Send your comments flames & bugs to: <mailto:bigplan@tiac.net>
Save yourself some time: review this file & the help file before emailing for support.
The latest version always at: <http://www.tiac.net/users/bigplan>
This document should be viewed with SimpleText.
What is PPPremier Timer?
PPPremier Timer is a nifty gizmo that has a real function: it allows you to quickly and easily open and close your PPP connection on your Macintosh, while keeping track of how much time you accrue online. PPPremier Timer’s best feature may be its streamlined customizable appearance--it looks just like the display on your VCR or clock radio. You can also choose any sound you like to play when PPP opens and closes.
PPPremier Timer is free for personal use.
Requirements
PPPremier Timer requires a 68020 processor or better, and MacPPP 2.5 or FreePPP 2.5v2. It likes about 200K of memory.
Important
There are now two “flavors” of PPPremier Timer: PPPremier Timer and OT/PPPremier Timer. OT/PPPremier Timer works only with Open Transport Point-to-Point Protocol (OT/PPP), is accelerated for PowerPC, and has some additional functionality over the original PPPremier Timer. PPPremier Timer will continue to work with FreePPP 2.5v2 and MacPPP. Development on the original PPPremier Timer is, however, ending.
What’s New?
(new since version 1.3.2B, limited web site release)
• Fixed Preferences Window bugs introduced by typo in 1.3.2: sound menu problems and number-entry problems.
(new since version 1.3.0B, limited web site release)
• PPPremier Timer no longer mistakenly complains if OT/PPP is not installed.
• Increased preferred memory partition; PPPremier Timer now behaves better in low memory conditions. In the worst case, it will simply quit.
(new since version 1.2.1B)
• Split into two versions: OT/PPPremier Timer for OT/PPP, and the original PPPremier Timer for MacPPP or FreePPP.
• OT/PPPremier Timer is accelerated for PowerPC (fully PPC native) and works exclusively with OT/PPP.
• Lightened timer’s color to comply with MacOS 8 aesthetic.
• Added ability to open preferences files no matter where they reside; double clicking on “PPPremier Timer Preferences” file will force PPPremier Timer to use that file, even if another preferences file is already opened.
• PPPremier Timer now takes up less processor time when in the background.
• You can review the time you accumulated before the timer was cleared (automatically or manually) with the “Last Total Time…” option in the Timer menu.
• Replaced built-in sounds; originals available at www.tiac.net/users/bigplan.
• Fixed an AppleEvent bug which could cause QuicKeys to complain.
• Fixed a bug which could prevent hierarchical Apple menu from working.
Registering
If you’d like to be notified when new versions of PPPremier Timer become available, send email to bigplan@tiac.net with a subject which reads exactly:
Register PPPremier Timer
Your email address will only be used for notification of new versions of OT/PPPremier Timer and PPPremier Timer.
PPPremier Timer is a very simple application. It’s main interface consists of a small timer window, from which you can open and close your PPP connection, and which displays how much time you’re spending online.
The PPPremier Timer Window
The timer window has four parts: the Connect Button, the Quit Button, the Timer Face, and the Drag Pad.
The Connect Button
The Connect Button works like an on/off switch. When your PPP connection is closed, it looks like this (both color and black & white versions shown):
Clicking on it will start your PPP connection, and the button will change its appearance to indicate that the connection is opening, as illustrated above.
Once the PPP connection is open, the Connect Button will look like this:
Clicking on it will now close your PPP connection. The button’s appearance will change to indicate that the connection is closing.
The Quit Button
The Quit Button will always quit PPPremier Timer. If your connection is currently open, pressing the Quit Button will always close it, without any warning. Holding down the OPTION key while clicking the Quit Button will quit PPPremier Timer without closing the PPP connection--timing will stop, but the connection will remain open.
The Timer Face
Clicking on the timer face will briefly toggle between the total accumulated time and the current session time. You can choose which of the two times is normally shown using the preferences dialog.
The Drag Pad
The Drag Pad works like the title bar of normal windows--you use it to move the timer window around. PPPremier Timer will remember where you put it. When the timer is in the background, the Drag Pad is hidden.
Menus
File
Preferences
See the Preferences section below.
Quit Without Closing
Quits PPPremier Timer without closing the connection, even if PPP is open. Timing will stop, but the connection will remain open. Selecting this menu item is equivalent to holding down the OPTION key while clicking the Quit Button.
Quit
Quits PPPremier Timer and, if PPP is open, closes the connection. You will be presented with a confirmation dialog box allowing you to cancel the operation. Within the confirmation dialog box, you can choose to skip the confirmation in the future, allowing you quit PPPremier Timer and close the connection without warning. To force the confirmation to appear the next time you quit, hold down the SHIFT key--the warning will again always appear when you quit while PPP is open.
Edit
The Edit Menu has no function in PPPremier Timer. Note that no action is “undoable.”
Time
Open PPP
The same as hitting the Connect Button when PPP is closed--opens the PPP connection and starts timing. Not available when PPP is open.
Close PPP
The same as hitting the Connect Button when PPP is open--closes the PPP connection and stops timing. Not available when PPP is closed.
Last Total Time…
Shows the total time accumulated prior to the most recent reset. If you have the “Clear On Day” option checked in the preferences, this will show you the previous month’s total.
Change Total Time…
Allows you to modify the accumulated time, either by entering an absolute value or by adding a value to the current accumulated time. Enter the time value in the text fields in the hour:minute:second format. To change the total time to the new value, press return or click on the “Change Time” button. To add the new value to the total time, press the “Add to Current Time” button.
NOTE: Although you can cancel this action by pressing the “Cancel” button, you cannot undo it once it has been done.
Reset Total Time
Resets the accumulated time to 00:00:00. You have the opportunity to cancel the operation before it is done, but it cannot be undone.
Preferences
Hitting “OK” will make whatever changes you’ve made permanent. Hitting “Cancel” will revert the timer to its previous settings, even if you’ve made changes to the timer’s appearance that have already taken effect.
Behavior
Clear on day
When checked, the timer will reset the accumulated time to 00:00:00 the first time it is launched on the specified day of the month. For example, to clear the accumulated time on the first day of the month every month, check the “Clear on day” box, and enter a “1” in the text field.
Save every…minutes
When this is checked, the timer will automatically save the accumulated time to disk as often as you specify while the PPP connection is open. With a bounty of pre-release and beta internet software readily available, many people find their computers crashing while they are on the internet; this option helps you keep track of the time you spend on line even if you crash. For example, to save the accumulated time every ten minutes, check the “Save every…minutes” box and enter “10” in the text field.
Open PPP when launched
To make PPPremier Timer open your PPP connection automatically when you launch it, check this option. Holding down the OPTION key while PPPremier Timer is starting up will temporarily prevent it from automatically trying to open the PPP connection.
Hide until PPP opens
Normally, PPPremier Timer’s window is always open. By checking this option, the window will only be open when the PPP connection is open. You can still open the PPP connection using PPPremier Timer’s “Open PPP” menu command under the “Timer” menu.
Soft close
You should never, ever check this unless you are totally sure you know what you are doing.
Sounds
Connect
To play a sound whenever the PPP connection is opened, select a sound from this menu. You can use any sound in your System (sound files placed in your System Suitcase), or the special “Open PPPremier” sound. Selecting the first item, “None,” will allow the PPP connection to open without any sound from PPPremier Timer.
Disconnect
To play a sound whenever the PPP connection is closed, select a sound from this menu. You can use any sound in your System, or the special “Close PPPremier” sound. Selecting the first item, “None,” will allow the PPP connection to close with out any sound from PPPremier Timer.
You can make more sounds available to PPPremier Timer the same way you add new system beeps--either record them in the Sounds control panel, or copy them into the System Suitcase.
NOTE: If for some reason the selected sound cannot be played (for instance, if it has been removed from the System Suitcase), PPPremier Timer will display an alert explaining why.
Appearance:
All appearance changes take effect immediately: you’ll be able to see the results without closing the Preferences dialog.
Color
You can use any one of seven colors for the PPPremier Timer’s digits.
Width
You can choose how wide you’d like the digits to be, from “Narrowest” to “Wider.” Choosing “Extra Wide…” allows you to enter a value to specify even wider digits. The actual width of each digit will be, in pixels, about two times the value you enter.
Height
You can choose how high you’d like the digits to be, from “Shortest” to “Taller.” Choosing “Extra Tall…” allows you to enter a value to specify even taller digits. The actual height of each digit will be, in pixels, about two times the value you enter.
Show Total Time
When this is checked, the timer will display the total time accumulated, and clicking on the timer face will briefly show the current session time.
When “Show Total Time” is not checked, the timer will display the current session time, and clicking on the timer face will briefly show the total time accumulated.
Show 100+ Hours
When this is checked, the timer will have a hundred’s place so you can see up to 999 hours. When “Show 100+ Hours” is not checked, the timer will not have a hundred’s place, and you’ll only be able to see up to 99 hours. However, the timer will still remember how much time you’ve accumulated, even if it’s over 99 hours and you can’t see the hundred’s place.
Button Position
You can choose to put the buttons on either the top, the bottom, or the sides of the timer, or even to have no buttons at all.
When the buttons are placed on the top or bottom, the timer will also have a “drag pad” which operates like a window’s title bar. The drag pad allows you to move the timer around, and is only visible when the timer’s window is front-most.
When the buttons are on the side, the timer window has no Drag Pad, but you can still move PPPremier Timer’s window around by clicking and holding in the timer window on any spot that is not either a button or the timer face.
When you choose to have no buttons, you can still use PPPremier Timer to open and close your PPP connection by using the Time Menu’s “Open PPP” and “Close PPP” commands.
Licensing
Although PPPremier Timer is free for private non-profit use, it is not in the public domain, and it may not be distributed commercially or for profit. You must read the accompanying document titled “User License” before using this application. By using PPPremier Timer, you are agreeing to the terms specified in the license.
Version History
versions prior to current:
1.2.1B--5/20/96
• Fixed a fatal memory leak.
• Fixed a bug which could cause the Timer Menu's “Open PPP” and “Close PPP” options to be incorrectly enabled.
• Fixed a bug which could cause a sound to appear selected in the Preferences Dialog's sound pop-up menus, when in fact no sound was selected.
1.2 BETA--4/24/96
• Added new appearance options--size of digits, placement of buttons.
• Added 100+ hours option.
• Timer now “clings” to the monitor corner to which it is closest--it keeps its position relative to the corner, even when the monitor size is increased.
• Redesigned Preferences Dialog--it is now movable, appearance changes take effect immediately, and the timer continues to time while the dialog is open.
• Changed appearance of buttons, and brightened some digit colors.
• Added ability to override automatic connection on launch and disconnection on quit with option key.
• Added more informative handling of errors with sound playing.
• Fixed a bug which could prevent the sounds from playing, or cause a crash when the sounds were played.
• Fixed a bug which could prevent the timer from being dragged off of the main monitor.
• Fixed a bug which could cause the timer to be off screen if it was started on a smaller monitor.
1.1.3 BETA--1/30/96
• Fixed failure to save accumulated time when “Quit Without Closing” was selected.
• Fixed a bug which could allow the timer to be totally off-screen.
• Fixed a bug which could improperly cause the Apple Menu to be hilited.
• Added optional confirmation when closing connection on quit.
1.1.2 BETA
limited release--web site only
• Fixed a bug which prevented the time from properly resetting in many circumstances.
• Added confirm dialog to the “Reset Total Time” command.
Improved button responsiveness.
• Improved behavior on incompatible systems.
• Improved error handling.
1.1.1 BETA
not released
• Fixed a bug which could cause the timer to crash at shutdown.
1.1.0 BETA--11/26/95
• Much faster starting up.
• Option to change the total time.
• Option to save total time every few minutes (to preserve accumulated time in the event of a crash).
• Option to hide timer window when PPP is not open.
• Option to automatically open PPP when timer is launched.
• Added green hiliting to color disconnect button to emphasize "on-line" status.
• Fixed bug which could cause timer's window position to be off-screen.
• Fixed a bug which improperly disabled the "Close PPP" menu item if PPP was already open when the timer was launched.
1.0.0 BETA--11/4/95
first public release
Deep in space, war still has a name: Ares is a hybrid action/strategy game set in the future. The
action element requires a quick hand. The strategic element requires a quick mind. The dynamically scaling tactical display will blow your mind. Beautifully rendered 3D sprites, QuickTime movies, pulse-raising music tracks, deafening sound effects, and dozens of types of ships and weapons--it’s all there.
