Gold Medal Software 3/Gold Medal Software - Volume 3 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso/windows/utils/stat40.arj/WHATSNEW.40

Text File | 1994-04-01 | 18KB | 452 lines

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  Statline                       Version 4.0                     April 1994
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 Additions (since version 3.3)

  1.  Quick Menu is modeless so it can be used like a floating toolbar.

  2.  Added an alarm clock.

  3.  Fixed problem with parameters for Quick Menu programs & their icons.

  4.  Quick Menu changes to the directory in the path of the filename
      before running the file.  This should solve 99.9% of "working
      directory" problems.

  5.  Quick Menu can now use Drag-n-Drop files from File Manager or any
      Drag-n-Drop server.

  6.  Added a DOS icon if the program in Quick Menu is a COM or EXE, but
      not a Windows program.

  7.  Quick Menu starts itself if you last quit Windows with Quick Menu
      open.  It also remembers it's position on the screen.

  8.  Fixed a problem with "forgetting" licenses in version 3.3.

  9.  Click "Cut" or "Copy" in Minipad now closes Minipad after making the
      Cut or Copy.

  10. Two sets of twelve programs in Quick Menu for a total of 24.

  11. Re-arranged the System Window to allow more buttons.

  12. Doubled Minipad text length from 2K to 4K.

  13. Now Statline allows you to monitor the free space on any drive.

  14. Added a Post It note window for very visible reminders.  The note can
      be minimized to an icon, and it will load itself if you left Windows
      with it active.  It's great for "must-do" notes to yourself.

  15. The F12 key now closes Statline.

  16. New filters in Quick Run let you pick file types instead of just
      extensions.  So, for example, you can pick "Programs" to see all
      EXE, COM, PIF, and BAT files.

  17. New "memory" button in Quick Run lets you jump to the directory you
      used last.  "Delete File" and "Edit File" buttons are greyed until
      you select a proper file.

  18. Added "SmartSwitch", like a Task Manager that is always visible.  It
      keeps a list of all the running programs in it for fast switching.

  19. Now hitting the Esc key will close most Statline dialogs.

  20. Added "follow-me" help window for new users ("Bar Help").

  21. Added a "Shrink" button to the System Window.  Shrink will minimize
      all the open windows on your desktop for a fast clean-up.

  22. Added an "Always on Top" option for Quick Menu and Post It note.

  23. Quick Run will now "forget" you were using the floppy drive(s).  This
      was a problem if went back to Quick Run and had taken the floppy disk
      out of the drive.


 Additions (since version 3.2)

  1. Added "Reboot machine" to the Alt+Spacebar menu.

  2. Fixed minor bug for "Exit Statline" on System Menu.

  3. If Statline is the primary shell and another shell is loaded, Statline
     will shift the focus to the primary shell at Windows' start-up.

  4. Added Windows Help (.HLP) file for more extensive help.

  5. Added automatic Clipboard text saver.  When exiting Windows, Statline
     will save any text in the Clipboard and restore it at the next Windows
     session.  You cal also hit "F11" to save Clipboard text and "F12" to
     restore it.  Clipboard Saving is an option on the Configure screen.

  6. Changed Quick Menu to use icons instead of filenames.  Quick Menu can
     also have up to 12 items on it now (it had been limited to 7).

  7. Moved some dialogs so as not to obscure Statline's display.

  8. Updated the Install program to copy the HLP file.

  9. Changed the New Executable Workshop phone number to: [phone]



 Additions (since version 3.1)

  1. When Statline is selected as the shell, it now reads and executes the
     "Load=" and "Run=" lines in WIN.INI.  It also correctly executes any
     command line parameter used to start Windows (e.g. "WIN NOTEPAD" to
     start Windows and load Notepad).

  2. LOTS of new extension filters in the Quick Run file listing.

  3. Quick Run now correctly matches extensions with programs.  Depending
     on the [Extensions] settings in your WIN.INI, you can tell Quick Run
     to start a file like "arches.bmp" and Quick Run will run Paintbrush
     and load the bitmap for you.  You can set the [Extensions] settings
     from inside File Manager as "Associations".

  4. The method of obtaining the "System Resources" free was changed.
     There is no difference in Windows 3.1, but Windows NT users will now
     show the correct percentage.

  5. The click-and-drag way to move Statline's display was greatly
     improved.

  6. Quick Run now remembers what directory you were in between uses.
     But it still starts in the directory you've listed as "Quick Run's
     initial directory" in the Configure box.

  7. Made some of the dialog backgrounds grey instead of white.  Looks
     better to me...

  8. Created a "Printers..." button on the System Menu.  This will let you
     set the default printer.  Quite a bit easier than starting Control
     Panel to do it.  I use it to select/deselect my faxing software's
     "print" driver as well as quickly switch between real printers.

  9. Now you can set any WAV file to play as an hourly chime, not just the
     system's "Asterisk" WAV file (though that is still the default).

 10. MiniPad's text can now be saved, so you can paste or type text into it
     and get that text back at a later Windows session.  You just click the
     "Save" button to save the text.  If you don't click on "Save", any
     changes you made to the text won't be there next Windows session.

 11. Added "Restart Windows" to the "Alt+Spacebar" menu.

 12. Quick Run now allows removal of empty directories when you select one
     and click on "Delete File".

 13. Quick Run now has a "Jump To Windows Directory" button that'll let
     you quickly change to the Windows directory.  After that, you can
     click "Jump Back" to return to the previous directory.

 14. Made the Minipad wider and able to hold more text.  Minipad also uses
     a "fixed-pitch" font now.

 15. Added ability to run any other EXE (not just PROGMAN.EXE) if you're
     using Statline as your shell.  This allows you to use Statline as
     your shell and still load Program Manager, PC Tools desktop, NDW,
     or whatever other shell you like.

 16. I don't recommend you use it, but you can set the update rate of
     Statline's Window by adding the following line to the STATLINE.INI:
     "UpdateRateMS=<time interval in milliseconds>"  So for example, for
     an update every 5 seconds you'd use UpdateRateMS=5000.  The default
     is 10000 (every 10 seconds) for 286 and 386 machines, and 3000 (3
     seconds) for 486s and up.  You have to restart Statline for the
     change to take effect.

 17. Fixed a bug where a setup change made would not work until Statline
     was restarted; also fixed a problem with the "Configure..." dialog.
     Fixed a minor oversight in the Install program.

 18. Replaced the display of Windows' mode with a graphical System Re-
     sources display.  Windows' mode is not as much of an issue in
     Windows 3.1 or NT.

 19. A single right-button click on the display area makes Statline sink
     to the background if the "On Top" function is on.  So if Statline
     gets in your way, just click once with the right button.  The "On Top"
     feature will return when you next switch back to Statline.

 20. New Visual C++ optimizing compiler used, a smaller EXE file means
     less memory used and it loads quicker.  This EXE is only a few
     kilobytes larger than version 3.1.

 21. Tested with Windows NT (October '92 and March '93 betas) and Windows
     3.1 with Win32s extensions.  There may be an NT version of Statline
     available depending on the availability and ease-of-use of compilers
     for Windows NT.

 22. Visa and Mastercard now accepted for ordering!  All you have to do is
     call [phone].


 And finally... Statline is now offered under my company name:

     NEW Software                              Internet: [e-mail]
     PO Box 57336                                 Phone: [phone]
     Jacksonville, FL  32241-7336               Contact: James Bell



 Additions (since version 3.0)

  1. Statline can now display the amount of disk space free (on the current
     drive) or memory free.

  2. Fixed all the dialogs so that nearly all functions (except restart
     Windows), can be used without a mouse.

  3. (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

  4. Added an Install & Uninstall Windows program.

  5. Changed the help screen around a bit.

  6. Added a drop-down list box for selecting files to Quick Run.

  7. More code improvements throughout to keep EXE small and quick.


 Additions (since version 2.6)

  1. (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

  2. Left button double-click on display area brings up the "Configure"
     box.

  3. Added ability to play the "Asterisk" sound instead of the regular
     chime.  You can set a WAV file to be the Asterisk sound in Control
     Panel's "Sounds" icon (if you have a SoundBlaster or the PC Speaker
     driver installed).  (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

  4. Changed the font in the dialog boxes.

  5. Rearranged the Configure box.

  6. Added "Caption Messages".  On the hour this will temporarily change
     the caption of the window you're working in to tell you the time.

  7. Added "Large" mode for better readability on SVGA displays (or can
     also be handy for the visually impaired).

  8. Added keypresses for systems without mice (e.g. laptops).  See the
     HELP display for which function keys.

  9. Finally fixed the "Move" so that you can click-and-drag with the left
     button to move Statline.  DRAG SLOWLY!!!  (this feature was changed
     in version 3.2)

 10. Now you can just press Enter (instead of Cntl-Enter) in Minipad to
     drop down to the next line.

 11. Fixed problems with Windows 3.1 and "Keep Statline's Window Visible".



 Additions (since version 2.1)

 1. Replaced "icon mode" with new "short line" mode.  A right-button
    click on the "?" button goes to short mode.

 2. Moved setup parameters to "statline.ini" from "win.ini".

 3. New choice in "Configure..." that lets you start in "short line"
    or normal mode.

 4. Bug in "Graphic memory display" was fixed.

 5. Tested (and ran just fine) with Windows 3.1 Final Beta release.
    Some problems with screen savers.

 6. Problem with registered versions and Minipad corrected.

 7. Added support for using Statline as your shell (i.e. replacing Program
    Manager), to save resources.  On my system I save about 7%.

    Obviously you will want Program Manager around most of the time, so
    what you can do is make Statline your shell then check the box that
    says "Load Program Manager" on the Configure options.  This way things
    will LOOK the same as before, but now if you need to you can close
    Program Manager without exiting Windows -- handy when resources are
    getting low.  To make all of this easier, the following things have
    been added:

    * Right-button click to "bring up" Program Manager now LAUNCHES it
      if it was not running already.

    * Added an "Install..." option to make Statline your shell:

      - If you choose "No", STAT.EXE will be put on your "load=" line in
        the WIN.INI file.  Answer "No" if you want Statline loaded like
        any other program.

      - If you choose "Yes", STAT.EXE will replace whatever is on the
        "shell=" line of the SYSTEM.INI file.  Answer "Yes" if you want
        to be able to close Program Manager without leaving Windows.

    * Added "Load Program Manager" box in "Configure...".  If you are
      using Statline as your shell, but still want to have Progman around
      when you start Windows, check this box.

 8. Fixed the recurrance of a bug in positioning the display.  If a
    position causes a lockup, at least now when Statline is loaded again
    the problem won't repeat.

 9. Added 2 more slots in the Quick Menu, for a total of seven.



 Additions (since version 2.0)

 1. The original display bitmap was dropped for the current one.

 2. The percentage of "system resources" can now be displayed instead
    of the current Windows mode.  The percentage is the same (give or
    take a point) as the "system resources" given by Program Manager.

 3. The right mouse button now does things when clicked on the buttons:

    A RIGHT button click on...         Does...
    --------------------------         ---------------------------------
    The "question mark" button         Turns Statline into an icon
                                       that shows the "system resources"
                                       free.

    The "notepad" button               Launches whatever you have
                                       defined as your text editor.
                                       (Windows Notepad is the default).

    The Quick Run button               Launches a DOS window

    The Quick Menu button              Brings up Program Manager

    The Exit button                    Re-starts Windows


    LEFT button clicks still work the same.  The HELP display explains
    what both left and right buttons do.

 4. "Day and night" (sun and moon drawings) can now be used instead of
    "a" and "p" (for AM and PM).  "Day" is defined as 7 in the morning
    to 7 in the evening.  "Night" is 7 pm to 7 am.

 5. The "About" dialog box was dropped, the "Help" box serves as both
    now.



 Additions (since version 1.5)

 1. Statline remembers where it was moved to and saves its position.

 2. (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

 3. Quick Run is improved, the drives and directories are in a seperate
    box from the files.  A "delete file" button was added.

 4. A "License Information" scheme now identifies registered users.
    Non-registered versions have a pop-up reminder every six uses.

 5. Statline does a "Global Compact" (to reclaim unused memory) every
    60 seconds.

 6. Thanks to some reworked routines and better compilation techniques,
    this version's EXE file is only slightly larger than the previous one.

 7. Statline can now install itself to load when Windows starts.

 8. You can specify the initial directory for Quick Run in the
    "Configure" box.

 9. You can optionally display the memory used with a bar-graph, see
    the "Configure" box.

10. An "Arrange Icons" button was added to the system box to neatly
    arrange your desktop's icons.

11. Statline can now keep itself visible even when covered by other
    windows (see the "Configure" box).

12. You can select and edit a file from Quick Run.  The editor to use
    is specified in the "Configure" box ("Notepad.exe" is the default).


 Additions: (since version 1.0)


 1. (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

 2. The Quick Run box now has a "Delete file" option (from its system box),
    for deleting the selected file.

 3. Quick Run also has a "DOS Window" button to open a DOS window.

 4. Statline now has an (optional) hourly chime.

 5. A Configure box now turns on/off the following:
    a. The hourly chime.
    b. The confirmation prompt before exiting Windows.
    c. Whether to close Quick Menu after running a program or not.
    (this feature was changed in version 3.2)

 6. Quick Run can now change drives to run/delete files.

 7. Quick Exit Windows is now a button choice.

 8. MiniPad now handles text wider than its window.

 9. More configurable options were added.

    The following may be placed in the STATLINE.INI file:

    a. "ModeColor=x"  Where "x" is the color of the Windows mode display.

    b. "DateColor=x"  Where "x" is the color of the date and time.

    c. "MemColor=x"   Where "x" is the color of the memory free display.

    Note that each color value "x" ranges from 0 to 15.



 Notes:

 1. The hourly chime was at a user's suggestion.  Thanks to Robert Johns.

 2. A right button click on the "?" button turns Statline into an icon,
    perfect for when the Statline display is running over your work.
    (Version 2.5 and up:  Now does "short line" instead of icon.)

 3. Quick Run's "DOS Window" attempts to run whatever is defined for
    the COMSPEC environment variable.  If there is no COMSPEC defined,
    it will try to run "command.com".

 4. Statline will not display a registration-reminder if you exit
    Windows via Statline's EXIT button (or if you're registered).

 5. Thanks to PC Sources, PC Computing, Computer Shopper and any other
    press I've gotten.

 6. Thanks to all the registered users, people who let me in in traffic
    and people who never call me in the morning.

 7. Far-and-away the fastest way to contact me is via Internet (which is
    accessable from CompuServe), my address is: [e-mail].

 8. Look for "Surf", a WAV audio file toolbox for Windows 3.1 WAV files.
    LOTS of effects, easy to use toolbar, great displays, and more!

 9. Thanks to the authors of "Undocumented Windows", a useful read.

10. Extra-Thanks for suggestions to beta-testers Dallas Harken and Na'im Ru.


James Bell                                                       April 1994