Powerless lets you schedule automatic, unattended system shutdowns. This allows you to leave your computer running so that it can complete a task, then shutdown (or restart) after a period of time you specify.
Powerless is useful if you:
• Do unattended disk backups
• Use automatic file compression utilities
• Use a disk optimizer
• Maintain data communications access
• Upload and download files with information services
• Use a battery-powered Macintosh
• . . . and more!
It is most useful if your computer provides complete shutoff (that is, the computer turns itself off completely when you choose Shutdown from the Finder's Special menu). Powerless is easily accessible when placed into your Apple Menu Items folder or on the Desktop.
Why Powerless?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are other shutdown programs available, so why is Powerless better?
• It's an application, not an INIT
• Works on any Macintosh with System 7
• Small and efficient (occupies just 20K of disk space)
• Cool 3-D color interface (supports B/W Mac's, too)
• Uses internationally-recognized icons
• Displays time in 12 hour or 24 hour format
• Displays time relative to the present time
• Notifies you 5 minutes before shutdown
• Beeps during the final 10 seconds for additional warning
• Let's you choose Shutdown or Restart
• Remembers your desired display mode and time settings
• ...and more!
Using Powerless
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you first open Powerless, it displays a splash screen. Click the mouse to continue.
Next, a small, movable dialog box is shown with three main parts:
The first part is the display mode icon. Clicking on it selects the time display format, from 12 hour (AP/PM) to 24 hour (military) to count down modes, indicated by these icons:
12 hour (AM and PM) mode:
24 hour mode:
Count down mode:
The second part consists of the time specification controls. You select the shutdown time by clicking on the triangle icons for the hours, minutes, and seconds. The up triangle increases the numbers and the down triangle to decreases them.
If you're using the 12 or 24 hour modes, the time you set is the time the shutdown will occur. If you set the shutdown time to a value that is earlier than the present time, the shutdown will occur on the next day. For example, if the mode is in 12 hour format, the current time is 10 AM, and you set the shutdown time to 03:00:00 AM, Powerless will shutdown the computer at 3 AM the next day.
If you're using the count down mode, the time you select is relative to the time when you click the Start button (discussed next). For example, if you you select 03:00:00, the Mac will shutdown three hours after you click the Start button.
The third part of the dialog is an icon that starts or stops the shutdown process:
Start timing icon:
Stop timing icon:
Scheduling Steps
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Choose a mode (12 hour, 24 hour, or count down).
2. Use the triangle buttons to select a time.
3. Click the Start icon to initiate the count down.
WARNING: Unlike choosing Shutdown from the Finder, you will not be notified of documents that require saving. This would defeat the purpose of an unattended shutdown. It is up to you to make sure everything is saved before starting a scheduled shutdown.
When you click on the Start icon, it changes to the Stop icon. Powerless switches to the count down display mode. While timing is in progress, you can click on the mode icon to view the other display modes at any time. After clicking the Start icon, Powerless records the position of its dialog box, the display mode, and the time setting you've specified.
To stop the timing, click the Stop icon.
Preferences
~~~~~~~~~~
You can customize the behavior of Powerless to suit your needs. Select Preferences from the File menu. The following dialog box is shown:
• Show splash screen. When launched, Powerless shows its About dialog box and you must click the mouse to continue. Setting this option disables the next two.
• Switch to the Finder. When launched, Powerless effectively switches to the Finder, bringing it to the front. This is useful when you place Powerless in the Startup Items Folder as it allows your computer to startup normally, leaving you in the Finder, instead of making Powerless the frontmost application.
• Start countdown timer. When launched, Powerless acts as though you clicked on the Start icon. This is useful when Powerless is a Startup Item and is configured to shutdown at a particular time each day.
• Issue a 5 minute warning. When fewer than five minutes remain (and Powerless is not the frontmost application) you will receive a notification reminding you to save any changes made to documents that might be open.
• Beep during final 10 seconds. This option offers additional shutdown warning.
The last option is the action Powerless takes when the countdown event occurs. You can choose a complete power shutdown or a simple system restart.
Fabulous, but not Free!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Powerless is a commercial product ($19.95 plus $5 shipping and handling), but a limited demo is being distributed through information services for evaluation purposes. Customer support is available for registered users only.
The Morgan Davis Group is a successful software company, and has been a major force in the Apple II market. We think our high-quality products and exceptional customer service can be a value to the Macintosh world. Let us know that you're interested in seeing more of our top-quality work.
