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lazybench
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lazybench2.0.doc
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Distribution
In a nutshell, LazyBench is a copyrighted product and all the
rights are reserved to Werther 'Mircko' Pirani (referred to as "the
Author") but it may be freely distributed as long as the following
restrictions are met:
The distributor may only charge a fee up to the cost of obtaining a
public domain disk from a PD Library.
The distributor agrees to cease distributing the program and any
data involved if requested to do so by the author.
The distributor may only distribute an unmodified copy of the
original program, with all supplied documentation and copyright
notices intact. Fore more details read the file "License.doc".
The original distribution includes:
LazyBench1.3.doc 9257 bytes (the document for OS 1.3)
LazyBench1.3.doc.info 745 bytes (its icon)
LazyBench1.3 15048 bytes (LazyBench for OS 1.3)
LazyBench1.3.info 454 bytes (its icon)
LazyBench2.0.doc 11965 bytes (this document)
Lazybench2.0.doc.info 745 bytes (its icon)
LazyBench2.0 19576 bytes (LazyBench for OS 2.xx)
LazyBench2.0.info 500 bytes (its icon)
License.doc 7811 bytes (legal stuff)
License.doc.info 745 bytes (its icon)
If one or more of the above are missing, then your distribution is
incomplete: please, discard it immediately and check it out with
your favorite BBS or get in touch with me for a complete and *REAL*
distribution. For more details read the chapter "Feedback".
Introduction
LazyBench is a little utility for lazy people with an hard disk
crammed full of goodies which are too difficult to reach because
they are buried away in drawers inside drawers inside drawers
inside drawers... I could go on and on but... I'm too lazy!
Laziness apart, LazyBench adds an item under the Workbench "Tools"
menu, installs itself as a commodity and quietly waits in the
background. From now on, when you need to launch an application you
can use its hot key combination (or select the item 'LazyBench'
from the "Tools" menu) to open a window and pick up an application
from a list of up to 100 of your favorite applications (tools or
projects) without having to reorganize the Workbench!
Such utilities are usually known as "hard disk menus" and while
LazyBench is by no means the only one or the best available, it's
tiny enough (just 19576 bytes) to fit even in the most crowded of
the hard disks. Furthermore, it's dead easy to configure even for
the laziest person in the world!
LazyBench and Kickstart 2.xx
This is the documentation about LazyBench for the Amiga OS 2.xx and
(hopefully) above. Read the file LazyBench1.3.doc and be sure to
install LazyBench1.3 if you are running OS 1.3.
Installing LazyBench
1) Drag the LazyBench icon in the WBStartup drawer. From the next
reboot LazyBench will be ready for you.
2) Click once on the LazyBench icon and select the item
'Information...' from the Workbench "Icons" menu (or use the Right
Amiga - I keyboard equivalent) to edit the Tool Types according to
your personal needs and tastes.
Like any other commodity, LazyBench recognizes the following Tool
Types:
CX_POPUP (default: CX_POPUP=NO)
Use CX_POPUP=YES if you want LazyBench to open its window when it
is first launched.
CX_POPKEY (default: CX_POPKEY=ralt help)
These are the keys to use as a hot key to make the LazyBench
window appear. By default the combination is Right Alt - Help.
Choose this one carefully to avoid any conflict with other
commodities and applications (this hot key is *always* active, no
matter which screen is the frontmost one). Please read the
chapter about commodities in your "Using The System Software"
manual.
CX_PRI (default: CX_PRI=0)
You can set the LazyBench priority by entering a number from -128
to 127 but I'd stick with 0 if I were you...
Furthermore, don't forget to specify the Tool Type 'DONOTWAIT' or
the Workbench won't be able to close the original shell.
Configuring LazyBench
Create a file called 'LazyMenu' in the s: directory. This is a
plain text file, so you can use the editor you feel more
comfortable with, from the humble Ed to a powerful word processor
with all the bell and whistles. LazyBench reads this file to know
about the applications (tools or projects) you would like to have
handy without messing the Workbench screen with lots of open
drawers and windows.
Each line in this text file is the full pathname for the
application (tool or project) you'll want to use and each line can
be up to 256 characters in length:
SYS:Utilities/Clock
SYS:Tools/Calculator
SYS:Work/WriteStuff/WordProcessors/ProWrite
SYS:Work/NComm/NComm
SYS:Work/Games/Amoeba Invaders
Please note the space within the last line. If a directory or an
application name contains spaces you *don't* have to use double
quotes, just type the full pathname as above. Of course in the
LazyBench ListView you'll see just the application names, not the
full pathnames, so in this case you'll see items named "Clock",
"Calculator", "ProWrite", "NComm" and "Amoeba Invaders". Don't
forget that you can have up to a maximum of 100 items to pick up
from the LazyBench ListView, so extra lines in the 'LazyMenu' file
will simply be ignored.
Please also note that you could also use a line of the type:
SYS:Work/WriteStuff/Documents/Letter
where "Letter" it's not an application (a tool) but a document (a
project) and choosing the item named "Letter" from the LazyBench
ListView would start the word processor used to write such a
document and load the file named "Letter". Since most word
processors, desktop publishers and paint programs save their
settings with the document, you can start an application and load
its preferences just by picking an item from the LazyBench
ListView. Neat, eh?
Activating LazyBench
Like any other commodity LazyBench sits in the background and waits
to be activated by:
1) A hot key combination. No matter which screen is the frontmost
one, the hot key combination causes the Workbench screen to come to
the foreground and the LazyBench window to open.
The default is the combination "Right Alt - Help" (press the right
Alt key, hold it down and press the Help key) but you are free to
pick up the one you prefer. Read the discussion about the CX_POPKEY
Tool Type in the chapter "Installing LazyBench" above.
2) Selecting the item 'LazyBench' from the Workbench "Tools" menu.
This is handy if the Workbench screen is already on the foreground.
3) Launching the 'Exchange' commodity and clicking on the gadget
labelled 'Show'. This one is pretty awkward, I know, but this for
your information only!
Using LazyBench
Every time you activate LazyBench you are presented with a window,
a ListView and a bunch of gadgets labelled 'About...', 'Start',
'Reload List', 'Hide' and 'Quit'. All these gadgets except
'About...' and 'Start' can be also selected from the 'LazyBench'
menu. If so the Right Amiga - key equivalent is given in the
discussion below.
The ListView
The ListView is much like a regular file requester but this time
the items displayed are the applications (tools or projects) you
can launch from LazyBench and not files within a directory. As
any other regular file requester you can click on the arrows and
drag or click the slider to scroll the items. The name of the
currently selected application and the number of applications
launched by LazyBench are displayed underneath the ListView.
The simplest and quickest way to launch and application is to
double click on a ListView item.
'About...' gadget
For your information only... and a bit for my ego too!
'Start' gadget
Another way to launch and application. Click once on the ListView
to select an item and click on the 'Start' gadget. Handy if you
have an old or a hyper responsive mouse...
'Reload List' gadget (Right Amiga - L)
If you add/remove applications to/from the 'LazyMenu' file you
don't have to quit LazyBench to update the ListView. Just click
on this gadget to close the window, reload the file and reopen
the window.
'Hide' gadget (Right Amiga - H)
To closes the window (same as clicking on the close gadget) and
to let LazyBench running in the background. Use the hot key
combination or select 'LazyBench' from the Workbench "Tools" menu
to reopen the window.
'Quit' gadget (Right Amiga - Q)
The only way to quit/kill LazyBench. Please note that you cannot
quit while applications launched by LazyBench are still running.
Same as clicking on the 'Exchange' commodity 'Kill' gadget.
Quick Troubleshooting Guide
Due to its simplicity, LazyBench doesn't really need a
troubleshooting guide. Anyway, if one or more items are present in
the 'LazyMenu' file but are missing from the LazyBench ListView,
you may have to check the 'LazyMenu' file in the s: directory for
one of the following:
1) You've made a typo or you have got the pathname for one or more
of the applications wrong;
2) The pathname is correct but the application it's neither a tool,
nor a project. A directory perhaps?!?
3) The pathname is right and the application is really a tool or a
project but has no icon. Since LazyBench is made to launch an
application without having to double-click on its icon, you're
definitely out of luck. How can you double-click on something with
no icon at all?!?
Furthermore, if LazyBench quits with the message "Cannot install
LazyBench as a commodity" either you've entered a hot key used by
another commodity or you've entered an illegal hot key. Please
check the CX_POPKEY Tool Type and refer to the chapter about
commodities in your "Using The System Software" manual.
Feedback
LazyBench is freely distributable and so I'm not asking for money.
Anyway, if you are using LazyBench I'd like very much to hear it
from you. Suggestions, bug reports, positive criticism and
contributions are welcomed at the following addresses:
internet: werther@karunko.nervous.com
fidonet: 2:335/602.12 (Mirko Pirani)
amiganet: 39:102/1.12 (Mirko Pirani)
If all else fails you can always reach me by snail mail (even a
simple postcard would be fine):
Werther 'Mircko' Pirani
Via Mario Torresi, 74
60128 Ancona
ITALY
Dedicated to
Mila, Yaya, Tina and Biba. You are always with me.
Steve B. from Bernardones. Look out for their "19 BON BUSTE" demo-
tape: punk'n'roll at its best!!!
February 28, 1993
Werther 'Mircko' Pirani