Amiga Collections: Bavarian/Bavarian #145 (19xx)(APS Electronic).zip/Bavarian #145 (19xx)(APS Electronic).adf/Sleepy_V2/sleepy.doc

Text File | 1988-08-07 | 17KB | 353 lines

Sleepy by Mark Smiddy and the Designer Mouseware team

Sleepy may be freely distributed by Amiga Users in this form only
provided all these files remain intact! It is supplied "as is"
without any warranty implied or otherwise. Designer Mouseware (tm)
offer licence to all PD libraries to distribute Sleepy on condition
they DO NOT SELL THE DISKS AT A PROFIT. If you feel you have been
overcharged for this product please let us know and complain to
the library concerned. We think that £1.50 is quite enough to cover
disk and duplication charges for this product at the time of writing.
PD Libraries TAKE NOTE this agreement may be enforced in law.
If you disagree you can contact us in writing at the address below
stating your reasons - and they had better be good!
BBS users may distribute the system under the same conditions.
No charge may be made for Sleepy unless such payment is directed to
the charity - we shall require written evidence of this.

To the rest of the world, this does not affect your statutory rights.

About Sleepy - extracted from the original press release

********************************************************************
In the beginning there was Public Domain, then came Shareware - now
Charityware arrives on the Amiga. In a new effort to raise funds for
charity, UK based development team Designer Mouseware are releasing
their Amiga snooze pointer editor "Sleepy 3" for the princely sum of
£2.50 - and all monies go directly to The Spastics Society.
    Sleepy 3 allows Amiga users to redesign Workbench's Snooze
bubble. The new pointer - almost three times the height of the
original - has its own set of colours and can be animated with up to
20 images. It is fully compatible with Devpac 2, Scribble 2, Analyse
2, Organise 2 and Deluxe Paint. Although the system is supplied with
a versatile editor, the IFF compatible image files can be created in
many Amiga art packages.
********************************************************************

                          What is Sleepy?

Sleepy is a complete system for creating customised ANIMATED
Workbench sprites to replace the existing Snooze cloud. It has been
designed to operate on most Amigas with 1.2 or 1.3 Kickstart and Fat
or Fatter Agnes - that's the vast majority of machines.

                         How does it work?

Sleepy intercepts a library call in the graphics.library to change
the sprite design. This has enabled us to "catch" other sprites ie
Devpac's Eggtimer and Deluxe Paint's Zzz bubble. Animations are
performed by running a sequence of images while the program thinks
it is displaying a busy cloud. Timing for the animation uses the
system timers so, although it is guaranteed to stay the same on all
machines, heavy use of interupts/DMA (during disk access for
instance) can clog the multi-tasking - this is unavoidable.

                          How do I start?

For a demonstration of what Sleepy can do, boot with this disk which
contains all the necessary files and run one of the Workbench demos:
Eggtimers or Watch. Now open a disk icon and be amazed. . . For a
better demo, select a single icon and select Info from the Workbench
menu. When the info dialogue appears click on the Workbench screen
behind it - this reactivates Sleepy. Happy? Now it's time to install
the system.
    Boot a Workbench (or a System disk like The Works) and use Info
to make sure there is at least 55K free on the disk. For floppies:
Blocks Free * 0.488=Free space in K. Commodore supplied Workbenches
use more than this so you should delete any excess. We suggest
things you don't use much like IconEd etc. should go - the choice is
yours, of course. If you can't spare that much space - don't panic!
Follow the instructions in "Install ARP only" Hard disk users
shouldn't have a problem.

Install All:

Double-click on the Install_Sleepy icon. This script can be run from
CLI if you prefer - the default options can only be changed from
CLI/Shell. . New/inexperienced users should leave these options as
they are! The script copies the commands to RAM to speed operation
and ease the task for single disk systems. It will (attempt to)
clean up after itself - but a re-boot won't go amiss if memory is
tight.

Install ARP only:

Double-click on the Install_ARPLib icon. This script can be run from
CLI if you prefer but this is unnecessary for this simple copy.
After a few seconds the script will display what it is about to do.
New/inexperienced users should leave these options as they are! This
script just copies the Arp.library to your LIBS: directory. The
remainder of the Sleepy system can be run from other disks as usual.

                          Starting Sleepy

From Workbench: Once installed Sleepy resides in the Utilities
drawer. To run it simply double-click on a Sleepy project icon - the
rest is automatic. To modify the animation use info to modify the
list of files in the tooltypes: FILES=. Speed is altered in a
similar manner. NB: do not exceed speeds of 99 you have been warned!
Sleepy's icon is provided for ease of copying in Workbench
DO NOT DOUBLE CLICK IT!!! - YOU WILL CRASH THE MACHINE...

From Shell: The command line is as follows:

Sleepy Speed/A,Filename/...

Where: Speed is a number between 1 and 99
       Filenames: is a list of up to 20 filenames of the images to
       run in the animation.
       Extra help is available by pressing Sleepy ? then entering
       another ? at the Speed/A,Filename/... prompt! Try it...

For example:
RUN Sleepy 95 df0:tim1 df0:tim2 df0:tim3 df0:tim4 df0:tim5
The pathname is optional if Sleepy is in the same drawer as the
images. Watch out for spellings - Sleepy will complain bitterly if
it can't find a file.

From startup-sequences: If you want run Sleepy when the machine
boots add the following to the "startup-sequence" file with your
favourite editor - the last two lines are to indicate where this
should go:

    Runback SYS:Utilities/Sleepy 95 file1 file2 etc
    LoadWb -delay ; just part of CBM's script
    endcli >NIL:  ; The script ends here

Runback is provided on the Sleepy system disk and is PD (copyright
MicroSmiths).

                       Using Sleepy's Editor

The Sleepy editor v2 is a greatly enhanced version of the one
supplied on Amiga Format's April issue coverdisk. Sadly the two are
not compatible - this new version uses IFF files for greater
compatibility with other Amiga programs. It also requires the ARP
library.
    The editor should be started from Workbench by double-clicking
its icon. Once inside it displays a title screen - press a key to
see the advert or select "Will do" to enter the main editor.
    Most features are self explanatory except the Save request. This
uses a modified version of the ARP file request with three extra
gadgets provided to aid production of complex animations:

ANIM$ - this is a string of files which will be animated. NB no ore
than 20 filenames should be added or Sleepy might GURU!

SPEED - is a number between 1 and 99 which indicates the speed of
animation cycling. About 94 - 97 is usual for smooth animations.

CREATE ICON - defaults to OFF! When this is selected the editor will
create an icon (see About Editor Icons) with the parameters
supplied. When selected this button glows ORANGE!

Also - it should be noted: every Sleepy image has its OWN COLOUR
SET. This can help to create complex glowing images if you desire.

                         About Editor Icons

An unusual feature of Sleepy is its ability to create icons from
YOUR designs. When the editor starts it attempts to load a default
icon from disk - and this icon design will normally be created. You
can edit this icon design if you wish. If Sleepy cannot find its
default icon you will not get the option to create icons UNLESS a
design already has an icon associated with it. Ok?
    Icons are only created if you ask for them in order to save
space on crowded disks. Every icon will have the defaults set as you
define them although they can be changed using Info in Workbench.

                             About IFF

Sleepy saves its designs as a simple IFF pictures - they can be
loaded as brushes into DPaint, Spritz Paint and so on. If you want
to create images for Sleepy in DPAINT be careful! Each image MUST be
a maximum of 16 pixels wide or Sleepy will thrown them out - and the
editor will just corrupt them. If you do use DPAINT the format is
320x200 with 4 colours!
    These are features (ok then, buggettes) we haven't fixed since
it doesn't cause too many problems. Oh yeah, another thing: Sleepy
can show images up to around 120 pixels high - but the editor can
only edit IFF files up to 45 pixels high. Extra lines will be
truncated!

                   Known Features/Bugs/Buggettes

Have been outlined already wherever possible. One more feature is
the systems apparent inability to create its own colour sets whilst
operating in other screens - DPaint, etc. This is due to the Copper
taking over the colour assignments in individual layers. There is
little that can be done about this while staying inside CBM
guidelines - which we try to do. And at least we own up to our bugs!

    Sleepy will fail to run if:
    a) It can't get enough memory
    b) It can't find a sprite file
    c) It can't find the ARP.library
To save space - some of these bugs cause the program to perform and
immediate (and safe) exit without reporting the cause. If this
happens you're probably doing something wrong.

    Also it will misbehave if you supply odd arguments at the
command line:
    a) Queer speeds
    b) No Speed!
    c) No files
    d) Too many files - bomb, bomb-bomb boooooomb! Isn't 20 enough?
Let us know if you need more!

The most obvious of these shows up if you fail to supply a Speed -
Sleepy seems to work but either no pointer (or a curious pointer)
appears. If you supply no arguments, Sleepy will attempt to set its
defaults - and load a single design from DEVS: called also Sleepy
(just to confuse matters).
    Sleepy must be run using RUNBACK if it is started from the CLI -
this is a bug in RUN, not Sleepy. If not the CLI window will fail to
close because the CLI still thinks Sleepy is using its I/O, which it
doesn't. Similarly, like other Workbench programs, Sleepy has a lock
on the disk it is started from. This means the disk icon stays on
the Workbench UNTIL Sleepy closes. Sleepy does not own this lock so
there's nothing we can do. This problem does not occur if Sleepy is
run from the CLI however.
*********************************************************************

DEVELOPERS:

Why not use Sleepy in your software? Animated busy pointers add a
lot to most software and Sleepy can be turned off too! We have
already trapped DPaint, The Works and Devpac using an in-house
sprite grab utility. NOTE: all concerned - this is meant to
convenience users not infringe your copyright which we respect
fully!
    If you'd like to find out more just drop us a line at the
address below - headed notepaper please. This will also show you the
ARP.library which supplies some excellent features like a superb
custom file request (see Sleepy LOAD/SAVE). Also access to a dozens
of other SENSIBLE functions you can use! ARP is PD but copyright
remains with MicroSmiths.

BUG REPORTS etc:

If you find a bug in any of this software please let us know how it
happened and what you were doing when the bug appeared; and please
state EXACTLY what setup you are using. Bug reports should be made
in writing to the address below, left on ID2 (0903-700771 24hrs
V21/22/22bis 8N1 to Mark Smiddy) or Telecom Gold 83:JNL559. Sorry we
will not usually be able to reply though. DO NOT send: money,
cheques, pirated disks, old Y-fronts, etc. A Christmas card would be
just fine, however.

Our address:
Designer Mouseware,
1 Ganton Close,
New Marske,
REDCAR,
Cleveland TS11 8BQ
England.
*********************************************************************
                             About ARP

The ARP library MUST be on your boot disk for Sleepy 3 to work. A
modified version will be supplied with 1.4 Workbench for the rest of
the world to use - so get in there now! ARP supplies the excellent
file request used in the editor and the superb command line parser
for the main program. It also supplies other features like protected
memory allocations used internally by Sleepy 3.
    Our thanks and very best wishes go to the MicroSmiths (Charlie
Heath, Scott Ballantine and co) for creating this wonderful Public
Domain programmers resource Sleepy 3 would have been a pig to write
without it! Charlie Heath also supplied the RunBack utility which
allows you to add Sleepy to startup-sequences. What a hero! Oh, and
if you want a great editor - take a look at the MicroSmiths TextED.
CLI men! Get ARP DOS 1.3 which is written in C. I use and it makes
my Amiga a lot more friendly - will that be AmigaDOS 1.4? Perhaps. .
***********************************************************************
Credits - The Designer Mouseware Team are:

                         For The Sleepy System

           Producer/Director    Mark "not another bug" Smiddy
           Art Director         Phil "Twenty something" Lawson
           Best Boy             Dave "Man from Auntie" Lewis
           Naughty Boy          Dennis
           Additional design    Guilder The Little Lost Gnome
           Foreez               A. Jolly Goodfellow
           Tea Girl             Mark's mam
           Location Manager     Mark's dad
           Manual               Mark "spelling mistake?" Smiddy
           Special FX           Agnes, Paula, Denise and Gary

                          Production assitants

           ARP                  The MicroSmiths
           Assembler/Debugger   The wonderful Devpac 2 from HiSoft
           Packer               Power Peak's PowerPacker
           Technical support    David Pocock (a real OK guy)
           Caterers             Bunters, Bath ST, Redcar
           Musical Interludes   Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield
           Costumers            Harlequin, Redcar
           Post Production      Ray Burt-Frost and the PD libraries

                         Special thanks to. . .

           Jim Gower: for suggesting Sleepy in the first place.
           Jason Holborn (Amiga Format): for suggesting the editor.
           Nigel Streeter (AUI): For more suggestions (please, no more!)
           Tony Cooper (ID2): For his bulletin board.
           Jon Day (KUMA): For being an altogether nice guy!
           Heth & Mags: For being there when Mark needed them.
           Louise: For being patient when the going got tough
           Don, Nick, Ibby and Sam of CHIPS: For the advert.
           Jason of Lindy UK: For more comments.
           Gamanil and Paracetamol: For making life (seem) nicer
           Magazine Editors: For giving me enough work to live (hint!)
           Tetly: For Imperial.
           Greenpeace: For trying to save the planet
           The Sun: For shining constantly in my eyes
           The Moon: For making the long nights bearable

                            And finally. . .

           You - yes YOU: For supporting Charityware (see below).
***********************************************************************
                               Dedication

    Sleepy is dedicated to The Spastics Society and especially to Steve
Graham - the young spastic who gave inspiration to the Charityware idea.
Steve is an inspiration to us all.
***********************************************************************

                            The Bottom Line

The buck stops here! I have spent several hundred hours developing and
testing Sleepy - version 3 (I think) is bug free. In any case if you use
it, please respect the Charityware angle. Pirate a game etc. and you
deprive a programmer of his hard earned cash apart from breaking the
law. Pirate this and you're depriving people probably MUCH LESS WELL OFF
than yourself! Come on folks, £2.50 wouldn't buy you 40 fags or even 3
pints at the local. It could get you in to see the latest blockbuster.
Think about it - it might be your kid; and may your conscience bug you
forever!

    Send cheques, POs, IMOs for £2.50 (or more) to:

    The Spastics Society,
    12 Park Crescent,
    London W1N 4EQ

Designer Mouseware is a trademark of Orion Computer Services.
Commodore and Amiga are trademarks of Commodore Business Machines.
All other trademarks (implied or otherwise noted) are recognised.
***********************************************************************

Mark Smiddy, April 1990.