 Parent
Tools for AIM Online Help
Table of Contents
Getting
Started
Introducing Parent Tools
Why Use Parent Tools?
Logging In and Out
How Much Does It Cost?
How to Register Parent Tools
Online
The Welcome Window
Who You're Monitoring
Recording Conversations
Disabling IM and Chat
Features
Creating an Online Schedule
Setting Online Time Limits
Changing your Password
Viewing Saved Conversations
Deleting Saved Conversations
Using Stealth Mode
Hiding Shortcut Icons
Show Popups of
Disabled Features
Other
Programs: Try Extreme Messenger for AIM!
Getting Started
This is a quick summary of how to begin using Parent Tools
immediately with little fuss.
Starting Parent Tools
Starting Parent Tools is easy. When Parent Tools is not
running, you can click the Parent Tools desktop icon to load
the program. To log in, double-click the gray remote
control-looking icon next to the clock. If Parent Tools is
running in Stealth Mode, press CTRL+ALT+F11 on your keyboard
to log in.
Choosing What to Monitor
Once you have logged in, you have quick access to all of the
features of Parent Tools. Select "All Screen Names" to
monitor any screen name on your computer (even new ones
created later!). To create specific settings for screen
names, select "Monitor Specific Screen Names Only" and
press the Add/Modify button to choose which screen names you
wish to monitor.
Setting Monitoring Controls
Once you have selected what you wish to control and monitor,
its time to modify the control settings. The "?" at
the top of the control panel window will help in describing
much of what the options will do.
Viewing Saved Conversations
To view saved conversations, click the "View" menu and
select "Saved Conversations" option. The conversation
viewer will load -- from the viewer you can read any
conversation from any screen name. To delete old
conversations you can delete them manually by using the delete
buttons below, or to delete old conversations you can use the
powerful Delete Tool ( File - Delete... ). You may
also print or save the conversations to a text file for later
viewing.
Hiding Parent Tools
You can choose how well you want to hide Parent Tools. Click
File - Edit Preferences to load the optional stealth
features. NOTE: Stealth mode will only function for 15
minutes until you register your copy of Parent Tools.
Just Leave it Running!
Once you log out Parent Tools will remain running in the
background, and will stay running even if you reset your
computer. Don't worry about Parent Tools accidentally turning
off - it is designed to prevent ANYONE from turning it off
without the correct password.
Registration Information
In order to
register, log in to Parent Tools and when the Registration Screen
appears, click on the Order Securely Online
button. You will then be sent to a secure server where you can
register Parent Tools online.
Register Securely Online
All questions regarding our software policy, as well as many other
questions, can be answered by visiting our Software Policy page at
IgniteSoft.com.
Introducing
Parent Tools
Congratulations! You have just
installed the best possible monitoring and protection tool for AOL
Instant Messenger. Using this program, you can easily
save
conversations, limit online time,
create online schedules, and
silently watch over anyone using AIM on your computer.
Using Parent Tools, parents can easily monitor their children's
conversations, and disable selected features of AIM. Parents can
also set up time limits and create time slots that will limit the
amount of time kids can spend online. Parent Tools will run silently
in the background and will resist any attempt to shut it off without
the correct password.
Feel free to browse this help file to get the most out of Parent
Tools for AIM. I would recommend reading the
Getting Started topic
then checking out the table of contents for more detailed
explanations.
I hope that you find Parent Tools to be an indispensable tool and
decide to register with us.
Warm Regards,
Joe Jordan
Lead Developer
Why Use Parent Tools
Parent Tools is a powerful
monitoring and controlling tool for AOL Instant Messenger.
This tool can be used in a wide variety
of different ways, depending on
your own personal situation. For example, parents may want to
tell their kids about the monitoring program
so they will regulate their own behavior online. Parent Tools
may also be used as a spy program to
secretly watch over conversations and secretly monitor for
unwanted behavior online.
Parents may also use the software package as a tool to limit
chatting online. Parents can set up certain times of the day
that their children can go online, and can limit the total
online time per day.
Basically, you can use this software as a tool for your unique
situation. Feel free to explore the program and test things
out so you can become acquainted with them.
Logging In and Out
Parent Tools is designed as a
secure application, designed to prevent itself from being shut
down or turned off without a correct password.
Logging In
If you are not running in
Stealth Mode, you can double-click on the gray
remote-control looking icon next to your computer's clock to
log in.
If you are running in stealth mode, press CTRL+ALT+F11
on your keyboard to log in. If
for any reason you have trouble logging in, reboot the
computer and try the key combination again.
Logging Out
Logging out of Parent Tools is easy - by simply closing the
Parent Tools window using the X button, you will automatically
be logged out. You can also log out using the "File -
Hide and Log out" menu option.
Shutting Down
In order to shut down the program, you must have a valid
password. If not running in stealth mode, you can right-click
on the system tray icon and select the "Shut Down..."
menu option. You will be prompted for your password and if
entered correctly Parent Tools will be shut down. If you are
running in stealth mode, press CTRL+ALT+F11
and enter your password to log
in. Then in the Control Panel, click the "File - Shut
Down Parent Tools" menu option.
Tech Support
For all tech support inquiries,
please view our contact page at:
www.IgniteSoft.com/contact.htm
How Much Does It Cost?
Parent Tools is a shareware
program. You are given 10 days to evaluate the program to
determine if Parent Tools will suit your needs. After your 10
day trial has ended, you may still view saved conversations,
but monitoring and recording will be disabled until you
purchase a registration code.
Registration is a one-time fee of $29.95!
What benefits do you get from registering Parent Tools?
Unlimited usage! By purchasing, you will be able to use Parent
Tools free of nag screens and feature limitations.
Registration will also promote further development and
enhancement of the program, but most of all, will give you the
personal satisfaction of doing the right thing! :)
In order to register, Log in to Parent Tools and click on the
Order Securely Online
button, or visit this link:
https://www.regsoft.net/regsoft/vieworderpage.php3?productid=60016
How To Register Online
After 10 days of evaluation
usage, Parent Tools will expired and registration is required
to keep using it beyond the trial period. We hope that you
find our software is of high quality and decide to register
with us.
In order to register, log in to Parent Tools and when the
Registration Screen appears, click on the Order Securely
Online button. You will then be sent to a secure server where
you can register Parent Tools online.
Click Here to
Register Parent Tools Securely Online
Registration is done on a secure server, so you know your data
is safe.
The Welcome Window
The welcome window appears when
you first install the program to get you started easily and
quickly. You may also access it from the File - Setup
Wizard... menu in the Control
Panel.
Screen 1
is an introduction to Parent Tools.
Screen 2
will ask you to set your Parent Tools password.
Screen 3
will ask you whether you want to monitor all screen names, or
just select screen names. If you decide to monitor select
screen names only, the next screen will allow you to choose
the screen names you wish to monitor. Select names from the
list box and use the add and remove buttons to select and
deselect screen names.
Screen 4
will ask you whether you want
to run Parent Tools in stealth mode. Stealth mode will only
function for 15 minutes if the software is unregistered, so
you may want to purchase the software immediately if this is a
feature you require.
Screen 5
will give you more stealth options. You can hide the program
icons while Parent Tools is running, and you can decide
whether or not you want the user to know what is being
disabled using small popup windows (click the preview button
to see what they will look like).
Screen 6
will complete the setup. Your
changes will only be applied when you click the "Finished!"
button -- you can cancel all changes using the cancel button
up to this point.
Who You're Monitoring
There are two types of
monitoring built in to Parent Tools. The first is monitoring
All Screen Names -- when you select this option in the Parent
Tools Control Panel, the settings you have created will be
applied to all screen names on that computer. This type of
monitoring is recommended if new screen names are often
created.
The second type of monitoring will monitor the screen names
that you select, and for each screen name you can create
unique settings for each. To add screen names, first select
the "Monitor Specific Screen Names Only"
option and click the "Add/Modify Screen Names"
button. From the window that appears, you will see the screen
names that are currently unmonitored and screen names that are
already being monitored. Double-click or use the << >> buttons
to add or remove screen names from the list.
Once you are done adding screen names to the monitored list,
click the "Done!" button
and you can now edit the controls for each screen name in your
monitored list. Simply select the screen name you wish to edit
in the drop down list and make your changes or create an
online schedule. The changes take place immediately and are
saved when you log out.
Recording Conversations
Parent Tools
will silently and effortlessly save all instant message and
chat room conversations when you check the "Save
Instant Message Conversations"
and "Save Chat Conversations"
options for each monitored screen name (these are already
selected by default).
Saved Conversations are Hidden
All of the recorded conversations that are saved by Parent
Tools are saved in a hidden and encrypted place on your
computer. These files are also compressed so you save on hard
drive space. The conversation files cannot be accessed without
properly logging in to Parent Tools.
Disabling IM and
Chat Features
Parent Tools has several useful
features to disable features built in to AOL Instant
Messenger.
Instant Message Controls
Disable All Incoming and Outgoing IMs
- Enabling this option will disable any and all IMs.
Disable IM Direct Connect
- Enabling this option will disable the Direct Connect feature
of Instant Messages. Direct Connect is often used to send
files via a "direct" connection to the other instant message
user. A malicious user could use this feature to gather
information on your general location.
Disable IM Talk Features
- Enabling this option will disable the Talk feature of AOL
Instant Messenger. The talk feature could be used to expose children to
objectionable material, and could potentially be used to
gather information on your general location.
Disable IMs from Screen Names:
- Enabling this option will disable the screen name from
receiving Instant Messages from the specific screen names that
you specify.
Chat Controls
Disable All Chat Rooms -
Enabling this option will disable all chat room access for the
screen name.
Disable Incoming Chat Invitations
- Enabling this option will disable all incoming invitations
to join chat rooms. These invites can contain objectionable
material.
Disable Outgoing Chat Invitations
- Enabling this option will
disable the screen name from being able to send invitations to
new or existing chat rooms.
Disable Chat Room title words:
- Enabling this option will disable all chat rooms that
contain any of the words or phrases you specify.
Creating an Online
Schedule
Setting up an online schedule
for any screen name in your monitored list is a quick and easy
process. Parent Tools will log off the screen name once
the schedule time slot has expired. If you have Popups
enabled, the user will be notified 5 minutes and 1 minute
before they are logged off, so they can end their
conversations properly.
Step 1: Select the
screen name you wish to create an online schedule for.
Step 2: Click the Online
Schedule tab
Step 3: Click "New Time
Slot" and enter the sign on time and sign off time for the
time slot.
Step 4: Repeat Step 3 as
many times as necessary to create an appropriate schedule.
Step 5: Check the "Use
Schedule to limit time online" option to put the schedule into
use.
You can also use the modify and delete buttons to edit or
remove entries to the schedule. Simply select the time slot
you wish to modify/delete, and choose the appropriate button.
Once the current time is not an allowable time in your
schedule, the screen name will be automatically signed off and
will not be allowed back on until the next day or until you
alter their schedule.
Setting Online Time
Limits
It's easy to
set a limited amount of chat time per day for any
screen name in your monitored
list.
Step 1: Select the
screen name you wish to limit daily online time for.
Step 2: Click the Online
Time Limits tab
Step 3: Enter the hours
and minutes this screen name can spend online per day.
Step 4: Log out to begin
monitoring - you're done!
Parent Tools will watch how long the screen name is online for
a particular day, and when the time limit is reached, the
screen name will be automatically signed off and cannot sign
back on until you either change their daily limit or the new
day arrives.
Changing your Password
To change your Parent Tools
password, you must log in to
the control panel. From the control panel, access the
File - Change Password menu
option. You will be prompted for your current password, and
asked to confirm your new password.
Viewing Conversations
Viewing saved conversations in Parent Tools is simple. First,
make sure your settings are set to record IMs and chats (these
are on by default). View the
Recording Conversations
to make sure these features are on.
The conversation viewer can be loaded by clicking the "View
Conversations.." button on the
control panel, or by selecting View - Saved
Conversations menu in control
panel.
The Saved Conversation Viewer Window
The conversation viewer consists of 4 main parts. The top bar
is where you can select whether you want to view IMs or chat
conversations, and what screen name those IMs were saved
under.
The top-left box is where the conversation folders
will appear when you select a screen name. When viewing IMs,
the box will be filled with folders containing the screen
names that they talked with. Initially the folder list will be
sorted with the most recent screen name folder holding the
most recent conversation first. The folder box can be sorted
alphabetically by clicking the gray bar at the top of the box.
The top-right box is where the actual saved
conversation files will be
listed when you select a folder. To view a conversation,
select it in this box and the conversation will appear in the
text box below.
The bottom buttons are tools to help you manage saved
conversations. From here you can save the selected
conversation to a new text file, or print out the
conversation. The delete options are self explanatory (delete
folder deletes selected folder, delete log deletes the
selected conversation). For detailed information on deleting
using the Delete Tool, read the next topic: Deleting
Conversations
Deleting Conversations
Once you have viewed a
conversation, you may want to delete it if it is no longer
necessary to keep around.
To delete a folder, select it in the top-left box, and
right-click to delete. You may also delete the selected folder
by clicking the "Delete Folder"
button.
To delete individual conversations, select it and right-click
to delete. You may also delete the selected conversation by
clicking the "Delete Log"
button.
Delete Tool
To load the delete tool, click the "Delete Tool" button or
select the File - Delete... menu in the conversation viewer.
The delete tool has two modes of operation:
Delete By Date
This mode will delete all conversations from the screen name
that you specify that took place before a certain date. Select
the type of log (IM or chat room conversations) and select the
screen name that you wish to delete from. You may also select
"<All Screen Names>" to
delete all IM or chat conversations that took place before the
date you specified. Once you have selected a date, click the "Delete
Now" button to perform the
action.
Delete Screen Names
This mode will delete all conversations from the screen name
that you specify. Simply select the type (either IM or chat
conversation) and select the screen name you wish to delete.
Click the "Delete Now"
button to remove ALL IMs
or chats from the selected name.
Using Stealth Mode
Why Use
Stealth Mode?
Often, parents may want to hide the fact that they are
monitoring their kids. Using stealth mode in conjunction with
Hide Shortcuts and not using Popup Notifications, Parent Tools
will remain virtually undetectable.
You can access the log in screen by pressing
CTRL+ALT+F11
on your keyboard.
Parent Tools will resist any attempt to shut it down without a
valid password. Rebooting the computer will cause Parent Tools
to start up with windows. Attempting to end task on the hidden
executable will cause a helper application to load it back up
for uninterrupted monitoring service.
Stealth Mode is for Registered Users Only
Unregistered users can try out stealth mode for 15 minutes
before the software reverts to unstealth mode.
Purchase your copy to
remove this limitation.
Enabling/Disabling Stealth Mode
Enabling stealth mode is done from the control panel. Simply
click the "Stealth - Run in Stealth Mode"
menu option, or load the preferences window by clicking the "Preferences..."
button.
Hiding Shortcut Icons
Why Hide
Shortcuts?
In order to maintain an optimum level of stealth, the shortcut
icons must remain hidden from the user of the computer. To
access this feature, click the "Preferences..."
button in the Control Panel. Check or uncheck the "Hide
Desktop and Start Menu shortcuts while Parent Tools is
running" option, depending on your preference.
If you decide to hide shortcuts and use stealth mode,
remember that you must log in using
CTRL+ALT+F11
on your keyboard.
Show
Popup Windows of Disabled Features
Why Show Popups of Disabled Features?
Parents who are not using Parent Tools in a secretive manner
may want to display popup notifications when a child attempts
to access a disabled feature. This is good for when an online
schedule runs out, and the screen name is automatically signed
off. Without the popup notification, they might not know what
happened or why they cannot sign back online.
Enabling the popup feature will also notify
the user 5 minutes and 1 minute before their online schedule
is about to expire, so they will know to end conversations
before being signed off due to the expired online schedule.
To access this feature, click the "Preferences..."
button in the Control Panel. Check or uncheck the "Show
a popup message when a controlled screen name tries to access
a blocked feature" option,
depending on your preference. This option setting will be
effective for all screen names, not just the one you are
currently editing.
Check out a preview of how the popup window will look by
clicking the "Preview Popup"
button.
Other
Programs: Try Extreme Messenger for AIM!
Check out what Extreme Messenger can do for you...
Available Now at
www.ExtremeMessenger.com
(and 100%
compatible with Parent Tools for AIM)
· Enhanced IMs & Chat Rooms -
With Extreme Messenger, all your IMs and chat conversations
are organized into one easy window with a multitude of
features at your fingertips!
· Use 1550+ New Smileys! -
Registered users of Extreme Messenger will have access to over
1550 built-in AIM smileys!
· Color Fade your IMs, Profile, and Away Messages -
Extreme Messenger has a color
fader so you can blend your text colors in your IMs, chat
conversations, profile, and even away messages!
· Completely Customize your Buddy List -
Extreme Messenger hides the
annoying ads on the buddy list, and allows you to hide nearly
every useless button on the AIM Buddy List for a clean
uncluttered look!
· IM and Chat Logging -
Automatically record your conversations with our logging
features!
· Transparent Windows - Make
your Buddy List, IMs, or chat a see-thru window!
· Away Message Scheduler -
Schedule your Away messages to appear at any time, even when
your away from your computer!
· AIM Profile Fading - Now you
can add faded colors and colorized text to your personal AIM
Profile!
· AIM Today Toolbar - Now AIM
Today is more useful than ever! Navigate to anywhere on the
web using the AIM Today toolbar!
· News in your IM Window - With
the click of a button you can have the latest late-breaking
news right inside your IM window!
· Send Files Easier - Want to
send a file to a friend? Simply drag and drop the file onto
the IM tab and Extreme Messenger fills out the path for you!
· Save Buddy Email Addresses -
Using the Buddy Notes feature, you can now save the email
addresses of the people you talk to.
· Extensive Customization Options -
Extreme Messenger comes packed
with tons of customization options, so you can adjust it to
your preferences.
· Buddy Nicknames - Assign
Nicknames to your friends - A fun tool and an easy way to
remember people online!
· ... And so Much More!
Download and Experience Extreme Messenger!
Copyright © 2003 Ignite
Software. All Rights Reserved.
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