@DATABASE NetDOCK-2.guide @AUTHOR Gareth Griffiths @INDEX INDEX @NODE MAIN "NetDOCK-2 Help Document" @{B}JOKER DEVELOPMENTS@{UB} and @{B}GARETH GRIFFITHS@{UB} present @{FG HIGHLIGHT} ### ### ###### ##### #### ### ### ###### #### ### ### ####### ####### ##### ### ### ######## #### ### ### ######## ######### ###### ### ### ########## #### ### ### ### ### #### #### #### #### ### ### #### #### ######## ##### ##### ### ### ### ### ### ####### #### #### ######## ##### ##### ### ### ### ### ### ###### #### ######## ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ###### #### #### ######## ####### ### ### ### ### ### ### ####### #### #### ######## ####### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### #### ######## ### ### ### #### #### #### #### ### ### #### ### #### ###### ### ######## ######### ###### ### ### ########## ### #### ##### ### ####### ####### ##### ### ### ########### ### #### ### ### ###### ##### #### ### ### ########### @{FG TEXT} -------=======+++++****@{FG HIGHLIGHT} v1.25@{FG TEXT} ****+++++=======------- @{" Introduction " LINK INTRODUCTION} @{" SHAREWARE! " LINK SHAREWARE} @{" History " LINK HISTORY} @{" System Requirements " LINK SYSREQ} @{" Installation " LINK INSTALLATION} @{" Using NetDOCK-2 " LINK USING-ND2} @{" Using ND2-Prefs " LINK USING-ND2P} @{" Configuration Format " LINK CFGFORMAT} @{" Credits " LINK CREDITS} @{" Acknowledgements " LINK ACK} @{" The Blitz-Mailing-List " LINK BML} @ENDNODE @NODE INTRODUCTION "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Introduction" ---------------==========++++* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Introduction@{FG TEXT} *++++==========--------------- In 1999, Gareth Griffiths perfected the original release of NetDOCK, the definitive Internet Dockbar. Unfortunately, due to a bad hard-drive crash whilst he was backing-up all the data on his hard drive, he lost everything. Rather ironic really. As a result, he lost both the source code and the archives to NetDOCK. So, he decided to start again. He originally planned to just write NetDOCK again in exactly the same form as he had done before. It was then that he realised that the original didn't offer the level of configurability that he originally set out to achieve. In an attempt to rectify this, he began work on NetDOCK v2. In the early beta stages (the last beta being v0.97) there were many problems with the code, it was both sloppy, and also non- efficient, and used up too much valuable CPU time. After two months of TOTAL re-coding, and a few days of minor tweaking shoved on to the end, the final NetDOCK-2 is here! It is now accompanied by it's very own Preferences Program - ND2-Prefs. Similar to the original NetDOCK's settings program, PathPrefs, ND2-Prefs is very easy to use. @ENDNODE @NODE SHAREWARE "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: SHAREWARE!" ---------------==========+++++* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}SHAREWARE!@{FG TEXT} *+++++==========--------------- You must appreciate the amount of effort that went into the production of NetDOCK-2. If you use this program a lot, then you should show that appreciation by donating a small sum of money (£10!) to the author, Gareth Griffiths. There are a few limitations in the UNREGISTERED version of the program:- · The dock bar is limited to 5 icons. · There are several 'nag-requesters' in the program. · The Help Mode does not function. · The 'NetDOCK-2 Settings...' menu item does not function. With regards to the last limitation on that list, the Settings program is still runnable from Workbench, but you cannot run it from NetDOCK-2. To acquire the registered version of the program costs a small amount of money, just 10 Great British Pounds (£10). If you live in the UK, then you have no problems getting this, but if you live outside the UK, then I am afraid that I cannot accept any other currencies. You CAN still register, but you need to get £10 in that Sterling currency. Paying by Cash is preferable. To do this, simply sandwich your banknotes in between two pieces of paper to avoid it being seen, and send it to the address below. You can also pay by cheque (payable to Gareth Griffiths), but this means that the registered version will take longer to get to you, because I will need to let the cheque clear before I despatch the goods. Again, I regret that I can only accept cheques of Great British Pounds. @{FG HIGHLIGHT} IF YOU ARE -*NOT*- RECEIVING YOUR REGISTERED VERSION VIA E-MAIL, THEN PLEASE INCLUDE ANOTHER £1 P+P IF YOU LIVE INSIDE THE UK, AND £3 P+P IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE THE UK. THANK YOU!@{FG TEXT} You can choose to receive your registered version via e-mail, if you have an e-mail address. Please take note that the archive is around 130K so you will have to spend that time downloading the file from your mail server. To receive your version via e-mail, simply put your e-mail address into the relevant space on the @{"registration form" LINK REGFORM}. @{"* The Registration Form *" LINK REGFORM} @ENDNODE @NODE REGFORM "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: The Registration Form" --------------==========+* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}The Registration Form@{FG TEXT} *+==========-------------- The form below is the one you must print out if you are to register for NetDOCK-2. If you do not have a printer, then do not fret, because you can just copy all the details that are required from the form below and send them to me on a piece of paper. The address to send all forms to is: Gareth Griffiths (ND2) 26 Buttington Road, Monkmoor, SHREWSBURY, Shropshire, SY2 5TS. ENGLAND. Payment is £10 (I can only accept Pounds, sorry!) and is payable via cash or cheque. If paying by cheque then please make it payable to Gareth Griffiths. If you are paying by cash, then sandwich it between two pieces of paper whilst it is in the envelope to stop it being seen. This is for YOUR security, not mine!!! Remember that if you have an e-mail address, then put it down, and I can send you the registered version sooner!! +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! NetDOCK-2 v1.25 Registration Form. ! +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! ! ! Name: ________________________________________________________________ ! ! ! ! Address: _____________________________________________________________ ! ! ! ! ______________________________________________________________________ ! ! ! ! ______________________________________________________________________ ! ! ! ! Post/Zip Code: _____________ State: __________ Country: ______________ ! ! ! ! I am paying by: Cheque (£10) [ ] Cash (£10) [ ] ! ! ! ! My e-mail address is: ________________________________________________ ! ! ! +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! Please remember to include the relevant amount of P+P. Details can be ! ! found in the @{"SHAREWARE!" LINK SHAREWARE} section of this document ! +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ @ENDNODE @NODE SYSREQ "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: System Requirements" ---------------=========+++*@{FG HIGHLIGHT} System Requirements @{FG TEXT}*+++=========--------------- NetDOCK-2 should be usable on most Amiga systems. The main executable itself (ie. the file labelled NetDOCK-2) does not use any OS2.0+ specific commands, so should work on any Workbench 1.3 system. Whether it will work on a Workbench 1.2 system is unknown. I wouldn't have thought many people still use that though anyway! Here's the full list of requirements for the two executables: @{FG HIGHLIGHT}NetDOCK-2@{FG TEXT} · An Amiga equipped with Kickstart/Workbench 1.3 or above. · Around 100K free RAM, excluding image files. · A mouse. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}ND2-Prefs@{FG TEXT} · An Amiga equipped with Kickstart/Workbench 2.04 or above. · Around 80K free RAM, excluding settings buffers. · A mouse. · A storage medium for the settings, preferably a Hard Drive. NetDOCK-2 in it's entirety functions best on a Hard Drive. The program has been tested on these systems: · A1200/020, KS/WB3.0, 2mb Chip, 8mb Fast, HD, CD-ROM. · A1200/020, KS/WB3.0, 2mb Chip, 0mb Fast, HD. If NetDOCK-2 functions perfectly on your system (ie. there are no sudden crashes) then please let me know your system setup. Compatibility with graphics cards is not certain, if you find NetDOCK-2 doesn't work on your system, whether it is fitted with a graphics card or not, then please let me know, so I can either try and stamp out the conflicting routines, or notify people in these docs. @ENDNODE @NODE INSTALLATION "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Installation" ---------------==========++++++*@{FG HIGHLIGHT} Installation @{FG TEXT}*+++++==========--------------- To install NetDOCK-2 manually, simply copy the NetDOCK-2 directory to a place on your hard drive and add the following line to your S:User-Startup file: Assign NetDOCK2: xxx:xxxxxxxxxxxx Where xxx: is the device name, eg. DH1: or Work: and xxxxxxxxxxxx is the directory structure to the NetDOCK-2 folder, eg. Utils/NetDOCK-2. Using the above examples, the line would look like this: Assign NetDOCK2: DH1:Utils/NetDOCK-2 If you are having problems installing the program, then write to me explaining your problem. @ENDNODE @NODE USING-ND2 "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Using NetDOCK-2" ---------------==========++++*@{FG HIGHLIGHT} Using NetDOCK-2 @{FG TEXT}*++++==========--------------- @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Loading the program.@{FG TEXT} Firstly, to start NetDOCK-2 from Workbench, simply double-click on it's icon. To start it from the CLI/Shell, use the CD command to CD into the NetDOCK-2 directory, and then type NetDOCK-2. After doing this, a small window should appear, saying 'Loading images...' and then a number, decreasing down to 0. When it reaches 0, the toolbar will appear. If one of the images could not be loaded, you will be notified and the program will exit. The Toolbar looks like this: +-+---------------------------------------------------+-+-+ |O| (Program Mode) |O|O| +-+---------------------------------------------------+-+-+ | | | The icons appear here. | | | | | +---------------------------------------------------------+ @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Running programs.@{FG TEXT} To run a program, simply click on it's icon. The program specified in the prefs will execute, and you can carry on as normal. If you find that your icons are not very descriptive, and you don't know what program a certain icon is linked to, then press the HELP key. The (Program Mode) in the titlebar should change to (Help Mode). Now, clicking on an icon brings up a requester telling you the Program Name, the executable it is linked to, and the image file that is set for it. Click OK to exit this requester. To leave Help Mode and return to Program Mode, simply press HELP again on your keyboard. The titlebar text should change from (Help Mode) back to (Program Mode) and the function of the icons is as normal. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Menus.@{FG TEXT} NetDOCK-2 comes with a standard menu. Hold down the right mouse button whilst the NetDOCK-2 toolbar is active and it will appear. The menu functions are as follows. NetDOCK-2 Settings: Calls ND2-Prefs from within the main program. Also enables notification, ie. the new preferences will be auto-loaded on exit from ND2-Prefs. Snapshot Window: Snapshots the window position where it currently is. Means the window will reappear there when started up again. Note that some screen positions render the toolbar unable to render, so it defaults to 0,14 if that happens. Help: Calls up this document. About NetDOCK-2: Displays the About Box, displaying registration information etc. Quit: I am sure you won't use this! But if you do, it exits the program. And that is pretty much all there is to using the NetDOCK-2 program. The ND2-Prefs program is a different kettle of fish however! @ENDNODE @NODE USING-ND2P "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Using ND2-Prefs" ---------------==========++++*@{FG HIGHLIGHT} Using ND2-Prefs @{FG TEXT}*++++==========--------------- @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Loading the ND2-Prefs program.@{FG TEXT} This can be done three ways: · From Workbench. Double Click on the ND2-Prefs icon. · From CLI/Shell. CD to the NetDOCK-2 directory and type ND2-Prefs. · From NetDOCK-2 itself. Select NetDOCK-2 Settings from the menu in NetDOCK-2. (registered users only). Once it has been started, the settings will load, and the GUI will appear. It consists of a few string gadgets, a couple of slider bars and a few buttons. Here's the lowdown on ALL of them. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Dockbar Title:@{FG TEXT} Sets the text to be displayed in the titlebar of the toolbar. Default: Internet Dockbar. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}No of Icons:@{FG TEXT} Sets the number of icons on the toolbar. Max. of 99 (or 5 in the unregistered version). @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Selected Image:@{FG TEXT} Sets the image file to be displayed when you click on an icon. Type in a path to the file here, or use the adjacent 'L' button to select a file from the file requester. STANDARD IFF BRUSHES ONLY! @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Icon:@{FG TEXT} Sets the icon to be modified. Has a maximum value of whatever 'No of Icons' is set to. Settings for a certain icon automatically change as you select another icon. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Program Name:@{FG TEXT} Enter a name for the Program here. This is what the program will be referred to as in Help Mode. EG, Miami or AmiTCP. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Path:@{FG TEXT} Sets the path to the executable. Type in a path to the file, or click on the adjacent 'L' button to select one from the file requester. Scripts should be accepted, but this is not confirmed. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Image:@{FG TEXT} Sets the image for the icon. Type in a path to the image file, or click on the adjacent 'L' button to select one from the file requester. IFF BRUSHES ONLY! @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Save:@{FG TEXT} Saves all the current settings to disk. If you have run ND2-Prefs from within NetDOCK-2, the new settings will be automatically loaded in upon exit of ND2-Prefs. @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Cancel:@{FG TEXT} Abandons all changes, and exits the ND2-Prefs program. Editing all the settings using the GUI can be quite tedious, especially if you have got 99 icons on the one toolbar! That is why it is also possible to edit the settings manually using a text editor. Read @{"Configuration Format" LINK CFGFORMAT} for details on this. @ENDNODE @NODE CFGFORMAT "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Configuration Format" --------------=========+++* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Configuration Format@{FG TEXT} *+++==========-------------- Because editing settings using ND2-Prefs can sometimes be very tedious, I have purposefully allowed you to edit settings manually. There are three settings files, and only two really need modification. They are stored in the Settings directory inside the NetDOCK-2 folder. There are three files inside: general program window The first two are the ones which need changing. The configuration format for these two files is as follows: @{FG HIGHLIGHT}general@{FG TEXT} 1. DOCKBAR TITLE 2. NUMBER OF ICONS The numbers are just there for line references. IGNORE them. An example file would look like this: Internet Dockbar 11 This would mean that there would be 11 icons on the dock, and that the title of the dockbar would be 'Internet Dockbar'. Just edit this file in a normal text editor, like ED, and you will be away. JUST REMEMBER TO IGNORE THE LINE NUMBERS!!!! @{FG HIGHLIGHT}program@{FG TEXT} 1. PROGRAM NAME FOR ICON 1 2. PATH TO EXECUTABLE FOR ICON 1 3. PATH TO IMAGE FILE FOR ICON 1 4. PROGRAM NAME FOR ICON 2 5. PATH TO EXECUTABLE FOR ICON 2 6. PATH TO IMAGE FILE FOR ICON 2 7. PROGRAM NAME FOR ICON 3 8. PATH TO EXECUTABLE FOR ICON 3 9. PATH TO IMAGE FILE FOR ICON 3 .... and so on, until ICON is the same as the number set in general. and then, the VERY LAST LINE is X. PATH TO SELECTED IMAGE FILE so an example file for a 5 icon dockbar would be: Miami +- Miami:Miami -+ Icon 1 NetDOCK2:Images/Default/Miami.iff +- GENESiS +- AmiTCP:Genesis -+ Icon 2 NetDOCK2:Images/Default/AmiTCP.iff +- YAM +- YAM:YAM -+ Icon 3 NetDOCK2:Images/Default/YAM.iff +- Microdot II +- Internet:Microdot-II/Microdot -+ Icon 4 NetDOCK2:Images/Default/Microdot2.iff +- AmFTP +- NetConnect2:Programs/AmFTP/AmFTP -+ Icon 5 NetDOCK2:Images/Default/AmFTP.iff +- NetDOCK2:Images/Default/Selected.iff --- Selected image file Ignore the comments on the side there. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT PUT A SMALLER AMOUNT OF ICON DATA INTO THE program FILE THAN YOU DID IN THE general FILE, OTHERWISE THE PROGRAM WILL CRASH!!!!!! @{FG HIGHLIGHT}window@{FG TEXT} I may as well tell you the format of this file. Dead simple: 1. X VALUE 2. Y VALUE For example, the default values (0,14) would be: 0 14 Again, IGNORE THE LINE NUMBERS! @ENDNODE @NODE CREDITS "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Credits" ---------------==========+++++**** @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Credits@{FG TEXT} *****+++++==========--------------- The following people made NetDOCK-2 happen: Gareth Griffiths: Programmer, and generally cool guy all round. Chris Deeney: Gave me the wrapping routine. Thanx m8. David McMinn: Helped me with the sliders in ND2-Prefs. Cheers m8. Rob Hutchinson: Helped with the original NetDOCK. Hi m8! Curt Esser: Ditto. and thanx to everyone on the Blitz Mailing List, notably: Blitzwing: Betatesting. Chris Deeney, David McMinn, Rob Hutchinson, Curt Esser: As above. @ENDNODE @NODE ACK "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: Acknowledgements" ---------------==========++++* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}Acknowledgements@{FG TEXT} *++++==========-------------- Thanx/greets to all the following people: Chris Deeney, Rob Hutchinson, Blitzwing, David McMinn, Curt Esser, David Ball, Simon Jeavons, Owen Benjamin, Andrew Carpendale, Paul Shemmell, Phil Jones, Alexis Evans, Charles Denscombe, Mark Walton, Bob Davies, Mike Griffiths, Bob Griffiths, Dave Griffiths, Mum, Dad, etc, Duke Nukem. Miscellaneous thanx: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe: for the excellent PlayStation. Konami: for the even better Metal Gear Solid. ACID: For Blitz 2 Commodore: for the Amiga (they made it!) Amiga Inc.: for keeping the Amiga alive! Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd: TaNGO RULES! @ENDNODE @NODE BML "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: The Blitz-Mailing-List" ---------------=======+++* @{FG HIGHLIGHT}The Blitz-Mailing-List@{FG TEXT} *+++========--------------- In case you didn't know, NetDOCK-2 was programmed in Blitz BASIC 2. However, if it wasn't for this superb mailing list, NetDOCK-2 wouldn't even be here today! It is basically an e-mail group which offers advice on everything Blitz. You send an e-mail to the list, and everyone who has subscribed to the list will get that mail. Then they are free to offer advice on it, which is also sent to the list. To subscribe to the list, send a BLANK e-mail (with no subject either) to: blitz-list-subscribe@netsoc.ucd.ie And then follow the instructions on the e-mail which should be returned to you in about 10 mins. Once again, thanx to everyone on the Blitz Mailing List for all the help and advice on NetDOCK-2 probs. CHEERS!!!! @ENDNODE @NODE HISTORY "NetDOCK-2 Help Document: History" ---------------==========+++++**** @{FG HIGHLIGHT}History@{FG TEXT} ****+++++==========--------------- V1.25 ----- Just some minor rewrites to inform user of what goes on. No bugs discovered (or fixed!). V1.2 ---- Found a bug which swapped image/path around, rendering ND2 unusable. Fixed the above bug. V1.1 ---- Implemented window-wrap (cheers Chris) in case there isn't enough room for all the icons. No bugs as yet. V1.0 ---- First non-beta. Everything going well. No bugs, images work fine, but program crashes if the window can't be displayed (for whatever reason) V0.97ß ----- Last beta-version. Crushed all major bugs. Everything else works fine. Versions lower than these were wiped out in a hard drive crash, so my records are lost. Utter barsteward or what? @ENDNODE @NODE ARSE "The nothing in particular page" This page does nothing. It is just here so that the history page works. Must be a bug in the AmigaGuide format. I don't know? @ENDNODE