NoteTab - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• FAQ about NoteTab under Vista, Mac, Linux, availability in other languages
• FAQ about ordering NoteTab
• FAQ about installing NoteTab
• FAQ about re-installing NoteTab and lost licenses
• FAQ about upgrading/updating NoteTab
• FAQ about using NoteTab

FAQ about NoteTab under Vista, Mac, Linux, availability in other languages

Q. Is NoteTab compatible with Windows Vista?

A. NoteTab version 5 is designed to run under Windows Vista. Older versions cannot retain their settings unless you configure NoteTab to use the Windows Registry ("Store Settings in Registry" checkbox on Advanced tab in Options dialog box). However, you may encounter other compatibility issues and we therefore do not recommend using NoteTab 4 and older versions under Windows Vista.

Q. Do you have a Linux or Mac version of NoteTab?

A. NoteTab cannot run directly on a Mac or Linux, nor are we planning Mac or Linux versions. However, NoteTab does run on a Mac and on Linux using Wine (http://www.winehq.org/). Alternatively, Macs can run Windows using BootCamp which is part of the Mac OS, or using Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/), or an emulator such as Virtual PC, allowing NoteTab to be run. We do recommend that you test the NoteTab trial version first under these environments before purchasing a license, to ensure that it is compatible with your computer system and that it satisfies your requirements.

Q. Is NoteTab available in other languages than English?

A. Sorry, NoteTab is only available in English. There are no plans to create versions in other languages.

FAQ about ordering NoteTab

Q. Where can I buy your software from? Do you have a local dealer?

A. You can buy NoteTab through our online order page. We have no local dealers. Our software is sold world-wide by two leading U.S. order-taking companies. They are under contract with Fookes Software to process orders and collect payments. They accept orders online using a credit card, PayPal, bank/wire transfer, check/money order, purchase order, invoice, and credit card by fax.

Q. What's the difference between NoteTab Std and Pro?

A. Please see our Comparison Chart for a list of differences.

Q. Can I use a Purchase Order?

A. Purchase Orders are a means of paying for products on credit (i.e. first receiving the goods and paying later). This method is usually used by larger corporations and is available for orders exceeding $80.00 USD. The way it works is as follows:

1. Request a Quote or Pro Forma invoice from Plimus. To do so, select the "Purchase Order" option from the field labeled "Method of payment" on the Plimus order form which you can reach through our order page.
2. Fax your PO to Plimus according to the instructions provided in the Pro Forma invoice.
3. Plimus then enters your PO into their system, where it awaits our approval.
4. Once the PO is approved, the order is processed and the product delivered.
5. You will receive an invoice from Plimus with instructions on how to send payment.

Q. I want to pay by wire transfer and need your bank details.

A. Select "Wire" as payment method in the order form. After clicking the "Next" button, you will be taken to a page with detailed instructions, including your order reference number and the bank details for your payment.

Q. Why was my order declined?

A. When the message "Credit card was declined" appears while processing an order it means that your credit card bank has declined the transaction, usually a quick call to your credit card bank's customer service will clarify most of the issues. If problems persist, you can use the Fax or Mail payment options to have your order processed.

Q. I did not receive my confirmation/receipt email. When will I get it?

A. Your order might be pending for manual review. However, if it's not pending, the emails may be caught by your "Spam Protection" tool, or may be automatically sent to your "Junk" folder. Please be sure to check those locations if you don't receive the emails shortly.

In some cases, your email service may be experiencing a slowdown in email delivery -- delays of several hours are possible in these situations. In other cases, your ISP may be blocking the emails before they even reach your account. When this happens, the only solution is for you to provide an alternative address to which we can send the registration emails.

At least two emails are sent to you: a Receipt and a Confirmation per product purchased. If you do not receive any of these emails please contact us and include as many details about your order as possible so that we can better assist you.

Q. The download link has expired. How can I get my Setup file?

A. Download links expire after a couple of days and/or after a couple of download attempts. Unless you purchased an Extended Download Warranty, you should always keep a backup copy of the retail Setup file off your computer so that you can reinstall whenever necessary.

If you have a valid Extended Download Warranty, you will find the "Re-activate Download" instructions in the receipt email that was sent to you when you purchased your NoteTab license. If you do not have a warranty and the link expired before you managed to download your Setup program, please contact us with a copy of your purchase details and a brief explanation of the problem.

Q. What is your Refund Policy?

A. Please visit our Refund Policy page for details.

Q. What is your Upgrade Policy?

A. Minor updates and maintenance releases are free for users of the corresponding major version. In other words, if you purchased NoteTab v5.00, all updates up to v5.99 inclusive are available for free. Major upgrades (version 6.x, 7.x, etc.) are available to registered users of previous versions at a 50% discount.

FAQ about installing NoteTab

Q. Can I install NoteTab on a USB key?

A. Yes! Simply install NoteTab on your USB Key as you would on any other drive on your computer. If you also want NoteTab to store all settings and user-data on the USB key (instead of the Application Data folder of the current user account), just create a blank INI file or copy an existing one to the same folder as the NoteTab program file (NoteTab.ini for NoteTab Light/Std and NotePro.ini for NoteTab Pro).

If your USB key doesn't have a permanent drive letter assigned to it, file references saved in NoteTab's INI and Favorites lists may have incorrect drive information. You can solve this problem by launching NoteTab with the /usb command-line switch (new in version 5.2). This will instruct NoteTab to look for the file on the USB drive if it doesn't exist at the specified location. Using this switch also causes NoteTab to store all its settings on the USB key. Example: NoteTab.exe /usb

Q. Where can I get extra spell-checker dictionaries from?

A. If you have the retail version of NoteTab, you can download spell-checker dictionaries and a thesaurus without charge by visiting the Dictionaries Web page

Please note that NoteTab Light and the trial versions of NoteTab do not include any spell-checker and thesaurus features. So downloading the dictionary and thesaurus files is of no use as they will not work in those versions of NoteTab.

Q. Why does NoteTab not remember its settings?

A. The main reason behind this type of issue is that Windows or a protection utility is not allowing NoteTab to save its settings to disk. Usually this happens because NoteTab is configured to save its settings under the Program Files folder. When you are running Windows Vista, or running Windows XP/2000 without administrative privileges, or using certain anti-virus products, programs cannot save data in protected folders, like Program Files and WINDOWS.

By default, NoteTab 5 is designed to store settings under the Application Data folder (AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista). However, if you've installed NoteTab 5.x over version 4.x to retain your settings, NoteTab will work the old way and continue to save settings under the Program Files folder. The solution is to move NoteTab's INI file to the Application Data folder. This procedure is explained below in the "How do I transfer settings from NoteTab 4 to NoteTab 5?" topic.

Q. How do I transfer settings from NoteTab 4 to NoteTab 5?

A. The settings are stored in NotePro.ini and NotePro.fpr for NoteTab Pro, and in NoteTab.ini and NoteTab.fpr for NoteTab Std/Light. If you have modified or added Clipbook libraries, you will find them under the Libraries subfolder. Favorites lists are stored in the Favorites subfolder. By default, you will find these files and subfolders in the following locations. Note that <NoteTab> represents either NoteTab Pro, NoteTab Std, or NoteTab Light, depending on which version of NoteTab you have:

C:\Program Files\<NoteTab>\

Close NoteTab and then copy the settings files, the Favorites subfolder, and changed Clipbook files to the following location. Note that <user> represents the name you use to log on to Windows:

On Windows XP/2000:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\<NoteTab>\

On Windows Vista:
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\<NoteTab>\

On a Windows 98 system without individual user logins:
C:\Windows\Application Data\<NoteTab>\

On a Windows 98 system with individual user logins:
C:\Windows\Profiles\<user>\Application Data\<NoteTab>\

On a Windows NT system:
C:\Winnt\Profiles\<user>\Application Data\<NoteTab>\

FAQ about re-installing NoteTab and lost licenses

Q. I have lost my license key. How can I re-install NoteTab?

A. NoteTab doesn't use license keys. The paid version is a different program file from the trial version. If you still have the retail Setup program for NoteTab, then simply install it to get up and running again.

Q. The download link has expired and I need to download again.

A. Download links expire after a couple of days and/or after a couple of download attempts. Unless you purchased an Extended Download Warranty, you should always keep a backup copy of the retail Setup file off your computer so that you can reinstall whenever necessary. See the next questions for more information.

Q. I bought an Extended Download Warranty. How can I re-activate my download link?

A. You will find the "Re-activate Download" instructions in the receipt email that was sent to you when you purchased an Extended Download Warranty along with your NoteTab license. If you chose not to buy an Extended Download Warranty, then it is your responsibility to make a back-up copy of the retail NoteTab Setup file off your computer and keep it in a safe location.

Q. I lost my retail Setup program. How can I get a new copy?

A. If you still have a working version of NoteTab 4.95 or more recent on your computer, you can download a new retail Setup file through NoteTab's "Check for Updates" feature, which is available from the Help menu (this Setup file does not require a previous working version of NoteTab). If you have an older version, you can update your copy by following the instructions on our Free Upgrade to Version 4.95 page.

If you no longer have a copy of the retail Setup file and you do not have a valid Extended Download Warranty, please purchase a "Search & Resend Registration Details" service to have us recover your lost file. Alternatively, if you are a licensed user of NoteTab Pro or Std version 4, you can contact us to receive a 50% upgrade discount to the latest version 5 update.

Alternatively, depending on your location, you can get a new retail version or upgrade for FREE with TrialPay. For more information, click on the NoteTab license that interests you:

• Get NoteTab Pro free with TrialPay
• Get NoteTab Std free with TrialPay

FAQ about upgrading/updating NoteTab

Q. What is your Upgrade Policy?

A. Minor updates and maintenance releases are free for users of the corresponding major version. In other words, if you purchased NoteTab v5.00, all updates up to v5.99 inclusive are available for free. Major upgrades (version 6.x, 7.x, etc.) are available to registered users of previous versions at a 50% discount.

Q. How can I download maintenance updates?

A. Free maintenance updates for retail versions of our software are available through the News and Updates feature, which is available since the release of NoteTab 4.95.

Q. The update won't download or the file is corrupted. Why?

A. Some download managers may take over this download process and interfere with normal operations. When this happens, temporarily turn off your download manager and try again. Another frequent problem is that a firewall is blocking access to the news server on the Internet.

Q. I am a NoteTab 5 customer. How can I update my copy to the latest release?

A. You will find the update link in NoteTab's Check for Updates feature, which is available from the Help menu. If you don't see the update link in the News and Updates window, make sure you click on the "Get headlines" button at the top-left of the dialog box to refresh the list.

Q. I have NoteTab 4.95, how can I upgrade to version 5?

A. If you purchased NoteTab 4.95 between March 27, 2006 and July 26, 2006 and have not yet purchased NoteTab 5, you are eligible for a free upgrade on request. This offer is only available if you can provide a valid order number. Please contact us and include your NoteTab 4.95 order details in your email.

Other NoteTab 4.x customers can purchase an upgrade at a 50% discount. If you have NoteTab 4.95, you will find upgrade information through NoteTab's "Check for Updates" feature, which is available from the Help menu. If you don't see the upgrade offer in the News and Updates window, make sure you click on the "Get headlines" button at the top-left of the dialog box to refresh the list. If you have an earlier version of NoteTab that does not offer the "Check for Updates" feature, then please contact us and request your upgrade, including a copy of your purchase details.

Alternatively, depending on your location, you can upgrade from version 4 to version 5 for FREE with TrialPay. For more information, click on the NoteTab license that interests you:

• Get NoteTab Pro free with TrialPay
• Get NoteTab Std free with TrialPay

Q. I am a NoteTab 4 customer. How can I upgrade to 4.95?

A. You can update your copy by following the instructions on our Free Upgrade to Version 4.95 page. If you no longer have a copy of your paid version, please contact us and send us a copy of your purchase details.

Q. What are the new features in NoteTab 5?

A. You'll find the main improvements and additions on the What's New page.

FAQ about using NoteTab

Q. How can I replace Windows Notepad with NoteTab?

A. If NoteTab is correctly installed, you will find a command called "Replace MS Notepad" under the Help menu. When you choose that command, NoteTab will first rename Notepad by adding the extension ".MS" to the program file. Then, it will copy a special little program called NOTEPAD.STB to the Windows directory and rename it NOTEPAD.EXE. Whenever this program is executed, it launches NoteTab instead of Notepad. If you want to restore MS Notepad after this operation, just use the command "Restore MS Notepad", which is also available under the Help menu.

Note that this feature is not available under Windows Vista. It may also not always work properly under Windows 2000, ME, and XP, due to the Windows File Protection (WFP) monitoring system, which checks for changes to system files. In this case, you should assign text files to NoteTab through the Associations screen in the Options dialog box.

Q. Word wrap has stopped working in NoteTab Light/Std. Is this a bug?

A. No. You have probably set the Wrap to Column option as a default setting or for the current document. Using this feature in NoteTab Light and Std turns off regular word wrap. Please consider upgrading your license to NoteTab Pro if you need column wrap that updates the same way as regular word wrap.

Q. How do I print only the selected text in NoteTab 5?

A. Simply hold down the Shift key while you click on the Print or Print Preview command.

Q. How do I print with a font of my choice in NoteTab 5?

A. The font used for printing text from NoteTab can be changed through the Page Setup dialog box, which is available through the File/Page Setup dialog box.

Q. How can I set attributes (bold, underline, ...) for individual text elements?

A. This is not possible with NoteTab (or any "plain text" editor for that matter). This feature would require storing special control characters in the document. Since NoteTab is a "plain text" editor, it only saves documents as text without any control codes. Therefore all formatting information would be lost when you open the document again. If you want to format individual text elements, you will need a more sophisticated editor like a word processor.

Q. NoteTab does not load the whole file!

A. The file probably contains one or more null characters. By default, NoteTab treats the first null character it encounters as the end of the text. To change this behavior, you can set the "Filter Binary Codes" option which you will find on the Files tab in the Options dialog box. When this option is set, any null character NoteTab encounters when loading a file is converted to the substitute character (also defined in the Options dialog box). You will be able to load the full content of any file when this feature is enabled.

Q. NoteTab does not let me edit the file I just opened. Why?

A. The most likely reason is that your document contains Unicode text. When NoteTab opens Unicode files, it has to convert them to the ANSI character set, which supports much fewer characters. As a result, the conversion process may drop non-ANSI characters resulting in loss of information. When the "Protect Unicode Files" setting is checked (General tab in Options dialog box), Unicode files are opened in Read-Only mode, which protects the document from changes. If you know that your Unicode documents will not loose important information during the conversion process, uncheck this option so that such files are always editable. You can also make a document editable by unchecking the Read-Only option under the Document menu.

Q. Can I edit Unicode and UTF-8 files with NoteTab?

A. Although NoteTab can open such files, it needs to convert them to the Windows ANSI character set to display them. As a result, characters not available in the ANSI character set are substituted with question mark characters (?). By default, NoteTab opens these file as Read-Only documents to reduce the risk of data loss after character substitution. You can turn off Read-Only mode through the Document menu. If you choose to edit such documents in NoteTab and save the changes, the resulting file will become a standard ANSI text file.

At the present time we do not have plans to develop a Unicode/UTF-8 version of NoteTab.

Q. NoteTab Pro: where have all my fonts gone?

A. Unlike NoteTab Std, NoteTab Pro cannot use variable-width fonts. It therefore limits your choice of fonts to those that are fixed-width. This design is imposed by the input control used in NoteTab Pro. The benefits are better performance and a choice of commands/configuration options that are not available in NoteTab Std.

Q. My mouse scroll wheel is not working properly in NoteTab. How can I fix this?

A. Although the mouse scroll wheel works well in NoteTab for the majority of users, a few have reported problems – sometimes after simply updating the mouse driver. We've never been able to reproduce any of the reported issues and therefore don't know what is the source of the problem. A quick search on the Internet shows that there are many reports of malfunctioning scroll wheels with other Windows applications, so this is not an issue limited to NoteTab.

Installing the free utility KatMouse usually solves scroll wheel issues:
http://www.code-scout.net/katmouse/

Q. How do I associate specific extensions with NoteTab?

A. There is a tool in the Options dialog box on the Associations tab that makes it really easy to associate file extensions or undo associations. Add extensions to the list to create an association or delete an extension to undo the association.

Q. How do I make NoteTab the default source viewer in IE?

A. First open the Utilities library by clicking on the button labeled Utilities at the bottom of the NoteTab window. Next, scroll down the list in the opened library until you reach the "NoteTab Shortcuts" section. Double-click on "Add IE Default HTML Editor".