An Anytime Calendar

This utility comes in handy for keeping track of bridge dates, or any other date since year 1 a.d.  Advantages over the utility built into Windows are that it understands that time began prior to 1980, and a full-year screen is available with a single mouse click.

There are two versions of the program:

CAL  is suitable for all users.  It runs under MS-DOS or 32-bit Windows, and displays a 6-month screen.  If using Windows, create a shortcut, edit its  Properties  to  Close on Exit , change the  Icon  if desired, and you are ready to go.  When at the DOS prompt, enter  cal ?  for a list of options.

To preview the program online, click on CAL.EXE /Run /Run

CAL12  features a full 12-month display on an oversized console screen.  Requires Windows 2000 or greater.  When in the program, type a "?"  or  "H"  at the date prompt for tips on setting up a more efficient shortcut.  The same screen is accessible from the command prompt via  cal12 /setup.

SETUP OPTIONS FOR CAL12

CAL12 utilizes a display with dimensions greater than those of a standard 80×25 console window.  For best results, do the following:

• Create a desktop shortcut for CAL12.EXE.  Right-click the icon to edit its Properties:
• Under the  Fonts  tab, select  10x20 Raster fonts.
• Under the  Layouts  tab, set both the  Screen Buffer Size  and  Window Size  to
  Width=93  and  Height=34.  If you like, uncheck the  Let system position window box, then set  Left=40  and  Top=10; this will center CAL12 on a 1024×768 screen, leaving room for the Windows task bar at the bottom.
• When prompted, select  Modify shortcut that started this window.

Usage: To exit either program, simply press  <ESC>.

ABOUT THE DATES

The modern Gregorian Calendar was first instituted in 1582, in Italy by Pope Gregory.  At that time, the days of October 5-14 were deleted in order to correct the error accumulated under the Julian Calendar.  Modern computer systems, however, support the better-late-than-never British conversion-date, wherein the days of September 3-13, 1752, were expunged.  My programs conform to this standard.

No attempt is made to accommodate the old-style Julian Calendar.  Other than the missing days, however, the only difference in the Gregorian Calendar is that years evenly divisible by 100, but not evenly divisible by 400, are not leap years (so far, those dates are 1800 and 1900).

In any case, all calculations are variable by location and nationality, as there was no worldwide standard until the 1920's or so.  In fact, several different calendars remain in use to this day, with discrepancies of up to eight years!