February 9, 1990 
                       XTools.doc v1.0       

Readme_me_first:

   If you don't like reading obnoxious docs, just boot form a
standard Workbench 1.3 and double-click all the included icons.
Intrigued or interested? Read on...

   This small utility (3276 bytes) can run from the Workbench any
legal DOS command or set of commands that would normally require a
CLI or a batch file. Yet XTools doesn't use any ASCII file (like
IconX or Xicon) for input, but the "Tool Type" string gadget in the
Info window of any Project icon. Anything after "A=" will be
executed.  

   But why would anybody want to replace IconX by XTools? First,
XTools is smaller and friendlier: you don't need a text editor to
modify commands, and you don't need any ASCII file around. You can
program directly any free Project icon with the Workbench "Info"
menu item. And finally, XTools' powerfull options can do tricks that
IconX users wouldn't *dream* of. More on that below.

XClock:

   This icon will open the Workbench clock as I like it, with the
Digital 2, 24 hours and seconds option. You may not like the empty
window that opens and closes with the clock. Of course, it could be
left out, but then, any program that outputs text would crash the
system. This simple example was put up to show how a Project icon
can be set to run a program with any option you like, as you would
from the CLI.

XEd:

   This is another simple example that shows how you can freeze a
set of commands in a Project icon. You do it once and then anybody
can repeat it with a click of the mouse. Use Esc Q to exit Ed.

XList: (the clever stuff)
 
   The first line writes a script file to the ram disk:
      A=echo >ram:exe "list libs:"
note that the echo command requires quotes if there is one or more
blank space in the argument. The second line appends a new line to
the script file ram:exe:
       B=echo >>ram:exe "prompt *"[%n]%s*""
note the >> that tells AmigaDos to append the second argument to
exe. In this line, the asterisks are used to escape the internal
quotes needed by the prompt command. Finally, the last line opens a
shell from the file ram:exe:
      C=newshell "CON:0/0/600/200/ListWindow" from ram:exe

   Why open a CLI from a file? Because the standard output of
XTools is directed to the small XTools window, which will not accept
any input from the keyboard. So a CLI window is needed for the
input/output, and opening it from a file does the job. The EndCli
command is needed to close that window.

Directory Assignments

   Hard disk users can use an icon that assign the correct
directory and runs the program. For instance, to start JRComm, you
can use:
      A=assign JRComm: dh1:Telecom
      B=JRComm
 
Editing a Project icon

   Simply drag one of the included icon in the ram disk. The icon
name doesn't matter, but make sure you give it a unique name in a
directory. The XTool icons are free; they don't have any non .info
file attached. Then use the Workbench Info menu item. The XTools
program should be copied in the c: directory and the Default Tool
should be changed to c:XTools. Now take a look at the the Tool Type
string gadget. You can click on the up and down arrow gadgets to
move up or down the command list. The first command is marked by
"A=", the second one by "B=", and so forth. When the screen flashes,
you've reached the end of the list. Up to 26 commands (from A= to
Z=) can be executed.  Edit the lines, click the Save gadget and
double-click the icon to test it. If you use a ram: file, you can
check if the file is O.K. by entering "type ram:exe". 

Known bugs and quirks:

   You can edit an icon to format disks the way you like, for
instance with:
      A=format drive df1: name Data noicons
but Format will not wait for confirmation (Y or N) and will start
formating at once any disk in df1:. I'm not sure this is a bug:
seasoned users may actually like it! Those who like safer programs
can have it their way by opening a CLI from a file, like in the
above XList example.

   Thanks to John Toebes for the code that got me started (Amiga
Transactor, December 1988, p.69)

   

                               Michel Laliberté
                                      Montréal