Please note this program is SHAREWARE, please refer to the end of this file
for details.
---------------------------------------------
- Upgrading from versions earlier than 1.50 -
---------------------------------------------
In this version of MegaBoard the special icon interface has been completely
rewritten (for exact details see the ProgInfo file), therefore special icons
written for earlier versions will no longer work. This drastic change was
necessary because of the unpredictable memory requirements of BASIC
libraries. I appologise to any authors of special icons for this
inconvenience.
Saved configurations that do not contain special icons can still be used with
this version.
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- Introduction -
----------------
MegaBoard is a versatile desktop Backdrop utility designed as a replacement
for the Pinboard Module supplied with Risc OS 3.
-----------------------
- System Requirements -
-----------------------
MegaBoard requires Risc OS 3.5 or greater in order to operate correctly. At
the time of writing this was only available on the RiscPC. Should a version
be released for other models MegaBoard should run correctly on these
machines as well.
---------------
- Terminology -
---------------
"MegaBoard" refers to this Program.
"Pinboard" refers to the Risc OS 3 utility.
---------------
- Starting up -
---------------
MegaBoard can be Loaded by double clicking on the icon !MegaBoard in the
directory viewer.
When MegaBoard is first loaded it is necessary for it to reinitialise the
Filer. This will cause all open Filer Windows to be closed. Installing
MegaBoard into the boot sequence (see below) avoids this Problem.
-------
- Use -
-------
Filer icons
-----------
Placing Filer icons on MegaBoard:
An icon is placed on MegaBoard by dragging it from a Filer window and
dropping it on MegaBoard.
Moving:
An icon dragged and dropped onto another part of MegaBoard will be moved
to that position unless it is locked.
Positioning and Grid lock:
Normally filer icons are positioned at the exact position they were dropped
on th MegaBoard. However if the Grid lock option is on then any icons
placed or moved on MegaBoard will be positioned at the closest grid
point. The Grid lock option is toggled by choosing the Grid lock menu item
on MegaBoard menu.
Note: Grid lock only applies to Filer icons placed or moved when it is
activated. Activating Grid lock has no effect on existing icons unless
they are moved.
Double-clicking:
Double-clicking Select on an icon placed in the manner described above has
the same effect as it would in a Filer window. Double-clicking Adjust is
identical unless the 'Adjust Removes' option is set in the main menu, in
which case the icon is also removed from MegaBoard.
Dragging:
Icons dragged from MegaBoard and dropped on other applications (including the
Filer) are also treated in the same way as icons dragged from a Filer window
with the exception of dragging with Shift copying not moving the selected
items.
Dragging with Adjust additionally removes the items from MegaBoard if the
'Adjust Removes' option is set in the main menu.
Selecting:
Filer icons can be selected in several ways:
1. Clicking Select on an unselected icon selects it and deselects all others.
Clicking Select on a selected icon has no effect.
2. Clicking Adjust on an unselected icon selects it.
3. Clicking Adjust on a selected icon deselects it.
4. Dragging Select on MegaBoard produces a bounding box within which all
icons are selected.
5. Dragging Adjust on MegaBoard produces a bounding box within which all
unselected icons are selected and selected icons are deselected.
6. Clicking Menu over an icon when none are selected selects that icon and
opens the main menu.
Information:
Information on a Filer icon can be obtained by choosing the 'Info' option
from the 'File' Submenu.
Removing:
Filer icons that are no longer required can be removed from MegaBoard by
selecting them and choosing the 'Remove' option from the 'File' submenu.
Opening the parent directory:
The parent directory of a file or directory can be opened by choosing the
'Open Directory' option from the 'File' submenu.
Locking:
An icon can be locked to MegaBoard to prevent it from being moved. Locking istoggled by choosing the 'Lock' option in the 'File' submenu. Locked icons can
still be dragged, but dropping the onto MegaBoard will not move them.
Window icons
------------
Iconising application windows:
Clicking on a window's close icon with Shift will cause it to be reduced to a
MegaBoard icon. An exception is filer windows, these will only be handled in
the same way if the 'Iconize dirs' option is set in the MegaBoard menu,
otherwise the icon of the parent directory is placed on MegaBoard as a Filer
icon (see above).
Removing:
Window icons cannot be removed using the MegaBoard menu. Double clicking
Adjust or Select on a window icon brings the window to the front and removes
the icon.
Accessing menus of iconised windos:
Iconised windows may have menus associated with them, if this is the case
then clicking Menu while pressing Shift opens this menu.
Backdrops
---------
To create a backdrop execute the following steps:
1. Choose the 'Make' option from the backrop submenu. This opens the backdrop
setup dialogue box.
2. Drag the file (sprite or draw file) containing the backdrop to the
appropriately marked icon.
3. Select the desired horizontal and vertical positioning icons or the tiled
icon.
4. Click on 'OK'.
To remove an icon choose the 'Remove' option from the Backdrop submenu.
To change the clour of the backgound choose the 'Colour' option from the
Backdrop submenu. The colour can then be chosen using a standard colour
selector.
Special icons
-------------
Special icons are icons which can perform a variety of additional functions,
and can be defined by users with a knowledge of ARM code programming.
Unfortunately at the time of release the documentation for programming
special icons had not been finished, however the source codes of the three
special icons provided is included. Should anyone have any questions on the
technical details of writing special icons they are welcome to contact me at
one of the addresses below.
Placing:
Special icons are placed on MegaBoard by choosing their menu items from
the Special icon submenu.
Locking:
Special icons can be locked in the same way as filer icons, but contrary to
filer icons they cannot be dragged at all when they are locked.
This version of MegaBoard includes the following special icons:
Pointer:
Displays the current position of the mouse pointer in screen coordinates.
Time:
Displays the current time in the format defined in its Format parameter (see
below for how to edit parameters). The Format parameter is a standard time
and date format string as described on page 327 of the RISC OS 3 User Guide.
If the format string contained a syntax error the icon will not display the
time, but the word "ERROR" instead.
Gobbler:
Deletes files dragged onto it.
Parameters:
Some special icons (e.g. Time) can be configured by the user. This is
accomplished by editing its parameters in the following manner:
A special icon has parameters associated with it if its menu item has a
submenu arrow. This submenu contains a menu item for each parameter, each of
these menu items has a submenu of its own, which contains a single writeable
menu item. Initially this contains the default value for the parameter. If
you wish to change this edit the value displayed and choose it with Adjust
(NOT Select as this will close the menu tree).
Use the same procedure to change the value of any other parameters you wish
to alter and subsequently place the icon by Choosing its menu item.
The Overview Window
-------------------
Opening:
The overview window is opened by choosing the 'Overview' option from the
MegaBoard Menu.
Function:
Displayed on the overview window are is a "map" of the MegaBoard. The white
rectangle around the centre represents the visible area i.e. the screen
excluding the icon bar. the surrounding light grey represents the area
invisible to the user.
Icons:
Icons are represented on the overview menu by small colour coded rectangles,
the following is a table of icon types and their colour codes:
Red......File
Blue.....Directory
Green....Application
Magenta..Iconized window
Black....Special icon
Dragging icons on the on overview window:
Dragging an overview window icon and dropping it back onto the overview
window has the same effect as dragging it would on the MegaBoard i.e. the
icon is moved to the postition it is dropped on. Dragging an overview window
icon to adifferent window has no effect.
Unless the 'Move locked' radio icon on the overview window is selected an
attempt to drag a locked icon will have no effect.
If the 'Move locked' radio icon is selected, icons can be dragged and moved
regardless of whether or not they are locked. However this only applies to
the icons' representations on the overview window, restriction to dragging
locked icons on the MegaBoard remain.
--------------------
- Copyright notice -
--------------------
Except for the addition of special icons this application may NOT be altered.
Nor may it be distributed for profit without my approval, this includes
distribution as an 'extra' with commercial products, however should you wish
to do so you are welcome to contact me do discuss details. A small charge to
cover copying and media is acceptable.
This program is shareware, if you find it useful please register as a user.
Registered users will be entitled to receive free upgrades (see below) and
improved support. The cost of registration is 30 Deutschmarks or 10 UK pounds
including a disc with the latest version of MegaBoard.
Please make all payments in cash only. Users outside the UK or Germany may
send local currency in, it should be equivalent to 30 Deutschmarks. (No coins
please. Should the amount sent exceed DM 30, you will receive upgrades free
of P&P equivalent to the excess amount.)
Send registrations, comments, bug reports etc. to:
Sham Gardner
Vorderstr 19
76189 Karlsruhe
GERMANY
or EMail: un9l@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
Upgrades
--------
Registered users can receive upgrades as follows:
From within Germany: Send a disc and a stamped-addressed jiffy bag to the
above address.
From outside Germany: Send a disc and the equivalent of 3 Deutschmarks (e.g.
1 Pound) to cover P&P to the above address.
Or by EMail from anywhere in the world: Send a short mail to the above
address and I will reply with a
uuencoded archive containing the
latest version of MegaBoard (no P&P
for EMail).
-------------------
- Version history -
-------------------
1.00 - First release version
1.01 - Minor bug fixed that occasionally caused icons to disappear.
Option added to prevent double clicks with Adjust from removing icons.
1.50 - Special icon interface rewritten to require special icons to be
written in ARM code. Avoiding the unpredictable memory requirements of
BASIC librarys.
The three special icons provided with MegaBoard rewritten in ARM code
to adjust to this requirement.
1.51 - Minor bugs fixed and several little features added.
1.52 - Overview window and option to place directories instead of iconizing
filer windows added. Iconized windows reopenen by their tasks are now
automatically removed.
1.53 - Selections of objects dragged from filer windows no longer all appear
