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READ_ME.1ST
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===========================================================================
Atari Clipboard CPX
Version 1.0
(c) 1991 Software Development Systems
Released as Freeware
Written by Scott Sanders
===========================================================================
IN THIS ARCHIVE
---------------
CLIPBORD.CPX - Place this in your CPX folder (Note the name change from
V0.9)
READ_ME.1ST - This document.
SCRAP2.TXT - ASCII reprint of the Atari Clipboard Standard.
NICPR20.TXT - Press Release of the Newdesk Icon Editor CPX Version 2.0
CPXICON.RSC - Resource file with icons to merge when using the Newdesk
Icon Editor CPX from SDS
USERS UPGRADING FROM 0.9
------------------------
You can skip on to the section labeled 'OPERATION' since this is the major
portion of this documentation that has changed.
INTRODUCTION
------------
Ever since the first Atari computers rolled off the assembly line TOS was
capable of information sharing between applications. An example of this
would be to say, highlight a block of text in your word processor, select
cut from the menu bar, quit the word processor, load a desktop publisher,
select paste into a text box and lo and behold your text would appear. The
sad truth is, however, that very few applications handle this well, if at
all.
To support the old saying, 'Better late than never', Atari recently firmly
defined the protocal (method) for using the Atari clipboard. Great, right?
Well, the problem is that most applications out there on the market don't
utilize the new standard correctly. Basically, this means two things.
First, hopefully, developers will see the benefits of inter-process
communication and support the standard in new products and upgrades.
Software Development Systems is including full clipboard support in our
Newdesk Icon Editor and Printer Utilities Pak packages. Second, some
developers are going to require your nagging to make this work. I know how
it is when you spend hours making something work the way you like it. If it
ain't broke, why fix it, right? Well, anyone who's seen the ease at which
Macintosh computers exchange information between programs can tell you that
making this standard uniform would be well worth the effort.
OK, SO WHAT DOES IT DO?
-----------------------
The Atari Clipboard system is built around two system calls scrp_read() and
scrp_write(). They don't actually read or write information to the
clipboard, they just let you access the pathname where the clipboard is
located. Simply put, this CPX lets you better manage where your clipboard
is located (what drive and path) and gives you some other options like
clearing the directory on bootup and whenever else you choose. If your
favorite application has written out an ASCII text file, a GEM .IMG
graphic, or a .XIC extended icon file, you can also view the contents. I've
also added an option which allows greater compatibility with those
applications that haven't caught up to the standard yet. STalker and
Aladdin, two wonderful programs, are both culprits of this.
INSTALLATION
------------
Simply put the file CLIPBRD.CPX in your CPX directory and either reboot or
reload your CPX's (consult the CPX documentation for details). A few
promotional text files accompany this file as well as a .RSC file. The
.RSC file DOES NOT have to be included in the same directory as the CPX. It
is an unrelated file. It contains a icon to represent CPX's in .RSC format
which can only be used by the Newdesk Icon Editor CPX. It is a benefit to
those owners only.
To start simply double-click on the CPX titled Atari Clipboard and you're
ready to go.
OPERATION
---------
On the screen your current clipboard directory is displayed. When first run
this should say C:\CLIPBRD (or A:\CLIPBRD on a floppy system) unless
another application has already changed it. To change the location of your
clipboard simply click in the text box between the two arrows and a
file-selector will appear. Go to the path where you want your clipboard
files stored and select OK. If the pathname is longer than the space
provided you can use the arrow keys to scroll through it.
Selecting Save will save your current default clipboard directory, the
default directory from where you view files, and the status of the 'Clear
on boot?' button. If that button is checked your default clipboard
directory will be cleared on bootup automatically.
Exiting with OK sets the default clipboard directory. Cancel leaves it as
before.
By clicking on the button labeled >>Options<< you have access to four
additional functions:
Selecting 'Clear Clip' will, after verifying it with you, delete all
SCRAP.* files from your clipboard directory.
'Create Folder' will, if you confirm, create a \CLIPBRD\ directory on your
boot drive.
'Last scrp_write()' will tell you what the last application wrote as its
clipboard directory. This is the item that will stay in effect unless you
leave the CPX by clicking on OK or the close box. For specific notes on
this, see the notes on STalker below.
'View Clip' is the cornerstone feature of version 1.0. By choosing this
option the CPX will search the directory specified on the main screen
(either 'Atari Clipboard' or the root of an installed drive) for any
SCRAP.* files. If SCRAP.ASC or SCRAP.TXT is found, the CPX will assume it
is an ASCII (CRLF) document and display it. If it finds a SCRAP.IMG or
SCRAP.XIC file it will display it. Slider bars can be used to view an image
or text file that won't fit in the display area. Clicking on the question
mark acts like a toggle and displays a directory of the view area (masked
to SCRAP.*). To copy a scrap to a separate file, click on the file name on
the view screen and you will be presented with a file selector to choose a
path and filename for the copy. Click OK to return.
VIEW LIMITATIONS
----------------
ASCII Text files are trunctuated to 200 lines. .IMG graphics are limited to
4096x4096. .XIC files must be 32x32 and only the first icon in a file will
be displayed.
WHAT'S COMING IN V1.??
----------------------
Essentially I'm planning to add .GEM metafile support and maybe others. I'd
love to hear suggestions. In addition, I will add full .XIC support for all
icon sizes and multiple icon viewing.
DISTRIBUTION
------------
Software Development Systems grants conditional permission to distribute
this file as long as no charge (except for maximum $5.00 distribution fee)
is placed on its distribution, the file includes this document, and is not
altered in any way.
Developers, please feel free to put this archive on your distribution disk
when your product supports the clipboard. Just drop me a line and let me
know, that'll be all the pat in the back I'll need.
SPECIAL NOTES FOR USE WITH STALKER AND ALADDIN
----------------------------------------------
STalker 3.00, now supported by Gribnif Software is one of the leading edge
telecommunication programs available for the ST today. Its current
implementation of the clipboard standard is incorrect though I've heard
mention that this is being changed. The problem is that it currently
ignores what the clipboard might have been, writes a clipboard item, then
sets the clipboard path to where it wants to be. This essentially ignores
this CPX and will affect any applications you run afterwards before
resetting your clipboard path with our CPX. After doing a Clipboard
operation in STalker, enter our CPX and use the option 'Last scrp_write()'.
You'll see that STalker changed the clipboard path and even wrote a
filename. It should look like 'D:\SCRAP.TXT' (applications should only
write a path, never a filename). Simply click OK to rewrite the correct
path or better yet, set your default clipboard path to the root of the
drive you have STalker configured to write to. No more conflicts.
Aladdin works slightly different in that it writes its scrap files to the
root of the drive it resides on but doesn't bother to update the current
scrap path. Again, to force Aladdin and other programs to work well
together you should set your default directory to the root of the drive
Aladdin exists on.
TECHNICAL NOTES
---------------
For those programmers professional and amateur out there, please consider
using the Atari Clipboard standard. In a year or so, Atari users could be
experiencing data exchange between applications without a second thought.
As an added bonus, Atari has generously allowed me to include an ASCII copy
of the article in ATARI.RSC, the official developer's newsletter which
recently redefined the standard. This article, written by Mike Fulton at
Atari, is now the standard by which all applications should use their
clipboard. The file in this archive is entitled SCRAP2.TXT. Kudos to Bill
Rehbock and Mike Fulton for their help and suggestions.
DISCLAIMER
----------
Software Development Systems place no warranty whatsoever on this product.
SDS will not be held responsible for any damages resulting from the use of
this product either incidental or consequential. This includes loss of
wages and data loss.
Software Development Systems is also not associated in any way with Gribnif
Software or General Electric Information Services, nor the makers of
Stalker and Aladdin.
BUG REPORTS & SUGGESTIONS
-------------------------
If you have any suggestions you'd like to contibute to this project, or you
think you've found a bug, contact me by BBS, phone, or USPS, and I'll try
to look into it ASAP.
Software Development Systems
996 Redondo Ave. #404
Long Beach, CA 90804
Orders: (800) 237-4SDS
Tech Support: (310) 595-9799
GENIE: S.SANDERS2
Compuserve: 71760,2140
Thank you for supporting Atari Computers!
-Scott Sanders
Member IAAD