is initially disabled (for your safety) and it is advised not to enable it and to make copies (with the “C” button) of records and modify data in the copy instead. This way you will always keep the original DLV/LBO data in your database.  If you try to delete or modify standard DLV/LBO data with the option disabled, an error is reported.
However, if you insist to edit or delete the standard data, you can enable the option in the Options dialog. With the option enabled, note that once you have changed an original DLV/LBO variety record, you cannot set the status back to “DLV/LBO” anymore, except by re-installing ForceCalc from the installation diskettes (after first removing the existing installation) and thereby erasing all added and modified data ! This is to enable Visser Services to quickly identify whether  modified original variety records have ever been used, in case of problems. 
It is also advised to print the list before modification in order to always have a paper hardcopy of the original DLV/LBO data.
Note that the variety names must be unique! ForceCalc does not accept multiple records with the same variety name. However, you can add spaces, numbers or other symbol in front of, within or behind the name in order to make a name unique.  
Modifying data (disabled in the demo version):
If editing a record is enabled (see above), click on or move to the particular field on the list and edit general variety data. In the period fields at the bottom you can edit period data. ForceCalc automatically processes the changes you make if you proceed doing other things but you may click the “V” button on the navigator bar at the top to process the change to the database, or click “X” to cancel the change. 
Adding varieties (disabled in the demo version):
By clicking on the “+” button on the navigator bar, pressing the insert keyboard button or pressing the down button at the end of the list you add a variety record. A blank record appears and you can start typing a name and data. You must specify the name and the number of  Weeks after 20oC before ForceCalc accepts the record! ForceCalc automatically processes the addition if you proceed doing other things but you may click the “V” button on the navigator bar at the top to explicitly confirm the addition  or click “X” to cancel. Use the “C” (copy) button if you want to add a variety derived from an existing one: then you only have to specify the different data.
Deleting varieties  (disabled in the demo version):
If deleting the record is enabled (see above), select a variety record and click on the “-“ button on the navigator bar or press Ctrl-Del on the keyboard.
Printing
Clicking the “Print” button opens a dialog window, enabling you to configure the printer if you wish and print the entire variety database (click “Ok”).
Resizing the Windows
Both the ForceCalc main window and the Variety data window can be moved and resized. For resizing, drag the edges or corners of the window or change the window state according to the standard Windows95 sizing methods (see Windows95 documentation or on-line help). Especially for low-resolution video modes or monitors it is recommended to “maximize” the Main window in order to make all date bars clearly visible.
Error and Warning messages
In the gray box at the bottom left of the Main window, a message pops up if you select dates  or varieties without consistent period data being available. If the start of greenhouse period turns later then 3/24 a warning appears. You can then proceed using the results but these are based on data from the 4th period (i.e. before 3/25). If the start of greenhouse period gets in any of the defined periods and period data are not specified, then ForceCalc will generate an error message, suggesting you to specify data yourself if desired in the Edit variety data window. In case of an error, the dates and periods in the date bars that could not be calculated disappear (a “no data” text appears instead) in order to prevent inadvertent use of false data.
•	HOW DOES FORCECALC WORK ?
ForceCalc 1.1 calculates the 3 periods and corresponding calendar dates based on the period data of the selected variety. ForceCalc is designed to search for a valid solution for periods and dates, calculating from one of the 4 calendar dates specified by the user. This means that often ForceCalc has to calculate “backwards in time” or from one of the intermediate dates (cooling or greenhouse start date). 
In case of (partly) unspecified  or inconsistent data (e.g. large differences in cooling weeks between two successive greenhouse start periods) ForceCalc may be unable to find a solution in particular cases. If a solution cannot be found, the cause is reported. ForceCalc is protected from presenting false data resulting from errors or from the case where no solution could be found. 
There are some special cases where ForceCalc has to determine which period data to use. It may occur at determination of the greenhouse start date, that there are two periods (instead of a single one) in which the greenhouse start date can exist due to large variations in cooling weeks or greenhouse days in two successive periods. For example, with 20 greenhouse days for the 3rd period, and 15 for the 4th, there are End of Harvest dates in the “transition area” between the 3rd and 4th period, that may correspond to both 20 and 15 greenhouse days, resulting in two different greenhouse start dates.  ForceCalc in that case automatically averages the number of cooling weeks or greenhouse days of the two periods. This is indicated by setting both period fields in the Main window colored (respectively blue and green).
There are also cases where ForceCalc concludes (for example from the 3rd period data) that the greenhouse start date should fall into the next (4th) period, but that this is impossible since the number of cooling  weeks obtained from the 4th period column is significantly less then the number obtained from the 3rd. In this case also, ForceCalc calculates with the average of the cooling weeks and greenhouse days of the two (3rd  and 4th) periods and colors both period fields.
•	TIPS
variety favorites  list
If you wish to group together a number of varieties from the list for quick access to your “favorite” varieties (often varieties you added or copied (“C” button) and modified), do the following. For all of your favorite varieties change the name by putting a space in front of the name. This will move the variety to the top of the list due to the fact that a blank is lowest in the alphabetic sort order. You can also use numbers or “low order” symbols like “a” for this and create your own ordered favorites list at the top before all other varieties.