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Let 'em Fly! ------------ (Flying Dials and more ...) Version 1.30 15th July 1995 (c) 1991-93 by Oliver Scheel Freaky Deaky Software (c) 1994-95 by Darryl Piper (it's Freeware) 1 Introduction ============== Well, actually I only wanted to see how fast the Atari ST's VDI could be, though it led on to rather more ... With `Let 'em Fly!' in your AUTO-Folder, many normal GEM dialogs learn to fly like Julian Reschke's FlyDials (e.g. in `Gemini'), or in the `Rufus' terminal program. Furthermore these dialogs can be handled by using the keyboard shortcuts `Let 'em Fly!' offers, so that there is no need to keep swapping between keyboard and mouse. There are many more features! The most important: - Flying dials As already described, many GEM dialogs learn to fly. This means you can drag them around by using the mouse. This requires that programs use the correct AES calls to handle dialogs. The alert boxes too can now fly. Thanks to clever procedures the boxes can be moved with tolerable speed even without a blitter, and their appearance has been optimised. Furthermore memory usage has been optimised for the whole process, i.e. even when little memory is available it is possible in some cases to move the boxes around. Furthermore `Let 'em Fly!' memorises the position of dialog boxes inside a given program, which means that after a box is moved it will appear in the new position the next time it is called. Virtual screens such as `BigScreen 2.0' are also supported, with the dialog boxes appearing centred in the currently visible portion of the screen. - Key dials Many dialogs can be operated by using keyboard shortcuts. `Let 'em Fly!' scans the dialog for suitable keys. For example, the button `Cancel' may be activated by pressing [UNDO] and/or [ALT]+[C]. - New edit functions within editable fields If a dialog contains editable input fields then additional editing functions become available. This includes Clipboard support, a `history' of the last 20 inputs and a special character box to enter `ugly' characters. Some of the edit functions can also operate in programs using their own routines for handling dialogs. - New alert boxes with new icons The appearance of the alert boxes have also been re-implemented. They are now only as large as they have to be, so look more `right sized'. They also allow the loading of new icons. - Grow and shrink boxes can be switched off To speed up screen re-draws, `Let 'em Fly!' allows you to switch off the grow and shrink boxes. - No pilot's licence needed You've guessed it! For using `Let 'em Fly!' you don't need any flying lessons. But you should gave basic experience in using the mouse. `Let 'em Fly!' works on all Atari ST/STe/TT/Falcon computers in all resolutions, including TruColor. MultiTOS is supported also. `Let 'em Fly!' comes with no warranty. This means that the author will not be liable for any damage which may caused by using or not using `Let 'em Fly!'. `Let 'em Fly!' is Freeware. This means that this programm may be freely used and distributed for non commercial use. All rights are reserved by the author! Nearly all software and hardware titles used in these instructions are registered trademarks and are to be viewed as such. The `Let 'em Fly!' distribution package (English version): - LETEMFLY.PRG The program itself - LET_CONF.CPX The configuration CPX module - GEM1ICON.RSC The original Atari icons for alert boxes - GEM2ICON.RSC Icons from GEM/2 for the alert boxes - LETEMFLY.TXT This manual `Let 'em Fly!' may only be distributed complete with these files. I do not expect that everyone will understand everything in these instructions, which is not really necessary for normal use. This is due to the fact that the program digs deeply into the operating system and to understand everything one has to know that inside out. 2 Installation ============== It's very easy to install `Let 'em Fly!'. The LETEMFLY.PRG program can be run from the desktop or copied into your AUTO-folder on the boot drive to load automatically when the computer is restarted. You can install the CPX file into your CPX folder, this will allow you to configure `Let 'em Fly!' as you wish. 3 Usage ======= Not all dialog boxes are supported by `Let 'em Fly!' since some people have programmed their own dialog-handling routines. In these `Let 'em Fly!' can do nothing, or only make some of its features available. `Let 'em Fly!' requires that programs use the correct AES calls to handle dialogs. Nor are dialogs on the desktop supported, since TOS accesses its routines directly here. That may change with MultiTOS. If at times something doesn't appear to be working, then I suggest that you first check the settings with the configuration program (see below). Now, off we go ... 3.1 Flying Dials ---------------- Within a GEM dialog there are selectable and non-selectable objects. If you left-click on a non-selectable object and keep the key depressed, the mouse arrow changes into a flat hand and you can drag the dialog around by moving the mouse. Depending on how `Let 'em Fly!' has been configured (see below) one can move the dialog box in real time, or only as a frame (like normal windows are moved). By first pressing and holding down one of the [SHIFT]-keys or the right mouse button, you can make the dialog box disappear to leave just a ghost outline, i.e. the dialog gets transparent and you can look `through' it should some important information be hidden behind it. The ghost frame can naturally also be moved. On releasing the left button the dialog will reappear on the screen. One can also reverse the operation of the right mouse button with the configuration program. Note: It may be that other programs that explicitly support `Let 'em Fly!' are only able to `fly' by using a special object (the Selectric┐ file selector, for instance, supports `Let 'em Fly!' and in that one can move dialog boxes via an `asses ear' at the top right hand corner). But one can suppress the exclusitivity of the `flight object' by additionally pressing the right mouse button, i.e. one can then also use other objects for flying the dialog. If a box can be moved normally but cannot be made transparent then there is not enough memory available to save the complete dialog box. The first mode divides the flight path into a corresponding number of individual steps when there is a memory shortage and then executes them, so offering more possibilities to complete the task. If one clicks outside the dialog then normally this would only make a `pling' (sound the bell) but with `Let 'em Fly!' the dialog also `flies' to the mouse position. This function is particularly useful with large screens. In addition, a double-click on the `flight object' centres the dialog on the screen. Furthermore `Let 'em Fly!' remembers the last position of the dialog boxes within a program, which means that if one moves the dialogs they will be displayed at their new position the next time they are called. By pressing [ALT]+[CTRL] when calling (!) the dialog the box will be correctly re-centred. This function will also operate with `foreign' flight routines. It is also possible to make dialog boxes appear at the current mouse position. With virtual screens such as `BigScreen 2.0' installed dialogs can be centred in the currently visible portion. Thus one saves oneself having to hunt for the dialog. Alert boxes will always be displayed in the visible portion, irrespective of the settings in the configuration menu. After all alert boxes are there to impart some important information to the user and he should not have to search for them first. Summary: - Not all dialog boxes can fly! There must a) be enough memory available and b) the corresponding operating system function has to be called by the program. - Sometimes it is possible to move the dialog box but it can no longer be made transparent. In that case there is not enough memory available for the buffering of the complete box. - Furthermore, some programs that have not been designed to make their dialog boxes fly can exhibit somewhat erratic behaviour. But this only applies to the screen display and is more of an irritation. Normally there is no resultant loss of data. However I cannot guarantee this! 3.2 Key Dials ------------- Many dialogs can be serviced directly from the keyboard. One can recognise when this is the case since `Let 'em Fly!' scans the current dialog for possible keyboard shortcuts and marks them by drawing a line under the corresponding letters or numbers in the text in or beside the buttons (with a colour screen another type of display is also available). You can activate the button by holding the [ALT]-key and pressing the letter (or number). This corresponds to a single mouse click on the object. Furthermore, a mouse click on an underlined text outside the actual button will act like a click on the corresponding object. If there is no editable field you don't need to press the [ALT]-key (for instance in alert boxes). When possible the functions keys [UNDO] and [HELP] are supported. `Let 'em Fly!' scans the following strings to define these F-keys: [UNDO]: `abbruch', `abbrechen', `verlassen', `ende', `nein', `quit', `cancel', `abort', `no', `exit' [HELP]: `help', `hilfe' As in the whole of `Let 'em Fly!', no distinction is made between capital and lower case letters. Pressing one of the F-keys selects the relevant object (carries out the action). In total 38 keys [A-Z, 0-9, HELP, UNDO] are usable. The default object (button with a thick outline and selected by pressing [RETURN]) as well as the UNDO object can (virtually) always be selected via the first letter of the corresponding object, (e.g. `OK' via [ALT]+[O], `Cancel' via [ALT]+[C] etc). Furthermore one can shift the default button around (i.e. change which one is the default) by pressing [ALT]+[Tab] or [ALT]+[SHIFT]+[Tab] (backwards), which means that in many cases one can `operate' a dialog just with this facility and the [RETURN]-key. If there is no edit field in the dialog then one can also omit the [ALT]. [SHIFT]+[HELP] displays a copyright information, including the current version number. 3.3 Extended Editor ------------------- If editable fields are present in a dialog box then `Let 'em Fly!' makes additional edit functions available. Besides the GEM functions built into the operating system: [Cursor Up] One field back [Cursor Down] One field forward [Cursor Left] One character left [Cursor Right] One character right [TAB] One field forward [RETURN] Terminate (apply) the dialog ... `Let 'em Fly!' gives you many many more functions ... [RETURN] If there is no default button, the cursor jumps to the next editable field [SHIFT]+[RETURN] Jumps to the next editable field, even if there is a default button [SHIFT]+[TAB] One field back [SHIFT]+[Csr Left] Jumps to the beginning of the field [SHIFT]+[Csr Right] Jumps to the end of the field [CTRL]+[Csr Left] Jumps one word left [CTRL]+[Csr Right] Jumps one word right [ClrHome] Jumps to the first editable field [SHIFT]+[ClrHome] Jumps to the last editable field [CTRL]+[Delete] Deletes all charaters to right of the cursor Furthermore the keys [Csr Up] and [Csr Down] include a turn around feature. This means that if you are within the first field and press [Csr Up] the cursor jumps to the last field, and the other way around for [Csr Down]. Furthermore direct cursor positioning with the mouse inside(!) an edit field is supported. When an edit field is selected the operating system normally sets the cursor to the end of any string present. If direct positioning is possible the normal mouse cursor in the edit field changes to a text cursor, allowing this to be placed anywhere in a text string with the mouse. All legal filename and path characters -------------------------------------- ... can now be input in the editable fields meant for this. TOS behaves VERY peculiarly in this respect: On the one hand it simply will not permit several legal characters (e.g. `$', `-') to be input, on the other one can input some of the `worst' signs (`Ä', `₧' ...). `Let 'em Fly!' fixes this bug. Special characters ------------------ In some cases one needs to input some characters which are not easily (or at all) available from the keyboard. If you press [SHIFT]+[Insert] within an editable field a character box appears where you can click on the character you want. This function is only available when the editable field template allows all characters to be used. GEM-Clipboard ------------- In the editable fields `Let 'em Fly!' supports the GEM-Clipboard, which means that one can, for instance, cut out some text in another program and later insert it in the dialog. In order to be able to use the Clipboard it has to be defined first, i.e. the operating system has to know where the data are to be stored. For this the environment variable `CLIPBRD' or `SCRAPDIR' must be set correctly. If one is using the `Gemini' replacement desktop this is done more or less automatically. Otherwise one can set this variable with special DA's (such as `SETCLIPB.CPX') or programs (e.g. with `JCNBOOT' by Jens C. Neffe). The extra line needed is of the type: CLIPBRD=Path (Example: CLIPBRD=C:\CLIPBRD) The following Clipboard functions are supported within editable fields: [CTRL]-[X] Cuts the current line to the Clipboard (i.e. copies it there and deletes the field). If you press the [SHIFT]-key, also, the contents of the Clipboard will be retained and the line will be appended, preceded by a line feed, so that individual text portions in the Clipboard are separated by line feeds. [CTRL]-[C] Copies the current line into the Clipboard but doesn't delete the field. The [SHIFT]-key will react as described above. [CTRL]-[V] Inserts the first line of the Clipboard into the current field. The previous contents of the field will be deleted, but you can suppress this by pressing the [SHIFT]-key. History (will teach us nothing...?) ----------------------------------- Often one has to input strings that one had already input earlier (like in a command-line shell) and to save typing `Let 'em Fly!' supports a small so-called `History' (20 entries with up to 40 characters for each) of the strings you typed before. Duplicated entries are suppressed automatically (for our `Gemini'-freaks: `nohistdouble = TRUE'). Pressing: [CTRL]+[Csr Up/Down] Scans the History to get back the previous typed strings. [SHIFT]+[Csr Up/Down] Uses the contents of the current field as the (beginning of a) search string so that `Let 'em Fly!' will only display inputs starting with this string. People who haven't used a History before and don't understand the above should make their own experiments by `playing' with these functions. The History functions generally like that in the `Mupfel' command-line shell (part of `Gemini'). Many of the additional editing functions (except the mouse support) can also be used in dialogs of other (`foreign') routines. Here the motto is: Try it! Incidentally, the `MagicDials' by Peter Hellinger are supported optimally by `Let 'em Fly!'. 3.4 New Alert Boxes ------------------- Using `Let 'em Fly!' the alert boxes will look a little bit different to the originals. The size of the box is `best-fitted' to the amount of text present and, apart from the method described above, any of the three buttons can be activated also by pressing [F1]-[F3] respectively, making recourse to the mouse unnecessary. Equally there is no need to use the [ALT]-key for the keyboard shortcuts. There are also new icons that can be loaded at program start-up. For this the corresponding file must be called `LET_ICON.RSC' and be placed in the same directory as the program. The construction of the file is described in `Programmer's Guide' (that used to be available from the author, but following his retirement from the computer scene the current position is uncertain). You can use different icons, which are included on the disk as `LTMFICON.RSC' and `GEM1/2ICON.RSC' files, by renaming the desired file to `LET_ICON.RSC' and copying it into the AUTO folder. These resource files can also be edited with an RCS (Resource Construction Set) to change their colour or shape. The error boxes produced by TOS have also been replaced in `Let 'em Fly!' One can differentiate between two types here: Critical errors (e.g. `The data on disk X are damaged') and error messages from the application (e.g. `Insufficient memory'). The first variant is supported by `Let 'em Fly!' only under `Mag!x' (the multi-tasking AES by BELA) since this fulfills certain preconditions (re-entrance of the AES and the desktop is a stand-alone application). Presumably MultiTOS will also fulfill these preconditions and so one can assume that these boxes will be available for modification. The event-critical boxes differ from the TOS original in two ways: Firstly they have been furnished with meaningful icons, and secondly an `Ignore' button has been added, which means that the error will be simply ignored. This button should, however, only be used in emergencies, since some applications could produce peculiar errors. The second variety runs under all conditions and differs from the original in reporting a more precise error message alongside the number. 3.5 Have a nice time with Niceline ---------------------------------- Originally `Niceline' was a stand-alone program, which has now been integrated into `Let 'em Fly!' Have you looked at the dividing lines in the `Gemini' drop-down menu entries? It will be seen that this replaces the `---' (minus character) and `===' (equals character) strings by `nice lines'. Unfortunately up to now that only happened in `Gemini'. With Niceline this also applies to other menus. But I must add, that this is a small hack and doesn't work correctly with all programs (e.g. GFA Basic). Hence Niceline has been configured so that it is automatically de-activated with certain menu patterns. Unfortunately some other programs have a similar pattern, which will not allow installation of the nice lines. If there are any problems concerning menus, turn this feature off and try again. 4 The Configuration Program =========================== There are two programs to configure `Let 'em Fly!': A normal program (LET_CONF.PRG, which can be run from the desktop or installed as a desk accessory by renaming the extension to `.ACC'), and a CPX for the extendable control panel. When you call the program/CPX, you will get a small dialog box on the screen. The first line contains the `Let 'em Fly!' version that the user has currently installed, and (for some early versions) whether this is the cut-down `Light' version. The second line contains the author's name. In the middle is a rectangular box containing a (scrollable) list of configuration switches. Since this has grown to a large number, all of which may be needed, one can use the slider at the right to run through the list. As the experienced `Let 'em Fly!' user will have noticed there have been some changes in this program from V1.12. At first sight the appearance may be rather obscure, but the switches have been sorted following new criteria: Now the important switches are on the first and second pages, with the rest following. That makes for faster operation. If one uses the PRG/ACC then one can use this box also from the keyboard, pressing the underlined letter to change the relevant switch. One can also operate the Slider with [CsrUp] and [CsrDown]; by also pressing [SHIFT] one moves in page rather than line steps. Unfortunately, for technical programming reasons, keyboard operation is not possible with the CPX module. Now to the switches and controllers: The switches represent so-called Pop-Up menus, i.e. a click on the switch field produces a tiny selection box in which one can either slide down to the alternative field with the button pressed, or click on it again to select it. Alternatively you can toggle the selection by clicking on the text(!) label for the relevant field. - `Let 'em Fly!' This allows you to switch off `Let 'em Fly!' completely(!). The remaining settings then have no effect. - Key Dials Must be on if you want to use keyboard shortcuts within dialogs. - Extended Editor Enables the new edit functions within editable fields. - Alert-Boxes Here the new alert and error boxes can be switched on/off. - Flying Dials This switch activates the flight routines. - Fly Type There are two different types of flights: Solid: Boxes will be moved completely in real time, i.e. they follow mouse movements. I recommend use of a blitter or a graphic accelerator like NVDI or WARP9, otherwise operation is somewhat slow. Hollow: A dragbox will be used (as for moving windows on the desktop). - Ghost Flights Normally, the dialog can be made transparent by holding the right mouse button at the start of a flight. This switch allows you to invert this feature. - Dials to Mouse Dialogs will not appear at the screen centre but at the current mouse position. - Jumpin' Dials Those who do not want the dialogs to fly to the mouse position when you click outside a dialog, or re-centre it by a double-click in the dialog's `asses ear', can switch this function off here. (Naturally it can be switched back on again). - Save Position This switch decides whether `Let 'em Fly!' is to remember the last position of the dialogs. - Send Redraw Some programs have problems with flying dials after the dialog box is closed, i.e. the background will not be restored properly (e.g. TC-Fileselector, Adimens). If this function is switched on then the currently running program will be informed that after removing the dialog box the corresponding part of the screen is to be re-drawn. - VSCR-Support The mega-gigantic abbreviation `VSCR' stands for Virtual SCReen (used in cases where the visible part of the screen is not the complete screen area - also comparable to the windows technique); it describes a process that can tell other programs which portion of the screen is currently visible. If this button is switched on then this process will be supported. An absent VSCR is recognised automatically by `Let 'em Fly!'. Some virtual screen drivers (like `BigScreen 2.0' by Julian Reschke) use a cookie to indicate the coordinates of currently visible part of the complete (virtual) screen. `Let 'em Fly!' utilizes this cookie when centering the dialogs, so that they will appear within the visible part of the screen. Alert boxes, however, will always be displayed in the visible portion, irrespective of the setting of this switch. - Form Grow/Shrink Switches the drawing of (dialog-) grow and shrink boxes on/off. When off, screen redraws will be considerably speeded up, though one loses some of the intuitive sensitivity. Incidentally the `KAOS-TOS' advertises this feature. - Graf Grow/Shrink Switches on/off the other grow and shrink boxes (e.g. windows, or when a program is started from `Gemini'). - Niceline Configures the Nicelines (see above). Some programs may have problems (e.g. GFA Basic programs). - Fly Delay This allows one to set the time between the click and the flight so that one can reach into the buttons without the dialog starting to fly beforehand. `0' represents no delay. - Shortcut Disp. You've got the choice between keyboard shortcuts being signalled by underscores or coloured characters. Naturally this is only of interest in one of the colour resolutions; in monochrome mode this switch has no effect and the underscore will be used. - Shortcut Col. You want to have pink underscores? No problem ... This controller assigns a colour to the keyboard shortcut; in medium resolution, for instance, red is easier to see. If the controller is at far left, then shortcuts will be assigned but no underscores will be drawn. - Alert-Icon Here one can assign a colour to the icons in the alert boxes (in colour resolution only of course). - Alert-Border Configures the thickness (not the sickness :-)) of the alert borders (even no border). At the lower edge of the main box there are four buttons: - Info Shows a small information page - Save Makes the settings permanently resident in the actual program. A file selection box follows which allows the path to be set; it expects LETEMFLY.PRG (in some earlier versions one could also choose LET_LGHT.PRG, but the cut-down `Light' version is no longer used). - OK The settings will be adopted but not saved, i.e. if the computer is rebooted the settings will be lost. The Closer at top left has the same effect. - Cancel All changes made will be cancelled and the configuration program will be quit. In the line above the main selection box, the `Config CPX' button opens up a sub-dialog allowing you to configure the CPX itself. You can fade out rarely used switches to keep a clearer overview, then click on `Save' to store these settings. Back in the main dialog you can swap between this `Selection' or `All' of the switches. 5 Well known problems with other programs ========================================= - The `Universal Item Selector (UIS III)' must be started after `Let 'em Fly!' within the AUTO folder, since otherwise it will be de- installed again. This may apply to all programs not using the XBRA protocol. - The `Little Green Selector' doesn't work well with `Let 'em Fly!', getting a bit confused with the keyboard shortcuts and also having some flight problems. These problems must be searched for in LGS! For some (unexplained) reason LGS hooks into the ikbdsys and apparently `scrambles' the AES keycodes thoroughly, so that only LGS can do anything with them (how nice...). Why does the LGS only use XBRA in the GEMDOS-trap and nowhere else? I don't know what your friendly Atari dealer recommends, but I recommend `Selectric┐' as a file selector. - Since `MagicDials' by Peter Hellinger does not handle user-defined objects and buttons `conventionally', incorrect screen re-draws will result from the use of [ALT]+[TAB] key combinations (and also by reversal with [SHIFT]). However, the program will not crash. - With 'MiNT' versions 0.91 and lower `Let 'em Fly!' can not be installed. Other programs also have this problem. - If you confirm a dialog in `NEODESK' by pressing [RETURN], the dialog won't vanish. Remedy: Use the desktop from TOS 2.06 or `Gemini'. 6 Some internals ================ `Let 'em Fly!' latches into the AES TRAP #2 (AES/VDI) and TRAP #13 (BIOS) and uses the XBRA-ID `LTMF'. `Let 'em Fly!' also installs a cookie with the same ID. In some cases (see above) the etv_critic vector will also be bent. 7 Known bugs ============ If a dialog box is made transparent and memory is short, then it may happen that the box cannot be moved again at a further attempt. Well, it appears that GEMDOS is not always able to free a block of size X and later re-allocate a block with the same X. Even `POOLFIX' doesn't correct matters. 8 Afterword =========== As noted at the beginning, I only wanted to see how fast the ST's VDI could be, and somehow this program resulted ... The flying routines were actually only intended for my own programs, but in `ST-Computer' magazine for June 1991 Robert Tolksdorf showed that in principle one can also install something like this as resident; the two programs have nothing in common, except that we both made use of the form_do() sources by D.R. The rest arose only from need. Dan Wilga wrote a program named `FormDoIt' which permits operating the dialogs from the keyboard too, and also offers some editing functions. Unfortunately his form_do() routine is not 100% compatible with the original and there were some problems, particularly with TOUCHEXIT objects. Furthermore he uses Line-A routines for graphic output, which should no longer be used nowadays. `FormDoIt' is connected with `Let 'em Fly!' only in so far as I have implemented many functions and the principle in `Let 'em Fly!', but my program goes much further since a) it doesn't just replace form_do(), b) doesn't use Line-A routines and c) is far more intelligent. What should still be said is that so-called `rogue programs' are only partly supported. By `rogue programs' I mean, among others, programs that do not keep to the rules of the AES. For example `UnLZH' does not recognise appl_init/exit, ALTHOUGH it uses AES routines. The same applies to `PFX-PAK'. Furthermore there are still programs about that do not use an XBRA. That applies particularly to programs from the USA. XBRA has in the meantime been raised to a standard by Atari and should therefore be used by EVERY program that bends vectors. Though `Let 'em Fly!' contains quite a few safety queries, it isn't possible to query everything ... 9 Credits ========= Here I would nevertheless like to thank the two people named above, since they showed that such things are possible. `Interface' by Olaf Meisiek was used for the design the dialog boxes within and without (CPX) `Let 'em Fly!' 10 My address ============= Versions upto 1.20 are direct from : Oliver Scheel Mundenheimer Strasse 254 D-67061 Ludwigshafen Germany Email: Oliver_Scheel@lu.maus.de Newer versions ( ie, 1.30 onwards ) are from : Darryl Piper 1 Parklands Okehampton Devon EX 20 1 QE England Email: drpiper@cix.compulink.co.uk