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Amigaguide Document
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1996-04-07
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23KB
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479 lines
@Database "Midnight.guide"
@Author "Trevor Andrews"
@(c) "Copyright
1994 Imagine Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved."
@$VER: Midnight.guide 2.08 (28.10.94)
@Index INDEXNODE
@Font topaz.font 8
@Width 80
@Wordwrap
@node Main "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to the AmigaGuide
Manual for Midnight
Friday 28-Oct-94
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@{b}Table of Contents@{ub}
@{" I. " link Intro} Introduction
@{" II. " link Legal} Copyright
@{" III. " link Install} Installation & Upgrades
@{" IV. " link Menus} Menus
@{" V. " link Gadgets} Gadgets
@{" VI. " link Shell} Shell Interface
@{" VII. " link BPrefs} BPrefs, daemon
@{" VIII." link ALock} ALock, security system
@{" IX. " link Reference} AmigaDOS Reference
@{" X. " link Custom} Writing Custom Modules
@{b}Appendix@{ub}
@{" A. " link Revision} Revision History
@{" B. " link To-Do} Planned Features
@{" C. " link Registration} Software Registration
@{" D. " link Thanks} Acknowledgments
@{" E. " link Tech} Technical Notes
@{" F. " link Mods} Music Support
Midnight
Screen Blanking System
1994 Imagine Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Engineered by Trevor Andrews
Imagine Software, Inc.
1218 South 5th Street
Lafayetee, IN 47905-1716
@endnode
@node Intro "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~
TITLE
Midnight - Modular screen/mouse blanking system
VERSION
Version 2 Revision 08
AUTHOR
Trevor N. Andrews
DESCRIPTION
Midnight is a modular screen blanking system designed
with AmigaDOS 2.x/3.x in mind. A few of its features
are listed below:
Screen Mode selection in all modules with AGA support
Standard 2.x Preferences interface
Font sensitive window
Enforcer/Mungwall Proof Code
Public screen support
GadTools interface
IFF Preference file
Separate Dameon and GUI
Amiga Guide support (library is optional)
NT/PT music support in every module!
Currently, the following blanker modules are available:
ALock (Full featured security system)
Nightfall (Simple black screen)
Rainbow (Bouncing lines with 256 colours in AGA)
Shuffle (Slides selectable pieces around)
Mindmelt *(An AfterDark inspired module)
PhaseFade (Fade to black)
Fireworks (Traditional fireworks with 256 colours in AGA)
Textual (Floats text around)
Spotlight (Your screen has just broke out of jail)
IceMelt *(Screen melts like an ice cube)
Starfield (Prepare for space flight)
Random (Randomly chooses your modules)
Breadth (It's strange...)
Worms (They crawl in and they crawl out!)
Aquarium ("Under the sea", are you singing along?)
FlyingToilets (Those flying creatures are up to trouble again)
* Not included in this release.
Additional features include:
Concise message signaling system
OS friendly mouse blanker
Support for detection of gameport
Random blanker selection mode
@endnode
@node Legal "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Copyright
~~~~~~~~~
Midnight is Copyright 1994 Imagine Software Inc.
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in ANY form, with or without modification, is NOT
permitted (Free distribution of the unmodified DEMO version is allowed).
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY IMAGINE SOFTWARE INC. "AS IS" AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL IMAGINE SOFTWARE INC. BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE
OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
Commercial use of this product is strictly prohibited. Please contact
us for licensing agreements.
The cost of Midnight is $15 US (No foreign cheques) and our address
is as follows:
Imagine Software, Inc.
1218 South 5th Street
Lafayette, IN 47905-1716
@endnode
@node Thanks "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Acknowledgements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks goes out to the following people:
For their "creative" computer.
Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
For his GUI prototyping tool.
GadToolsBox release 2.0b
(C) Copyright 1992-93 Jaba Development
Written using DICE C v2.07.54R by
Jan van den Baard
Bakkerstraat 176
3082 HE Rotterdam
Holland
Fido: 2:285/502.7 (Jan van.den.Baard)
UUCP: jaba@desert.wlink.nl
For their compiler.
SAS/C Amiga Compiler
SAS Institute Inc.
For their undying support.
@{fg highlight}Jana@{fg text}
My wonderful wife whom I owe my strengths.
Matthew Wells
Endless hours of testing.
Lego
The dog, with all of her energy!
Silly, Z, Fluff
What would I do without my cats?
@endnode
@node Install "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Installation & Upgrades
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AmigaDOS 2.0 is the only requirement, however, we recommend 2.1 or higher
whith a hard drive to take full advantage of all the features.
Quick -- "To see what it's like..."
Double click on Bprefs.
Double click on Midnight and set your preferences,
see @{"Menus" link Menus}, @{"Gadgets" link Gadgets}, or @{"Shell interface" link Shell}
Workbench Installation:
Drag @{"BPrefs" link BPrefs} to your "SYS:WBStartup" drawer.
Drag Midnight, the preference software, to your "SYS:Prefs" drawer.
Drag the Blankers drawer to any desired location, such as "WORK:".
Place Midnight.guide or Midnight.reference into a manual drawer of choice.
See "Quick", above.
Shell Installation:
Users wishing to install Midnight via the command line interface should
be familiar with Workbench enough to translate the above procedure to
fit their particular needs.
Updating your Registered Copy from a Newer Demo Version.
The only difference between the "Demo" versions and a full paying
registered version is the executable "BPrefs". In most cases the
version of BPrefs will remain the same so you can just extract
everything except BPrefs from the Demo version. When major updates
come along I will send you a letter on how to upgrade. Usually you
can just grab the Demo upgrade off your local network or send me a
disk. Only certain upgrades will require payment, namely updates
to BPrefs.
@endnode
@node Menus "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Menus
~~~~~
Project
Open O ... Open preferences from an external file.
Save As... A ... Save preferences to an external file.
-------------
About ? ... Some general information and version data.
-------------
Quit Q ... Exit/Cancel without saving.
Edit
Default D ... Reset to defaults.
Last Saved L ... Restore from ENVARC: (See SAVE @{"gadget" link Gadgets})
Restore R ... Restore from ENV: (See USE @{"gadget" link Gadgets})
Settings
Save Icons? I ... When saving preferences, also create an icon.
Select Font F ... Choose which font you wish to use.
@endnode
@node Gadgets "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Gadgets
~~~~~~~
Name HotKey Description
-----------------------------
Min I* Sets minutes till time to save/blank the screen.
Sec E* Sets seconds till time to save/blank the screen.
Time M Time in seconds till blanking of the mouse pointer.
Keys K Number of key prsses till blanking of the mouse.
Auto A Commodity style key definition to auto screen blank.
Toggle O Commodity style key definition to toggle screen blanking.
Note: A "Display/Beep" will happen when blanking is OFF.
Test T Test the currently selected blanker module.
Editor D Execute preference editor for selected blanker module.
Guide G Starts AmigaGuide
with the selected blanker's help guide.
Save S Saves preferences to ENV: & ENVARC: as Sys/Midnight.prefs
Use U Saves preferences just to ENV:Sys/Midnight.prefs
Cancel C Exit/Cancel without saving.
About ? Some general information and version data.
Blankers B*, UP/DOWN ARROW Selects blanker module.
LEFT/RIGHT ARROW {Directory Requester Gadget}
HELP {Starts built in AmigaGuide
manual}
TAB {Directory String Gadget}
* Slider gadget hotkeys may be used with SHIFT to alter thier
direction of slide.
Ghosted gadgets will sometimes appear to WB2.0 (V37) users to indicate
that the option is unavailable. These users should upgrade to WB2.1
to take advantage of additional features.
@endnode
@node Shell "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Shell Interface
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM,EDIT/S,USE/S,SAVE/S,PUBSCREEN/K:
Please refer to the @{"AmigaDOS Reference" link Reference} section.
@endnode
@node BPrefs "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
BPrefs, daemon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Performs all internal operations...
I developed this software as a daemon/preference program to remove the
need of having both residing in memory all the time, such as a commodity
would have done. This seems to be trivial on systems with lots of
memory. However, to respect low memory users the GUI/preference code
does not have to "hang around" all the time, just run it when needed.
If you change your keyboard type, you will need to run (reset) BPrefs!
Please refer to the @{"AmigaDOS Reference" link Reference} section.
@endnode
@node ALock "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
ALock, security system
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALock is a limited multi-user security system for your Amiga. It is
designed to be a stand alone package (which may be placed after IPrefs
in your Startup-Sequence) or used with the screen saver Midnight as
a console lock. Please refer to it's documentation for a full list
of features and abilities.
To see its AmigaGuide
help file:
1. Startup the Midnight preference editor.
2. Select ALock from the blanker module list.
3. Tap the Guide @{"gadget" link Gadgets} button.
@endnode
@node Reference "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
AmigaDOS Reference
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MIDNIGHT
Format: MIDNIGHT [FROM <filename>] [filename]
[EDIT] [USE] [SAVE] [PUBSCREEN <screen>]
Template: FROM,EDIT/S,USE/S,SAVE/S,PUBSCREEN/K:
Purpose: To specify different settings for screen
and mouse blanking.
Required: AmigaDOS 2.0 or higher.
Optional: AmigaGuide Library. (Recommended)
Path: SYS:Prefs/Midnight
Specification:
MIDNIGHT without any arguments or with the EDIT argument
opens the Midnight editor. The FROM argument lets you specify a
file to open. This must be a file that was previously saved with
the "Save As" menu item of the Midnight editor. PUBSCREEN is
used to specify an alternative screen to open on.
NOTE: If using saved preferences from icon, make sure Midnight is
in your Workbench's path.
BPREFS
Format: BPREFS [QUIT] [KEY]
Template: QUIT/S,KEY/S (KEY is for registered users only)
Purpose: Daemon to implement different settings for
screen and mouse blanking.
Required: AmigaDOS 2.0 or higher.
Optional: (nothing)
Path: SYS:WBStartup/BPrefs
Specification:
BPREFS takes as arguments QUIT and KEY (only for registered users).
QUIT...Forces BPrefs to shut down and exit.
KEY....Authentication Encryption Key report.
NOTE: If you change your keyboard type, you will need
to run (reset) BPrefs!
@endnode
@node Tech "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Technical Notes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Pre amigaguide.library (V34.11) had a bug which caused an enforcer
hit when it was called from inside most software using it. To
remove this enforcer hit, simply, update your library to V34.11.
2. Some modules make use of the reqtools.library (V38+) to allow
you to select screen mode and number of colours (AGA support).
This library may be found in Fred Fish's Public Domain collection.
If this library can not be found the standard asl.library (V38+)
screen mode requester will be used. WB2.0 (V37) users should update
to WB2.1 (V38) to take full advantage of all the features.
3. The Mouse Blanker and Random options are disabled in the DEMO version.
BPrefs has subtle priority henderences as well. There is a small
window which will "pop" up every ten minutes.
4. There is a "Fonts" directory in the archive that contains a font
called rose (pt size 12) that I found PD. It has a lowered
baseline so that underscores look "normal". This is the font
I use for my Screen Text. It's included for your enjoyment.
5. Watch for MORE blanker modules!
@endnode
@node Revision "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Revision History
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This section is dedicated to Midnight and BPrefs revision / changes log.
Changes to blanker modules can be found in their AmigaGuide
documentation.
As this product is still developing, I apologize for the lack of detail
and for any "blank" spots or typos found in its documentation.
Denotes a bug, - a modified feature, and + an addition to the package.
o Midnight 0.07 - First public release (10.5.94)
Midnight 2.08 - Major update (21.10.94)
Increased stack size of a child task that caused a Mungwall hit.
100% Enforcer/Mungwall proof code. See BPrefs 2.09 Major Update below.
- The ghosted gadgets have been removed when the window is "busy".
+ Font selection added under settings.
+ Added ability to snapshot ALL window locations.
+ Created sound FX and Imagine logo at startup.
+ Music support (NT/PT) in all modules!
+ Security routine added to prevent non-Midnight software from using
our blanker modules. See BPrefs 2.09 Major Update below.
o BPrefs 0.07 - First Public release (10.5.94)
BPrefs 0.08 - Minor update (29.5.94)
Fixed a bug with concurrent process control. The problem was with
detecting when a blanker module closed prematurely.
BPrefs 2.09 - Major update (28.10.94)
+ @{b}Version 0.07 and 0.08 users MUST @{"update" link Install} to 2.09@{ub} in order to use
any of the new blankers! This is because I implimented a security
routine to keep non-Midnight software from using our blanker modules.
With Mungwall and Enforcer running a hit was reported during the
termination of a blanker module. This was caused by not calling
CurrentDir(NULL) just before spawning the new blanker process.
This is evidently needed by the exiting code found in SAS/C compilers.
Registered BPrefs 0.08 users should not be to concerned over this,
as it only shows up as a "dangling pointer" problem under the
memory diagnostics program Mungwall.
Part of the problem with detecting when a blanker module closed
prematurely I forgot to toggle a switch to allow a new blanker to
start afterwards. You will see in pre-version 2.09 that if a module
fails to open for memory reasons that one never opens again, this
is fixed this time around!
The bringing of the module to front every so often was fixed.
@endnode
@node To-Do "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
To-Do List
~~~~~~~~~~
*1. Finish documentation!
2. Write some truely wonderful blanker modules!
*Aquarium, just you wait. (Still needs more work)
*3. Add font selection to menu bar under settings.
It's font sensitive but not font selective...
*4. Add ability to snapshot all window locations.
5. Add colour gadgets to the new gadget strip in
the preference editor.
*6. Music/Audio support.
7. Work on resizing all GUIs.
8. Add Locale support.
9. Reduce file sizes by using shared libraries?
10. Add more reqtools.library support for 2.0 users?
* Finished in this release!
@endnode
@node Registration "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Order Form
~~~~~~~~~~
--------------------------
Imagine Software, Inc.
1218 South 5th Street
Lafayette, IN 47905-1716
United States
--------------------------
Midnight is Copyright 1994 Imagine Software Inc.
All rights reserved.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY IMAGINE SOFTWARE INC. "AS IS" AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL IMAGINE SOFTWARE INC. BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE
OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
Redistribution and use in ANY form, with or without modification, is NOT
permitted (Free distribution of the unmodified DEMO version is allowed).
Commercial use of this product is strictly prohibited. Please contact
us for licensing agreements.
I would like to become a registered user of "Midnight". Please send
me a disk containing the latest (personalized) registered release.
Name: _________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
Amiga: __________________ Version of Kickstart: _______________
Country: __________________ Version of Workbench: _______________
Phone: __________________ Acquired from: ______________________
E-Mail: _________________________________________________________
The cost of Midnight is $15 US (No foreign cheques)
I have read the license and distribution details and agree.
_____________________ ___________________________________________
(Date) (Signature)
@endnode
@node Custom "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Writing Custom Modules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. No detaching from calling process.
2. Must recognize and handle EDIT/S, PUBSCREEN/K, FONT/K, SIZE/K/N
shell parameters.
3. Load and save preferences from current directory as
"{Executable's_Name}.prefs"
4. Follow Ctrl-C, Ctrl-D, and Ctrl-E rules as follows:
C ... Exit (Close down and leave!)
D ... Stop Blanking (Wait for C or E)
E ... Resume Blanking (Bring your screen to front. Wait for C or D)
5. Maintain blanker's screen as the front most screen during blanking.
6. Blank mouse pointer, if necessary.
7. Build "{Executable's_Name}.guide" to be placed in .MAN directory.
8. Maintain task's priority in preferences program. (Remember CPU!)
Thorough source code examples may be obtained if you wish to develop
modules for use with our system.
@endnode
@node Mods "Midnight AmigaGuide User Manual"
Music Support
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Support for (NT/PT) Noise/ProTracker musical modules is incorperated
into most screen saver modules. If you have trouble with a certain
module sounding "correctly" try using a module converter (found in most
PD libraries) to convert it to NoiseTracker or ProTracker format.
Because music modules can be large memory hogs, they will be loaded
during screen blanking and unloaded when not.
If your music module does not play? You probably lack enough memory
or the file is not in the correct file format.
To turn off the playing of music modules go to the blankers @{"editor" link Gadgets}
and from the musical note gadget erase the directory and file names.
The following files you have received are part of the public domain archives
called Aminet. They were taken from ftp.cdrom.com in the aminet/mods/misc
directory. Imagine Software takes no credit or responsibility for them.
@{fg highlight}Directory "/Blankers/.MAN"
mod.RideOfValkyries 62368
mod.DanceOfSwans 78630
mod.DanceOfReedPipes 77464
3 files - 431 blocks used@{fg text}
@endnode
@NODE INDEXNODE "Index"
Roadmap
~~~~~~~
@{"Acknowledgments" link "Thanks"}
@{"ALock, security system" link "ALock"}
@{"AmigaDOS Reference" link "Reference"}
@{"BPrefs" link "BPrefs"}
@{"Copyright" link "Legal"}
@{"Demo Version" link "Tech"}
@{"Fonts" link "To-Do"}
@{"Gadgets" link "Gadgets"}
@{"Installation & Upgrades" link "Install"}
@{"Introduction" link "Intro"}
@{"Libraries" link "Tech"}
@{"Menus" link "Menus"}
@{"Music" link "Mods"}
@{"Noise/ProTracker (NT/PT)" link "Mods"}
@{"Order Form" link "Registration"}
@{"Planned Features" link "To-Do"}
@{"Requirements" link "Install"}
@{"Revision History" link "Revision"}
@{"Rose" link "Tech"}
@{"Shell Interface" link "Shell"}
@{"Software Registration" link "Registration"}
@{"Technical Notes" link "Tech"}
@{"To-Do List" link "To-Do"}
@{"Updating" link "Install"}
@{"Writing Custom Modules" link "Custom"}
@endnode