LaunchApp ... The application launcher!
(this file contains the same information found in the LaunchApp Info Panel).

« CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT »

« This beta release is made available for the benefit of users requiring the extended dock functionality provided by this application.   Future releases will provide a NeXTstep user-friendly interface and many other useful features.  Please see the Disclaimer section near the end of this text. »

Overview
	LaunchApp extends the automatic launching capabilities of the Workspaceä dock by providing a central dispatcher of commonly used, continuously running applications.  By following the instructions presented below, you will be able to reduce the number of applications installed in your dock and have LaunchApp automatically run these at login time.  This allows other useful, yet less-commonly used applications to be installed in, and run from, the dock!

Usage
	· Install the LaunchApp icon in the Workspace dock and enable it for automatic launching at login time (using the Dock view in Workspace's Preferences panel).
	· Launch the Terminal application and enter the following command:

$ dwrite LaunchApp AppList "applist"

where applist is a semicolon-separated list of application names.  Names may be fully qualified path names (i.e. /NextApps/Terminal) or application names found somewhere in one of Workspace's paths (i.e. Terminal).  Example:

$ dwrite LaunchApp AppList "Terminal;Mail"

	· Log out.  When you log back in, LaunchApp will automatically run and launch the application(s) listed in the AppList attribute provided in the previous step and then exit.  In the example above, LaunchApp would launch the Terminal and Mail applications, respectively, as found in the default Workspace paths.

Operation
	When LaunchApp is run at login time, it queries the user's defaults database for the AppList attribute and, if found, will message the Workspace manager to run the applications listed there.  LaunchApp exits when the last application listed in AppList has been launched.
	LaunchApp will not perform the above procedure if manually launched.  Future releases will implement a NeXTstep interface that will allow selection of which application(s) should be automatically launched at login time.

Caveat
	Applications run by LaunchApp behave as if they had been manually launched from the Workspace.  I have failed to find a way to force (trick) Workspace into indicating to the application that it was automatically launched (by setting -NXAutoLaunch for the technically literate).  Some applications (such as LaunchApp) like to determine how they were launched to take some specific action on start-up.
	HACK : setting an application's NXAutoLaunch attribute to YES in the defaults database may be used if this facility is critical.  The attribute will remain enabled even if the application is started manually!

Future Enhancements
	· Provide a NeXTstep interface for selecting which applications should be launched at login time.
	· Force the NXAutoLaunch attribute on an application.

Disclaimer
	LaunchApp is shareware!  It is not, and will never be released in the public-domain.  A shareware charge of $10.00 must be mailed to:
		Felix A. Lugo
		4310 Nutmeg Lane  Suite 133
		Lisle, IL  60532
(make checks payable to: Felix A. Lugo).

Author
	Felix A. Lugo
	Senior Development Staff
	T.Y.C. Software

Send bug reports or comments to:
	Felix_A_Lugo@ATT.COM  (NeXTmail encouraged)