Amiga ISO Collection/AmigaUtilCD2.iso/Sound/Player/sid103.lha/Updates103

Text File | 1989-09-23 | 7.8 KB | 181 lines

                           Updates for SID v1.03
                           ---------------------

Summary:
--------

 1) SID now has a non-interlaced custom screen.
 2) You can specify alternate names for the device buttons.
 3) There is a command key for the SHRINK gadget.
 4) The string gadget editing keys are now supported.
 5) SID no longer ignores the second argument specified when run from the CLI.
 6) Can toggle the AbsolutePath flag on and off in the Flags menu.
 7) SID no longer crashes when run from the Workbench.
 8) You can avoid the 1x1 pixel output window with the NULL: device.
 9) Non-absolute path mode now works.
10) There is now a Previous Directory gadget for each list.


Details:
--------

 1) SID now has a non-interlaced custom screen.

    In the "Screen" menu item in the Environment menu you will now find three
    selections corresponding to where the SID window will reside:

        Workbench ... on the Workbench screen
        Custom ...... on its own non-interlaced custom screen (640x200)
        Interlace ... on its own interlaced custom screen (640x400)

    Note that to make room for the custom screen's title bar, SID cannot
    open a Full Size window (15 rows).  If you select this option, SID will
    default to the largest Specify Size window it can open (13 rows).

    In the config file, to initially open SID on its own non-interlaced
    custom screen, set WindowHeight=CUSTOM.  To open SID on an interlaced
    custom screen, set WindowHeight=INTERLACE.


 2) You can specify alternate names for the device buttons.

    Because I use three different Amigas at home and at work, I found that I
    wasn't using the device buttons because I couldn't remember what DH0:,
    DH1:, etc. were on the different machines.  Now you can specify any
    three-character name you want for each button, and specify a complete
    path corresponding to that button.  For example, you could name one of
    the device buttons "LIB" and specify a path of "dh2:libraries".

    You configure the name of the device buttons the same as before, using
    the DeviceButtons= keyword in the SID config file.  If you do not specify
    any button paths, when you click on a device button, SID will create the
    path names the same as before--by adding a colon to the three-character
    button name.  For example, if you click on the DF0 button, the resulting
    path name would be DF0:.

    You specify button paths in the config file with the keywords Button1=,
    Button2=, ... Button8=.  These correspond to the first eight device
    buttons (the same for both lists), with Button1 located on the far left.
    If a device button has a button path specified, then instead of appending
    a colon to the button name, the button path is used.  That means you must
    supply any necessary colons and slashes.  That also means that the button
    name is ignored and you can name it anything you want.  Note that you do
    not have to specify a button path for each device button.

    As an example, here is how my config file is set up:

        DeviceButtons=DF0DF1TOYWRKWKBGRURAMRAD
        Button3=DH0:
        Button4=DH1:
        Button5=DH2:
        Button6=DH3:

    Button Name ...  DF0   DF1   TOY   WRK   WKB   GRU   RAM   RAD
    Path Used .....  DF0:  DF1:  DH0:  DH1:  DH2:  DH3:  RAM:  RAD:

    Note that I could have just as easily specified "Workbench:" for the WKB
    button (using the volume name, instead of the device name).


 3) There is a command key for the SHRINK gadget.

    Pressing CTRL-S will now shrink the SID window.


 4) The string gadget editing keys are now supported.

    In addition to the SmartFields editing capabilities in the docs, the
    Intuition string gadget editing commands are now supported in SID's
    input fields.  They are:

      Right-Amiga-X:  delete field contents
      Right-Amiga-Q:  restore deleted contents


 5) SID no longer ignores the second argument specified when run from the CLI.

    A bug (feature?) caused SID to ignore the second directory argument (if
    specified) when run from the CLI.


 6) Can toggle the AbsolutePath flag on and off in the Flags menu.

    The AbsolutePath flag set in the config file determines whether
    directories in SID will be replaced with their abolute path names.  For
    example, RAM: would be replaced with "RAM DISK:".  You can now toggle
    this flag on and off with the 'Path Name' item in the 'Flags' menu.  A
    check mark will appear in the menu next to the flag's current state,
    either "Absolute" or "As Specified".

    This flag is handy because it allows you to switch out of AbsolutePath
    mode when you are viewing directories on two different disks with the
    same name.  In AbsolutePath mode, the path names would be replaced with
    the name of the disk, and because they both have the same name, you can
    only access one of them (and AmigaDOS decides which one).  By switching
    out of AbsolutePath mode, you can specify DF0: and DF1: and access both
    disks.


 7) SID no longer crashes when run from the Workbench.

    Now that I've acquired the source to the detach function, I can
    selectively detach only when SID is run from the CLI.  What does this
    mean?  You no longer have to use the IconX program to launch SID from the
    Workbench.  You can launch it directly from its icon (which is supplied
    in the update file).  This also means that SID does not crash if you
    mistakenly run it from the Workbench without the IconX program.  Thanks
    to Mike Monaco for finding the source for me.


 8) You can avoid the 1x1 pixel output window with the NULL: device.

    When you run SID (from the CLI or Workbench), it opens a 1x1 pixel CLI
    window in the upper left corner of the Workbench screen.  This catches
    the output from any program you run without setting the OUTPUT flag.
    AmigaDOS doesn't like it when there's nowhere to send a program's output,
    and your program will crash without it.

    Now in v1.03, SID checks to see if the NULL: device is mounted.  If it
    is, it uses the NULL: device for program output, and the 1x1 pixel window
    is not opened.  This saves you about 5K in memory, plus some system
    overhead that Intuition needs to maintain the output window.

    To use the NULL: device, copy the supplied "null-handler" file into your
    L: directory, and add the supplied "MountList" entry to your
    devs:MountList file.  Then be sure to "mount null:" sometime before
    running SID.  If you plan on using this on a regular basis, you might
    want to put the mount command in your startup-sequence.

    Note that SID does NOT require the NULL: device to run.  It is merely
    provided for those users who wish to save a little memory and system
    overhead.  Many new programs including RunBack are using the NULL: device
    as a replacement for NIL: (NIL: is not a real device and therefore cannot
    always be used by programs which require a real device).

    As far as I know, the null-handler is freeware, written by Gunnar
    Nordmark.  If you find otherwise, please let me know.


 9) Non-absolute path mode now works.

    SID failed to append a slash '/' to the end of path names when not in the
    AbsolutePath mode.  This would cause problems when attempting to execute
    commands.  Thanks to John Ruckart for finding this one.


10) There is now a Previous Directory gadget for each list.

    Hidden in the window border next to the Path Fields are Previous
    Directory gadgets.  Clicking on this gadget will load the previous
    directory for the corresponding list.  This is handy when you
    accidentally wipe out the current directory by loading another directory.
    You can also use this gadget to toggle back and forth between two
    directories.


Updates v1.03 09/02/89
© Copyright 1989 Timm Martin
All Rights Reserved Worldwide

/*-- END --*/