Animal Patrols  Version 1.2E

Welcome (Introduction)

Equipment necessary to patrol (Requirements)

Inviting the force to your Windows (Installation)

Commanding the force

Direct commands

Recruiting your own officers

Officiating your Animal Patrols Force (Registration)

Calling the SWAT Team (Support)

Copyright and distribution

Liability

Afterthoughts

To old hands (version-up users)


TASKS
Direct Commands

To give an officer a direct command, click the left mouse button on the patrolling officer to stop them.  When they display a caption, click the left mouse button on it.  A Direct Command pop-up list will appear.  Command the officer one of the following commands or press the ESC key to let the officers go on with their duty.

 [Name]

 [What's the Time?]

 [Set Alarm]

 [Launch Programs]

 [System Information]

 [Stay Put]

 [Stay Seen]

 [Ready Patrol]

 [About]

 [Help]

 [Register User]

 [Guard Windows]

 [Activate Saver]

 [End Patrol]

 [Managers]

 [Exit/Restart Windows]

Report Low System Resource


Introduction
Welcome

Cute animals  [image]   [image]   [image]   [image]   [image] each with unique abilities will walk across the screen to patrol your windows.

One of the officer will always patrol across your screen looking for signs of trouble and for any one who might need assistance.  Please feel free to stop them anytime.

To get their attention, click the left mouse button on the patrolling officer.  They will stop and pay you an attention.  If you just wanted to say "hi" and did not have any particular task you wanted to ask them to do, click the left mouse button again.

To ask them a question or to give them a command, click the right mouse button on the patrolling officer.

An officer is capable of doing one of the following tasks:

1. Tell you the current time.

2. Display a caption and play a music (WAV file) at a set time to remind you of an important event.

3. Open a program launcher dialog box.

4. Display the current system information.

5. Exit or restart Windows or reboot the system.

6. Give a low system resource warning.

7. Lock all windows.

8. Immediately activate a screen saver.

*You, as a commissioner, are able to recruit you own officer!

You are entitled to hire any spiffy new recruit to spice up your force.

(You can add your own icon as one of the members and make it patrol with other officers)

*You will be able to keep your own pet and allow it to walk all over your Windows without getting any complaints, even if your apartment forbids keeping a pet.


[Officer No.1]    I'm Charbo!


[Officer No.2]    Cockle here. Cock-a-doodle-do!


[Officer No.3]    I'm officer B.J..  Nice to meet you!


[Officer No.4]    Chapee is my name!


[Officer No.5]    My name is Scaesars.  Clip, clip!


Animal Patrols minicab(ZX+)

  Equipped with 15,000cc 8 cylinder engine.  With this engine, it will even out run F1 racing cars.  Furthermore, Its armored body and bullet proof glass are rumored to even withstand a direct bazooka hit.


Animal Patrols Ambulance

  Equipped with 8,000cc 8 cylinder engine and internationally top grade medical facility.


Animal Patrols (known to everybody as AniPat) officer's badge.

Only the fittest, who have proven themselves to protect the safety of every Windows' users, can be called AniPat and rewarded with this badge. (Not for sale!)


The Animal Patrols check in message.

This message will only appear for few seconds after ANIPAT.EXE file execute.  If it bothers you, click the right mouse button.

When the force is officiated, commissioner's (your) name will appear in the title.


Requirements
Equipment Necessary to Patrol

Animal Patrols is written in Visual Basic ver.3.0.  Therefore, to have animals patrol your windows, VBRUN300.DLL module is required.

Patrolling the Neighborhood

Animal Patrols can only patrol in Windows 3.1 neighborhood.

Furthermore, unless the neighborhood allows music to be played (i.e. system is equipped with sound board or sound driver soft), the Patrol is prohibited from making any noise.

Sound driver, SpkQQ (Shareware: US$10.00), is available on WINFUN LIB 6 - SPKQQ.LZH.

Trained Environments

  Officers have been trained and tested in the following environments:

Gateway2000 P5-90	+ Microsoft-Windows 3.1

IBM PS/V Vision	+ Microsoft-Windows 3.1

IBM ThinkPad 500	+ Microsoft-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-486NAS2	+ NEC-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-9801NA/C	+ NEC-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-9801NS/E	+ NEC-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-9801NS/L	+ NEC-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-9801RA	+ MicroSoft-Windows 3.1

NEC PC-G98sU8	+ NEC-Windows 3.1


Installation
Inviting the force to your Windows

Since you are reading this file, you probably already decompressed the ANIPAT.LZH file.  In the same directory, there should now be the following files:

ANIPAT.EXE	Animal Patrols execution file

ANIPAT.HLP	Animal Patrols on-line help file

1. If the VBRUN300.DLL file in not already copied to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory, copy it there.

2. Copy or move the ANIPAT.EXE and ANIPAT.HLP files to a directory.

3. Execute the ANIPAT.EXE file from Windows by using either the File Manager or the Program Manager.

4. Please read the on-line Animal Patrols Help file (this file) before using Animal Patrols.


How to command the force
Commanding the Force

To stop a patrolling officer, click the left mouse button on the moving officer.  It will display a caption message and wait for your command.

To command an officer, click the left mouse button on this caption again.  A Direct Command menu will appear.  (To cancel the operation, click the left mouse button on the officer once more or press the ESC key.)

NOTE: If a focus is on an officer, pressing the ENTER key will make it display a caption.

To command the officer to perform its special task, click the right mouse button on the officer.

To rotate to an another officer, double-click the left mouse button on the officer. (1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 1 , 2 , 3 ..... )

[Using the Keyboard](when a focus is on the officer)

1. Press the ENTER key to make it display a caption message. (To cancel, press the ENTER key again.)

2. To make it display a Direct Command menu, press the ALT key.

3. Use the up and the down arrow keys to move up and down the list respectively.  Press the ENTER key when the command you want to give is highlighted.

NOTE:

An officer can directly be commanded when a caption is being displayed by pressing the key corresponding to a command.

Key	   Command

N	Name

T	What's the time?

S	Set alarm...

L	Launch program...

I	System information...

U	Stay put

Y	Stay seen

P	Ready Patrol...

A	About...

H	Help...

R	Register User...

G	Guard Windows...

V	Activate screen saver

E	End Patrol...

M	Manager...

+--  P	Progman...

+--  F	Fileman....

+--  R	Printman...

+--  T	Taskman...

+--  C	Control Panel...

W	Exit/Restart Windows...

+--  W	Exit Windows...

+--  R	Restart Windows...

+--  S	Reboot System...

WARNINGS:

 When an officer is displaying a caption message, giving a command to this officer will take higher priority than doing tasks on other windows.  Even if a focus is attempted to be moved to an another window, focus will be returned to giving a command to an officer.

In this situation, please clear the caption by pressing the ESC key.


[Name]

Command the officer currently on duty to state his name.


[What is the time?]
[What's the time?]

Command the officer to tell today's date and the current time.


[Set Alarm]

Command the officer to display caption and play music (WAV file) at the specified time.

[How to set an alarm]

1. Select the Set Alarm from the direct command list.  A Set Alarm dialog box will appear displaying the current time.

2. Use the scroll bar next to the Hr and Sec to set the time at which an officer is to notify you.

3. Set the message which an officer is to tell you at the set time.

Enter the message in the field to the right of the Sec scroll bar or drop-down the selection box and select from the pre-entered message.

4. Set the WAV file to play at the set time.

(a)Check the WAV box to play a WAV file at the set time and select the WAV file one of the following methods.

- Choose the Browse button and select a file.

- Enter the file name in the field next to WAV.

- \WINDOWS\TADA.WAV will be played by default if a file is not selected.

(b) Choose Test to immediately play the WAV file.

5. Check the Set box to make an officer remind you at the set time.

6. Choose the OK button to close the Set Alarm dialog.

NOTE:

1. To test the alarm, set the time to before the current time.  An officer will immediately notify you.

2. Set will be unchecked once an officer notifies you, but if the Animal Patrols program is exited before the set time, Set will remain checked and an officer you notify you the next time Animal Patrols comes on duty.


[Launch Programs]

4 programs may be defined to be launched just by choosing an icon on Program Launcher dialog box.

[Launching a Program]

A program may be executed by one of the following methods:

1. Double click on the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

2. Click the left mouse button on the number below the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

3. Enter the number key shown below the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

NOTE:

1. To close the Program Launcher dialog box, click the right mouse button anywhere on the dialog box or press the ESC key.

2. Program Launcher dialog box will also close after executing a selected program.

3. Please refer to Define Launcher to define programs to be included in the Program Launcher dialog box.


[System Information]

Enable each officer to tell Desktop system information.

 1. DOS version

 2. Windows  version

 3. CPU (operation mode)

 4. Co-processor (installed/uninstalled)

 5. Free memory

 6. Free system resource

 7. Video driver

 8. Display resolution (Width x Height, number of colors, dots)

 9. Text color

10. Mouse

11. Network

12. Language

13. Keyboard

WARNING:

Depending on the screen resolution of your system, not all information will be displayed.


[Stay Put]

Command an officer to stop strolling across the screen and stay stationed at the specified location.

Location at which an officer is to remain stationed can be moved by the following keys.

An officer will move 1 character in the specified direction when the corresponding key is pressed.

Direction	Cursor Numeric 	     Keyboard

Up	8

Down	2

Left	4

Right	6


[Stay Seen]

Command the officer to always appear on top of other objects on the Desktop.


[Ready Patrol]

Animal Patrols unit and officer information as well as Program Launcher information are defined.

To swap an officer, click the one of the officer

             that is to go on duty with your mouse (either right or left mouse button).

NOTE:

Officers' captions may also be edited from this dialog box.

1. Speed control

2. Officers' profile

3. Launcher definition

4. Ready Patrol dialog box display option

5. Miscellaneous

6. Warnings


1. Speed Control
Speed Control

Set and edit officers' step width and animation speed.

WARNINGS:

When changing these values, please take your system's performance level into consideration.


2. Officers Profile
Officers' Profile

Properties associated with an officer is assigned from this page of the dialog box.

Changing a Caption

Content of a caption can be changed by entering a text in the Caption field.  Please only enter a single word.  Furthermore, long text will be truncated.

Changing a Sound File

Enter the path name and the file name of a sound (WAV) file.

- If you do not know the exact path and the file name, choose the Browse WAV button at the lower left side of the dialog box.  Select Sound File dialog box will appear to assist WAV file selection.  To play a highlighted file, click the right mouse button within the File selection box.  Choose the OK button to return to the Officers' Profile dialog box.

To play the WAV file, entered in the Sound field, choose the Test button.  (If you have a recording of sounds animals make, it might be fun setting these to the various animal officers.)

Assigning a Special Task

Open the pop-up list and select a special task assigned to this officer.  This task will be performed when this officer is clicked with the right mouse button when he is on duty.

Changing to another Officer

Slide the slider button in the scroll bar at the bottom of the dialog box to change to another officer.

6th Officer

6th officer is a new recruit yet without an assigned name.  Please enter a new name for this officer to make him feel more at home.  Furthermore, this officer can be replaced with an officer you recruited.  In this case, be sure to name this officer.

(The first officer [image] is duplicated to this sixth officer by default)

Miscellaneous

Clicking the officer in the dialog box is similar to clicking the patrolling officer.  Use this property to test officers' properties.

Saving the Changes

Choose the Save button to save all the changes that have been made.


3. Launcher Definition
Launcher Definition

4 programs can be defined to be launched.

Use the mouse or the TAB key to highlight the field to change.

This first line next to the icon is the program file name, and the second line is the icon file name.

Changing the Program

To change a program (files with EXE, COM, BAT, PIF extensions), choose the Browse EXE button.

- If there is an associated icon file, this icon file will also be set as a default icon.

- If the selected program does not have an associated icon file, [image] will be displayed.

Changing the Icon

To change an icon (files with ICO and EXE extensions), choose the Browse ICO button.

- Custom icon can be assigned to programs that does not have an associated icon (e.g. DOS applications).

- Custom icons can also be assigned to programs with assigned icons.

Setting an Icon

If program or icon file name has been entered from the keyboard or pasted, choose the Set button.

Saving the Changes

Choose the Save button to save all the changes that have been made.

Launching a Program

1. Double click on the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

2. Click the left mouse button on the number below the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

3. Enter the number key shown below the icon corresponding to the program which you want to execute.

WARNING:

Please set icons after setting programs.  If there is an icon file associated with a program file, icon file will be changed.

NOTE:

Following 4 programs is set by default:

Program 1	Calculator	"CALC.EXE"

Program 2	Notepad	"NOTEPAD.EXE"

Program 3	Card File	"CARDFILE.EXE"

Program 4	Clipboard	"CLIPBRD.EXE"

If these files are not in the WINDOWS directory, please change them.


4. Display Ready Patrol dialog box option
Ready Patrol dialog box display option

If officers are already experienced and there is no need to display Ready Patrol dialog box the next time Animal Patrols is called to duty, close the Ready Patrol dialog box before allowing animals to end patrol.

If officers are still not experienced and must be taught, Ready Patrol dialog box may be displayed the next time Animal Patrols is called to duty by allowing animals to end patrol while the Ready Patrol dialog box is still open.


5. Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous

 Badge button.....

Minimize Ready Patrol dialog box when chosen.

Save button.....

Save all properties set in Ready Patrol dialog boxes.

(All properties are also automatically saved when Animal Patrols is exited.)

Close button.....

Close Ready Patrol dialog box.

(Click the right mouse button on officer's caption to open Ready Patrol dialog box once again.)

End Patrol button.....

Save all properties and exit Animal Patrols.


6. Warnings
Warnings

If you accidentally allowed officers to run across the screen at too fast a speed, and you can not make it stop with your mouse, re-adjust their speed by the following method:

1. Stop the officer using your keyboard.

(a) If the focus is not on the officer, press the ESC + CTRL keys to bring up the Task Manager.  Select Animal Patrols to move the focus to the officer.

(b) Stop the officer by pressing the ESC key.

2. Open the Ready Patrol dialog box.

    Click the right mouse button on the caption.

3. Re-adjust Step Width


[About]

Display the version information about the currently running Animal Patrols software.

Please include this version information when contacting a developer for support.


[Help]

Display the Animal Patrols on-line Help that you are reading right now.

NOTE:

1. This on-line help may be displayed by pressing the F1 key when Animal Patrols is active.

2. If there is a Help button, please choose this button instead of pressing the F1 key.


[Register User]

Officiate (register) your Animal Patrols force and change commissioner's (user's) name.

Please enter the commissioner's name and the commissioner's ID that have been send to you when you have submitted a payment for the Animal Patrols.

(Commissioner's ID is required to change commissioner's name.)

NOTE:

1. Commissioner's name will be displayed in the Animal Patrols opening title box.

2. A commissioner can only recruit a new officer after the Animal Patrols Force has been officiated (registered).


[Guard Windows]

Lock up all windows.

All windows on a Desktop will cease to response to key strokes and mouse actions.

If you are leaving your computer just for a moment, and you do not want anyone to mess around with your work, command the officer to guard your windows for you.  When an officer goes on guard, it  will display "On guard" in its caption.  It will continue to guard your windows until your return and enter a password.  If the correct password is entered, the caption will turn to "Going off guard".

Setting the Password

By default, password is set to OK.  Password can be changed by the following procedure:

1. End Animal Patrols.

2. Open the ANIPAT.INI (located in the same directory as other Animal Patrols files) using an editor such as NOTEPAD

3. Find LockPW=Original_Lock.  Change the Original_Lock to a new password.  The actual password that the officer will acknowledge is composed as follows:

(a) Actual password will always be 2 letters.

(b) If more than 2 letters are entered as a password, only the first and the last letter will be used.

   Example: 	Entered	Actual

   ABC	  AC

   WXYZ	  WZ

(c) If only 1 letter is entered, the entered letter will be duplicated.

Example:	Entered	Actual

   A	  AA

WARNING:

Please do not change other parameters in the ANIPAT.INI.

NOTE:

If you frequently change your password, please use the screen saver with password option.


[Activate Saver]

Immediately activate the screen saver set in the Control Panel.

Screen saver can also be activated by pressing the F3 key.

Changing Screen Saver's Properties

Press the F2 key or press the letter "o" key while an officer is displaying a caption.  Currently selected screen saver's properties dialog box will appear.

Changing a Screen Saver

Select Desktop in the Control Panel and change the Screen Saver option.

(Control Panel can be opened by pressing the F4 key.)

WARNING:

If screen saver is not selected (i.e. none is selected), nothing will happen.


[End Patrol]

Save the current setting and exit Animal Patrols.


[Managers]

Progman (Program Manager)

Execute the Program Manager.

Fileman (File Manager)

Execute the File Manager.

Printman (Print Manager)

Execute the Print Manager.

Taskman (Task Manager)

Execute the Task Manager.

Control Panel

Execute the Control Panel.


[Exit/Restart Windows]

Exit Windows.

End Windows and return to DOS.

Restart Windows.

Close all applications and restart Windows.

Used to make changes to Windows' properties effective after changing drivers (e.g. hardware, font, sound).

Reboot System

Warm reboot the system (similar to pressing [Alt]+[Del]+[Ctrl] keys.

Use to make changes made in AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files effective.

WARNING:

1. Be sure to save all opened files.

2. Be sure to save all setting which you want saved.


Report Low System Resource

When the Animal Patrols detects a low system resource, a patrolling officer will get in the following vehicles depending on the situation.

Available system resource falls below 20%

Large program may not execute under this condition.

Available system resource falls below 10%

Windows may not display properly under this condition.

NOTE:

If either of these vehicles are displayed, exit some programs to free some memory.


Recruiting Your Own Officers

  Animal Patrols is always recruiting new officers to become part of the Animal Patrols force.

How to Enlist an officer

1. Create 2 icons to use for animation.

Use utility such as an icon editor to create 2 icons that are to be used for animation.

2. Save the icons as ANIPAT01.ICO and ANIPAT02.ICO files.

3. Move these files to the directory where Animal Patrols files are located (i.e. where ANIPAT.EXE file is located).

4. Call the Animal Patrols to duty.

5. Open the Ready Patrol dialog box.  The new officer should be the 6th officer.

6. Select the new officer and move to page 2 - Officers' Profile.

7. Enter the new officer's profile information.

WARNINGS:

1. When creating new icons, remember that the objects are moved from left to right on the screen.  Hence, please make the object face to the right.  (Also, set the background color to Screen.)

2. Only an official commissioner may recruit new officers.

NOTE:

1.Icons can be changed by choosing the Enlist button in the Officer's Profile can be changed while it is on duty.  (It is convenient to edit icons while displaying their animation.)

2. Icons other than an animal can be created (e.g. airplane).  Have fun creating new icons and watch them cross the screen.


Officiating Your Own Animal Patrols Force

Animal Patrols is a shareware.  To use it on a continuous basis, you will need to register (US$15.00).  With registration, you will receive

1. A registration number which will stop the registration dialog box from displaying on your screen

2. Right to use Animal Patrols on a continuous basic

3. Support

Registration can be done from the SWREG forum on the CompuServe:

SWREG ID: 4292

If you do not receive a registration number within 1 week after you register by SWREG, please send us a mail.

If you can not register through SWREG, you can send us a check or a money order:

fill out the included ORDFRM.WRI and send it with a check payable to

Yasuko Ozawa

Unipac Tours, Inc.

151 N. Michigan Ave.

Doral Plaza, Suite 1902

Chicago, IL  60601

U.S.A.

If you send us a check, we will require from 4 to 6 weeks to process the check and to send you a registration number.  If you still do not receive a registration number after this time, your mail may have become lost.  Please check if your check has been cashed and if it has, please send us a mail.

New version of Animal Patrols will be available in CompuServe libraries.

Registered users are free to download any new version and use them with the same

registration number.

Be sure to test that Animal Patrols runs correctly on your system before registering.

Support for Animal Patrols is provided by Internet and CompuServe E-mail.  If you

have any question, opinion, suggestions, or other comments, please send any E-mail to:

Hitoshi Ozawa	Internet:	HCC00417@niftyserve.co.jp

CompuServe:	100220,3402

WARNING:

We will not be available on the following days:

Dec. 22 to Jan.6

April 22 to May 10

August 1 to August 17

Registration submitted in these days will be processed after we return.


Calling the SWAT Team

Support for Animal Patrols is provided by CompuServe E-mail.

If you have any question, opinion, suggestions, or other comments, please send any E-mail to:

Hitoshi Ozawa	CompuServe:	100220,3402  	HCC00417@niftyserve.or.jp

Akira Miyamoto	Nifty Serve:	KGD02237	KGD02237@niftyserve.or.jp

We will not be available on the following days:

Dec. 22 to Jan.6

April 22 to May 10

August 1 to August 17

Mail and registration submitted in these days will be processed after we return.


Copyright and Distribution

 Animal Patrols is copyrighted by Akira Miyamoto.  No part of this program or data may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without a written permission from Akira Miyamoto.

  This file can be freely distributed if the following conditions are obeyed:

1. If it is to be copied to another forum or to another distribution channel, please contact the developer to let us know exactly where it is to be copied.  We will need this information to maintain and upgrade Animal Patrols at all locations.

2. This program can be distributed only in the original archived ANIPAT.LZH formatted file.  Do not change this file or any files within.

3. Please make it apparent that Animal Patrols is a SHAREWARE.  It is necessary to state this in the program description.

4. If this program is to be mentioned in any article, please send a E-mail to one of the developers.

  If it is going to be distributed in any other ways (e.g. CD-ROM), please contact the developer.  The developer is willing to discuss other means of distribution.  Please send a mail to one of the developer.


Liability

The author and the developer of this software will not take any responsibilities for any damages that may occur with the use of this software.  The files contained in ANIPAT.LZH file are distributed "as is" and without any expressed and implied warranties.  The user assumes the entire risk of using the software.

Be sure to test that Animal Patrols runs correctly on your system before

registering.


Afterthougthts
Afterthoughts

Officer and its background are redrawn continuously while on duty.  However, if the Step Width is too wide, a section behind an officer may not be redrawn in time.  This quirk depends on the speed at which a system can draw graphics figures.

Most screen saver watch key presses, mouse movements, and window activities.  It only activates the screen saver display when there is no activity for a certain period of time.  However, the officer continually move across the screen and this is perceived as an activity by a screen saver program.  Therefore, screens savers are only activated when it is commanded to the officer.

I will try to develop better versions.  I still think there are some points that can be improved.

Development Environment

Machine:	Gateway2000 P5-90  (CPU:Pentium90MHz )

Memory:	16MB

Display:	ARX Trintron 16MColor

Graphic board:	Matrox MGAII

DOS:	MS-DOS 6.2/V

Windows:	Microsoft-Windows Version 3.1

Language:	Microsoft Visual Basic Version 2.0 (Japanese)

If you have any suggestion, please send me a mail!


To Old Hands

These are the changes made in the older Animal Patrols version (Ver1.1 [image] Ver1.2).

 1. Support Windows screen saver.  Make Animal Patrols supervise key presses and mouse movements.

 2. Support option to not display Ready Patrol dialog box when Animal Patrols is called to duty.

 3. Support ability to call Managers.

 4. Able screen saver to be activated by pressing the F3 key.

 5. Able Control Panel to be opened by pressing the F4 key.

 6. Stop using 3D control (THREED.VBX) and common dialog box (CMDIALOG.VBX).

 7. Took out all bitmap data hard coded within a program.

 8. Fix program to stop thrashing the screen from when large fonts are displayed on a high resolution screen.

 9. Fix problem associated with Japanese FEP.

10. Rewrote some routines that are not visible to end users.

Releases

April 28, 1994	Ver 1.0	Initial release

May 5, 1994	Ver 1.1

October 2, 1994	Ver 1.2

Please have fun using Animal Patrols and keep good care of all the officers!

Thank you!