Q: Is there an online Help Index for the software?

A: Yes, you may view the complete software Help Index by clicking HERE .

Q: How do I restore my backup data file?

A: Place the backup data file directly into The Personal Wine Curator folder. The data file contains your authorization information, so you will not have to re-authorize.**

The following instructions assumes you have used the "Back Up PWC" button on the Home screen of PWC and saved your backup to an external drive. PWC cannot be running while you replace the backup data file.

1. Open the PWC_dataBackup folder and copy/drag the Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC file into "The Personal Wine Curator v2.0" folder (which is in your Program Files folder). You will be asked if you want to replace the existing file -- say "yes."

To open your Program Files folder: click the “Start” button, then “My Computer” then “Local Disk (C:) then Program Files”, [START-->MY COMPUTER-->LOCAL DISK (C:)-->PROGRAM FILES]

For an online tutorial with pictures for PC users, go to: http://thewinecurators.com/dataBackupTutor.html


For an online tutorial with pictures for Mac users, go to: http://thewinecurators.com/replaceBackupMac.html

IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Mac users, use the same technique -- but the PWC folder is inside your Applications folder.

**If you do not see the file named Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC  after you make your backup, make sure you are viewing all your files (none hidden) -- go to your Windows Control Panel and make sure you are set to "show hidden files" --

To show your hidden files and folders if you're on Windows XP: Start button (lower left of your screen) --> Control Panel --> Appearance and Themes --> Folder Options --> View tab --> check "Show hidden files and folders"... then click "Apply" at the bottom of that window, then "OK.'

To show your hidden files and folders if you're on Windows Vista: Start button (lower left of your screen) --> Control Panel --> Folder Options --> View tab --> check "Show hidden files and folders"... then click "Apply" at the bottom of that window, then "OK.'.

Q: How do I keep PWC on two computers? How do I transfer the data?

A: Install PWC clean onto your other computer then just swap out the data file. The data file contains your authorization information, so you will not have to re-authorize the second computer.**

1. On your first computer, launch the software and go to the Home screen and click "Back Up PWC" -- select a flash drive or other removable disk. PWC will create a folder called "PWC_dataBackup" and inside that folder will be your data file, named "Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC"

2. Go to http://www.personalwinecurator.com and download the free demo. Install it to your second computer as a NEW USER (clean install)

3. Now take that flash drive with the back data file and open it on your second computer. Open the PWC_dataBackup folder and copy the Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC file into "The Personal Wine Curator v2.0" folder (which is in your Program Files folder). You will be asked if you want to replace the existing file -- say "yes."

To open your Program Files folder: click the “Start” button, then “My Computer” then “Local Disk (C:) then Program Files”, [START-->MY COMPUTER-->LOCAL DISK (C:)-->PROGRAM FILES]

For an online tutorial with pictures, go to: http://thewinecurators.com/dataBackupTutor.html

When you want to update the other computer, copy/replace the old data file with the new data file.

IMPORTANT NOTES**

**ALWAYS MAKE A BACK UP OF THE DATA YOU ARE GOING TO REPLACE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY REPLACE IT -- just in case you're replacing the wrong file.

**Mac users, use the same technique -- but the PWC folder is inside your Applications folder.

**If you do not see the file named Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC  after you make your backup, make sure you are viewing all your files (none hidden) -- go to your Windows Control Panel and make sure you are set to "show hidden files" --

To show your hidden files and folders if you're on Windows XP: Start button (lower left of your screen) --> Control Panel --> Appearance and Themes --> Folder Options --> View tab --> check "Show hidden files and folders"... then click "Apply" at the bottom of that window, then "OK.'

To show your hidden files and folders if you're on Windows Vista: Start button (lower left of your screen) --> Control Panel --> Folder Options --> View tab --> check "Show hidden files and folders"... then click "Apply" at the bottom of that window, then "OK.'.

Q: I just got a Mac -- how do I transfer the data from my PC?

A: If you haven't already, launch PWC on the old Windows machine and, from the Home screen, click "Back up PWC" and choose your Desktop as the location where you want to save your backup. Now go ahead and put that backup folder onto a removable drive or disk. PWC will create a folder called "PWC_dataBackup" and inside that folder will be your data file, named "Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC"

2. Now, on the new Mac machine, just download and install the free Mac demo from http://www.personalwinecurator.com. You want to install as a NEW USER (clean install). Don't worry about authorizing the software right now.

3. If PWC is running, quit the program.

4. Now take that flash drive and open it on your Mac computer. Open the PWC_dataBackup folder and drag/copy the Personal_Wine_Curator.PWC file into "The Personal Wine Curator v2.0" folder (which is in your Applications folder). When you're asked if you want to replace the existing file, say yes.

That will do it.

Again, be absolutely sure you have a back up of your data file before you do anything!

Q: How do I upgrade from version 1 to version 2?

A: Click the "Buy" button on the top of this page, then select "Upgrade to PWC v2.0." You must be running PWC v1.2.5 to upgrade.

Q: Where do I find my registration number?

A: Your registration number is printed on a samll white label that is affixed to the CD tray inside the packaging (for CD purchases) or in your sales invoice email (for downlaods). Use this number to register your copy of PWC and to receive an authorization number. If you bought PWC online, you were registered automatically and your registration number was sent to you in an email.

Q: How do I get my authorization key?

A: Once you have registered your copy of PWC, you will receive a confirmation email that includes your authorization key. You must type in your name and password, along with the authorization key, exactly as they are written in the confirmation email in order to authorize your copy of the software. If you bought PWC online your authorization key and registration numer are sent in the same email.

Q: Why is there no aging potential suggestion for my wine?

A: You can use the "Get Maturity Dates" button on the entry form to have PWC automatically calculate optimal drinking dates for most wines. These are the dates that indicate the "window" in which your wine will typically be drinking at its best. In order for PWC to calculate maturity dates, certain information must be filled in on the Wine Tab entry form. Be sure you have filled in a Distinction, the Vintage, and the Sub-region/Region/Country for your wine. If you are still getting no result, information for that specific wine from that specific region in that year may be unavailable. You can always fill in the date fields with your own dates.

Maturity dates are available for almost any wine from the world's important growing regions dating back to the 1970's, and for the best wines from the most important regions in classic vintages dating back as far as 1912.

PWC calculates maturity dates based on the wine Distinction, the Vintage, and the Sub-region/Region/Country. Vintage information is available for most wines typically associated with a region. For example, you will always get a maturity suggestion for Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir, but you won't find a suggestion for Willamette Valley Cabernet Sauvignon because they're not known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and vintage information is hard to come by for Willamette Valley Cab. There ARE general vintage ratings available for all of Oregon, but that's too general for our purposes, so you won't find those sweeping general vintage/maturity suggestions in PWC.

Q: I imported my wine list from an old excel spreadsheet and wasn't happy with how I organized the list for importing. I'd like to start over by deleting all the wines in PWC and importing again. How can I delete all the wines in my PWC database?

A: Go to the "Home" screen. Hold down your "Control/Ctrl" key and click the "Home" button at the top of the screen. You'll be taken to a new screen. Just click the "Delete all records" button. To exit this screen just click the "Home" button again. NOTE** YOU CANNOT UNDO THIS ACTION.

Q: How do I determine my wines' "drink by" and "drink after" dates?

A:On the Wine edit layout you'll see "Get maturity dates:" -- just click the "Go" button and PWC does the rest.

Be sure you've entered a "Distinction," vintage and region/subregion/country first!

Also, remember that just because a wine's potential is 35 years doesn't mean you have to wait that long to drink it!!

Q: How do I see a summary of all the information for a particular wine?

A: Click on any wine in any list (Cellar, Tasted, Wish List, Out of Stock, Gen Label Info, Ratings, On Order) to go directly to the Wine Summary page. This form offers a complete summary of ALL the information you have entered about a wine on an easy to read page that you can also print.

Q: Why can't I change any information in List layouts or Wine Summary?

A: PWC operates on the principle that you will be viewing your wines in many different ways, but editing them in only one way. You MUST click an "edit" button in order to change information about a wine. This way you will not accidentally change any information.

Q: What if I don't see the entry field I want...where do I put that information?

A: Most information you will want to enter has its own entry field. If you don't see what you are looking for, use the general Notes field.

Q: Why don't my Lists print the same way they look on the screen?

A: Printed pages have been formatted to fit neatly on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper and are free of graphics. All information on these pages is exactly the same as what you are viewing on the screen.

Q: Why can't I see all my wines?

A: If you are viewing wines in any of the Lists and only see a partial list of thoses wines, you are viewing a sub-set (e.g., a search result for a particular vintage). Click "All" on the Alphabet Tab to restore the list to your entire collection.

Q: Why do some of my wines have no maturity status?

A: To generate a maturity status for a wine, you must enter both a "drink after" and a "drink by" date in the Wine Tab entry form. Click "edit" from the Cellar List, then enter the dates, and a maturity status will appear from then on. If you want PWC to get maturity dates for a wine, you must enter a distinction and a sub-region, region or country. Not all wines will generate a suggestion for aging.

Q: Why aren't there any food pairing suggestions for a particular wine?

A: You must enter a "distinction" in the Wine Tab entry form to generate food pairing suggestions. Click "edit" from the Cellar List, then enter a distinction, and food pairings will appear from then on.

Q: Can you explain the "Distinction" field? Is it different from "varietal"?

A: "Distinction" is unique to PWC and is the field that allows us to provide you with over 1,200 food pairing combinations. "Distinction" is the element(s) that the Wine Curators considers the most influential in identifying the flavor (and body) of a wine for food pairing, and encompasses varietal, variety, appellation, blend, quality classification, body type or wine type.

"Varietal" is a wine that uses the name of the dominant grape from which it's made (e.g. cabernet sauvignon) in its name.

"Variety" refers to a single type of grape.

If your wine is varietally labeled, we suggest you include that in the "Wine Name" field.

For the grape varieties, of course, just click the "Grapes" tab.

Q: How do I back-up PWC ?

A: PWC creates a back-up automatically each time you close the program. You can also go to the Home screen and click "Back up PWC." Inside your Personal Wine Curator folder you'll see a folder named "Backups." If your file ever becomes damaged you can replace the damaged file with the file inside the backups folder.

If you want to back-up PWC to an external source (another hard drive, CD, etc.), the easiest the thing to do is to copy the ENTIRE PWC folder onto some removable media.

Go to the PERSONAL WINE CURATOR folder in your program files, left click on the folder (to highlight it -- don't open it), then in the program files window on the left you'll see some dialogue boxes, one of which says "file and folder tasks." Choose "copy this folder" and point to the CD, then click "copy." That's it. Once it's there and you do it again later on (in a week or whenever), you would be asked if you want to replace the existing copy. Click yes/okay.

[If you're on a mac, go to the PERSONAL WINE CURATOR folder in your applications folder. Drag that entire PWC FOLDER to an external hard drive or other removable media (like a zip disk, or memory stick, ipod, whatever)]

For complete instructions and helpful pictures on how to do this CLICK HERE.

Q: How can I add PWC to my Windows list of "All Programs"?

A: There are two ways to do this. One way will put PWC directly into the "Start" window (Method One) and the other way will put PWC into the "All Programs" menu (Method Two).
Method One
1. Click the Windows "Start" button (lower left on your screen)...
2. Go to my computer > local disk (c) > program files > personal wine curator > the personal wine curator.EXE (red PWC icon).
3. Right-click on "the personal wine curator.exe"
4. Select "pin to start menu" For helpful pictures CLICK HERE

Method Two
1.Right-click the Windows "Start" button (lower left on your screen)...
2. Select "open all users." In that window you should see a folder called "Programs." Good. Leave that window open.
3. Now make a shortcut of the file "the personal wine curator.EXE" (red PWC icon)...
4. Drag that shortcut into the "Programs" folder.
5.Now go ahead and close all those windows.
6. When you click your "Start" button/menu again you should now see the PWC shortcut in your "All Programs" menu/list.

Q: Why is my printer only printing one page/wine of my report/list?

A:Windows users: In your print setup window you will see a drop down menu that reads "Print:" -- make sure this is set to "records being browsed" (not "current record"). For helpful pictures CLICK HERE.
Mac users: In your print setup window, below "Preset" you will see a drop down menu that reads "Copies & Pages." Click this menu, scroll down to "The Personal Wine Curator" and select it. You will see an option that reads "Print:" -- make sure this is set to "records being browsed" (not "current record"). For helpful pictures CLICK HERE.

Q:: How do I search my PC to see where I have put the original copy of PWC?

A: PWC is automatically installed in your Program Files (Mac users in your Applications folder), inside the folder named The Personal Wine Curator v2.0. CLICK HERE.

Q: How do I find the "Target File" of my PWC shortcut?

A: CLICK HERE.

Q:How do I run the updater? I can't seem to open it...

A: The updater files are compressed to make them smaller, and in turn easier and faster to download. Before you can use these files they have to be "expanded" or "extracted." If you're not familiar with this, CLICK HERE to learn more.

Q:What is this wine that already is in the database?

A: This is a sample wine. It's there so you can see an example of how to enter information about your own wines. You may delete this wine whenever you like.

Q: How do I get back to the main screen, where it asks me what I want to do?

A: Click the "Home" button in the menu bar at the top of the PWC screen.

Q: What about "Warnings?" What's that menu item

A: Sometimes important information will be displayed for you in the form of a "warning" message. You may disable some of these warnings. If you decided later that you want to get these reminders again, you can just re-set them by going to the "Warnings" menu and clicking "Restore All Warnings."

Q: Why does my "total cost" say "0"?

A:Total "cost" does not mean total "value." If you have zero wines in your cellar the cost will be zero.

Q: Can I cut and paste?

A:Yes. You may also enable "drag and drop" in the application preferences. Instead of "cutting" you simply highlight the text you want to copy, then drag it into the PWC field you want it in. (Click and hold your mouse button while dragging.)

Q: Is it possible to display additional fields on the Cellar screen?

A:No. You may not actually change the fields on the Cellar layout. HOWEVER, you may view and/or print a "printer friendly" version of your main cellar list, exactly as you have it sorted, etc. In the printer friendly version you will see most relevant fields, including bottle size, location, quantity, varietal, etc. To print the "printer friendly" version of your Cellar, go to the upper right hand corner of the Cellar layout and click "Print."

Using the Printer Friendly List is an excellent ALTERNATIVE to creating a report. When we catalogue/organize custom cellars, we present the client with a folder of all generated reports including the COMPLETE CELLAR LIST USING THE "PRINTER FRIENDLY LIST."

So, if you want a hard-copy quick reference (say to keep in/by your cellar) that will list all your wines, tell you where they're located and what their maturity is, etc., use the Printer Friendly List.

If you want to have an overview of your collection -- that is, if you want to see exactly how your collection breaks down in various ways -- use the reports.

Q: Is it possible to display additional fields on the Reports?

A:You can't alter information that appears on reports. Reports aren't really intended to show you ALL the information about EVERY wine. Rather they can/may be used as visual tools to see the shape of your collection.

Q: Is it possible to change the secondary sort orders? Like first sort by producer, then by distinction?

A:Yes. On the Home screen click "Settings." You'll see a category called "Sort Order." You can select your first, second and third sort criteria. These become your defaults.

If you want to sort your cellar list "on the fly" you can just click the column headings (e.g. click "Varietal" to sort by varietal).

Here are other things that affect sorting that you might want to consider:

You could enter "Cabernet Sauvignon" (for example) in the "Wine Name" field when you first create the record, and it will be the secondary sort field when sorting by Producer. As you can see, Wine Name appears along with Producer in the Main Cellar List.

OR

If what you are trying to do is discover "do I have a Justin Cabernet?", perform a search for Justin and Cab. This is very quick and refined. Then sort the search result by "Distinction."

OR

You could click on the "J" alphabet tab. Then sort the list by "Distinction." (All your cabernets will be grouped together, regardless of their producer.)

Q: Do I need to use the "Wine Name" field?

A:We suggest you ALWAYS enter a wine name, even if it's the same as your "Distinction." For example --

producer: Brewer Clifton
wine name: Chardonnay
distinction: Chardonnay

etc.

For reserves, in order to be consistent alphabetically, try this --

producer: Brewer Clifton
wine name: Chardonnay, Reserve
distinction: Chardonnay

The main thing is: be consistent with how you enter information. If you choose to include a vineyard designation in the "Wine Name," along with the variety, then ALWAYS do so. And ALWAYS enter it the same way. For example, use "Chardonnay, Marcella's Vineyard". In this way all your chardonnays will appear together.

Decide upon your own entry guidelines, then stick to 'em, and your inventory will be very breezy.

Q: What kind of label printer should I buy? Where do I buy it?

A:We recommend Dymo label printer 330 or 400. You can buy it online at http://labelcity.com/

Q: How do I change my screen/monitor resolution?

A:Windows users: right-click on your desktop, choose "properties," then go to the "settings" tab. Near the bottom of that window is the screen resolution slider. Slide the little marker until the resolution reads 1024x768.
Mac users: go to your system preferences, click on "displays" and set your monitor to 1024x768.

Q:Why aren't my labels printing correctly?

A: Make sure you are using the correct size labels. Make sure your page setup (print setup) is configured correctly for those labels. All this information is listed for you on the "ID Labels" page of PWC. (The dialogue boxes/prompts also specify this info -- make sure you read them!)

Q:Can I use a sheet of labels instead of a label printer?

A: You cannot print labels from/on a sheet of labels directly from PWC. There is an alternative, however. You can export your records to a tab-delimited text file, then format and print any way you like. CLICK HERE to learn more.

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