Black Box 4/BlackBox.cdr/w3_prgmt/acce9d.arj/CHANGES.TXT

Text File | 1992-05-11 | 12.9 KB | 324 lines

IF you are reading this file, you are my kind of user!

Lately, all of my changes are user requested. I love feedback!

Very Advanced Windows 3.1 Program Manager's Startup folder TIP:

To start up windows 3.1 the way you want, do something like the
following (if this is not clear, call me):

Delete    Accesses.exe from your WIN.INI Load= line.
Add    "Accesses.exe !FolderNo10" to Program Manager's Startup folder.

in Accesses !FolderNo10 you can have the following:

    !FolderName=Startup Folder
    !program1=PauseSecs 15        <- varies with computer speed
    !program2=PlaceDefault clock.exe
    !program3=StayOnTop clock.exe
    !program4=MinimizeWindow clock.exe
    !program5=PlaceDefault winfile.exe
    !program6=PlaceDefault progman.exe
    !program8=hidewindow drwatson.exe
    !program9=PlaceDefault dayalarm.exe
    !program10=PlaceDefault winoa386.mod
    !program11=StayOnTop winoa386.mod

This assumes that the Program Manager's Startup folder launches: clock,
winfile, drwatson, dayalarm, and a PIF file.

If ANYONE has problems:

Call Ted Wall:
    510-484-4129       non-emergencies: 8am - 6pm (Pacific Time) Mon-Sun
            emergencies: call anytime.

Changes thru 5/11/92        (Version 2.9 versus Version 2.8)

1.    A safer compile option.

Changes thru 5/1/92        (Version 2.8 versus Version 2.7)

1.    Added a "StayOnTop" and "NotOnTop" Task List menu items and
    !folder commands. Also added a "PlaceDefault" !folder command for
    problem programs or to place programs started from the Program
    Manager's Startup folder (be sure to use PauseSecs for Program
    Manager's Startup folder).

    format:        PlaceDefault clock.exe
            StayOnTop clock.exe

    See Accesses.hlp for more info.

    NOTE: the executable program name for a DOS Window is:

        winoa386.mod    for 386/486 systems only

2.    Discarding more global memory for low memory users.

Changes thru 4/24/92        (Version 2.7 versus Version 2.6)

1.    Added a ReStart Windows and ReBoot DOS to the Exit Windows menu item.

    Rebooting DOS from Windows can cause some memory managers to lock up!

    The ReBoot DOS function is disabled in WIN 3.0.

2.    Was tired of Accesses pasting DOCs into an existing Winword 2.0
    program if one was already running.  Accesses behaves better if you
    Ctrl+Esc, Alt+U, C, N, [enter] and then add "winword.exe,0" to the
    Run Only Run MDI program group.

3.    A bizarre function: Click once on Accesses's popup window then press
    Alt+U will convert the clipboard text contents to upper case.
    Alt+L to lower case. Alt+P to proper case.  Alt+S will strip formatting
    from WinWord text saved to the clipboard. Clicking the middle mouse
    button on the left 1/3 of the Accesses popup windows is the same as
    pressing Alt+L, middle 1/3 equals Alt+S, and right 1/3 equals Alt+U.

4.    Hold the Left Mouse button down and Clicking the middle mouse button
    on the left, middle, and right 1/3 of the popup is the same as
    pressing F10, F11, and F12 respectively when the popup has focus.

5.    If you select more than one file from another program and Drag Drop
    to Accesses, they are all launched (using WIN.INI extensions if they
    are not executables).

Changes thru 4/20/92        (Version 2.6 versus Version 2.5)

Mostly very minor changes were made in this version that are not covered
in the list below.  Many of the comments were from users.  Accesses is
fairly mature.  I need user comments to continue with major improvements!

1.    Accesses was not placing DOS windows properly for some users when the
    user launched DOS apps in WIN3.1 mode using a command line without
    the PIF file name.  For example:

        accesses.exe 123.exe

    If you do not specify the PIF filename and then launch a DOS app thru
    Accesses, then the MILLISEC_DELAY_WIN variable for the Windows mode
    becomes significant. See "Millisecond Delay" using the Search button
    of the Accesses.hlp file. If to fast, then the window is not placed
    properly for you.

2.    Users do not have to do anything special to hide Accesses or
    AccDrive for the WIN 3.1 version when using TRUE WIN 3.1
    Screen Savers.

3.    AccDrive Stay On Top now can be Turned Off in the WIN 3.1 version.

Changes thru 3/26/92        (Version 2.5 versus Version 2.4)

1.    Added Esc key to switch the focus away from Dayalarm when Accesses
    is running.  Using the Esc key minimizes Dayalarm's interference
    with the Shft+Tab key combination.

2.    Improved the avoidance of gaining focus by Accesses and AccDrive
    in the Windows 3.1 environment.  Read the Screen Saver section of
    Accesses.hlp if you use a Win 3.0 Screen Saver.

3.    Button Task List is now wider and shows more text in the List Box.

4.    Added PauseSecs to the !Folder commands listed in 3/10/92 changes
    point 0.  The format is PauseSecs 3.

Changes thru 3/10/92        (Version 2.4 versus Version 2.3a)

0.    I had a registered user request that Accesses hide windows when they
    are started.  He wanted to hide primarily programs that always run
    as ICONS in the background. eg, DrWatson.

    And another user was frustrated that her Program Manager sometimes
    started as an icon.

    Therefore, added several commands so you can hide, restore, minimize,
    or maximize programs from any folder. Additionally, the programs do
    not have to be launched by the folder (but obviously, must have been
    previously launched).

    For example:

        !folderno5
        1 c:\windows\drwatson.exe
        2 HIDEWINDOW drwatson.exe
        3 RESTOREWINDOW progman.exe

    (Also see "PauseSecs 3" in Version 2.5 and see StayOnTop NotOnTop in
        Version 2.8)

    In the above example, the user wants to launch and HIDE DrWatson's
    icon and then the user wants to make sure that the Program Manager
    (progman.exe) is not minimized or maximized when the !folder executes.

    The case-independent Commands are:

        HideWindow, RestoreWindow, MinimizeWindow, MaximizeWindow
        (and PauseSecs 3, see Version 2.5)

    Remember, you can have Accesses launch a folder when Accesses is 1st
    started.

1.    Modified AccDrive so that the window displays the active background
    color properly.

2.    Improved Accesses and AccDrive so that they avoid gaining the
    current Window focus even more.  Accesses will still gain the focus
    sometimes and I will improve this when I get to the next major
    upgrade of Accesses. eg Ver 3.  This sometimes requires the user to
    Shift+Tab more than once to switch to another window other than
    Accesses or AccDrive.  (AccDrive causes most of the problem.)

    I have a 2 second delay built into Accesses where Accesses and
    AccDrive tries to ignore the the Shift+Tab key switch as much as
    they can in Windows 3.0.  This means that if you switch between
    applications using the Shift+Tab key combination within 4 seconds of
    Accesses or AccDrives being activated, then you will probably switch
    to Accesses or AccDrive. The Windows 3.1 version is much better.
    (Windows 3.1 is  not released to the public as of this issue.)

3.    Added an input string to allow foreign users to input foreign days
    of the week for the popup display.  See the setup for dayalarm.exe.
    Accesses will use the same "days of the week" string.

4.    Added a tiny calendar display - DayAlarm.exe.  The purpose of this
    calendar is to use the minimum amount of user resources so that the
    user can always have the calendar open.  The calendar also contains
    a daily alarm that checks the daily alarms when the program first
    opens.  DayAlarm is very primitive (to keep it very tiny); and,
    my final objective is to link DayAlarm to Accesses so an alarm on a
    particular day at a particular time will be activated.

5.    Added an icon to AccDrives so users can launch it from Program
    Manager. Accesses still needs to be launched first however...

6.    Changed the compiler to user MicroSoft's C7.0 and 286 instructions.
    This provides smaller and faster code.  Now, All of the programs are
    compiled to operate only in the Standard and Enhanced modes of
    Windows. They will not launch in the Real Mode of Windows.  Look
    under Program Manager's Help+About to see what mode you are
    operating in if you are not sure.

7.    Added a ShiftKey status to the "Show Accesses on/off" menu item.
    When the Shift Key (or right mouse button) is held down then
    Accesses and AccDrives will not show in the "Show"+
    "List All of the Above" Task List selection

8.    Accesses "sticks" less on a missing floppy in a floppy drive.

Only SIGNIFICANT changes ARE LISTED for the following:

Changes thru 1/27/92        (Version 2.3 versus Version 2.2)

Changes thru 1/16/92        (Version 2.2 versus Version 2.1)

7.    Added ACCDRIVE.EXE, a registered user Requested pop-up displaying the
    Free Drive Space.  This program is NOT self contained and must be
    launched with Accesses.  This was done to minimize using your windows
    resources.  Double click on the AccDrive pop-up window for options.

12.    Added an "Auto Insert" check box on the Run Dialog box to give the
    user control and to indicate when Accesses will insert the filename
    selected in the Filename List box to the program name listed in
    the Run edit text box.  Much, much nicer now...

    Checked or grayed means that the dialog box is will be
    auto inserting or has already auto inserted.

    Not checked means that the user is over riding the default insert
    mode.  Basically, the Run Dialog box is complicated but makes much
    more sense to the user and fewer errors are made due to this
    addition.

    Also functions very well with the Drag Drop version of Accesses.

14.    Accesses is not now showing hidden windows that do not have at least
    a minimize box, maximize box, or a thickframe window. I was having
    too many users getting into trouble showing and not understanding
    hidden windows.  Rarely will a window cause a problem when shown
    that passes this test.

    This isn't taking much away from you.  If you really want to see
    what Accesses isn't showing press Ctrl+Esc, Alt+S, Shift+D.
    However, you cannot do anything with the windows shown this way
    since Accesses cancels the Shift+D as soon as the Task List list
    box is filled.

    This does mean, however, that Accesses will not Hide a Window that
    does not have a minimize box, maximize box, or a thickframe window
    since it cannot show it.  If this causes a problem, call me and we
    can add a small INI editable switch (switch is there already, I
    just want to understand why you want to do this).

Only the "Undocumented" changes are listed below for the earlier versions:

Changes thru 1/8/92        (Version 2.1 and 2.0 versus Version 1.1A)

9.    NOTE, THE FOLLOWING HAS LIMITED DOCUMENTATION...
    (A "semi-undocumented" procedure?)

    Established a primitive "start a program without a filename in a
    user defined directory" function.  The format for starting a program
    in a particular directory is as follows:

        accesses.exe notepad.exe*d:\textfile\

    or when running from Accesses RUN PROGRAMS dialog box or adding to
    Accesses Menu, the same example is as follows:

        notepad.exe*d:\textfile\

        (You don't have to include accesses.exe when running
         the program from Accesses.)

    Where the directory follows the program name and is separated by an
    asterisk.  You cannot enter a filename for this function.  The last
    backslash is required since Accesses will not append the last
    backslash.

    If you enter a filename, Accesses always starts the program in the
    directory of the filename.

    Otherwise, Accesses will always start the program in the directory
    that the program was launched from if you do not use the
    *drive:\directory\   or   enter a filename when launching programs.

    eg. If you launch a program from Program Manager using the following
    command line:

        accesses.exe notepad.exe

    then Accesses will launch that program from the directory specified
    by Program Manager or from the directory that Program Manager is
    currently in depending on what you specified in the Program Manager
    options of Program Manager.


    If you never run Norton Desktop, then you can delete all the
    above names from this list.

    To save a window to this list press Ctrl+Esc, then select the window
    name from the Task List display, then press Alt+U, V, Alt+F, Alt+S.

    You will have to manually delete the Excluded Window Title from the
    [ExcludeWindowNames] if you ever want to re-include a window that
    was saved to the Accesses.ini file for Exclusion.  To delete a
    Window Title from the ExcludeWindowNames list, select Ctrl+Esc,
    Alt+U, V, then press the 'Edit List' button located at the Lower
    left of this dialog box.

Version 1.1A released 12/21/91
Version 1.0 released 12/11/91
        _______________________________________

If programmers want to use Accesses to place a window using the DEFAULTSIZE
settings in Accesses, post:
    PostMessage(hWndAccesses, 273, 201, (LONG) 5678);
You can find the handle of hWndAccesses from:
    hWndAccesses= FindWindow((LPSTR) "AccessesTASKMAN", NULL);

or from programs like CMDPOST you can default to Accesses.ini default
settings to place windows by using:

if WinExist("z Accesses") then IntControl (23, IntControl(21,"z Accesses",0,0,0),273,201, 5678)