In this Packit III document, there are four main files: JCLock, New SysAlert, FKEY╒s and this documentation. JClock and New SysAlert are INIT resources designed to be put into your system folder and FKEY╒s is a FKEY Manager document with seven FKEYs in it.
About the INIT files:
JClock was originally a program by James T Sulzen which installed an INIT resource into the System. Many people who used this didn╒t have any experience with Resedit and thus when they tried to remove the program they couldn╒t. Fortunately Apple came to the rescue and with the release of the new System that came with the Mac+ (3.2) they included INIT 31 which would execute any external INIT as if it was installed in the System. Thus all I did was to take the previously writen files JClock & NewSys Alert and put them into a format that INIT 31 could understand. This means the changing of the type to either ╘INIT╒ or ╘RDEV╒ and removing all the unnessary code if it was an application as JClock was. This can be done to any INIT and in fact most come this way now.
The Programs:
JClock installs a clock into the upper right hand part of the screen in the menu bar. To hide it simply hold down the mouse button with the pointer over the time. It should hide. Simply do the same thing to bring it back. The file JClock must be in the System Folder at startup for this to be installed. If you don╒t want it any more, just move this file out of the folder.
NewSys Alert is an INIT which activates the ╘Resume╒ button in error dialogs enabling you to return to the Finder rather than having to reboot. It is installed/deinstalled the same as JClock.
Restart is a function key which reboots the computer. For safty I would make sure you know what key it is installed on, otherwise you may accidentally reboot the computer. It doesn╒t eject the disk. It is in FKEY Manager format but can also be installed with Resedit and possibly most other FKEY installers.
SayDate is an other FKEY which simply has the Mac read out the current date. Macintalk must be installed in the system folder for it to run properly.
SayClip is similar to the above FKEY but reads what is in the current clipboard.
Obscure Cursor simply calls the Toolbox procedure of the same name. I use it in programs like Red Ryder which don╒t hide the pointer when text insertion is being done. It is also handy if you simply don╒t want to see the pointer on the screen. Simply move the mouse to restore the pointer.
Fix Cursor call the Toolbox call InitCursor and is used to restore the pointer in those applications that have forgotten to restore the cursor to the pointer shape or those programs like Fortran which hide the cursor and then expect you to use it.
BringtoFront and SendtoBack were written to one up Red Ryder╒s Ctrl-W command which sends the Redy Ryder main window to the back. It is one of the only window features of the program I liked, and I liked it enough to write my own. BringtoFront brings the rear window to the front and SendtoBack sends the front window to the rear. The only program it doesn╒t seem to work with is the Finder which seems to have an invisible window lurking somewhere, or at least it handles windows funny. (I also noticed this in an other program I wrote - of course it could just be me doing something stupid)
I would appreciate any bugs or comments being sent to me. This is the first release of the FKEY╒s and so at least one is bound to have some kind of bug. Please post any comments to Clark Goble on Macky BBS in Halifax NS. 466-6903.
