README.TXT for Mini Notepad 1.8b [10 January 1997] ================================ Welcome to Mini Notepad! Introduction ------------ Mini Notepad is a versatile multi-page text file editor. Each document is displayed on a tabbed page making it easy to switch between many files. The editor can be configured to occupy a minimum of screen estate and stay on top of other programs. Context-sensitive shortcut menus provide access to all the editor's commands. Mini Notepad makes it easy to open frequently used files; it can even do so automatically each time you start the program. You can also open files by drag-and-dropping files from File Manager or Explorer. Mini Notepad can restore its size and position on the desktop from a previous session. This program is Freeware! Thank you for sending me a message (E-mail, postcard, ...) if you find it useful. Why "Mini"? ----------- Mini Notepad can be configured to occupy a minimum of screen estate. You can hide the menu, tool bar and hint line and use the popup menus to access most commands. As a result, your document fills almost the whole application window. This is particularly useful when you want to keep Mini Notepad open on top of other applications. Also, Mini Notepad has been optimized to handle notes and small text files efficiently. It has been designed to use a minimum of Windows system resources. As a result, you can safely keep this program open all the time, even if you have many files open. If you need to edit large multi-megabyte text files, use Super NoteTab instead of this program (see further down for details). Key Features ------------ * Flexible multi-page notepad editor. * Covers all features available in Notepad. * Each page can have different settings such as font, tab widths, word wrap. * Open and edit many text files at once. * Quickly open files from your "Favorite File" list. * Can search/replace text in all open documents. * Context-sensitive shortcut menus. * Drag-and-drop files from File Manager or Explorer. * Accepts file names passed as parameters to the program. * Option to autoload files from "Favorite File" list or those opened during a previous session. * Remembers its size and position on the desktop. * Can stay on top of other applications. * Converts text between ASCII and ANSII. * And lots more... Installation ------------ There is no special procedure to follow. Just place the program and its associated files in the Windows directory or wherever you prefer. - Windows 3.1 users: If you want to add Mini Notepad to one of your Program Manager groups, the easiest way to do it is with File Manager. Just select the file MININOTE.EXE and drag it from File Manager to the group where you would like its icon to appear. You can also run the program by double-clicking on it from File Manager. - Windows 95 users: The easiest way to set the Mini Notepad icon on your desktop is to use Explorer. Just select the file MININOTE.EXE and drag it from Explorer to an unoccupied space on your desktop. You can also add a shortcut to it in your Start menu by choosing Settings / Taskbar... Uninstalling ------------ Just delete MININOTE.EXE, MININOTE.INI, MININOTE.HLP and this README.TXT file. If you have created a list of favourite files, you can also delete the file FAVORITE.TXT. All these files are located in the same directory as Mini Notepad. Note that Mini Notepad does not mess around with your registry file. Updates and Other Programs -------------------------- You can find updates of Mini Notepad and other Freeware/Shareware programs by visiting my web site at the following address: http://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/geologie/fookes/ If you need to edit large files and use Windows 95 or NT 4, you may want to download Super NoteTab. It is an editor similar to Mini Notepad (also as Freeware), but is capable of editing files as large as memory permits. Legal ----- The author of this program accepts no responsibility for damages resulting from its use and makes no warranty or representation, either express or implied, including but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This component is provided "AS IS", and you, its user, assume all risks when using it. Distribution License -------------------- I encourage you to freely copy and distribute this Freeware version of Mini Notepad to any and all who are interested in obtaining a copy, including distributing it on BBS's or Shareware distribution libraries. The package is subject to the following restrictions: Mini Notepad must be distributed as a complete package including the following 4 files: 1. README.TXT - this file 2. FILE_ID.DIZ - standard ID file 3. MININOTE.EXE - the program 4. MININOTE.HLP - the program's help file If any of these files are missing, then the package is not complete and distribution is forbidden. + The package - including all related program files and documentation files CANNOT be modified in any way and must be distributed as a complete package, without exception. + You may charge a distribution fee for the package, but you must not represent in any way that you are selling the software itself. + You shall not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify, decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement. Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of this distribution license. All rights not expressly granted here are reserved by Eric G.V. Fookes. Comments and Suggestions ------------------------ Do not hesitate to send me your comments and suggestions. If you submit a bug report (first check the known issues below), please remember to indicate the program version number, as well as the operating system you are using (Windows 3.1, 95, NT). I can be reached by E-mail at: fookes@sc2a.unige.ch or by snail mail at the following address: Eric G.V. Fookes Av. Eugène-Pittard 22 Ter CH - 1206 Geneva Switzerland Hope you enjoy using it! -Eric Fookes Note: this program was written with Delphi and uses components from a Shareware VCL package called the "Super Labeled Input Controls". The package, which I developed, is available for downloading from my web site at the following URL: www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/geologie/fookes/delphi.htm Delphi is a trademark of Borland International, Inc. Version History --------------- * Version 1.0 (6 October 1995) This first version was already made available on the Internet but was never publicized. It was mainly used at the University of Geneva. * Version 1.5 (10 December 1996) Significantly enhanced and uploaded to major Shareware/Freeware servers on the Internet for the first time. * Version 1.6 (16 December 1996) After a very enthusiastic response (thank you!), added some new features and fixed several bugs: + Fixed a bug that caused the Stay-on-top behaviour to work erratically; + fixed keyboard shortcuts for clipboard functions; + improved the Undo feature; + added an option to change the page colour; + added tools to edit file dialogue filters and the default extension; + added several menu commands, including one for changing printer setup; + changed some of the toolbar icons. * Version 1.7 (20 December 1996) Added the following features: + If called several times, no longer loads multiple copies of the program; instead files passed as parameters are opened on separate pages in the editor; + Option to make backups when saving files; + Option to use same colour for tabs as the pages; * Version 1.7a (21 December 1996) Added the following feature: + You can now keep a log by using the method as with Notepad. Just add ".LOG" on the first line (without the quotation marks) and every time you open such a document, Mini Notepad will append the current date and time (as specified by your computer's clock). Changed: + The "Insert Date" command now inserts the date and time at the cursor position instead of at the end of the document. * Version 1.8 (2 January 1997) Fixed the following bugs: + Setting document tab values did not always work in previous version. Toggling word wrap cancelled tab alignment. Fixed. + "Preferences" and "Page Properties" dialogues did not display well under certain screen resolutions. Fixed. + Some shortcuts did not work when menu was hidden. Fixed. + Some users mentioned that opening files by using Mini Notepad as a default editor for Windows or other programs did not always work. I have not experienced this problem but have changed the implementation of this feature. Hopefully it works all the time now. + Certain operations did not update the status of the cursor position. Fixed. + Status bar is now correctly hidden. Added the following features: + Help file. + New dialogue box to easily switch between a large number of pages. + Command to sort lines in a document. + Command to easily rename a document. + Command to insert a file in a document. + Option to configure date and time string. + Option to minimize program to system tray instead of Taskbar (only 32-bit version). + Option to save files without prompting when closing a modified document. + The Change Case feature has also been added to the shortcut menu + Command-line options to: * open and print files immediately; * open alternative "Favorite Files" list; * cancel splash screen normally displayed when starting the program. * Version 1.8a (6 January 1997) Fixed the following bugs: + Opening files with spaces in the name is now possible through the command line (32-bit version). + Dragging page tabs did not always place them correctly. Fixed. + Case functions did not work from shortcut menu. Fixed. Changes: + Reorganized the menus and other minor cosmetic changes. + ASCII files can now be edited and saved in that format. + When prompted to save a file, you can now cancel the operation. * Version 1.8b (9 January 1997) Fixed the following bugs: + Document selector did not always work correctly. Fixed. + The replace dialog box should have disabled the direction options (they are enabled in Mini Notepad). + If a file was locked by another application, an EAccessViolation error occured when opened or saved, sometimes freezing Mini Notepad. This has been fixed. Changes: + Reorganized the menus (again) and improved the hint descriptions. + You can now start a copy of Mini Notepad when Super NoteTab is running and vice versa. + Improved printing options (more to come in later version). + Changed "Save As" shortcut from Ctrl+A to Ctrl+Shift+S. "Select All" is now Ctrl+A. Added the following features: + "Open Ascii" menu command under "File" menu. + "New Ascii" menu command under "File" menu. + "Save Selection" menu command under "File" menu. + "Capitalize" menu command under "Edit|Change Case". + Printer dialog box when choosing "File|Print". Known Issues ------------ * Sometimes, the editor window does not update correctly. This problem seems to appear when operating with certain video drivers. This also seems to be a bug in the Delphi programming language. * The "Print" dialog box disables several options. I'm trying to figure this one out. Here too, it seems to be a problem due to Delphi. Upcoming Features ----------------- * More printing options, including margins and support for tabs; * better text tab-size feature and improved method to remember document settings; * special "clipbook" feature - a very useful and original enhancement (can't say more for the time being); * character and word count statistics; * more topics in help file; * web enabled; * and best of all, it will stay Freeware!