24U Appearance OSAX Release Notes

This is a brief history of important changes across released versions.

3.1

- Better Dialog Utility for easy configuration of dialogs
- installer for installing the OSAX easily to the proper place
- script examples added into the OSAX dictionary
- Using Scripting Additions guide for beginners
- Automator actions for displaying progress indicator
- 24U OSAX Bundler Lite for easy bundling
- developer licenses for sublicensing are supported again
- "display alert" renamed to "display better alert" as a reaction to the Apple's inclusion of "display alert" in Standard Additions
- new command "version of Appearance OSAX" for easier version checking
- every part of the distribution is universal binary for both PowerPC and Intel based Macs

3.0.1

- resolved terminology conflict by renaming "window ID" property of floating window to "window reference number"
- number can now be used as a default value for a field

3.0

- all commands except post notification fully support Unicode
- display better dialog supports icons just like display dialog
- title, position and width of better dialogs can be customized
- display better dialog is no longer limited to 10 fields
- better dialog text fields now support credit card, SSN, SIN and regular expression validations
- size of the progress indicator can be customized
- the parameter "static" of command "display better dialog" changed to parameter "movability"
- registration does not require special applet anymore
- single registration code generated for all products in a pack is now recognized
- added sample script containing 38 useful regular expressions


2.1

- added workaround for a bug in Script Editor that caused register Appearance OSAX not working properly
- enumerations for alert kinds are now the same as system ones
- default size for message window which is resizable is now the same as minimal size
- garbage in progress indicators and message windows should no longer appear
- value not in popup menu can be that popup's default value. the typical usage is for (Choose One)
- the scripting terminology is now even more consistent with 1.3's
- added new floating window's property "global window". when this is true, the window does not belong to any application and will not close when "creator" application quits. be cautious with these windows. close message window all windows closes only windows that belong to the current application and will not close these global windows so make sure the global window is always closeable. you may also use the emergency "Close all windows globally" applet to get rid of all windows instantly.
- made "register Appearance OSAX" command consistent with 24U Appearance OSAX 1.3's
- added the missing terminology for menu item separators
- default size for resizable empty message window is now correct
- display alert returns the button clicked the same way as the "display dialog" command does
- display better dialog now supports the "giving up after" functionality known from "display dialog".
- display better dialog command now returns "values returned". these will include also empty values (unlike "choices returned")
- all script windows are closed when host application quits or is force quitted
- the scripting terminology is now more consistent
- windows are now properly cleaned up when the host application terminates

2.0

- corrected sample scripts to be accurate with current version
- extended dictionary by adding static optional parameter to display better dialog command to show nonmovable better dialogs
- removed copies parameter from aete
- temporarily removed few notification parameters from scripting terminology
- created new icon
- ported to Mac OS X
- uses beautiful aqua interface
- better dialogs are movable by default and can be static if requested
- progress indicator's progress bar now animates flawlessly
- notification sounds and icons were temporarily disabled
- floating windows do not work with Mac OS X Jaguar Developer Preview due to a bug in AE.framework
- documentation converted to rich text format


1.2.1

- works also when booted from write-protected disk
- "better dialogs" now correctly appear in front of all windows

1.2

- added data input examples and comments into the "display better dialog" sample script
- added support for pop-up menus as another item kind
- floating message window's message can now be specified in a direct parameter of the "create message window" command
- "display alert" command now returns error number -128 when cancel button is clicked or Escape key pressed, just like "display dialog" does it
- "display better dialog" correctly returns blank strings in fields returned
- "display better dialog" now accepts longer prompt strings
- period now can by typed in text and passwords fields

1.1.1

- "texts" replaced by "choices" in properties of better dialog reply
- changed value names for checkboxes and radio buttons to prevent terminology conflicts with other scripting additions
- improved compatibility with FileMaker Pro

1.1 (never announced to public)

- introduced "display better dialog" command
- added sample script "display better dialog"
- "display alert" now correctly notifies user when issued in backround
- corrected text positioning when resizing floating message windows
- fixed memory leak in "create progress indicator" command
- fixed memory leak in "update progress indicator" command
- fixed memory leak in "update message window" command
- fixed memory leak in "display alert" command
- improved the progress indicator's terminology a little
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December 21, 2000

Appearance OSAX, previously developed by HOnza Koudelka alone, is now being
developed by team of programmers (including HOnza Koudelka and Tomas
Zahradnicky) in 24U.

Any new versions are now Copyright © by 24U.
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1.0

- finally released as shareware
- added serial number protection, removed fixed expiration date
- improved sample scripts
- improved AppleEvent handling in floating windows
- improved AppleScript terminology


0.7

- released and promoted as public preview
- introduced vertical scroll bar in resizable floating message windows

0.6

- introduced push buttons in progress indicator
- introduced floating window handler for receiving events from floating windows
- Appearance OSAX patches ExitToShell and tries to close all windows when quitting
- windows are now handled correctly when more than one application uses Appearance OSAX
- closing window of application running in background does not cause system crash anymore
- improved error handling in low-memory conditions

0.5

- introduced floating message windows
- introduced floating progress indicator

0.3

- released as a private preview for author's friends
- introduced "post notification" and "remove notification" commands
- improved AppleScript terminology

0.1d1

- initial release for AppleScript Kitchen
- introduced "display alert" command