Copyright: Copyright 1996-1999, Pointix Corporation. All Rights Reserved


New Item Type Selector

This dialog allows you to select the type of the item about to be created. Pop-Mouse command-types are organized in four categories:

1) Open Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Application-Document	Open an application or document.
	File Folder	Open a folder in an Explorer window
	Pop-Mouse Utility	Activate a Pop-Mouse Utility

2) Executable Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Keyboard Sequence	Simulate a sequence of keystrokes (macro)
	Stamp	Paste a text clip on the active document
	Generic Command	Execute an internal Windows command (e.g., minimize)

3) Internet Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	WWW Page	Open your default browser at the specified URL
	E-Mail	Open your default e-mail application and aims it at the specified e-mail address
	Telnet	Open a Telnet session to the specified host

4) Resource Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Floatbar	Pop-Up the specified Pop-Mouse floatbar
	Menu	Pop-Up (or displays alongside) the specified Pop-Mouse floatbar


Keyboard Sequence Command Editor

A keyboard sequence is a series of keystrokes performed automatically when you execute the command. You can use k-sequences to:

•	Create customized pop-up menus for your applications

•	Automate simple operations that requires a series of tedious operations

•	Enter repetitive data (e.g., programming syntax structures)

•	Automate any specific task that can be performed with a keyboard

Pop-Mouse describes k-sequences internally as a series  of steps. Each step is represented a key other than "Control", "Shift "and "Alt" plus any combination of the "Control",  "Shift" and "Alt" keys.

Recording A new Keyboard Sequence

To record a new sequence, follow the next steps:

1)	Press "Record" .

2)	Enter the key sequence. Be careful to press and release each key accurately).

3)	Press "Record" again when you have finished entering the sequence.

4)	Type the name of the sequence and press "Ok" to let Pop-Mouse store the sequence.

You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the sequence easily.

Editing a Sequence

To edit a sequence, follow the next steps:

1)	Select the step you wish to modify

2)	Press "Record"

3)	Enter the new keystroke

4)	Press "Record" again

Keep entering the sequence if you want to modify more than one step.

Inserting Steps

By default, Sequence Editor will replace  or add  steps as you enter them. If you want to insert  steps, check the box labeled "Insert". It works similar to a text editor in "insert mode".

Deleting Steps

To delete a step, just select the step and press "Delete". You can delete one step at a time. If you want to erase the whole sequence, click "Erase All".

Note:	Capacity of Keyboard Sequences is limited to 48 steps.


Stamp Command Editor

A stamp is a text clip that you use frequently (just as the real-life object). The stamp is pasted on the current document (if any) when you execute the command. You can use stamps to:

•	Include your signature at the end of a letter or e-mail.

•	Include frequently used phrases in your documents.

•	Include frequently used programming structures in your source files.

•	Store short paragraphs (e.g., product descriptions) that you need every once in a while.

•	Store any piece of text that you may need to paste somewhere else with some frequency.

Creating a New Stamp

To create a new stamp simply type its content on the editor or paste it from the clipboard. You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the stamp easily.

Editing a Stamp

You can edit the stamp freely using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.

Note:	Stamps can store up to 250 characters.


WWW Page Command Editor
WWW-Page Command Editor

A WWW-Page command opens your default browser at a specified URL address. It lets you open all your frequently visited www pages without having to launch your browser and type the address or search for a bookmark.

Creating a WWW-Page Command

To create a new WWW-Page command just type or paste the URL address in the box labeled "URL Address" . You don't need to specify the prefix "http://".

You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the WWW-Page command easily.

Editing a WWW-Page Command

You can edit the URL address using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.

Note:	The URL address capacity is limited to 250 characters.


Mail-To Command Editor

A  Mail-To command opens your default mail client application ready to send e-mail to a specified address. It lets you e-mail all your most active e-mail contacts without having to launch your e-mail application and type the address or search for an address-book entry.

Creating a Mail-To Command

To create a new Mail-To command just type or paste the address of the target e-mail's account in the box labeled "E-mail Address" . You don't need to specify any prefix.

You can also define a name and a specific icon to identify the Mail-To command easily.

Editing an Mail-To Command

You can edit the e-mail's account address using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.


Telnet Command Editor

A Telnet command opens your default Telnet client application aimed at a specified address. It lets you telnet your frequently visited hosts without having to launch your telnet application and type the address or search for an address-book entry.

Creating a Telnet Command

To create a new Telnet command just type or paste the host's address in the box labeled "Host Address" . You don't need to specify any prefix.

You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the telnet command easily.

Editing a Telnet Command

You can edit the host's address using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.


Application - Document Command Editor

An Application - Document command opens an application or document located in a specified path. It lets you easily launch your frequently used applications and documents.

Creating an Application - Document Command

To create a new Application - Document command just click on "Browse..." and select the application's executable file or document's file. You can also type or paste the file's path directly into the box labeled "Path" if you prefer.

You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the Application - Document command easily.

Editing an Application - Document Command

You can click "Browse..." to set a new path or you can edit the path using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.


File Folder Command Editor

A file folder command opens a folder located in a specified path when you execute the command. It lets you easily open your frequently accessed folders for exploring.

Creating a File Folder Command

To create a new folder command just click on "Browse..." and select the folder's path. You can also type or paste the folder's path directly into the box labeled "Path" if you prefer.

You can define a name and a specific icon to identify the folder command easily.

Editing a File Folder Command

You can click "Browse..." to set a new path or you can edit the path using the basic editing techniques used in any simple text editor.


Pointix Utility Command Selector
Pop-Mouse Utility Command Selector

Pop-Mouse includes a set of utilities that run in pop-up windows and let your perform a variety of functions with minimum effort. Use this dialog to create an item linked to one of these utilities.

Among the Pop-Mouse utilities included in version 3.0 you will find:

	Pathfinder	Explorer-like utility for browsing files and folders
	Favorite Shortcuts	Explorer-like folder-view holding shortcuts to your most frequently accessed objects
	System Shortcuts	Idem, for system objects
	Scheduler	Personal scheduling and alarm utility
	Follow - Up	Personal to-do-list utility
	Memo	Floating multi-notepad utility
	Card File	Card file utility
	Calculator	Programmable commercial calculator
	Hourglass	Useful alarm utility for short-range reminders


Generic Command Selector

A generic command is a Windows command or an internal Pop-Mouse command related to window management. Pop-Mouse 3.0 includes a set of the most used generic commands. Generic commands are not editable.


Resource Link Command Selector

Resource items can be commands of any type, including a link to another resource.  When this type of command is executed, the linked resource pops-up on the screen either replacing the calling resource (if it is a floatbar) or at one side (if it is a menu). This feature lets you create your own floating shell from which you can access all your most frequently used objects with minimum effort.

When creating a link to another resource, you can specify an existing resource or a new one. When you create a link to a new resource, Resource Editor creates the new resource and builds a link to it in the current resource. You must specify a folder in which to store the new resource.

Note:	When you delete a link to a resource, the resource is not deleted from the workspace. To delete the resource permanently, you must use Workspace Manager.


Resource Editor

 The Resource Editor allows you to modify and create tables, menus and floatbars (resources). Once a resource is open in the editor's window, you can edit the content of all items and add new ones.

Navigation Buttons

Use the navigation buttons to "move" the editor over linked resources. Double clicking on an item has the same result as clicking "Open", when it is enabled.

New Item Buttons

Use the navigation buttons to create new items on the current resource. The items can be commands of any type, including links to other resources. When creating a link to another resource, you can specify an existing resource or a new one. When you create a link to a new resource, Resource Editor creates the new resource and builds a link to it on the current resource. To open the new resource use the navigation buttons.

Note:	When you delete a link to a resource, the resource is not deleted from the workspace. To delete the resource permanently, you must use Workspace Manager.


Workspace Manager

Pop-Mouse stores all your resources in a virtual space called "workspace". Pop-Mouse resources can be organized in the workspace in user-defined folders which resemble the Windows Explorer file-folders.

In Workspace Manager you can:

•	create, delete and rename resources

•	cut, copy and paste resources between folders

•	create, delete and rename folders

•	import resource files

•	load/save the workspace data from/to and external file

Left Pane

The left pane of Workspace Manager allows you to create, modify, delete and perform other housekeeping tasks on your resources. You can use the clipboard to manipulate resources and move them between folders.

Right Pane

The right pane of the Workspace Manager is an instance of Resource Editor showing the currently selected resource.

Note:	Resource folders do not exist as physical file folders; all Pop-Mouse resources are actually stored in a single file and Workspace Manager arranges them in a folder-like view to ease management.

Menu

Click on Workspace Manager's system icon to display the file menu, as shown in the following figure:

Import Resources

Allows you to import a set of resources from an external file. You can use this function to import pre-programmed resources provided with Pop-Mouse, for enhancing the use of some popular applications.

Compact Workspace File Now

Pop-Mouse saves all changes to your configuration in an incremental manner, to minimize the time required by file operations. This increases the workspace file fragmentation each time you make any changes to your workspace. Pop-Mouse will automatically ask you if you want to compact the workspace file when the fragmentation is above 50%. You can also do it manually by selecting this menu option.

Load Workspace From An External File

This option allows you to load a previously-saved workspace file. Warning: The current content of the workspace file is discarded and replaced by the new one.

Save Workspace To An External File

This option allows you to save the current workspace to an external file. You can use this function to take your workspace data to another computer or to make a backup copy.

Always On Top

This option allows you to keep the Workspace manager window on top of all other windows, so that you can drag files and shortcuts within the open resource's area. This option is always set by default.

Close

Saves any changes made and closes the Workspace Manager Window.


Options - General Settings

Enable Feedback Beep

Enables/disables audio feedback for glicks and borders.

Large Menus

Displays menus large size (larger fonts and total dimensions).

Show Tray Icon

Displays/hides the animated icon on the system tray. If you hide it, you can always access the programs menu by re-launching it (e.g., double clicking on the program's icon on the Desktop while Pop-Mouse is already running).

"Pause" Key Toggles Monitor

The "Pause/Break"  key is assigned to turn the monitor window (former "coach") on or off. This feature allows you to peek  the current table settings without opening the program's menu. The monitor always shows the table settings according to the current table logic.

Table Logic

This setting controls how will Pop-Mouse handle an empty cell. If you set "Use default table settings", when a glick or border is unspecified in the current table (i.e., an empty cell is found) Pop-Mouse will trigger the command specified in the same cell of the default table.

This feature allows you to work with a primary table including only general or system-wide settings (the default table) and use the other tables as modifiers of the default table, filling in only the cells that you want to act different from default. If you set "Do Nothing", Pop-Mouse behaves as Engine 3.0.

Unload Time-Out

In Pop-Mouse you never need to "close" a window; Pop-Mouse manages resources so that the commands you use most frequently are already loaded in memory at the moment you need them.

Ideally, all commands should be loaded in memory all the time, but this may become a heavy load for your system.

This control allows you to adjust the way Pop-Mouse will handle memory. If you slide the control to the right (longer time-out) Pop-Mouse will try to keep all commands loaded so that they pop up instantly when you call them. If you have enough memory, this might be your choice. On the other hand, if you slide the control to the left (shorter time-out), Pop-Mouse unloads all commands as soon as they are removed from the screen (e.g., by clicking outside the window), releasing system memory. The tradeoff is that next time you invoke that command, it may take a little longer to pop-up.


Options - Border Settings

This dialogue box allows you to adjust the sensitivity with which Pop-Mouse interprets your border commands.

Enabled

Enables border detection.

Delay

Sets the amount of time Pop-Mouse waits while you keep the pointer attached to a border until it triggers a border command. Adjust this parameter according to your style.

Active Border Width

Borders are not active near the screen corners to minimize unintentional triggering. Set the borders' active width to 50% or 75%, according to your preference.


Options - Glick Settings

This dialogue box allows you to adjust the sensitivity with which Pop-Mouse interprets your glick commands.

Enabled

Enables glick detection.

Circular Sensitivity

Sets the minimum "size" of the circular glicks (i.e., "p" and "q"). A low  sensitivity means that small movements are “filtered” to avoid unintentional triggering.

Linear Sensitivity

Sets the minimum "size" of the linear glicks  (i.e., "t" and "i"). A low  sensitivity means that small movements are “filtered” to avoid unintentional triggering.


Enable Pointix
Registration Codes

Once you have installed Pop-Mouse in your computer, it will work in Trial Mode, which means that it will not work continuously but with periodic interruptions. You can switch from Trial Mode to Normal Mode at any time once you get your Personal Identification Number (“PIN”) from Pointix Corporation.

How To Order your P.I.N.

You can order your P.I.N. by filling in a secure form at the Pointix web site (www.pointix.com), or sending an e-mail including your Request Code and your credit card information to sales@pointix.com.

You will find the Request Code at the dialog box "Options", section: “Enable Pop-Mouse”, accessible from the program’s menu.

Note:	The request code is variable according to the exact release ID of your program files. Once you get your password, you will be able to use it with your original files every time you need to re-install the program. The Request Code may vary from one release of Pop-Mouse to the next, but it doesn't change otherwise, so that your password will always be valid if you re-install your original files.


Auto-Switch

The Default Table is the table that Pop-Mouse loads at startup. You must specify a default table, otherwise you must select a table every time you start the program. To specify a default table just select the desired table and click on "Set As Default".

Pontix also includes a very useful feature for advanced users which allows you to link tables to applications, so that those tables switch automatically when you activate their associated applications.

To let Pop-Mouse switch tables for you, you must first link the table to the target application. To link a table to an application follow the next steps:

1)	Launch the target application.
2)	Open "Auto-Switch" from the program's menu (click on the animated icon).
3)	Select the table.
4)	Click on "Link To Application"
5)	Select the target application and click on "Ok"
Note:	Tables may be linked on a one-to-one basis, i.e., if you want to link a table to more than one application, you must clone the table and link it to the target application.


Using Pointix
Introduction

Pop-Mouse is a novel utility that enhances the use of a mouse through an exclusive technology that interprets mouse movements and turns them into actions.

Once installed in your computer, Pop-Mouse works on the background, looking at the pointer as it moves around the screen and detects certain mouse actions which include "borders" and "glicks". A border is detected when the mouse pointer hits any screen border and stays still for a short time. A "glick" is detected when the pointer is moved quickly in a circular or back-and-forth fashion.

Once a border or glick is detected, an associated command is executed.

Pop-Mouse can execute several types of commands, for example: open an application, open a document or www page, launch your e-mail client to send e-mail to a specified address, execute a keyboard macro, pop-up a customized menu containing other commands, etc. etc.

Pop-Mouse commands can be triggered directly with a border or glick or they can also be arranged in menus and floatbars (from floating-toolbars) that pop-up when a border or a glick is detected. Menus and floatbars can be linked to each other allowing you to create a "floating shell" customized to your needs.


Glicks
Borders And Glicks

A mouse is used moving the pointer to different screen areas and clicking to select objects, drag them to another screen location, performing tasks on them, etc.

Pop-Mouse enhances your mouse by adding eight actions that can be triggered without pressing any button. These actions include "borders" and "glicks".

A "border" is detected when the pointer hits any screen border and stays still for a short time. All four borders (i.e., Left, Right, Top and Bottom) can be programmed to trigger any Pop-Mouse command.

Borders are not active near the screen corners to minimize unintentional triggering. You can set the borders' active width to 50% or 75%, according to your preference.

Glicks are certain mouse movements that are rarely done during normal operation of a computer and which are interpreted as commands by Pop-Mouse. There are four glicks: "q", "p", "t" and "i". q and p are circular mouse motions (counterclockwise and clockwise respectively), while t and i are perfomed moving the mouse back and forth, on the horizontal and vertical axis respectively.

Borders and glicks are used to trigger commands, or to pop up menus, floatbars, utilities, etc. You can adjust the sensitivity with which Pop-Mouse interprets your mouse movements according to your mousing style.

Rule:	Borders are active only around their medians. The active zone extends from 1/4 to 3/4 of each border. This is to prevent unintentional triggering while positioning  the mouse close to the corners.
Tip >> :	Glicks are more comfortable if done using only wrist and fingers. Try to avoid moving your arm to move the mouse pointer.

Borders and glicks can be used alone or they can also be combined with the "Control" or "Shift" keys to produce 24 combinations. Pop-Mouse uses internal arrays called tables to define which command is associated to each border or glick.

Tip >> :	It is convenient to use borders to trigger general functions (e.g., launching applications, menus, floatbars, etf.) and leave glicks for more specific, time-consuming commands (e.g., zoom-in/zoom-out).


Tables

Pop-Mouse uses internal arrays called Tables to define which command or resource is associated to each border or glick. Borders and glicks can be used alone or they can be combined with the "Control" or "Shift" keys to produce 24 combinations.

Tables are the basic resource within Pop-Mouse. Tables define the path to reach all your commands because they are always at the first position in the command chain.

Use Resource Editor to create, clone, and edit tables to configure Pop-Mouse for different purposes and applications.

Rule:	There is always one (and only one) active table.

You can switch to a different table by selecting it from the programs menu. You can also program Pop-Mouse to switch the table automatically when you activate a particular application.

Default Table

One of the tables must be defined as the Default Table. The default table serves two purposes:

1)  It is the table that Pop-Mouse loads at startup.

2) When a table cell is empty and the associated border or glick is performed, Pop-Mouse triggers the command it founds (if any) in the same cell in the default table. This feature allows you to work with a primary table including general or system-wide settings, and use the other tables only as modifiers of the default table, filling in only the cells that you want to act different from default. (Note: this feature may be disabled for compatibility with previous versions).

You can set the default table from the Workspace Manager or from the dialog Auto-Switch , both accessible from the program's menu.

Tip >> :	If you are working with a table other that the default one, you can switch to the default table momentarily by pressing "Alt".


Pointix Commands
Pop-Mouse Commands

Within Pop-Mouse, a command is any action performed as a unit either by doing a border or glick or by clicking an item in a Pop-Mouse resource. Pop-Mouse commands are organized in four categories:

1) Open Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Application-Document	Open an application or document.
	Folder	Open a folder in an Explorer window
	Pop-Mouse Utility	Activate a Pop-Mouse Utility

2) Executable Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Keyboard Sequence	Simulate a sequence of keystrokes (macro)
	Stamp	Paste a text clip on the active document
	Generic Command	Execute an internal Windows command (e.g., minimize)

3) Internet Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	WWW Page	Open your default browser at the specified URL
	Mail-To	Open your default e-mail application and aim it at the specified e-mail address
	Telnet	Open a Telnet session at the specified host

4) Resource Commands:

Icon	Name	Action
	Floatbar	Pop-Up the specified floatbar
	Menu	Pop-Up (or display alongside) the specified menu.

Any command can be assigned to a border or glick (i.e., to a table cell) or can also be included in a Pop-Mouse resource, so that it can be accessed by clicking on it. You can create, clone, and edit commands and you can also arrange them on tables, menus and floatbars (resources) as you prefer.


Pointix Resources
Pop-Mouse Resources

Any Pop-Mouse command can be placed in a table cell (i.e., it can be associated with a border or glick), or it can also be placed in a menu or floatbar so that it can be triggered by clicking on it. Tables,  menus and floatbars act as command repositories in which you store your commands and from which you can trigger those commands. Tables,  menus and floatbars are called generically resources.

Rule:	By definition, a Pop-Mouse command always resides on a resource. If it resides on a table, it is triggered by a border or glick. If it resides on a menu or floatbar, it is triggered by a mouse click.

The following figure shows a sample menu holding a variety of commands (one of each type):

A Pop-Mouse command can be a link to another Pop-Mouse resource. This feature allows you to define chains of menus and/or floatbars to configure a floating desktop  that lets you access your most used objects without ever minimizing a window.

The following figure shows an example of how Pop-Mouse is used to access your commands.

Although tables are considered Pop-Mouse resources because they hold commands, tables have substantial differences respect of menus and floatbars in the way they behave and the way they are used.

For example: menus and floatbars can be cross-linked  to provide access to more commands. Tables can not be linked from other resources, since they are always the first link of the chain (i.e., any action performed through Pop-Mouse begins with a border or a glick).


Pointix Utilities
Pop-Mouse Utilities

Pop-Mouse includes a set of utilities that run in pop-up windows and allow you to perform a variety of functions with minimum effort.

Among these utilities you will find:

	Pathfinder	Explorer-like utility for browsing files and folders
	Favorite Shortcuts	Explorer-like folder-view holding shortcuts to your most frequently accessed objects
	System Shortcuts	Idem, for system objects
	Scheduler	Personal scheduling and alarm utility
	Follow - Up	Personal to-do-list utility
	Memo	Floating multi-notepad utility
	Card File	Card file utility
	Calculator	Programmable commercial calculator
	Hourglass	Useful alarm utility for short-range reminders

All these utilities were designed following the Pointix guidelines for Pop-Mouse Floating Utilities (PFUs).

Some of these rules follow:

Pop-Mouse utilities need never be closed. They are loaded and unloaded from memory according to usage.

They follow you around the screen. Pop-Mouse utilities pop-up always at the focus point as defined in the PFU API.

Volatile windows. Pop-Mouse utilities do not consume any screen real estate while they are not in use. When you click outside a PFU window, it is hidden until you invoke it again


The Pointix Workspace
The Pop-Mouse Workspace

Pop-Mouse allows you to create as many commands and resources as you need. You can combine those commands and resources to create your own floating shell,  including shortcuts to just every frequently used object of your system and organize them according to your needs.

To ease maintenance, your resources can be organized in folders in the same way you manage your files in Windows. You use the Workspace Manager to create, edit and maintain your resources.

The following figure shows a typical workspace view while using Workspace Manager:

When you select a resource in the left pane, Workspace Manager opens that resource in the Resource Editor so that you can edit its content. To Create, Delete, Rename, Copy, Cut, Paste or Clone resources use the left pane buttons. The right-pane buttons modify only the items of the selected resource.

Access To Resources vs. Resource Location

The location of a resource in the workspace has no relation to the way you access that resource. The location of a resource in the workspace is defined by you and it only affects ease of management. The way you access that resource depends on how you define your links to it.

For example, if you decide to create a menu holding your most visited URLs, it would be a good idea to create that menu on the "Internet" folder, so that it is easy to locate. You may also decide to create another menu with a bunch of keyboard sequences to automate some tasks while you work in your word processor. You would probably place that resource in the "User" folder, or you might even want to create another folder called "Macros". Later, you decide to create a menu that holds links to all your menus, so that they are easily accessed form your default table. That menu may be called "My Menu" and would probably be a good idea to place it in the "User" folder.

The following figure shows how that configuration would look like:

Rule:	The way the menus are linked has no relation with the location of those menus in the workspace.

Although tables are considered resources and belong to the workspace, they are not organized in folders. The following figure shows the workspace in "table-view" mode.

Workspace Files

Pop-Mouse keeps all workspace resources and folders in a single internal file, so that you don't need to open and close this file each time you run Pop-Mouse or make changes in its configuration.

You can save your workspace data in an external file to take your data to another computer or to make a backup copy. You can also load an entire workspace form a previously-saved workspace file.

Pop-Mouse comes with a bunch of resource files containing pre-programmed resources to enhance your work with a variety of popular applications.

Note:	The name of the workspace file is "USER.PWK" and resides in the "Data" sub-folder.


################# DEFINITIONS ######################


Workspace

A virtual space where Pop-Mouse stores all resources.


What's New in Pop-Mouse 3.10
What's New in Pop-Mouse 3.15?

Pop-Mouse 3.15 Complies With The Windows 98 API

Pop-Mouse 3.15 is a revised version which includes Windows 98 compatibility. In Windows 98, some API functions have been changed respect of their original definition. In particular, some functionality has been eliminated from the function "SetForegorundWindow" which has created some slight limitations in Pop-Mouse's functionality. For example, when a pop-up utility is brought to the surface, it will not always be activated (i.e., the keyboard focus will not be directed to the pop-up window), so you may need to activate it first with the mouse pointer. For this reason, it is advisable to check that the pop-up window is activated before typing any information into it (mostly when using the Pop-Mouse calculator).

All other changes relates to internal functionality and do not imply any difference from the user standpoint.

What's Was New in Pop-Mouse 3.10?

Pop-Mouse is a Windows utility derived from Pointix Engine 3.0. The differences between both products are:

1) Borders

Borders are a new type of mouse input in which the action is triggered when the pointer hits any screen border and stays attached to it for a short time. All four borders (i.e., Left, Right, Top and Bottom) are used by Pop-Mouse and they can be programmed to trigger any command, in the same way glicks do. Borders are intended to trigger general functions (i.e., not application-specific) while glicks are left for more specific, time-consuming commands.

2) New Table Logic

When a table cell is empty and the associated glick is performed, Pointix Engine 3.0 executes no command (it just beeps). Pop-Mouse 3.10 instead looks at the analogous cell in the default table and executes the command it founds there (if any). This feature allows you to work with a primary table including general or system-wide settings (the default table) using the other tables as modifiers of the default one, filling in only the cells that you want to act differently. (Note: this feature can be disabled to make it compatible with Pointix Engine 3.0).

3) Tray Icon

You can now hide the tray icon if you need more space there. When the tray icon is hidden, you can access the Pop-Mouse menu by double-clicking on any Pop-Mouse icon (on the desktop or the "Start" menu).

4) Pause Key Toggles Coach

The "Pause/Break"  key is assigned to turn the coach window (now renamed "monitor") on or off. This feature allows you to peek  your table settings without opening the program's menu.

5) Scroll++ is not included

Scroll++ is not included in Pop-Mouse 3.10 (as it was in Engine 3.0). This is a technical decision (not a commercial one) because of some unexpected behavior reported by Engine users that can be avoided when both programs run separately. All registered Engine 3.0 users are considered now users of both products and therefore are entitled to use them at no extra charge and request new passwords for both programs as needed.

There are no other changes. The rest of the program is identical to Engine 3.0.


A Note From The Development Team (Version 3.0)

Dear Pop-Mouse User,

We are very happy to introduce this new release of Pop-Mouse. We had a lot of fun developing this version. Once again, we turned everything upside down to make Pop-Mouse even more powerful and versatile.

Pop-Mouse 3.0 has a totally different architecture compared to previous versions. Here are some of the differences:

1) Pop-Mouse 3.0 can do much more than executing pre-programmed keyboard sequences and some internal utilities. You can use Pop-Mouse now to open applications, documents, folders, www pages, you can execute user-programmable keyboard macros, you can paste text clips on an active document, launch your e-mail client aimed at a specific address, and more.

2) Tables, menus and floatbars, they all belong now to a new class of object: resources . You can create your own set of resources customized to fit your needs or adapt Pop-Mouse to work with different applications. All resources are stored in a single file, so that you can take all your menus and floatbars with you, wherever you go.

3) Resources can hold any kind (and any number) of commands. You can create a floatbar containing you most used applications, a menu with frequently visited URLs, another menu with frequently accessed folders of your disk and still another menu which holds all those resources to facilitate access. You can virtually create a floating shell from which you access all you system objects without ever minimizing a window (That is exactly what we have done in our desktops).

4) Pop-Mouse 3.0 kernel has been re-written to improve memory management and performance. Startup time has been reduced significantly.

5) Compatibility has been a priority while developing 3.0. Many incompatibilities previously reported have been solved in this release.

6) We have also focused on some interface details that were still in a development stage in previous versions.

7) Finally, Pathfinder has been revised once more. It has a renewed face and many internal enhancements which you will note as you start using it.

Overall, we think that Pop-Mouse 3.0 is finally a mature product. Of course, that doesn’t mean we will stop thinking. We already have dozens of new ideas and concepts that we are eager to start testing and developing for the next release. We won't start right now though; we'll take a rest and get back to work after a short vacation...   ;-)

Regards,

The Pointix Development Team


Quick Tour
What Is Pop-Mouse?

What is Pop-Mouse?

Pop-Mouse is a new way of operating and managing your PC. It's based on an exclusive technology that allows you to trigger a variety of commands either by "touching" the screen borders with the pointer or doing slight mouse movements called "glicks".

The four screen borders (i.e., left, right, top and bottom) are activated when you hit them gently with the pointer. After a short time-out (which is adjustable), Pop-Mouse executes a command associated with that border.

Glicks comes from glide-clicks,  which are pointer motions that are rarely done during normal operation of your applications and therefore can be used as mouse input commands. Pop-Mouse uses four glicks which are:

Borders and glicks are used to pop-up menus,  floating toolbars (floatbars), and utilities with which you can perform a variety of commands, like for example: opening a www page, opening your e-email application, executing a keyboard macro, etc.

With Pop-Mouse, all repetitive operations can be performed with just a few mouse movements, therefore significantly improving  your productivity and comfort at work.

Pop-Mouse Commands

You use Pop-Mouse to trigger commands. Within Pop-Mouse jargon, a command is any action triggered from a Pop-Mouse resource. Pop-Mouse commands are organized in three categories:

Open Commands:	Bringing an application, a document, a folder or a Pop-Mouse utility to the top of the screen.
Executable Commands:	Performing an action like a keyboard sequence, a window command (close, minimize, etc.), pasting a text clip on the current document (stamps), etc.
Internet Commands:	Opening a frequently visited www page, opening your e-mail application ready to send a message to a specified address, opening a Telnet session to a frequently visited host.
Link Commands:	Showing up a Pop-Mouse menu or floatbar which contains another group of commands.

Pop-Mouse Resources

Pop-Mouse allows you to create as many commands as you need and trigger them either directly doing a border or glick, or indirectly by clicking their items on a Pop-Mouse resource. Once you have defined a command (for example opening a specific folder of your hard disk), you can trigger it by several methods:

1	Assigning it to a border or glick so that it can be triggered just  with a mouse movement.
2	Placing it on a menu which, at the same time, is assigned to a border or a glick. You can then trigger the command doing the corresponding border or glick and clicking on the command's item.
3	Placing it on a menu which is referenced in another menu which, in turn, is referenced in a third menu assigned to a border or a glick... and so on.

Pop-Mouse allows you to create your own "floating shell" including shortcuts to just every frequently used command or object, which are all accessible without ever minimizing a window and with just a few mouse movements and (may be) a few clicks.

The following figure shows how Pop-Mouse is used for this purpose:

Pop-Mouse Utilities

The Pop-Mouse kernel is a highly developed operating code capable of managing applications developed according to the Pop-Mouse Floating Utilities (PFU) standard. This standard provides a framework for writing applications that can run in a pop-up window and never need to be closed or minimized, optimizing screen real estate usage.

Pop-Mouse comes with a set of floating applications that will help you in a variety of tasks. All these applications behave as Pop-Mouse commands, so they can be opened by a border or glick or they can be invoked from a Pop-Mouse menu or floatbar, as any other command.

The great advantage of using these utilities is that they never need to be launched or closed since the Pop-Mouse kernel loads and unloads them automatically as needed. They are always there, available just a mouse movement away and you'll never have to take care of closing or minimizing them.


Using Pointix
Using Pop-Mouse For The First Time

Basic Concepts About Using Pop-Mouse

Rule:	Within Pop-Mouse, you don't need to close any windows. To hide a window, just click outside it.

When you start using Pop-Mouse, the first thing you may note is that Pop-Mouse windows don't have a "Close" button. Instead, they have a "Lock" button in the same place. This is because in Pop-Mouse, windows are shown only while they are needed.

In Windows, it is assumed that you want all windows shown until you decide to close any of them. In Pop-Mouse, it is assumed you want all windows hidden until you decide to show any of them. If you want a given window to be shown all the time, you may lock it on the screen so that it doesn't hide when you click outside the window.

So, how do you close a Pop-Mouse window or application?

 When you click outside a Pop-Mouse window or when you invoke another application or resource through a border or glick, Pop-Mouse hides the window but it doesn't close it. Pop-Mouse uses a time-based method to load and unload applications, so that you don't need to take care of launching and closing them. After a window is hidden, Pop-Mouse will wait a predefined time-out, and if you haven't used that window during that time, it will close the window and unload the associated application from memory. The application's status is generally saved before closing, so that next time you open it you find everything the way it was the last time you used it. The time Pop-Mouse waits before closing an application is called "Unload Time-out" and can be adjusted from the "Options" dialog.

Getting Used To The Border and Glick Concepts

The first stage in using Pop-Mouse is getting used to the border and glick concepts. In "conventional mousing"  you can move the pointer freely because you know that nothing will happen until you click something or somewhere. When you start using Pop-Mouse you must become aware that certain mouse movements now operate as commands. This requires that you to move your mouse in a more definite manner, following straighter trajectories and avoiding random movements.  Once you have incorporated Pop-Mouse's glicks to your customary operation, you will have added great functionality to your interface and will realize how convenient it is to use the mouse for more than just pointing and clicking. Take a few minutes to “play” with the mouse and adjust the sensitivity  parameters to agree with Pop-Mouse on your way of doing borders and glicks .

Try To Use A High Quality Mouse

Since borders and glicks are interpreted on the basis of pointer movements, the more precise your mouse is, the better Pop-Mouse will be able to interpret your movements.  If your mouse does not faithfully reproduce the movements of your hand, Pop-Mouse cannot interpret you correctly. For the same reasons, it is important that your mouse be in a good condition. If your have a  ball-type mouse (which is the most commonly used) try to keep the ball and mechanisms free from lint to avoid the erratic operation which frequently occurs when foreign materials accumulate in the mouse mechanical parts.

Customize It!

Pop-Mouse is an incredibly powerful tool if you learn how to program its functions. It comes with a pre-programmed set of menus and floatbars so that you can start testing it right away. But the real power behind Pop-Mouse is in its ability to replace most of the shell functions (Start menu) providing shortcuts to just every frequently used object. To have a feel of what Pop-Mouse can do for you, follow the configuration example given in Test Drive.


Fast Configuration
Test Drive

You have just installed Pop-Mouse and you want the shortest path to be up and running. Okay, we'll help you to get there ASAP. Just follow the next guidelines and you will be using Pop-Mouse immediately.

Step 1: Configure Your Favorite Shortcuts Window

If you do a right border (hit the right border of your screen with the pointer), you will activate My Menu. There you will find Favorite Shortcuts:

 Open it and lock the window somewhere on your screen.

Now grab all your favorite shortcuts from all frequently accessed places (like for example the desktop and the Start menu) and paste them inside the window. You can do this by copy-and-paste, drag-and-drop or you can also press "Create New Shortcut" (shown on the figure) and browse your disk to locate the shortcut files.

Step 2: Configure "My Applications" Menu

Launch Windows Explorer and open (for example) the "Program Files" folder, where you probably have all your most used applications.

Once the Explorer window is displayed, open My Menu once again and click on the "Edit" button:

Resource Editor will open at that point showing My Menu inside the editor's window, with Explorer as a background. Double-click on "My Applications" to open it. You are now editing My Applications menu. Your screen should like approximately like this:

You can now include your most used applications, folders, and documents as menu items just by dragging them inside Resource Editor, as shown in the figure. Although we are including and application item together with a folder item in the same menu, it is probably a good idea to place them in different menus. Note that the default Pop-Mouse configuration includes a "My Folder" menu for this purpose.

Step 3: Assign "My Applications" To A Glick

Now we will assign My Applications menu to a glick so that it can be accessed with just a mouse movement.

Open My Menu once again and click on the edit button. Resource Editor should open. Select My Applications and click "Copy". You are copying the item's data to the Windows' clipboard.

Now click on the button labeled "< Table" to open the active table (which is My Table in this case).

You are looking now at the current table, which defines which command or resource is activated with each border or glick.

Click on "Paste" or use the context menu right-clicking on the selected cell to store the menu link. Click on "OK" to save changes and exit the editor.

Now, do a "q" glick (move your mouse in a circular fashion, counterclockwise) and My Applications should pop up right there. Click now one of your new entries and the selected item will be launched.

Summary

This is what Pop-Mouse is all about: bringing your most frequently accessed objects close to your pointer, what ever their kind or purpose. Take some minutes to "play" with Pop-Mouse and configure some other resources. Although you have seen just a tiny fraction of what Pop-Mouse can do for you, you should get the picture now of how useful it is and how can you use it to improve your everyday work .

Enjoy Pop-Mouse!


How To Order Pointix Engine
How To Order Pop-Mouse

Ordering Online

To order your Pop-Mouse License, just fill in the secure form on

our web site at  http://www.pointix.com

You need to specify the Request Code, which you will find at the dialog box "Options", section: “Enable Pop-Mouse”, accessible from the program’s menu.

Once you have completed your request,  your P.I.N. and password will be sent to your e-mail account within two business days.

Other ways to order

Ordering by Fax or Mail

You must send the following information to Pointix Corporation:

Product Information:

(You must fill this field with the number displayed in the dialog box "Options", section "Enable Pop-Mouse", accessible from the program´s menu).

Request Code: 	_____________

Personal Information:

First & Last Name: 	_____________

E-Mail Address: 	_____________

Company Name: 	_____________

Address: 	_____________

City: 	_____________

State\Country:	_____________

Zip Code: 	_____________

Phone Number: 	_____________

Fax Number:	_____________

If you are paying by credit card, please include the following:

Credit Card Information:

Credit Card	_____________

Number	_____________

Expire Date	_____________

Cardholder Name	_____________

If you are paying with a check or money-order, please send it to:

Pointix Corporation

1373 SW 23rd St.

Miami, FL 33145

USA

Ordering by Phone

If you are calling from the United States, call 1-888-POINTIX (only within the continental US).

Please have your Product Information and your Personal Information as well as your Credit Card Information ready.

Ordering by E-Mail

Send the Product Information and your Personal Information as well as your Credit Card Information to  sales@pointix.com.


Technical Support

Technical support is available at no charge for registered users. Support options are:

e-mail:	support@pointix.com

www:	http://www.pointix.com

Postal Mail:	Write to:

"Technical Support"
Pointix Corporation
1519 Pennsylvania Ave. #2,
Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA

Phone:	Not available as of May 1998.


How To Enable Pointix Engine
How To Enable Pop-Mouse

Once you have installed Pop-Mouse in your computer, it will work in Trial Mode, which means that it will not work continuously but with periodic interruptions. You can switch from Trial Mode to Normal Mode at any time once you get your Personal Identification Number (“PIN”) from Pointix Corporation.

How To Order your P.I.N.

You can order your P.I.N. by filling in a secure form at the Pointix web site (www.pointix.com), or sending an e-mail including your Request Code and your credit card information to sales@pointix.com.

You will find the Request Code at the dialog box "Options", section: “Enable Pop-Mouse”, accessible from the program’s menu.


System Requirements

Minimum configuration required to run Pop-Mouse:

•	An 486 IBM PC compatible or higher

•	Windows 95/98/NT40

•	5 Mb of free hard disk space

•	8 Mb RAM

•	Any mouse or other two-dimensional pointing device

During installation Pop-Mouse does not alter any configuration parameters in your PC, nor does it make any changes to your drivers.

If you find any problems installing Pop-Mouse please send e-mail to support@pointix.com.


License Agreement

POINTIX END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

IMPORTANT-READ CAREFULLY:

This End User License Agreement (“Agreement”) is a legal agreement between you and Pointix Corporation (“Pointix”). By installing, copying, or otherwise using this Software, you agree to the terms of this Agreement with Pointix. If you do not agree to the terms of this Agreement, you are not licensed to use the Software and you must promptly return the Software to Pointix.

1. GRANT OF LICENSE

The Software is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws and treaties as well as other intellectual property laws and is licensed and not sold to you under the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(a) Trial Period: You are licensed to use this software for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of 21 days. After the 21-day evaluation period you are required to purchase a license from Pointix.

(b) Authorized use: One licensed copy of the Software may either be used by a single person who uses the software personally on one or more computers, or installed on a single workstation used non-simultaneously by multiple people, but not both. You may make one copy of the Software for back-up purposes only.

 (c) Restrictions: (1) You may not copy (other than the one back-up copy set forth above), distribute, rent, lease or sub-license all or any portion of the software; (2) Modify or prepare derivative works of the Software; (3) Reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the Software, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable laws notwithstanding this limitation.

(d) Network Services: If you use the Software on a network, or multiple computers or workstations, you must acquire and dedicate a license for the Software for each computer on which the Software is used or distributed to. The Software may not be shared or used concurrently on different computers without a separate license for each computer.

(e) Transfer: You may permanently transfer all of your rights granted under this Agreement only as part of a sale or transfer of the Software and all copies thereof and only if the recipient agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

2 LIMITED WARRANTY

(a) Warranty: Pointix warrants that the Software will perform substantially in accordance with the Help and shall be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ninety (90) days after receipt of the Software by you.

(b) Limitations: Except as set forth above, the Software is furnished “as is” and without warranty as to the performance or results you may obtain using the Software.  The entire risk as to the results and performance of the Software is assumed by you. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, POINTIX DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING ANT WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE, WRITTEN MATERIALS AND ACCOMPANYING HARDWARE. IN NO EVENT WILL POINTIX’S LIABILITY EXTEND TO ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INDIRECT DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION ARISING OUT OF THE PURCHASE OR USE OF THE SOFTWARE EVEN IF POINTIX HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE POTENTIAL LOSS OR DAMAGE. POINTIX’S ENTIRE LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE ACTUAL PURCHASE PRICE PAID FOR THE SOFTWARE. Some states do not allow exclusion of implied warranties or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages so the above limitations may not apply to you.

(c) Remedy: Your entire and only remedy shall be at Pointix’s option either the replacement of the Software or return of the purchase price.

3 . TERMINATION:

This Agreement is effective until terminated. You may terminate the Agreement at any time by destroying the Software, including all computer programs and documentation, and erasing all copies residing on a computer in electronic form. This Agreement shall automatically terminate if you do not comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Upon such termination, you agree to destroy the Software and all copies thereof including all documentation and copies residing on a computer in electronic form.

4. RIGHTS AND SOFTWARE

All title and rights to the Software and documentation including all copyrights, trademarks and intellectual property rights and any copies thereof are and shall remain the property of Pointix. The Software and related documentation is protected by U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws and treaties.

5. PRODUCT SUPPORT

The Software is purchased as is and Pointix does not provide product support or maintenance unless contracted for in a separated agreement with Pointix. You are responsible for the installation, management, and operation of the Software unless separate support is contracted for with Pointix.

This Agreement and all terms thereof are governed by the laws of the state of Florida, U.S.A.


About...

Module:	Pop-Mouse

Version:	3.15

Copyright 1996-1999, Pointix Corporation. All rights reserved.

Contact Pointix:

Address:

Pointix Corporation

1519 Pennsylvania Ave. #2

Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA

URL:	  	http://www.pointix.com

Toll Free Number:

1-888-POINTIX

E-mail addresses:

_Technical Support	support@pointix.com

_Sales	sales@pointix.com

_General Feedback	feedback@pointix.com

_Press Releases and

  Investing Information	press@pointix.com

_Developers	development@pointix.com

_Trade Shows	events@pointix.com