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1994-05-04
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Deze copie van Gaze bevat ook een nederlands documentatiebestand
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English documentation file
with the shareware program
- Gaze Version 1.0 -
February 1994
by J. Schipperheijn
Postbus 1494
5602 BL Eindhoven
The Netherlands
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RUNNING GAZE
Copy ALL files to ONE
directory of the hard disk.
Run by typing GAZE [RETURN]
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INTRODUCTION
Gaze owes its existence to a large extent to the people who went
through the effort of registering Glance, often supported by
letters with many hints and suggestions. Glance is the predecessor
of Gaze; an easy to handle graphical menu program that looks great,
but hardly has any additional functionality. Right now people
from twelve (!) countries have registered their copy of Glance.
Gaze features almost all the functionality that was suggested to me
in several hundreds of letters, plus some more. First of all, there is
the new graphical user-interface; for some reason I felt urged to
write it from scratch. I don't even dare to say how many hours it
took, but I guess it was worth it.
While developing Gaze, I carefully set apart and organised the code
that could be used in future projects. With the extensive library
I have at this moment, it should be possible for me to write a
program like Gaze in less than a week.
To give you some idea of what it takes to write a program with an
interface like that of Gaze, here are some of the things I had to
develop in order to do it: a file format for pictures, a file
format for fonts, an editor for proportional fonts, an editor to
write self-referring help texts, a compiler for help texts, an
overlay file manager, and an "off screen cache" - algorithm for very
fast text-display routines (probably only Microsoft Windows
features stuff like that)! This is apart from the actual
code for Gaze....
If you appreciate my work and decide to use Gaze, then register
your copy. Within two weeks after registering, you will receive a
disk with copies of ALL my shareware programs and of course a copy
of the registered version of Gaze. This version features a database,
with which you can let your modem dial phone numbers. In order for
this function to work your telephone should be connected to the modem.
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FILES
The unregistered version of Gaze consists of eight files, the
registered version has an additional file. As said before, it is
very important that all files are in the same directory of your hard
disk in order for Gaze to function properly. These are the files:
■ GAZE.EXE Resident program starter
■ GZ94.EXE Main program
■ GAZE.OVL Overlay file with code and data
■ GAZE.LIB Icon library
■ GAZE.HLP Help texts and pictures
■ GAZE.DOC English documentation file
■ GZNL.DOC Dutch documentation file
■ GAZE.DAT Program data and desktop information
[■] GAZE.DLR Dial function data (for the registered version only)
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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Gaze should run without problems on all PC's (from 8086/88 on up)
with a VGA card, 512 Kb free base memory and DOS version 3.2 or
higher. In order to avoid problems with "grannies" (XT's) Gaze
does not use EMS or XMS memory. As you can appreciate, this does call on
some extra base memory. The resident part of Gaze, when you are executing
a program, requires only 5 Kb base memory. Gaze can be fully
controlled with the mouse, but a mouse is not required.
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GOALS
The purpose of Gaze is to offer a complete, attractive and fast
graphical menu program for running DOS applications. Functionality
with no reference to ease of use in executing programs is
explicitly avoided. Instead, Gaze tries to bridge the gap to
existing external functionality, for example, your favourite file
manager. Gaze has some "circles" for this purpose, with which you
can run the most frequently used programs with a blink of the eye.
Gaze is mainly meant for use at home. However, the capability to
protect program groups against closing with a password (locking all
functions except running the programs in that group) makes Gaze fit
for use with students or little children.
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FEATURES
In Gaze, programs are divided into groups. This format is
particularly comfortable if you devote every group to a specific
kind of program. For example, create groups with names such as
"Word Processing", "Drawing", "Games", etc. If your computer is
used by more people than just you, you can also decide to name
certain groups after the individuals that use them, giving every
person some private space for their own programs.
Gaze can hold 16 groups at most, each of which can contain up to
26 program entries. The six programs you use most frequently can be
stored in "circles", on the lower half of the main screen.
Groups can be protected - with a password - against opening,
editing and closing. Programs can be protected against running and
editing. Of course it is not possible to get around entering a
password when one is required, so make sure you do not forget
them; I can not help you "remembering" them in any way.
Groups and programs can be assigned a hot-key. If you press a key
that refers to a group, the group will immediately be opened and
displayed, after the current group is closed. If you press a
hot-key that refers to a program entry, Gaze will run the program.
Gaze has a context-sensitive, hypertext-like help function.
"Context-sensitive" means that if you activate the help function
with F1 Gaze will always display the most appropriate page.
"Hypertext" means that certain words and phrases are underlined.
If you select one of these areas with the mouse or the keyboard
you will get more information on that topic.
If you are new to using Gaze, it would certainly benefit you if
you took some time to go through the help texts with the Page Up
and Page Down keys. You will undoubtedly encounter things like
keyboard and mouse shortcuts that will enhance the ease with which
you use Gaze.
Gaze supports two languages; English and Dutch. You can select a
language in the "Communication" window, which can be opened from
the Options menu. After you have selected a new language, Gaze will
temporarily disable the display to rebuild itself. When it returns,
Gaze will be totally translated, except, of course, the text you
entered. Gaze will automatically store the modification.
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THESE ARE NOT BUGS
When you tell Gaze to prompt you for a confirmation when you try to
run a program, Gaze will only actually ask you for one if the
program is NOT protected with a password against running, and if
you told Gaze NOT to prompt you for parameters also. This is
because when Gaze asks you for parameters or a password, you
already have the opportunity to cancel the operation.
When a group is protected with a password against opening and
closing, and you try to open it, Gaze will, of course, prompt you
for the password. However, if the group is NOT protected against
opening, Gaze will still ask you for a password. This is to
protect users from being able to open a group without knowing how
to close it. Opening a close-protected-group without knowing the
password would be like asking for a reboot.
If you run a DOS shell with the File | Run command, Gaze does not
tell you to type EXIT to return. This is because Gaze does not know
whether you are really running a shell, or executing a command. So
remember: to return from a DOS session; type EXIT at the prompt.
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REGISTERING
Gaze is a shareware program. This means you can freely copy and
distribute the original, complete and unmodified version. It also
means that you can evaluate Gaze for personal use. If you like it
and decide to use it, you should register your copy. Although you
already have the product you pay for, I will send you a disk with
copies of ALL my shareware programs and, of course, a copy of the
latest, registered version of Gaze. This version contains a small
database with which you can let your modem dial phone numbers. For
this function to work, your phone should be connected to the modem.
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REGISTER
If you live in The Netherlands;
transfer Fl 37,50 to GIRO 6266751
addressed to J.Schipperheijn, Eindhoven
please mention : "Gaze".
■
ABROAD
Send CASH money,
Fl 37,50 or US$ 20 or Sterling £15
or equivalent to
J. Schipperheijn
Postbus 1494
5602 BL Eindhoven
The Netherlands
You will receive the disk with the registered
version of Gaze and the other programs
within two weeks after registering.
Please check the Giro number and address
with the About window in Gaze.
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CONDITIONS
Gaze is a Shareware program. You can freely copy it and pass it
on to friends if you want to, but ONLY if you make sure Gaze is
complete and unchanged.
Gaze may not be distributed or sold by anyone but the author for
any amount of money higher than the duplication/dispatch costs.
The author is not responsible for any damage claimed to be caused
by Gaze.
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OTHER SHAREWARE PROGRAMS FROM THE AUTHOR
* * * DAYWATCH * * *
Daywatch is a sort of thinking calendar, to keep track of birthdays
and other events. It consists of two separate parts: an extensive
and professional editor for creating and modifying calendars, and a
second program with which you can 1) check one or more calendars
for events to come (you can set the number of days you want to be
warned in advance) and 2) configure Daywatch.
Daywatch is meant to be called from autoexec.bat, so that if
something is about to happen, you will get a message when you turn
on your system. All tools required to add or remove calls from
autoexec.bat are internally provided by Daywatch. Daywatch is NOT
a resident program; it is just started when you turn on your system,
warns ONLY if there is an upcoming event and after that terminates
like any other program (freeing all allocated memory). Daywatch
comes with a demonstration calendar with the names, birthyears and
birthdays of about three hundred pop-stars.
To register Daywatch, transfer Fl 10,- to Giro 6266751 if you live
in The Netherlands. Otherwise, send cash money, £5 Sterling or
foreign equivalent suggested, to J.Schipperheijn, Eindhoven, The
Netherlands. Do not forget to mention "Daywatch". If you want me to
send you a copy of the latest version, please add some extra money.
Daywatch is NOT the two pages of Basic listing you associate
with £5, but a functional and complete application program of
about 130 Kb. It will definitely be worth your money.
If you register Gaze, you will get a copy of Daywatch for free.
* * * GLIMPSE * * *
Glimpse is the predecessor of Glance; a mouse-supporting menu
program which is almost entirely written in assembler language.
Glimpse can contain a maximum of 42 application programs and uses
text modes only (it works with all videocards).
Glimpse is, without doubt, the fastest menu program you will ever
see. It is a razor-sharp no-nonsense tool that has proven to be
particularly appreciated by experienced users, programmers and
anyone who just wants to be able to switch between applications
without being aware of it.
Glimpse is written for users who like to be as close to the DOS
prompt as possible. The whole concept points in this direction,
including the visual part; Glimpse only uses the right half of the
screen, leaving directory information and the prompt clearly
visible. All programs can be started by pressing ONE key only.
Registering Glimpse; if you live in The Netherlands, transfer
Fl 19,- to Giro 6266751, addressed to J.Schipperheijn, Eindhoven.
Abroad; send CASH money, £10 or equivalent suggested, to the above
adddress. Do not forget to mention "Glimpse". If you want me to
send you a copy of the latest version, add some extra money and
make sure I know what you want.
If you register Gaze, you will get a copy of Glimpse for free.
* * * GLANCE * * *
The follow-up of Glimpse and the predecessor of Gaze. Glance is
a graphical menu program, specifically created for the standard VGA
480-line mode (VGA required). Glance can contain up to 84 program
entries, divided into 4 groups.
The main goal of Glance is to provide a good-looking, attractive
and easy-to-use program, whilst avoiding letting the looks get in
the way of speed. All graphics routines and most of the others
have been directly written in assembler specifically for use in
Glance. Glance is as fast as it can possibly get.
I seem to have reached my goals; Glance has been reviewed and/or
published by several major and minor magazines and "disks" all
across Europe, like the "PC Plus" Superdisk. To date it has been
registered by people from twelve countries.
The many letters with compliments, hints and suggestions led
directly to Gaze, which I actually wrote to "reward" Glance users who
registered their copy, and to incorporate their suggestions.
Registering Glance; if you live in The Netherlands, transfer
Fl 29,- to Giro 6266751, addressed to J.Schipperheijn, Eindhoven.
Abroad; send CASH money, £10 or equivalent suggested, to the above
address. Do not forget to mention "Glance". If you want me to send
you a copy of the latest version, add some extra money and make
sure I know what you want.
If you register Gaze, you will get a copy of Glance for free.
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I want to thank Mr. Gary Trudeau from Polperro, Cornwall, England,
for proof-reading this documentation file.
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End of file.