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ver2.notes
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1994-06-21
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KWSaver Version 2.0 Update Notes
================================
This file will list the new features of version 2.0 of KWSaver. Be sure
to read the KWSaver.readme file for full documentation on all the original
features of KWSaver.
Sleep/Never-Sleep Zone
======================
A new feature to Version 2.0, this lets you designate the upper-left
corner of your screen as a special "zone" that, when the mouse is resting in
that zone, it will either immediately trigger a screen-saver or never trigger
a screen-saver. If the zone is defined as a "Sleep Zone", placing the mouse
pointer in the very upper-left corner of the screen will trigger the
screen-saver right away. If the zone is defined as a "Never-Sleep Zone",
placing the mouse pointer in the zone will cause the screen-saver to never be
run (while the mouse pointer remains within the zone). Two beeps will signal
when the mouse enters a Never-Sleep zone.
These zones are defined in the "kwsaver.list" file (see Technical Notes
section below). Also, by using the '-i' command-line option, you can cause
KWSaver to ignore any sleep zone defined within the kwsaver.list file.
Better Screen-Savers
====================
Version 2.0 of KWSaver actually saves the current contents of the screen
into a memory data module before calling a screen-saver program. This allows
screen-saver programs to redraw the screen and manipulate the data, allowing
for some rather fun possibilities. See the included kwsaver_rain screen-saver
program for an example of this type of saver. Also, please see the
kwsaver.programmers.notes (updated for Version 2.0) if you wish to learn how
to write screen-savers that use this stored information.
The creation of the memory data module requires some memory, however.
A typical-size screen (80x26) takes up about 65k of memory. While this
generally is not significant on today's large-memory systems, you may wish to
prevent this module from being created if you are not going to be using any
screen-savers that make use of this new feature. You may do this by using the
command-line option '-m'.
KWSE Editor Program
===================
A graphical "kwsaver.list" editor has been included for those who like to
edit their list of screen-savers in a simple yet flashy manner. Full
instructions on how to use KWSE can be found in the included "kwse.readme"
file.
Technical Notes
===============
There had to be some more stringent standards for the lines in the
kwsaver.list file to accomodate some of the new features. Comment lines still
begin with a '#' sign, however if you want to de-select a screen-saver, don't
use the '#' to comment it out... Instead, place an '!' at the beginning of the
line. This convention is used by the KWSE program to distinguish between an
actual comment-line and a de-selected screen-saver program.
Sleep zones and Never-Sleep zones are defined by placing a '+' or '-'
symbol, respectively, at the beginning of their own line anywhere within the
file. Any text following the + or - on the line is considered a comment.
Omitting a +/- from the kwsaver.list file means there is no sleep zone
defined. You should not have both a + and a - in the kwsaver.list file at the
same time, as unpredictable zone definitions will occur.
Absolute path-names for screen-saver programs are allowed at last! So, if
you like storing your screen-savers in another directory besides /dd/CMDS, and
you run KWSaver in your 'startup' file without defining an alternate
environment PATH, you can simply list the full path-name in the kwsaver.list
file. So, instead of "kwsaver_rain", you may use "/dd/cmds/usr/kwsaver_rain".
Just like before, you can edit the "kwsaver.list" file (using an ordinary
text editor, or by using the new KWSE utility program, included within this
archive) even while KWSaver is running in the background, and you do not have
to restart KWSaver for the changes to take effect. The exception to this
rule is Sleep/Never-Sleep Zones. If you change the zone in the file, you
must restart KWSaver for the change to take effect.
The name of the memory data module created by Version 2.0 of KWSaver is
"kwsaver_data". If you notice the data module does not go away after a
screen-saver program is finished, it is the fault of the screen-saver.
Screen-saver programs that use the memory data module must be sure to UNLINK
from the memory data module before exiting, or the module will persist.
This archive is freely distributable in its complete form.
The entire contents of this archive is (c) 1994 by Joel Mathew Hegberg.