This control panel is shareware. It is not free. If you don't use it, pass it along to a friend. If you do use it, please send $5 for each copy to:
John V. Holder
2862 Lowell Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(read “How to register” to learn how to register)
• What's the purpose of this Control Panel?
QuickPop does just two things, but was designed to do them very well. This program performs functions that will benefit any Mac user and is extremely simple to set up and use.
The first is to allow you to assign “Hotkeys” to up to thirty (30) Apple Menu Items, control panels, applications, FKEYs, documents, monitor depth (colors) or speaker volume settings. When the “Hotkeys” are pressed from within most any program, the selected item will instantly launch (or change speaker or monitor settings).
The second is to allow you to have a menu pop up anywhere on the screen when you hold a key (option, command, control or shift in any combination) and click and hold down the mouse button. From this pop-up menu you can launch your favorite documents, applications, control panels, FKEYs, Apple Menu Items, change monitor depth (colors) settings, change the speaker level or switch to any other running application.
Some uses for QuickPop:
* Change monitor settings (for those games that require
different monitor settings) and assign a single key to
instantly switch to 16 colors, 256 colors or Black &
white, whatever you need!
* Have a key (or keys) to turn the speaker off or to a
different level, no need to go to the Sound control panel
anymore!
* Launch your favorite application, document, control
panel, FKEY or Apple menu item at the touch of a key
(or keys).
* Keep your favorite FKEYs in files rather than installing
them in the System file. Place aliases of the FKEY files
in the QuickPop Folder and you can launch the FKEYs
with any key(s) you set up!
FEATURES ADDED TO VERSION 1.1:
* Print “Hotkeys” list
* 30 available “Hotkeys” rather than 5
* Change monitor depth (colors) from QuickPop pop-up
menu or a “Hotkey”
* Set speaker volume level from QuickPop pop-up menu
or a “Hotkey”
NEW FEATURES FOR VERSION 1.2: (by popular demand!)
* Can now use any key(s) for a “Hotkey” (even without
a modifier), including the function keys on extended
keyboards
* Can now open FKEYs from the QuickPop pop-up menu
or a “Hotkey”
* Aliases of FKEY files can now placed in QuickPop Folder
and the FKEY within that file can be run from QuickPop!
• The QuickPop control panel window:
Near the top of the QuickPop window you'll find a check box titled “Popup” and a box to the right of it which may be showing a combination of keys. Clicking on either of these two items will allow you to set the “modifier” keys (Shift, Option, Command or Control) that control how the QuickPop pop-up menu will be “invoked”. If all four check boxes are off, the QuickPop pop-up menu will be disabled.
In the center of the QuickPop window you'll find a list of all “HotKeys”. To set a “HotKey” just double-click one of the 30 items in the list.
On the bottom of the window, there is an On\Off switch (that will either say “ON” or “OFF”). There are also three buttons; clicking the printer icon will allow you to print a list of all the “HotKeys”, clicking the “Help” button will bring up the on-line help and also allow you to fill out and print a registration form (how convenient! :-), clicking the “Prefs” button will allow you to set preferences for QuickPop.
• Who wrote this thing?
QuickPop for the Macintosh was writ ten on a Macintosh Quadra 630 by John V. Holder.
• Thanks:
I want to thank all the beta testers (Byron Barker, Robert Bittner, Darius G. Brotman, Stephen J. Kayner, Casey Meaden and E. Joseph Pred) for testing, suggestions and help. I couldn't have done it without you! I also wish to thank Dan Deacon from the Xeau Design Group for the wonderful artwork, he can be reached via email at ddeacon@indirect.com
I also want to thank One Step Beyond for the code to get and check for the “HotKeys”.
• QuickPop History:
Version Release Date Description
1.0 (4/10/95) Initial Release.
1.1 (4/18/95) Added the ability to launch
applications, documents and
control panels with the “HotKeys”.
Also Added the ability to change
monitor settings, change the
speaker volume and fixed a bug that
would stop a certain key from
working if an Apple Menu item
was selected but no modifier
keys were set. Can now print
list of “HotKeys”.
1.2 (5/8/95) Changed the way “HotKeys” are
defined which now allows use of
ANY key (function keys, etc.).
Can now access and run an FKEY
from within an FKEY file from
the QuickPop popup menu or
by using a “Hotkey”. Fixed a
bug that would show up only if
not running the Finder and the
user would try to open a control
panel.
• How to use QuickPop:
To be able to use the QuickPop pop-up menu you must click the “Popup” check box or the “Keys” box to the right of the “Popup” check box to define which key(s) (option, command, control, shift or any combination of these keys) will bring up the QuickPop pop-up menu when you click and hold down the mouse button. Turn the QuickPop menu off by unchecking all four check boxes.
To define “Hotkeys” for any Apple Menu Item, FKEY, control panel, application or document, double-click (or click an item in the list and hit the “Return” key). You can now select which item to open by selecting from the pop-up menu near the bottom of the dialog. Next, type the “Hotkey” combination you'd like to assign to this item.
Example, let's say you wanted to use the keys Control-Q to open up the QuickPop control panel at any time. Just type a 'Q' while holding down the Control key to set the “Hotkey”. Now select QuickPop from pop-up menu (the pop-up menu could have Apple Menu Items, Control Panels and QuickPop Folder Items to choose from). Once you close the QuickPop window (and if you have QuickPop installed in the System Folder), hitting Control-Q will open the QuickPop control panel for you!
• Abbreviation definitions
When “Hotkeys” are displayed in the list, printed or when setting a “Hotkey”, abbreviations are used to show which keys were used, here is a list of all abbreviations and the meaning of each:
ESC = Escape key
RTRN = Return key
ENTR = Enter key
TAB = Tab key
SPC = Space bar
CLR = Clear key
HLP = Help key
HOM = Home key
PGU = Page Up key
PGD = Page Down key
END = End key
CMD = Command key
SHF = Shift key
OPT = Option key
CTL = Control key
DWN = Down Arrow key
UP = Up Arrow key
LFT = Left Arrow key
RGT = Right Arrow key
DEL = Delete key
FDEL = Forward Delete key
F1-F15 = Function Keys (extended keyboard)
• How to add your favorite documents, applications, etc.
To be able to open your favorite documents, applications, FKEY files, folders or control panels, create aliases of each file from the Finder with the “Make Alias” command in the “File” menu. Put all the aliases inside the “QuickPop Folder” in the System Folder. The “QuickPop Folder” will be created the first time you open the QuickPop control panel. After placing any aliases in the Folder the files will be instantly accessible for opening from the QuickPop popup menu or from a “HotKey”!
• Turning QuickPop on/off:
You can turn QuickPop on or off at any time by clicking the on/off button in the lower left of the QuickPop Control Panel window.
• How to install QuickPop:
System 7: Just drop this Control Panel file into your
System Folder and restart your Macintosh!
System 6: Just drop this Control Panel file into the
Control Panels Folder within your System
Folder and restart your Macintosh!
• Customizing QuickPop:
To set any options for QuickPop just click the “Prefs” button from the QuickPop Control Panel window.
Here is the description of the check boxes:
• Icon at Start-up:
If checked, an icon will be displayed during startup.
• Apple Menu Items:
If checked, the QuickPop pop-up menu will display
all Apple Menu Items.
• FKEYs:
If checked, the QuickPop pop-up menu will display
all FKEYs in the System (but only if they are named).
• QuickPop Folder Items:
(System 7 only) If checked, the QuickPop pop-up
menu will display all aliases contained in the QuickPop
Folder (which is kept in the System Folder). You can
keep aliases of your favorite documents, applications,
desk accessories and control panels in this folder for
quick access. If this item is not checked, the QuickPop
Folder will not be created automatically.
• Control Panel Folder Items:
(System 7 only) If checked, the QuickPop pop-up menu
will display all control panels contained in the Control
Panels Folder.
• Monitor Depth:
(System 7 only) Allows you to set the monitor depth
(colors) of the monitor the mouse is currently in when
you bring up the QuickPop pop-up menu.
NOTE: Changing the depth with QuickPop is temporary
(until you restart the computer).
• Sound Control:
Allows you to change the speaker volume.
• Excluded Applications:
You can create a list of applications that cause problems while using QuickPop. If the application is on the list, QuickPop will not be available while you are in that application. To add an application to the list, click the “Add” button, select the application and click the “Open” button. To remove an application from the list, select it with the mouse and click the “Delete” button.
• Troubleshooting
• Problem: It doesn't seem to work!
• Solution: Perhaps QuickPop has been turned
off. Make sure the switch in the lower
left of the window is in the on position.
• Problem: It causes problems with a certain
application.
• Solution: From the preferences dialog you can
create a list of applications that cause
problems while using QuickPop. You
can add the application to a list of
excluded applications (see Customizing
QuickPop above). If an application
is on this list QuickPop will not be
accessible from within that application.
• Other Programs Available:
I have written several other shareware games and utilities. They are described below along with the price for each; price does not include disk or postage. To get the latest versions of all of these to try out for yourself, send a disk with a self addressed stamped envelope or send $5 and I will supply the disk and pay postage.
PRODUCTIVITY:
ScrapIt Pro - Apple's Scrapbook, Note Pad and SimpleText are wonderful utilities - now check out their big brother! ScrapIt Pro is a must have utility!
New Features:
• speech manager support (speak text items)
• sound recording
• drag and drop
• alias support for scrap item folder
• saves scrap item names when cutting & pasting
• background color in window now easily changeable
• item type priority setting for PICT,TEXT, sounds and movies
• word and character count for text items
ScrapIt Pro is a powerful storage and cataloging utility which will allow you to archive and retrieve anything you can copy to the clipboard, import or drag & drop; sounds, Pictures, Text, QuickTime movies, and lots more.... all accessible at the click of a mouse! You can print thumbnail pictures or text lists of all items in any Scrap file. You can quickly and easily search through all the text items of a scrap file or scrap item names to find what you're looking for.
It can also be used it as a mini-word processor; create new or edit any text items, change fonts, style, size and color! Even have ScrapIt Pro speak any text if you have the Speech Manager installed. ScrapIt Pro can play the sounds or QuickTime™ movies it stores; it can view all of a large picture by scrolling or reducing to fit inside the window; you can select and copy portions of pictures or Text items... and so much more!
ScrapIt Pro will open any Apple Scrapbook file.
Shareware: $15
TakeABreak - This control panel will remind you to take a break from the computer once in a while... You can have it remind you after a selected time period (every 30 minutes, every 2 hours, whatever you choose) by playing any installed Sound, showing a window, and/or playing a QuickTime™ movie! This is a must have utility if you spend over 20 min. at a time on the computer. ($5)
Font DA - Ever wondered how to type a certain character from a certain font that you need? Well, wonder no more with this handy utility! Much better than KeyCaps DA! This DA allows you to view every character (in any size, font and style you select) of any installed font, and will also show what the exact keystrokes are needed to type the character! You can also print these handy tables for quick reference. This is a must have utility and only $5 shareware!
JUST FOR FUN:
QTAction - QTAction is a Control Panel that lets you assign QuickTime movies OR sounds to certain system actions such as the System Beep, emptying the trash, Disk Eject, Disk Insert, Starting the Mac, and more!! Movies or sounds can be played at certain times, too, (on the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 hour or on the hour). Check this out!!! ($10)
GAMES:
Escape! - Escape is a simple strategy game that's mind-bogglingly similar to an old computer game called Daleks, though there’s lots more goodies in this game! Control a guy as he runs around mazes trying to collect gems, weapons, mines and the occasional extra life, finding tunnels to pass through, while stupid, but persistant, robots attempt to smoosh him. Simple, but addictive as all get out. ($5)
ColorFall - A simple yet very fun and addictive new game! Blocks of 4 colors (or patterns for B&W) drop down; you position and rotate them where you want them and let 'em drop! Try to get 4 or more in a row down, across, diagonally or in a block... But that's not all! Random things happen during play to either help or hinder your progress, such as a falling weight, a bomb and other strange things! Try it! ($10)
SideMinder! - SideMinder! is a challenging game played against the computer. Your mission is to place 3D game pieces on the board, matching as many sides as you can. The more sides you match, the higher the score! Many different options are available, such as various playing boards, tournament mode, rotating pieces, number of colors (or patterns for B&W), and level of difficulty! Try it, you won't be disappointed! (1.02 fixes a Scoring bug and adds new game boards!) I take no responsibility for time or sleep lost due to the habit forming effects of this game! ($10)
• How to Register:
I've worked very hard on this Control Panel and would like to continue to release fun and useful games and utilities, but the only way I can do this is if you send in the requested fee. Please, if you use this, send in the small fee requested. Do your part to keep the idea of shareware (and me) going! Thank you.
PS: If you send in your fee, you'll feel really good about yourself and life in general :-). If you continue to use it without paying, your conscience will continually hound you until you finally do send in the fee, so why wait?
I have tested this Control Panel to the best of my ability, but cannot possibly test it with every application, INIT setup, etc. If you find any problems, please let me know about it! Also, if you have any suggestions of other features you'd like to see in this Control Panel, let me know. You can contact me at the address or on-line services below.
You can fill out the registration form from within the QuickPop Control Panel Help window. Just click the “Fill out registration form” button and fill in the fields. There are also multiple copy discounts that are calculated in the form if you are purchasing more than 9 copies of QuickPop.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shareware fee: $5 <<<<<<<<<<<<<
John V. Holder
2862 Lowell Street
Eureka, CA 95501
or America Online.........: JohnHolder
or CompuServe e-mail.: 75040,1126
or on GEnie e-mail........: JOHN.HOLDER
or Internet....................: JohnHolder@aol.com
