How to use HymnTrack2 Hymntrack2 takes a TEXT file that you make separately (eg. using Notepad) to 1) find when and how often a hymn has been used or 2) search a database of hymnal lyrics. You must FIRST LOAD the database you want to use by clicking the correct drive, directory and file in their respective boxes. SEARCH FEATURES: You can: - search by HYMN #, NAME or DATE. Enter a term and click FIND. You don't need to enter the full name or # (BUT entering 2 for a hymn # will show every hymn # with a 2 in it. Click the FULL # ONLY box if you only want hymn #2, but make sure you enter the FULL #, eg. "VU2(B)"). - combine searches (eg a word of text with a hymn #) and you can EXclude letters or words. - use DATES with > (after, but including a date) or < (before a date). Correct format for a specific date uses MONTH (3 letters), space, DAY (1 or 2 #'s, a comma, and year (4 numbers) - eg. 'Apr 4, 2017' . To search a single year (starting with Jan 1 of that year), just type the 4 numbers of the year (see example below). - search for other information in the date field (eg. (Advent) or (Easter). - search for special information in the hymn # field (eg Offering or Benediction) may be indicated with (O) or (B). - clicking find WITHOUT PARAMETERS returns the entire database (this takes a few seconds!) - searching is case INSENSITIVE, except for the EXCLUDE boxes, which ARE Case Sensitive. So entering "words" in the Verse phrase box AND "words" in the Verse Exclude box will still find "Words" with a capital because the Exclude box entry didn't contain the capital W. - left and right results boxes are synched when you scroll, BUT NOT if you use a scroll wheel. Just click in one of the boxes to get entries back in synch. TALLYING This counts all hymns with the same # (or title) and shows the result (not available with lyric databases). Results can be limited to a single year, a range (with > or <) or another part of the date value (eg. Easter services). You can also combine date, hymn # and hymn title. For example, to tally all the benediction songs in 2012, enter 2012 in the LIMIT DATE TO: box and (B) in the Hymn # box. COPYING You can copy the results shown in either of the two display boxes by Right-clicking on the box. This saves the contents in the clipboard and they can then be pasted into a text document or spreadsheet in the usual way. For lyrics files, you will be prompted for a verse #. To copy all verses, just click OK or press Enter (identified by (v at the beginning of a line). For author info only, enter 0 (i.e., zero). TO INSERT THE TITLE AND BLANK LINES BETWEEN VERSES in the copied lines you must click the "copy title" (which adds a check to this box). © é To add the © copyright symbol to the hymn/verse search box, click the © beside the HymnTrak2 name. To enter é, click the 2 at the right of "HymnTrak". PROBLEMS If you can't find something you know is in the database, try clicking CLEAR and re-entering your term. That will eliminate the possibility that you are searching for blank spaces that you inadvertantly entered. If anything is in the search boxes, and asterix will appear with clear button (Clear*). But you can still include spaces in a search term - eg to search for "home " but not "homeless". SETTING UP YOUR OWN HYMN USE DATABASE Use Notepad (or any word processor that can save as a .txt file) to enter dates and hymn #'s / names. These must be arranged from most recent to the oldest one. Each entry is separated by a BLANK LINE and must start with a date lin this format: Oct 26, 2014 (the comma shown is mandatory - it indicates that the year follows. Also, keep the month to 3 letters without a period.) You might want to add extra information (eg. if it's Thanksgiving, so you can search for anything used on Thanksgiving). But use an abbreviation, or it will bleed off the side of the viewer. Here's an example: Oct 13, 2014 (Thanks) Make sure you use the same abbreviation every time and use parentheses () to show it's not a numerical date! The hymn number (followed by a space) and hymn name are entered as follows (without blank lines between entries): MV212 Sent out in Jesus' name VU222 Come let us sing (If you only use one hymnal, you don't need to add the identifier - in this case, MV means the More Voices hymnal). If there is no hymn # OR extra information, ENTER A SPACE. If you don't do this, the first word in the hymn name becomes the #, and that creates problems. If you want, you can add extra information with the hymn number. To track songs used as a benediction songs, I add (B) so the song above becomes MV212(B) Sent out in Jesus' name Remember to separate groups of entries with the same date by a BLANK LINE Give the file a name and SAVE it (in .txt format). You can have several files if you want, although the program only analyzes one at a time. For example, you might want to track all your contemporary services under contemp.txt. You can then start HymnTrack and load the data by clicking GET FILE. The directory and drive boxes will let you navigate to your file, but it will take less time if it's in the SAME DIRECTORY (folder) as HymnTrack2. SETTING UP YOUR OWN HYMN LYRIC DATABASE Use Notepad (or any word processor that can save as a .txt file) to enter hymn titles, # and lyrics. These must have the following format: hymn # (space) hymn title (followed on a new line by -- (two minus signs) (followed on one or more new lines by author info (if desired) (followed on another new line by -- (followed on a new line by a verse of lyrics. For example: VU703 In the Bulb There Is a Flower -- Words & music: Natalie Sleeth, 1986 (words & music ©1982, Hope Publishing Co.) Meter: 8 7 8 7 D Key: F -- (v1) In the bulb there is a flower in the seed, an apple tree ....(and so on until the end of the verse, then:) -- The (v1) and subsequent verse #'s allow you to separate verses when copying. Remember to add a blank line between hymns. *** When saving, save in ANSI format. ***** (This makes sure that special symbols like © don't end up as unintelligible code. To open the file, it's best to load Notepad first, use Open and then Options to select ANSI, and then open the file.) RESTRICTED CHARACTERS % in your data file is translated as "METER:" $ as KEY: You don't need to type the full word out when adding to the database. ^ can be used ONCE per hymn to add scriptural or other references. If you wish, you can make these visible (and searchable and copy-capable) by clicking the SEARCH REFS box. -- means a space between verses (only two minus signs work) © Allan Baer, 2020 allanbaer7@gmail.com 290 Indian Rd Kingston ON Canada K7M 1T8