ShowCInit is a precompiled INIT which displays color or black&white icons on the desktop at startup. It is fully compatible with ShowInit (or "Thanks Paul") and the Mac family (with the possible exception of those with 64K ROMs). It also provides seven additional features:
1. It will wrap icons when they reach the end of the screen (starting one row up and to the left).
2. It facilitates the animation of color or black&white icons.
3. It facilitates drawing multiple color or black&white icons.
4. It provides an option to play a 'snd '.
5. It provides an option to sysbeep the user.
6. It doesn't have to be compiled because it already is, and gets its information from a resource. (for which we include a ResEdit template)
7. And it provides an option to loop through your animation until the mouse button is pressed. (handy for alerting the user, also SysBeeps each time if sysbeep option is set)
Files Included...
--------------
1. ShowCInit: This file contains the INIT which displays an color or black and white icon in animation showing an apple.
2. ShowCInit.doc: You're reading it!
3. 'icn#' TMPL: ResEdit template for creating 'icn#' resources for use with this INIT.
Using ShowCInit...
----------------
To use ShowCInit, place the INIT resource into a file in your system folder (this can be done with ResEdit). The file should be of type cdev or INIT (otherwise, the system won't look at it when it boots up!). Place your cicn's or ICN#'s in the file as well. Now, you need to create a resource called 'icn#'. This is the instruction list for ShowCInit. If you have not already done so, copy the 'icn#' template which came with this into your ResEdit application file (inside ResEdit itself). Close ResEdit to save the changes and go back to your INIT file.
Now add a new resource by selecting new from the file menu. Select the 'icn#' resource and select new again. Now you have an empty resource which you need to fill as follows:
1. Number of cicn's: This is the number of color icons to be used in the animation, use one for no animation.
2. Color?: If true, ShowCInit plots color icons on color machines. If false, it plots ICN#'s on all machines. If a machine doesn't have color QuickDraw, it tries to plot ICN#'s if they exist.
3. Delay: This is the number of ticks (1/60 of a second) to delay between the plotting of each icon (recommend 10, or 30 for a flashing effect).
4. Animation: If true, then icons are drawn at same location, otherwise they appear one after another horizontally.
5. Wait for Mouse Down: True means the animation repeats until the mouse is pressed.
6. SysBeep: True means a sysbeep will be played.
7. Sound: True means a 'snd ' resource will be played.
8. Sound ID: If Sound is true, then the ID of the 'snd ' to be played goes here.
9. Unused: Saved for future purposes.
10. From here on, are the ID's of the 'cicn' resources to be used for animation in the order that they will be drawn. MAKE SURE THERE ARE AT LEAST AS MANY CICN ID'S AS SPECIFIED IN THE NUMBER OF CICN'S!!! (as sysbeep will play if a cicn cannot be found)
Lastly, it is VITAL that you change the ID of the 'icn#' resource to 999 and begin the name of the INIT with ShowCInit (e.g. ShowCInit1, ShowCInit 2, etc.). The ID of the INIT itself doesn't matter at all for its functioning but the order in which they appear may matter in your application (if it does, you already know what we mean). It seems that the first INIT listed, is the last INIT run; the ID's don't seem to matter at all.
Advice...
--------
We suggest that you create corresponding ICN#'s. This way, if you run on a non- color QuickDraw Mac, you will at least see the black&white icons. In the future, we will automatically plot the black&white version of the color icon; we had a problem with the base address of the iconBMap (always zero?). But for now, this works and any changes will be compatible with all previous versions! The black&white icons will be drawn unless "Color?" is true. Also, IM recommends that cicn's should be purgeable. If you have any problems, call, 9-5, M-F, (407) 727-7737.
Terms...
-------
We provide the template free of charge. However, we put some effort into developing this INIT. We ask that if you want to use this INIT for personal use that you send us the whopping amount of $1. That's all we ask! Unless you can afford $2, since there are two of us. With that one dollar, and a little searching for a cheap enough machine, we can each by a soda between classes.
If you would like to use this INIT for a product, we require $10 per product or $50 for unlimited use.
Send To: Joe Sternlicht
3630 Misty Oak Drive #1607
Melbourne, FL 32901
For NON-programmers...
---------------------
You do not need to know how to program to use this! This INIT requires no programming experience, just a little experience with ResEdit. Here's an idea: Use ResEdit to copy the 'icn#' TMPL into ResEdit itself and close ResEdit. Use ResEdit to create a file of type INIT and copy the ShowCInit into the file. In that file, create a few ICN#'s or copy some cicn's from another file. Now, create a new resource of type 'icn#'. Use Get Info to renumber the ID to 999 and rename it to whatever you want; so long as it starts with 'ShowCInit'. Next, fill in the template of the icn# resource. Set the number of icons, choose color if you are using color icons, set the delay between icons to 10, choose animation to have the icons drawn one on top of the other, set sysbeep to false, set sound to false, skip sound ID and unused, now click on the stars (*) at the bottom and select new from the file menu once for every icon you want to draw. In the boxes to the right, type the ID's of the icons in the order you want them drawn. Close and save the file, and place it in your system folder. You've just created a little INIT without programming! Use ResEdit to experiment with some of the fields in the icn# resource. Try copying a 'snd ' resource into the file and set the icn# resource fields appropriately.
On the side...
------------
Did you ever wonder how those icons were shown on the desktop at startup? Well, we did. We came across assembly code for ShowInit, and would like to thank Paul Mercer ('Thanks Paul') for it. We learned a little about drawing on the desktop at startup and how he maintained the position of the next icon. As computer scientists (or at least we are studying to be) we want a tool, written in a high level language for maintainability purposes, so we don't have to worry about writing new code for every application we write. Also, we felt that the icons should wrap around the screen rather than being clipped. So, we rewrote it in 100% Lightspeed C (no assembly!). We added a few more optional features and will add more as time goes by to make life easier. All versions WILL maintain full compatibility. We expect everyone to use this INIT to show their icons at startup. So, with that in mind, we will continue to optimize and enhance it as you request.
If you are interested in the source code, it is written in LSC as stated earlier and is well commented as to what it is we are doing and why. We'll send it to you for $25. If you do purchase it, do not upload it, do not give it away; it is not public domain. The INIT itself isn't either; it costs $1 for personal use, $10 for professional use.
Update...
--------
Unfortunately, we let an old version get out. The only problem with the old version was that it crashed if you waited too long when using the Wait Mouse Down option. The proper version is 1.1. You can tell if you have an old version by using ResEdit to look at the data in the INIT towards the end, in the copyright statement. If it doesn't have a version number or has on less than 1.1, then it is old and you should replace it.
