@DATABASE "AppLauncher.guide" @$VER: 1.0 (03/27/95) @(C)"Copyright (c)1995 Danny Y. Wong" @AUTHOR "Danny Y. Wong" @FONT topaz.font 8 @WORDWRAP @INDEX APPLAUNCHERINDEX @NODE MAIN "APPLAUNCHER DOCUMENTATIONS" @NEXT FOREWARD @{" Introduction " link INTRO} @{" Icons " link ICONS} @{" Registration Info" link REG} @{" Future Ehancements " link FUTURE} @{" Copyright Notice " link COPYRIGHT} @{"Things U Should Know" link THINGS} @{" Disclaimer " link DISCLAIMER} @{" Launch Palette " link PALETTE} @{" Installation " link INSTALL} @{"AppLauncher Menus " link MENUS} @{"Support for NewIcons" link NEWICONS} @{" Non Icon Programs" link NOICON} @{"Support for MagicWB " link MAGICWB} @{" Preference Setup " link PREF} @{" Demo Version " link DEMO} @{" ARexx Interface " link AREXX} @{" Bugs " link BUGS} AppLauncher V1.0 (c) Copyright 1995 Danny Y. Wong All rights reserved. Home 403-274-9348 (6:00pm to 11:59pm MST) Internet: danwong@cadvision.com Fido: Danny Wong@1:134/101 @ENDNODE @NODE REG "User Registeration" AppLauncher is Shareware meaning that you have the rights to use AppLauncher for a limited time of two weeks. After this date, you must register AppLauncher if you want continue to use it. Registration fees are as followings: 1. $10.00 US per copy US and Canada ONLY 2. $15.00 US per copy Outside of North America (Rest of the World) When you become a registered user, you will receive the full version of AppLauncher with bug fixes and enhancements and crippled codes removed. Please print the registration form in the 'About' menu item in AppLauncher. This is to ensure that it will not be confused with my other shareware registrations and that you wouldn't end up getting the wrong product. If ordering by cheque or money order please make payable to: Danny Y. Wong and mail registration form to: Danny Y. Wong 131 64 Ave N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2K 0L9 CANADA Thank you for supporting shareware authors. Bug Fixes, Comments and Contact: Home 403-274-9348 (6:00pm to 11:59pm MST) Fido: Danny Wong@1:134/101 Internet: danwong@cadvision.com @ENDNODE @NODE DISCLAIMER "Disclaimer" Disclaimer: The author makes no warranties, either expressed or implied. This program is provided on an "as is" basis and the author will not be liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly by using this program. Use at your own risk. @ENDNODE @NODE COPYRIGHT "Copyright Notice" AppLauncher is copyrighted 1995 by Danny Y. Wong. You as the user DO NOT have any rights to modify and/or change AppLauncher in any form without written permission from the author. AppLauncher can not be sold or included in any disk or electric base distribution without written permission from the author. Permission is granted to distribute the DEMO version of AppLauncher as long as the archive reamained unchanged. Illegal duplication of copyrighted software is prohibited. If you do not like AppLauncher then write one yourself! @ENDNODE @NODE PALETTE "AppLauncher -- Launch Palette" @{"Show Launch Palette" system "display main.pic"} The Launch Palette lets you launch application and project files. The Launch Palette also give you information about the icon. There are two types of file that the Launcher understands. 1. Tools - any executable file such as Clock, Colors etc... 2. Projects - are data files that the application created. Adding Icons to the Launch Palette ---------------------------------- There are currently three methods that allow you to add icons to the Launch Palette. 1. Drag and Drop in to the Window --------------------------------- Any Tool or Project icon(s) can be added to the Launch Palette. To add a icon(s) to the Launch Palette, simply click and drag the icon(s) you want and drop it in the AppLauncher window. Multiple icons can be dragged and dropped in to the AppLauncher window. If icon dropped is not type Tool or Project, AppLauncher will flash the screen and beep at you to tell you that you have dropped an unsupported icon. Unsupport icon are Drawers, Volumes, Garbage can etc... 2. Drag and Drop in to the AppLauncher AppIcon ---------------------------------------------- Another method of adding icon(s) to the Launch Palette is to drag and drop icon(s) on to the AppLauncher AppIcon located on the WorkBench. The AppLauncher AppIcon has the same limitations as the AppWindow eg: only icon types Tool and Projects. 3. Using the Custom Setup Window @{" Non Icon Programs" link NOICON} -------------------------------- Launching Applications and Project Files ---------------------------------------- There are two methods of launching an application or project file. 1. Launch Palette ----------------- To launch an application, double click on the icon. AppLauncher then attempts to execute the application or the project file. If error occurs then you will informed by a screen flash and a system beep. 2. Menus -------- Another way of launching an application or project file is thru the menu. First select the icon by single click on the icon, then select the 'Run' menu item from the 'Icon' menu. You can also use the short key cut Right-Amiga-r. @{"AppLauncher Menus " link MENUS} Getting Icon Name from the Launch Palette ----------------------------------------- The Launch Palette is more than just launching applications. It can also tell you what the Icon name is. By moving the mouse pointer and positioning the mouse pointer over an icon, AppLauncher will display the icon name on the window title. This allows you to quickly identify the icon and avoid the gussing game. Deleting an Icon from the Launch Palette ---------------------------------------- To delete an icon from the Launch Palette, select the icon to be deleted by doing a single icon on the icon. Now select the 'Delete' menu item from the 'Icon' menu. @{"AppLauncher Menus " link MENUS} Important: If multiple preferences shared the same icon and you deleted the shared icon, other preferences would still have it in the Launch Palette. You will get an error if you try to launch an non existing icon from the Launch Palette. Rearranging Icons in the Launch Palette --------------------------------------- You can swap any two icons in the Launch Palette by selecting the icon to be swaped by clicking and holding the left mouse button. While moving the mouse around in the Launch Palette, an rectangle box is indicates the destination icon. To swap the icon, release the left button mouse. Expanding the Launch Palette ---------------------------- If you need more room for you icons. You can expand the Launch Palette by sizing the window. This will give you more icon spaces. Launch Palette Limitations -------------------------- There are a couple of limitations should be mentioned about the Launch Palette. 1. You can not add any icons to the Launch Palette if: a. there is no room on the Launch Palette to hold any new icons. Use the Size gadget to add more room. b. the maximum number of icons exceeds the AppLuancher 75 limit. @ENDNODE @NODE MENUS "AppLauncher -- Menus" @{"Show Menus" system "display menu.pic"} There are only two menus in AppLauncher. They are: 1. Project - lets you save and load preferences. 2. Icon - lets you delete and launch applications. @ENDNODE @NODE PREF "AppLauncher -- Preference" @{"Show Preference" system "display pref.pic"} The AppLauncher preference setting lets you determine which preference to set as the default preference. The default preference gets loaded when AppLaunch is started. You can also tell AppLauncher to display the Launch Palette on startup. Preferences is really helpful if you share your computer among users. Each person can have it's own prefenerce for his/her favroite programs. You can name their preference like: moms.pref, dads.pref, joeys.pref etc.. @ENDNODE @NODE INTRO "AppLauncher -- Introduction" AppLauncher is an AppWindow, AppIcon and AppMenu application that lets you quickly launch your favorite applications via the Tool Menu, Launch Palette or remotely using ARexx commands. AppLauncher is incredibly easy to use because of the intuitive user interface and flexibility. Application can be launched using the @{"Launch Palette" link PALETTE} or by using the Workbench Tool menu or ARexx. @{" ARexx Interface " link AREXX} Any Tools or Projects can be launched by simply drag and drop and double clicking the icon. AppLauncher supports the standard Workbench icons, NewIcons, and MagicWB icons. Unlimited number of preferences can be used with AppLauncher. You can load a new preference dynamically. AppLauncher can run on any platform with Workbench 2.0 or higher installed and 512K of RAM. @ENDNODE @NODE INSTALL "AppLauncher -- Installation" Open up the Installer drawer and double click on the 'AL_Installer' icon. This is a ARexx script which will copy the data files to the ENV: and ENVARC: directory. @{" Things U Show Know " link THINGS} AppLauncher does not require any additional libraries. It is recommended that you put AppLauncher in the Startup drawer on your startup disk. @ENDNODE @NODE FUTURE "AppLauncher -- Future Enhacements" 1. Easier user interface. 2. Support for Volumes and Drawers to Launch Palette. 3. More surprises. @ENDNODE @NODE ICONS "AppLauncher -- Icons" AppLauncher supports the Amiga standard icon size 52 by 22, NewIcons, and MagicWB icons. Icons that are larger than the three standard size will not work properly with AppLauncher. If you have a large or smaller icon and want to use it in AppLauncher you will need to do the following: 1. Make a copy of the icon. 2. Load the icon using the standard icon editor 'IconEdit' in the Utilities drawer. 3. Make the neccessary changes to the icon so that it will fit the standard size you choosen for your system. eg: NewIcons 4. Save the icon. 5. Now drag and drop the new icon in to the AppLauncher window or AppLauncher AppIcon. Another method is the convert the icon to a brush and do the modifications using a paint program. 1. Make a copy of the icon. 2. Load the icon using the standard icon editor 'IconEdit' in the Utilities drawer. 3 Save the icon as the brush. 4. Load the brush into a paint program and do the modifications. 5. Load the brush back into the 'IconEdit'. 6. Save the icon. 7. Now drag and drop the new icon in to the AppLauncher window or AppLauncher AppIcon. @ENDNODE @NODE NOICON "AppLauncher -- Non-Icon Programs" @{"Show Edit Setup" system "display custom.pic"} For programs that do not have an icon. You can use the 'Icon' menu option to select add them to the Launch Palette. It is straight forward. There are two methods of adding a program using the Custom Setup. 1. Using ASL File Requester --------------------------- Click on the 'Select' button. This will open the ASL file requester. Select the directory where the program resides and double click on the program you want to add to the Launch Palette. 2. Data Entry ------------- Type in the full path and the program that you want to add to the Launch Palette in the File Name string gadget. eg: dh0:c/dir dirs -- list only directories the above example will add the AmigaDOS directory commmand to the Launch Palette. When you are done selecting the program to add, click on the OK button. AppLauncher will now validate the path and the program that you have selected. If there is an error it will be displayed otherwise you should see the Default icon (Tool) on the Launch Palette. Programs that do not have an icon will be showing with the Workbench default Tool icon. You can also you the Custom Setup to add any executable programs. The Custom Setup will does not recognize Project (data) files. You will most likely to get an error if you selected a Project file. @ENDNODE @NODE THINGS "AppLauncher -- Things You Should Know" 1. AppLauncher can load up to 16 colors of icon. (256 in real mode) 2. AppLauncher stores its preferences in Env: and EnvArc: 3. File names are limited to 31 characters. Menu names are limited to 21 characters. Path names are limited to 60 characters. If you get an error while launching the application, make sure that when you add the file name and the path name you do not exceed 120 characters. 4. If the error message "Can't Find Default.info" shows up, that means AppLauncher can't find the Tool default info file. This file contains the default icon for programs that do not have an .info. You may have deleted or misplaced the file. To correct this problem. Make a copy of any info file. @{" Installation " link INSTALL} eg: 1>copy Clock.info WBDefault.info Make sure that you have changed to the correct directory when making a copy of the info file. You will also need to do this in the ENVARC:AppLauncher as well. This directory is located on disk as oppose to ENV: which is reside in RAM: If the ENV: and ENVARC: do not have the AppLauncher info file then just run AppLauncher and drag and drop some icons into the window and then save the preference. Note: Do not change the names. The three default names must be typed exactly. (WBDefault.info, NIDefault.info, MWDefault.info) For Standard Workbench ---------------------- eg: 1>copy Clock.info WBDefault.info For NewIcons ------------ eg: 1>copy Say.info NIDefault.info For MagicWB ------------ eg: 1>copy MyDefault.info MWDefault.info 5. Maximum number of icons is 75. @ENDNODE @NODE AREXX "AppLauncher -- ARexx Interface" Applications that do not have interface to DOS and need to launch other applications can ask AppLauncher to launch them thru the ARexx interface. AppLauncher has a built-in ARexx port named 'AppLauncher'. The following are AppLauncher valid ARexx commands. Command names must be type as showing. 1. AL_LaunchByName - request an application to be launched by file name. eg: 'AL_LaunchByName' clock 2. AL_LaunchByIndex - request an application be be launched by icon number in the Launch Palette. eg: 'AL_LaunchByIndex' 5 3. AL_HideWindow - hide AppLauncher window. eg: 'AL_HideWindow' 4. AL_ShowWindow - show AppLauncher window. eg: 'AL_ShowWindow' 5. AL_WindowToFront - make the AppLauncher window to be the foremost window. eg: 'AL_WindowToFront' 6. AL_WindowToBack - make the AppLauncher window to back. eg: 'AL_WindowToBack' 7. AL_LoadNewPref - load a new Preference file. If the current preference is modified and you call AL_LoadNewPref, AppLauncher will not put up the dialog for saving before loading. eg: 'AL_LoadNewPref' joeys.pref 8. AL_Quit - quit AppLauncher eg: 'AL_Quit' AppLauncher ARexx Example ------------------------- /* An easy script to load Joey's favorite preference file and launch the DateTimer application for daily scheduling. */ address 'AppLauncher' 'AL_LoadNewPref' joeys.pref' 'AL_LaunchByName' DateTimer @ENDNODE @NODE NEWICONS "AppLauncher -- Support for NewIcons" AppLauncher supports the NewIcons. To switch between the Standard Workbench icons and the NewIcons use the Preference menu. Prefrences are interchangable between other icons environments. The future version will allow you to change the width and height of the icons to reflect new WB standards or third party icons. When you have configured your icons on the Launch Palette for both Standard WB and NewIcons. You are not required to start the NewIcons program if you want to use the NewIcons preference. This is also true if you want to use the Standard WB icons and you are in the NewIcons environment. @ENDNODE @NODE MAGICWB "AppLauncher -- Support for MagicWB" AppLauncher supports MagicWB. To switch between the other standard icons to MagicWB use the Preference menu. Prefrences are interchangable between other standards. When you switch to a different environment, you can select any preference file you want to use. Currently you can not change the Width and Height of the icons. The future version will allow you to change the width and height of the icons to reflect new WB standards or third party icons. @ENDNODE @NODE DEMO "AppLauncher -- Demo Version" This demo version you can only save five (5) icons to the default "AppLauncher.pref". You will not able to save your own preferences. The real version removes these limitations. @{" Registration Info" link REG} @ENDNODE @NODE BUGS "AppLauncher -- Known Bugs" 1. The Rexx command 'AL_LoadNewPref' doesn't seem to work properly if called multiple times. It will most likely crash your system. You should try to experiment with this. 2. When adding a new icon using the custom method, sometimes referenced pointer gets mixed up in conjunction with the Delete icon function. (This shouldn't happen anymore) 3. When switching to different icon environments eg: from NewIcons to MagicWB. Icons maybe not be displayed appropriately because of the size difference. You shouldn't be switching from envirnoment to environment at all. @ENDNODE