DepthMaster v1.0 - the competitive shareware alternative to Hand Off II, On Cue II and MultiMaster
DepthMaster installs code when your Macintosh starts up to watch which applications are launched and which application is currently active and sets the monitors bit depth and sound level as specified accordingly. It requires System 7.0 or later as well as a colour capable Macintosh (it’s useless on those that don’t allow colour).
You can set what monitor bit depth and sound volume you want an application to be launched in as well as maintain that particular setting across application switches for either individual applications or all applications. It will also restore the previous monitor bit setting and sound volume level on quitting an application that required a change, providing you do not switch applications in between for either individual applications or all applications. You can also set what monitor bit depth you wish your Macintosh to start up in.
DepthMaster also features a “hot menu” which can be popped up with a mouse button click holding down user defined “hot modifier keys”. This “hot menu” allows instant opening of the Control Panel, setting sound volume level on the fly without having to open the “Sound” Control Panel, access to the System 7.0 “appliction menu”, access to the System 7.0 “Apple Menu”, instant launching of all known applications and changing monitor bit depths on the fly with having to open the “Monitors” Control Panel. The “Apple Menu” access and “launch menu” access can be selectively disabled.
Use the three buttons in the Control Panel interface to configure DepthMaster. There is no Balloon Help, but operation is reasonably intuitive and once set correctly needs no modification unless applications are moved from directory to directory.
DepthMaster was based on an initial suggestion by Jonathan Shearman. The icon was designed by Ben Kremer.
DepthMaster was written with THINK Pascal 4.0.1 and MPW Assembler (about 92% Pascal and 8% Assembly) on a Macintosh LC running System 7.0 with Tune-Up Z-1.1.1 and 32-Bit Addressing mode.
Distribution
DepthMaster is released as shareware. You may use this Control Panel for a period of 14 days, after which you are obliged to pay Aus$20.00 to continue to use it. I have not included any time bombs as this is discouraging. If you compare this Control Panel to the other commercial products, I’m sure you will find it performs to near functionality. C’mon now, Aus$20.00 is not much to ask for this handy add-on is it? Send Aus$20.00 (or equivalent) to Victor TAN at 42 Waratah Ave, Randwick, NSW, 2031, AUSTRALIA. If you live in Australia, there’s absolutely no excuse for not sending your shareware fee and if you live overseas, that’s a poor excuse.
DepthMaster may be copied freely and distributed freely as long as it is not sold for a profit without the author’s express permission. If distributed it must be accompanied by this document and may not be modified in any way. BBSes are free to post this for downloading and CD-ROM manufacturers may place this on their discs.
Please send bug reports, conflicts and such by E-Mail to AAPDA BBS (running TeleFinder™) on +61 (02) 975-4238. Find the drop box of “Victor Tan” and mail me that report with Macintosh model, System version and System Extensions running (as well as other information you deem relevant). If you have MacsBug or similar installed then give those details (if you can understand it). I will work hard to maintain this software, but you must help me maintain it by sending your shareware fees. Thank you.
Also, if people have further ideas that you would like to see implemented, again don’t hesitate to send me E-Mail. I would be only too happy to hear ideas. “Just think, your name could be here!”.
Future ideas
Ideas not yet implemented as of v1.0 (that may be in future versions) are:
• System 6.0.5+ compatibility
• possible document attachment
Cheers,
Victor. (15-Aug-92)
Version History - for those interested
Unreleased versions of this software existed under the name “Depthlication™”. There were 5 beta versions which sat undistributed but tested for about one and a half months. Finally, it was decided that it should be distributed as shareware and its name was changed to the less tongue twisting “DepthMaster”. It has had some testing, but will it will ultimately be up to you, the user, to report problems to me.
1.0 (15-Aug-92) - initial release, a vastly improved “Depthlication™ 1.0ß5”.
