Overview IcoFloat can have one or two columns of up to 12 buttons each (15 in 800 x 600 or better) Each button can: » launch an application » switch to a specified drive and directory » send a command line and a sequence of keystrokes to a Windows application as soon as it is launched » display the program icon, or a user chosen icon, or user specified text » display information text in the top bar as the cursor passes over the button » determine whether IcoFloat stays open, is minimised as a floating bar or as an icon, is hidden, or closes down to free resources when a program is launched » display a subsidiary bank of programmable buttons Drag and drop and Windows file association are fully supported. IcoFloat can be moved by dragging and floats above all other windows. By default IcoFloat has two banks of program buttons which can be switched by clicking the bank change button The number of banks can be increased indefinitely. Buttons can be individually set by dragging files from File Manager or manually in a configuration screen. Program Manager group files (*.grp) can be dragged onto an IcoFloat button and the contents will be cascaded on to the remaining visible buttons. The contents of a button can be moved to another button on the same bank by dragging. The number of rows of buttons can be set for each bank separately and varied by clicking the button marked with up/down pointers. The contents of a button can be deleted and undeleted. IcoFloat can popback automatically when an application finishes. It can always be reopened by left clicking the cursor on the desktop near the top left corner of the screen, or by right clicking any visible icon, or by right clicking an application's control menu button. When minimised as a bar it can be set to hop on to the title bar of the active top level window. IcoFloat can display the current date or time according to the system clock, or available system resources and global memory. The button marked with a circle minimises IcoFloat when left clicked, closes it down when right clicked, and exits windows when right clicked with the control key pressed. Left clicking with the control key held down hides it. Holding down the control key and right clicking any icon on the desktop also exits Windows. Users can specify a program to be launched by right clicking the desktop, and another by right clicking any application's minimise or maximise buttons. IcoFloat can launch any number of programs when Windows starts-up in place of the Load and Run options in WIN.INI Each application can be launched hidden, minimised or normal with or without a command line, and a keystroke sequence can be sent to programs loaded open . Five programs can be defined through a start-up screen for each of the hidden, minimised or normal groups, but any number of others can be added by editing icofloat.ini. IcoFloat can be set so that after running the start up sequence it stays open, minimises, hides or terminates. IcoFloat's custom DLL stays in memory throughout a Windows session to maintain key functions. IcoFloat incorporates a reminder facility which displays a user message on a designated date on initial start up. When minimised as an icon on the desktop IcoFloat displays the current system time in 24 hour format. IcoFloat can run as the shell in place of Program Manager. There is a hidden control panel which can be accessed by dragging down on the middle control button (up/down pointers). Set up Put ICOFLOAT.EXE, ICOFLOAT.HLP and ICOFLOAT.INI in your Windows directory. Put IFLOAT.DLL and THREED.VBX in your Windows system directory along with VBRUN200.DLL which if not with this package is widely available on bulletin boards and from shareware disk suppliers. The provided ICOFLOAT.INI file positions IcoFloat in the top left corner of the screen. Six buttons are displayed pre-set for Control panel, IcoFloat Help, Sysedit, File Manager, Notepad and Paintbrush plus six empty buttons. Bank 2 is empty. File Manager is also set to run when the hidden hotspot on the left end of the top bar is left clicked: the cursor changes to a pointing hand when over the hotspot. IcoFloat can be started without ICOFLOAT.INI in which case it will be created in your Windows directory as soon as you make any changes. To move IcoFloat place the tip of the cursor on the top bar, press and hold down the left mouse button and drag it to a new position. Return IcoFloat to its initial position by right clicking the top bar. To fix a new initial position, move IcoFloat to where you want it, open the control panel, and press Start up as now. Open File Manager, point to a file (not necessarily a program file), press and hold down the left button and drag it to one of IcoFloat's large buttons, and let go. The program will be assigned to the button and the file's icon, if it has one, will appear on the button. Repeat until you have assigned as many programs as you want to the available buttons. Increase the number of buttons displayed up to the maximum by right clicking the middle control button (up/down pointers). Left clicking this button reduces the number of buttons. You can also drag a Program Manager *.GRP file from your Windows directory onto a button and the contents will be added to the remaining buttons on the bank. Click one of the buttons to run the assigned program. You can modify the configuration of a button by right clicking it: a configuration screen opens in which you can add a command line after the program name; type up to 15 characters of information text to be displayed in the top bar as the cursor passes over the button; designate an icon to be shown in place of the program icon (including icons from Program Manager, moricons.dll, etc); set the drive and directory to be used when the program is launched; specify a keystroke sequence; decide how file associations are to be handled; and set what happens to IcoFloat when the program is run. Select options in the Options screen accessed through the hidden control panel (drag down on the up/down pointers button). Select start up options in the Start up screen accessed through the hidden control panel. Fuller help on IcoFloat is in the Windows help file ICOFLOAT.HLP. Copyright and registration IcoFloat is the copyright of Michael Cowan, 1994 and may be used only under licence obtainable from Michael Cowan Sparrow Information Systems 95 Allington Avenue NOTTINGHAM NG7 1JY United Kingdom IcoFloat may be used at home for private domestic purposes for a maximum trial period of one month after which it must be registered with the copyright owner with a one time payment of UK£10 or in any other currency the equivalent of US$20. Payment covers the use of one copy of IcoFloat in use on only one computer at any time. IcoFloat may NOT be used otherwise than at home for private domestic purposes without prior registration with the copyright owner when a one-off free trial period of one month will normally be granted. Fees for continued use are by negotiation. IcoFloat is supplied without warranties or guarantees of any sort and excludes any liability on the part of the copyright owner or any shareware distributor.