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lSwitcher for OS/2, Version 2.5
********************************
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Andrei Los
LICENSE
=======
The program is FREEWARE and may be copied and distributed in unmodified
form free of charge.
The author makes absolutely no guarantees about this program and will
not be responsible for any damage it may cause.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
================
The author would like to thank the following people for comments,
suggestions and bug reports concerning this program:
Dmitry Novoseletsky
Julian Buss
Tomas Hajny
Lech Wiktor Piotrowski
Loris Rinaldo
Nenad Milenkovic
Reb James
John Martin
Vladislav Zhuk
Ian Douglas
Sergey Posokhov
David Mediavilla
Special thanks to the following people who provided translation
of the README.TXT and program resources and thus made the existence
of localized versions of this program possible:
Loris Rinaldo -- Italian translation
Tomas Hajny -- Czech translation
BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION
==========================
IBM introduced a Windows-like Alt-Tab switcher in the OS/2 V4 Merlin.
However it works only in the Presentation Manager and does not seem
to be very convenient, at least for me.
This utility is a feature-rich replacement for the OS/2 PM Alt-Tab
switcher and includes a task switcher that works in full screen
sessions. The program can also be used with the Ctrl-Tab hot key
combination.
USAGE
=====
Run LSWITCH.EXE from an OS/2 command shell or file folder or place it
in the startup folder for automatic start at boot time. The /I command
line option can be used to specify program settings file, see below.
To enable support for DOS full screen sessions run LSWITCH.EXE in each
such session or place it in AUTOEXEC.BAT.
To activate lSwitcher use Alt-Tab (or Ctrl-Tab if you enabled this hot
key combination, see settings below).
Browse through the list by holding the Alt (Ctrl) key down and pressing
the Tab key. Browse backwards by holding down the Shift key at the same
time. You can also browse through the list using the arrow keys. To select
a window, release the Alt (Ctrl) key. To cancel the selection and return
to the original window, press Spacebar before releasing the Alt (Ctrl) key.
You can also switch to a window by clicking left mouse button on its icon
in the lSwitcher's PM popup window. Clicking right mouse button on an icon
displays the popup menu with possible actions for the window corresponding
to this icon.
The program also supports several hotkeys when its PM popup window is active.
- "C" closes currently selected window
- "H" hides -------"--------
- "M" minimizes -------"--------
- "R" restores -------"--------
- "S" shows -------"--------
- "X" maximizes -------"--------
NOTE: the OS/2 PM Alt-Tab switching window must be enabled in order to
use the lSwitcher's PM switcher with Alt-Tab hotkey. This means that you
can not use this hotkey with the OS/2 versions prior to version 4.
PROGRAM SETTINGS
================
Program settings can be changed in the settings window. The settings
window is hidden after the program startup. To activate it select the
lSwitcher entry in the OS/2 Window List or press Ctrl+Alt+S.
The settings are saved in the OS2.INI or, if the /I<inifilename> is
added to the program command line, in the file specified by the
<inifilename>. This file is created in the same directory the program
executable is.
The settings window includes the following options:
- Windows to skip
The list of windows which do not show up in the lSwitcher popup window.
- Windows to switch to
The list of windows which do show up in the lSwitcher popup window.
- Show minimized to viewer
Turning this on makes lSwitcher show windows minimized to the Viewer
in its popup window.
- Show hidden
Similarly, makes lSwitcher show hidden windows in its popup window.
- Ctrl-Tab hotkey
This option makes lSwitcher use Ctrl-Tab instead of Alt-Tab hotkey
combination. This can be useful in OS/2 versions prior to version 4.
- Old style popup
Turning this on makes lSwitcher use pre-V2.3 style popup window.
- Scroll items
Makes the selection stationary and items moving when browsing through
the item list in the popup window. By default the item list is stationary
and the selection moves when browsing.
- PM popup in FS sessions
Turning this on makes lSwitcher switch to PM and show PM popup window
when activated from a full screen session. This may be useful if your
display switches slowly between text video modes.
- Replace OS/2 Alt-Tab window
Makes lSwitcher replace Merlin PM Alt-Tab switcher.
- Switching to desktop minimizes/hides
This option controls whether switching to Desktop with the lSwitcher
will minimize or hide (depending on the window properties) all open
windows.
- Change minimization Z-order
Makes the windows which are minimized or hidden move one step down in
Z-order. This makes the just minimized or hidden window appear next
after the active window in lSwitcher popup list. By OS/2 default the
window which is minimized or hidden becomes the bottommost window.
- Show lSwitcher in window list
Makes lSwitcher entry visible in the Window List, otherwise it is invisible.
- Show hints
Makes lSwitcher show hotkey hints in its PM popup window.
KNOWN PROBLEMS/RESTRICTIONS
===========================
If you press Alt-Tab (or Ctrl-Tab if it is enabled) in an FS session
and then release the Alt (Ctrl) very quickly the lSwitcher can sometimes
get stuck in the popup state. Press and release the Alt (Ctrl) key one
more time to switch to the task you've chosen.
The program appears to be incompatible with the VShield TSR, which is
a part of ViruScan for DOS by Network Associates Inc. If both lSwitch.exe
and VShield.exe are loaded in a DOS session, this session may crash after
a while. The reason seems to be a bug in the VShield's INT08 handler. This
is partially confirmed by the fact that VShield causes a crash in combination
with some other programs hooking this interrupt. I have not found a reliable
workaround for this problem so far.
This program uses several undocumented operating system features
and may not work properly in some system configurations. If you encounter
such problems please let me know.
CHANGES
=======
V 2.5
- Added the option of stationary items and moving selection.
- Clicking left mouse button on an icon now switches to the window
corresponding to this icon; clicking right mouse button displays the
popup menu with possible actions for this window.
- The maximum number of items which can be displayed in the PM popup
window changed to 27 (3 lines of 9 icons).
- The settings are now saved in OS2.INI or in a user specified file.
- Several new hotkeys added.
- Some other options added.
- Fixed compatibility problems with programs using Ctrl-Tab hotkey
(e.g. Netscape).
- Other changes and bug fixes.
V 2.4
- Program parameters can now be set in the Settings Window or in the ini
file, command line options are no longer supported.
- Program settings now include the list of programs which are skipped by
lSwitcher.
- Program now supports several hotkeys during the PM popup.
- OS/2 full screen monitoring code is now incorporated in the 32-bit
executable, no need for a separate 16-bit executable (lswfsmon.exe).
- Full screen popup window now has a maximum number of entries 23, PM
popup window - 9, switch menu items option no longer supported.
- Minimizing/hiding open windows when switching to desktop is now optional
- Fixed the problem of lSwitcher dying at load time with no error messages
on some system configurations.
- Corrected the problem of current task not showing in the switcher list
if it is a full screen task with "minimize to viewer" or "hide"
minimization behavior.
- Corrected the problem of current task being selected in the switcher
list after popup activization.
- Found a workaround for trap in ProNews when switching to it with lSwitcher
- Some other small changes and bug fixes.
V 2.3
- Added an option of displaying several entries in the PM switcher popup
window.
- At last fixed the problem with Win-OS2 icons not showing up
- Some bug fixes.
V 2.21
- Fixed a problem with Dos Navigator windows switching before lSwitcher
activation.
- Fixed a problem with Slick Editor minimizing incorrectly when switching
to Desktop.
V 2.2
- The OS/2 PM Alt-Tab switcher window is now replaced by lSwitcher's PM
switcher (this can be turned off).
- Switching to Desktop minimizes or hides all open windows.
- Switching order changed slightly.
- Fixed some problems with WIN-OS2 windows.
- Some other bugs fixes.
HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR
=========================
If you have any comments on this program, please send email to
"avl1@ece.msstate.edu" or mail to
Andrei Los
35 N Wallace Circle,
Starkville, MS 39759,
USA
TRADEMARKS
==========
Some words and/or phrases in this document may be trademarks of some
companies.