http://www.golden.co.nz Version 3.0.3 22 January 1999
Introduction
Commander is primarily an engine for displaying help and/or reference information. The application doubles as a system to help you manage your clippings, text files, graphics and Read Me files (╘Pro╒ version only).
You normally use Commander to access reference information stored in separate Command Set files. The ╘Pro╒ version of Commander can be used to create these files, or you may be supplied with these files by other people. This information may take the form of Help topics, programming language reference information, tutorial steps and so on.
╩
Commander allows you to have an unlimited number of Command Sets available via the pop-up menu in the bottom left hand corner of the window.
The ╘Pro╒ version of Commander allows you to organise data contained in text files, text clippings, picture clippings, and standard JPEG, Gif and PICT files by dropping any files of these types into a folder within the Command Sets folder. Once in that folder they are instantly accessible from within Commander, just as though the information were contained in a command set file. Suddenly, dealing with, organising, renaming, deleting and keeping track of a million-and-one text clippings becomes easy!
╩
Commander ships with an example folder of these items so that the concept is easy to see. See also the full on-line help within the application (in the Help Menu).
Yet Another Electronic Documentation Tool?
Commander is not designed to be a complete electronic documentation tool.
Many other tools, such as Adobe Acrobat, eDoc, DocMaker, web browsers and so on, provide far greater functionality when it comes to creating complete and attractive electronic versions of your documentation. As such, we do not see Commander as a rival for those products.
Commander is designed to allow you to relatively easily produce reference and/or index type electronic documents. In many cases, once a user is familiar with your software, he or she will rarely need to refer to the documentation. When they do, using a tool such as Acrobat, or DocMaker to locate the information is usually quite acceptable.
However, there are some situations, such as programming languages (e.g. 4th Dimension, AppleScript, Hypercard), when the user may frequently refer to the reference documentation (e.g. a Language Reference Manual). In most cases this is to quickly double-check the use of a command, or to find a small piece of information quickly.
This is the situation which Commander is designed for, and excels at. The topic list at the left hand side of the window accepts type-ahead commands (for example, type ╘k╒ on the keyboard to view the first topics beginning with that letter), meaning that specific topics can be found extremely quickly, and without disrupting the user╒s train of thought.
By all means use Adobe Acrobat to produce your complete on-line documentation, but use Commander to produce the reference document your users will want to refer to on a frequent basis.
If you wish to test this compilation feature of Commander, the standard (unregistered) Reader version will allow you to compile new sets. Those sets will contain all the formatting information you specify in your source files, but the topic descriptions themselves will be modified to make them unreadable. You can use this feature to determine whether you want to purchase the ╘Pro╒ upgrade before spending your money!
If you do not wish to create your own Command Set files, then there is no need to purchase the upgrade╤the reader version can be used free of charge. See the Licensing Details section of this manual.
Pricing, Ordering and Licensing Information
Reader Version
Commander in it╒s purest (Reader) form is FREE. This is not to say that the software is public domain, it isn╒t, it╒s just that we do not charge for the basic ╘reader╒ version of the program.
Feel free to distribute and use the Commander application in any way you want. However, please ensure you distribute only complete copies with all the associated documentation and example files.
Pro Version
If you wish to purchase the Pro version of Commander for the sum of US$39.95, you will be provided with a Registration Code which will enable the complete functionality of the application.
In particular this means that you will be able to :
Ñ use the built-in (HTML) compiler to create your own Command Set files
Ñ view/access more than six files in a text/graphics folder
Ñ freely distribute Freeware Command Sets to other Commander users
Ñ Command-click URL╒s in clipping and text files to start up your email application or web browser.
See the About... box to print a copy of the order form for faxing, or to connect to our web site at the link below to order the Pro version:
A copy of the Order Form can also be found in the example clippings folder (inside the Command Sets folder) that is distributed with Commander.
Commercial Distribution
If you wish to distribute commercial Command Set files, you will need to negotiate a distribution licence with Golden Micro Solutions. Contact us for more details.
mailto:sales@golden.co.nz
System Requirements - Now & The Future
Commander will run on all Mac OS computers. It requires 1 MB of free RAM, and a minimum of System 7.1.
One of the major reasons for this new (vers 3.0) release, has been to re-work Commander in such a way as to make it possible to create a cross-platform (i.e. Windows 95/98/NT) version of the application. Work is well underway on this project, and it is expected that a cross platform version will be released in the first half of 1999.
So if you have any plans for a major, commercial, cross platform Command Set, get thinking about it now, and contact us for more details!
New Features in version 3.0
Commander v3.0 includes many new features for existing Commander users:
Ñ Fully resizable windows.
Ñ Store Command Set files in a separate ╘Command Sets╒ (a.k.a plug-ins) folder.
Ñ Capability to print individual topic information.
Ñ PowerPC native (only the PPC version - 68k version also available). Faster searches.
Ñ Give different names to copies of the application, and each will record it╒s own preferences (i.e. window sizes and positions).
Ñ Drag and drop text from Commander window to clipping files.
Ñ Ability to be customised for languages other than English.
Ñ Copy and paste complete 4D forms, including object methods.
Ñ HTML markup for the easy creation of new command set files. Use your standard web creation tools to create source files for the Commander compiler. *
Ñ List and view the contents of text files, text clippings, picture clippings and standard graphics files in other folders within the Command Sets folder (home made command sets!). *
Ñ Detect double-clicks on http, ftp and email URL╒s in text files and clippings, and launch your email application or browser. Keep a ╘favourites╒ list in your text clippings folder! *
* These features are only fully functional in the ╘Pro╒ version.
Pre-Rolled Command Sets
Golden Micro Solutions provides the following additional Command Set files for use with Commader 3.x:
Commander is Copyright ⌐ 1993-1999 Golden Micro Solutions Ltd. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Golden Micro Solutions Ltd makes no representations about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
GOLDEN MICRO SOLUTIONS LTD DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL GOLDEN MICRO SOLUTIONS LTD BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
Update History
Version 3.0.3 22 January 1999
* Printing bug corrected. Previously text would not correctly wrap on page, and was therefore truncated.
* Commander will now remember the last Command Set and topic you were viewing. Each time you start the application it will now automatically open the last topic you were viewing (provided you have not deleted or moved the Command Set or file in the meantime).
* When using/viewing a clipping folder (as opposed to a standard Command Set file), you can now drag and drop files onto the Commander Topic list.
You can drag text files, clippings and picture files to the topic list, and provided you are viewing a 'clipping folder' then the file (or files) will be moved from it's previous location on disk, directly into the clipping folder.
For example, if you have a collection of clippings on your Desktop, you can open up Commander, go to the clipping folder (using the pop-up menu), and just drag and drop the files into the Commander window (topic list) to move them around on your hard disk (to the new location -- the clipping folder.).
* When using/viewing a clipping folder, you can now drag and drop text from other applications (e.g. Eudora) to automatically create new text files in the clipping folder, containing the data you have dropped.
Version 3.0.2 5 January 1999
A bug fix version to correct a problem discovered in the registration system. Some users codes were not being validated correctly.
