SuperDark --------- ---- - Whatis SuperDark? SuperDark is a Screen Blanker...Yet, another one, but this one as some special features. It's based on the well now program named AfterDark in the PC and Macintosh World. IMPORTANT NOTE: Don't blame me for my bad english!!! (I'm French you know!) Some caracteristics: - A lot of different effects, but only one effect is loaded in memory at a given time. - Possibility of screen locking, with password. - And great effects... I Installation -------------- To install SuperDark, just put the blankers directory somewhere in your hard disk, andd put the SuperDark program in your WBStartup drawer. If you don't have WB2.0, use the SuperDark_1.3 program. After, just put the name of the directory where you put the modules as a tooltype of SuperDark: dark directory= You can also change this in the main window of SuperDark, but this new directory will only be valid if you remove the programm (by pressing the remove button) and if you start it again. II Utilisation -------------- When you start SuperDark, IF the configuration is correct, no window will be opened (or juste a little one, if "QUIET" is off). So, you can open the main window by pressing the hotkey sequence. By default, this sequence is and . This hotkey can be configured only with OS2.0 or higher! In 1.3, you CAN'T modify this key... If you start superdark while another superdark module is running, the last started will exit, while the first started will open is configuration window. Immediate blanking: If you press the key and the key at the same time, there will be an 'immediate blanking', This mean that the screen will be instantanly be blanked. This key can be modified only with OS2.0 or higher. This hotkey CAN'T be configured with 1.3 or 1.2. You can also put the mouse in the lower left corner of the screen to blank immediatly the screen (in fact after 2 seconds). But of you put your mouse in the lower right corner of the screen, the screen will neither blank. If don't touch your computer for some time (depending of the configuration) it will be automaticelly go to a 'blanking state' III Configuration, and blanking effects --------------------------------------- 3.1 The main window configuratiom: Dark directory: The first important thing in this window, is the 'SuperDark directory'. It's the place where superdark will look forhis blanking modules. So, if you see nothing in the Modules list, fill the SuperDark directory with the correct place where you've put the modules, press the Save button, then REMOVE superDark to have the new parameters, and start it again (or reboot if you have it in your wbstartup directory). Modules: In the modules list, you must see the superdark modules (like firework, effets, ramdom,...).If no, look at the Dar directory paragraph!. With this list you select the module that you eant to be active during the blanking. The current selection is show at the bottom of the list. Param: This button open the configuration window of the selected module. Tempo: This slider gadget allow you to choos the inactivity time of the blanker, in seconds. Quiet: This little checkbox just tell SuperDark to don't show the little window when started, the window with: "SuperDark Started,....." CxPopKey: (This gadget have no effect with WB1.2/1.3) You can put here the definition of the hotkey wich will cause an apparition of the configuration window. The default is shift f3 BlanKey: (This gadget have no effect with WB1.2/1.3) You can put here the definition of the hotkey wich will cause an immediate blanking. The default is shift f4 Lock: If you select this checkbox, a passwd will be asked after each blanking of the screen. Example: you go somewhere else, but you don't want your computer be used by someone else. Passwd: This gadget allow you to enter the Passwd needed to Unlock Screen. Remove: If you press this button, SuperDark will be removed (it will exit)... Save: To Save the current parameters of SuperDark and the Random module. Help: This will show you a little information window. Hide: This button will close this configuration window. If you want to open it again, just press and . 3.2 Blankings Modules Note: Sll the parameter window of the blanking module have the four following buttons: OK: to close the parameters window and to save configuration TEST: to test the effect. CANCEL:to close the parameter window, without saving configuration. INFO: to have some information on this effect. 3.2.1 anim This effect show you a 3d Object moving on the screen. That's all for the moment, but this effect is still in developpement to be more attractive! * Medium cpu-user. * small memory-user. 3.2.2 ARexx This effect allow you to send an ARexx command at the beginning of the blank, and another command at the end of the blanking period. This allow you to start for example a music program, paint program or custom program during blanking. I'am sure that a lot of poeple will find good idea for this effect! AREXXPORT: This is the name of the ARexx port where the ARexx command are send. CMD: This is the command send at the beginning of the blank. ENDCMD: This is the command send at the end of the blank. * Small CPU-Usage * Small Memory-Usage. 3.2.3 ASWarm This module show you little things moving on screen....Just look at it to understand! It's based on a Sun effect's, and it was made by Markus Illenser Matthias Scheler for another blanker. SPEED=[Slow motion | Very Slow | Slow | Normal | Fast | Very Fast | Incredible ] WASPS=[1-10] number of Wasps! BEES=[1-500] number of bees! TIGHTNESS=[1-10] COLOR CYCLING=[ON|OFF] AIM MODE=[ON|OFF] * Medium to big cpu-user * Small cpu-user 3.2.4 Effets This in fact three different effects. But all these three effects have been described in an old issue of the scientific america. TYPE= [ INTERFERENCES | DRAGON | FRAC EFFECT | RANDOM ] DUREE= [ 50-100] * Big cpu-user * Medium memory-user 3.2.5 FireWork This effect show you a FireWork on your screen.... * Big cpu-user * Medium memory-user 3.2.6 Fracblank Adapted from ..... 3.2.7 Line The screen will slowly disappears under the lines.... Ig you select type=random, the line will select randomly an effect in the 3 possibles (line1/2,sqaures) TYPE= [ LINE1 | LINE2 | SQUARES | RANDOM ] * Small cpu-user * Medium cpu-user 3.2.8 Line2 This effect will show you multicolored lines...You can choose the number of lines, their speed, etc.... * Big cpu-user * Medium memory-user 3.2.9 Melt Very nice effect! The current screen is suddenly moving in a very particular manner...Look at this one! Three type of effects are available:type1,type2,type3 (not very clear...) * Medium cpu-user * Medium cpu-user 3.2.10 Mystify Draw moving line on screen, once again...Based on the Window's effect... NUMBERS=[1-3] SPEED =[1-10] * Medium to Big cpu-user * Medim memory-usage 3.2.10 Music This effect is based on my old demo named "The PoiPoi". Four little guys move with music, while PoiPoi musicians are playing the music... You can select wich SoundTracker or protracker module to play, by selecting is name in the "Module" string gadget (sorry, no requester for the moment). Each of the musician is assigned to one instrument. Usually, soundtracker modules have 32 instruments. So you can select what instrument a poipoi is playing. For example, is instrument number two is a guitar, you can put "2" in "guitar" field. So the guitarist will play instrument number two! If the module can't find your module, or if the selected file is not a protracker/stk module, a default module will be played (mod.wizardy). Try this effect....Really nice! MODULE= DRUMMER (L)=<1-32> DRUMMER (R)=<1-32> LEFT KEYB = <1-32> RIGHT KEY = <1-32> GUITAR = <1-32> * Medium cpu-user * Medim memory-usage 3.2.11 Plasma This effect is based on plasma effect from the demos. But it's not a perfect programming, so there must be some problems on some Amiga... * Big cpu-user * Big Memory-usage 3.2.12 Shuffle Based on a blanking effect from the XSB program... SPEED=[SLOW | MEDIUM | FAST | VERY FAST ] * Small cpu-user * Medium memory-usage 3.2.13 Slide-Show Rem: This effect is only available in WB2.0 or higher.... This effect allow you to make a slide show of your picture during blanking. Useful if you are a gfx artist! Some explanation: You must select wich pictures are show during blanking by pressing the 'Add' buttonm and then select the picture you want. Delete will remove the selected filename in the list of the pictures. Show will show you the selected picture during a few seconds. Note: The list of the filename will be saved in the file s:slide-show.cfg You can modify this file yourself if you want. * Small cpu-user * Medium to big memory-user 3.2.x Spot One or more spots will highlight the screen. If the module can open a screen of one or more bitplane than the actual one, you can change the luminosity of the background. You will see the real screen in the spot (I mean that if something happens, something move in the screen, you'll see this in the spots). SIZE = [1-80] SPEED = [1-10] NUMBER = [1-5] DOUBLEBUFFER=[TRUE|FALSE] You can use or not dble buffer, but not in all the cases. SHADOW = [0-90] Percentage of luminosity for the background * Medium Cpu-user * Mediym Memory-User 3.2.14 Star This effect will show you a Starfield in your screen. You can change number of stars and their speed. STARS NUMBER=[10-150] SPEED =[1-10] * Big cpu-user * Medimu memory-user 3.2.15 Time This effect show you a clock. You can choose three different clock, but none is really nice...that's why this effect will soon be modified! TYPE=[DIGITAL|AIGUILLE|MODERNE] SECONDS=[ON|OFF] * Small cpu-user * Medium memory-user 3.2.16 Random This effect will choose randomly different other effects! You can select the effect that you want to be 'choosable' in the selection list. But if the All Checkbox is checked, all the effect are selectables! The list of the selectables effects is saved in the file s:dark_random.cfg NOTE: ---- The blankers modules are executales, so you can pack them with powerpacker for instance! 4 Improvment It would be nice to make a documentation in a correct english! :-) -------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Bug Report Please, send me bug reports, or any information (idea, improvment,etc..) I think there is some problems with A1200 or 4000, due to the DblPal mode.. I don't know a lot of this mode. If you have any information, or any problem you know what to do! REM: if you use the lockscreen features, the passwd screen is always a lowres screen...may be this will cause troubles with VGA monitors in a 1200. Another problem is with wb1.3 or less. May be some problems could appears, because I don't have too much time to support this version 6. History 01/01/93 v.09: First version realised, on some BBS 30/01/93 v1.0: Lot of bugs fixed, but a lot of bugs still here... 05/02/93 v1.1: Crash if incorrect configuration fixed TaskPri control added "Mouse in the corner" functions New effect in line.dark New: Spot.dark 12/02/93 v1.2: SuperDark for OS2.0 or higher is now a commodities Cx_popkey,and blankey can be modified Memory allocation error fixed in spot and anim New: Music.dark! GREAT... 7. Distribution & Contact adress SuperDark is FreeWare for the moment. This mean that you can use it for any commercial purpose. It's copyrighted Thomas Landspurg, except for the modules named ASWarm and Fracblank, wich are copyrighted to her authors. If yo find this program useful, you can send me a postcard or a letter from your country, and tell me what you think of SuperDark, of his bugs, etc.. Thomas LANDSPURG 9, Place Alexandre 1er 78000 VERSAILLES FRANCE 8. Thanks: Thanks to: - Eric Delord, for his help!