Switch-It 1.5

'Switch-It'
Switch Applications via Keyboard

Contents

Introduction
Feature Overview
System Requirements
Installation
Directions for Use
Standard Customization (Control Panel)
Advanced Customization (ResEdit)
Known Problems and Shortcomings
"To Do" List
Version History
Legal Bits
Author's Address
Web Site
Acknowledgements

Introduction

With Switch-It, you can use the keyboard to switch between applications.
Switch-It is yet another application switcher. It has been mainly developed to suit my needs, but I guess it shall be useful to anybody who looks for a simple piece of software.
Switch-It works under System 7.0 or later, and is distributed as freeware.

Feature Overview

Switch-It lets you switch between running applications using the keyboard.

Switch-It allows you to request the termination of any number of running applications.

Many parameters can be easily customized, including hot keys, font name and size, text and background colors, etc.

System Requirements

Switch-It only works under MacOS System 7.0 or later (System 7.5 or newer is recommended). It has been successfully tested on Macintosh Classic, PowerBook 520C and Performa 6400.

Installation

To use Switch-It feature, place its file in the Control Panels folder and then restart the computer.

Warning:

The version number at the end of the control panel's file name has been dropped soon after version 1.4.2. Now, under the improved naming scheme, a new version simply overwrites the previous one. In case your last installed version is "Switch-It 1.4.2", don't forget to throw (or hide) it away before installing the new version.

Directions for Use

Hold down the activator key (Command) and press the switch key (Tab) to cycle through the running applications. Release the activator key to select an application.
Having also the Shift key depressed at switch time reverses the direction of cycling.
Switch-It action can be canceled by pressing the cancel key (Escape) before releasing the activator key (Command).
While in switch mode, and provided 'Allow Send Quit' has been enabled in the Control Panel, it is possible to make running applications quit by pressing the key labeled 'Q'. The application icon (or its name, if the display of the icon has been disabled) is then marked with a red cross, in a toggle way. All the terminate requests of the selected applications are actually performed when the activator key is released (which means that the whole process can be aborted using the Cancel key).
Also while in switch mode, it is possible to cycle automatically through all running applications by pressing the key labeled 'A' (provided 'Allow Auto Scan' has been enabled in the Control Panel). The scanning starts (the next application is displayed every half a second) and can be stopped by pressing any key.

Standard Customization (Control Panel)

Changes made in the Control Panel take effect immediately.

Advanced Customization (ResEdit)

Here is the description of some resources of Switch-It which could be modified by a "power user" through ResEdit (templates are provided where useful):

General Settings Resources

'Stgs', -4063: sets the window sizes (standard and reduced), the 'Send Quit' and 'Auto Scan' character codes, and the cycling delay of the 'Auto Scan' mode, expressed in ticks (60ths of second).

Keyboard-Related Resources

'Keys', -4064 and -4063: contain the lists of switch and cancel key codes which will appear in a readable form in the control panel's pop-up menus. These key codes are keyboard-dependent; you can get possible values from the 'KCHR' resources in the System file.

Remarks:

Always make a back-up copy of the original file before modifying it by ResEdit!
Unlike settings made through the control panel, which are kept in a separate preferences file, changes made by ResEdit will be lost when a new version of the software becomes available.
Changes take effect at restart.

Known Problems and Shortcomings

Switch-It doesn't use the official Apple-sanctioned method of hooking key events through JGNEFilter, which would prevent Switch-It from working when an input method is active, while typing Chinese or Japanese. Actually, most application switchers that I know don't work under such circumstances.
There is still a bug preventing Switch-It from working correctly when the front application behaves in a non-standard way (like a well-known spreadsheet program): hot keys are simply "eaten" and cannot be hooked. Please let me know if you have any information about a possible patch or bypass.
While the pop-up window is displayed, any other visible activity is suspended: application windows, menu bar, etc. appear to be "frozen".
In order to make running applications quit, Switch-It uses the sending of 'quit' AppleEvents. Unfortunately, this method does not work (nothing happens) if the front application is not AppleEvent-aware.

"To Do" List

Improve the documentation.
Must solve the "eaten" keys problem.
Add a balloon help in the Control Panel.
Add a "Revert to Default Settings" push-button in the Control Panel.
Implement a "Hide Other Applications" feature.
Implement a list view (possibly in a separate control panel?).

Version History

Version 1.5 - 16 Sep 97

16 Sep 97: Third public release limited to web site, mainly bug fixes and cosmetic changes. Documentation updated.
11 Sep 97: Use true mouse-down event provided by cdev call of code resource.
07 Sep 97: Display an alert when Switch-It was not loaded at start-up time.
31 Aug 97: Use TruncString to display application name in switch window.
28 Aug 97: Restored use of MoreMasters at init time.
25 Aug 97: Change of keyboard is now checked every second in the control panel.
24 Aug 97: Fixed bug of missing icons for applications on removable media.
20 Aug 97: Key "1" (on a US keyboard) added to the list of possible cancel keys.
14 Aug 97: Clicking in the "About..." button or canceling the standard Color Picker dialog don't write prefs back to disk.

Version 1.4.3 - 05 Aug 97

05 Aug 97: Second public release; no new features, mainly bug fixes and cosmetic changes. Documentation updated.
02 Aug 97: Fixed the color picker crash under MacOS 8 (use PickColor instead of GetColor).
02 Aug 97: File name doesn't include the version number any more.
02 Aug 97: Faster animation of start-up icon.
02 Aug 97: Better display of color user items when B&W. Push-button "Color..." is relabeled "Text Color..."
02 Aug 97: Fixed bad redraw of color user item after the Color Picker dialog.
02 Aug 97: Fixed the white border problem in switch window.

Version 1.4.2 - 20 Jul 97

20 Jul 97: First public release. Creation of a "Read Me" file in SimpleText and HTML formats. Improvement of Get Info short definition and Finder balloon help. References to 'process' are replaced by 'application'.
13 Jun 97: The user can now modify the list of switch and cancel hot keys by ResEdit: resources 'Keys'.
12 Jun 97: In the control panel, hot keys menus are updated every time the current keyboard changes, and keys are shown in the keyboard script.
10 Jun 97: Key codes are 'char', no more 'short'. Preferences template updated.
10 Jun 97: Cosmetic changes: copyright now spans over years (1996-97).
08 Jun 97: Switch key and cancel key are now identified by key code, no more by char code. Preferences must be reset by user.
07 Jun 97: Backquote is now a cancel key, not a switch key.
30 Mar 97: Handling of double-click in cdev : color user items.

Version 1.4.1 - 22 Mar 97

21 Mar 97: Shift key reverses current switching direction in auto-scan.
21 Mar 97: Auto-condense if text doesn't fit in display rectangle.
21 Mar 97: Implemented Reduced Window feature.
21 Mar 97: Style of display font can be bold.
21 Mar 97: Cosmetic changes in Control Panel (push-buttons to select text & background colors).
13 May 97: Correction of a stupid bug preventing the reading of modified settings through ResEdit.
09 Apr 97: Any other key event aborts the display.
30 Mar 97: Handling of choice of sans-serif digits.

Version 1.4 - 18 Mar 97

18 Mar 97: Implemented new Auto Scan feature.
18 Mar 97: Added a settings resource 'Stgs' allowing the modification of the window size & Send Quit and Auto Scan characters. Changed the type of resource 'PREF' to 'Prfs'. The old preferences file is now obsolete (furthermore, the fields of its structure have been modified).
18 Mar 97: Allow auto-key no more implemented. Shall be an Auto Scan feature through an other hot key (similar with the handling of Send Quit).

Version 1.4 - 18 Mar 97

18 Mar 97: Implemented new Auto Scan feature.
18 Mar 97: Added a settings resource 'Stgs' allowing the modification of the window size & Send Quit et Auto Scan characters. Changed the type of resource 'PREF' to 'Prfs'. The old preferences file is now obsolete (furthermore, the fields of its structure have been modified).
18 Mar 97: Allow auto-key no more implemented. Shall be an Auto Scan feature through an other hot key (similar with the handling of Send Quit).

Version 1.3.1 - 17 Mar 97

17 Mar 97: Handling of arrow keys as switch keys.
16 Mar 97: Handling of send quit apple event.
16 Mar 97: Bug : trap at init time when keyboard is used before the loading of the Finder is completed. Fixing attempt.
15 Mar 97: First beta version tested by M.R. on a PowerMac.
12 Mar 97: The clock/calendar stuff is now a stand-alone Control Panel called Ephemerid.
09 Mar 97: Use of full process list.

Version 1.3 - 09 Feb 97

09 Feb 97: Now a Control Panel (no more an Extension).

Version 1.2.2 - 07 Feb 97

07 Feb 97: Added a clock.

Version 1.2.1 - 17 Jan 97

17 Jan 97: Added window behaviour with icon handling.
10 Jan 97: Let's forget the JGNEFilter. Try to hook SystemEvent et SystemTask!

Version 1.2 - 11 Nov 96

11 Nov 96: Let's forget the JGNEFilter. Try to hook OSEventAvail et GetOSEvent!

Version 1.1 - 05 Jun 96

05 Jun 96: Added backwards process switching (shift key).
30 May 96: Used JGNEFilter, Apple-sanctioned method for filtering events.
23 May 96: Added animated icon at start-up (rotating arrow).

Version 1.0 - 03 Aug 95

03 Aug 95: Hooked SystemEvent instead of OSEventAvail, OSNextEvent, and SystemTask; corrects bug of lost key strokes.
09 May 95: Creation.

Legal Bits

This software is freeware, it may be freely distributed, but always in its unmodified form and together with this document. It may not be sold or resold, or bundled with any other commercial product. You may, however, include the software on a CD-ROM or floppy collection, provided that the original package is included in its entirety and a complimentary copy is sent to the author. Please contact the author to obtain the most recent version.

You expressly acknowledge and agree that use of the software is at your sole risk. The software and the related documentation are provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Author's Address

If you have questions, suggestions, words of appreciation or bug reports, you can contact me at the following address:

Snail Mail

Michel MARIANI
47, rue des Remparts-d'Ainay
69002 LYON
FRANCE

E-Mail

mmariani@wanadoo.fr

Web Site

New versions, updates, and other pieces of software shall be available at:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mmariani/soft/soft.html

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the following people:

Michel Rousset, for testing and providing useful comments, and proofreading the first version of this document.
Cj Zinngrabe, for pointing out a crash under MacOS 8, and kindly testing the fix.
Julian E Gomez, for pointing out a problem of missing icon in System 7.6, and kindly testing the current beta version.

Here is the list (in alphabetic order) of all the nice folks who took the time to send me questions, suggestions, words of appreciation or bug reports; I really appreciate getting feedback, it is highly motivating and encouraging:

Stefan Anthony
Wil Baden
Sean Embury
Julian E Gomez
S.M. King
Steve O'Neill
Peter Terhoeven
Cj Zinngrabe

And finally, here is the list of people (and magazines) who asked me permission to include Switch-It on their CD-ROM:

Motoko Mori (Mac People Magazine - Japan)
Yasuto Niyama (Mac Fan internet - Japan)