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1993-03-15
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short: substitute loadseg'd programs with others
ToolAlias v1.02
---------------
PUBLIC DOMAIN BY Martin W. Scott
NO WARRANTIES ATTACHED - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK
RELEASED FEBRUARY 1993
ToolAlias requires AmigaDos 2.0 or higher.
ToolAlias provides a mechanism for rerouting specific programs to other
programs. For example, with ToolAlias, you could reroute all references to
':c/muchmore' to use instead 'sys:utilities/ppmore', so that when browsing
documents on a Fish disk, you get to use your favourite text viewer, rather
than loading the one specified in the document's ToolTypes.
I take no credit for this idea: I got it from a program called Replex by
Ekke Verheul, that appeared on a recent fish disk. That program was as
good as this incarnation, except that the method of patching the AmigaDos
LoadSeg routine caused software failures when (blink-created) overlays were
loaded. Since one of the programs I use a lot (Yak) utilised such
overlays, Replex was unusable on my system. But I really liked the idea.
So, now the instructions. ToolAlias is implemented as a commodity that
should be started by dropping its icon into your WBStartup drawer. The
DONOTWAIT ToolType should therefore be set; the standard Commodities
ToolTypes may also be used, to modify ToolAlias's HotKey and determine
whether or not the settings window opens on startup.
The standard Commodities ToolTypes are:
Name Default Description
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CX_PRIORITY 0 Commodity priority.
CX_POPUP TRUE Whether to show window on startup.
CX_POPKEY control alt t Key to open/show settings window.
The settings window may be opened at startup, or more usually by pressing
the HotKey (or using the Exchange). The window has a number of gadgets,
whose use should be fairly obvious; the descriptions are:
Old The old name to be substituted
New The new name to replace the old name
<< Move to start of list of substitutions
< Move to previous member in list
Add Add a new entry after the current member
Del Delete current member
> Move to next member in list
>> Move to end of list of substitutions
Save Save current configuration (and close window)
Load Restore last-saved configuration
Use Use current configuration (and close window)
Quit Terminate ToolAlias, removing patches
The configuration is saved to the file 's:ToolAlias.config'.
(slightly) Technical Details
----------------------------
The system LoadSeg routine is patched, and a list of all substitutions
kept. When a program calls LoadSeg with a name, the patch first searches
it's list for a matching name, and if found, calls LoadSeg with the
corresponding new name. When names are compared, case is insignigicant.
Heres an example list:
old :c/less
new ppmore
old :c/muchmore
new ppmore
old :c/xicon
new c:xicon
old :c/iconx
new c:iconx
This list would enable you to browse Fish disks while using your own
preferred text viewer (in this example ppmore), and the Workbench scripting
programs from your own C: directory (which may be on a hard-disk, sppeding
things up). I should stress that names must match exactly to be
substituted; with the above list, a default tool of 'muchmore' wouldn't be
substituted with another name as it doesn't match any of the 'old' names.
I have to be honest and say I can't think of any uses for ToolAlias other
than circumventing default tool types with your own preferences, but since
I get a lot of PD stuff and magazine coverdisks, I find it useful.
History
-------
v1.02 - enforcer-hit removed.
- cache-friendly patching now used.
v1.01 - initial release.
Distribution
------------
As with all my programs, ToolAlias is freeware, though I'm not averse to
receiving contributions should you feel the need to send them. Source in C
is included, and compiles with SAS/C v5.10. ToolAlias comes with no
warranties, and any loss or damage arising from it's use is the
responsibility of the user, you, not the programmer, me. This isn't to say
that I think it will crash your system (in fact I'm pretty sure it won't).
You may contact me with comments, suggestions, bug-reports, cash, etc. by
postal mail at:
Martin W. Scott
23 Drum Brae North
Edinburgh EH4 8AT
United Kingdom
or by email until Summer 1993 at:
mws@castle.ed.ac.uk
Enjoy,
Martin.