@database "SlowReset - English Guide File" @master SlowResetE.guide @$VER: SlowResetE.guide 1.54 (19.12.95) @author "Matthias Intemann" @(c) "(C) Marco Krause & Matthias Intemann 1995. All rights reserved." @node "Main" "SlowReset - Guidefile" @{b}SlowReset V1.54 Public Release 3@{ub} Copyright 1995 by Marco Krause All rights reserved - SlowReset is MailWare - @{b}@{u}Contents@{ub}@{uu} @{" Introduction   " link "Introduction" 0} Some words about SlowReset @{" Copyright " link "Copyright" 0} Important information @{"System Requirements" link "System Requirements" 0} What you need @{" Installation    " link "Installation" 0} How to install SlowReset @{" Getting Started  " link "Getting Started" 0} Tooltypes and parameter @{" Limitations " link "Limitations" 0} What it does not do @{" Credits     " link "Credits" 0} Thanx go to... @{" Contact      " link "Contact" 0} How to contact the author @{" Updates      " link "Updates" 0} How to get the newest version of SlowReset @{" History    " link "History" 0} The history of SlowReset @endnode @node "Introduction" "Introduction" @{b}*** Why should I use this nice peace of work. ***@{ub} This program is for all those, who could not resist pressing the well known three keys too early and then could not find some of their partitions or files, because the system was not yet ready with writing. :) People who do not have LED`s connected to every hd (for what reason ever), will find some use in SlowReset. They do not have to wait some seconds before reset any longer, while not seeing, whether some drives are still working or not. That`s where SlowReset starts it`s work. A resethandler is installed, which does following things in case of a reset: 1. An ARexx-script is being executed. Due to security-reasons this is only possible if the reset is being initiated by hotkey or the RESET-Option. This script should mainly be used to deactivate external programs. This might be useful when using cacheprograms, especially those with an activated SaveCache. The example-script, shiped with this program, quits PowerCache. This feature might also be usefull to quit message-systems like UMS, as it has some cache aswell. 2. Other resethandler are beeing signaled, if the reset was not initiated by pressing Ctrl-LAmiga-RAmiga. SlowReset waits for them to finish work. 3. When DOS is still writing, SlowReset acts as follows: Hotkey-reset: If the write-access is not being completed within 5 seconds, a requester will appear. The User can now decide, wether he wants to wait a bit longer or he wants to stop all disk-access and continue with the reset-procedure. Reset via RESET-option: If this feature is being used, SlowReset waits for DOS to finish writing. No requester apears. Ctrl-LAmiga-RAmiga reset: In this case SlowReset will also wait 5 seconds. But there will be no requester; all write-access will be stopped and the reset will be done. As soon as a reset has been initiated, SlowReset watches all necessary file-access. When drives have to be stopped, SlowReset holds back some disk-operating functions and waits for open files to be closed. To make this possible, some system-functions have to be patched. Some anti-virus systems may rumor here. This can be ignored. 4. If datatypes.library is installed (OS3), a soundfile is being played in the background. If several soundfiles are handed in, SlowReset choses one randomly. (option) 5. The screen can be faded to white. (option) 6. ...and can be faded to black. (option) 7. If a soundfile is played, wait for it to finish! 8. Removing all reset resistant programs. (Optional) 9. Reset @{b}@{i}@{fg highlight}!!! Important !!!@{ui}@{fg text} There is a protection in the system, so that a reset can only be held back for about 10 seconds. If there still is an active resethandler, the keyboard-processor starts the reset-sequence anyway. This limitation is NOT valid for a reset by hotkey, respectivly by RESET-option. For this reason it is adviced to reset your Amiga by hotkey. This is the only way, SlowReset can wait for all disk-activities to finish with full reliability. In spite of all protection-features of SlowReset,you should NOT reset your Amiga too early on purpose!!! SlowReset can avoid the worst in many cases, but it is not quaranteed that it allways is capeable of protecting your hd, floppy or what ever. @{ub} @endnode @node "Copyright" "Copyright" @{b}*** Copyright-Information ***@{ub} SlowReset is MailWare. This means that when using this program frequently, you should send a message to the author. This can be done via e-mail, letter or postcard. The address can be found under @{"Contact" link Contact}. The copyright is owned by the author only. SlowReset may be freely given for private usage,if there is not taken more than a copy fee. This fee must not be more than 4 DM or $3 US when on a floppy-disk. When SlowReset is being sold on a medium, this has to consist of at least 60% FD-software. The taking up in BBS-fileareas and the spreading over non commercial nets is allowed. The SlowReset-package has to remain unmodified. This goes for the arrangement as for the files themself. You may neither add files to the archive nor remove files from it. A commercial use or spreading of SlowReset is forbidden and only allowed with written permission of the author. The author reserves the right to forbid spreading to everybody in case of braking the copyright-rules. The author can not give any guarantees on the function of SlowReset. The user uses SlowReset at own risk. The author can not be fined for any kind of damge, which might me caused due to the usage of SlowReset. Kuhlenkamp, December 19th, 1995 Marco Krause (Author of SlowReset) @endnode @node "System Requirements" "System Requirements" @{b}*** System Requirements **@{ub}* SlowReset needs Kickstart 2.04 or higher. It also needs an Amiga with an @{b}external@{ub} Keyboard. Well, an A1200 should also work. @endnode @node "Installation" "Installation" @{b}*** How to install SlowReset ***@{ub} Installing SlowReset is quite easy. Just drag the SlowReset-icon into the WBStartup-drawer. If you do not want SlowReset to be called each time Your system starts, just put the program where you want and start it depending on Your needs (whenever you want to!). Once started, SlowReset acts like every other Commodity. This means that you may control it via 'Exchange' (Sys:Tools/Commodities/Exchange)! @endnode @node "Getting Started" "Getting Started" @{b}*** Getting Started! ***@{ub} SlowReset can be started from shell or from the WB. When starting from the Workbench, there are the following Tooltypes available: @{b}DONOTWAIT@{ub} This Tooltype is only of importance, if you start SlowReset during the boot-up in the WBStartup-drawer. It tells the WB not to wait for SlowReset to finish. @{b}CX_PRIORITY=@{ub} This is where you can set the commodity-priority of SlowReset. The valid range is from -128 to 127. This preset comes to use, e.g., when two commodities wait for the same hotkey, the one with the higher priority gets the message from the handler first. Default: 0 @{b}RESET=@{ub} By using 'RESET', a protected reset can be initiated. This reset is similar to the hotlkey-reset (incl. executing the ARexx-script). But there will be no requester, if DOS has not finished writing after 5 seconds. SlowReset will wait for Dos to finish it`s activity. This can come handy, when there is no user on the console. Default: no @{b}RESETKEY=@{ub} SlowReset can do a reset after the user has pressed a hotkey, which can be freely defined. A good choice would be, e.g., 'lalt ralt esc'. When the hotkey has been pressed, SlowReset signals all other installed reset handlers (like MicroDot) and waits for them to finish. This is only possible if those handlers are being installed AFTER SlowReset has been activated. @{fg highlight} There is another important reason for starting other handlers after running SlowReset: As SlowReset stops all drives and other handler might try to save some data before resetting the computer, all handlers, except SlowReset's one, should be executed, before SlowReset stops drive-access. @{fg text} Default: none @{b}RESETSCRIPT=@{ub} Here you can name the ARexx-Script to be called when resetting your Amiga via hotkey. For needs of security, this can only be done, when doing a hotkey-reset. Default: none @{b}HARDRESET=@{ub} To assure that there are no resident programs active during the reboting, SlowReset offers the possibiltiy to remove such programs. When the option 'ALWAYS' is selected, those programs are always removed, no matter wether the reset was initiated by hotkey or ctrl-amiga-amiga. 'RESETKEY' stands for removing such programs only when the hotkey-reset has been done.If the option 'NEVER' is used or HARDRESET is not defined, resident programs are ignored ans remain active. Default: NEVER @{b}FADEWHITE=@{ub} The upper screen will be faded to white before reset. Default: no @{b}FADEBLACK=@{ub} The upper screen will fade to black before reset.FADEWHITE and FADEBLACK can be combined. Default: no @{b}DELAY=@{ub} OS 2.04: n is the delay measured in 1/50 seconds after a color-change. Default: 1 OS 3.0 or newer: delay gives you the posibility of slowing fading down: if you already use 'COLORJUMP=1' and you still think, fading is too fast, just add some delay to it! Default: 0 @{b}COLORJUMP=@{ub} This tooltype will be ignored under OS2. It needs OS3. n describes the RGB-value added or subtracted to the current color-value each color-change. E.g.: COLORJUMP=2 Startvalues: R=0x00 G=0xaa B=0xfc 1. pass: R=0x02 G=0xac B=0xfe 2. pass: R=0x04 G=0xae B=0xff 3. pass: R=0x06 G=0xb0 B=0xff The greater COLORJUMP, the faster and rougher the screen fades. Owners of a graphics enhancer may realize the rough fading. Compared with AGA, graphics enhancers often only use 6 bits for color-values while AGA uses 8 bits. This means that under AGA, there are 256 possible values, but when using a graphics enhancer, there mostly are only 64. This roughens fading, but is not necessarily the case with all graphics enhancers. Default: If COLOJUMP is not defined, SlowReset tries to figure out the best value by refering to the bits per color-value. @{b}SOUNDFILE=@{ub} SlowReset uses the datatypes.library to play a sample. This is being done at the same time the screen fades. It is possible to evoke several sondfiles devided by '|'. SlowReset choses one of them randomly when resetting. As this feature uses datatypes.library, it can only be used with OS 3.0 or greater. @{b}NOCRASHDETECT=@{ub} A problem of all resethandler is the 'hanger', which can happen when the System has hung-up for some reason. Usually you press Ctrl-LAmiga-RAmiga and at first, nothing happens. In this case, mostly all the resethandler are being signaled, but can not work properly, cause of the instable system. In some of these occurrences SlowReset recognizes the problem and can initiate a reset. This feature can be disabled using this option. Default: no You can use the keyword itself instead of writing '=yes'. E.g.: 'FADE' and 'FADE=yes' mean totally the same, when used as Tooltype. Putting the keyword in brackets means the same as =NO (e.g.: 'FADE=NO' means the same '(FADE)' does.) When being started via Shell, the keywords are just alike, accept 'DONOTWAIT', which would not be of any use. The usage of SlowReset is: SlowReset CX_PRIORITY/K/N,RESET/S,RESETKEY/K,RESETSCRIPT/K,HARDRESET/K, FADEWHITE/S,FADEBLACK/S,DELAY/K/N,COLORJUMP/K/N,SOUNDFILE/K, NOCRASHDETECT/S For further information on the keywords reference to your Amiga-DOS-Manual for reading more about the switches. @endnode @node "Limitations" "Limitations" @{b}*** Limitations ***@{ub} - HAM-, EHB- and 24bit-screens are not faded. - A reset done by a PC-keyboard can NOT be held back. If you dare to use this kind of keyboard, then use the @{"RESETKEY-option" link "Getting Started"}. - You can be more certain that write-acces can be finished on HDs then on floppy disks, as floppy disks are much slower. - Driveaccess which does not use DOS can NOT be detected and can not be held back. @endnode @node "Credits" "Credits" @{b}*** I wanna thank... ***@{ub} SAS Institute for a great compiler and a never on the Amiga-market seen support. Dietmar Eilert for the best editor ever! (GoldED) Andreas Linnemann for NewMode, some help and for beeing my cap to the Cinemaxx :) Matthias Intemann (that`s me, the translator!) Frank Mattern for doing such terrific work on the icons (ARexx-icon created by Roman Patzner) Stefan Raudonis for running the Cosmos-BBS in Langwedel Oliver Oster the guys who've got the guts to betatest this great Matthias Intemann program! ;) Andreas Linnemann Marcel Eckhoff Joerg Toegel Telekom for having the almost cheapest tele-charges ever -- NOT! and to all those, who wrote me some stuff. And last but not least: a big 'Hello World!' to all Cosmos-BBS user! ;) @endnode @node "Contact" "Contact" @{b}*** How to contact the author ***@{ub} Mails, bugreports, flames, improvements and stuff are welcome. Please send them to: Snail-Mail: Marco Krause Kuhlenkamp 11 27330 Asendorf (GERMANY) E-Mail: Marco@Cosmos-L.gun.de @endnode @node "Updates" "Updates" @{b}*** Where do I get updates? ***@{ub} New versions of SlowReset can be obtained in the Cosmos-BBS for free download. Just log in, using username='Gast' and look for: "Amiga Binaer/FreeDownload-Area/Sonstiges/". By the way: this great BBS uses AmBoS!!! Cosmos-BBS, Langwedel: 19200 bps ZyXEL > +49/(0)4232/94040 19200 bps ZyXEL 64000 bps X.75/V.110 > +49/(0)4232/94041 64000 bps X.75/V.110 @endnode @node "History" "History" @{b}*** What did I use? What came out when? ***@{ub} SlowReset was made with the following programs on an A4000/40: SAS/C V6.56 GoldED V3 HWGRCS V5.6 @{b}*** History ***@{ub} V1.1 - V1.26 internal betas V1.27 (20.06.95) first public release V1.45 (18.09.95) - some bugfixes and optimisations - SlowReset can be left even when other programs altered the patched functions - A reset can now be initiated via hotkey. External resethandler are also being informed. SlowReset waits for them to finish. - Using 'HARDRESET', resident programs can be removed. - SlowReset realizes if the upper screen is being put back or is being closed. - FADE and WHITESCREEN are replaced by FADEBLACK and FADEWHITE. - Execution of a ARexx-script when doing a hotkey-reset. - The flush-packet is nor being sent to all drives in an appropiat way. - If COLORJUMP is not set, a fitting value is being figured out. - SlowReset acts a lot more intelligent after a reset. For further information read @{"Introduction" link Introduction} - The whole thing is a lot more reliable. - New icons. (great work, Frank! ;) - fixed Enforcer-hit in the device-scanner V1.54 (19.12.95) - As the sound-datatype tells the programm, when the sample has been finished with sinve v40, there was an error under v39. Therefor, no soundfile could be played. This is no problem any longer. - If there are not enough free audio-channels for the sample to be played, the sound-datatype waits for them to be freed, without SlowReset being able to have any influence on this. This ment, that SlowReset could not continue. SlowReset now test the audio-channels to be free, before calling the datatype and does not play the sample, if there is no free channel. - With the keyword (@{"'RESET'" link "Getting Started"}), a protected reset can be initiated. This kind of reset is similar to the one you do when pressing the hotkey, but there will be no requester, if writing has not been finished after five seconds. It just waits for writing to be done. - You can now envoke more than one soundfile (option 'SOUNDFILE'). One of them is randomly chosen. They must be seperated by '|'. - In some cases, SlowReset recognizes a 'hanger' of other handlers and does a reset before they have finished (because they are not expected to finish at all). - Difficulties with some open shell-windows (Csh) are gotten rid of. - nothing-happens-bug fixed @endnode