Clock logo   StretchWare masthead

StretchWare Support

For technical support issues, please review the sections listed below, download the free User Manual, or contact support@stretchware.com.


Minimum System Requirements

StretchWare is compatible with PCs running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millenium Edition, Windows NT, Windows XP, and Vista (SP1), as well as all Apple Macintosh running System 7.0.0 or later.


Frequently Asked Questions

I just purchased the StretchWare Download, but can't find the Download link.

The StretchWare Download link is located on the Receipt webpage that appears immediately after you submit your order. If you are unable to return to your Receipt to begin the download, please contact support@stretchware.com. We will send you a temporary link.


My StretchWare window will not come up (or has been permanently minimized). (Windows)

There was an issue with the Windows version of StretchWare prior to version 1.0.5 where, under certain conditions, the main window would be left in a minimized state with no means of restoring the window. This error has been fixed in StretchWare version 1.0.5 and later. If you are experiencing this error, please email support@stretchware.com so that a fixed version may be sent to you.


Why am I having problems uninstalling StretchWare on my PC? (Windows)

This problem usually occurs when users attempt to manually uninstall, rather than using the Windows Add/Remove Programs Control Panel feature. A manual uninstall often removes only part of the StretchWare program.

If you are experiencing problems uninstalling, try the following procedure, which should only take a few minutes:

  1. Open the Control Panel folder: (Select Control Panel from My Computer, or, choose Settings, then Control Panel from the Start Menu.)

  2. Open the Add/Remove Applications Control Panel.

  3. Select “StretchWare” from the list of programs. You may have to scroll down to find “StretchWare”.

    Important: If “StretchWare” is not listed, you may need to reinstall the program from the original installer before uninstalling it. Reinstallation may seem counter-productive; however, reinstallation is the easiest way to “teach” your computer where StretchWare is located, so it may be successfully uninstalled later.

  4. Once “StretchWare” is selected, press the Add/Remove button. You will be asked: “Are you sure you want to remove StretchWare and all of its components?” Click Yes.

  5. When uninstallation is finished, click OK and RESTART YOUR MACHINE. (In order to fully remove active programs, your machine should be restarted after any uninstallation.)


Why is the text in my windows so abnormally large? (Windows)

Version 1.0 of StretchWare had a defect with the use of the “Large Fonts” option on Windows machines.

This error has been fixed in StretchWare version 1.0.1 and later. If you are experiencing this error, please email support@stretchware.com so that a fixed version may be sent to you.


  1. Why do I have a tab in the StretchWare Preferences window named “RΔ?

  2. Why can I open the preferences window, but the stretching windows and hot keys won’t work? (Windows)

There is a known error in StretchWare version 1.0 that affects certain specific Windows configurations which does not allow the stretching windows or hot key to work properly. This specific error can be identified by opening the preference window and noting whether the second tab is miswritten as instead of the appropriate How to Notify. This error has been fixed in StretchWare version 1.0.1 and later. If you are experiencing this error, please email support@stretchware.com so that a fixed version may be sent to you.


Troubleshooting

Having problems changing the hot key.

This often occurs when users have not selected a key combination that include at least TWO of the modifier keys. You may have the hot key sequence set for one that is used by an installed program or the operating system.

Key combinations to select:

on Macs:
(one of these plus any character)

(Note that option-shift is not available, since it is reserved by the System.)

    

Command-Option
Command-Shift
Command-Control
Command-Option-Shift
Command-Option-Control
Command-Option-Control-Shift
Command-Shift-Control
Control-Option
Control-Shift
Control-Option-Shift 


on PCs:
(one of these plus any character)

    

Alt-Control
Alt-Shift-Control


Seeing two StretchWare icons on the taskbar. (Windows)

After a reinstallation of StretchWare, a second icon may appear in the taskbar. The taskbar will correct itself the next time the mouse is over the taskbar, or when the computer is restarted.


Cannot find StretchWare, even after installation. (Windows)

Make sure that StretchWare is installed onto the drive that that is used to boot up. On PCs make sure you are running off the same drive on which you want StretchWare installed.


StretchWare isn’t making any notification sound.

If you are not hearing any sound at notifiication time, go to Preferences and under the How to Notify tab make sure Play Sound is selected.

If Play Sound is selected and you are still not hearing anything, close the window and go into your Sound Control Panel. Make sure that your system sound is working, and that you can hear it. If your system sound is not working, then you may need to reinstall your sound driver or check that your computer supports sound output.

If you hear system sound but not StretchWare sounds, check that you are not using any other programs or extensions that might conflict with StretchWare.


The notification sound is either too quiet, too loud or not following system sound level.

The volume of the StretchWare notification sound may be set in Preferences under the How to Notify tab. If you wish notification volume to follow your system volume select the Follow System Volume box.


Sometimes StretchWare notification does not work on time.

Occasionally StretchWare’s notification will be delayed. StretchWare is not able to safely break in on a few processor-intensive programs that shut off your computer’s background functions (mostly video games). StretchWare will notify you it is time to stretch the next time there is a pause in the game play, or when you return to the desktop.


StretchWare remains open after clicking the "Done" button. (Mac)

To save time loading the program the StretchWare application stays running after closing either the topics or stretching windows. If you wish to free the memory used by StretchWare (only 1024k) simply choose Quit under the file menu when you are done.


An incorrect stretching description is displayed when the stretching window is opened.

A description will come up for whichever stretch the mouse cursor is currently over, and the text of that stretch will be in red. When the mouse cursor is not positioned over any stretch illustration, a general description of the routine will be given. A description may be displayed if the mouse cursor is positioned over one of the stretching figures when StretchWare opens. Simply move the mouse to change.


Technical Data for StretchWare

StretchWare was designed from the start to run without impact on either general system performance or on the performance of other installed software. It is highly robust, and has been deployed in large installations since 1999 with no history of negative impact on systems running it.

The software has an extremely small footprint. It takes up less than 2 MB of disk space, has very small memory requirements, and utilizes a bare minimum of CPU cycles during background operation — decidedly below the threshold of perception.

When operating in the clock or regular notification modes, only the minimal CPU time required for polling the time (completely negligible) is required. The patches for detecting mouse and keyboard usage (when and if that mode is in effect) are also of negligible and imperceptible impact.

StretchWare was developed and is maintained in well-documented, object-oriented C++. The very few bugs (really only two) which have been reported since StretchWare’s initial release in 1999 were addressed quickly and easily, with updates provided to the users.

StretchWare has proven itself robust in the face of system upgrades. It functions flawlessly in a Windows VISTA SP1 environment.

Shelter Publications is proud to announce that StretchWare 2.0 is now available for Macintosh OS X. This new version will run natively on OS 10.2 (Jaguar), 10.3 (Panther) and 10.4 (Tiger).

StretchWare’s current design installs on the boot drive of the user’s machine with a local installer; a SETUP.ISS file is available for silent installation.

To contact support: support@stretchware.com


The Machine that Causes the Problem Now Contains the Solution!