World of A1200/World_Of_A1200.iso/programs/disk/directory/megad/md_changes

Text File | 1995-02-27 | 30KB | 658 lines

     First and Foremost!
          If you are reading this document you are probably a user of
          MegaD and curious what the new features are.  If so and you are
          a registered user you have a MegaD2.pf file that contains your
          preferences for MegaD 2.0.  YES, MegaD 3.0 will read, use and
          save those preferences.  Be sure to copy your MegaD2.pf file to
          the same drawer that you placed MegaD 3.0 before running MegaD
          3.0.  Once you save this file with MegaD 3.0, MegaD 2.0 will not
          be able to use it anymore.

     MegaD Changes
          I have been trying to keep all of the changes listed in this
          file.  I know that I have missed a few.  All of the document
          have been updated to the current version.



                     MegaD changes from 3.0 to 3.1
                     =============================

This is a maintenance upgrade for MegaD.  I have also added a few
enhancements.  First the enhancements:

o    Added ARexx commands F7, F8, F9 and F10 so the windows can be
     toggled front to back from ARexx.

o    Added ASL requestor to both 'Find' and 'Search Text' requestor so
     that a file can be specified to be saved in other than the
     current 'Dest'ination directory.

o    'Two Window' mode will now work on the Workbench screen. Depth
     arangment can only be done with the F10 key when in this mode on
     the Workbench.

o    Added NewLookMenu tag for 3.0 menus.

o    Added Workbench Tool Type "MDICONS" to point to correct directory
     location for 'def_' icons images.

o    Created MDPalette program to create a small file defining the
     palette colors that MegaD will read when opening custom screens.
     For MegaD to read the file it must be named "MegaD.plt" and it
     must be located in the same directory as the executable MegaD.
     MegaD will read this file every time the MegaD screen is opened.

o    Support for 1 bit plane / two color screen and windows.

o    Two Window Utility left directory window scroll gadget has been
     moved to the left side of the window for a more symmetrical look
     and feel.

o    When an ARexx program is doubled clicked, MegaD can do one of two
     things with it, Launch or View it.  You may set MegaD to handle
     this in one of three ways when you double click an ARexx program.
          1. Give you the choice,  Launch or View it.
          2. Always View it.
          3. Always Launch it.
     This setting can only be set from ARexx using the SetFlag
     command.  The above three settings can be set as followed:
          "SetFlag 123 0" /* Launch or View it */
          "SetFlag 123 1" /* Always View it */
          "SetFlag 123 2" /* Always Launch it */

o    Warning of the attempt to load a HEX file with "View Text" can
     now be turned off.  This setting can only be set from ARexx using
     the SetFlag command. The setting can be set as followed:
          "SetFlag 124 0" /* Warn before loading a HEX file */
          "SetFlag 124 1" /* No Warning before loading a HEX file */

o    Support cursor keys as described in the "Amiga User Interface
     Style Guide" SHIFT arrows no longer scrolls directory list line
     by line.
          ALT CURSOR, moves one line
          SHIFT CURSOR, moves one window width in direction.
          CONTROL CURSOR, move start or end of list or text.


Now the bug squashes:

o    All characters are visible in View Text windows now.

o    Corrected calculation error while testing to see if selected
     files would fit on 'Dest'ination volume.  This would happen when
     a file with a greater size than 37,376 bytes was to be copied.

o    Fixed Enforcer hit when closing a "Gadget Set" window being
     defined from "Set Keypads"

o    Fixed crash cause by freeing more memory than needed when freeing
     a PowerPacked text file.

o    Fixed crash when writing internal and external Dictionary lines.

o    Fixed font problem with 'Define Gadget Set' window.

o    Fixed problem of Main Control window not reopening in the same
     place it was when a .pf file was saved.  This would only occur if
     you were loading a .pf file from the Open... command.

o    Fixed problem with Panic Window Scrolling and the 'Courier 13'
     font.

o    Fixed problem with the def_ icons found in the icons drawer,
     MegaD will now use the images of those icons if the user changes
     them.

o    Fixed View Text problem, it would not load a text file with only
     one line of text in it.

o    MegaD will now CD to 'Dest'ination directory during the launching
     of an ARexx script that has the 'Reload Current directory'
     selected for the Program Control.

o    Removed the test for physical existence of an executable file
     before launch of a Program Control.  This would prevent the use
     of 'Resident' programs such as NewCLI within Program Controls.





                            MegaD changes from 2.0 to 3.0

     MegaD Meets ARexx
          This is the biggest change from MegaD 2.0.  It is also one of
          the best changes, in my book.  MegaD now fully supports ARexx,
          at my last count, there was 123 different commands.  Every
          function in MegaD is available through the ARexx port.  Being
          the extensive nature of this port there is a separate document
          file titled MDARexx.Guide that contains all of the information
          needed to use the MegaD ARexx port.  You will also find useful
          ARexx scripts with this version.

     MDPrefs
          The main program, MegaD, and the functions to set your personal
          preferences have been separated into different programs.  This
          was done to help reduce the size of the main program.  These
          functions are now handled by MDPrefs.  MDPrefs can be run on its
          own with or without MegaD or it can be started from within
          MegaD.  The two program communicate with each other to help you
          set MegaD to your own preferences.

          The settings performed in the preference windows have been moved
          around a little bit.  Some were moved to their own windows and
          other were moved in with other like settings.  You'll find
          things just a little more organized than the last time around.
          This is a quick map of the new arrangement.

          All Items new to this version are marked:
                                      (NEW 3.0)

     MDPrefs Windows
          Colors,
               Directory
               File
               Selected
               Unselected
               Text
               Background
               Title
               Information
               Border 1
               Border 2
               1.3 / 2.0 Color switch
               Gadget back
               Gadget Text
          Defaults
               Auto resize windows
               Auto update windows
               Confirm quit
               Iconify at start
               Keep active window to front
               Last active window is destination
               Place tool icon & menu on Workbench
               Messages off
               Panic button window
               Return keypad to unshifted (NEW 3.0)
               Save defaults at closing
               Save window positions
               Simple refresh windows
               Warn before copy
               Warn before delete
               Warn before move
               Warn if deleting protected file
               Warn if replacing larger file
               Warn if replacing newer file
               Warn if replacing file
               F10 Closes control window
          Display
               Date Format
               1000 separator
               Use Today / Yesterday
               12 Hour Clock
               Decimal is Comma
               Directory listing order
          Set Keypads
               Built In's
               Menu Sets
               AutoBoots
               User Gadgets
               ARexx     (NEW 3.0)
               Dev. Gadgets   (NEW 3.0)
               Gadget Sets    (NEW 3.0)
               Hot Key   (NEW 3.0)

          Menus & Devices
               Menus Sets
               Device Gadgets
               Device Gadgets Titles (NEW 3.0)
               (45 possible device gadgets (NEW 3.0))
          Miscellaneous
               Copy/Format Program Control
               View Text Program Control
               Source icon for directories
               Dictionary filename
               Create master Dictionary
          Set Print (NEW 3.0)
               MDSpool Program Control  (NEW 3.0)
               ARexx port name     (NEW 3.0)
               Add Job   (NEW 3.0)
               Add Job then delete file (NEW 3.0)
               Stop All Jobs  (NEW 3.0)
               Stop Current Job    (NEW 3.0)
               Quit Spooler   (NEW 3.0)
               Set to MDSpool (NEW 3.0)
               Set to internal spool    (NEW 3.0)
          Set Screen
               Screen Type

          Now that you have seen where every thing has been moved to, lets
          talk about the new features that are set from preferences.

     Return keypad to unshifted
          This is a new flag that can be set in the Defaults window.  If
          you check this item, MegaD will always return the Keypad Gadgets
          to the unshifted state.


     ARexx
          This is a new type of Program Control accessed through the Set
          Keypad window.  MegaD now supports ARexx,  Along with this
          support comes the ability to launch ARexx programs.  ARexx is a
          subject better covered by other manuals,  you will find a
          document title MDARexx.doc that will describe all of the ARexx
          commands that you can use through the MEGAD ARexx port.  Every
          function of MegaD can be accessed through the ARexx port.  You
          will also find a number of useful ARexx scripts that you can
          call from within MegaD.


     Dev. Gadgets
          Device Gadget can now be attached to Keypad Gadgets and Gadget
          created in the new Gadget Sets facility.  There  are now 45
          possible Device gadgets.  You gain access to the Device Gadgets
          by using the Set Keypad window, much like you did when you
          attached Built in commands and User Gadgets to your keypad.

     Gadget Sets
          This is another exciting addition to MegaD for this version.
          With the new Gadget Sets facility you can create a wide variety
          of gadget configurations.  You may create simple windows that
          open with just a few gadgets and is set up for a very specific
          task or you could create full screen layouts of strategically
          place Gadgets Sets and Snapshot windows so that you can have a
          directory utility of your own design.

     Creating a Gadget Set
          Gadget Sets are created and designed from the Set Keypads window
          of Set Preferences.  You must first cycle the Source area to
          "Gadget Sets".   Once this is done you may select the "Add"
          gadget.  A new window will open.

     Define Gadget Set Window
          You will find 5 string gadgets in this window to let you define
          the size of the window and how many gadgets you wish to have in
          this window.  Gadget Set windows are font sensitive,  so the
          number and size of your gadgets are effected by this.  There is
          also a gadget under the Window Type gadget that will open a
          window that you can physically size and move to define the
          correct size of the window.

     Gadget Set Title
          This is a string gadget for you to enter the title of the Gadget
          Set.  Like all other titles of object in MegaD, it should be
          unique.  MegaD will test this title and tell you if it finds
          other objects with the same name. MegaD will not let you create
          an object with the same name.

     Inner Window Width
          This is what you would like to set the inner window width to.
          The inner window width is the size of the window without the
          window border calculated into it.  The reason we use the inner
          width and height of the window is due to the fact that this is
          where we will be placing the gadgets.  They would look unsightly
          if there were place over the window boarders.  You will notice
          to the right of the gadgets a minimum and maximum value that
          show the range that can be enter into the gadget.

     Inner Window Height
          This is to set the height of the Gadget Set window.  The higher
          you set this value to the more gadgets you will be able to place
          in a column.  Once again you will see minimums and maximum
          values displayed to the right of the gadget.

     Gadgets Across
          Gadgets are created in the Gadgets Set window in a grid fashion.
          You are allowed to set the number of gadgets across with this
          gadget.  Gadgets can be so small that they will only display one
          character or they can be as wide as the screen.  You should
          notice that at the bottom of the display area is a value title
          "Gadget Char. "  This displays how many characters the gadgets
          will display at the current settings.  This is there to help you
          judge if you are creating your gadgets wide enough to display
          the information you would like to see displayed.   The maximum
          value is effected directly by the setting of the "Inner Window
          Width."

     Gadgets Down
          This will let you set the number of gadget the window will have
          down the window.  The maximum value is effected by "Inner Window
          Height."

          To figure out how many gadget your window will have once it is
          opened is a simple multiplication problem.
          Gadget Across * Gadget Down = Number Gadgets

     Window Type
          This is a cycle gadget that lets you cycle to one of three
          settings.

     Under Mouse
          The Gadget set window will always open under the mouse pointer.

     Fixed
          The Gadget Set window will always open at the last place it was
          closed.

     Rigid
          The Gadget Set window will be an immobile backdrop window that
          cannot be moved.  This window will not have any window boarders.
          This type of window is very effective when designing a full
          screen of Gadget Sets and snapshot windows.

     Close once used
          This is a check gadget.  If it is checked, MegaD will close the
          Gadget Set window once it has been used.

     Keep to front
          This is a check gadget.  If it is checked, MegaD will try to
          keep the gadget set window to the front of other windows while
          it is open.

     Open at startup
          This is a check gadget.  If it is checked, MegaD will open the
          window when the program is started or if a new preference file
          is loaded with this type of Gadget Set found.  If one of these
          are set with this checked, MegaD will not open the "Main Control
          Window",  if you need this window opened you may use the F8, F9,
          or F10 key to open it once the program and/or the preference
          file has loaded.

     Rigid and Open at startup
          By setting one or a few Gadgets Sets with Rigid windows and Open
          at Startup, you can end up with some very impressive screens.
          You'll be surprised as to what a few vertical and/or horizontal
          bars of gadgets and a few snapshot directory windows can do to
          create a productive environment to use you directory utility
          from.

     Sizing Window
          This is a small gadget below the Window Type gadget.  When
          selecting this gadget you will be given a window that can be
          moved, sized and then closed.  This will fill in the information
          for the size of the window.  It will also define the location of
          the screen it is to open to if you create a 'Rigid' or 'Fixed'
          window.

     Opening the new Gadget Set window
          After setting all of the values to where you want them, select
          the "Use" Gadget.  The "Define Gadget Set" window will close and
          your new Gadget Set window will open.  All of the gadgets in
          this Gadget Set window will be blank.   This window is
          interactive with the Keypad Source gadgets.  You can copy
          objects to it in the same manner you have been copying objects
          to the keypad.  Select the gadget in the Gadget Set window you
          wish to copy to, then select the object from the source area of
          the Keypad window.  The Object will be copied as soon as two
          gadget are selected.

     Quick color copy
          There is new feature to help you set the destination gadget
          colors.  I found that setting the colors of the Keypad Gadgets
          and  the Gadget Set gadgets was a very tedious job.  A new
          feature has been added in this version to help speed up the
          setting of the gadget colors.

          Select one of the destination gadgets that has the color set to
          the color you wish to copy.  Select the gadget once more to
          unselect it.  MegaD will now remember the text and background
          colors of that gadget.  Hold a Shift key down and select the
          other destination gadgets that you wish to copy the colors to.
          You may copy the colors to as many destination gadget as you
          wish.  The color will remain the same until you select a new
          color.

          Once you are done, you may close the Gadget Set window with the
          Close gadget or by pressing the Esc key while it is the active
          window.  If you have selected Rigid, or Fixed windows, remember
          to place the Gadget Set window where you would like to see it
          reopen before closing it.  By selecting "Use" from the Set
          Keypad window while other Gadget Set windows are open, MegaD
          will close the windows and remember their locations for you.

     Getting access to Gadget Sets
          To use the Gadget Set, you need to have some type of access to
          it.  Gadget Sets that have the "Open at startup" attribute
          checked will automatically open for you.  Other need some type
          of trigger to open them.  You can place a Gadget Set object onto
          your keypad or you can give Gadget Sets a "Hot Key" so that they
          can be called with a key press.

     Hot Keys
          At the right hand bottom of the Set Keypads window you will find
          a gadget titled "Hot Key."  You may give any object a "Hot Key"
          by using this gadget.  You must first select the object you wish
          to give the "Hot Key" to then select the "Hot Key" gadget, a
          window will open.

     Hot Key Window
          This window will open with the title, "Define Hot Key for
          [object selected].  The title of the object you selected will be
          place in the window title to help you remember what you were
          setting the "Hot Key" for.

     Hot Key Qualifiers
          You may use qualifiers with your "Hot Key."  The possible
          qualifiers are:
               Left Shift
               Right Shift
               Caps Lock
               Control
               Left Alt
               Right Alt
               Left Amiga
               Right Amiga
               Numeric Keypad
               Middle Mouse Button
               Right Mouse Button
               Left Mouse Button

          You may select the qualifiers with your mouse by checking the
          corresponding check box.  Or better yet, just hold the
          qualifiers down and press the regular key you wish to use.  As
          the key is pressed, MegaD will also keep track of the qualifiers
          that was used during the key press.  As soon as you press a
          regular key,  That key will be displayed in the Hot Key
          character box.

          To use this Hot Key definition select the "Use" Gadget.  Or you
          can "Cancel" adding the Hot Key.

     Delete Hot Key
          An object that has been defined to have a Hot Key can have that
          Hot Key remove in one of two ways.

          The first way is to select the object that has the Hot Key you
          wish to have removed, you select this object within the Set
          Keypad window, select the "Hot Key" gadget and finally select
          the "Delete" gadget in the "Hot Key" window.  The "Hot Key"
          definition will be removed.

          The second way is to define the same key press and qualifiers
          for a new object and then select the "Use" gadget from the "Hot
          Key" window.  You will be greeted with a requestor asking:

                             Replace Hot Key defined for
                                    <Object Name>

          Answer yes to this requestor and the Hot Key definition will
          delete from the old object and then created for the new object.

     Hot Keys are
     not global
          Unlike the Hot Keys you define for a commodity that take high
          priority over the system input channels and steal the input from
          the active program or window,  Hot Keys in MegaD are only good
          if one of the MegaD windows are active and accepting the input.

          Key press that are define as menu short cuts, such as "Left
          Amiga O" for Open will take priority over the same Hot Key
          defined for MegaD.


     Menus & Devices window
          In the Set Menus & Devices window you will see a couple of
          changes done to the layout.  This used to be the first window
          that would open when you selected "Set Preferences."  The upper
          section is to define Menu Sets, and the lower section is to
          define Device Gadgets.  You will find the lower section
          revamped.

     Device Gadget
          You may now define 45 deferent device paths and titles that
          share the original 9 Device gadgets.  You access the added
          device gadgets by scrolling the list with the proportional
          gadget place to the left of all of the device string gadgets.
          Each Device gadget has both a Device definition and a Title
          definition.

     Device string gadget
          The device string gadget is for you to enter the path for the
          directory to load once you've selected the corresponding "Device
          Gadget" in the Main Control Window.  This can be a simple assign
          name such as "S:" or a long path such as
          "Work:jrcomm/transfers".

     Title string gadget
          To the right of each Device string gadget you will see a string
          gadget for entering the title.  You may want the title to be
          just the same as the path that will load such as "S:"  or if you
          enter a long path such as
                "Work:jrcomm/transfers"
          you may want to change the title to something that will fit in
          the limited display area of the gadget.  For this case you could
          enter "Downloads" into the Title string gadget.



     Set Print
          MegaD has a very nice print spooler.  It will let you print all
          day long and not freeze the program while it is sending
          information to the printer.  I has one drawback,  it will not
          let you view the list of jobs waiting to be printed and it will
          not let you pick specific jobs from the job list to be removed.
          For those of you who feel that you need better control over the
          jobs waiting to go to the printer, MDSpool has been written and
          ARexx support has been added to MegaD to control it.   This is
          the purpose of the new Set Print preference settings.  MDSpool
          is a stand alone program with a full ARexx port.

          Very little effort is required for you to set MegaD from the
          internal spooler to the new external spooler that has a full
          graphic interface.  At the bottom of the Set Print window you
          will see two gadgets.  The first gadget Is "Set to MDSpool"
          which will set all of the settings to the correct ARexx commands
          to communicate with MDSpool.  The second gadget "Set to internal
          spool" will return MegaD to using the simple internal spool
          program.

          For more information on MDSpool, read the supplied documentation
          for it.  You will find that MDSpool has enough features to make
          it a worthwhile addition to your software collection by itself.



     Multiple Running MegaD's
          You may now have multiple MegaD's running at one time now.  This
          is not advisable, but it is allowed.  Each time a new image of
          MegaD is run a new Public Screen will be opened with the public
          screen with an added number behind it.  So "MEGAD" public screen
          name will become "MEGAD.1", MEGAD.2" and so on.

          The same holds true for the MegaD ARexx port.  Which follows the
          exact same convictions.  "MEGAD" ARexx port name will become
          "MEGAD.1", MEGAD.2" and so on for each new occurrence..

     Warn before launch
          A new check item has been made available to all program controls
          such as AutoBoot, and User Gadgets.  It is the "Warn before
          launch" attribute.  By checking this item, MegaD will open a
          requestor that reads

                                       Launch
                                   Program Control
                               <Program Control Title>

          You may answer yes or no to this requestor.  By answering No to
          the requestor, MegaD will skip the launching of that Program
          Control.  This is especially handy for potentially dangerous
          ARexx scripts or other destructive types of Program Controls.


     ARexx Double Click
          Double Click ARexx files will now open Program control window to
          launch ARexx script.  For this to work the filename must end
          with .arexx or .rexx and the first non space characters of the
          file must be "/*"

     New 'More...' gadget in the Program Controls window to access the
          next two sets of items.

     New Checks for Program Controls
          Query for 'Flags to add'
          Query for 'Text to append'

     New Strings for Program Controls
          Con: window string that can be created with the use of the close
          window icon gadget to the right of the string. This should only
          be the Con:10/10/600/100 part of the console open string.
          Stack size string,  Any value less than 4000 will default to
          4000.

     ASL requestor to set Program Control Path
          Added ASL requestor to set Program Path and Filename string
          gadget of Control Window.  You will find a small folder icon to
          the right of the string gadget.

     Added Auto Scroll feature to Text Windows.
          Selecting the text window with the Left mouse button,  the text
          window will start to scroll up or down at different speeds
          depending on the current position of the mouse pointer.  One
          more select or activating another window will end the scroll.
          This enables the user to set the scroll of the window slow
          enough that the text file can be read line after line.

     Text Window word wrap has been added.
          In the MegaD Preferences, Miscellaneous window the setting View
          Text word wrap can be found.
          0 = Default to window width
          20 - 999 = User defined (A high value pretty much disables word
          wrap :-)

     Text Window tab width has been added.
          In the MegaD Preferences, Miscellaneous window the setting View
          Text tab width can be found. Any value from 1 to 20 is accepted
          here.

     New Sort feature.
          Sort on Extension.
          NOTE:  If you had check in the menus Output, W/Tree lines the
          check will be place on the new sort Extension menu.  Be sure to
          take a quick look at the Menu Sort on after starting this
          version, if two check are found Select your standard default and
          save the preference file.

     Recursive Search Text
          Search Text is now recursive trough selected directories.  This
          will let you select any directory and MegaD will test each file
          in all subdirectories to see if it is a true text file,  if so
          it will search the file for the search string.  Very disk
          intensive but very useful.

          Added Continue feature that will allow you to open a text window
          that has the requested string and continue on with the search
          for more file with the same string in it.

     AmigaGuide Help
          Full implementation of AmigaGuide for on-line help by pressing
          the 'Help' key. And selecting the object within MegaD that you
          need help for.  A second press of the 'Help' key will open the
          MegaD.Guide file to the contents of the file.


     John L. Jones
     PO Box 292
     Midvale, Utah 84047
     USA