This is the COOLEST 3D button around!! (but then I'm biased)
It is Accelerated for Power Macintosh, looks great even on white backgrounds, has balloon help and works correctly with localized versions of the MacOS.
After using it for a while, you'll be amazed at how "flat" the normal Macintosh buttons appear.
There are many other interface customization utilities available that do a lot more. Often at the expense of more memory, more patches and sometimes, more incompatibility with other software.
This one is simple, all it does is a button.
It actually works side-by-side with other utilities, substituting it's button for those in other utilities. If you like the look of this button, it will replace the buttons used in NewLook¬, Aaron or Greg's Buttons while allowing all the other features of those utilities to work. It also works just fine with color changing utilities like Aurora, Mac MakeOver and even Kolor for those System 6 users out there.
The button design was inspired by the develop 15 article by Jamie Osborne & Deanna Thomas and follows their recommendations for 3D shading and colors. Hopefully, they will approve.
About 3D Buttons╔
This control panel substitutes custom 3D buttons for standard push buttons, radio buttons and checkboxes. Simply drop it on your System Folder and restart.
On color displays, the buttons have a subtle 3D look. On black & white displays, the buttons are identical to standard Macintosh buttons.
The push button has the same oval shape as a standard button and works correctly with default button outlining.
Check boxes use a "real" check mark rather than an "X" and radio buttons have a "domed" look. On a non-white background, check boxes and radio buttons are drawn with embossed titles.
Controlling 3D Buttons╔
The checkboxes for "Show Icon at Startup" and "Install at Startup" control the startup installation process (obviously). Pressing the caps lock key at startup will bypass installation. If the installation fails (or if you have multiple copies in your Control Panels folder), a red ╥Not╙ symbol is drawn on the icon.
Once installed, the remaining controls function as described below.
The "On" and "Off" radio buttons control button substitution. This takes effect immediately.
The CheckBox "Custom" and "Standard" radio buttons control the appearance of the mark used in checkbox controls.
The "Gray" checkbox substitutes a light gray push button. If this is left unchecked, push buttons are white, with gray shading - unless 'cctb' (Control Color Table) resources exist. In this case, the 'cctb' colors will be used ('cctb' resources are created by color changing utilities like Aurora).
The "Add Tinge" checkbox adds a subtle color tinge to push buttons - the same color used in window title bars. (System 7 only)
A color Macintosh and System 6.0.7 or better is required.
Changes for v1.3
- Fixed a major bug that occasionally corrupted the Chooser on PowerMacs (this meant removing the FAT CDEF).
- reverted to patching GetResource so other utilities like Escapade would work.
- Added an option to control the appearance of check boxes.
- ignore Color options if a control has a color table.
- no button substitution if a CDEF with an ID of 0 is found in the current application.
- added "Easter Egg" #6╔
Changes for v1.2.1
- Fixed a minor bug that turned all buttons into "New Folder" buttons if the "Gray Buttons" option was used on PowerMacs.
Changes for v1.2
- Added "Tinge Color" option.
- Fixed crashing bugs in Stuffit¬ and MCL.
- Fixed incompatibility with custom buttons in RedShift.
- Corrected minor clipping problem with small buttons when dragged from a color display to a monochrome display.
- Fixed clipping problem in Eudora
Changes for v1.1
- The "New Folder" button in save dialogs is displayed as a 3D button. This works with localized versions of the MacOS!
- Dialogs & Alerts without 'dctb' or 'actb' resources now show 3D controls without addition of those resources.
- Patch to GetResource removed, NewControl is now patched (this should be safer). The patch is still a "FAT" patch.
- Only 1 CDEF is used for both normal & gray buttons (Note: I no longer recommend replacing this CDEF with your own ).
- The CDEF is now a "FAT" CDEF.
- fixed bugs with drawing on pictures or patterned backgrounds and honoring title styles other than plain.
- reduced (hopefully eliminated) "flicker" of radio button & check box embossed titles.
Known limitations
- programs that bypass standard Macintosh controls will not (and cannot) display 3D buttons. These include America Online, eWorld and some Microsoft products.
- 3D Buttons will not work in applications that have a CDEF with ID=1099, normal buttons will be used.
- some color choices for buttons may look odd when the button is depressed. This is because 3 colors intermediate to the control frame and body are needed. Try changing the color slightly.
- PlainTalk speech recognition requires the standard System CDEF and will not work with 3D Buttons.
- If you want to use the CDEF in this control panel with ClickChange, you must renumber the CDEF to an even ID (so the ClickChange Import feature will recognize the CDEF). The Gray Button & Tinge color options will not work when the CDEF is imported by ClickChange.
Jim Stout
December 1995
Please report problems to:
AOL : JasG
eWorld : Jim Stout
CompuServe : 73240,2052
Internet : Jims@wrq.com
Technical stuff╔
This control panel avoids "fiddling" with the MacOS as much as possible.
The custom CDEF in this control panel uses a non-standard variation code (unused by the standard CDEF) to create the "New Folder" button (variation 16). Don't replace the CDEF unless your replacement can correctly interpret this variation.
This control patches 2 traps :
_GetResource (a FAT patch on Power Macintosh) , to substitute CDEFs ID=1099 & 1098 for ID's 0 & 61.
_InitAllPacks, to open the control panel resource file and leave it open.
Written with Think C 7.0.4 and Symantec C 8.0.4.
Thanks to Dave Mark, Franìois Pottier, Ken Worley, Keith Rollin and others who posted code that served as a starting point for this Control Panel.
The "Legal" stuff╔
Distribution
Don't distribute "3D Buttons" if:
1. You charge for it (other than connect fees).
2. You have modified it.
3. You have removed this document from the package.
If you wish to distribute this package on CD-ROM or as a part of any other collection of software, please obtain my permission first.
Disclaimer
Although I have taken great care in developing & testing this software, a condition of use is that you, the user, must assume all liability for data loss or other problems caused directly or indirectly by "3D Buttons".
I make no warranties, either express or implied, regarding the suitability of this or any version of "3D Buttons" for any purpose. Use it at your own risk.
