This Old Workbench Episode Twelve

Copyright © 1998,2000 Dave S. Matthews

Something Old, Something New...


Well, my twelfth episode! Who knew there was so much material to cover? Luckily, there are still plenty of dedicated programmers out there keeping the Amiga alive and kicking. It would be nice for my twelfth anniversary episode to announce that a new official version of our trusty OS was shipping, but since I can't do that, I'll have to be happy with the latest downloads from Aminet.

Class Action 3.5
Short: ClassAction 3.5 (MUI && GT)
Author: [email protected] (Salim Gasmi)
Aminet: util/wb/ca35.lha
Status: Shareware (free)
URL: http://www.gasmi.net

Class Action is a "recognizer" program, you give it a file, and (once properly configured) it will perfrom the appropriate action(s) on that file. You can configure Class Action to recognize and act on just about any type of file you can think of, pictures, sounds, archives, you name it. And you can configure Class Action with multiple actions for a given file type, for instance, viewing, testing, and unpacking an archive. You can even use Class Action as a mini-filemanager, to copy, rename, and move files. See Figure 1 for the main Class Actions program.

Figure 1:Class Actions at Work
Figure 1:Class Actions at Work


Class Action features:

- ClassAction is now MailWare and you can register for FREE !!!
- All advantages of a MUI application (font sensitive,resizable ..)
- Built-in File manager
- Multi selection
- Directories handled
- Arexx Port
- Commodity
- AppIcon
- Localized (English and French)
- XFD support.
- Easy to configure with ClassActionPrefs.
- Analyzer making ClassAction able to auto-learn new file formats
- Interactive commands .
- Use few memory.
- ReqTools Support.
- AppWindow support for your comfort
- You can have up to 50 path buttons

As with any such program, the bad news is you must configure it to meet your needs. Sometimes I feel like I spend so much of my time configuring programs to act the way I want them to, I never get to actually use the programs!

Figure 2:Class Actions, Learn Mode
Figure 2:Class Actions, Learn Mode


Class Action includes a very nice feature that can make this process less painful. Class Action's Learn mode (see Figure 2) is very handy for automatically configuring new filetypes. As an example, if you wanted to add PNG pictures to Class Actions list of known filetypes, all you would have to do is use the learn mode, select several PNG pictures from a file requester, and Class Action scans these pictures, finds the "ID bits" in them and configures itself to recognize them. "ID bits" are letters or numbers embedded in a file to identify the file. A PNG picture will have the letters "PNG" in the first few bytes of the file. A JPEG picture will have "JFIF." Class Action finds these bits and can use them to properly recognize a filetype. Not all files have these, for instance plain text files generally don't, and Class Action can't automatically learn these, but for the majority of files, Learn Mode is an incredible time saver.

All of Class Actions abilities are accessible via an Arexx port, for those who need the extra control and flexibility.


MCP 1.3

Short: THE Ultimate WB-Enhancer!
Author: [email protected] & [email protected]
Aminet: util/cdity/MCP130
Requires: util/libs/mui38usr.lha && OS >=2.04 (3.0+ for some
features)
Status: Freeware

Wow, another "ultimate!" I covered MCP in an earlier episode, and now it's back in a brand new version. MCP is a multi-purpose commodity with a seemingly endless list of features for enhancing the utility and the look and feel of your Amiga. Take a look at Figure 3 for the MCP preferences.

Figure 3:MCP Preferences
Figure 3:MCP Preferences


Some of MCP features:

- PropHack
- Force Hires Pointer
- Wait Validate
- NewEdit
- Assign-Manager
- WBTitle-Clock
- ReqToolsPatch
- moving solid windows (fully systemconform)
- sizing of solid windows (fully systemconform)
- PackerPatch (every program can load crunched files)
- 16 colour Mouse-Pointer
- new Workbench-Titlebar
- complex ScreenManager
- Format Protection
- ToolAlias (changing the Default Tool in the icons)
- CacheFont
- New ToolTypes (additional ToolTypes for Games etc.)
- MouseAccelerator
- Drive NoClick
- setting DRI-Pens
- AssignWedge
- automatic Screen Activation
- Requester Timeout
- exchange AppIcons
- exchange TopazFont
- Blanker (supports SwazBlanker and GarshneBlanker)
- Dimmer
- MousePointer-Blanker
- Guru-History (saving of all Guru's)
- NoGuru
- PatchRGB32
- Screensmenu (for comfortable selection of screens)
- patch for memorymanagement (e.g. turning off the ChipMem)
- DOS star (* instead of #?)
- Force NewLook-Menus
- Hotkeys
- MUI-Preference-Program
- programmed in 100% Assembler

Well, MCP won't mow your lawn, do your taxes, or walk the dog, but as you can see, it certainly does do a lot. In addition to the always popular floppy no-click, screen blanker and mouse accelerator options, MCP offers enhanced editing for string gadgets (cut and paste etc.), an AssignWedge, to replace the unhelpful "please insert volume..." requester with options to make an assign, mount a device or completely deny the volume.

MCP can also keep a list of all gurus, which could be helpful if you're having a lot of crashes.

Tired of your dull old 4 color mouse? Well, if you're using ECS/AGA, you can now have a 16 color pointer.

If you have a DPMS capable monitor, MCP offers power management. Newer monitors can be turned to standby or suspend modes during periods of user inactivity, to save on electricity.

MCP also offers many options for controlling your CPU, such as turning caches on and off, enabling the '060's advanced featured and so on. This can be handy for running older programs or games which often dislike the more advanced features of the Motorola CPUs.

As always, a program this complex can cause conflicts with other software, so be sure and watch for odd behavior. You might want to enable the options of MCP one at a time, until you can be sure they work on your system.


VisualPrefs 1.0a
Short: Configure the look of the Amiga GUI!
Author: [email protected] (Massimo Tantignone)
Version: 1.0a
Aminet: util/wb
Requires: AmigaOS 3.0+
Status: Shareware

Visual Prefs, by Massimo Tantignone, is a new program which gives you a whole slew of options for controlling the look of the Amiga's GUI. There have been many similar patches that change bits and pieces of the GUI, such as the Window gadgets etc., but Visual Prefs is by far the most comprehensive and easy to use.

Some of Visual Prefs features:

- different light/dark colors for active or inactive windows edges
- the thickness of all four window borders (also with system gadgets)
- the height of window/screen titlebars regardless of the font height
used
- the system gadgets style (also for MUI/KingCON/ClassAct titlebar
gadgets)
- the exact look of the BOOPSI and GadTools 3D frames
- the look of GadTools proportional gadgets
- the position of window titles (centered in dragbar or in whole
titlebar)
- the fill color of inactive window borders

All the program's options are available via a nicely done prefs program. One lack the program has is the inability to use your own custom gadget images, ala Tinic Urou's Urouhack. Perhaps the author will add this functionality in a later release. If you're looking for a little more control over the Amiga's GUI, you should definitely have a look at Visual Prefs. See figure 4 for a screen shot of the preferences program, showing off some of the customizations possible.

Figure 4:Visual Prefs
Figure 4:Visual Prefs


Bar None
Short: The ultimate controller for your Ami (MUI)
Author: [email protected]
Version: 1.3
Aminet: util/wb/BarNone.lha
Requires: util/libs/mui38usr.lha && OS >=3.0
Status: Shareware
URL: http://www.frii.com/~srk/ShadowWorks/

BarNone is billed as the "ultimate system controller." What BarNone gives you is a centralized and organized way to add a lot of functionality to your Amiga. Think of it as a toolbar on steroids. You can create docks with your favorite programs, but you can also incorporate system monitors, such as memory, tasks, etc. One of the really cool things BarNone offers is a visual display of available screens, with thumbnails. You can open, close, and have the screen pop to front or back. If you have many screens open, this is very convenient. See Figure 5 for the Bar None Editor, and Figure 6 for a small example.

Figure 5:BarNone Editor
Figure 5:BarNone Editor


Figure 6:BarNone Example Object
Figure 6:BarNone Example Object


Some of BarNone's features:

- Over 20 imbeddable object classes that can be used to create your
own custom system controller applications, with more on the way.
- Innovative features such as antialiased, palette-remapped thumbnail
views of other screens.
- An extremely powerful layout mechanism.
- Runtime object binding allows full extensibility by 3rd parties
(development kit to be available).
- Multithreaded objects.
- Powerful template system for macro object creation.
- Construct interfaces by dragging and dropping objects.

A word of warning, though, there is a pretty steep learning curve here. BarNone is so customizable, and has so many options, it's rather daunting to get get started. The documentation includes a number of tutorials, as well as the reference section, so this should help. Like a growing number of Amiga programs, BarNone's documentation is in HTML, rather than AmigaGuide or text, so you'll need a browser to view them. You can get demo versions of IBrowse, Voyager, or AWeb to view the docs; all should work well. Figure 7 shows the Opening tutorial page.

Figure 7:BarNone HTML Tutorial
Figure 7:BarNone HTML Tutorial


If you understood any of that, and you're willing to put some effort forth, BarNone could make your Amiga a nicer and more productive place to be.

That's about it for this episode.

 


This Old Workbench, Episode 12

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