GoScreen ------------- virtual multi-page monitor manager. Version 1.6. Copyright © 1998 Andrei Gourianov andrew-guryanov@usa.net http://www.aracnet.net/~andgur/software/goscreen.html What is it. ------------------ GoScreen helps you better organize your computer monitor screen by creating up to 40 virtual pages on it. It adds another dimension to your Windows taskbar. Now you can group your applications by themes and avoid an overcrowded desktop. When you switch pages, all your running Windows programs just disappear from your screen and from taskbar - but they are right there waiting when you switch back. Switching virtual pages is as simple as a mouse click. Now when you have a multitasking operating system - add multitasking functionality to your monitor! What makes it better than other virtual desktop managers. -------------------------------------------------------- - It is incredibly easy to use. - It takes very small area of your monitor screen - for purpose! - It helps you work with OTHER programs. - It takes very small amount of your computer resources. - It works fine even with hung up programs or debuggers. - It has DYNAMIC tool tips. That is, you can monitor programs on other pages in real time. - It does not need any installation or de-installation. - It does not need any special DLLs or runtime files. That is, it does not install any hooks or otherwise disturb other programs. - It is incredibly crash proof. - Each virtual page has same wallpaper and desktop icons. System requirements. -------------------- Windows 95/98/NT. Mouse. How to install it. ------------------ No installation is necessary. There is a single EXE file - goScreen.exe. Just run it. No de-installation is necessary as well. Still there is an issue I would like to mention here – how to get it started at Windows start-up. First, find goScreen.exe in the Windows Explorer. Then go to Start – Settings – Taskbar menu. Click on the “Start Menu Programs” tab and press “Advanced” button. Now you “explore” your start menu. Go into “Programs” folder, then into “Startup”. Now drag and drop goScreen.exe from the first explorer window to this one. Windows will create something with the name “Shortcut to goScreen.exe”. That is it. Next time you restart Windows, GoScreen will be started automatically. To remove it from the startup menu, again go to the “Startup” folder and drag and drop “Shortcut to goScreen.exe” into “Recycle Bin”. Command summary ---------------- After you start GoScreen, you see several buttons (1,2,3, etc.), plus and buttons. Each numbered button represents a virtual page. Switching between pages is as simple as a mouse click. Inactive page button: ===================== Left mouse button click activates that page. Right mouse button click shows a list of applications on that page. By selecting an item you move the application to the current page. Active page button: ===================== Left mouse button click "sends back" notification windows from other pages (notifications from mail program, for example). Right mouse button click shows a popup menu with a list of some actions (maximize, minimize, restore, close) that you can perform for all windows on the page. Non-button area: ===================== Left mouse button down and drag - move or resize GoScreen control panel. Right mouse button click shows a list of all applications on currently inactive pages. By selecting an item you activate corresponding page and application. button: ===================== Left mouse button click shows an "About" dialog box, which contains few configuration parameters. See Configuration section for details. button: ===================== Left mouse button click terminates GoScreen. Keyboard control. ----------------- GoScreen does not install any global hooks to monitor the keyboard. So, to use the keyboard control you should first activate GoScreen with the help of Alt + Tab sequence. Then you can press: - A number from 1 to 9 – to activate corresponding page (1 to 9). - The minus sign on numeric keypad and two-digit number – to activate pages 1 to 40 (for pages 1 to 9 in this case first digit should be 0). - F1 – to display “About” dialog box. - Alt + F4 – to terminate GoScreen. Configuration. -------------- All the configuration parameters can be found in the “About” dialog box. You can change: - number of virtual pages - from 2 to 40 (it comes into effect only after you restart GoScreen), - font used for buttons (comes into effect immediately), - font used for tool tips, - caption (non-button) color, - whether to show or not a virtual page contents when you stop the mouse cursor on a page button, - whether to show or not the window controls ( and buttons). Tips. ------------------ I believe it is a not so good idea to switch pages while you start a new application. That application is in the process of creating new windows. You may just end up with these windows "spread" between different pages. It is not a catastrophe of course - you can "collect" these windows on one page later. Or GoScreen will collect them for you. Sometimes some programs choose to notify you about this or that. For example a mail program can show you a dialog box with "You have a new mail" text. These notification windows appear on your active page - so you can see them (and react) immediately. Sometimes, after you say "I want to read it now", that program can appear on your active page as well. Now it looks like this program resides on both pages simultaneously. In fact it only "looks like". Next time you switch pages it will come to its "native" page. Or you can click on active page button and GoScreen will send it back immediately. There is another issue with these notification windows. Sometimes (very rarely in fact), if you just ignore notification dialog box, it can be "lost". The program resides on one page, while its notification window on the other. I have tried my best to find such windows and relocate them to appropriate pages. Most of the time I succeed, but not always. I even think it is impossible. Imagination of software developers knows no limits, you know. Be tolerant, please. And try to respond on notifications immediately… At least, if a program does not respond - look on other pages first. Maybe there are dialog boxes there, waiting for your attention. Disclaimer. ------------ This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event the author of this program is liable to you for damages, including any general, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the program. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program is with you. Registration. ------------- This is a SHAREWARE program. You may try it for a period of one month. If you want to keep it, you should send $10 US, or $15 Canadian (no other currencies please) to the following address: Andrei Gourianov PO Box 40057 RPO Marlee Toronto, ON, M6B 4K4 Canada Send cash (preferable) or cheque. Make the latter payable to Andrei Gourianov. Do not forget to specify your name and e-mail address. As soon as I receive your letter, I will send you your personal registration number by e-mail. What is new in version 1.6. --------------------------- I have improved window management and added the keyboard control. There is also a number of less visible improvements. What is new in version 1.4. --------------------------- Now there is some sense to click on "active" page button too. There are two additional functions, both for left mouse button and for the right. Also you can change tool tip font now. What is new in version 1.2. --------------------------- There is much more navigation functionality. I made every effort to always let you go where you wish and to do what you want. I have added some sort of visual feedback to page buttons. Now you are able to distinguish "empty" pages from "non-empty" ones by their visual appearance only. I have added a popup menu to "non-button" area, which lets you easily enumerate and find all currently running programs and their location on virtual pages. Also, version 1.2 is much more crash proof. In fact it NEVER crashes. If you have questions, comments or problems please feel free to write me to andrew-guryanov@usa.net Andrei Gourianov August 25, 1998.