BBWindow is a simple utility which makes your screen black and launch an application you specified. It covers whole the screen area with black color, watches the launched application and attempts to keep the application in front-most.
BBWindow was made to satisfy a following demand of mine:
When I played Spaceship Warlock with my 16ﾓ monitor while seeing the scattered desktop and got sober, I was eager to have an environment without seeing the desktop and get concentrated in the game.
Now the Macromedia Director has been improved and has solved such kind of problems but I have been still releasing this program for those who utilize BBWindow apart from what I intended.
Here are some predicted usages:
1) A user lets his/her child play KidPix launched through BBWindow instead of Finder. In case the child click outside the KidPix window unexpectedly, BBWindow keeps KidPix in front-most and the user does not have to take care what the kid is doing.
2) When a programmer takes a screen shot of his/her program, it is easy to select a window or a dialog figure while letting BBWindow make background white.
There would be other virtues of BBWindow. Try playing and finding how you utilize BBWindow.
2. How to use it?
There may be a couple of procedures. Choose one of them according to your preferences.
Every usage has a common idea that you let BBWindow know your favorite application and call the application from the BBWindow.
2.1. Installing BBWindow
Locate BBWindow at any place you like. The desktop would be the best place.
2.2. Usage 1: Drag and drop
Drag and drop your application you want to use onto the BBWindow icon.
Then BBWindow will be launched and it will start count down. When the count reaches to zero, then BBWindow launch the designated application.
2.3. Usage 2: Double click
Launch BBWindow by double-clicking its icon.
Then you choose your target application using the following ways.
Select ﾒOpen Application...ﾓ item of the File menu. Then choose your target application in the file select dialog. After the count down, the application will be launched.
Otherwise, after the count down, you will see two buttons in the upper-left corner of the main screen. Click the right icon of [?] mark. Then the ﾒfile selectﾓ dialog will appear. You can choose your target application and it will be launched immediately.
2.4. Usage 3: Drag and drop directly into the BBWindow.
The version 1.2 newly features Macintosh Drag and Drop capability. It requires System 7.5 or greater.
Bring Finder using the BBWindow's Finder button, drag any file you like to launch and drop into the BBWindow.
2.5. Switching applications
The black background window is the substance of BBWindow. When you bring this window in front-most, you will see the two buttons in the upper-left corner. Using those buttons, you can switch back and forth the application.
From version 1.1, it features a function that always pushes the application in front-most and stay itself in behind to reduce the inconvenience when playing an arcade-game-type busy application and click outside the game screen and bring the BBWindow unexpectedly. Refer to "3.2.2." below.
2.5.1. Left button: Bring Finder
It brings the Finder. You can also do it using ﾒBring Finderﾓ item of the File menu.
2.5.2. Right button: Bring the application once you launched
You can bring the application once you launched using this button. Once the application was launched, it was temporarily registered in BBWindow and its icon appeared in the right button. Then you can bring it any times using the right button. The registration will be cleared once you quit BBWindow.
2.6. Bring the background window (BBWindow) manually
Choose ﾒBring BBWindowﾓ item of the BBWindow menu. Then BBWindow immediately appears at any time.
2.7. Hide the background window (BBWindow) manually
Choose ﾒHide BBWindowﾓ item of the BBWindow menu. Then BBWindow immediately disappears. Then the count down will start and the after that BBWindow will appear again.
3. Are there any options?
The very basic functions are all above. BBWindow has, however, several options. Please use them as your preferences.
3.1. Change color of the background window (BBWindow)
Select ﾒSet Window Color...ﾓ of BBWindow menu. Then the color customizing dialog will appear.
In this dialog, click BBWindow icon. If you keep on pressing the mouse, then the color table window will appear.
While pressing your mouse, choose any color you like and then release the mouse button. Content color of the BBWindow Icon then changes to your choice.
Hit OK button if you confirm itﾕs the color you want. Then whole the BBWindow color will change.
Hit cancel button when you dislike it.
3.2. Change setting of count down
Select ﾒSet Countdown...ﾓ of BBWindow menu.
3.2.1. Change countdown
Using Up/Down button, set count value from 0 to 5 seconds.
3.2.2. Stop count down
Set ﾒDo Count Downﾓ check box off. Then, BBWindow doesnﾕt do count down and background window (BBWindow) wonﾕt appear automatically.
3.3. Change setting of application launching
Select ﾒSet Auto Launch...ﾓ of BBWindow menu.
3.3.1. Make BBWindow memorize the launched application
Check the ﾒRemember the applicationﾓ box. BBWindow will store the application info. and launch it when BBWindow will be double-clicked in next time.
3.3.2. Make BBWindow in behind at any time
Check the ﾒAttempt to say in behindﾓ box.
When BBWindow is brought in front, it recalls the launched application until it quits.
To cancel this feature temporarily, click BBWindow while pressing option key.
4. On what Macintosh does it work?
BBWindow requires the following environments:
･ A Macintosh which employs 68020 or greater, or a PowerMacintosh.
･ System 7.0 or later.
･ 32 bit Color QuickDraw.
From the version 1.2, BBWindow become a Fat Application. It runs with native code on Power Macintosh.
BBWindow may not work on Macintosh Plus, Classic or PowerBook 100 since they donﾕt have 32 bit Color Quickdraw.
When you drag and drop files on the BBWindow, you need System 7.5 or greater. Otherwise, install Macintosh Drag and Drop system extension on the System 7.1.1.
5. How much should I pay for it?
BBWindow is a freeware program. You can use it without any charge.
You can also copy it and deliver it without permission of the author as far as you use it for your personal purposes.
Note that the author reserves all copyrights of the BBWindow. Under the copyright lows, the author prohibits the following manners.
･ To use the BBWindow for commercial purposes such as selling and lending without the authorﾔs permission.
･ To modify or revise the BBWindow without the authorﾔs permission.
The authorﾕs request:
If you distribute the BBWindow through a commercial network, please inform the author either beforehand or afterwards.
If you wish to include the BBWindow into a CD-ROM disc for selling, please contact the author beforehand. The author will basically agree with your request.
If you wish to include the BBWindow in your software package as a help utility, the author will agree with you as far as you are responsible to any kinds of problem from the market.
Attach always this document when you distribute the BBWindow.
The author does not require any compensations when you use the BBWindow. Any of returning thanks, however, will be appreciated. E-Mails, post cards or any tiny gifts will greatly encourage the author.
6. Where should I send requests or bug reports?
Please send your messages to the following address via E-Mail or traditional mail.
E-Mail Address:
Internet: rokkaku@roland.co.jp
NiftyServe: PXL01437@niftyserve.or.jp
Posting Address:
Fumio Rokkaku
1158-3-106, Hatsuoi-cho
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
JAPAN Postal Code 433
7. Known Problems
Q: When closing Count Down setting dialog or Window Color dialog, other dialogs go behind the BBWindow. Why?
A: I donﾕt know the reason. I donﾕt intend to program that changes priority of the windows but, in fact, the result is as you see. Please let me know if you have any suggestions that may solve this problem.
8. Other Comments
Development Language: Metrowerks CodeWarrior 8
Development Environment: Macintosh IIvx with System 7.5.1 and Japanese Language Kit
9. Revision History
Version 1.2.3: May 5 1996
Fixed a problem that buttons are not shown properly under multi-screen environment.
Optimized code a bit.
Version 1.2.2: August 11 1995
Fixed a bug that consume memory unnecessarily when launching an application.
Version 1.2.1: July 23 1995
Fixed a bug that forgets the location of the color setting dialog.
Version 1.2: July 22 1995
Applied PowerMacintosh (FAT)
Applied Macintosh Drag and Drop.
Memorized an alias of the launched application.
Version 1.1.1: October 15 1994
Fixed bug that does not launch a memorized application when the
settings are: do not count down and memorize launched application.
Version 1.1: October 9 1994
Added a function that memorize launched application.
Added a function to force the application in front and make BBWindow in behind.
Version 1.0.1: September 20 1994
Applied to multi-screen environment.
Memorized Dialog positions.
Version 1.0: September 15 1994
The first release
10. Special thanks
I would like to express my thanking to the following persons. They greatly helped me when developing the BBWindow.
