Amiga Format CD 44/Amiga Format CD44 (1999-08-26)(Future Publishing)(GB)(Track 1 of 3)[!][issue 1999-10].iso/-serious-/wb/coloursetter/cs.docs

Text File | 1999-07-26 | 19KB | 367 lines

                     The Documents for Coloursetter




                     *** About This Program ***

ColourSetter is a handy little program which is intended to compliment
the Workbench palette requester program, which while it is good, even
in the multicolour setting it can only set the first eight colours of the
palette. I often found that the colours above this limit clashed with each
other, and the only way that I could fix it was to select one of the preset
colour selections,  which is hardly user friendly to the user who wishes to
have a totally customised workbench! So I wrote this little program.
ColourSetter is intended to compliment the Workbench palette requester, not
necessarily to replace it, so please do not delete your workbench palette
requester.




                         *** Installation ***

An installation script is provided and everything is placed in it's correct
place automatically.
The installation script will automatically add a command to you user-startup
script telling Workbench to check for your colour preferences and if they
exist to alter the colours to your preferences. If you have not registered
Coloursetter then your colours will not be set on startup.
If you lose your colours at any point (for instance if another program has
been run which altered the workbench colours, then provided the file entitled
CRd (or CRd_AGA) is present in your Prefs drawer (it will be if you have
saved from ColourSetter at least once) then just press the right Amiga and E
keys together to bring up the command window, then type in the command `CR'
(or `CR_AGA' for AGA users) and press Return. Your colour prefernces will
appear as if by magic!



                      *** How The Program Works ***

When Coloursetter loads the program superimposes itself over the Workbench
screen, so that you can see whats going on with the Workbench while you are
setting your colours. No exiting the program to see if it works, and then
having to reload when you find it doesn't!
The main window looks rather like DPaint's palette requester (this is a
colour changing program after all!) with gadgets showing every colour
that your workbench is set up for, as well as three sliding gadgets  which
let you set each colour. All you simply need to do is select the colour you
wish to edit by clicking on it once with the left mouse button and then
select the `RGB'  (RedGreenBlue) value you desire.  For instance to
alter the amount of red in your chosen colour just position the mouse
pointer over the indicator on the `R' sliding gadget, press and hold the
left mouse button, move the mouse left or right as desired, and release
the mousebutton. You will see the value to the left of the slider change to
its new value and everything on the screen in that colour change to the new
colour. Try this with the screen colour (the first one) for the most dramatic
effects!
Once you have set your personal colours, you can select an option from the
gadgets in the selection window.




                     *** The Menu and Gadgets ***

To get the selection window, press the right mouse button. As of version 3.0
there is no menu any more, just the selection window. Here are the gadgets
and their meanings:

Save:     This option is disabled if you have not registered. You will
          need to register to obtain a keyfile in order to use this option.
          Please see the section entitled `How to Register' further on in
          this document for more info on this.

          The save option allows you to save the colours that you
          have set up. When this is selected a file in the prefs drawer
          of  your workbench entitled CRd (or CRd_AGA for AGA users) is
          altered (or created if it doesn't already exist). This file tells
          your workbench what your colour preferences are and sets them
          accordingly.

          The ColourSetter program now no longer exits after saving.

Use:      This option sets your workbench to the colours that you
          have chosen, but does not save them, meaning that when
          you reset your computer your colour selections will be lost,
          and your workbench will be set to the colours you last
          saved, or if you didn't save any at all, then your Workbench
          will be set to its default colours.

          On selecting this option the ColourSetter program will exit.

Cancel:   This option will reset the workbench colours to those when
          ColourSetter was first loaded, or if you have saved at all, the
          colours are reset to those you last saved. The program then exits.

Reset:    This option will reset your workbench palette to the way it
          was when ColourSetter was loaded, or the way it was when you last
          saved.  All your editing to date will be lost, and you will need
          to start again from scratch.

About:    This option will bring up a third window which will display the
          Programs name, version and author. When you have finished reading
          this information, just push the left mouse button to exit this
          window. The mouse pointer doesn't necessarily need to be in the
          About window to exit, but be aware that if the mouse pointer is
          positioned over a gadget then that gadget will be activated. For
          instance: if you only intend to come out of the `About' window but
          the mousepointer is positioned over the `Cancel' gadget then the
          program will exit.

Owner:    This option is intended as a copyright protection. When you
          select this option a window appears showing who the rightful
          owner of the particular copy being used is. The name and address
          which appears here cannot be altered by the user. It is set by
          Samsof before sending the keyfile to the person who ordered it.
          Each copy of the keyfile is sold on condition that it is used only
          by the purchaser, who is given permission to make one back-up copy
          for his / her own use. If you are offered a keyfile for this or any
          other Samsof program, which does not contain your name and address,
          then please let me know as this is PIRACY and THEFT and is HIGHLY
          ILLEGAL.

          This program may be freely distributed without its keyfile,
          provided that the program and the documents remain intact and
          unaltered, however a keyfile for this or any other Samsof program
          may NOT be distributed without the prior permission of Samsof.

Snapshot
Windows:  This is gadget was introduced with version 3.0. Pressing this
          gadget will automatically snapshot the positions of the main window
          and the selection window, so that when you load ColourSetter next
          time, windows will be in your desired position.

Reset to
last saved: This gadget was also introduced with version 3.0. The normal
            reset gadget will reset the colours to those when the program was
            originally loaded, whereas this gadget will reset the colours to
            those that were last saved. this means that even after saving the
            colours, you can still go back to the original colours and
            re-save them if you want.



                     *** Using the Demo Version ***

If you have not registered ColourSetter then you may have noticed a little
limitation as to what you can do. With the unregistered version you can only
edit the first eight colours of your workbench palette and you can't save
your editing for future use. You also can't snapshot your windows. In order
to overcome these limitations you will need to register the program.





                           *** How To Register ***

Just having the unregistered version could get a little frustrating after a
while because you cannot save your preferences or edit the full palette.
However there is a solution to this. In exchange for £5.00 you can get a
keyfile E-mailed to you, which will unlock all the functions of the program.
Just send a cheque or postal order to me at the address below. I have
received several queries from people who prefer to send cash through the
post, rather than sending a cheque or postal order. I actually prefer to be
paid in cash, but anyone doing this, does so on the understanding that should
the cash `get lost in the post' I cannot be held responsible. Don't forget
to tell me your full name and address, even if you want a keyfile sent by
E-Mail, as I need this information for the keyfile. Without it the keyfile
just wouldn't work. Please do remember that The program hasn't been tested
on a floppy only system and I really don't know if it would work properly. If
you use it on a floppy only system and it works fine, please let me know!
The price of £5.00 is for a keyfile to be sent by E-Mail, however if you do
not have E-Mail, or you would prefer the key file to be sent on a disk by
post, then please send £7.50. The extra is the cost of postage, packing and
the price of a disk, or if you prefer you could send me a blank
DoubleSidedDoubleDensity Diskette along with a stamped addressed envelope
(preferably a Jiffy bag in order to protect the disk), then you need only pay
the normal £5.00 for the keyfile.
I have received enquiries from interested users who do not live in the UK as
to how they can register my software, so here goes:  just send either £5.00
sterling, US$12, or DM 15,- in cash to the address below.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of computer software, once your
keyfile has been dispatched I will be unable to give you a refund
should you change your mind later and decide you want to return it. If on
receiving a disk from Samsof you find it is faulty then you should return
the faulty disk to me and I will replace it with a good one, but I cannot
give a refund.

For the address to send your registration to, please see the section entitled
`How to contact the Author'



                         *** Known Bugs ***

I am not aware of any bugs in this program, however if you should find
one, then please do let me know.


                       *** Program History ***

May '96 - Original ColourSetter program written just to see if I could wotk
out my brand new programming language, but wasn't very good, in fact
it was absolute rubbish. Never released.

14th August '96 - Cleaned ColourSetter up, did a major rework and released it
as version 2.0. Later, I updated the program so as to be able to send
keyfiles by E-Mail it and released this as version 2.1

22nd September '96 - After receiving several requests from registered users
(it's amazing how my comprehension of requests improves if the user is
registered!) I put their suggestions into practice and wrote version 3.0.
this was completed on the 26th September and releaased.


                 *** Improvements in version 3.0 ***

Version 3.0 now uses only one main window, rather than the previous three.

The selection window can now be toggled on and off by pressing the right
mouse button.

The main window and the selection window can now be moved to anywhere you
like. They can also both be moved in front of or behind other windows. A quit
gadget has also been added to the main window. The main window can be resized
to any size you like, except that it can't go smaller than 300,120. An
attempt to size it smaller than that will only result in the window
automatically resizing itself to its smallest.

Two new gadgets have been added. 1) A gadget to snapshot the windows and 2) a
gadget to rest the colours to those at the point of last saving.

A major bug has been fixed. When I originaly wrote ColourSetter it was really
only intended to make the Workbench look good, but it appears that some users
were attempting to use the program to alter the colours in MUI based
programs, and finding that version 2.1 wasn't doing a very good job.
ColourSetter has now been enhanced so that it now works perfectly
for this as well as the Workbench.


                       **** Copyright Notice ****

This program, along with all the others that I have written, and will
write in the future are copyrighted to Samsof, which is my trade name. This
copyright includes all ideas, graphics, layout, music, source code and the
programs themselves. All versions of programs which are released as `freely
distributable' may be copied and distributed freely, providing that they have
not been altered in any way, and that all programs, files and documentation
that came with them remains with them, and is not altered in any way. The
copyright for all freely distributable software still remains with Samsof,
therefore such software may not be used for any comercial purpose whatsoever,
without the written permission of Samsof. ON NO ACCOUNT MAY A KEYFILE FOR ANY
SAMSOF PROGRAM BE SOLD, HIRED, GIVEN AS A GIFT OR LENT (WHETHER FOR PROFIT OR
NOT) TO ANYONE.
Should a magazine publisher decide to include a Samsof program on a coverdisk
then the program MUST have been released as freely distributable and no part
of the program or its related files may be altered or removed. I also ask all
magazine publishers to let me know before putting any Samsof program on a
coverdisk.

PD suppliers should not charge any more than a VERY SMALL fee for PD released
software. This fee should be for postage, packing and diskettes only, and
should not include hefty profits for PD libraries. If you can only get PD
software for what seems like an exhorbatant price, then remember that Samsof
PD only charges 75p per disk. Just about any PD released software can be
obtained, so just let me know what you want!

If you are using one of my programs with a keyfile, then please
remember that the keyfile was supplied to you on condition that you
do not make copies of it (apart from a single back-up copy for your own
use only, which I recommend you do), and that you certainly don't
spread the keyfile around.
Every keyfile issued by Samsof will include the original purchasers name and
address. I regret that due to the activities of pirates, I cannot release a
keyfile without this information. The name and address may not always be
seen by the user, but believe me it's there), so if you spread the program
around, everyone  will know who did it, and believe me, software pirates are
NOT WELCOMED by the honest Amiga community, not to mention what I will think
of you. If it comes to my attention that someone has been spreading  illegal
keyfiles of any of my programs, I will not supply any further keyfiles to
that individual, and if I consider the situation warrants it, I may well
take further action.
                     YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.


                          *** Disclaimer ***

Although I do my utmost best to ensure that programs written by me
work properly and will not cause any damage to your files or equipment,
all software is supplied at the users own risk. I cannot be held
responsible for any damage resulting from the use or misuse of my
programs. All disks are checked for viruses before being sent out, but I
cannot be held responsible should a computer virus enter your system,
which was not detected by my virus checkers. I do my utmost to ensure
no viruses enter my computer, because believe me, I hate the things
more than you do.


                     *** How to Contact the Author ***

I always appreciate correspondence from interested users of the software that
I write. I would like to hear from you whether you have praise or
constructive critscisms about my programs. Do you like them or do you think
that they are trash? Whatever you think please let me know. The address is at
the end of this section.
 I am also always on the lookout for new ideas of what software to write.
What sort of software would you like to buy? If you send me an idea and
I decide to use it, I will send you a free copy of the full working version
of the resulting program.
If you send me pictures you have drawn or music you have written on the
computer and I use them in a future program, then not only will you receive
a free copy of the full program, but I will also send you 20% of all profit
made on the program.The same applies if you have written small programming
routines, which on their own cannot be used, but which I could use in order
to write good programs. You will of course be credited either in the program
or in the documents (probably both) with the part you played, but the final
copyright of the whole program will rest with Samsof, however you will retain
the copyright of the particular portion that you wrote.
If you have written a complete program and would like me to improve on it
and then sell it for you, you will receive 50% of all profits made by the
program, and if you have written a complete program (using Blitz Basic) which
you just want me to sell for you then please send me the source code along
with a covering letter and I will take care of the rest and you will receive
80% of all profits made by the program. The source code may be E-mailed to me
in ASCII format.

In order to contact me for any of the above as well as for general
correspondence, praise, critiscism, payments, donations, gifts or anything
else (all of which is greatfully received) please write to:


                          Samuel Bowers
                          Samsof Software
                          PO Box 11
                          Beccles
                          Suffolk
                          NR34 9JS
                          England

          My E-Mail address is: [e-mail]

I would also be very interested to hear from users overseas. In fact,
there's a free keyfile of the latest program that I have written, for
the person who lives furthest away from me (outside of the UK), and has
written to me, (that includes E-MAil) for whatever reason, by
31st December 1996.


                          *** Credits ***

I would like to thank Johnathan Potter, who lives in Australia for writing
the Fullview program used to display these documents, and particularly for
allowing anyone to use his program. Nice one Johnathan. If you would like to
thank Johnathan yourself, then just press the A key on your keyboard to get
his address.
Many thanks go to all those at Acid Software for writing the Blitz Basic
program, without which my program would never have existed.
I would also like to thank all of you out there who buy my programs. It is
much appreciated.

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