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Extended Clipboard V1.00 Copyright (c) 1997 Hinnerk Becker, Hamburg
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* *
* Die deutsche Dokumentation befindet sich in ECLIP.DOK *
* *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contents
~~~~~~~~
1. What is EClip
2. Legal matters
3. Installation
4. Usage
5. General configuration
6. Adjustments on single entries
7. Known problems
8. Uninstallation
1. What is EClip ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EClip is a replacement of the OS/2-Clipboard.
The Clipboard can only store one item at time.
When a new item is being copied into the clipboard, the old one gets
replaced and is lost.
That's where EClip starts to work: old entries, which normally would get
replaced, get automatically saved. So they don't get lost but can be made
avaible to other applications with a single mouseclick. They even can be
edited later with a doubleclick or be pasted by Drag&Drop into almost every
PM application.
It is also possible to drop the clips on the desktop. So often needed
textclips and bitmaps are easily accessable and can simply be inserted
into any application.
EClip offers new and improved functions to use the clipboard more efficiently.
Because extensive changing between source and destination is no longer
required, the clipboard becomes an even more universal aid. With EClip it
is possible to copy all needed clips into the clipboard first and paste them
into the destination application later.
2. Legal matters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EClip is Shareware. It may be tested and used for 14 days free of charge, then
it has to be registered. (see ORDER.FRM)
It is not permitted to use an unregistered copy of EClip as soon as the
evaluation period is expired.
After 14 days a reminder will be displayed, when the EClip folder is opened.
The registration fee is $12 .
The program may only be distributed as the unmodified ZIP archive.
The user installs, uses and uninstalls Extended Clipboard at his own risk.
The author cannot be held responsible for any damage, eg. dataloss, caused
by the installation, usage and uninstallation of Extended Clipboard.
There is no warrenty of any kind for the function of Extended Clipboard or
any part of Extended Clipboard.
Of course EClip has been extensivly tested and improved. Nevertheless
faults can't be ruled out.
The author would be pleased to get bugreports or suggestions
by email and will try to solve possible problems.
For the current addresses see below.
3. Installation
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The installation is carried out by INSTALL.EXE. When this program has started,
a destination path has to be entered. If that path does not exist,
it will be created by the installation program. All required *.DLL files will
be copied into the specified directory. The installation/uninstallation
programs and the documentation will NOT be copied !
Since EClip exclusively consists of DLLs, the LIBPATH in the config.sys has
to point to the installation path. If the installation path is not included in
the current LIBPATH, the installation program will ask, if it should add it
automatically.
So there is either the possiblity to install EClip to an installation path
that is already included in the LIBPATH (eg. \OS2\APPS\DLL) or to add the
installation path to the LIBPATH statement in the CONFIG.SYS.
The probably most efficient way to install EClip is:
- Unpack the EClip-archive into the installations path
- Start INSTALL.EXE in this directory
In that case the path will be added to
the LIBPATH and all EClip files remain in one directory.
Now the first part of the installation has been completed. The second part
will automatically start with the next system start:
A new folder, called "Extended Clipboard /2", will be placed on the desktop.
Now the full installation has been completed.
4. Usage
~~~~~
As long as the new EClip folder is closed, EClip remains without function:
No entries of the clipboard will be saved - the clipboard operates as usual.
Only if the EClip folder is open, every new entry in the clipboard will be
stored and saved in this folder.
Normally the last 'cut' or 'copied' data is the next to be inserted into an
application. By marking an entry in the EClip folder the next one to be
inserted can be chosen.
Of course it is possible - as usual with OS/2 - to mark several entries with
the pressed mouse button.
Pressing CTRL while marking allows to select multiple single entries.
Holding SHIFT while clicking on an entry will mark all entries between the
last marked entry and the one clicked on.
A doubleclick on an entry opens the default application for this type of data.
So the contents of an entry can be changed later.
By Drag&Dropping a text that has been saved in EClip can easily be inserted
into almost any PM - application. (Dragging with the right mouse button,
dropping over the destination)
Autopaste allows to insert entries automatically by hotkeys. After an entry
has been inserted, the next entry in the EClip folder is chosen to let the
next Autopaste action insert just this (the next) entry.
So several old clipboard entries can be placed in the application one after
the other.
The hotkeys are CTRL-ALT-CursorUp and CTRL-ALT-CursorDown.
5. General Configuration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EClip can be configured on settings pages of the folder .
(contextmenu is accessable by pressing right mousebutton over the icon
of the EClip folder)
On the first settings page ( EClip / View 1 of 2) general adjustments can be
made:
- Delete Clips
Automatic deletion of old clipboard entries if there are more than a given
number and / or the entries are older than a given number of days.
The clips will be deleted if a new entry is created in the EClip folder or
if the menu item 'Refresh now' is chosen.
- Miscellaneous / Cutsound:
Sound that will be played if a new item is placed in EClip.
- Miscellaneous / Always-on-top framebutton:
A special button can be inserted in the EClip titlebar. With that button
the EClip window can be made floating above all other windows always.
- Miscellaneous / Show bitmaps on folderbackground
A bitmap saved in EClip can be displayed on the background of the EClip
folder by simply marking it.
- Miscellaneous / Autopaste
Can be enabled or disabled. (see 'Usage')
On the next settings page (EClip/View Page 2 / 2) the (details)view of the
EClipfolder can be adjusted. On the known settings page different catagories
of information can be chosen.
On the third page (Clips Page 1 / 2) the default settings for newly created
EClip entries of the type 'text' can be specified.
For the adjustment of already existing entries see below.
( 'Adjustments on single entries' )
- Store clips in folder:
Should EClip save Clips of type 'text' in the EClip folder ?
- Drag&Drop:
Should it be possible to drag&drop items on PM-applications ?
Which mode should be used ?
Normally all PM-Applications which support the OS/2 Clipboard are supposed
to work with the default mode 'Use Clipboard', in which the key combination
SHIFT-Insert is simulated.
If it does not work, it might be helpful to give 'Simulate input' a try.
Here every single pressing of the keys will be simulated. This could cause
complications, because it is theoretically possible to answer security
questions automatically by dropping a clip on an application. Dataloss could
be the consequence !
- Default title / Autosynchronize
Should the title of an entry be automatically adjusted to its content ?
The entries of the EClip folder are the names of single files. These files
have - as any file- besides the name also a content. The filename can
automatically be produced in such a way that it represents the first
eg. 80 characters of the content. So it is guaranteed that an old entry of
the clipboard can be recognized in the EClip folder by its title.
When an entry in the EClipfolder is edited, its title may differ from its
content. With this global setting it is possible to specify if the title of
the entry should be automatically adjusted. It is also possible to specify
the maximal length of the generated title.
These adjustements can be made seperately for every single item.
(see 'Adjustments on single entries')
Note:
In general the title of an entry is generated from the first
characters of its content. Exceptions:
* linefeed will be replaced through ''
* if the first character is '#' or '!' it will be
replaced by '@'
* '{}' will be replaced by '[]'
- Default types:
The WPS-datatype of textclips can be chosen.
The preset type is 'Plain Text'. By default all clips of that
type are associated with the system editor 'E'. It is possible
to change this association in the settings of the systemeditor.
Instead of giving the WPS-datatype 'Plain Text' to new clips, any other
datatype can be chosen. If the typename does already exist, a
doubleclick on an EClip item will open the application, associated
with that type.
It is also possible to create a new datatype.
The new datatype has to be added to the WPS-typelist. That can be done
on the settings page 'association' of any program object.
The association of the datatype can be set here, too.
To give more than one WPS-datatype to the clips, they have to
be seperated by ','. Superfluous blanks have to be avoided.
Example:
'Plain Text,TextClip' would add both applications associated
with these types to the contextmenu of new clips.
On the fourth page (Clips Page 2 / 2) the default settings for entries of
the type 'bitmap' can be specified. For the adjustment of already existing
entries see below. ( 'Adjustments on single entries' )
- Store clips in folder:
Should EClip save clips of type 'bitmap' in the EClip folder ?
- Default types:
The meaning of this field is described in detail in 'Clips Page 1 / 2'.
The datatype of textclips can be set on this page. The default type is
'Bitmap'.
6. Adjustments on single entries
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every item in the EClip folder has got its own settingspage. It can be
reached via the contextmenu (press right mousebutton over item -> Settings).
The available options on this page depend on the datatype. In contrast to the
adjustments made in 'General Configuration', entries can be configured
personally here.
Some options can also be reached via the contextmenu.
- Title / Autosynchronize and Max length
As already described before (see 'General Configuration') the automatic
generation of the title of the item can be enabled or disabled.
The length of the title can be chosen, too.
- Default open action
A doubleclick on the entry either opens the default application to view or
edit its content or copies it to the clipboard. This might be useful,
because it is possible, to drag the item on the desktop.
- Miscellaneous / Don't delete
In the global settings it is specified, when an entry is 'old'. Old items
will be deleted automatically. If this flag is set, the entry will not be
deleted, even if it is old.
7. Known problems
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Viewing the clipboard
The clipboard viewer included in OS/2 does not cooperate with clipboard
extensions like EClip. If the viewer is opened after the EClip-folder
has been opened, EClip will not receive clips anymore.
The Eclip folder has to be closed and reopened.
To use EClip and the clipboard viewer together, the viewer has
to be started first.
- In Warp V4 dragging an object to the desktop will create a shadow of the
Object by default.
So if the original Object gets deleted, the shadow will be deleted,too.
That might by confusing since objects may be deleted automatically.
(see 'General Configuartion' , 'Delete clips')
A solution would be to set the 'Don't delete' flag for this entry.
Of cause it is possible not to create a shadow but a copy of the entry
(Ctrl - right mousebutton) or to move the entry to the Desktop
(Shift- right mousebutton).
- If the 'Always-on-top' feature is activated, the order of WinOS/2
windows might get mixed up.
If the eclipfolder is (beeing) displayed pemanently on top by the
button, faults in the order of the WINOS/2 windows on the
OS/2 desktop can occur.
- Bitmaps and text only
EClip currently supports clips of the types 'text' and 'bitmap' only.
It would be possible to support other clipboard formats if there is demand.
Simply send an email to the author.
- The program 'ManyClip' by Tim Francis cannot be used together with EClip.
- It is possible to adjust Warp 4 in such way that with opening an object, the
folder, in which the object is placed, gets closed automatically.
This feature is not useful in combination with EClip so it is better to
leave it deactivated (Settings->Window Page 2/2 ->Never).
8. Uninstallation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EClip can be uninstalled by UNINST.EXE. It will unregister all EClip-
classes and delete all EClip entries in the INI files.
It will not delete the installation path, and it will not remove an
eventually added path from the LIBPATH.
The auther can be reached via eMail:
hbecker@bigfoot.com (Internet)
Hinnerk Becker@2:240/5245.7 (Fido-Net)
or via SnailMail:
Hinnerk Becker
Kortenwisch 5c
22397 Hamburg
Germany
I would like to express my thanks to Bernd Troszynski for
many helpful suggestions, tips and the writing of this
documentation.
Hinnerk Becker, April 1997