These two RISC OS applications are designed to assist you in your use of Impression.
!ImpDefalt lets you choose one of up to four default documents when starting up.
!ImpBackup copies a list of files, applications and directories when you exit Impression, to a disc in drive 0.
Both applications are designed to live in the Auto directory within !Impress, though they can be put anywhere. Copy them to there by dragging the icons from the filer on this disc. At this stage these applications will remain dormant.
1. You must prepare to use !ImpDefalt: by first making at least one source file of the !Default document. ImpDefault works by first checking that it can find your chosen source default document, second deleting the current !Default document and then copying your chosen source default document to !Default. Proceed as follows:
Open up the Auto directory that is within the !Impress directory.
Copy your current !Default document with another name into the Auto directory; the name I used was !Def-Norm.
Do not worry that your copy document has a funny icon, it is vital that it remains like this.
If you want alternative defaults (and this is the whole purpose of the application), then make them by:
Start up Impression.
Open up the Auto directory filer.
Double click on your existing !Default document to open it up.
Modify this document as you will.
Save it as !Default in the Auto directory.
Copy it with another name into the Auto directory.
Again do not worry that the icon goes funny, it must remain so.
Continue this until you have made all the defaults you want (though my application will only handle a maximum of four at one time).
2. Running the applications: The easiest way of calling them up is to modify the !Run file that is in the !Impress directory. But first you must make a copy of your original !Run file. Call it !OrigRun.
Then copy (by dragging) my !Run file into the !Impress directory.
Examine !Run by loading in !Edit and dragging !Run onto the !Edit icon. !Run includes commands to run !ImpDefalt, open up directories when Impression has been loaded, to generate (Run ... Letterdate) a text file containing today's date and lastly the command to call up !ImpBackup; they are all commented within !Run. You should modify these commands in !Run as you require.
3. Turn the !Help application on, you will find it helpful as you move the pointer across the icons on both applications.
4. Customising both applications: the first time each application's window is opened on the screen (desktop to the aficionados), you must enter the titles that you require. Just amend or delete what is initially there; you may leave blank slots if you cannot fill them all. Then click on the save icon to save your list of files.
5. The exit icon is useful: on !ImpDefalt, it merely leaves the !Default document as it was the last time you used Impression, and you save some time by not reloading it. On !ImpBackup, it abandons the backup and saves time.
A Credit: I wish to thank the anonymous author of the !Format application that I got from Archive. It operated in just the sort of way I wanted my applications to work so I borrowed his !RunImage, kept the skeleton and modified it to suit my purpose. Many thanks. (None of the articles in various journals about writing RISC OS applications were of any use to me for these two applications.)
