Fixed a problem with the Settings->Extensions item when neither the Apple Menu Options nor the General Controls was in the Control Panels folder. On such a system the item would either not work or cause a crash when the Settings menu was selected in the Start menu.
Improved handling of Desktop Background pictures under OS 8.
Problems with generic icons in the Start Menu should be solved.
GoMac will no longer black out when using menus.
PowerBooks waking from sleep mode now properly update the Program Bar.
Fixed a critical, though obscure bug introduced with GoMac 1.4 which would cause programs using the Communications Toolbox to crash when the Comm. Toolbox was closed (AOL 3.0, VersaTerm, ClarisWorks, etc.). The same fix also corrects a potential system crash at Shut Down or Restart.
Corrected a minor problem with the Settings->Extensions item. If no Extensions Manager is found, the Extensions folder is now opened, not the Control Panels folder.
The notorious and elusive Kaleidoscope 1.7.2 bug has been fixed.
Known Problems
On a minority of PowerBooks, GoMac's Program Bar does not get redrawn when the computer wakes from sleeping. The problem is only cosmetic and harmless. Switching to another program fixes the display. Fixed in 1.4.2
GoMac 1.4 primarily adds several new features in response to users' requests. However, it also has its share of bug fixes (see below) and there are a significant number of internal changes to 1.4 which greatly improve speed and stability. All users are encouraged to upgrade to GoMac 1.4.
Due to popular demand, GoMac 1.4 adds icons in the Start Menu. For reasons relating to speed, the icons do not appear in file sub menus. Although this is perhaps less than optimal, it does imitate the behaviour of the Apple Menu.
GoMac 1.4 supports drag and drop into the Start Menu. Files dragged onto the Start button cause the Start menu to appear so that you can "drop" them onto a program for launching.
A contextual menu for the Program Bar has been added . Holding down the Control key while clicking in the Program Bar (not on a program or the clock) allows you to change your Program Bar settings or Show All programs.
Several cosmetic changes were made in this update. The control panel was modified to reflect the look of GoMac under OS 8. Several of the menus were rearranged including the Start Menu, to more closely reflect the Win95 start menu, and the contextual menu for programs. The logo emblazoned on the side of the Start Menu now shows either "Mac OS 8" or "System 7" depending on the system you are using.
The strange size of the Control Panel under OS 8 was fixed - only cosmetic, but ugly.
Several minor conflicts with GoMac under OS 8 were fixed, including problems with folder tabs, multiple monitors, background pictures and sticky menus.
Previous versions of GoMac would not load if MacAfee VirusScan was installed. Fixed.
A conflict with Double scroll 2.2b2 (fixed with DoubleScroll 2.2b3) was resolved.
A minor menu annoyance with MS PowerPoint was fixed.
Known Problems
It has been reported that GoMac conflicts with MetaTools Kai's Photo Soap. I contacted MetaTools and they were going to look into the problem.
Most significantly, version 1.3.1 was developed in parallel with a GoMac Japanese localizing file. GoMac is now fully capable of supporting localizing files for other languages and scripts. Look for the Japanese localizing file to available very soon.
Fixed a bug introduced with GoMac 1.3 which caused all versions of After Dark to crash after displaying the screen saver for a while.
Astute users may have noticed that the Keyboard Switcher would sometimes quit or hide the wrong program. This only happened when there were programs minimized. Fixed.
Resizing the monitor could cause GoMac to leave some unusable space hanging around. Sorry about that.
Known Problems
See the known problems for 1.3. They still exist in 1.3.1.
Also, Virtual PC users who configure Virtual PC to fill the screen may have difficulty with GoMac installed. GoMac works best when Auto hide is turned on. However, this introduces problems when the Command Key is pressed to access the menu bar. We are working on a fix. The problems are only cosmetic. There is no fear of a crash.
HoverBar 1.3.1 has a tendency to "climb" up the screen with GoMac installed. It is undetermined whether the problem is with GoMac or HoverBar. However, the problem is only cosmetic and won't cause any real harm.
Although only a version increase of 0.1, GoMac 1.3 is 100% OS 8 compatible, adds several new features and fixes many bugs. Also, GoMac 1.3 now supports localized files for the translation of GoMac into languages other than English.
GoMac 1.3 is 100% Mac OS 8 compatible.
Added the ability to minimize programs so that they only appear as an icon in the tray next to the clock. This is useful for "background" programs, such as screen savers, or accessory programs, like Stickies. You can keep them always open and they don't take up space in the Program Bar. Also, programs which have been minimized do not appear in the Keyboard Switcher.
To conform to the interface changes introduced with OS 8, GoMac now pops up contextual menus when the control key is held down. Control-clicking on the Start button brings up the Settings menu. Control-clicking on a program brings up the program specific menu allowing you to minimize, hide and show, or quit a program.
With the changes for contextual menus, the Start Menu was also modified to remove rarely used or unused items.
GoMac 1.3 now supports localizing files. GoMac localizing files, found in the Extensions Folder, allow GoMac to adjust for other languages and script systems.
Fixed a conflict with Auto hide and programs which hide the menu bar. GoMac would flicker and cause the machine to run very slowly or, worse yet, stop and crash.
Version 1.3 also fixes the annoying problem with GoMac changing the system font size everywhere. This only occurred when Auto hide was turned on, and most often when using Netscape.
Fixed several bugs with drag and drop. GoMac 1.3 now recognizes the desktop database on drives other than the main drive. Its failure to do so in 1.2 would cause GoMac not to recognize the documents some programs could open. Also, fixed the handling of multiple files dragged and dropped so that the files come through to a program, e.g. StuffIt, as a group rather than one at a time.
Fixed the various screen update problems with After Dark 4.0 and After Dark Online 4.0.
Adjusted a few things so that more programs will recognize that GoMac is at the bottom of the screen and not interfere. This included problems with the Control Strip and some print drivers.
Patched up a leaks which could cause bus errors either at startup or at random times during normal use of the machine.
Fixed several problems with Shut Down and Restart. The Shut Down… item in the Start Menu should no longer crash on older systems. Also, older machines lacking the ability to shut themselves off should no longer just "go black" when shut down. Although there was never any risk to the system, GoMac 1.2 would disrupt the shut down process so that the "Safe to restart" message never appeared.
Fixed several monitor problems, including the problems GoMac had when monitors were rearranged and the "jumpy monitor" problem which appeared for users of the IMS 128 video cards.
Fixed background update problems with Decor and program bar color problems with Kaleidoscope.
Upgraded to the most recent version of ShowInitIcon so the GoMac startup icon displays and wraps properly.
Known Problems
GoMac still has problems getting out of the way for programs which hide the menu bar and take over the whole screen. For the most part, it is able to gracefully handle such situations. However, for those programs which do not run well with GoMac installed (usually games) try turning on Auto hide by Command-clicking on the Program Bar. If that doesn't work, let us know at <bugreport@proteron.com> and we will see what we can do.
Compuserve 3.0 and some games require a 640 x 480 monitor to run. With GoMac installed, a monitor of that size appears smaller and such programs will not run. The workaround for this problem is to turn on Auto hide. This can be done dynamically at any time by Command-clicking on the Program Bar.
Released in response to claims that GoMac 1.1 infringed on an existing trademark, GoMac 1.2 makes slight adjustments in its terminology referring to the Keyboard Switcher and fixes several minor bugs (see below).
Fixed a bug in GoMac 1.1 which crashed with an unimplemented trap error at startup on 68K machines running System 7.6.1. (Oops.)
Fixed a bug in the handling of monitor rearrangment. GoMac will no longer "carve out" large portions of your monitor with unused gray space.
To address the problem raised with GoMac 1.1 where games and other programs requiring a 640 x 480 monitor would not run, GoMac now makes no change in the size of the monitor when using Auto hide. Auto hide can be quickly and easily toggled when it is required by command clicking on the Program Bar.
With Décor and GoMac 1.1, Décor would sometimes think that the screen size had changed and would take appropriate action (according to its settings). With GoMac 1.2, Décor should only register a change in the monitor size when you turn Auto hide ON or OFF.
Fixed an obscure anomaly with the Finder where icons would sometimes stay visible when "Hide programs after switch" was turned on and the Generals control panel was set not to show the Finder in the background.
With Systems earlier than 7.5.3, the Shut Down… feature did not work. GoMac now just shuts down the machine rather than doing nothing or presenting an option. Note that holding down "Command-Option" while choosing "Shut Down…" will sleep the computer, holding down "Command-Control" will restart, and holding down "Command" will Shut Down without a dialog.
An occasional problem with the coloring of GoMac should be fixed.
Known Problems
There is a known problem with the IMS TwinTurbo 128 graphics cards and GoMac 1.1. GoMac 1.2 does NOT fully address the problem, although using Auto hide should prevent it. We will keep working. Fixed in 1.3
GoMac 1.0 suffered from several conflicts with Apple software. All of these problems have been fixed, including the conflict with QuickDraw GX, PC Setup, and the AppleVision 1710 monitors.
GoMac 1.0 also ran into problems with many menu enhancement extensions (Suitcase, BeHierarchic, PopUpMenus, etc). Version 1.1 fixes many, if not all, of these problems. The addition of an option to "Use sticky menus" should prevent GoMac from conflicting with other utilities providing similar functionality.
The way in which GoMac "claims its real estate" at the bottom of the monitor has been radically changed. The new method fixes many, if not all, of the window related problems encountered with GoMac 1.0. An unfortunate side effect is that many games which ran under GoMac 1.0 may now "break" under 1.1. The best solution is disable GoMac while playing those games.
Kaleidoscope users will be happy to hear that GoMac 1.1 is Kaleidoscope 1.5 savvy.
For users of non-Roman script Systems, GoMac does its best to adjust.
