
                      **********************************

                            RTPatch 1.0

                            The ReqTools Patcher

                            (c) 1992 Nico François

                      **********************************


Preface
=======

The programs and files in this distribution are freely distributable, but are
also copyright (c) Nico François.  They may be freely distributed as long as
no more than a nominal fee is charged to cover time and copying costs.
   No commercial usage is permitted without written permission from the
author.  Everything in this distribution must be kept together, in original
unmodified form.
   The above is generally known as freeware.

   If you have suggestions or remarks about this program, or if you find
any bugs, please let me know.

   Contacting the author:

     Fido:  2:292/603.10 (Nico Francois)

     UUCP:  Nico.Francois@p10.f603.n292.z2.FidoNet.Org

     Mail:  Nico François
            Corbielaan 13
            B-3060 Bertem
            BELGIUM

   If you can please use e-mail.  That way you'll stand a much better chance
of getting a reply quickly.


Contents
========

1. Introduction

2. Compatibility

3. Usage


1. Introduction
===============

   RTPatch is a small program that will re-route functions from most popular
requester libraries to ReqTools.  Libraries currently supported are Arp, Req
and Asl.  RTPatch will also patch some functions in Intuition to give you
improved system requesters.

   The patches RTPatch makes are these:

     o Intuition  : AutoRequest and EasyRequest (on 2.0) are patched so
                    normal system requesters, like 'Insert Disk...'
                    requesters, will be replaced by ReqTools EZRequesters.
                    They will appear near the mouse pointer and respond to
                    many keyboard shortcuts.  On 2.0 OpenScreenTagList() is
                    also patched to always open a new-look 3D screen.  This
                    will make for example CygnusEd 2.12 open a nice new-look
                    screen.
     o req.library: File requester, font requester, palette requester,
                    string requester and integer requester are replaced by
                    ReqTools requesters.
     o arp.library: File requester is replaced by ReqTools file requester.
     o asl.library: Currently only file requester is replaced by ReqTools
                    file requester.  Font and screen mode requesters are not
                    patched yet.

   RTPatch uses an intelligent patch mechanism.  It will only patch a
library when it is actually opened.  This means that if you never use the
arp.library (for example) it will not be patched and, more importantly, it
will not unnecessaryly be loaded into memory!  If you do run a program that
uses Arp and you quit it, it will close Arp.  RTPatch will then allow the
patched Arp to be expunged from memory.  If Arp is reloaded again later it
will be re-patched.  Note that RTPatch patches exec.library/OpenLibrary() and
exec.library/OldOpenLibrary() to accomplish all this.

   RTPatch is a 100% assembly program, for maximum efficiency.  It only
takes 4136 bytes of memory once installed (excluding memory occupied by
reqtools.library).  It uses *NO* processor time while installed.


3. Usage
========

   RTPatch can be used from Workbench and from the Shell (CLI).

   Shell usage:
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~
     RTPatch 1.0 © 1992 Nico François
     Usage: RTPatch [NOREQ] [NOASL] [NOARP] [NOINTUITION] [NOOPENSCRPATCH]

   Explanation of options:

      NOREQ          : Do not patch req.library.
      NOASL          : Do not patch asl.library.
      NOARP          : Do not patch arp.library.
      NOINTUITION    : Do not patch intuition.library.
      NOOPENSCRPATCH : Do not patch OpenScreenTagList() in intuition.library.

   Workbench usage:
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   RTPatch recognizes following tooltypes:

      NOREQ          : Do not patch req.library.
      NOASL          : Do not patch asl.library.
      NOARP          : Do not patch arp.library.
      NOINTUITION    : Do not patch intuition.library.
      NOOPENSCRPATCH : Do not patch OpenScreenTagList() in intuition.library.
      QUIET          : Don't open requester informing patches have been
                       installed.  Set this tooltype if you intend to drag
                       RTPatch to your WbStartup drawer.

NOTE: Run RTPatch when *NO* program has req.library, asl.library or
      arp.library open!  RTPatch will complain if one of these libraries
      is in use and will refuse to install or remove patches.  Running
      RTPatch in your user-startup or from your WbStartup should be ok.

WARNING: Asl V38 (distributed with Workbench 2.1) always keeps its library
         open count at 0.  It does this so ramlib will always call its
         Expunge() function when memory is low.  This does however mean
         RTPatch cannot see if this library is in use or not.  So you must
         be very careful not to install or remove RTPatch when you have a
         program running that uses Asl.  If you are still using Workbench 1.3
         or 2.0 there is no problem.


2. Compatibility
================

   RTPatch supports all basic requester functions and options.  Other
supported things that are worth mentioning:

     arp.library (V39)
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     o File callback function (FRF_DoWildFunc).  The A4 global data register
       is valid when this callback function is called (documented feature).
     o Message callback function (FRF_DoMsgFunc) for requesters with shared
       IDCMP.  Note: This has _not_ been tested!
     o Save mode (FRF_DoColor flag).
     o Shared IDCMP with parent window or new IDCMP (FRF_NewIDCMP flag).
     o 'Empty filename is ok' behaviour is supported.

     asl.library (V36/V38)
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     o File callback function/hook (FRF_DOWILDFUNC and ASLFR_FilterFunc tag).
       The A4 global data register is valid when this callback function is
       called for maximum compatibility (undocumented feature of Asl V36).
     o Intuition message callback function/hook (FRF_DOMSGFUNC and
       ASLFR_IntuiMsgFunc tag) for requesters with shared IDCMP.
     o Multi-selection (FRB_DOMULTISELECT flag or ASLFR_DoMultiSelect tag).
     o Directory requester, no files. (FRF_DRAWERSONLY flag or
       ASLFR_DrawersOnly tag).
     o Save mode (FRF_DOSAVEMODE flag or ASLFR_DoSaveMode tag).
     o Shared IDCMP with parent window or new IDCMP (FRF_PRIVATEIDCMP flag
       or ALSFR_PrivateIDCMP tag).
     o Putting to sleep of parent window (ASLFR_SleepWindow tag).
     o Font for requester (ASLFR_TextAttr tag).  Note that if a proportional
       is supplied it will be rejected by the ReqTools file requester.
     o Pattern gadget (FRF_DOPATTERNS flag or ASLFR_DoPatterns tag).
     o 'Empty filename is ok' behaviour is supported to ensures compatibility
       with e.g. AssignX, PageStream 2.2 and no doubt many other programs.
     o Undocumented fields in file requester structure are filled in, so even
       "dirty" programs will work.

     req.library (V2)
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     o Multi-selection.
     o Buffers for file and font requester.
     o Directory requester (no files).
     o Save mode (FRQSAVINGM flag).
     o Minimum and maximum value of GetLong() requester.

     Additional enhancements
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     o Buffered directories for Asl file requester.


     Following things are NOT supported (yet?):
                          ¯¯¯
     arp.library
     ~~~~~~~~~~~
     o FRF_NewWindFunc and FRF_AddGadFunc/FRF_GEventFunc callback functions
       are not called.  As far as I can tell nobody ever used the latter two
       and the former function is certainly not used a lot.
       To be short: this should not pose any problems.

     asl.library
     ~~~~~~~~~~~
     o ASLFR_InitialWidth and ASLFR_NegativeText tags are ignored.
     o FRB_REJECTICONS flag and ASLFR_RejectIcons tag are ignored.
     o FRB_FILTERDRAWERS flag and ASLFR_FilterDrawers tag are ignored.
     o ASLFR_RejectPattern and ASLFR_AcceptPattern tags are ignored.

     req.library
     ~~~~~~~~~~~
     o Timeout and abort mask (req.library requester will be used).
     o freq->frq_Hide is ignored, freq->frq_Show is however supported.
     o TR_KeyMask is not completely supported.  If it is not 0xffff
       (no qualifers) the requester will only respond to Left Amiga V/B.
       This should suffice in most cases however.

   If you find any compatibility problems let me know.  Please give a detailed
description of the problem.  Not 'RTPatch doesn't work with PageStream',
but more like: 'when I do this and this in PageStream ... doesn't work".


                                                       Enjoy.


                               PROGRAM HISTORY:

*****************************************************************************
RELEASE 0.9ß

    First BETA release.

*****************************************************************************
RELEASE 0.91ß

    Bug fixes: Req GetLong requester no longer returns FALSE when you enter
      the value 0 and Req file requester now properly returns full pathname.
    Now correctly patches AutoRequest when run on Kickstart 1.2/1.3.

*****************************************************************************
RELEASE 1.0

    First "real" release, big improvement over previous beta versions.
    Fixed some small bugs.
    Now only patches libraries when they are actually opened.  This saves
      oodles of memory, especially when you never or rarely use certain
      libraries!  Also allows patched libraries to be expunged from memory
      unlike many other patchers.
    In conjunction with ReqTools V38 empty directories are now allowed for
      improved compatibility.  This makes it e.g. possible to use AssignX.
    Asl (V36-V38) library is now also patched (file requester only).
    Command line arguments/icon tooltypes to set some options.

*****************************************************************************

RTPatch 1.0 written by Nico François (Yes, Nico is my first name :-)


"Is that you Mo-Dean?
 It's me Mo-Dean
 The Interdimensional outer space being" - the B-52's


(c) 1992 Nico François

                                   //
                       Thanks to \X/ Amiga for being the best computer ever !

