Frozen Fish 1: Amiga/FrozenFish-Apr94.iso/bbs/alib/d9xx/d929/megad.lha/MegaD/docsArc/Rambling_On.lha/Rambling_On

Text File | 1993-07-10 | 17KB | 327 lines

           The Concept of MegaD and it's design.

MegaD started from wanting something to label disk with,
something quick and easy, that I would not have to type a single
line in if I did not want to.  I wanted it to have the ability
to display as many volumes at one time as I wanted to,  thus the
multiple window format.  At the time I was using DiskMaster(tm)
as my directory utility.  I had one very large complaint.  My
system only had two floppy drives, no hard drive and waiting for
a directory to be loaded that had been loaded once before was a
waist of my time. Thus, buffered or cache reads of the directory
were a must in my program.  After the multiple, cache
directories were working, I was saving my work to disk with
DiskMaster(tm) and the thought hit me.  Why not just add a few
directory utility type commands to this and I would solve my
complaints of reading a disk directory more than once.  Almost a
year latter MegaD still would not print labels but it was doing
a nice job working with files.

Finally after a couple of years writing and learning. (Yes I'm
just a novice programer.)  MegaD 1.00 was released, then MegaD
1.01.  MegaD 1.10 was then created from suggestions and comments
from the registered users.  It had some more good ideas
implemented such as a print spooler.  This version, MegaD 1.10,
was never released to shareware.  Registered users received it
but I did not feel like giving my work away anymore.  This
version, MegaD 2.00, was release as Try-ware.  If it is
unregistered it will not save or read it's internal preferences.
I received many complaints about the crippling of MegaD 2.0 and
with 3.0 I decided that this would be toned down to limiting the
user a buffer limit of five volumes.

MegaD 2.00 was a complete rewrite of the original program.  I
learned though the years, as we all do, and when I went back
into the code of MegaD to make it Workbench 2.0 compatible I
found that for it to do what I wanted it to do in the future it
would require major code changes. This recoding took more than a
full year.  The added feature to MegaD 3.0 are Gadget Sets, full
ARexx support, Hot Keys and extensive use of the AmigaGuide
library.

Due to it's history, MegaD is very unique in it's design and
structure.  It does not go along with the general rules of other
directory utilities.  The very first and most obvious is the
multiple window format. One of the advantages of this is MegaD
will coexist easily on the Workbench.  It allows windows to be
place or moved out of the way to reach icons.  Under 2.0 this
makes the main control window usable as an Application Window.
It gives you the ability to work in more than two directories.
With this multiple window concept, the limit of just deleting
files from one directory was removed.  This is a word of
warning. MEGAD WILL DELETE ALL MARKED FILES IN ALL OPEN WINDOWS!
It will warn you if doing so unless you tell it not to with the
'Warn before delete' flag found in the Set defaults.
There are some disadvantages to this.  Multiple windows tend to
become very confusing if your not use to them.  Thus the two
window mode was added.  This tends to work like the average
directory utility.  Two windows, left and right, Device gadgets
up the center and command gadget across the bottom.  Even in
this mode extra windows can be forced out by use of the 'Lock'
gadget at the top.  If both window are locked and a new
directory is requested, a free floating window will be opened to
give it a home.

The below answers to the questions, assume some familiarity with
the program, MegaD.  If you are new to MegaD, I suggest that you
read the MegaD.Tutorial for step by step instructions.  There is
also the MegaD.Doc file that explains each function without the
step by step approach that tutorial file provides.

NOTE:  Most of the below questions were asked by users or beta
testers.

Why can't I copy within the same volume?
MegaD comes default with a menu set in the Windows menu 'Use
     limits'.  The limits are found just above this item in the
     same menu.  They default to 2 volumes per screen and one 1
     window per volume.  This tells MegaD that you can only have
     1 window open for the volume, this makes it difficult to
     work within the volume in more than one directory.  There
     are a number of ways to change this or override the 'Use
     limits'.

     'Lock' override. (my favorite)     Move within the volume
          until one of the directories you want to work from is
          being displayed in the directory window.  Select the
          'Lock' gadget of that window.  On the first request
          for a new directory list, a new window will open to
          work within.  Continue moving within the volume to
          reach the second directory you wish to work in.
          Should you need more that just two windows you may
          continue repeating the steps 'Lock'ing windows you
          want to keep on the screen as you go.

     User 'Dest'ination override.  This requires that at least
          two Directory Windows are open to the screen.  First
          move to one of the directories you want to work from.
          Then select the 'Dest'ination gadget of the other
          volume window that you do not need on the screen.  Now
          within the directory window you want to work out of
          select a sub-directory or parent directory of the
          volume.  The user defined 'Dest'ination gadget will
          force the directory to be loaded into the other
          window.  Now you may move within the other window to
          locate the directory you want to work in.  Remember
          that the window is a destination window and you may
          need to change the destination gadget to do what you
          want once both directory window are on the screen that
          you want to work from.

     Change limits or uncheck the 'Use limits' menu.   The
          varieties are endless here and make it difficult to
          describe all the ways that you may move to your needed
          window.  Sometimes it will be a simple move to a
          directory to get the windows you want, some times you
          may need to move though 20 directories to get to where
          you want.

     Two simple rules to follow for all of the above.

     One, once you've found a directory you want to work out of,
          'Lock' it.  This way you may continue looking though
          directories and MegaD will not close that window.

     Two, Should you come across the directory that you want to
          be the destination directory of the task you going to
          perform, select both the 'Dest'ination and the 'Lock'
          gadget of that window (follow rule One.)  This forces
          destination, yet prevents MegaD from trying to place
          any other directory list in that window.


     Can MegaD replace the Workbench?
          There are some specialty that Workbench handles and
          MegaD does not such as changing or reading .info
          files.   You can execute almost any .info file that is
          a TOOL (Executable) or a PROJECT (Data) .info file.
          By double clicking any of these .info file (Activate
          Auto Boot must be checked in you Option Menu.)  You
          will be given the option to Auto Boot that file. This
          works much the same way as actually double clicking
          the Icon of the file if you were working from the
          Workbench.  Should you double click a directory .info
          file then MegaD will load that directory as if you
          double clicked the directory entry itself.

How can I keep the .info files with my copied files?
     The Keep .info with file option in the Option menu does
     what it says.  If this option is checked you will be
     telling MegaD to do just that.  If you are using the Hide
     .info option and the info files are omitted from the list,
     the .info files will still be worked on. When commands are
     called to work on the actual file such as Copy, Move,
     Delete, Rename.  If you call Copy on a selected file and
     the file has a hidden .info file. It will be copied along
     with the file.  If you delete a file. Its corresponding
     file will be deleted.  If the Hide .info option is not in
     use you will be able to override this option by deselecting
     the .info file once it is automatically selected.
     NOTE: the Keep extension option only select and unselects
     the extension files.  If they are hidden in the list they
     will not be worked on like the .info files are.

Can MegaD replace the CLI or SHELL?
     Not as well as it replaces the Workbench, but you can
     execute CLI type programs from within MegaD by a simple
     double click.  In fact any executable file can be started
     by a double click.  What happens, is a window will open
     with a string gadget to enter what you would like to attach
     to the line that will execute the double clicked file.  (Do
     not use the Multitasking Workbench (No IO!) option if doing
     this!)  An example of this would be to go to your C:
     directory.  Double click the date program.  A Program
     Control window will open.  Set the execute type to
     Multitasking Execute W/Hold.  If your not using Workbench
     2.0 you will have to set the Workbench screen to front at
     start and the MegaD screen to front at end checks.  Hit the
     Use gadget.  A CON: window will open for the command to run
     in.  The date will be displayed and being you used the Hold
     option the window will wait for a return.  Hit return and
     the CON: window will close.

     Should the C command needs some type of argument it can be
     added in the Flags to add after Program Name.  To create an
     example of this double click the Avail program in your C:
     directory.  The Program Control requester will open.  Once
     again set the execute type to Multitasking Execute W/Hold.
     This time in the Flags to add after Program Name string
     gadget type FAST.  Hit the Use gadget.  A CON: window will
     open and should everything go right you will see a number
     printed on the first line.  Press return to close this
     window.

     This set of events can be use on any executable file that
     is used on a command line.  It is actually easier to do
     this type of work from a CLI or SHELL but It can be done
     within MegaD.

How do I add flags before or after the command line?
     MegaD Program Controls can call programs that need Flags
     before the data file name or after the data file name or
     both.  This means you may do some pretty handy things from
     a double clicked AutoBoot, User Gadget, or Menu Set.  You
     can train it to archives, compile programs,  and other task
     by a quick call.  One of the best uses I have found for it
     is Unpacking .lzh files.  LhArc, LHA, and LZ are a few
     archivers that allow you to define the destination
     directory for the unpacked files.  This is a quick session
     of setting an Auto Boot Definition to do this.

     1.   Select a few .lzh files in a directory window.
     2.   Select LhArc from the directory that you keep it.
     3.   Select Add To Auto Boot in the Project menu.
     4.   Once the request window opens for you to enter the
     information required for the Auto Boot Definition enter e
     in the Flags to add after program Name string gadget then
     enter RAM: in the Text to append to end of Command Line
     string gadget.  Set the Execute Type gadget to
     Multitasking Execute and select Use. You can now double
     click any .lzh file and it will be unpacked to the RAM:
     disk.

How does MegaD handle multiple AutoBoots that recognize the same
     data files?
     A good example of this would be your wide variety of
     graphic file handlers.  Such as Mostra (graphic viewer) and
     DPaint (paint program).  If AutoBoots are set for both of
     these programs that recognize the same type of data file
     and  you double click this type of data file.  A requestor
     will open with Mostra and DPaint in different gadgets.  You
     will be able to select the program you want to manipulate
     this double clicked file for this time.

How can I get MegaD to load certain directories at startup?
     MegaD has an option that will force the load of any
     directories that you want, up to nine of them.  It is done
     by the adding an -L behind the string entered into the
     device definition gadgets in the Set Defaults window.  If
     you have drive df0: and drive df1: simply add -L to the end
     of the string i.e. DF1: = DF1:-L, and it will load those
     volumes at startup.  You may also want to have a defined
     destination directory or Lock the loaded directory to the
     screen once it is loaded.  To do this add 'D' for 'Dest'
     and/or another L for 'Lock' to the flags.  So DF1:-L would
     now be DF1:-LD for Load and 'Dest' or DF1:-LLD for Load,
     'Lock' and 'Dest'.

How can I get MegaD to display the total bytes for all selected
     files not just Source files?

     By selecting the area of the main window MegaD will ether
     display all files and bytes selected or it will display
     source files and bytes that will be copied to the active
     directory.  If you are using the Two Window mode you can
     access this information from the Byte gadget.

How can I define where the request windows are opened on MegaD?
     In conjunction with the Save window positions flag in the
     Preferences, Set Defaults window, all windows except the
     directory windows and text windows remember where they were
     once they are closed.  If you dislike any of the location
     where the windows opens, simply move them where you would
     like them and then close them.  After doing this with all
     request window during a session remember to Save
     Preferences.  This will keep track of the location within
     the preference file MegaD2.pf.

Why can't I quit MegaD sometimes?
     You have started other programs with MegaD and they are
     still running.  What happens as MegaD start another
     program, it allocate memory from the system to keep track
     of it.  Much like Workbench does.  Should MegaD quit at
     this time you will lose valuable memory from your system.
     Including the memory that the called program is using.  If
     you need the memory that MegaD is using at the time your
     best bet is to Use the 'Free Volumes' Gadget.  This will
     return memory in use for loaded Volumes.  Then select the
     Iconify function.  This will close all MegaD windows and
     the MegaD screen if it has one.  This may give you back
     enough memory to do what you wanted to quit MegaD for.
     Otherwise you will have to quit all called program by MegaD
     and then Quit MegaD.

     The print spooler will warn you that you may cancel the
     current print job and if you answer yes the print will be
     canceled and MegaD will close down.

How can I get MegaD to come up Iconified?
     This is done by checking the flag Iconify at start in the
     Preferences, Set defaults window.  Now when you start MegaD
     it will be in Iconify mode.  This is very useful when MegaD
     is added via the User-Startup file. If User-Startup is used
     start MegaD with this line.
          run >nil: <nil: MegaD >nil: <nil:
     Or you may place MegaD in the WBStartup drawer.  If you
     place MegaD in the WBStartup drawer you need to set the
     DONOTWAIT tool type in the MegaD.info file.
     Under Workbench 2.0 the icon for the iconified MegaD is an
     Application Icon.  This means that you may drag any
     Workbench Icon over the top of the MegaD Iconified Icon and
     drop it.  If it was a drawer icon it will load that
     directory into a directory window.  If it was a text file
     it will load it into a text window.  If it was a program
     that you have trained MegaD to handle as an AutoBoot it
     will call the AutoBoot for that program.  This makes for
     quick easy calls during the Iconified mode.

Can I tell MegaD to place its settings files in directories
     other than in its current directory?
     Yes.  This is done though the MegaD.info file.  By using
     the Workbench Information function you can set create a
     tool type of
          SETTINGS=<My_Data_Directory>
     <My_Data_Directory> can be any directory you want to have
     MegaD place the MegaD2.pf file and the MegaD.dic (if you
     are using one.)  A good example of this would be to set the
     tool type to        SETTINGS=S: This tells MegaD to use
     your system startup sequence drawer for any files it would
     create or use.  At this writing there are only two.
     MegaD2.pf and MDMaster.dic that MegaD creates.  There are
     only Two files that it reads. MegaD2.pf and the dictionary
     file that is set at default to MegaD.dic but may be changed
     to any name you wish from set defaults.