Desktop Strip is a $20 shareware Control Panel that has the same functionality as the utility 'Control Strip' that ships with recent Macintosh PowerBooks.
Key features of Desktop Strip:
• Works on all Macs that support Color QuickDraw.
• Features multiple strips.
• Allows you to place strips anywhere on the screen.
• Strips shrink/grow automatically to fit the modules.
• Compatible with all Control Strip modules.
• Extends the Control Strip API to allow modules greater control of their appearance.
• Includes three useful modules, Program Menu, Monitor Depth and Program List.
• Works with System 7.5
Major on-line services offer a selection of shareware and freeware Control Strip modules.
REQUIREMENTS
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Desktop Strip requires System 7.1 or greater and a Macintosh that supports Color QuickDraw.
REGISTRATION
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Desktop Strip is shareware. You are allowed to try out Desktop Strip for 15 days for free. If you would like to keep on using it after that time you are required to register your copy.
To register your copy, open the Desktop Strip control panel, and either save or print the registration form. Fill out the registration form and send it to one of the addresses supplied. When you have sent the registration form, you can check the 'I have paid' checkbox. After you have registered you are allowed to use this version and future shareware versions of Desktop Strip on as many computers as you are registered for.
DISTRIBUTION
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Desktop Strip may not be sold or distributed for profit in any form, either with other products (commercial, shareware, or freeware), or in shareware/freeware collections sold for profit, without the prior written consent of Men & Mice. Desktop Strip may be distributed freely provided it is distributed in a non-profit manner, and is provided in its original unmodified form. However, please notify Men & Mice if Desktop Strip is to be included in non-profit collection on disk, CD ROM, or other media.
INSTALLATION
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IMPORTANT: If you use Control Strip, make sure you remove it before installing Desktop Strip.
To install Desktop Strip, drag the Desktop Strip Control Panel and the folder 'Desktop Strip Modules' into your System Folder and reboot.
If you have previously used Control Strip, Desktop Strip will use the modules located inside the folder 'Control Strip Modules' instead of using the 'Desktop Strip Modules' folder.
HOW TO USE
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When Desktop Strip loads it will display a floating window, containing the installed modules, on the screen. The window can be placed anywhere on the screen, and it can be minimized using the zoom box located in the title bar.
To create multiple strips, create folders inside the 'Desktop Strip Modules' folder, place modules or aliases to modules you want to use inside those folders, and reboot.
SETTINGS
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Operation of the Desktop Strip Control Panel is simple. To show or hide the strips, check the 'Show Desktop Strip' or the 'Hide Desktop Strip' radio button.
INCLUDED MODULES
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Desktop Strip comes with three modules, Program Menu, Monitor Depth and Program List. To use these modules, put them into the folder 'Desktop Strip Modules' inside the System folder, or if you have previously used Control Strip, put them into the folder 'Control Strip Modules' inside the System folder. You have to reboot to activate the modules.
Program Menu is a Control Strip Module that allows you to view a list of active applications (including background applications) and switch between running applications. Command-clicking on the module displays a menu that allows you to select if you want to include background applications in the list.
Monitor Depth is a Control Strip Module that displays and allows you to change the color depth of the main monitor. Command-clicking on the module displays a menu that allows you to select if you want to show number of colors or bit depth.
Program List is a Control Strip Module that displays all running applications and allows you to switch between them by clicking their icons. If Drag Manager 1.1 is installed you can drag and drop documents on the applications (System 7.5 has the Drag Manager included). Command-clicking on the module allows you to change its settings. Option-clicking on a program will switch to that program and hide the current one, unless you option-click on the current program in which case all other programs will be hidden.
Tip: Put this module into its own strip and use it to switch between applications and drag and drop documents onto running applications.
KNOWN PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS
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Desktop Strip and Control Strip don't work together. To use Desktop Strip, first remove the Control Strip Control Panel.
Some modules that bring up dialog boxes aren't fully compatible with Desktop Strip. One example of such a module is Apple's AppleTalk Switch. If you use this module, make sure that the Finder is in the foreground before accessing it.
We plan to write substitutes to these modules and include them in a future version of Desktop Strip.
We've had a report of a conflict with Microsoft PowerPoint and OLE, we're looking into it.
One user has reported a conflict with Timbuktu Pro. We recommend that you disable Desktop Strip while you install Timbuktu Pro. There also seems to be a cosmetic bug in Timbuktu that fails to update the Desktop Strip palettes correctly in some cases.
There seems to be a bug in the demo mode of After Dark 3.0 that causes Desktop Strip not to be hidden while AD 3.0 is in demo mode. There is also a conflict with AD 3.0 where AD 3.0 fails to activate when the cursor is moved to the "Sleep Now" corner and the Finder is in the foreground.
Programmers: The whole of the Control Strip API as documented in the PowerBook 500 series Developer Note has been implemented in Desktop Strip, with the following exceptions:
SBTrackSlider does not pop up a slider and always returns 1.
SBSafeToAccessStartupDisk always returns TRUE.
Desktop Strip implements one teensy little extension to the Control Strip API, where you can request Desktop Strip not to hilight your module when it's clicked, but pass you the click anyway. This is achived by returning the "sdevDontAutoTrack" flag set with the "sdevWantMouseClicks" flag clear from the "sdevFeatures" call.
Also a new gestalt selector has been added for modules who need to determine if they are running with Desktop Strip. The selector is 'CsWT', currently bit 0 is the only bit used, a 1 in that bit indicates that Desktop Strip is installed.
FUTURE PLANS
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Dynamic updates of modules. When modules are added or removed, clicking an Update button in the Desktop Strip control panel will install or remove the modules from the strips.
Drag and Drop support. The ability to add, move, or remove modules using Drag and Drop within the strips.
Resizing and scroll bars. Currently, Desktop Strip handles sizing of the strips automatically, but we are considering adding size boxes and scroll bars in a future version.
More control over individual strips. By this we mean the ability to show or hide individual strips, control where the title bar appears, plus other things.
Other things not mentioned here: You, the users, are our most valuable source for new ideas. Please tell us what you think of the current version and our plans for future versions. If you have any ideas regarding new features, please let us know. We appreciate your input.
DISCLAIMER
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The author makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding Desktop Strip. Use of Desktop Strip is at your own risk. The author claims no liability for data loss or other problems caused directly or indirectly by Desktop Strip.
HOW TO CONTACT US
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You can contact us using one of the following methods:
