Thank you for taking the trouble to try this module out. We hope you like it.
Note: this file is formatted and is best read with SimpleText and not TeachText.
Note: this file is not read-only so that you can easily copy the text if you want to. For example, you can copy the email addresses and URLs. Please don't modify this file or distribute modified versions.
Note: you should scroll up and down a pageful at a time so that the pictures will appear properly. If the pictures don't appear, you can make them appear by scrolling up a page and then back down a page.
This software is copyrighted material and therefore you are not allowed to modify this software or its documentation in any way, shape or form, nor can you sell it for your own profit. You may only charge a reasonable fee for the cost of distributing it. See the Distribution section below for information about how and on what Control Strip Menu may be distributed.
Contents
The documentation for Control Strip Menu comes in 3 files. Their contents are:
1. Read me first
What's new?
What's new in version 3.0.2
What is it? - description, features, requirements and compatibilty notes
Description
Features
Hardware and software requirements
Compatibility
Installation and setup
Simple installation/setup
Tips
Setup for power users
Instructions
A. General Instructions
B. Clicking Instructions
C. Drag and Drop Instructions
2. Changing settings
Opening the preferences dialog
General instructions for the preferences dialog
Instructions for each specific pane and the displayed options
Strip Display pane
Clicking pane
Dragging pane
Menus 1 pane
Menus 2 pane
Strip order pane
Register pane
3. Other stuff
Cost/fee and registration
Desktop Mac users, read this!
About control strip modules
Version history (notes by Vincent)
Future version features
Distribution
Contacting the authors
Other software by Vincent
Other software by Ammon
Disclaimer
Cost/fee and registration
Control Strip Menu is released as shareware. You can freely copy the unregistered version of the software and try it out before you pay anything. If you decide to continue using this software after 30 days, you are obliged to register it by sending in the registration form and registration fee. The current registration fee for v3.0 is only US$15. If you have registered a previous version, see below for the upgrade policy.
Note that this version is fully functional - there are no locked out or missing functions. After 30 days, Control Strip Menu will remind you that you need to register it whenever you start up your Mac.
Offer: registrations are offered in exchange for translations into other languages. Contact Vincent for information about this - see Contacting the authors below for the address. You will need an e-mail address if you want to do a translation.
How to register: you can pay by check, credit card, or money order to name a few methods. Details are displayed when you open the registration form dialog.
To register Control Strip Menu, open the preferences dialog, go to the register pane, and click on the "Fill in registration form…" button. This will take you to the registration form dialog. Fill in the dialog and then print out or save your registration form. Send it and the fee to the address shown on the form. Thank you for taking the time and effort to register this software.
When the registration fee is received and you are registered, you will be sent the necessary registration information (preferably be e-mail).
Online registrations are now available for payment by credit card. It's fast, easy and secure. To register online, go to <http://kagi.direct.net/cgi-bin/register1.cgi?VT>
Upgrade policy: registered users of v2.x from July 1, 1996 and later are permitted to upgrade for free - contact Vincent for registration information. Other previous registered users of v2.x of Control Strip Menu may upgrade to version 3 for the small fee of US$5.
Desktop Mac users, read this!
Desktop Mac users have several ways of getting control strip modules to work on their Macs:
(1) use Apple's Control Strip version 1.3.1, which is part of the System 7.5 Update 2.0 release. Note that previous versions (1.0 and 1.1) did not work on desktop Macs unless they were patched. There is a patcher written by Robert Mah available freely on the internet and Mac software libraries of the online services. I believe that the latest version is 2.0. Note, however, that use of this patcher is not sanctioned in any way by Apple. If you can use ResEdit, you can also patch Control Strip yourself. Delete the 'sdev', -4064 resource in the Control Strip control panel (v1.0 and v1.1 only). Of course, you should edit a copy of the control panel in case anything goes wrong...
(2) use an alternative module utility such as Extensions Strip or Desktop Strip. Extensions Strip is the recommended utility for Control Strip Menu. It has lots of extra features and is PowerPC native! See Other software by Ammon below for details on how to get it.
About control strip modules
The Control Strip control panel is a control panel from Apple that installs a small floating window on your desktop. Earlier versions functioned only on PowerBooks but see Desktop Mac users, read this! above to get around this limitation. The latest version (1.3.1) works on Desktop Macs.
On this floating window are various control strip modules. Modules are basically small programs that you install into the "Control Strip Modules" folder inside your System folder and which then appear on the Control Strip. They can tell you useful (and sometimes not so useful*) information and they can do handy things. They usually don't patch your system so you won't usually encounter extension conflicts or crashes because of them. (And yes, Control Strip Menu does not patch anything.) There are modules that can tell you the time (Infinity Clock), let you switch applications with a single click (Process Manager), tell you how much free memory each application has (FreeMem), and there's even one to play your audio CDs! (Audio Strip GH) Very cool! Almost all of these are freeware.
* the thermometer strip for PowerBook Duos comes to mind but that's my opinion :-)
Version history (notes by Vincent)
1.0 — Released Jan 16, 1995. First release.
1.0.1 — Released Feb 10, 1995. Now displays items beginning with a "-". Should have fixed a bug that caused the first item's sub-menu not to appear.
2.0 — Released Aug 25, 1995. Added support for different fonts and font sizes and the ability to change the displayed messages. Can now display the items in the Items folder as icons on the strip. What happens when you click on an icon in the strip can be changed. Supports the Finder's color labels on files and folders. Can draw large icons and vertical icons. Added drag and drop support - this was done in collaboration with Ammon Skidmore of Skidperfect Software.
2.0.1 — Released Sep 9, 1995. Fixed a few minor bugs in the registration form dialog, the menu display routines, and the move items routine (it now actually copies items). Modified the balloon help feature to display the item's name when the mouse is over it.
2.0.2 — Released Sep 10, 1995. Fixed a crashing bug which occurred on non drag-and-drop systems.
2.1 — Released Sep 20, 1995. Added "Sticky menus". Added support for multiple strips. Added much better preferences dialog. Fixed known outstanding bugs.
2.2 — Released Oct 6, 1995. Added options for "sticky menus" including the ability to track the mouse whilst in sticky mode. Added balloon help and defaults to the preferences dialog. Added display of item names on the strip. Fixed more bugs. Now operates faster when Extensions Strip is used.
2.2.1 — Released Oct 21, 1995. Fixes a few more bugs. No features added.
2.3 — Released Dec 31, 1995. More bug fixes. Now has a PowerPC native version.
2.3.1 — Released Jan 14, 1996. Fixes a few more bugs. No features added.
2.3.2 — Released Mar 24, 1996. Fixed a menu problem with System 7.5.3. Fixed the File Sharing problems. Fixed a problem with sticky menus getting drawn over. Now can move files when Aladdin Desktop Tools’ Desktop SpeedBoost is installed.
3.0 — Released Aug 15, 1996. New version with many feature improvements and a few bug fixes.
3.0.1 — Released Aug 24, 1996. Fixed a few bugs.
3.0.2 — Released Oct 5, 1996. Fixed a few bugs.
Here are the previous release notes:
What's new in version 3.0.1
• can now display small icons in menus
• can now allow menu items to be dragged out of the menu and around your screen(s)
• can now display strip items in the order you specify, that is, you can now re-order the strip
• can now have separators in the strip display, allowing you to partition off items into groups
• can now have multiple display folders on the one strip, and you can easily switch the folder to display with a popup menu or with buttons, much like the Launcher control panel (but in a much smaller space of course)
• now has the option of not displaying menu items in the label colour of that item (in case the label colour made it hard to read the item text)
• better menu placement and display
• fixed a few more minor bugs
What's new in version 2.3.2
• worked around a problem in System 7.5.3 which would cause menus to appear with many ‘A’s in them
• now works with Aladdin Desktop Tools’ Desktop SpeedBoost module to really move files (ie, copy then delete originals), not just copy them
• fixed ?all of the strange “-50 Parameter” errors encountered when opening or dragging to folders if File Sharing was activated
• fixed a problem with menus getting drawn over by programs that draw behind Control Strip Menu when in sticky mode
What's new in version 2.3.1
• fixed a bug stopping you from clicking icons after you change the Items Folder
• now processes clicks even if the icon display needs updating (it's first updated, and the click then processed)
• improved (again) so that it displays big menus properly (instead of showing "A")
• opening any disk alias (including network disks) was broken in 2.3. Fixed
• simultaneous release of English, German and Italian versions
What's new in version 2.3
• now comes with 2 versions: 68K native and PowerPC native (the PowerPC version works with all the strip utilities). If you have a PowerMacintosh or PowerPC PowerBook, install the PowerPC version, otherwise install the 68K version. You do not need to install both
• doesn't display the box in menu listings unless the item begins with '-'
• now respects 'diacritical marks' such as ` (grave) ¨ (umlaut) ˆ (circumflex) and ´ (acute) when creating the menu listings
• displays watch cursor when scanning long folders
• now should not display menus with items just having "A" in them (or does so much less often)
• drags into folders inside a menu will now place the icon much closer to the other icons (the Finder will place them) instead of placing them far far away in the folder
• fewer errors when printing the registration form
• increased the allowed scan interval to a maximum of 32000 seconds (about 8 hours)
• changed the default scan interval to 600 seconds (10 minutes)
• and most important of all: no longer scans the disk excessively. Now only scans when it has to: when the display changes, when the strip orientation changes, and when the scan interval has elapsed
What's new in version 2.2.1
• fixes all known functional bugs
• now enters sticky mode only when the mouse is released near where it was pressed
What's new in version 2.2
• "sticky" mode now has the option to track the mouse as you move it; drags to the Control Strip Menu now always track the mouse
• now can display the names of the icons on the strip
• improved the preferences dialog with Balloon Help and the ability to revert to the default settings
• has faster opening and dragging operations when used with Extensions Strip
What's new in version 2.1
• the ability to navigate folders and their contents without the need to hold down the mouse button - this feature is called "sticky menus". This feature even works for drags to Control Strip Menu!
• the ability to have multiple copies installed so that you can have multiple strips each with different items displayed
• a much improved preferences dialog which now groups options by their similar functions into panes within the dialog
• many minor bug fixes and updates to the registration form
• a new documentation format - it's now in 3 files, each describing different parts of the software
What's new in version 2.0
• files/folders can be dragged and dropped onto it or into a menu it displays,
• can copy, move, open, or make an alias to those items that are dropped onto it or into a menu it displays,
• text, pictures and sound data can be dragged and dropped onto it or into a menu it displays, and save such data as clippings,
• the folder that it displays can be changed,
• can display large icons (*),
• can display its icons in a vertical strip (*),
• can display folder lists alphabetically or with the folders at the top or at the bottom of the listing,
• can display the label colors of labelled items,
• can display folders and aliases in a customisable style,
• can display the selected folder on the control strip and can update its display when this folder is changed,
• can change the font and the font size that is displayed in menus, and it allows you to preview these changes,
• can limit the number of items it displays on the control strip and in a menu,
• can change the messages used for empty and unavailable folders, and
• can change its behaviour when you click on an icon.
(*) does not work with Apple's Control Strip. These features require the use of Extensions Strip or Desktop Strip. Control Strip Menu is Extensions Strip savvy.
Future version features
There are no features planned.
If you have an idea for a feature you'd like to see, why not write and let us know about it? Most of the improvements came about from feedback from users.
Distribution
Control Strip Menu may be distributed freely but it must be distributed in its entirety, that is, with this Read Me, and neither the module nor this Read Me may be modified in any way, shape or form. It can be put on disks and CD-ROMs. We (Ammon and Vincent) would appreciate a copy each of any such disks or CD-ROMs so that we know what it is being distributed on. Thank you.
We also ask that you contact us about the latest version so that only that version is distributed.
The latest version is available at these internet World Wide Web locations:
<http://www.usyd.edu.au/~vtan/index.html>
or
<http://www.kagi.com/authors/vincenttan/>
Contacting the authors
Please, if you have a problem with this module, read these documents first to see if the answer is already here! This will save both you and us a lot of time and trouble. Thank you for your help on this matter.
Otherwise, if you have comments, gripes, if you found something missing or something not clearly explained, or whatever... write to us and let us know your thoughts about this software. We're always happy to answer your enquiry and improve this software.
To send snail mail to Vincent: comments, problems (no personal ones please), postcard(s), money (thank you for registering!), or CD-ROMs (thank you!) can be sent to:
Vincent Tan
42 Waratah Avenue
Randwick NSW 2031
Australia
To send e-mail to Vincent, send it to either of these (internet) addresses:
<mailto:vtan@mail.usyd.edu.au>
<mailto:VincentTan@kagi.com> - the mailer daemon here will re-route it the first address
Please put "Control Strip Menu" or "CSM" in the Subject line so I can identify the mail. Thank you.
To send e-mail to Ammon, send it to this (internet) addresses:
<mailto:ammon@cs.byu.edu>
Other software by Vincent
• Jigsaw 2.1. It's a cool shareware program that lets you play jigsaw puzzles on your Mac and has many options and features to keep you engrossed for hours. It's certainly better than the one you get with System 7.5 - "You call that a puzzle?" :-) It's currently available in English, Dutch, and German versions. (If you want to translate it, I can give you a registration for your efforts.) The latest version is 2.1•. A starter picture is included. Jigsaw can open PICTs, JPEGs, GIFs, and several other formats.
• AddJFIFcomment 1.0.2. Allows you to add a comment to a JPEG/JFIF picture file. Freeware.
• AddGIFcomment 1.0.1. Allows you to add a comment to a JPEG/JFIF picture file. Freeware.
• ResComparePatcher 1.0. Source code that allows you to create a ResCompare patcher that can patch fat [68k & PowerPC] applications. Works with ResCompare 2.5.3. Will be removed with the release of ResCompare 2.5.4. Freeware.
• IIe 3.0.1. Apple //e emulator for 680x0 and PowerPC Macs. Warning: performs decently only on 68030s or better. Supports disk images and inserted floppy disks, all graphics modes, and a joystick via the keypad. Requires Apple //e ROMs (see the WWW page below for the links). Shareware.
On the internet, you can obtain the latest versions of these titles by using an ftp client to get them from:
Ammon writes lots of software for the public and for his small company, Skidperfect Software, currently located in Alpine Utah. He's the author of Extensions Strip and he's also written many utilities, including eight (as of this writing) Control Strip Modules. You can find software that he's written at these internet sites:
<http://bert.cs.byu.edu/~ammon/ammon.html> - for Ammon's home page
<http://www.shore.net/~chanson> - for Skidperfect's home page
<ftp://ftp.shore.net/members/chanson> - anon ftp site for the newest software
However, Ammon is currently located in Sydney, Australia. And he's enjoying every minute of it. :-)
Disclaimer
I hate these. Anyway, it's the usual stuff:
Use at your own risk. The authors accepts no liability for any damage caused. All other copyrights are held by their respective owners. Etc, etc, etc.
'Told you I hate them.
Aren't you glad I don't bore you with a License Agreement? :-)
