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1995-02-02
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AddApps v1.60 - © Rob Clark 1994
Purpose and function
====================
AddApps creates a relocatable module based upon the selection of applications
dragged to its main window during normal use. Once saved and run (*RMRun,
*RMLoad results in minor problems - see below) the module places images of
the selected applications into the Resources filing system. Thus if you
dragged Zap and ChangeFSI to the window the resultant module would make it
appear that Zap and ChangeFSI are in the same directory as Edit and Draw etc.
When you run one of these image applications the original is fetched from
disc and is run.
How it works
============
Instead of storing entire applications in the Resources, which consumes the
same amount of memory as the amount of disc space the apps take up (1.1mb for
my copy of Publisher), an image is stored which is much smaller. What is
stored in Resources for each application is an application directory with a
!Run file and optionally !Boot and !Help files, these are all of type Obey.
When run they simply call the original file. Thus running
Resources:$.Apps.!Publisher.!Run (which is done by RISC OS when you
double-click) will in turn run IDEFS::Rob's.$.Apps.DTP.!Publisher
This will slow down the running of these apps slightly but the benefits are
greater than that slight deficiency (I think).
Why do I want to use it ?
=========================
AddApps and the RomApps module it creates allows you to have all (well, some)
of your favourite applications to be in a filer window only one click away
from the iconbar. You may already have this with your hard-disc but mine is
organised ;-) It also removes the need for another iconbar icon to fill
things up as it uses the existing Resources filer supplied with all RISC OS
3.1x machines.
Menon (or similar) puts all of the application names into a menu which
requires you to read it while this solution allows you to use the existing
Filer mechanisms which I personally prefer (you get [big] pictures).
What are the Cons if the above are the Pros ?
=============================================
The module takes up your memory (well, your computer's). I add 3 apps on
startup and this consumes 2396 bytes of memory. A module with 50 apps stored
comes to 19624 bytes. I personally think that this is not a lot of memory to
give up for the convenience of the features it provides.
Other features
==============
If the module was *RMRun'd when you run AddApps next the system variable
AddApps$LoadCurrent is examined. If this is equal to 'Yes' (case-insensitive)
then the apps held in the resident RomApps module will be read in by the
program. This variable is set in the !AddApps.!Run file by default.
Double-clicking on one of the image applications while holding down either of
the Alt keys will result in it being as though you had Shift-Double_Clicked
on the original wherever it is on your disc.
Double-clicking with Select in the AddApps selection window over an
application will do the same as choosing the App->Edit menu option.
Double-clicking with Adjust in the AddApps selection window over an
application will do the same as choosing the App->Remove menu option.
Double-clicking with Select and Shift held down in the AddApps selection
window over an application will do the same as choosing the App->Open parent
menu option.
Bugs
====
Actually I've spent most of today debugging so there shouldn't be any :-)
Actually I'm sure there are some and I'd greatly appreciate knowing what they
are so that I can correct them. Contact details are at the end of this file.
Trivia
======
The first version of this was written on the 29th of October 1993. I consider
it to be an original application although I'm sure there are others out there
that do the same or similar (can you say Risc PC !Boot application ?).
There is currently a maximum of 50 apps allowed to be added. If any user is
massochistic enough to require more then mail me.
The uncompressed BASIC code is ~48K and requires a larger WimpSlot than I
felt comfortable asking for. The uncompressed source is available from me if
you have a good reason for wanting it. The fact that I've been fiddling with
this code since Oct93 means that some is really awful. This is why I want to
know why you want the code (if indeed you do) so I can see if I have
rewritten effectively the same thing elsewhere since then.
If you want this program to do what the program supplied with the Risc PC
does (scan a given directory and construct a module from that) then you need
a different program. I have a program that does this and I'll send it to you
(via email) if you would rather use that than AddApps.
Testing with a RiscPC was conducted by Keven Cook for which I am very
grateful.
Compatability
=============
The code has been tested extensively on RISC OS versions 3.10 and 3.11. By
the time of distribution I hope to have tested it on RISC OS 3.5 as well. The
redraw may prove buggy under v3.5 in which case I apologise but I have no
Risc PC to test with.
The module uses one 'cheat' which occurs when the module is *RMRun. It
backtracks from the pointer provided in R0 upon entry to the run code. I
think that this is supposed to point to the command line string used to
invoke the module but I find it points to the terminating zero of that
string. Bactracking seems to work on both versions of RISC OS that the
RomApps module has been tested with. It is always possible that this won't
work with later versions of RISC OS.
nb. I think the above 'cheat' is required because of a bug in RISC OS - can
anyone tell me if this is true and if Acorn are aware of it ?
Licensing
=========
Everything contained within the AddApps directory is © Rob Clark 1994
although the Style Guide compliant templates came from TemplEd 1.28. At this
point I must comment on how unfortunate it is that Acorn's 3d borders are
'buggy' so nice Style Guide compliant programs like mine have dodgy buttons.
Please examine the Cancel button on the save window if you don't believe me.
I retain all copyright but give freedom of distribution to all as long as
they agree not to change any of the files in any way without my prior
consent or make any profit from the distribution.
The only Shareware-like requirement of this program is that if you got it
from the Internet you must contact me with your opinions via the contact
details given below - please :-)
Contacting the author
=====================
My name is Rob Clark.
My Email for term-time is: R.A.Clark@herts.ac.uk
The only other way of contacting me is via the Arcade bulletin board. I am
user number 0898 and I believe that email to 'RobClark@arcade.demon.co.uk'
will eventually reach me there. That said I haven't called them for around 14
weeks now.
Changes
=======
Since this help file was written the following changes have been made:
• There was a bug when loading a module if one of the sprites required was
not known which resulted in the application refusing to load. This has now
been fixed.
• The application now supports the desktop save protocol.
• Support for interactive help has been brought up to date
• A small icon and ic_? icon have been drawn (badly) for small icons mode in
the filer and for when you iconise any of the AddApps windows
• Menu rearranged to make it more ‘user-friendly’. Interactive help updated
accordingly.
• Redraw should work under all release versions of RISC OS 3