Programmer Alessandro
Cantatore, Team OS/2 Italy, just releases Smart Windows V.0.8 Beta
and uploads the file (smw080.zip, 664,03Kb) today August 16 on Hobbes.
Click here to see Smart Windows config>@@@
Click here to see Smart Windows config>@@@
Click here to see Desktop customized by SmartWin>@@@
Smart Windows V.0.8 Beta enhances PM windows aesthetics and
functionality. Titlebar can use shades and bitmaps as background with 3D effect
text. Any bitmap can be used for the standard window controls. Other features include
window rolling, titlebar hiding, sliding focus, mouse pointer hiding, mouse double
click emulation, etc..
Smart Windows is an OS/2 user interface enhancer with both aesthetical
and functional features.
This first public beta is time limited: after about one hour all the
Smart Windows features will be disabled, but you'll be able to go on with
any task you were performing on the machine without any problem.
To enable the Smart Windows features again you must reboot your computer.
Besides that, during the first hour, a small message box will appear
randomly when you open a new window (i.e. most of times you open a new
window you won't get the registration reminder).
The program modifies the default procedure of the frame windows and
and of various PM controls. In order to work it must be loaded during
system startup. This make all the development process more difficult and
longer since in order to test the smallest modification I have to reinstall
the DLL and reboot and you can imagine how slow the reboot can be in the
machine I use for testing: a P120 laptop with a quite slow hard disk and
24 MB of RAM. Sometimes it takes a whole day just to eliminate a small
bug since debugging is much harder in these conditions.
The program has not been tested very well on warp 3 yet.
A beta version for registered users will probably be available soon.
But I have to decide the price and what features to include yet.
Unpack the zip file in a temporary directory and run install.exe.
If you are installing it over the preferences demo program YOU MUST
DELETE SMARTWIN.INI before reboot.
The installation program first looks for the flag file SMARTWIN.@ to
enable the Install button, then looks in the \OS2\DLL directory and the
OS2.INI file for any item from a previous installation.
If any trace of a previous installation is found (or if you run the
"Smart Windows Installer" object later) the Refresh and Delete button
will
be enabled as well.
To install just click on the "Install" button. If a previous copy of
SMARTWIN.DLL is found the program will ask if you want to overwrite it.
If it comes from a previous installation of "Smart Windows" click on "Yes",
if it comes from a different application click on the "No" button, exit
installation and send me an email message.
Then the installer prompts you for the installation drive and path.
You can select a drive from the dropdown list or just type the drive letter
in the "Path:" entry field. If the selected path doesn't exists the
installer will ask if you want to create it. The installer can create
a full tree of not existing directories!
Two modifications are made to the OS2.INI file:
- a "Smart Windows" application is added to store the installation path
- the SMARTWIN module name is added to the list of the DLLs to be
loaded at boot time (SYS_DLLS - LoadPerProcess)
Later all needed files are copied to the installation path while
SMARTWIN.DLL is copied to the \OS2\DLL directory and a "Smart Windows"
folder with the Installer, the Readme file and the Preferences notebook
is created on the desktop.
If some files cannot be processed because they are currently in use
(this will happen if your are installing over a previous installation
or if you click on the "Delete" button to uninstall "Smart Windows")
some
"CALL" statements with the appropriate commands are added to the
CONFIG.SYS file and the original file will be saved as SMARTWIN.CFG.
This file is also used as a flag file: if you install "Smart Windows"
and then, without rebooting, try to install again, you'll get an error
message!
When you reboot the computer, before the WPS is loaded, all locked
files will be overwritten (or deleted if you are deinstalling) and the
original CONFIG.SYS file will be restored.
The "Refresh" button will allow you to restore "Smart Windows"
desktop
objects in case you have accidentally deleted them.
Just click on it and if the application is correctly installed, a
"Smart Windows" folder containing the documentation, the installer and
the preferences program will appear on the desktop.
If you want completely remove the application from your system just
click on the "Delete" button. All "Smart Windows" files will
be removed
as well as any trace of "Smart Windows" in the OS2.INI file. You will
need to reboot your computer to complete the process of deinstallation.
--[Features and Settings]---------------------------------------------------
The preferences application consists in a notebook window whose pages
share a common area with a statusbar which provide contextual help and
a five buttons toolbar:
- the first button on the left ENABLES/DISABLES all Smart Windows features
- the second button is required to APPLY the settings of the current
page. Most pages do not need it since the settings are effective as
soon as they are changed. When required, the button is enbled as soon
as soon as a setting is modified.
- the third button is an UNDO button. It will set the settings of the
current page to the values they held when the Preferences application
was started.
- the forth button is the DEFAULT button and it resets the current page
preferences to the default values.
- the fifth button is the HELP button. There is no SMARTWIN.HLP file yet
so it doesn't work yet.
There are still a lot of features not yet implemented though the
corresponding buttons/checkboxes are in the Preferences application
and there are a couple of features that are always enabled and which
cannot be set/unset in the Preferences application yet:
- contextual menu on the titlebar: a context menu event (right or left
button click according to what you set in the system mouse preferences)
on the titlebar will make the system menu popup next to the mouse
pointer.
- all dialogs are forced to use 9.WarpSans (warp 4) or 8.Helv (warp 3)
without changing the global system font settings in OS2.INI and avoiding
so font clipping. This feature seems not to work properly with warp 3.
The next version of the Preferences application will provide buttons to
enable/disable these features or to set any font and icons for the
standard dialog boxes.
The exceptions pages do not work yet!!!!!
The Smart Windows Preferences notebook consists of the following pages:
[Smart Windows - Product information]
Just the logo with the version number.
[Smart Windows - General]
* Apply on exit : it applies all new settings when the program is closed.
In the current version, sometimes it fails to work, so
CLICK ON THE APPLY BUTTON in the toolbar to be sure to
apply the new settings of the pages which require it.
* Save on exit : if not checked the current settings are not saved in
SMARTWIN.INI so when you reboot you'll get back the
previous settings.
* Remeber last viewed page : allow to remeber which page is in the
foreground when the notebook is closed. When the
application is restarted the previous page is brought
to the foreground.
* Apply all : apply all the new settings in all pages.
* Undo all : undo all modified settings in all pages.
* Default all : the preferences are resetted to the default values
in all pages.
[Titlebar - Active window/Inactive window]
The preferences in this page require the Apply button (the second button)!
You can use any bitmap for the titlebar background or the window controls
with the following limitations:
- all bitmaps must be in warp 2.x format not RLE packed
- the titlebar bitmap file size must be less than 8 KB
- the titlebar bitmap must be at least 22 pixels high for screen
resolutions of 1024x768 pixels or better or 18 pixel for screen
resolutions fo 800x600 pixels or less
- the window controls bitmaps must be 16 colors bitmaps, 22x22 pixels
for high resolution screens and 18x18 pixels for low resolution screens
* Enable titlebar enhancements : enable/disable all the controls in the
page and the corresponding settings. When it is checked
a titlebar sample will be displayed.
* Titlebar sample : it is interactive! By clicking on the titlebar
buttons you can modify the default buttons bitmaps or
the close button position. By clicking on the titlebar
you'll be able to select a different background color,
shade direction or bitmap according to the selected
background mode.
* Background group :
- Solid color : replicates the default titlebar style. The Background
button allows to select the background color.
The titlebar sample can be used like the color
selection button.
- Shade : allow the use of a shade as titlebar background.
When selected will display four buttons to select the
two different colors, swap them or change the shade
direction. The titlebar sample can be used like the
shade direction button.
- Bitmap : allow to use a bitmap as titlebar background.
When selected a bitmap selection button will be
displayed. The titlebar sample can be used like
the bitmap selection button.
* 3D border : allow to surround the titlebar with a 3D border.
The buttons allow to select and swap the colors.
* Text style :
- 3D text : when checked gives a 3D effect to the text. By
selecting the colors you can get a raised or depressed
effect.
- Font:... : the Font button allow to set the titlebar font.
The same effect can be attained by dragging a font
from the font palette and dropping it on the titlebar
sample.
Note:
-1) in titlebar buttons the same bitmap is used both for the button in
ordinary state and for the button in depressed state. The bitmap
is shifted one pixel left and down for user feedback when the
button is depressed. In a future version I'll try to use icons
i.e. transparent bitmaps so to extend the titlebar background
on the buttons bottom and different images for the different
states of the buttons.
-2) when moved to the left side the close buttons replicate the
system menu icon if present. The problem will be solved in
a future version.
-3) next version will allow more control on the titlebar settings
like text formatting (left, center, right) and opaque text
background in order to simulate Mac OS titlebars.
[Titlebar-Exceptions]
The Exceptions pages do not work yet!
[Titlebar-Titlebar hiding]
The options in this page allow to hide the titlebar and controls
(optionally including the actionbar menu) of any window. The titlebar
pops up again as soon as the mouse pointer moves on the upper window
border and is hidden when the mouse pointer is moved away from the
titlebar area downwards.
* Enable titlebar hiding : enable/disable all the titlebar hiding
options.
* Hide by :
- System menu : add a "Titlebar hiding" item to the window system
menu.
- Mouse : select which mouse event, performed on the titlebar,
toggles titlebar hiding on/off.
- Keyboard : (not working yet) will allow to set a keyboard
accelerator for toggling titlebar hiding on/off.
- Titlebar-hide button/unhide button : allow to use a titlebar
button for toggling titlebar hiding on/off.
Two different bitmaps are used for hiding/unhiding.
* Exclude rolled windows : disable titlebar hiding for rolled
windows. This checkbox will probably be removed in
future and the option will be permanently set
since there is hardly any reason to hide the
titlebar of a rolled window.
* Exclude dialog windows : disable titlebar hiding for dialog windows.
Dialog windows without a sizing border are treated
as OS/2-DOS command windows: the titlebar is removed
by reducing the size of the window.
* Include menu : hide the actionbar menu alongside the titlebar and
window controls.
* Pop up delay : set how long (hunredths of second) the mouse must
stay on the upper window border to make the hidden
titlebar be displayed.
* Hide delay : set how long the mouse pointer must stay away from
the titlebar area before the titlebar is hidden
again.
Note: titlebars in hidden state are hidden again only when the mouse
pointer moves downwards!
[Window rolling-General options]
* Enable window rolling : enable/disable all the window rolling options.
* Roll by :
- System menu : add a "Roll/unroll" item to the window system menu.
- Mouse : select which mouse event, performed on the titlebar,
toggles window rolling on/off.
- Keyboard : (not working yet) will allow to set a keyboard
accelerator for toggling window rolling on/off.
- Titlebar-roll button/unroll button : allow to use a titlebar
button for toggling window rolling on/off.
Two different bitmaps are used for rolling/unrolling.
* Exclude hidden title windows : disable window rolling for hidden
titlebar windows. This checkbox will probably be
removed in future and the option will be permanently
set. The hidden title state will be automatically
unset when window rolling is toggled on.
* Auto-unroll when getting focus : rolled windows are automatically
unrolled when getting focus.
* Auto-roll when losing focus : windows whose rolled state has been
previously set, are losed as they lose focus.
* Allow vertical resizing of rolled windows : (not yet implemented -
at the moment it is always unset). When checked
should disable window resizing when in rolling state.
* Auto-unroll windows vertically resized : (not yet implemented)
rolled windows will ne automatically unrlled when
a size event is detected.
* Roll to the bottom : (not yet implemented) make window roll downwards:
i.e. the left bottom corner of the window won't move.
* Store rolled state : (not yet implemented) will allow to remember
the rolled state of window! It will be possible to
unroll windows closed when in rolled state.
* Auto-unroll when closing window : (not yet implemented)
[Maximized windows-General options]
not yet implemented
[Sizing/moving-General options]
only the "Frame drag" feature works at the moment. The "Drag by"
button
allow to select the mouse-keyboard combination for toglling Frame drag.
[Text controls-General options]
only "Entry field automatic text selection" work at the moment. The
"Select by" button allow to chose the mouse/keyboard combination.
[VIO windows]
not yet implemented
[Mouse]
* Automatic focus : main windows, child of nthe desktop, under the
mouse pointer are automatically made active. The
"Delay" spinbox allow to set how long the mouse must
stay on a window before it becomes the active
window.
The option work for seamless WinOS2 windows as well.
* Ignore desktop : when checked the desktop window is not made active
when the mouse pointer moves on it.
* Don't bring to top : activated window is not made the topmost window.
This feature is disabled when moving to or from a
seamless WinOS2 window.
* Ignore new windows : the autofocus feature is suspendend when a new
window is opened and re-enabled after the mouse
has been moved on the new window.
* Pointer hiding : the pointer is hidden when it stop moving. The
"Delay" spinbox allow to set how long it must be
still before it is hidden.
- Exclude buttons : disables pointer hiding when it is over a button.
- Exclude menu : disables pointer hiding when it is over a menu.
* Remap button 3 click as button 1 double click : works with most
PM windows and applications (still problems with
PMMail). It works randomly with seamless WinOS2 windows.
This problems will be solved soon.
* Move the mouse pointer to the focus window and following :
not yet implemented.
- The Preferencesapplication is not very stable yet and sometimes fails
to save the new settings. Just try to set the preferences again and
click on the Apply button when necessary.
- The preferences application crash with a SYS3175 error code if Program
Commander is running. Stop it to run the preferences application and
restart it later.
- Do not use conflicting options when using other PM enhancers like Xit,
NPS WPS Enhancer, Program Commander/2, Object Desktop, etc.
- PMSEEK.EXE hangs when a mouse button up event is detected. Press Ctrl-Esc and
wait for kill application dialog and select Cancel if you want to
continue the search operation or OK if you want to stop it.
- PM Mail hangs when the middle button is clicked on any of its windows.
Just press Ctrl-Esc and wait for the application termination dialog.
- The double click emulation works randomly with seamless WinOS2 windows.
- Sometimes the mouse pointer gets corrupted.
PLEASE REPORT OTHER PROBLEMS TO THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Correction of all bugs is of course the first planned feature ;-).
Other planned features are:
* completion of the features present on the preferences application
* more titlebar options (text formatting, Mac OS style, more titlebar
buttons, etc)
* warp 4 window style (border) for warp 3 users
* use of bitmap as dialog background
* various buttons, checkboxes and radiobuttons style
* various scrollbar style
* full control of the colors used by the various controls
* option to set a default font for all windows different from
System Proportional avoiding font clipping problems
* new style for selected menu item (warp 3 or unix style)
* selectable icons used by the standard messagebox dialogs.
* import/export of bitmap/color schemes
* more sliding focus options
* folder enhancements
* menu autoselection
The program will be distributed as shareware in different flavours
(only aesthetic features, only functional fetures, mixed features,
all available features).
