====================================================================== Welcome to Version 1.0a of 9 Lives! written by Ross Judson of The Code Industry 9 Lives gives you multiple desktops in the Workplace Shell! ====================================================================== ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Disclaimer! ----------- This version has proven to be relatively stable, but to achieve multiple desktops 9 Lives needs to do nasty things to PM. Therefore, Ross Judson and the Code Industry cannot be held responsible for any losses or damages incurred by the use of this program. Use it at your own risk! Release Notes ------------- If you lose a window (and I hope you don't), try the following: 1 - 9 Lives' Retrieve Lost Windows option 2 - The Alt-F7 keystroke 3 - The Alt then M keystroke One of them should help you get it back. Remember, the window isn't lost. It's just somewhere out of sight. Avoid deleting 9 Lives directly from the task list. If you want it to close, right click on it to bring up its context menu, double click the system box (if it's present), or use the Alt-F4 keystroke. I am looking into this problem, and expect to have a solution shortly. Deleting 9 Lives from the task list prevents it from resetting the Workplace Shell window correctly. Running then quitting 9 Lives correctly will fix this problem, which is NOT permanent. The shell always resets itself when you start your machine. There is slight problem associated with VIO window, such as an OS/2 shell window. VIO windows need to be notified when they are moved or sized. Unfortunately, 9 Lives can't let this processing happen (arrgg :-). 9 Lives attempts to compensate for this, but is not always successful. I am researching ways to fix this problem. Fixes ----- V1.0a corrects an oddity PM presents to 9 Lives. Apparently, after quitting from a full screen session, the WM_BUTTON1CLICK message is not received. This resulted in an inability to switch desktops with the mouse, but the keyboard controls still worked! A slight change in 9 Lives works around this, so the problem should be no more. If you find any problems, please let me know. My street address and email address at the bottom of this file. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Instructions ------------ 9 Lives is a desktop expander. It makes nine "virtual desktops" available to the user, instead of the standard one. Why is this useful? It reduces window clutter and allows you to organize groups of windows more effectively. Once 9 Lives is running, you'll see a grid of desktops on its window. You can pick a new desktop by clicking the left mouse button on it. Double-clicking the current desktop turns the title bar on and off. Click the right mouse button to show a context menu. Click the right mouse button on a mini-window to drag it somewhere else. The following accelerator keys are available: F1 - Bring up help (instructions) A - Show the about dialog O - Show the options dialog R - Retrieve lost windows H - Hey, cut that out! key. If 9 Lives stops updating itself, hitting this key may return it to action. Esc- Turn the title bar on and off Right clicking on an empty area (without a window underneath) will pop up the 9 Lives context menu, from which many commands can be executed. You can use the cursor keys to move the current virtual desktop. Use the retrieve lost windows to pull all other windows to the current desktop. This is very useful if, for example, you accidentally move windows off the virtual desktop. Options ------- A "Follow Active" option tells 9 Lives to try to keep the currently active window visible. If you change to another window by, say, using the task list, 9 Lives will attempt to figure out which desktop that window is on and go there. You can activate and deactivate this option from the options dialog. "Keep on top" tries to keep 9 Lives on top of other windows. 9 Live tries to do this fairly unobtrusively. "Expand desktop" tells 9 lives what to do with your workplace shell. If this option is selected, 9 Lives will expand the shell window to cover the entire virtual desktop. Your icons will only appear in one desktop, unless you move them to another. If this option is not checked, the workplace shell is not touched, and will be available on each virtual desktop. "Hide on Desktop Change" hides 9 Lives after you change desktops. "Activating click..." prevents 9 Lives from changing desktops when you click on it to active it. "Desktop Name" is the name used to identify the workplace shell desktop. If you bring up the task list, you will be able to see the name of your shell window. For OS/2 2.0, the name is "OS/2 2.0 Desktop". This may change in later revisions of the operating system. If your desktop is named something different, enter that name here. 9 Lives tries to match window titles against the name you provide, for the number of characters in the name you give. That means 9 Lives looks for the string you enter as the prefix of a window title. If it finds a window with that string, it will decide that that window is the workplace shell. You can drag and drop a font from the font palette to use for drawing the titles of windows. 9 Lives remembers where you put it and how you set it up. Tips and Tricks --------------- 9 Lives' many options make it easy to configure to your tastes. If there's something that you'd like to see, please let me know! I'll be happy to consider your request. I like to set up 9 Lives so that it sits in the bottom right corner of my screen. I turn on the expand desktop and stay on top options, then turn off the title bar. It's quite small and convenient in this configuration. I can then run my compilers in one window, my shell in another, and keep several help files open and easily accessible. Registration ------------ You may use this program freely in a 14 day trial period. If you continue to use this program after the trial period has elapsed, you must register it by sending your name, address, and $18 (U.S.) to: Ross Judson 7935 Tyson Oaks Circle Vienna, Virginia, USA 22182 In Canada, you may send a cheque for $20 Canadian to: John Judson 6 St. Remy Drive Nepean, Ontario, Canada K2J 1A3 Make Cheques payable to Ross Judson in the U.S.A., and to John Judson in Canada. You will receive a registration code in response. Entering this registration code into 9 Lives will defeat a nag mechanism that becomes active after you use the program a certain number of times. You can reach the author via email on Compuserve. The ID is 73657,1712. Please email me with your comments! They are very useful for evolving the program. Enjoy your expanded lifestyle under the Workplace Shell! ====================================================================== Release History v1.0 - Initial Release v1.0a - Fix Full-Screen session release