Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) ----------------------------------------- Hi, welcome to the Gravity Desk 1.1 read me file. If you haven't already run "Install.exe" and are wondering whether you really want to install Gravity Desk 1.1 or not, please browse the file GD11.wri. It is a manual for Gravity Desk 1.1 and will give you a pretty good idea of what it does. If you don't want to browse the manual, then you might as well just go ahead and install Gravity Desk 1.1. It won't hurt, it's quick to install, and you'll probably find that you like it. Super Easy Installation for those already have Gravity Desk 1.0. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are upgrading from version 1.0, then all you need to do is copy GD11.exe to your hard disk and run it just as you have been Gravity Desk 1.0. All of the data files are compatible. For everyone who is trying Gravity Desk for the first time. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Please at least skim this read me file. It contains information not found in the manual regarding Gravity Desk 1.1's installation. Where to put Gravity Desk files before installation --------------------------------------------------------------------- You should have the original Gravity Desk files, unzipped, in a temporary (ie...c:\junk) directory or on a floppy disk. Then, run the file "Install.exe" from there. The installation program will copy only the required files to Gravity Desk 1.1's new home. Packing List -------------- All the files necessary to Install and Run Gravity Desk 1.1 should be contained in the archive GD11.zip. These include: Install.exe The installation program for Gravity Desk 1.1. GD11.exe The main Gravity Desk 1.1 executable. GD11.wri Gravity Desk 1.1 Manual, in Windows Write format. There are lots of screen shots. GD11read.txt This file. Contains information about setting up and using Gravity Desk 1.1. If you are curious about what Install.exe does, you can find out here. Also, this file contains information about registering Gravity Desk 1.1. If you like it, please register it. That way I'll be inspired to keep working on programs to make our lives more interesting, or just plain easier. GD11reg.txt Registration form for Gravity 1.1. SS3d.vbx Visual Basic Extender run time files that are SS3d2.vbx necessary to run Gravity Desk. 7 files, around 980 kb. Around 970 kb free space needed to install Gravity Desk 1.1 (shareware version). Please note: The installer doesn't check to see if you have enough free space to install Gravity Desk 1.1. Please check ahead of time. If any of these files are missing, don't even bother trying to set up Gravity Desk 1.1, the installation program won't work. Check another BBS or Shareware dealer for a complete copy. If you can't find one with all the files in it, write to me. Tell me where you got your semi-version of Gravity Desk 1.1, and I'll send you the latest Shareware Version of Gravity Desk. Well, now that we're over the preliminaries, lets get to the next step, installing Gravity Desk 1.1. INSTALLING AND USING GRAVITY DESK, QUICK START ------------------------------------------------- Note: For a thorough description of how to use the Gravity Desk Installation Program, "Install.exe", see the section labeled "GRAVITY DESK'S INSTALLATION PROGRAM, STEP BY STEP". Quick Install: From File Manager or Program Manager, run the file "Install.exe". Press buttons that say "Help" when you are confused. Quick Start: After Gravity Desk 1.1 is installed, one of the first things that you'll want to do is to start setting up Aliases. Just how to do so may not appear obvious at first. Below is one of three ways to do it. The other two ways are described in the Gravity Desk 1.1 Manual. One way to set up an Alias: Click on a file in the file list (located at the right hand side of the window that you see when Gravity Desk first starts). Its name and path will appear under the button that says "File Path". Press the button that says "Create Alias". A dialog box will open up asking you to enter an Alias for the file. Enter your Alias, it can be up to 40 characters long. Press the OK Button. The Alias will be added to the big empty list (which I call the Alias List) on the left hand side of Gravity Desk 1.1. To Run a file or an Alias: Double click on the file or the Alias. If the file, or the file that the Alias is tied to, is an executable file, then it will run. If the file, or the file that the Alias is tied to, is not an executable, then you will be asked if you want to set up an association for it. Choose yes to set up an association. This will lead to a dialog box that you can use to set up the association. Once an association is set up, you can run files, or Aliases, in their associated programs, by double clicking on them in either the file list or the Alias List. Important Note: There is a button that has an icon on it of a black arrow that curves down and to the left. This is the Last Window Button. It loads the currently highlighted file or Alias into the last window that you had active before Gravity Desk 1.1. Please read about it in the manual before you press it. HELP ONCE YOU'RE RUNNING ------------------------------ After you have got Gravity Desk 1.1 running, you'll find lots of buttons to push and things to do this and that with. Try whatever you can think of, I've tried to make Gravity Desk 1.1 pretty foolproof. If you press a button and it can't do anything because of this reason or that, a Help Screen should pop up telling you how to use it. For instant help gratification, there is a small button with a question mark on it in the upper right hand corner of Gravity Desk 1.1. Using the mouse (or a water buffalo, if you have one), drag the "Help Question Mark" over to the control that you need help with, and drop it. A Help Screen will pop up. Drop the question mark a lot when you are getting started, there are interesting things to know about nearly every control in Gravity Desk 1.1. Things that look like labels may be buttons, try pushing them. Double click here, double click there. Hit the enter key, shift key, delete key, space bar. Tab around. Use the "Help Question Mark" some more. Though the only way to access help is to use your mouse, you key- board lovers should find using Gravity Desk 1.1 to be really easy and intu- itive once you figure out what the controls do. Again, don't be afraid to click lists and press buttons. Help will pop up when it's neeeded, and will guide you on the way when you are miffed. GRAVITY DESK'S INSTALL PROGRAM, STEP BY STEP (with technical notes) ----------------------------------------------- I've tried to make getting Gravity Desk 1.1 up and running a simple task. Basically, all you need to do is unzip the GD11.zip file somewhere. Then, using Windows Program Manager or File Manager, run the executable "Install.exe". The Gravity Desk Installer will open up, showing you the directory Windows is installed in, and a default directory to install Gravity Desk 1.1 to. If the defaults are fine, press the button that says "These Directories Are Fine, continue with installation...". If the default directory is not to your liking, press the button that says "Change". This will open up a directory browser, from which you can select another directory to install Gravity Desk 1.1 to. If you'd like, you can use the directory browser to create an entirely new directory for Gravity Desk 1.1. If, at any time, you need help, press a "Help" button. When you are satisfied with the directory that you want to install Gravity Desk 1.1 to, press the button that says "These Directories Are Fine, continue with installation...". A new screen will slide into view, with the cursor blinking in a text box. There will be instructions asking you to enter a name for your first group. When you do so, the button that says "OK, I am ready to run Gravity Desk 1.1" will rise from its murky gray existence, beckoning you to press it. Press it when you are satisfied with the name for your first group (don't worry about the group name for too long, it's easy to change later). Yet another screen will pop into view, with some information about how to get started using Gravity Desk 1.1. It's also something to look at while Gravity Desk Installer copies the files "GD11.exe", "GD11.wri", "GD11read.txt, and "GD11reg.txt" to the directory you have chosen for Gravity Desk 1.1, "SS3d.vbx" and "SS3d2.vbx" to your Windows directory, and creates a new file, Gravity1.ini, in your Windows directory. Once these files are all copied and Gravity Desk's INI file is created, the "Run Gravity Desk" button becomes enabled. Press it and Gravity Desk should start up. Note: It is necessary that all the files stay put once you install Gravity Desk 1.1 (that is, if you intend to ever use it), otherwise Gravity Desk 1.1 either won't run, or, data that you need in Gravity Desk 1.1 won't be there. If for some reason the installation program doesn't work ------------------------------------------------------------- (Kind of technical. Just read it if you're interested or if you had a problem with the installation program.) You can manually install Gravity Desk 1.1 by copying the files "GD11.exe", "GD11.wri", GD11read.txt, and "GD11reg.txt" into a single directory (your "DataDir", remember its name, you'll need it later). Also, copy the files "SS3d.vbx" and "SS3d2.vbx" to your "Windows" directory (the directory that you installed Windows to). Then, you need to create a file called "Gravity1.ini". You can create this file using Windows Notepad or any other text editor that saves ASCII files. You need to have the following lines, written exactly as they are shown below, in "Gravity1.ini": [Gravity Root] WindowsDir=C:\WINDOWS DataDir=C:\WINDOWS\GDESK11 [Gravity Desk] ModeNumber=2 FGName=My First Group NextAvailGroupNum= 1 AutoRoll=0 StayOnTop=-1 StartUpGroup=(None) DefWinSize=1 AutoSqueeze=-1 ShrinkT=0 Specific things to look out for: After the "WindowsDir=" subsection, you need to place the path of your Windows directory - mine is C:\WINDOWS, yours may be d:\WIN or whatever. After the "DataDir=" subsection, you need to place the directory that you placed "GD11.exe", "GD11.wri", and "GD11reg.txt" into - mine is C:\WINDOWS\GDESK11, yours may be different. Be sure to put the appropriate paths in these sections, that way Gravity Desk 1.1 can put your information where you'll be able to find it if you need it. A note, and another good reason to use the installation program: The path that you enter for your WindowsDir and DataDir can not have a backslash (\) as the last character. Gravity Desk 1.1 may get confused if you use one. Shortcut: You could just copy the text above to the Windows clipboard. Then, paste it into a blank Notepad Window and save the file as "Gravity1.ini". Be sure to save the file in your Windows directory, that's where Gravity Desk 1.1 looks for the information. And be sure to customize the WindowsDir and DataDir subsections. Whew! Hope there weren't too many people who don't care about technical talk who read that. WHAT FILES ARE CREATED BY GRAVITY DESK 1.1 WHEN I USE IT? ------------------------------------------------------- Gravity Desk 1.1 creates 5 data files for it's own use. These will be located in the directory that Gravity Desk 1.1 was copied to during installation. Their names are: Alias.dat Keeps track of file Aliases. Groups.dat Keeps track of Group Names. Associat.dat Keeps track of Associations that you set up with Gravity Desk. QuickDir.dat Keeps track of directory Aliases. Schemes.dat Keeps track of color schemes. For all the Aliases and Group Names that you create in Gravity Desk 1.1 to stay in tact, these files must stay in this directory (marked by the label "DataDir" in Gravity1.ini) and they must not be tampered with (ie. don't edit them in Notepad). THANKS FOR TRYING THIS SHAREWARE! --------------------------------- Thanks for trying out Gravity Desk 1.1. If you like it, please register it. It's the shareware ideal - try it, if you like it, reward the author's efforts. Below is the license agreement for using Gravity Desk 1.1 - as well as information for people who distribute Shareware. _____________________________________________________________________________ License Agreement ----------------- The use of Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) is subject to the following terms and conditions. Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) is copyrighted material. It is protected by the copyright laws of the United States. You may not make any changes or modifications to Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version). You may not decompile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse-engineer the software in any way. You may use Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) on a trial basis provided you do not violate the protection afforded the licensed software by the copyright laws, and you agree to the terms of the license agreement. If you use Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) on a regular basis you are obligated to purchase a license for its use. A license for the use of Gravity Desk 1.1 can be obtained by sending a $25.00 registration fee to: Gravity Products PO Box 423146 San Francisco, CA 94142 USA Make checks payable to Jack Killpatrick. Please use the form found in the easy-to-print file "GD11reg.txt" (easily accessed from Gravity Desk 1.1's opening screen) to register. Title to the licensed software is NOT transferred to the end user. The end user is granted an exclusive license to use the software on one computer or computer work station at any given time. Gravity Products does not guarantee that Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) will meet any of your requirements or that its operation will be uninterrupted or error free. Gravity Products is not responsible for any problems or damage that may result from using Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version). This includes, but is not limited to, information, computer hardware, computer software, operating systems, and any computer or computing accessories. The end user agrees to hold Gravity Products harmless for any problems arising from the use of the software. In no case shall Gravity Products' liability exceed the license fees paid for the right to use the licensed software. The warranties set forth above are in lieu of any and all other express or implied warranties, whether oral, written, or implied, and the remedies set forth above are the sole and exclusive remedies. Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) Distribution ------------------------------------------------- You are granted a limited license to copy Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) only for the trial use of others subject to the terms of the software license agreement described herein, and the conditions described below: Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) MUST be copied in an unmodified form and MUST contain the following files: File Name Size Date/Time ------------- ---- --------- Install.exe 26,916 03/26/93 04:03:48pm GD11.exe 363,843 03/27/93 09:28:06am GD11.wri 447,104 03/26/93 09:03:00pm GD11read.txt GD11reg.txt 2,308 03/26/93 03:00:26pm ss3d.vbx 49,504 09/16/92 11:02:36am ss3d2.vbx 89,408 09/24/92 10:44:08am No fee, charge or other compensation may be accepted or requested by anyone without the express written permission of Gravity Products. Public Domain Disk Vendors may not charge a fee for Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) itself. However you are invited to include Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) on a diskette for which you charge a nominal distribution fee. The purchaser of said diskette must be informed in advance that the fee paid to acquire the diskette does NOT relieve said purchaser from paying the registration fee for Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) if said purchaser uses Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version). Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (Sysops) may post Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) for downloading by their users without written permission only as long as the above conditions are met. A fee may be charged for access to the BBS as long as no specific fee is charged for downloading Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version) without first obtaining express written permission from Gravity Products to charge such a fee. ------------------------ The above constitutes the license agreement for Gravity Desk 1.1 (Shareware Version). It superceeds any and all previous license agreements. ------------------------ A last note: ------------------------- If you print anything about Gravity Desk 1.1, please either send me a copy of it or let me know that it exists and tell me how I can obtain it. I'm interested in my product, hey - what can I say. Thanks a lot, Jack Killpatrick Gravity Desk 1.1. Copyright 1993.