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READ.ME
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1991-03-16
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The Desktop Helper
Copyright (C) 1991 Robert E. Alleger
All rights reserved.
Robert E. Alleger
317 Monroe Avenue
Edgewater Park, NJ 08010
CompuServe EMAIL- 70240,264
The Desktop Helper is a Windows 3.0 Desktop utility that provides
capabilities missing from Microsoft's Program Manager while also
providing the more important capabilities of the Task Manager. The
features include:
-Convenient pop-up menu at the click of a button.
-Pop-up menu available from any window.
-Configurable launch list of frequently executed programs.
-Switch to or terminate a task, even if the task is not
currently visible.
-Pop-up file selector browser to choose a file to run.
-No useless ICON to clutter up the desktop.
-Small memory usage- occupies less than 20K of memory when
not in use. When activated, small (less than 4K) segments
of program code are loaded into memory. When finished
performing a task, Windows is free to remove these extra
segments if the memory space is needed by other applications.
The contents of this package are:
READ.ME -the file you are currently reading
DH.WRI -installation & use documentation (view with WRITE)
DH.INI -initialization file
DH.EXE -The Desktop Helper program
DHHOOK.DLL -library file used by DH.EXE
The Desktop Helper is distributed as shareware. The Desktop Helper
may be freely copied and distributed for evaluation as long as the
following rules are followed:
1. The program and the documentation (READ.ME and DH.WRI) are
not modified in any way, shape, or form.
2. A copy of READ.ME, DH.WRI, DH.INI, and DH.EXE are provided
with each copy of the program.
3. No charge, other than a media and handling charge (not to
exceed $5.00), is made.
4. A user may use the program for 30 days before paying the
registration fee. If the program is used after the 30
day evaluation period, an obligation to register and pay
the registration fee is incurred.
If at the end of this trial period you do not feel that
this program is worth the registration fee then you are
obligated to discontinue the usage of The Desktop Helper.
The registration fee for The Desktop Helper is $10 (US Dollars).
Payment of this fee entitles you to technical support via electronic
mail (EMAIL) and encourages the author to add new features. See the
DH.WRI file for further details.
*****************************
* Current Bugs/Restrictions *
*****************************
1. No known bugs.
2. The Desktop Helper has only be tested within the Windows 3.0
environment. Do not assume that it will work without problem under
Windows 2.x.
**********************
* History of Changes *
**********************
---Version 0.8---
1. Public Release.
Version 0.7 was only released to beta testers.
---Version 0.7---
1. There is now an alternate, more convenient way to activate The
Desktop Helper. Hold down the <Control> key while pressing the
left mouse button on top of any non-client area of any window.
Suitable non-client areas of a window are the title bar, a blank
portion of the menu bar, scroll bars, ICONs, etc.
This method is superior to the "hot keys" method of activation that
some other launching utilities use. Who wants to change the hot
key used when ever you install a new application/utility that happens
to use the same hot key?
2. In order to allow more space for user added programs, the "Launch",
"Task", "Run", "About", and "Exit" menu items have been collapsed
into one menu item called "Desktop Helper".
3. The maximum number of possible items that can be added to the
pop-up menu has been increased from 32 to 48 (actual mileage will
vary with vertical screen resolution).
4. You can now add your own separator bars to the pop-up menu by placing
the following line at the appropriate positions in the DH.INI file:
(SEPARATOR)=
Note that the above line must be typed exactly as stated.
Also note that a separator counts as one of the 48 possible menu
items.
5. Windows caches all .INI files. It was possible to exit The Desktop
Helper, edit DH.INI, and restart DH.EXE and not have the changes
reflected in the pop-up menu. This problem has now been corrected.
6. The "Run" box now contains the prompt for optional command line
parameters and the "Run minimized" check box. These two items used
to be in a separate dialog box that poped up after the main file
selection box. This extra box was a mild anoyance.
7. It is now possible to have a program located on the launch menu to
prompt for command line parameters. This is done by placing a
question mark as the very first character in front of the program
name. For example, to prompt for command line input when selecting
the Write program the entry in DH.INI should like like this:
Write=?write.exe
8. The "About" box now contains a button to allow you to register your
copy of The Desktop Helper. A registration number will be provided
when you submit your registration fee.
---Version 0.6---
1. It was possible for Windows to crash when selecting a program to
launch from the pop-up menu if Windows was running in Real or
Standard mode.
2. If the Windows Debugging Kernel was running, The Desktop Helper
would cause a problem to be reported.
---Version 0.5---
1. First general release to the public.