Main Help Index
   TM

MDI Fly  Help Index

Overview

How To ...

Use MDI Fly effectively

Bring an MDI child window to the top

Highlight and unhighlight selections

Tile, minimize, and close windows

Register MDI Fly

Commands

Options menu

Help menu


Overview
MDI Fly Overview

MDI Fly is a program monitor that will constantly check for Multiple Document Interface (MDI) windows and list the child window titles.  The File Manager is an example of an MDI window.  It has one or more child windows within the larger parent window.  At most times when more than one window is open within an MDI application, only one or two titles can be seen at once.  This is because one window covers the other windows.  To go to a different window, the user must go up to the Window menu (present in almost all MDI menus) and see if the window is open.  If it is, the user must click on the window title name to bring it to the top.  This is relatively time-consuming, especially considering how many times this action is performed in a day.

MDI Fly speeds this up by always displaying a sorted list of the MDI child windows in its window.  One can instantly see if a window is open.  To bring a window to the top of the window pile, just click on it with the left mouse button (button 1).  It is that easy!

Windows can also be tiled horizontally or vertically, minimized, maximized, or closed.  Files must be highlighted for these actions.  Once the desired items are highlighted, the action can be performed by pressing the menu item, clicking on a toolbar button, or using a hotkey (all three methods do the same thing).    A distinguishing feature of MDI Fly is its ability to tile, minimize, or close selected windows.  Most programs will tile all the open windows, which is usually not what is wanted.  To close 3 windows might take 12 mouse clicks by conventional means, but only 4 mouse clicks with MDI Fly.

MDI Fly is fully configurable.  The Configure dialog sets most of the options.  From this dialog, the Exclude dialog is accessible, which allows the user to exclude any applications.  The font used in the MDI Fly window, as well as the colors, can also be modified.

Only one copy of MDI Fly ever needs to be running.  If you switch to a different MDI application, MDI Fly will monitor that one.  It only monitors the window that has the focus, and is dormant if the window with the focus is not an MDI application.


Bringing to the Top
Bringing an MDI Child Window to the Top

Bringing an MDI child window to the top of all other MDI child windows in an MDI application is accomplished by simply clicking on the window title in MDI Fly with the left mouse button (button 1).  MDI Fly will show all the child window titles of the MDI application that has the focus in the order specified in the Configure dialog.


Highlighting and Unhighlighting Selections

Highlighting selections in MDI Fly is accomplished with the right mouse button (button 2).  Clicking on a window title with this button will highlight that selection and clear all other selections.  Holding the Control (Ctrl) key while pressing the mouse button will keep other selections while toggling the title under the mouse.

When one or more titles are highlighted, the Toolbar and menu items are enabled, as well as the Accelerator keys (hotkeys).  Child windows in the MDI application can then be tiled horizontally or vertically, closed, or minimized.  The Close Windows item can only be enabled with a registered copy of MDI Fly.

To unhighlight all window titles, double-click with the right mouse button.  When a non-MDI application has the focus, all window titles and their highlights are removed.


Tiling, Minimizing, and Closing Windows

To perform any of these actions, one or more window titles must first be highlighted.  Once a window title is highlighted, the toolbar buttons, menu items, and hotkeys for tiling, closing, and minimizing windows are enabled.

If only one window title is highlighted, pressing either Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically will maximize the window.  Otherwise, all the highlighted windows are tiled in the parent MDI window.

Pressing the Minimize Window button, hotkey, or menu item will cause the highlighted files to be minimized in the parent MDI window.

Pressing the Close Window button, hotkey, or menu item will cause the highlighted files to be closed.  If a window has unsaved data, the user is asked if the data should be saved before the window is closed.


Mouse Button Actions
Mouse buttons

Mouse button actions are non-standard in MDI Fly, due to its unusual nature of controlling other applications.  Pressing the mouse buttons will perform the following actions:

Left button click	Brings the window title under the mouse pointer to the top.
Right button click	Highlights a file so it can be tiled, minimized, or closed.  Using the Ctrl key allows more than one file to be highlighted.
Left button double click	If title bar is absent, the title bar and menu will reappear.
Right button double click	If titles are highlighted, the highlights are removed.
Left and right button hold	If the title bar is not present, the window is moved while the buttons are held, after a key is pressed.


Accelerator keys

Accelerator keys mimic the pressing of a menu item or toolbar button.  Accelerator keys are non-standard in MDI Fly.  The following accelerator keys are defined:

Ctrl - Z	Tile highlighted windows horizontally.
Ctrl - V	Tile highlighted windows vertically.
Ctrl - C	Close highlighted windows.
Ctrl - M	Minimize highlighted windows.
F1	Bring up context-sensitive help.
Shift-F1	Bring up context-sensitive help in the main window by clicking on a specific area.
Alt - F4	Close MDI Fly.
Ctrl - Esc	Display Task List.


Using effectively
Using MDI Fly Effectively

MDI Fly saves time in determining if an MDI child window is open, and in bringing that MDI child window to the top of all of all other MDI child windows.  It also saves time in tiling, minimizing, and closing MDI child windows.  These actions can be achieved within the MDI application, but it takes more time to accomplish these tasks than with MDI Fly.

It may take a day or so to get fully accustomed to MDI Fly.  You have been selecting MDI child windows the same way for a long time now, and you cannot expect to change this immediately.  Place MDI Fly where it is easily accessible while in the MDI application, and soon you will be using it instead of the Window menu item.

The key to using MDI Fly lies in positioning it where it will be out of the way of the MDI application it is monitoring.  The correct use of the Configuration options aids in  the usefulness of MDI Fly.  Many configurations of MDI Fly are possible, and experimentation will prove what is best for you, but here are some suggestions:

 Remove the toolbar and status bar after becoming familiar with MDI Fly.  Toolbar actions can be accessed with the menu or with hot keys.

 Remove the title bar and menu to save space.  If the title bar is not present, the window can be moved by holding both mouse buttons and pressing a key.

 Use the smallest font that is still readable.

 Use the smart positioning option so that if the size of the MDI Fly window changes, the window will not reposition offscreen.

 Use the smart visibility option so that MDI Fly will be on top only when an MDI application has the focus.

 Use the number of columns that will fit on your screen with the MDI applications.  With a VGA screen, use one column if you prefer placing MDI Fly to the right or left of the MDI application.  If you place MDI Fly below or above MDI applications, increase the number of columns to the maximum that will fit on the screen.  See Figures 1 and 2 for two of the many ways to place MDI Fly.

 Place MDI Fly in your Startup group.  Many applications, such as Microsoft Visual C++ and Microsoft Word have Tools menus that MDI Fly can be placed in.  That way it is easy to access.

 Maximizing the MDI application and the MDI child window will give the best viewing of the MDI child window contents.  With this setup, setting the number of columns to one and placing MDI Fly in the upper right area of the MDI application will allow selection of any child window without blocking any important items in the application.  When a title is selected, that window will replace the current window as the new maximized window.

 Use the Exclude dialog to prevent MDI Fly from responding to certain MDI applications.  Initially, MDI Fly is set not to respond to Program Manager, since it contains many windows that are easily accessible without MDI Fly.  You can add any other top level window titles to exclude, or remove the Program Manager exclusion.  Applications that MDI Fly does not work well with (if any) are good candidates for the Exclude dialog.

 Register MDI Fly!  With a registered copy, the splash screen display time is reduced and can be disabled.  The reminder screen when MDI Fly is closed is removed.  The Close action, which allows one or more files to be closed, can be enabled only with a registered copy.  More information can be found in the Registering MDI Fly section.

Figure 1.  MDI Fly with multiple columns, toolbar, and no title bar.

Figure 2.  MDI Fly placed at the bottom of an application.


Registering MDI Fly

If you find yourself using MDI Fly regularly, please register it.  The evaluation period for MDI Title is a maximum of 30 days.  If after this period you decide not to register, you can no longer legally use the product.

Registering MDI Fly is quick and easy.  With a registered copy, MDI Fly is even more useful.  The splash screen display time is reduced and can be disabled.  The reminder screen when MDI Fly is closed is removed.  The Close Windows action, which allows one or more files to be closed, can be enabled only with a registered copy.  Registering MDI Fly will show me that it is being used, and will encourage me to update it with suggested improvements.

The latest MDI Fly files are available in the Winshare Forum (GO WINSHARE) on CompuServe.  The easiest way to register MDI Fly is to register it on-line in the CompuServe Register Shareware Forum (GO SWREG).  The Registration ID to enter is 6351.  Registering on-line costs $20 (US), which is billed to you by CompuServe.  After you register, I will send you a registration number to enter (along with your name) in the Register dialog.

If you do not have access to CompuServe, you can register MDI Fly by sending $20 (US), along with your name, address, and the words MDI Fly Registration to:

John Scolio

4749 West Braddock Road

Suite #203

Alexandria, Virginia  22311

USA

I will then send you your registration number.  If you want the files on diskette along with your registration number, send $25 (US) to the above address if within the US, $30 (US) to all other countries.  Indicate the diskette type (3.5 or 5.25) you prefer.  Please allow time for checks to clear.


Options menu commands

The Options menu offers the following commands:

Configure	Sets configuration parameters.
Set Font	Sets the font.
Set Colors	Sets the text, background, and highlight colors.
Save Opts on Exit	Toggles saving of  the settings when MDI Fly is exited.
Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.
Tile horizontally	Tiles the highlighted windows horizontally.
Tile vertically	Tiles the highlighted windows vertically.
Close	Closes the highlighted windows.
Minimize	Minimizes the highlighted windows.
Exit	Exits MDI Fly.


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

Index	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Using Help	Provides general instructions on using help.
Register	Allows the user to register MDI Fly with a supplied registration ID.
About	Displays the version number, copyright, and owner of MDI Fly.


Configure Dialog
Configure dialog box

The Configure dialog box sets many of the options available to MDI Fly users.  These options are saved when the application is exited, if the Save Opts on Exit option is checked.

Show Boxes	Shows or hides boxes around window titles.
Show Title Bar	Shows or hides the MDI Fly title bar.
Show Menu	Shows or hides the MDI Fly menu.
Show Paths	Shows or hides files paths.
List Paths First	Lists the file paths before or after the file name.
Smart Positioning	Enables or disables repositioning of the window when the size changes.
Use Capital Letters	Uses capital or small letters for the window titles.
Show Splash Screen	Shows or hides the splash screen.
Max Columns	Determines the maximum number of columns of window titles.
Max Chars	Determines the maximum number of characters displayed per window title.
Sort By	Determines how window titles are sorted.
Visibility	Determines when MDI Fly is on top of other windows.
Resize Window	Determines if MDI Fly will automatically resize or not when a window title is added, removed, or changed.
Update Interval	Specifies the interval in seconds before MDI Fly updates its contents.
Exclude	Invokes the Exclude dialog, which prevents MDI Fly from monitoring the specified MDI applications.


Show Boxes
Show Boxes (Configure dialog)

The Show Boxes check box determines if 3-D boxes are drawn around each of the window titles in the MDI Fly window.


Show Title
Show Title Bar (Configure dialog)

The Show Title check box determines if the title bar of MDI Fly is visible. .  If the title bar is hidden, the menu is automatically hidden.  Double-clicking on the client area of the MDI Fly window restores the title bar and menu.  If this option is unchecked, the Show Menu check box is unavailable.


Show Menu
Show Menu (Configure dialog)

The Show Menu check box determines if the MDI Fly menu is visible.  If the title bar is hidden, the menu is automatically hidden.  Double-clicking on the client area of the MDI Fly window restores the title bar and menu.


Show Paths
Show Paths (Configure dialog)

The Show Paths check box determines if any paths in the window title are shown.  Turning this option off will reduce the size of the MDI Fly window.  If this option is unchecked, the List Paths First check box is grayed.


List Paths
List Paths First (Configure dialog)

The List Paths First check box determines if the paths associated with files in window titles are shown before the file name, or after it.  Placing the path after the file name places the most important information first.


Smart Positioning
Smart Positioning (Configure dialog)

The Smart Positioning check box determines if MDI Fly will automatically reposition when it is changes size.  When additional MDI child windows are placed in the parent window, the size of MDI Fly will increase.  This could cause MDI Fly to end up partially offscreen.  Smart positioning will place MDI Fly along the edge of the screen.


Capital Letters
Use Capital Letters (Configure dialog)

The Use Capital Letters check box determines whether window titles will be displayed with capital or small letters in the MDI Fly window.  Small letters use slightly less space.


Splash Screen
Show Splash Screen (Configure dialog)

The Show Splash Screen check box determines if the initial MDI Fly logo screen is shown when the application is started.  This option is always present with an unregistered evaluation copy.  Registering MDI Fly allows this option to be disabled.


Columns
Max Columns (Configure dialog)

The Maximum Columns edit box determines the maximum number of columns that MDI Fly will show.  Fewer columns than the number entered may be present at any time, as MDI Fly will always attempt to take up the least amount of space.  A number between 1 and 16 must be entered here.


Characters
Max Chars (Configure dialog)

The Maximum Characters edit box determines the maximum number of characters that MDI Fly will show for a window title.  Any extra characters are truncated.  Placing a limit on the number of characters ensures that long titles will not take up too much space.  The limit should be large enough that the window title is still recognizable.  The default limit is 15 characters.  If 0 is entered, no truncation takes place.


Sort By
Sort By (Configure dialog)

The Sort By drop down list box determines how the window titles are sorted in the MDI Fly main window.  The default is by file name in ascending order.  If a number is the first item in a title, the number is ignored.

The window titles can also be sorted by file type (i.e., file extension), or by the full window title.  If a qualified path name is the title of the window, then the files are sorted on the full path name.


Visibility
Visibility (Configure dialog)

The Visibility drop down list box determines when MDI Fly is on top of other windows.  If the selection is Smart, MDI Fly only is on top when it detects an MDI application with more than one child window has the focus.

If the setting is Normal, MDI Fly acts like other windows, and clicking on a window title will send MDI Fly to the bottom of the Z order.

The Always on Top option keeps MDI Fly on top of other windows at all times.


Resize Window
Resize Window (Configure dialog)

The Resize drop down list box determines how the size of MDI Fly changes when window titles are added or removed from its window.  If Auto Size is chosen, then the window size will grow or shrink as necessary to show all window titles.  If No Auto Size is chosen, then the window size does not change, and the user must resize the window as needed.  In this case, the window size when MDI Fly is closed is used when the application is reinvoked.


Update Interval
Update Interval (Configure dialog)

The Update Interval edit box determines how long MDI Fly will wait before checking the active MDI application and updating its window contents.  A floating point number between .5 and 5.0 seconds may be entered here.  The default interval is 1.5 seconds.


Set Font Dialog
Set Font dialog box

The Font dialog box is the standard Windows font dialog.  Choosing a font name, type, and size determines the appearance of text in the MDI Fly window. These options are saved when the application is exited, if the Save Opts on Exit option is checked.


Set Colors Dialog
Set Color dialog box

The Color dialog box sets the colors for the text, background, and highlight in the MDI Fly window.  These options are saved when the application is exited, if the Save Opts on Exit option is checked.


Register Dialog
Register dialog box

The Register dialog box registers the user and allows all features of the product to be accessed.  Enter your name exactly as it appears in the mail you received (case is important).  Enter the registration number you received in the lower edit box.  If the name and number are entered correctly, you will see a confirmation dialog.


Exclude Applications Dialog
Exclude Applications dialog box

The Exclude Applications dialog box allows any specified MDI applications to not be monitored by MDI Fly.  Normally, MDI Fly will list the child windows of any MDI application, but if the main title of the MDI application is placed in this dialog, MDI Fly will not list the applications child windows.  If Visibility is set to Smart, MDI Fly will then drop to the bottom of the window z-order while this Excluded application has the focus.

The Program Manager is initially listed in this dialog, since it has so many windows that are easily accessible without MDI Fly.  Other applications can be added to the list, or Program Manager can be removed.  Place one title per line.  Use the Enter key to go to the next line.  Type enough of the title to distinguish it from other applications, but do not type in parts of the title that change while the program is running (e.g. with a title of Microsoft Word - BUSPLAN.DOC, type only Microsoft Word in the Exclude dialog).


Save Settings
Save Options on Exit (Options menu)

Each time this menu item is selected, the check mark before it on the menu is toggled on and off.  If the menu item is checked, the items specified in the Configure, Set Font, and Set Colors, as well as the window position and size, are saved in the mdifly.ini file.


Options Configure command
Configure command (Options menu)

Use this command to display the configuration dialog.  This dialog sets most the options available in MDI Fly.

See the Configure Dialog for help on using the configuring MDI Fly.


Options Set Font command
Set Font command (Options menu)

Use this command to display the font dialog.  This dialog sets most the font used in the MDI Fly main window.

See the Font Dialog for help on setting the font.


Options Set Colors command
Set Colors command (Options menu)

Use this command to display the colors dialog.  This dialog sets most the text, window background, and highlight colors in MDI Fly.

See the Colors dialog for help on using the setting colors.


Options Toolbar command
Toolbar command (Options menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in MDI Fly. Items included in the toolbar include tiling MDI child windows both horizontally and vertically, minimizing, and closing MDI child windows.  A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Toolbar is displayed.

See Toolbar for help on using the toolbar.


Toolbar

The toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar.  The toolbar provides quick mouse access the commonly used functions in MDI Fly,

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the Options menu (ALT - O, T).

Click	To

Tile highlighted windows horizontally.

Tile highlighted windows vertically.

Close highlighted windows.

Minimize highlighted windows.


Options Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (Options menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu item or depressed toolbar button, and keyboard latch state. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the MDI Fly window.  To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the Options menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus.  This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them.  If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button.


Menu bar

The menu bar contains two menu items:  Options (Opts) and Help.  The menu text is shortened to O and H if the size of the window is less than a preset limit.  The items in the menu are the same in either case.


Options Tile Horizontally command
Tile Horizontally command (Options menu, Toolbar, Accelerator)

Use this command to horizontally arrange the windows that are highlighted in the MDI Fly window.  The windows arranged will span the width of the MDI client window.  Any number of the MDI child windows can be tiled.  If only one is selected, that window is maximized. .  The accelerator key is Ctrl-Z.


Options Tile Vertically command
Tile Vertically command (Options menu, Toolbar, Accelerator)

Use this command to vertically arrange the windows that are highlighted in the MDI Fly window.  The windows arranged will span the height of the MDI client window. Any number of the MDI child windows can be tiled.  If only one is selected, that window is maximized. .  The accelerator key is Ctrl-V.


Options Minimize command
Minimize command (Options menu, Toolbar, Accelerator)

Use this command to minimize one or more windows in the target MDI application.  All highlighted window titles will be minimized. Any number of the MDI child windows can be minimized. .  The accelerator key is Ctrl-M.


Options Close Windows command
Close command (Options menu, Toolbar, Accelerator)

Use this command to close all highlighted windows.  If the file being closed has unsaved information, a dialog will ask you if you want to save the document. Any number of the MDI child windows can be closed.  The accelerator key is Ctrl-C.


Options Exit command
Exit command (Options menu)

Use this command to end your MDI Fly session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Keys:	ALT+F4


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.  From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using MDI Fly and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


Register
Register command (Help menu)

Use this command to register the MDI Fly application.  See How to Register for help on registering MDI Fly.


About command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the copyright notice, version number, and owner of your copy of  MDI Fly.


Help Using Help Command
Context Help command

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on some portion of MDI Fly.  When you choose the Toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark.  Then click somewhere in the MDI Fly window, such as another Toolbar button.  The Help topic will be shown for the item you clicked.

Shortcut

Keys:	SHIFT+F1


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window.  It contains the MDI Fly name.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

The title bar contains the following elements:

Application Control menu button

Minimize button

Name of the application


Size command (System menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1.	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2.	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3.	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.  Holding the mouse button while on the title bar will also move the window.  If the MDI Fly window has no title bar, the window can be moved by holding both mouse buttons down over the client window.


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the MDI Fly window to an icon.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.


Maximize command (System menu)

This command is always grayed out in the MDI Fly application.


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Shortcuts

Keys: 	ALT+F4 closes a dialog box or the main window


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Switch to command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a list of all open applications.  Use this "Task List" to switch to or close an application on the list.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+ESC

Task List Dialog Box Options

When you choose the Switch To command, you will be presented with a dialog box with the following options:

Task List

Select the application you want to switch to or close.

Switch To

Makes the selected application active.

End Task

Closes the selected application.

Cancel

Closes the Task List box.

Cascade

Arranges open applications so they overlap and you can see each title bar.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Tile

Arranges open applications into windows that do not overlap.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Arrange Icons

Arranges the icons of all minimized applications across the bottom of the screen.


INI File

The mdifly.ini file resides in the c:\windows directory.  It stores your configuration for the MDI Fly options.  You should not directly edit this file, as it may cause problems.  If you experience problems with MDI Fly, try deleting the mdifly.ini file.


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