PC Users 1999 April/Cd Pc Users extra 19 abril 1999.iso/Pshare/Util/Devil/README.TXT

Text File | 1998-10-09 | 18.7 KB | 352 lines

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         FLASHBACK DEVIL v2.0 written by Nikola Injac (c)1998 - Readme.txt
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  Devil's WWWpage : http://members.tripod.com/~Nikola_Injac/devil
  e-mail          : [e-mail] or [e-mail]
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                        F L A S H B A C K  D E V I L  Ver. 2.0

Table of contents:

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. AUTHOR
  3. DEVIL TRAY
  4. SYTEMS APPLICATIONS MENU
      a) Start Screen Saver, b) Disable Screensaver, c) Hide/show Desktop,
      d) Task Manager, e) Shut Downs, f) Little red 'x', g) Execution & Time
  5. FLASHBACK EDIT
      a) Inserting Items, b) Modifying Names, c) Modifying Date, d) Tray Option,
      e) Deleting Items, f) Saving Ini File, g) Shortcut or not?,
      h) Screensaver, i) Folders, j) Registration
  6. REQUIREMENTS
      a) Platform, b) Video Card, c) Memory, d) Reading homepage
  7. LICENSE
  8. DOWNLOAD
  9. INSTALLATION
 10. SOURCE:
 11. LINKS & THANKS:



1. INTRODUCTION
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Flashback Devil is a system-tray tool which will help you start any program file (exe,
com, pif), documents (like doc, txt), bitmaps (bmp, gif or jpg for example), Internet-
sites (htm, html etc.) or just - Windows Explorer shotcuts (lnk) from its pop-up menu,
and will also provide a special menu with the those little things around the Windows
Desk you might wanted to have.

A small difference between Flashback Devil and other similar software lies in a very
useful option: Date. Every item you put into the Devil-tray menu, can own a special
date attribute, which is used in the launch sequence, where it's set as the system
date by Devil before the actual execution takes place. It means; you can avoid
annoying manual date swapping when you test your self-written shareware considering
time limitations, or just extend your Windows Start menu without interfering with
system files, directories and alike.
All you have to do is to download zipped file, install it in directory you choose, and
if you find it handy, put a copy of it's link (shortcut) into Startup directory, where
it would be automatically started, every time Windows boots. Devil does not make any
changes in your Windows directory, nor it copies files in directories other than you
specify. Program itself, consits of two executables; Devil.exe and FB-Edit, and an
Ini-file which determines what items the Devil tray menu is to fill with.
Further explanation details the usage of the Flashback Devil programs with figures.
You may consider this page as a Help file, also available to download. Navigation bar
on the left will take you directly to the theme you choose, but nothing stops you from
sliding through this document...


2. AUTHOR
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This program was written as a birthday present for a friend of mine, Ivan. Since he
didn't find this program useful nor interesting, that was a pretty excellent
compliment! However, I thought this program could awake some interest considering
wider frontiers, and here were are... Hello my global village! I hope this visit will
motivate you to write me an e-mail. Any feedback; questions, suggestions, comments,
critics, greetings, sources and other contributions are welcome. I'll try to answer
your e-mail as soon as I can - every mail will be replied. Perhaps you'd like to outer
your source interests?

Flashback Devil v2.0 was written in September 1998 by Nikola Injac, student of Vienna
Institute of Technology at the present. You can mail me at:

  [e-mail]
  [e-mail]

Devil's WWWpage : http://members.tripod.com/~Nikola_Injac/devil

If you feel a bit lazy to write me an e-mail, or even slightly botherd with the idea
of corresponding in english, just take a brief look at my multi-lingual Guestbook -
only one click away. Bet you'll sign (devil you will)!!!


3. DEVIL TRAY
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Flashback Devil Tray popup menu will appear, every time you push the smiley icon
drawn in the system tray.
Choosing one of the pre-defined items from the menu, Devil will launch the program
associated with particular name directly (exe, com, pif) or try to make a shotcut to
the program that handles the item. Pop-up menu modifying on the fly is aimed through
the "Edit Devi Items" command, which will launch Devil Editor. Possible system
date alterations are indiced through the slightly different blinking tray icon:
You can set the original date executing the menu command "Reset Real Date",
or simply by clicking the right mouse button over the Devil tray icon.
The possibility to forget reseting date will be solved after 2 minutes by the Devil
himself, when he will start to smile, again.
Before you leave Flashback Tray, the original date will be set as the actual
system date. You can experience two different executing modes, depending on the object
shortcut-nature


4. SYTEMS APPLICATIONS MENU
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The signifficant difference between Devil v2.0 and the older version is made through
the massive graphic face-lifting; icons, title bars, gradient selection, but
essentially through the menu;
To reach it from Flashback Devil's pop-up menu, just follow the line: "System
Applications" or press 's' while in the menu. Another way to call it, is through the
Program shortcut [CONTROL]+[SHIFT]+'D' whenever you like - it will appear without
normal Flashback pop-up menu. You will notice the common Control Panel programs here,
but also some other non-trivial functions, like:

  a) Start Screen Saver
This command will promptly start the default Screen saver, but only if one has been
choosen. Useful if you attend to leave your computer in a crowded lab- but don't
forget to set a password, and if so, don't forget it!

  b) Disable Screensaver
When I install new software, especially when I let my poor Pentium calculate some
heavy duty equations, and leave him alone - in 99.99% I forget to turn the screen
saver off... Sounds familiar? Try this one! The screensaver won't start until you
click this command again - the same saver will be set again.

  c) Hide/show Desktop
If all those icons at your desk are bothering you in a delicate moment of your
computing, just run this command. It will hide all icons from your desk. But, don't
worry - the're still there, just click this command one more time, and they will
reappear.

  d) Task Manager
Devil works both; on Windows95 & WindowsNT, can tell the difference between small/big
fonts, can find your user name etc. Well, this particular function is known only to
the NT-users...

  e) Shut Downs
You can directly leave and restart Windows, and if you are a logged network user in an
Windows95 or WindowsNT system - also log out. All running programs will be terminated
without any prompts & questions.

  f) Little red 'x'
By clicking the li'le red 'x' in the upper right corner you'll - exit the menu,
preventing the unwanted click in the underlying window. (Happens sometimes when
exiting the pop-up normally - by clicking outside the menu.)

  g) Execution & Time
After you clicked one of the Items from the Devil's pop-up, you'll experience the
execution process, which is characterised through a compact, colorful Splash Screen,
letting you know Devil's at work AND displaying a fragile ticking, analogue
chronometer in fashionable colors, just for fun. Actually, when looking at those four
'time' digits right below, I rarely understand how long it has been since I logged
in...

Yep, look at the splash and you will know where the most of 70kB of Devil.exe went...
Don't look at me, I'm an assembler programmer, got lost in the World of Windoz - I
love small programs, but also the hand-made bitmaps (the background has actually been
calculated - it's a Plasma effect!).


5. FLASHBACK EDIT
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Flashback Devil Editor is an external part of Devil which is called only when you
intend to modify Devil's Items, thus not uneccessarily taking the place in the memory
all the time. Following instructions explain the basic functions of FB-Edit.

  a) Inserting Items
All you have to do to insert the item of your choice in the popup Devil Tray menu is
to open Winfile or Windows Explorer, search for the files you'd like to have in the
Flashback Tray menu and drag it from its original position into the dialogue. After
you dropped the Item, it's name will appear in the list. This version supports
max. 60 user items in the tray pop-up menu. Multiple selections are allowed, you can
drop more folders and files at once.

  b) Modifying Names
Initial name used for the item you drop in the list is the objects' name. It has
nothing to do with the Exec-name of the item itself. You may change this name to the
name you would like to appear in the Tray menu by clicking the edit-box as soon as
the name of the choosen list item appears - first click the list item in. After
you finished the input, press the [return] key - changed name should be shown in the
list-box.

  c) Modifying Date
The file you just inserted into the list will have the Date flag off - determined by
Date checkbox. This flag will signal Devil, that the particular item does not need
any special date at the execution but the real one. Calendar with its belonging fields
will be disabled until you check the Devil Flag. In the case you decide to
change initialy disabled date, first suggested date will be the file-generation date.
After you've chose the right date using calender, don`t forget to confirm
modifications with Apply-button. Otherwise, your input will be lost.

  d) Tray Option
If it happens you use some Item or Link frequently, you'll find it very useful to turn
the Tray option on. After saving the changes, the icon of the Item you picked
right now will appear next to the Devil's Smiley. Now you can execute your favorite
file(s) with a single click - you can put as many Items you like in the system tray!
if you don't find the current order of the icons optimal, just try the right mouse
click on the fly (while running Devil), and the Icon you've pointed at will be set as
the first on the right. For permanent order of the system tray icons, use FB Editor.

  e) Deleting Items
Deleting operation is associated with delete key or with the button shown. After you
picked one of the item from the list, pressing [del] key will force Devil to ask
you a confirmation question, and expunge the item on your request.

  f) Saving Ini File
Devil will notice if the item list went throug any modification during the session,
asking you - after you pressed the Cancel button, if the changes should be saved. You
can also reach this operation with Save button. If Devil is loaded, the popup list
will change on the fly- you don't have to exit FBD Edit; as soon as the Devil.Ini file
has been sucessfuly saved, the menu will promptly change.

  g) Shortcut or not?
In the older version of Devil, as I was still young, I wrote about two possible ways
to execute an Item; Exe, Com and Pif files are executed from Devil directly, and
therefore rather quick; shortcuts and other non-executing files, on the contrary, are
handled indirectly, using Shell-execute which, on slower machines, may consume
slightly more time during the execution - just as a normal Explorer shortcut. Hence,
do not try to avoid shortcuts (links) whenever possible as I adviced you, instead -
use them as much as possible, especcially if you have problems with manual directory
input, URLs and similar things - it'll always work. But, don't forget this: if you
delete a link Devil relies on, execution will fail!

  h) Screensaver
Flashback Devil can be useful if you insert a screensaver module (*.scr) among the
"normal" items. Choosing the screensaver from the pop-up menu will promptly start the
saver you picked, regardless to the default Windows system settings. Helpful if you
attend to leave your computer for a short time period.

  i) Folders
You are also able to open folders ("My documents", for example) using the same
procedure of inserting and starting, and putting in the tray - with the little help of
Flashback Devil.

  j) Registration
Registrating routine awaits two things to be filled in; an exact name you send me,
along with the number you recieved from me. You'll have to register only once - Devil
will create a Key file which will identify you as a helpful and fair user of Flashback
Devil. The Key file will work for all Devil versions to come. Other Functions, like
moving the entry up and down, picking an extra icon for the item, adding the program
arguments etc. are self-explanatory, aren't they?


6. REQUIREMENTS
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Following system requirements are expected by Flashback Devil.

  a) Platform
Written as a pure 32bit Windows software, Devil works on Windows 95/98 and Windows NT
systems, respectively.

  b) Video Card
VGA card or better will do, but the gradients, icons and splash screen just don't look
representative in a quantized 256-color mode. In 16bit or True color mode, you'll see
the Devil with my eyes.

  c) Memory
Memory consumption of Flasback Devil Tray in idle mode is minimal, since no big arrays
are used - the resident part, Devil.exe itself is only 70kB long! I assume Devil will
work on configurations with 4MB. If someone already has 32bit Windows, I just can't
imagine one really enjoying his work without at least 16MB. Thanks Bill - what was
that "Ought to be enough for everybody" again?!

  d) For reading homepage - http://members.tripod.com/~Nikola_Injac/devil
If it happens you're wondering why this page looks so funny, why's there an ugly fat
yellow line between navigation bar on the left & the text on the right, and are we
alone, try to change your display options to a minimum of 800x600 pixels in 16bit or
True color. Hope it helps... No, we aren't.


7. LICENSE
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Devil is free! No, I didn't mean him - Flashback Devil is freeware! That means you
don't have to pay for it - you may use it, copy it and give it to your friends, as
long as all files from Devil pack originally distributed, bot only for private, non-
commercial purposes. If you intend to use Flashback Devil at your work place, for a
commercial purposes, or if you just like the program and you'd like to support me in
further develop and improvement of Devil, please register and purchase it by sending
USD 10,- or DM 15,- (only cash, please) to the following address:

    Nikola Injac
    Gudrunstr. 124
    1100 Wien
    Austria, Europe

Your support will ensure you all further versions of Flashback Devil, and your name
will be included in the info-box. Thanks!
Alterations and modifications of any kind in binaries or help files are not welcome. I
mean, they are not allowed. Well, let's just say, don't play with the Devil...

Still, you use Devil at your own risk! I do not take any responsibilities for eventual
misuse, possible defects caused by Devil, hazards, data loss and similar things we-
really-really-don't-want-to-happen related to Devil. Devil has also an Integrity check
that will alarm you if the program ever gets infected by any virus, even if your
Antivirus-Software couldn't find any!!!
I would appreciate if you inform me if you like or dislike this program, or when you
(ever) see the message of infection.


8. DOWNLOAD
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The original pack consists of these following files:

1. Devil.exe ....... 69 KB
2. FB_Edit.exe .... 366 KB
3. Readme.txt ...... 19 KB
4. Devil.ini ........ 1 KB
5. Devil.url. ....... 1 KB

Additional Help - the document you just reading in a fancy html form is to be found at
http://members.tripod.com/~Nikola_Injac/devil

Zipped Flashback Devil files:
http://members.tripod.com/~Nikola_Injac/devil/FBdevl20.zip (164KB)

 IMPORTANT: If your Internet connection suffers from insufficient speed, I'll be a nice
guy and tell you a secret; you can load this file from the FTP server near you, all
around the world...
 MORE IMPORTANT! If you download this program, that means you have read, and you agree
with License terms.


9. INSTALLATION
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The entire Installation is just a simple unzipping process using PKzip or WinZip. It's
advisable to provide Devil with its' own directory, where the decompression should
find place. All names are saved in 8.3 format, so you don't have to worry about that.
You can place a shortcut to Devil.exe at your Desk, or in the Startup folder (see
why).


10. SOURCE:
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Maybe you're a programmer and you would like to see how Flashback Devil was done.
Write me an e-mail, send me your URLs, introduce me to your programming work. A
possibility to public the source code in public domain is not excluded - the Internet
community will be informed!


11. LINKS & THANKS:
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Well, to be honest, I knew that some day I'll have to point this emptyness in order to
pick the right and valuable material from my collection, without feeling bad about
letting something or somebody out of it... To be updated!

I would like say a word of gratitude to the people who helped me in my first steps in
Windows programming; guys from Borland for their great Delphi 3, SWAG-group & authors
around the world, Wei Ke for putting me in the right direction in loading small icons,
all those nice people who wrote me and encouraged me, Ivan for having a birthday,
and finally, the very important and dear persons in my life; Bojana & Sanja: Thank you!


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                 (c)1998 by Nikola Injac. Vienna, 08. October 1998.
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