- If you accidentally hide the Strip bar before setting a "show-setting" in the preferences, don't fear. Simply open up the Control Strip control panel and click on the show radio button.
- Remember, I painfully provided full balloon help so please use it! You will find out most of what is spoken of in this document by looking at the dialog and popup menu balloons.
• Release Notes:
Updated Stuff (since 2.0):
- Three new powerful features have been added to the Preferences:
• Drag-show is implemented for Control Strip users! If you have a show corner set, use this setting to have a small floating window appear in the selected corner. If you drag files or clippings over this window, the Strip bar will be shown and drawn, thus allowing you to drop your selection over a Strip module such as System Dropper or Trash It!, two of my favorites :) Desktop Strip users should note that the Strip will not draw itself if the item dragged is from a process not in the foreground. This isn't MY fault (it works fine with Control Strip.)
• Hiding of the Strip bar during screen savers and other programs that draw over the menu bar is supported. Desktop Strip already has an option to hide while a screen saver is running, but Terminator will also automatically hide the Strip bar in programs as games and graphics applications that draw over the menu bar, when that precious monitor space really counts. Also unlike Desktop Strip's hiding feature, the Strip is not forced to stay hidden so Terminator's Show features will work just fine. Terminator's drag-show window will also be automatically hidden with this feature.
• You can set modifier keys that, if held while you click on a window, the window will be told to close. This is the same functionality as in my freeware CloseIt! extension except for the fact that you can set the modifier keys and you can hide the Strip bar simply by clicking on it. Also, if you close a window from a program not in the foreground, it will switch back to the program that you were in. Desktop Strip users should note that clicking on the Strip with the set modifiers held down will NOT hide the Strip. This again isn't MY fault (it works fine with Control Strip.)
- The key combo recognition has been totally redone to provide greater support for international keyboards. It can now also distinguish between normal keys and keypad keys. The key combo recognition will not pay any attention to whether the caps lock key is down or not anymore.
- Added back the Shut Down menu item by popular demand.
- Forgot to mention in version 2.0's documentation that you can override all of the Strip showing features by holding down the Control key. Now you know.
- Fixed a weird problem with the Preferences dialog reported by two people who were both using the PowerBook model 540c and Control Strip version 1.1. The problem is a fault in the Control Strip API that only seems to surface on those machines. I would like to thank David M. Fresco and Marc Bizer for trying out many different Terminator's until I finally isolated the problem. For programmers: the problem turned out to be caused if you do not use a custom ModalFilter with the function SBModalDialogInContext. I have no idea why this is the case but I fixed it anyway.
- The Strip module now occupies less permanent RAM (about 5K) than before because the about box and preferences box code is separate from the main code that stays in memory. You may notice a slight delay now when opening these dialog boxes, but I think its worth the extra few K of expensive PowerBook RAM saved.
- Many miscellaneous modifications have been made. For instance, if the resources cannot be opened, the user will be notified with a dialog.
- What more could you want for just 5 US dollars? Remember that this is really just a commercial product with no fluff. The elimination of the box, manuals, and distribution fees make the cost of the program to you a great bargain! Plus, you don't have to wait for your money to reach me because as soon as you have sent off the money, you can check the "I paid" box in the About Box. Please don't abuse this system.
Updated Stuff (since 1.1):
- There is a new, extensive Preferences dialog box that supports the following:
• Hiding or showing of the Strip bar depending upon mouse location.
• Key combinations for the menu items. Note that there is also a key combo which allows nothing to occur. I personally like to set this to be my help key for my extended keyboard because I hate it when I accidentally press help when I meant to press delete in a word processor (yes, I can't use BBEdit all the time.)
• You can now set an application that the quit all command will never quit.
- FULL, complete balloon help has been added to the dialogs and to the popup menus.
- All of the events that this module sends will now work if the front application does not support Apple Events.
- When you quit the Finder, it also quits File Sharing if it is running.
• About This Strip:
What is it?
This is a Control Strip module who's strip icon is pictured above. To use, simply put it into the Control Strip Modules folder and restart. If you do not have a Control Strip Modules folder (located in the root of your System folder) then you probably do not have the Control Strip control panel installed. Apple does not permit me to distribute Control Strip to other people (probably since it comes with System 7.5.) Desktop Macs can use Control Strip by modifying it with the Control Strip Patcher program that is widely available online (and on Skidperfect's www page listed above.)
Features:
• Extensive Preferences dialog box that supports the following:
- Hiding or showing of the Strip bar depending upon mouse location.
- Key combinations for the menu items. Note that there is also a key combo which allows nothing to occur. I personally like to set this to be my help key for my extended keyboard because I hate it when I accidently press help when I meant to press delete in a word processor (yes, I can't use BBEdit all the time.)
- You can now set an application that the quit all command will never quit.
- Drag-show is implemented for Control Strip users! If you have a show corner set, use this setting to have a small floating window appear in the selected corner. If you drag files or clippings over this window, the Strip bar will be shown and drawn, thus allowing you to drop your selection over a Strip module such as System Dropper or Trash It!, two of my favorites :) Desktop Strip users should note that the Strip will not draw itself if the item dragged is from a process not in the foreground. This isn't MY fault (it works fine with Control Strip.)
- Hiding of the Strip bar during screen savers and other programs that draw over the menu bar is supported. Desktop Strip already has an option to hide while a screen saver is running but Terminator will also automatically hide the Strip bar in programs as games and graphics applications that draw over the menu bar, when that precious monitor space really counts. Also unlike Desktop Strip's hiding feature, the Strip is not forced to stay hidden so Terminator's Show features will work just fine.
- You can set modifier keys that, if held while you click on a window, the window will be told to close. This is the same functionality as in my freeware CloseIt! extension except for the fact that you can set the modifier keys and you can hide the Strip bar simply by clicking on it. Also, if you close a window from a program not in the foreground, it will switch back to the program that you were in. Desktop Strip users should note that clicking on the Strip with the set modifiers held down will NOT hide the Strip. This again isn't MY fault (it works fine with Control Strip.)
• FULL, complete balloon help: the dialogs and the popup menus contain it so you really don't have to read the rest of this...
• Restart after quitting everything (as if it was selected in the Finder's Special menu.)
• Finder Active/Inactive (allows you to quit and reload the Finder. Useful to PowerBook owners because the Finder is constantly accessing the hard disk and using process power while launched.) Note that if you do not have another application open before you quit the Finder, the Finder will reload automatically.
• Quit All sends quit events to all the open applications. (Note that desk accessories cannot be quit this way.) To quit individual programs hold down the SHIFT key as described below.
• Tip: If you want to perform a "nice" restart or shut down immediately (without waiting for the open applications to quit) simply hold down the SHIFT key before you click on the popup menu button. The items “Restart” and “Shut Down” will now say “Force Restart” and “Force Shut Down”. The rest of this menu contains all of the open processes and allows you to quit one of them by choosing their menu item. Note that these processes appear in the order that they were loaded.
• Tip: You can override all of the Strip showing features by holding down the Control key.
• You can also create the registration form inside of the about box. Please spent a couple minutes and fill out the registration form (see Shareware Info below.)
• Shareware Info:
This program is Shareware which means that you should pay for it if you find it useful and use it for more than a week. I do not believe in programs that work for a small amount of time and then all of a sudden refuse to work until you pay the shareware fee. There are no exploding logic bombs or annoying "give me money now!" messages if you do not pay the requested fee. I have worked hard on this program and simply request that you do what you feel is right and pay the small fee because:
a) Receiving shareware fees encourages me to continue developing this program, ie. adding features which you request.
b) If you have an Internet address you can choose to have me send you the latest releases of this program.
c) It has taken a long time to develop this program and make it error free so please, if you play, please pay.
d) I'm a poor college student who needs to pay off loans. ’Nuf said.
Please fill out the registration form at your nearest convenience. Thank you for your support.
• Legal Junk:
What is it?
Although this program is distributed as Shareware, Skidperfect Software retains all ownership and rights of ownership in this software. Distribute and copy freely so long as no one other than the author derives a commercial benefit from distributing this software. Info-Mac CD-ROMs and other free/nominal fee software providers are free to include any of my programs without even asking. CD-ROM collections and commercial software distributors though, such as EduCorp, must obtain permission from Skidperfect Software in order to distribute this program.
***If you redistribute this program it must contain all of its read me documents.***
Usual Disclaimer of Warranty:
In using this software, you understand and agree that this software is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. The entire risk as to the results and performance of using this software lies entirely with you, the user. The author does not make any warranties, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to this software. This application has been extensively tested and should do no damage, but if it does then you will be on your own.
« That we need disclaimers proves we live in a sick society »
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“It is necessary for me to establish a winner image. Therefore, I have to beat somebody.”
