home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- + +
- + !FreeTime - A Freenet Time Client (c) Joseph Heenan 1997 +
- + +
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
- Version 1.03
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- FreeTime is a simple program that uses the internet time protocol
- (see RFC 868) to read the time from a remote time server.
-
- Once the time has been read, it will compare it with the time on your
- local computer. If the times differ by less than a specified amount,
- (5 seconds by default) it doesn't set your computers clock.
-
- If the times differ by more than a specified amount (120 seconds by
- default), then FreeTime will bring up a window enquiring whether
- or not it should set your computers clock. (This is to guard against
- it setting the time to something totally wrong!)
-
- Otherwise, it sets you local clock so that it agrees with the time
- from the remote server, and brings up a window saying to - which
- disappears either after 5 seconds, or when you click on it.
-
- You can configure when freetime will bring up it's window - see
- below for details!
-
- FreeTime quits once it has completed its job.
-
- Configuring
- ~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- All freetimes configurable options are changed by editting the
- file '!FreeTime.Config'.
-
- This is a text file, with the following format:
-
- All lines beginning with #'s are comments.
- All other lines are the options, with the format 'tag:value'
-
- The tags are as follows:
-
- Server : This specifies which computer to fetch the time from - by
- default, it uses ntp.demon.co.uk, which is fine for demon
- customers. Other people should use a machine belonging to
- their internet service provider - you should contact them
- directly if you are unsure of its name.
-
- MaxDiff : This is a time, in seconds. If the difference between the
- remote time server and your local clock is more than this,
- freetime will pop up a window asking whether or not to
- set the clock (providing the 'out' flag is set in the
- 'Window' tag, below).
-
- MinDiff : This is again, a time in seconds. If the time difference
- between the remote time server and your clock is less than
- this, freetime will not set your clock.
-
- Timeout : Another time in seconds - this is how long to wait for a
- reply from the time server before giving up. If you have
- a slow link, you may want to increase this from the default.
-
- Display : This specifies how long to display the information window
- for - the default is five seconds.
-
- Window : This is a series of words, specifying when FreeTime should
- display what has happened to the user. If the word is
- is listed after Window:, it means display 'this' to the
- user. The words are:
-
- transfer : Display window while fetching time from the server
- error : Display window if an error occurs
- set : Display window whenever time is set
- min : Display window if difference between times is less
- than the value set in 'MinDiff:', above.
- out : Display a query to the user if the times differ
- by more than the value in 'MaxDiff:'
-
- I'd recommend always having 'error' and 'out' included. I also
- include 'set' in my Config file.
-
-
- Usage with Acornet
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- To get FreeTime to run each time you connect to the internet with Acornet,
- edit the file !Acornet.Utils.!SLIPdial.Scripts.acornet.Acornet:
-
- Goto line 63 (Just after the line reading ':LinkUp')
- Insert this line so it's after the :LinkUp line:
-
- task /name=FreeTime "Run Acornet:Apps.!FreeTime"
-
- Save, and move !FreeTime in !Acornet.Apps.
-
- NB. I don't use Acornet myself, but I've been told this method works.
-
- Licence :
- ~~~~~~~
-
- !FreeTime is © Copyright 1996-1997 Joseph Heenan. All rights are reserved.
-
- Permission is granted to use FreeTime on the understanding that this use is
- entirely at your own risk. I accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or
- damage arising from the use of FreeTime nor do I make any guarantee that it
- is fit for any purpose. FreeTime maybe freely distributed providing all files
- are present and unchanged. No charges may be made for distribution. It
- should not be distributed as part of any packages or CD's without the authors
- express permission.
-
- Credits :
- ~~~~~~~
-
- Carol Carpenter for beta testing and useful suggestions, Ben Dooks for
- showing me the basics of udp and Matthew Bloch and Jim Gilligan for
- beta testing.
-
- And a special thankyou to everyone who reported the BST bug!
-
- History
- ~~~~~~~
-
- v1.01 : First release, Acorn User April '97 cover disc
- v1.02 : Bug fix for BST
- v1.03 : Added errno 486, no internet stack available
- Added Acornet instructions
-
-
- Contact Details :
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- If you find any bugs, or have any suggestions for new features,
- or any general comments, please contact me via email:
-
- Joseph@odie.barnet.ac.uk
-
- I also read comp.sys.acorn.networking, so post there if you feel
- it appropriate.
-
- Joseph Heenan.
-