11/17/94 Update. FreeRam1.3.2 changes the way its menu preferences are saved so that it will run correctly on the Mac II. FreeRam1.3 and 1.3.1 will crash on the Mac II. The debugging process was very unusual involving a three-way E-Mail conversation between Paul Smallwood of AOL, Jim Moore (another shareware author) and myself. Paul and Jim deserve a round of applause for their efforts. :-)
11/17/94 Update. FreeRam 1.3.1 removes the beep sound from the "About FreeRam…" alert window. A friend in Tucson, AZ, suggested that I do this and I did it just for him. Next thing I know, the update is posted all over the world! It was a good suggestion.
FreeRam1.3 Adds Cosmetic and Personalization changes to the FreeRam window.
1. You can now pick from several colors to display the amount of free ram.
2. You can choose whether you want a frame around the cell or not.
3. The frame can be colored or black.
4. FreeRam1.3 can be calibrated so that it will display the same amount of available free ram as does the "About This Macintosh…" window. Strangely enough, all macs do not return the same amount of maximum free ram using the same internal mac function "TempMaxMem ( )." This number must first be divided by 1024 to give the ram in kilobytes and then further modified by subtracting some integer, between 0 and 50, to complete the adjustment. Each mac requires an adjustment. For example, my SE requires that I subtract 9 from the amount of free ram returned by the TempMaxMem/1024 figure, but my Performa 475 requires that I subtract 25 from the same figure to match the figure displayed in the "About This Macintosh…" window.
Firstly, activate the Finder and select the "About This Macintosh…" menu item from the Apple menu. This Finder window will show the current free ram flickering in the upper right hand corner after the words "largest unused block." Secondly, activate the FreeRam application and select the "Calibrate" menu item under FreeRam File Menu. You will be presented with a dialog box that requests the number that you must enter to adjust your FreeRam figure to match the "About This Macintosh…" window figure. Find out how much larger or smaller this number is than the number displayed by the FreeRam1.3 window and enter this amount into the Calibration Dialog box of the FreeRam Application until the two numbers match. This may take a couple of tries until you figure out what the right number is. The number you enter will be subtracted from the TempMaxMem/1024 figure. The number that you enter will be reflected in the FreeRam window as soon as you click the OK button on the dialog box. All this may sound a bit complicated but it is really quite simple. Just experiment until the number in the FreeRam1.3 window is the same as the "About This Macintosh…" window.
5. All changes will be saved. That is, the FreeRam window location will be remembered. Wherever you left it last is where it will display the next time it is opened. This is a major enhancement!!! FreeRam checks to see whether at least 4 pixels worth of the window is on the screen. If the return value is false, FreeRam will put the window in the default location. The Calibration number, Color, ColorFrame and IncludeFrame settings will all reflect their last setting when the application is re-opened.
6. FreeRam1.3 eliminates the "Hide" and "Show" menu items of FreeRam1.2 and 1.1 and replaces the "FreeRam" menu with the "Color" menu and seven new menu items. The "Color" menu items are not disabled on black and white machines because those changes would all be saved and one could not enable them again, if that particular copy of FreeRam was then run on a color machine. The code necessary to fix this slight problem is not worth the extra ram and time it would take.
Anyone who has already paid for an earlier version of FreeRam can consider version 1.3.2 a free upgrade. The price of FreeRam1.3.2 is $10.00.
FreeRam1.2 fixes the problem of not formatting un-formatted disks that might be inserted while it is the current application. Now FreeRam will accept any disk inserted into the computer while FreeRam is the current active application. FreeRam1.2 will display the standard disk-formatting dialog box from the Finder. It cost 5k in additional ram to include this routine. FreeRam 1.2 requires at least 35k to function properly. FreeRam 1.1 uses about 30-32K. If you're not worried about accidentally inserting an un-formatted disk with FreeRam running in the foreground, stick with FreeRam1.1. FreeRam is intended to run in the background anyway.
With my E-Cards™ currently taking up most of my free programming time, I doubt if I will be able to turn FreeRam into a CDEV in the near future.
This software was created for those of us who don't have a lot of RAM and want to know how much is available before trying to open the next program. It uses some toolbox calls that were not in use until system 7.0. It won't run on earlier versions. To run the program most efficiently, put it in the Startup folder in the System Folder. The program gets the size of the free maximum usable ram and converts it into a string that is then formatted to look cool like all Mac things should. I hate ram hungry programs but 30k seems to be about the lowest amount usable to run this program. For now, a small window is displayed in the upper right hand corner of a Mac plus, Mac SE, Mac Classic and who knows where on those big monitors. You can reposition it by clicking on it until it highlights, and then dragging it to the new position. You can also hide and show the window from FreeRam’s File Menu. It will show the current amount of free ram up to 99,999K. If you have more than that, you don't need this application! Do not insert a non-formatted disk into the computer while FreeRam1.1 is the current active application (unless you like restarting your computer). If the “Finder” is active, it’s OK. FreeRam runs in the background and is automatically updated every second. If FreeRam is the current active application, with its File menu in the menubar, some of the other menubar items might do a little blinking, once a second, because of the updating taking place. This does not occur when FreeRam is running in the background.
I'm a 47 year old private piano teacher having fun with my Mac SE. I spent about 80 hours creating FreeRam 1.1. I sure could use some extra money right now to buy a new Mac. If you can use this program and have about $10.00 (more or less) to spare, send it to:
Charles G. Marlowe
400 South Railroad #11
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
My deepest thanks in advance.
By the way, I figured out how to create this program all by myself with a handful of books. I have to give credit to Dave Mark and Cartwright Reed for the valuable information I found in their "Macintosh C Programming Primer" Vol. I, Second Edition. I also learned most of what I know about Think C from Dave's book "Learn C on the Macintosh". It has been a real challenge, but I am hoping that you will make it worth while.
"FreeRam" was created with Think C 5.03, March 22-April 2, 1994.
I plan on turning this program into a control panel device which will have the added option of displaying the current free ram in the menubar like "Super Clock" does with the time. Of course, all I need is the extra time, knowledge and money. Member of Mountain View Computer User Group, Sierra Vista AZ.
***June/5/94 update. As of June 5, 94, three people have sent me a check. I was thrilled with the first one since it came from Stockholm, Sweden! I bought a Performa 475 ( 8megRam) with my plastic (credit card), so I'm now in the hole about $1,800. I love the machine(even if it doesn't have a prgrammers key) and have developed a new thing! E-Cards™. Electronic Greeting Cards. Look for them on your local BBS. So far, I have created a Birthday, Mother's Day, Have a Great Day, Happy Graduation, Happy Father's Day, You're Invited and a Happy Aniversary E-Card™. Merry Christmas should be coming soon. Call 602-458-6304 for more information, or cheaper yet, write me at the above address.
***November/17/94 update. FreeRam paid registrations have reached the dozen mark. Count'em. All 12. (smile) Better than nothing! Send $20.00 and I will send you a disk with FreeRam1.3.2 and 7 Electronic Greeting Cards on it!!!!!! They're great for all occasions. Merry ChristmasA&B, Happy Hanuka, Happy Birthday, Happy Anniverary, Have a Great Day and You're Invited are the current E-Cards™. They are designed to be personalized with your name and recorded sounds and the name of the person to whom you are sending the card. You can use the default poem or create your own and also include a 100 to 200 word typed message. You can then upload the application to somebody's Electronic Mailbox or mail it to them on a floppy disk.
