•  Initial AWOL Utilities 1.0 release.

1.4.0 (October 2, 1993)



•  Improved handling of desktop icons.

into two parts small enough for TeachText to handle.

user agrees to save the help file as a TeachText document, the file is split

•  If the help server is absent when Virtual Desktop requests help, and the

1.4.1 (January 19, 1994)



one second to let the user release the key(s).

If the Help or Command-? key is pressed, the extension will delay up to

•  If the Shift key is pressed on startup, the extension will not be loaded.

programs.

•  Added Virtual Desktop Extension to improve compatibility with other

1.5.0 (January 30, 1994)



PowerBook computers.

•  Increased minimum and preferred memory sizes to accommodate

than English.

•  Desktop icons are properly handled in Systems whose language is other

wrong place.

•  Corrected a bug which sometimes caused desktop icons to end up in the

version check or extension installation alert.

•  Corrected a bug which could cause a crash on exit immediately after a

•  Added virus protection removal advice to extension installation alert.

1.5.1 (February 7, 1994)



example, when startup disk is locked).

•  Allowed the application to operate without a preferences file (for

•  Added protection against loading duplicate copies of the extension.

is out of date.

•  Improved messages given when Virtual Desktop Extension is missing or

Up, and Page Down keys.

•  Added support for virtual desktop scrolling using the Home, End, Page

•  Virtual desktop growth is limited to 32,767 pixels in each direction.

option which prevented help display.

•  Corrected an incompatibility with SpeedyFinder7’s Help menu removal

other applications from finding files.

•  Corrected a Virtual Desktop Extension bug which sometimes prevented

1.5.2 (February 27, 1994)



•  Added the thank-you hot button under Acknowledgements.

opening, due to non-default layout preferences.

•  Prevented visible shifting of anchor and scroll bar windows when

the user from overriding the built-in defaults.

•  Corrected a bug which prevented default application preferences set by

dialog if the selected door no longer exists.

•  Added disabled item to the pop-up menu in the Application Preferences

•  Added the “Rename Door…” menu command and dialog.

item images and radio button.

•  Prevented Full View from using white as the color for an application’s

Virtual Desktop Extension.

•  Added a Help button to the alert which asks for permission to install

Macintoshes without Color QuickDraw.

•  Corrected a bug which could cause the About dialog to crash on

Virtual Desktop Extension was installed.

•  Corrected a bug which caused disk drives to access periodically while

1.6.0 (March 13, 1994)



•  Improved performance of the Use Key Combination option.

icons.

Application’s Items From All Scrolling option were selected for desktop

•  Corrected a bug which could misplace desktop icons if the Exempt

command.

•  Added an optional confirmation alert to the “Trash Door” menu

placing a new door.

•  Corrected a bug which could cause a switch to another application when

applications’ windows as it normally would.

lose track of the true home location, and refrains from moving other

•  If the Virtual Desktop application crashes and is re-opened, it does not

•  Added choice of door arrangements to the “New Door…” dialog.

1.6.1 (March 27, 1994)



other system extensions to reach the active application.

•  Corrected a bug which could cause keystrokes normally trapped by

•  Public AWOL Utilities 1.1 release.

1.7 (March 28, 1994)



applications.

Items folder to assist Virtual Desktop by making it quit before all other

•  Added the “Quit Virtual Desktop” application for use in the Shutdown

crash on Macintoshes without Color QuickDraw.

•  Corrected a bug in the Door Preferences dialog which could cause a

folder if installation failed due to virus protection.

•  Corrected a bug which left an unusable extension file in the Extensions

printing of names in door icon windows.

•  Corrected a bug which could cause white-on-white or black-on-black

allowing more detail in Full View mode.

•  Changed minimum virtual desktop padding from half a screenful to zero,

•  Added a door option to change the color depth when the door is opened.

is opened.

•  Added a door option to open an arbitrary item via Finder when the door

scrolling.

•  Added a navigation option to choose between half- and full-screen

•  Added a navigation option to suppress the scroll bar windows.

keys.

•  Enhanced the navigation options for more flexible selection of modifier

mimicry.

•  Added the Shove Mouse navigation option, a much-wanted bit of

•  Added the “Virtual Desktop Doors” Control Strip module.

application, even if the Virtual Desktop application is not running.

•  Added the optional Door menu, allowing easy access to doors from any

•  Public AWOL Utilities 1.2 release.

1.8 (October 17, 1994)



while in the background.

•  Corrected a bug which caused Virtual Desktop to present some alerts

dialogs on Power Macintoshes.

•  Corrected a bug which affected the appearance of menus and color

reports the evidence of an earlier failed installation, and how to fix it.

previous fix (in 1.8) was not completely successful.  This version also

folder if installation failed due to Gatekeeper virus protection.  The

•  Corrected a bug which left an unusable extension file in the Extensions

Strip module.

•  Improved the response to selections from the Door menu and Control

more likely that the resulting windows will open in the right place.

that scrolling happens before the item is opened, not after.  This makes it

•  Changed the effect of the “Switch to item via Finder…” door option so

WindowShade appear the same as hidden windows.

•  Changed the Full View display so that windows rolled up using

you reconfigure your displays.

•  Added support for the Display Manager, adjusting automatically when

components at any time.

•  Added the Install menu, to let you install appropriate System folder

not distributed alongside it.

appropriate.  These files are now generated from inside the application,

after installing the “Virtual Desktop Extension” system extension, if

Strip module and “Quit Virtual Desktop” application in your System folder

•  Added alerts offering to install the “Virtual Desktop Doors” Control

•  Public AWOL Utilities 1.3 release.

1.9 (March 6, 1996)



•  Never released.

1.9.1 (April 12, 1998)



which better reflects its purpose.

•  Changed the name “Usage Preferences” to “Navigation Preferences”,

drawn or blank.

•  Corrected a bug which sometimes left door icon windows improperly

command to be disabled inappropriately.

•  Corrected a bug which sometimes caused the Grow Desktop menu

module not to pop up if clicked too quickly.

•  Corrected a bug which caused the Virtual Desktop Doors control strip

causes Virtual Desktop to forget the last non-home location.

•  Pressing the Home key while already at the home location no longer

performance.

•  Reduced the complexity of several system patches, to improve overall

OS 8.0.

•  Increased minimum and preferred memory sizes to accommodate Mac

of the screen.

windows are exempt from scrolling, so they always remain at the bottom

•  Images of pop-up windows do not appear in Full View mode.  These

labels on the radio buttons in Full View mode.

the Appearance Manager prevents Virtual Desktop from displaying color

versions of Finder, and supports the new platinum appearance.  However,

•  Virtual Desktop is now compatible with the Mac OS 8.0 and 8.1

•  Public AWOL Utilities 1.4 release.

1.9.2 (April 24, 1998)



grid arrangements to be garbled.

•  Corrected a bug which caused the names given to new doors created in

appearances.

dialogs and Full View window compatible with the new Mac OS 8.5

•  Improved Appearance Manager support, to make Virtual Desktop’s

Finder.

•  Virtual Desktop is now compatible with the Mac OS 8.5 version of

•  Public AWOL Utilities 1.4 release.

1.9.3 (September 2, 1998)







it describes.


Click on any underlined item in this listing to read more about the revision








åRevision History


4



4










Click here to thank somebody personally!

software, and to others who provided useful information.

Special thanks to the nearly 200 fine people who beta-tested this





One big hug to Toni and the family for enduring a LOT of late nights.








åAcknowledgements


–



–









Application Preferences dialog.

menu associated with the Anchor Application’s Items to Door option in the

Doors whose names begin with a period ('.') are not listed in the pop-up



alias during startup, and this may cause your Macintosh to hang.

on a server, as the Virtual Desktop extension will attempt to resolve the

and store aliases to it in various Preferences folders, but avoid storing it

You may store the Virtual Desktop Preferences file in a central location



automatically.  Currently, they are not.

using the Application Preferences dialog, the windows should be moved

If you change the door to which an application’s windows are anchored



the desktop view to use it.

situation.  The current Full View window design forces you to block out

which would offer a bird’s-eye view of the changing virtual desktop

Another common request is for a miniaturized Full View floating window



section of the virtual desktop and keep it in view in a floating window.

proposed “watch windows” scheme would let you select any rectangular

scrolling, which you can use to keep its windows in view at all times.  The

Currently, you have the option to exempt an application’s windows from

keep an eye on a specific part of the virtual desktop at all times.

Having the ability to scroll the desktop, it would be nice if users could



desktop icons.  This is under investigation.

position is stored in the Finder Preferences file, not like the rest of the

The Trash can may not always end up where you put it, because its





screen.

will crash if you drag the window’s title bar to the very bottom of the

same programming error.  Even in the absence of Virtual Desktop, they

The programs which crash if the window goes off-screen all have the

window goes entirely off-screen

•  ResEdit [version 2.1.3 or earlier] — color bitmap editors crash if

off-screen

•  Logitech MouseKey [version 1.2] — crashes if window goes entirely

off-screen

•  GraceLAN Server Manager [?] — crashes if window goes entirely

scrolling if screen cover option is on

•  Empower [all versions] — desktop doesn’t redraw properly when

single-stepping through code

•  Metrowerks CodeWarrior Debug 68K [?] - crashes while

about what to stuff

•  StuffIt Deluxe [version 3.0.7] - Magic Menu feature gets confused

is scrolled while calculating

•  Mathematica [version 2.2 Student Edition] - crashes if virtual desktop

Desktop Extension is installed

•  SmartCom II [version 3.3A, 3.4A, or 4.0A] - crashes if Virtual

•  ColorSwitch [?] — ?

window goes entirely off-screen

•  Brown tn3270 [version 2.3d28 or earlier] — crashes if terminal

doors

•  Data Desk Professional [version 2.0] — sporadic crashes when using

verified):

Here is a list of applications whose users have reported problems (not all







how to recognize and deal with incompatible applications.

See the section entitled “Sensitive Applications” for more information on

them, or not redrawing them when you scroll the desktop.

Virtual Desktop, perhaps putting windows in places where you can’t see

You may occasionally find an application which does not work well with








åLimitations


l



l