InterSLIP Timer is a utility application to be used with InterSLIP that allows you to keep track of how much time you spend on your SLIP account. Version 1.4 has a globally floating window that will always be in front of other windows, even if InterSLIP Timer is running in the background. There is now a menu option that will import the cumulative time and preference settings from version 1.2 or greater. This should make upgrading painless.
InterSLIP must be properly installed on your computer for InterSLIP Timer to work. InterSLIP Timer requires System 7.0 or later. The globally floating window requires System 7.1 or greater.
What it does
When you launch by double-clicking, a small, draggable timer window appears under the Trash. By default, this is a globally floating window that will always be visible above all other applications. The globally floating window will only work with System 7.1 or greater. If you use earlier versions of System 7, a normal window will be substituted. When the timer window is dragged to a new position, the new position is saved and becomes the default position the next time the timer is launched. The blue numbers, on top, display the time for the current session, while the red numbers, below, record cumulative time. The cumulative time can display cumulative time for the current day, cumulative time for the month beginning on a day you select, or cumulative time since you last manually cleared the register. By default, the cumulative time keeps incrementing until you manually clear it. By clicking on the cumulative time in the timer window, the display will toggle between cumulative for the day ( displayed like this: 00:00:05 ) or cumulative total/month (displayed like this: 00:00:05 ). Cumulative times and other settings are automatically saved once per minute to provide some protection against loss of data should the computer crash during a timed session.
The Menus
The File Menu:
You can initiate your InterSLIP session either by selecting "Begin Session" from the InterSLIP Timer file menu or by connecting using the InterSLIP control panel. InterSLIP Timer waits patiently until InterSLIP signals that the connection is established, then begins to time your session. You can use the start of the timer to confirm that your connection is established. Selecting "End Session" from the File menu, breaks your InterSLIP connection and turns the timer off. Selecting "Clear Monthly" will terminate your session and set monthly cumulative time to zero. Selecting "Clear Daily" will terminate your session and set daily cumulative time to zero. Selecting Preferences... will open the Preferences dialog (see below). Selecting "Quit," terminates your InterSLIP session and quits the program.
The Upgrade Menu:
The Upgrade menu can be used to update preferences and cumulative time data from a previous version of InterSLIP Timer. When "Update prefs" is selected, the current drive is searched for previous versions of InterSLIP Timer. The new version and the old version must be on the same drive. If you have multiple hard drives, be sure that both versions are on the same drive when you upgrade. If version 1.2 or greater is found, the cumulative time and settings data will be copied to your new version. If you have more than one copy of old versions of InterSLIP Timer, your new version will be upgraded from the first old version that is found. So, it is wise to make sure that you have only one old version on the drive with v. 1.4.2 at the time you upgrade.
Shortcuts
There are four shortcuts to save trips to the menu bar. The timer window has four "Hot Spots" in the corners. The upper left Hot Spot, when clicked, will Begin a session. The lower left will End the session. The lower right spot will Quit. The upper right spot will open the Preferences dialog.
The Preferences Dialog
If you check Auto Clear in the Preferences dialog, the cumulative time will automatically clear on the day of the month that you choose (first day of the month is the default). The Preferences dialog allows the day for Auto Clear to be changed and also displays the previous month's total usage. This is handy if you are billed by your provider by monthly usage and you want to know how much you have used.
If "Auto Launch" is checked, InterSLIP Timer will automatically signal InterSLIP to connect to your currently configured host the next time you launch InterSLIP Timer. If "Display Daily" is checked, the timer window will display the daily cumulative time by default each time you launch. Cumulative times can be cleared from the Preferences dialog. If "Close Window when Idle" is checked, the timer window will only appear when your SLIP connection is active.
If "Hide Hot Spots" is checked, the hot spots will not appear on the timer window. This is purely a cosmetic change and the hot spots will continue to function. I've found that new users prefer to have an indication of the hot spots on the window, while experienced users like the plain window. Now it's your choice.
By default, Global Floating window is selected if you are using System 7.1 or greater. If you prefer a normal window, uncheck this option. Since the type of window is fixed at launch time, changes in this option will not take effect until the next time that InterSLIP Timer is launched. If you use a version of system software earlier than System 7.1, you will not be able to check the global floating window option.
Finally, some users like an audible confirmation that a connection has been made or broken. Checking "Beep on Connect" will cause a system beep when your SLIP connection has been made. Checking "Beep on Disconnect will cause a beep on disconnnect.
The Preferences dialog has options that allow you to configure InterSLIP Timer to suit your own style of use. Two styles are common:
Active:
InterSLIP Timer is used as the primary means for establishing and terminating SLIP sessions. The timer is opened and closed with each session. "Auto Launch" is often handy for this style of use since double-clicking on the timer also connects you to your internet provider automagically.
Passive:
InterSLIP Timer is run passively in the background continuously to time sessions whenever they occur, but the SLIP connection is usually made by another application (Mosaic, for example ). In this case, "Hide Window when Idle" makes the application inconspicuous but there when you need it.
The Deal
InterSLIP Timer v. 1.4.2 is shareware. If you find that you use it a lot and feel that it is worth $10, by all means send it. If you feel like sending a nice letter or postcard, do that. If you want to send a shareware product of your own, please do! If you don't feel like sending anything, don't send anything. There are no annoying registration dialog boxes full of accusatory language getting in your face or anything like that.
Send your cash (best method outside the US), checks (US$ drawn on a US bank), postal money orders, postcards, letters, disks, bug reports, etc., to:
Eric Preston
23547 Clark Dr.
Philomath, OR 97370
USA
Internet email: ericpresto@aol.com
America Online: EricPRESTO
If you let me know your email address, I will acknowledge receipt of your shareware contribution.
Just for Fun
Can you find the undocumented features? There are two undocumented features in v. 1.4. One was introduced with v 1.3 and a second with 1.4. They are functional and not purely cosmetic. You do not need to open the program with ResEdit to find them. In fact, opening the program won't help at all. Let me know, if you think you've discovered them. Users who register get the answer.
Limitations on Distribution
InterSLIP Timer is copyrighted to Eric Preston, 1995, and may not be sold or distributed for profit in any form, either with other products (commercial, shareware, or freeware), or in shareware/freeware collections sold for profit, without my prior written consent. InterSLIP Timer may be distributed freely provided it is distributed in a non-profit manner, and is provided in its original unmodified form. However, please notify me if it is to be included in non-profit collection on disk, CD ROM, or other media.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Matt Slot for "appe Windows 2.0" which provides the mechanism for the global floating window. Hiroshi Lockheimer graciously helped me through several issues in implementing the window. Richard Lesnick caught a preferences dialog bug in version 1.2 and once again in 1.4.
Thanks to all for your help.
Disclaimer
The author makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding InterSLIP Timer. Use of InterSLIP Timer is at your own risk. The author claims no liability for data loss or other problems caused directly or indirectly by InterSLIP Timer.
YetAnother Timer and MacPPP Timer
If you do not use InterSLIP, but otherwise have use for the features in InterSLIP Timer, download YetAnother Timer from the Applications directory at info-mac or any of its mirrors. It has all of InterSLIP Timer's features except the InterSLIP interface. If you use MacPPP, try MacPPP Timer. It's in the Communications/MacTCP directory.
Version History
Version 1.0 - January 11, 1995. First public release .
Version 1.0.1 - January 20, 1995. Fixed a nasty bug that caused cumulative time to be
saved incorrectly if a second timing session was begun without first
quitting and re-launching the program.
Version 1.1 - February 5, 1995. Made automatic timer start and stop on connection a
bit more bullet proof. As long as InterSLIP Timer has been launched, the
timer will now start/stop even if InterSLIP is launched from a different
application.
When timer window is dragged to a new position, the new position is
saved and becomes the default position the next time the timer is
launched.
Hot Spot shortcuts added to the timer window.
Automatic InterSLIP connection made discretionary via file menu
selection.
Preferences dialog added.
Version 1.2 - April 20, 1995. Added daily cumulative timer. Enlarged "Hot Spots".
Cumulative time is now saved once per minute to minimize data loss if a
computer crash occurs during a session. Additional checking at startup
to make sure timer window is correctly placed on the current device.
Menu conforms with Apple Guidelines.
Version 1.2.1 - April 21, 1995. Fixed a bug in the preferences dialog which caused the
screen to be redrawn incorrectly when cumulative time was cleared.
Version 1.3 - June 2, 1995. Added Apple Event Support. Made Hot Spots responsive.
Added "Close Window When Idle and "Hide Hot Spots" options. Made the
event loop ~ 20 times more efficient.
Version 1.4 - June 23, 1995. Added support for global floating window. Added Upgrade
menu. Modified the Apple Event support code for greater compatibility
with older macs. Added options allowing beep on connect/disconnect.
Version 1.4.1 - July 3, 1995. Fixed a bug in the global window which caused the timer
window to be drawn in the preferences dialog and in the "... about" box
when running in B&W.
Version 1.4.2 - July 7, 1995. Fixed a bug in the Upgrade routine.
