WindowMagic Version 1.1 [Shareware] This software package is SHAREWARE. This means an author or programmer has prepared software which you are free to copy, and share with others, but the author requests a REGISTRATION FEE for you to continue LEGAL use and receive additional benefits. If you received this software from a shareware vendor or computer club who charged $3 or $4 you have only paid a DISTRIBUTION or HANDLING FEE to produce an EVALUATION disk of which NO PORTION goes to the author of the software. You are encouraged to use the software and, pay the final REGISTRATION FEE to the author to become legally registered and receive further benefits specified below. Unregistered users may examine, search and evaluate the program. TO BECOME REGISTERED PLEASE PRINT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER.TXT OR CALL (206) 882-1530 FOR VISA & MC Orders Registered users will receive: * Over 3800 Icons sorted in Icon Palettes, * Technical support * Eliminates annoying NAG screen * Notification of New Products and special update pricing Paying the registration fee brings by return mail the UPDATED Program, and the Icon Palette Libraries. Introduction & Welcome Thank you for previewing WindowMagic Shareware, The productivity enhancement tool for Windows. You are joining a world wide group of satisfied customers who use WindowMagic every day to enhance their Windows environment. The first Windows program you and your colleagues ever used was the Program Manager. You are probably very comfortable and knowledgeable about the Program Manager, however as you may have noticed there are certain inconsistencies, and missing features in the Program Managers design. There used to be one solution to this problem, purchase an expensive new type of "Program Manager" from a third party vendor. Unfortunately besides being costly it requires you to learn an entirely new way of doing things. WindowMagic finally provides you with a low cost, easy to use solution to this dilemma. WindowMagic extends and enhances the capabilities of the Program Manager instead of trying to replace it. WindowMagic seemlessly integrates itself with the Program Manager, fixes a major inconsistency, enhances a number of features, and teaches an old dog a few new tricks. Although the Program Manager is greatly enhanced by the addition of WindowMagic, you are not required to relearn any of the skills you previously acquired. Everything still works like it used to, you just have a few more features at your disposal. Please take a few moments to read the users guide so that you are familiar with WindowMagic and all that it has to offer. We at WinWear are committed to enhancing the environment of our users while offering quality products, at affordable prices. We will continue to add new features to the product, and to enhance the existing features in order to make the Windows environment more intuitive and productive than ever. We would also like to hear from you, should you have any comments regarding WindowMagic, or any suggestions on how we could improve the product, or new features you would like to see implemented. If you have any suggestions or comments please write to: WinWear 14150 N.E. 20th St. Box 346 Bellevue WA 98007 ATT: Customer Service Once Again Thank you for previewing WindowMagic Shareware, and we hope you enjoy your state of the art productivity enhancement tool, and decide to register your product to receive all the benefits of WindowMagic. REGISTRATION After installing WindowMagic and deciding to register your copy please print and fill out the ORDER.TXT file or call (206) 882-1530 for Visa or MC orders. Only by registering your product can you be assured of getting timely technical support, product update announcements, and enhancement information. System Requirements Please be sure your computer meets the appropriate operational requirements listed below. To use WindowMagic on your Windows 3.1 compatible desktop, portable or notebook computer, you need. * Windows Version 3.1 and the Program Manager installed as your shell * 256k of free hard disk space for the WindowMagic Program * 3.5 MB of free hard disk space for Icons. * A Windows-compatible mouse or pointing device. WINDOWMAGIC DOES NOT WORK WITH NORTON DESKTOP OR ANY OTHER SHELL AT THIS TIME. YOU MUST BE USING THE PROGRAM MANAGER AS YOUR SHELL. IF YOU ARE USING ANOTHER SHELL OTHER THAN PROGRAM MANAGER AND WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED OF OUR FUTURE RELEASES THAT WORK WITH ADDITIONAL SHELLS PLEASE DROP US A NOTE AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE YOU SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. Quick Start This Chapter provides a brief introduction to WindowMagic. Please read this chapter to get started immediately. To access WindowMagic: 1. Start Windows. 2. If you have not already done so please follow the instructions in Install.txt Once started a 'WindowMagic' menu option will appear between the 'File' and 'Option' items on the program managers menu bar. If you followed the instructions WindowMagic should have been added to your ' Startup' group and therefore will start every time Windows is loaded, no user interaction is required. If WindowMagic does not start, or if you disabled WindowMagic, simply open the 'Startup' group and double click on the WindowMagic Icon. WindowMagic Menu Overview 1. Select the 'WindowMagic' menu item from the Program Manager menu bar. or simply press [Alt M] and the WindowMagic sub menu will open. 2. Notice that the WindowMagic sub menu has 7 selections all of which can be accessed with your pointing device. Of the 7 selections 6 may be accessed with the hot keys designated next to each selection. ( a hot key may be executed by first holding down the 'Alt' key and then the key designated to the right of it.) Example: Holding down the 'Alt' key, while simultaneously pressing the 'V' key would automatically launch the Icon Palette Manager. Here is a brief explanation of each feature and its function, FEATURE HOT KEY FUNCTION 1. Launch Toolgroup Alt+L Launches a Toolgroup 2. View Icon Palette:.. Alt+V Open Icon Palette Manager 3. Create Icon Palette. Alt+C Create a Icon Palette 4. Options... Alt+O WindowMagic Options On/Off 5. Window Magic Help Alt+P Starts WindowMagic help 6. About WindowMagic Alt+A Displays the About Box. 7. Disable WindowMagic Alt+D Disables WindowMagic Using WindowMagic Launching a ToolGroup 1. Select the "WindowMagic" menu item from the Program Manager menu. 2. Select the "Launch ToolGroup" menu item from the WindowMagic sub menu, and a drop down list that includes all of your current program manager groups will appear. 3. Select the group that you would like create a ToolGroup for. If the ToolGroup was created previously then it will be displayed in its last position and size. If the ToolGroup is being created for the first time then the ToolGroup options dialog box will appear. 4. Notice that there are several options available when creating a ToolGroup. Each option is selectable by the user when creating the ToolGroup and may be modified by the user after the ToolGroup is created. A mark in the box to the left of the option designates it is selected. If there is not a mark in the box to the left of the option it is not selected. A brief explanation of each option is listed. OPTIONS FUNCTION 1. Display When Windows Starts If this option is selected the ToolGroup will open when Windows starts. It will remember it's last displayed location and size. 2. Always on top If this option is selected the ToolGroup will always be displayed on top of other windows. This is useful if you have a ToolGroup of favorite functions that you want available at all times. 3. Display Format Options These options are used to designate how your ToolGroup is displayed. Each ToolGroup maintains it's own custom display options. (If you should decide to cancel this operation use your mouse to select Cancel) A. Horizontal Rows This option displays the ToolGroup as a set of horizontal rows that contain push buttons. By selecting the number of rows you can determine the size and shape of the ToolGroup. B. Vertical Rows This option displays the ToolGroup as a set of vertical rows that contain push buttons. By selecting the number of rows you can determine the size and shape of the ToolGroup. The valid number of rows for a ToolGroup is from 1 to 5. C. List This option displays the ToolGroup as a vertical list of push buttons that are accompanied by the name of the program. The rows entry field is disabled for this selection. 4. Once you have set the options for the ToolGroup use your mouse or pointing device to select OK or press return. and the ToolGroup will appear. (If you should decide to cancel this operation use your mouse to select Cancel) 5. You will now have created a ToolGroup. Notice that the ToolGroup contains each program that was in the selected group. To execute a program from the ToolGroup, simply position your cursor over the associated Icon and press the left mouse key and the program will launch. You may change the position of the ToolGroup on your screen by positioning your cursor on the Title bar and pressing the left mouse button. While continuing to press the left mouse button move your ToolGroup to the desired location and then release the left mouse button. QUICK HINTS: If your really anxious to see the options available for the ToolGroups here are a few Quick hints to get you started; A. Select the System menu box in the upper left-hand corner of the ToolGroup and a list of options will be displayed. B. By double clicking on the Title bar of the ToolGroup with the left mouse button you will change the way the ToolGroup is displayed. Example; If your ToolGroup currently displayed Horizontally then double click on the Title bar and it will now display vertically, Double click on the Title Bar again and the ToolGroup will display Vertically with a list, Double click again and your ToolGroup will once again be displayed horizontally. C. By positioning your cursor on the Title bar of the ToolGroup and holding down the right mouse button you will activate the QuickAccess feature. View Icon Palette 1. Select the [WindowMagic] menu item from the Program Manager menu. 2. Select the [View Icon Palette] menu item from the [WindowMagic] menu, or press "Alt+V" to go directly to the 'View Icon Palette' dialog. 3. After selecting the " View Icon Palette" entry the palette selection dialog will appear. 4. Select a WMP palette, exe or dll file from the displayed list of files. Should you decide that you would like to cancel the operation, simply press the 'Cancel' button. Help is also available for this dialog by pressing the help button. Customizing a Group or Application Icon 1. After selecting a palette you wish to view, a window will be created that displays all of the icons stored in that file. This window is referred to as an icon palette. 2. To assign an icon to a program manager Group or Application icon first position your cursor over the icon in the palette you wish to select (the cursor changes to a hand). 3. Next click and hold the left mouse button (the cursor changes to a black and white representation of the selected icon), drag the mouse cursor (while continuing to hold down the left mouse button) into position over the top of the Group or Application icon you wish to customize and release the mouse button. The Group or Application icon will immediately be replaced by the new icon you have chosen. NOTE: As you move outside of the Palette the cursor changes to a circle with a slash through it, this signifies that it is an illegal 'Drop Zone'. If you release the mouse button while the cursor is over an illegal zone no action will take place. NOTE: You may change the position of the Palette on your screen by positioning your cursor on the Title bar and pressing the left mouse button. While pressing the left mouse button move your Palette to the desired location and then release the left mouse button. Create Icon Palette 1. Select the 'WindowMagic' menu item from the Program Manager menu. 2. Select the 'Create Icon Palette' selection from the WindowMagic menu, or press 'Alt+C' to go directly to the 'Create Icon Palette' dialog. 3. After selecting the " Create Icon Palette" menu entry, the palette creation dialog will appear. 4. Next type in a unique name for the palette, the name may contain up to eight characters, but must not contain a file extension. NOTE: If you type in a Palette that already exist then WindowMagic will prompt you with a "Palette Overwrite Warning" and will then ask if you want proceed? If you answer no, the system will request that you enter a new name. If you answer yes, the system will open the new palette and destroy the contents of the old palette. 6. Now your new Palette will be displayed. You will notice that when your new palette is opened it is empty. By selecting the System menu box in the upper left hand corner of the "Palette" a menu will appear that will allow you to: Move, Minimize, Import, Delete, Access Help, or Close the Palette. NOTE: To Close the Palette Manager, simply click on box in the upper left hand corner of the palette and select "Close" or press "Alt+F4" WindowMagic Options 1. Select the 'WindowMagic' menu item from the Program Manager menu. 2. Select the Options' selection from the WindowMagic menu. You will notice that there are three (3) selections available under the options menu. All of these selections allow the user to turn On/Off specific parts of WindowMagic and to bring up the QuickAccess customization dialog 3. To select one of the options position your cursor over the selection while holding down the left hand mouse button and then release the left hand mouse button. A. QuickAccess 'Alt+Q' Brings up the QuickAccess customization dialog B. Group Icon Customizer 'Alt+G' Group Icon Customizer On/Off C. Windows Exit Enhancement 'Alt+E' Windows Exit ehancement On/Off You may have noticed that the entries have a green check mark next to them. This signifies that the feature is currently enabled, but has the ability to be disabled at the your discretion. If the feature was disabled the check mark would be replaced with a red circle with a diagonal slash mark. This flexibility lets you pick and choose which enhancements to use. This is allows you to use a layered approach to enhancing your Windows environment. QuickAccess The "Quick Access" function brings up the QuickAccess customization dialog. This is where you can customize the "Quick Access" and 'FastLaunch' functions or disable them. This selection must be activated in order for you to use "Quick Access" To access this with the hot key use the "Alt+Q" key sequence. 1. Select the 'WindowMagic' menu item from the Program Manager menu. 2. Select the Options' selection from the WindowMagic menu. 3. Select the QuickAccess menu item or use the hot key 'Alt+Q' 4. You will then see a dialog box 5. There are three (3) different sections to this dialog box. Use, Sort By, and QuickAccess Activation Keys. To Select or De-Select any option use your mouse or pointing device to position your cursor on top of the selection area and click your left mouse button once. Doing this should cause the selection area to become blank ( option disabled) or filled in ( option enabled) Section 1 Use QuickAccess By clicking on the box to the left of the QuickAccess option a check mark appears inside the box designating the QuickAccess function to be enabled To Disable QuickAccess simply click on the box to the left of the QuickAccess option and when the box is empty the QuickAccess function is disabled FastLaunch By clicking on the box to the left of the FastLaunc option a check mark appears inside the box designating the FastLaunch function to be enabled. To Disable FastLaunch simply click on the box to the left of the FastLaunch option and when the box is empty the FastLaunch function is disabled NOTE: You must have QuickAccess enabled in order to use FastLaunch. Section 2 Sort By. Last Used This directly affects the way QuickAccess sorts the applications. Selecting Last Used method will cause the applications that were most recently used to be displayed at the top of the list Alphabetical Order This Directly effects the way QuickAccess sorts the applications. The QuickAccess list will be displayed in alphabetical order. Section 3 QuickAccess Activation keys This selection allows you to customize the way that you activate QuickAccess. If you decide to use the left mouse button, instead of the default right mouse button you must also select a mode key. A mode key is a key that must be pressed and held in combination with the mouse button. Using QuickAccess QuickAccess gives you the power to launch an application from a minimized group. This allows you to minimize all of your groups and better organize your work space. You simply click and hold the right mouse button while the cursor is over a minimized group icon to activate the QuickAccess menu. A menu of all applications contained within the group is displayed in alphabetical order (sorting by usage is also supported) Highlighting an application and then releasing the mouse key launches the application. QuickAccess supports Program Managers file association and minimize on use features. Another feature of the QuickAccess system is FastLaunch. FastLaunch lets you select your favorite or most commonly used application from each group that is always available by simply double clicking on the minimized group. ( notice the lighting bolt for the first menu entry, this designates your FastLaunch choice for the selected group) This eliminates the need to open the group, or to use the QuickAccess menu for your most commonly used applications. After using QuickAccess and FastLaunch most people never go back to the "Microsoft Shuffle" way of doing things. Group Icon Customizer The "Group Icon Customizer" menu selection toggles on and off the ability to display a custom icon for a Program Manager group. This selection must be enabled in order for you to see the customizations you have made to the Program Managers group icons. If you would like to disable this function at any time, simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the Options menu and then the "Group Icon Customizer" menu entry. This option only affects whether or not the customized groups are displayed, so don't worry about losing any changes you may have made. WindowMagic will remember what Icons were attached to your Program Manager groups, Simply re-enable the Customization option and the Icons that were previously selected for your Groups will reappear! To select this function with a hot key keys use the "Alt+G" key sequence. Windows Exit Enhancement The "Windows Exit Enhancement" menu item toggles On and Off the ability to use the "Windows Exit Enhancement" feature. If you would like to disable this function and use the standard Windows exit dialog, simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the Options menu then select the "Windows Exit Enhancement" menu entry. To re-enable the "Windows Exit Enhancement" feature simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the Options Menu then select the "Windows Exit Enhancement" menu entry and the ability to utilize the function will be re-enabled. To toggle this feature with the hot key use the "Alt+E" key sequence. Using Enhanced Exit Being a Windows user you know that occasionally you want to exit and then immediately restart Windows, or possibly re-boot your machine. You might want to do this when you receive a program error, or maybe you just want to start fresh. WindowMagic makes this simple and easy by providing an enhanced exit dialog that replaces the Program Managers. Additionally all exit features are accessible without bringing up the dialog by using the ALT-X, ALT-R, or ALT-B hot key sequences respectively. This allows for a very fast means of exiting Windows without using the Program Managers exit dialog. Help The "Help" menu entry displays the help topic available for the WindowMagic program If you would like to use help for WindowMagic, simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the "WindowMagic Help" Menu item and the help dialog will appear. About WindowMagic The "About WindowMagic" menu entry displays the: Registered user, Version Number, Serial Number. and WinWear's telephone number so you can tell all your friends what a great product WindowMagic is, or report a problem. If you would like to view the "About WindowMagic" screen, simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the "About WindowMagic" menu item and the "About WindowMagic " dialog will appear. Disable WindowMagic The "Disable WindowMagic" menu entry disables WindowMagic until you restart Windows or restart WindowMagic. If you would like to disable WindowMagic, then simply access the WindowMagic menu and select the "Disable WindowMagic" menu entry, or use the "Alt+D" hot key sequence. END.... WindowMagic Version 1.10 Shareware. To Register print and fill out ORDER.TXT