These apps increment a counter every time they are allowed to go through their event loop, if they are in the background then they must rely on the active application to pass spare time onto other applications running under Multifinder or system 7+.
The readings shown by each application differ for a few reasons, the main reason is the complexity of each app's display.
E-Meter, just gets the time, then every second it updates the time and date and draws a line to show the E/sec figure. A simple task which doesn't hog a lot of time, it can only display a maximum reading of 500, the width of the window. The peak reading is updated and shown as a white bar.
E-Meter II, runs the same way but it divides the E/sec figure by 10 and draws a verticle line to record this, then it scrolls the graph 2 dots to the right. This takes a bit more time to complete and so you will see differences between E-Meter and E-Meter II. The maximum reading that can be graphed is 1000/sec, Mac owners can write and tell me what maximums they have reached, and after six months I'll include their Name and Machine configuration in the next Release.
PowerBook owners will see what happens when the CPU drops into rest mode, the display will catch up with the readings as soon as you move the trackball or hit a key.
Both of these apps use the GetNextEvent thingy in the event loop and should get the maximum number of nullevents etc, available.
You can drag the window to another position, but I didn't build in a way of recording the new position, besides, these apps will plant themselves out of the way, in the bottom left-hand corner of whatever main screen you have.
These apps are free to anyone who has had Freeware out on the BBSs. I encourage others to send $30 for 3 disks of my original • sandcastles • software, or a chocklate or bag of lollies if you only want to use these apps.
Them wot pay, get updates !!!
Mac owners can send a postcard and tell me what maximums they have reached, and after six months I'll include their Name and Machine configuration with the next Release.
Paul B Jones
P.O.Box 208
Moora 6510
Western Australia
AppleLink, AUST0565.
ClubMac, Paul Jones
P.S. the ICON is not meant to be any more than a simple 'graphic'.