Monochrome Monitor Control Help

Monochrome Monitor Controller Help

Contents

Monochrome Monitor Controller Overview

File Menu Commands

Edit Menu Commands

Monochrome Menu Commands

Options Menu Commands

Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)

MonoCtl0 Dynamic Link Library

Example Programs

Technical Support, Registration, Legal Notice


DDE Overview

Monochrome Monitor Controller can be accessed with DDE by other applications.

DDE Initiate

To start a DDE conversation with Monochrome Monitor Controller, call DDE Initiate with Application='MonoCtrl", Topic="Mono", and Item="Mono"

DDE Poke

DDE Poke to item "Mono" will send data to the monochrome monitor, or optionally as configured under Options menu.

DDE Execute

DDE Execute commands supported:

     CLIP  	Send Clipboard contents to monochrome

     CLEAR	Clear image on monochrome monitor

     PRINTLN=text	Send text to monochrome followed by line feed

     PRINT=text	Send text to monochrome without line feed


MonoCtrl Overview

Monochrome Monitor Controller Overview

Monochrome Monitor Control is a utility to access the monochrome monitor in dual-display systems from within Windows applications. Monochrome Monitor Controller is designed as a tool primarily for software developers - although other users may also find it useful.

Text can be written to the monochrome monitor within Monochrome Monitor Controller by:

    Pasting Clipboard contents (Monochrome Menu Command)

    Pasting all or selected text from text window (Monochrome Menu Command)

Contents of the monochrome monitor can also be copied to the clipboard.

DDE-capable applications can write text to the monochrome monitor (or file or text buffer) by:

     Poke of data via DDE

     DDE Execute commands CLIP and CLEAR

Options for control of data received from DDE are available on the Options Menu.

Hardware Requirements

Monochrome Monitor Controller requires dual monitors for full functionality. This means a VGA adapter and VGA monitor, and a monochrome (MDA) or Hercules adapter and monochrome monitor connected to the same PC. If you've already been using monochrome and VGA monitors together under DOS or Windows, Monochrome Monitor Controller should work fine in that configuration.

If you are considering setting up a dual monitor hardware configuration, consult the documentation of your VGA adapter or the manufacturer for compatibility.

Monochrome Monitor Controller will detect the absense of a monochrome adapter and disable monochrome-specific features. However, logging of DDE to text window or file is still possible and may be beneficial.


Options Menu Commands

Send New Line

Appends new line to data received from DDE Pokes.

Log DDE to Mono

Select this option to send all data received from DDE Pokes to the monochrome monitor.

Log DDE to File

Select this option to send all data received from DDE Pokes to a file.

On selection, an Open File dialog is opened to select a file to append data to.

To end file logging, uncheck this option.

Log DDE to Window

Select this option to append all data received from DDE Pokes to the text window.

Caution: The text window has a limit of about 30000 characters. When data appended would cause the length to exceed 30000, the beginning of the text window is clipped to keep the length within 30000.  Data clipped is lost, as if scrolled over the top.


Technical Support

Technical support is available by the following means:

CompuServe Mail:	71023,1714

Internet Mail:	jim.tebbel@atlwin.com

Telephone:	(404) 451-0621

Comments, suggestions and enhancement requests are welcome.

Primary distribution points for Monochrome Monitor Controller are:

Atlanta Windows BBS     (404) 516-0048

America's Premier Source of Shareware and Public Domain

 	Software for Microsoft Windows 3.1

CompuServe:  Microsoft Windows Shareware Forum (GO WINSHARE)

Registration Information

Registered users will receive source code for sample programs in Visual Basic, Foxpro and C illustrating use of Monochrome Monitor Controller with DDE and MONOCTL0.DLL. You may copy and distribute the unregistered version freely, without modification or exclusion.

You may use the unregistered version on an evaluation basis for thirty days. If you like the program, please send $15 to the author, and you will receive a license and the source code to example programs.  You may register Monochrome Monitor Controller either online through CompuServe, or by mail. Mail orders are by check or cash only.

To register by CompuServe:

Log on to CompuServe and GO SWREG.

Choose "Register Shareware"

Search by registration ID and enter 2261 for Monochrome Monitor Controller

Follow the instructions to register your copy; you will receive the example programs by e-mail or regular mail.

To register Monochrome Monitor Controller by mail, please send $15.00 (cash or check) to:

Jim Tebbel

3427 Embry Circle

Atlanta, GA 30341

Please include:

Name

Address

Phone (optional)

E-mail Address (optional)

Where you found out about Monochrome Monitor Controller

Comments and enhancement requests welcome!

Copywrite 1994, Jim Tebbel

MONOCTL0.DLL created using Borland C++ 3.1

MONOCTRL.EXE created using Microsoft Visual Basic

Legal Notice

In no event will the author, Jim Tebbel, be liable for any damages (incidental, consequential or otherwise) arising from the use of this software, even if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages.


File Menu Commands

New

Clears text buffer. If text buffer is not empty, you can save contents.

Open

Opens a text file and loads it into text buffer.

When you choose Open, you can save the contents of the text buffer. You can open any text file; however, the text buffer is limited to approximately 30K. Larger files are only partially loaded, and a warning is given.

Save, Save As

Saves changes to the text buffer.

The contents of the text buffer are not erased.

Exit

Closes the application.

You can save the contents of the text buffer before quitting.


Edit Menu Commands

Cut

Deletes text from the text buffer and places it onto the Clipboard, replacing the previous Clipboard contents.

Copy

Copies text from the text buffer onto the Clipboard, leaving the original intact and replacing the previous Clipboard contents.

Paste

Pastes a copy of the Clipboard contents at the insertion point or replaces selected text in the text buffer.

Delete

Deletes selected text from the text buffer, but does not place the text onto the Clipboard.

Select All

Selects all the text in the text buffer at once.

You can copy the selected text onto the Clipboard, delete it, paste it on the monochrome screen, or perform other editing actions.

Time/Date

Adds the current time and date to a document.


Monochrome Menu Commands

Paste Clipboard to Mono

Appends Clipboard contents (text only) to the monochrome screen. DDE capable applications can do this with a CLIP command using DDE Execute.

Paste Selected to Mono

Appends currently selected text  from text buffer to monochrome screen.

Copy Mono to Clipboard

Copies the current text image from the monochrome screen to the Clipboard.

Clear Mono

Clear image from monochrome screen. DDE capable applications can do this with a CLEAR command using DDE Execute.


Example Programs

There are two different sample programs illustrating the use of Monochrome Monitor Controller.

The first program uses DDE to access the monochrome screen through Monochrome Monitor Controller.

The secord program illustrates the use of MONOCTL0.DLL directly.

Each of these two programs has been ported to Visual Basic for Windows 3.0, FoxPro for Windows 2.5, and C (Microsoft Visual C++ 1.5 and Borland C++ 3.1). Full source code for all sample programs are included in the registered version.

Accessing Monochrome Monitor Controller via DDE in Visual Basic

Files Included:	MONVBDDE.FRM

Accessing Monochrome Monitor Controller via DDE in FoxPro

Files Included:	MNFOXDDE.PRG

Accessing Monochrome Monitor Controller via DDE in C

Files Included:	MON_CDDE.C

MON_CDDE.H

MON_CDDE.DEF

MON_CDDE.RC

Using MONOCTL0.DLL in Visual Basic

Files Included:	MONVBDLL.FRM

Using MONOCTL0.DLL in FoxPro

Files Included:	MNFOXDLL.PRG

Using MONOCTL0.DLL in C

Files Included:	MON_CDLL.C

MON_CDLL.H

MON_CDLL.DEF

MON_CDLL.RC


MonoCtl0 Dynamic Link Library

/***** DLL Functions in MONOCTL0.DLL *****/

int FAR PASCAL MonoStat();

Returns presence of monochrome adapter

1=present, 0=not present

void FAR PASCAL MonoPrint(LPSTR lpStringIn);

Sends string to monochrome screen

void FAR PASCAL MonoClear();

Clears monochrome screen

void FAR PASCAL MonoClip();

Sends text contents of clipboard

void FAR PASCAL MonoCopy();

Copies contents of monochrome screen to text clipboard

void FAR PASCAL MonoPrintLn(LPSTR lpStringIn);

Sends string to monochrome screen with line feed