ModCtrl is a small utility providing information about and control over modules, which can normally only be done from the command line. Features include:
• Lists all ROM and RAM modules installed in your computer
• Shows the status of ROM modules by using different colours
• Kill or re-initialise any ROM or RAM module
• Unplug any ROM module
• Display information about any installed module, and it’s SWIs or keywords
• Display information about a module on disc without installing it
ModCtrl supports interactive help.
Loading ModCtrl
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Load ModCtrl in the usual way, by double clicking on the !ModCtrl icon in the directory display. After a short delay the ModCtrl icon will appear to the right of the icon bar.
Clicking on the ModCtrl icon on the icon will have the following effects:
with SELECT - open the RAM modules window
with MENU - open the icon bar menu
with ADJUST - open the ROM modules window
The icon bar menu gives you access to the program information box, allows you to open the RAM or ROM modules window, or allows you to quit the ModCtrl program.
The RAM modules window
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This window shows a scrolling list of installed RAM modules, and a number of action buttons.
Clicking on the Close button will close the RAM modules window. A close icon (☓) has also been provided on the title bar so that you may iconise this window easily.
Clicking on the Re-scan button will re-scan and display the list of installed RAM modules. This could be useful if you have loaded in more modules since loading ModCtrl. Re-scanning is performed automatically if you kill any modules using ModCtrl, so there is no need to re-scan after every operation.
Clicking on Kill, Re-init or Get info will kill, re-initialise or display more information on any selected RAM modules in the list. Choose your selection (see below) then choose the action.
To select a single module, click SELECT on it’s name in the scrolling list.
Clicking SELECT over an already selected name will de-select everything.
To select additional modules, click ADJUST on their names in the scrolling list.
Clicking ADJUST over an already selected name will de-select it.
The ROM modules window
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This looks very similar and performs in almost exactly the same way as the RAM modules window, except for the following differences:
• The scrolling list shown is of ROM modules, and actions are performed on these.
• An extra action button, Unplug, can be used to unplug all selected ROM modules.
• After an action has been performed, both the ROM and RAM modules are re-scanned and displayed (RAM modules are only displayed if the RAM modules window is already open). This is done because sometimes altering a ROM module will also alter a RAM module.
• In the list of modules, some are displayed in different colours to show their status. The colours mean:
RED - Running at the time of the scan
BLACK - Active
DARK GREY - Dormant
LIGHT GREY - Unplugged
Getting info
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When you choose the Get info option, a new window will be opened for every selected module which shows information on the module. Expanding the window using the toggle icon will reveal more technical information on the module header.
If the module provides any SWIs or * commands/keywords then you can get lists of these by clicking on the submenu icons to the right of the bottom part of the window. These icons will be greyed out if no SWIs or keywords are available. If you choose an SWI name from the SWI menu, then ModCtrl will try to get StrongHelp¹ to open a help page for it, providing StrongHelp¹ is loaded, and has help for the SWI. If you choose a keyword name from the Keyword menu, any help on that keyword will be displayed in a task window.
As well as choosing the Get info option for any installed modules, you can drag one or more modules from a directory display (or even another task) to the ModCtrl icon or any ModCtrl windows and an information window will be opened for it/them without installing the module. Lists of SWIs and keywords will NOT be available for modules dragged from a directory display in this way.
¹ StrongHelp is the hypertext help program supplied with the StrongED text editor, which is now once again shareware. This is an excellent editor and I would recommend it to anyone.
RMAManager
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Another piece of software I can recommend to you is RMAManager by Topix. What RMAManager does is return free memory pages in the RMA, in other words it stops RMA fragmentation. If you send me a disc and SSAE or email me I’ll send you a copy or you can get it from the Datafile on disc UT140.
Risc OS 2
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ModCtrl was written on and for Risc OS 3.1 but it does work on Risc OS 2. The only differences are:
• Doesn’t display the submenu icon.
• Doesn’t display any help for keywords in a task window unless a task window server has been set up.
• Some of the characters (¨ and ’ and •) in this help file look stupid.
These things could be fixed for Risc OS 2 but quite honestly I can’t be bothered as I don’t know anyone who still uses Risc OS 2, and if you do you should upgrade and stop spouting crap about it not being a good investment. Soon programmers will start to give no support for RO2 at all, as they simply won’t be able to test the software on RO2.
Conditions
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This application may be distributed freely so long as no profit is made from it in any way, and that it is not tampered with in any way, ie ALL FILES ARE LEFT INTACT AND UNTOUCHED, and no extra files are added.
