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1997-06-20
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+ !FreeTime - A Freenet Time Client (c) Joseph Heenan 1997 +
+ +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Version 1.03
~~~~~~~~~~~~
FreeTime is a simple program that uses the internet time protocol
(see RFC 868) to read the time from a remote time server.
Once the time has been read, it will compare it with the time on your
local computer. If the times differ by less than a specified amount,
(5 seconds by default) it doesn't set your computers clock.
If the times differ by more than a specified amount (120 seconds by
default), then FreeTime will bring up a window enquiring whether
or not it should set your computers clock. (This is to guard against
it setting the time to something totally wrong!)
Otherwise, it sets you local clock so that it agrees with the time
from the remote server, and brings up a window saying to - which
disappears either after 5 seconds, or when you click on it.
You can configure when freetime will bring up it's window - see
below for details!
FreeTime quits once it has completed its job.
Configuring
~~~~~~~~~~~
All freetimes configurable options are changed by editting the
file '!FreeTime.Config'.
This is a text file, with the following format:
All lines beginning with #'s are comments.
All other lines are the options, with the format 'tag:value'
The tags are as follows:
Server : This specifies which computer to fetch the time from - by
default, it uses ntp.demon.co.uk, which is fine for demon
customers. Other people should use a machine belonging to
their internet service provider - you should contact them
directly if you are unsure of its name.
MaxDiff : This is a time, in seconds. If the difference between the
remote time server and your local clock is more than this,
freetime will pop up a window asking whether or not to
set the clock (providing the 'out' flag is set in the
'Window' tag, below).
MinDiff : This is again, a time in seconds. If the time difference
between the remote time server and your clock is less than
this, freetime will not set your clock.
Timeout : Another time in seconds - this is how long to wait for a
reply from the time server before giving up. If you have
a slow link, you may want to increase this from the default.
Display : This specifies how long to display the information window
for - the default is five seconds.
Window : This is a series of words, specifying when FreeTime should
display what has happened to the user. If the word is
is listed after Window:, it means display 'this' to the
user. The words are:
transfer : Display window while fetching time from the server
error : Display window if an error occurs
set : Display window whenever time is set
min : Display window if difference between times is less
than the value set in 'MinDiff:', above.
out : Display a query to the user if the times differ
by more than the value in 'MaxDiff:'
I'd recommend always having 'error' and 'out' included. I also
include 'set' in my Config file.
Usage with Acornet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To get FreeTime to run each time you connect to the internet with Acornet,
edit the file !Acornet.Utils.!SLIPdial.Scripts.acornet.Acornet:
Goto line 63 (Just after the line reading ':LinkUp')
Insert this line so it's after the :LinkUp line:
task /name=FreeTime "Run Acornet:Apps.!FreeTime"
Save, and move !FreeTime in !Acornet.Apps.
NB. I don't use Acornet myself, but I've been told this method works.
Licence :
~~~~~~~
!FreeTime is © Copyright 1996-1997 Joseph Heenan. All rights are reserved.
Permission is granted to use FreeTime on the understanding that this use is
entirely at your own risk. I accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or
damage arising from the use of FreeTime nor do I make any guarantee that it
is fit for any purpose. FreeTime maybe freely distributed providing all files
are present and unchanged. No charges may be made for distribution. It
should not be distributed as part of any packages or CD's without the authors
express permission.
Credits :
~~~~~~~
Carol Carpenter for beta testing and useful suggestions, Ben Dooks for
showing me the basics of udp and Matthew Bloch and Jim Gilligan for
beta testing.
And a special thankyou to everyone who reported the BST bug!
History
~~~~~~~
v1.01 : First release, Acorn User April '97 cover disc
v1.02 : Bug fix for BST
v1.03 : Added errno 486, no internet stack available
Added Acornet instructions
Contact Details :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you find any bugs, or have any suggestions for new features,
or any general comments, please contact me via email:
Joseph@odie.barnet.ac.uk
I also read comp.sys.acorn.networking, so post there if you feel
it appropriate.
Joseph Heenan.