NewLook™ changes the old black and white buttons, radios and checkboxes with new color coordinated versions which are perfect replacements. NewLook™ doesn’t try to make your Macintosh look like another kind of machine. Instead, it finishes the color interface that Apple started with color scroll bars.
NewLook‚Ñ¢ also enables you to change the default colors used by all controls and it allows you to change the window tinge colors with more freedom then the Color control panel that shipped with your Macintosh.
NewLook‚Ñ¢ should run on any Mac with Color QuickDraw. (Please let me know if you find an incompatible configuration.)
Installation:
System 7, drop it in your system folder and allow it to be put into the control panels.
System 6, drop it in your system folder to make it available to your control panel.
Control colors:
Changes in control colors take effect immediately.
Selecting Auto Tinting sets all the control colors to colors appropriate for the window tinge colors currently being used. The auto text color is based upon the dark tinge color in the color table for the current window color setting.
More on Auto Tinting:
1) When Auto Tinting is selected, changing the Window Tinge/Control Indicator colors will also change the Body, Outline and Text colors to appropriate defaults.
Clicking on the Body, Outline or Text buttons in this area brings about the standard Color Picker which allows you to change the color of the corresponding part on all controls.
When white is chosen for the body color, NewLook‚Ñ¢ uses gray for the body color as a default.
You may adjust and use control colors with or without NewLook™ controls although, without NewLook™ controls, the body color doesn’t show up everywhere (See the Standard Open dialog.)
Note:
1) When you change one of the control colors, the control color table resource in the System file is changed. This resource contains the default colors for all controls, system-wide.
2) Disabled scroll bars also use the body color that is set in the default color table.
Window Tinge/Control Indicator Colors:
The indicator color is based on the window tinge colors as set with the Popup menu in this area. Selecting Auto Tinting will automatically adjust the other Control Colors to appropriate defaults. (Grayscale users should choose “Gray” Tinges.)
Window Tinge/Control Indicator colors are permanent (They remain after NewLook is removed.)
To restore factory tinge/control colors:
1) Select a pre-named Window Tinge color from the popup menu.
2) Select the Off button.
3) Select Auto Tinting.
Window Tinge/Control Indicator Colors are not available in System 6.
Note:
1) It seems after choosing Other… and picking a new Window Tinge color, the Color Manager can’t always use the selected color and will default to a white. If this happens just try changing the value until you hit one that the Color Manager displays correctly.
NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls:
One of the two buttons named On or Off will be selected to indicate whether NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls are enabled or disabled.
Clicking on the appropriately named button will enable or disable NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls.
You need to restart to enable or disable NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls.
Note:
1) Enabling/Disabling does not change the settings you have made for control or window tinge colors.
Compatibility:
1) NewLook™ has been tested with a large number of applications. (Please notify me if you find one that isn’t compatible.)
2) Some applications already use custom controls and will not use NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls. This does not cause a problem.
3) Speech control of controls on PowerMacs and AVs does not work when NewLook‚Ñ¢ controls are used.
Distribution:
NewLook™ is shareware, and must not be sold. It may be uploaded to networks or BBS’s, but only if there is no extra fee for downloading. It may not be included in a compilation to be sold without the author’s written consent.
You may try NewLook‚Ñ¢ free for 15 days. If after that time you decide to keep it, you MUST send me $15 US to register your copy. Please print and fill out the registration form and send it along with your registration fee.
Philip W. Flack
P.O. Box 1636
Herndon, VA 22070-1636
(Preferred) Internet: phil@cais.com
AOL: PFlack
AppleLink: CACTUS.PHIL
Disclaimer:
The author makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding NewLook‚Ñ¢. Use of NewLook‚Ñ¢ is at your own risk. The author claims no liability for data loss or other problems caused directly or indirectly by NewLook‚Ñ¢.
Special thanks:
Thanks to all who have registered NewLook‚Ñ¢. I hope you enjoy its evolution.
Also thanks to David Buell, Mike Fritz, Mark Gerl, Doug Hill, Dan Hutson, Dave Mojdehi, Paul Ossenbruggen, Yvon Perreault and Steve Snell for being DARING enough to test NewLook‚Ñ¢ and for their technical input.
