Bitmaps.SCR Version 1.0a a Windows 3.1+ Screen Blanker written in Visual Basic 3.0 Oct 01 1993 Copyright 1993 by Dave Charbonnet and DCI Computers Inc Work (504) 899-5663 Fax (504) 891-1872 & LAST Resort my Home (504) 866-2120 Quick Install Notes: To setup this program just copy the 3 Files (Bitmaps.scr, Bitmaps.txt and Bitmaps.exe) to your Windows Directory. Make sure you have a copy of VBRun300.DLL in your windows\system (or windows) directory. Have Windows running in 386 Enhanced Mode and SETUP Display for a Super VGA Mode of 640x480 by 256 Colors. You should have at least a 386 40 Mhz CPU and 4 Megs of RAM (The minimum computer sold these days.) This program requires a computer that runs windows 3.1+ WELL. Have some good 256 color full screen bitmaps in your windows directory (or a directory you specified in the setup routine). Set the Screen Saver (in Windows-ControlPanel-Desktop-Screen Saver section) to Bitmaps by DCI. Disable any other Screen Saver that may be running. Read this Help File and the Help Screen (Shift H when Blanker /Picture Show is running to see help file) If you need more quality bitmaps or VBasic Runtime give me or my bbs (or Compuserve etc) a call. USAGE NOTES: (Installation & Setup Notes Below) When this Screen Saver is running moving the mouse horizontally or hitting a key other than specially assigned keys should stop the screen saver and return you to the windows application that was running before the Screen Saver was called. It does not start from a DOS Program. When the Screen Saver Starts it beeps 1 time in case your near bye and wish to stop it. Special Key Assignments and Functions (Use When Screen Saver is Running) Shift H HELP. Quick Help Reference to these Special Keys Not as informative as this documentation file. Hit any key to hide Help Screen. Hit Alt V or V to View Full Documentation (This File) + Next Pic and Pause. Display the Next Bitmap without waiting for the Delay Time to Expire. Also Pauses the Screen Saver/Picture show until you hit P or space to Un-pause it. - Previous Pic and Pause. Display the Previous Bitmap without waiting for the Delay Time to Expire. Also Pauses the Screen Saver/Picture show until you hit P or SPACE to Un-pause it. A About (About the Author and his business Shift B Batch View (Thumbnails). Small View of 12 Pics. Left Mouse Click on a picture's thumbnail to Switch to Full View of it and Pause (Hit P or space to Unpause). Click on a Picture to activate the menu in batch view you can then rename, copy, paint, show a Picture and more. Double click also shows the picture. Loading the Thumbnails can take quite a while on a lot of computers (Take 14 secs on my DX-50 and over 35 secs on a 486SX-33) so I guess VBasic is kind of slow at some+ things. Shift C Copies the shareware Version of this program to the specified floppy so you can share it with others! Shift D Delete current Bitmap. Deletes Current Bitmap. For Bitmap Maintenance. Be Careful as this DELETES the Bitmap File! This can be turned off by editing Bitmaps.INI PWord=ND Shift E Manually Switch to Another Directory to display Bitmaps there. G G Pics. Switches Path Back to Default BMP directory specified in your setup (Shift G does the Same thing and so will space bar when R or X is Running) Shift I ScrIpt List. List all script files (*.BMS = BitMap Script) found in your default bitmap directory. Pick one and it will start showing the BMPs Specified in that file. Thus this provides another method (rather than having to organizing your BMPs into separate directories) of displaying just certain bitmaps. This file you can create with a text editor and each line must contain the complete File name with path to a bitmaps you want shown Example (C:\Windows\Earth.BMP) if you want to show just certain Bitmaps. If you have a file named Default.BMS then it will be used rather than the programs default you set in the setup box. However when running a script you can not Jump from Next to Prev Pics of List current Picture Set. When in Script Mode an Alternate Bitmaps Path Key like G, Shift R, Shift X) will end the Script Mode. Esc or Shift I again will cancel and hide the list box. Shift L List. Displays the List Box so you can jump to a particular picture using the keyboard Up and Down Cursor Keys, and hit Enter to view the one selected OR use Mouse and Click on Picture to display. To get rid of the List Box and continue the show Hit Shift L Again. Hitting Esc key or Right Mouse Button will hide the list box, but leaves the screen saver in Pause Mode. Hit Shift P or Space to UnPause when Paused. You can hit Alt D to Delete a Selected file and Alt N or Alt R to Rename it from List View. Alt C to Copy it to a Floppy. Shift M Message Toggle. Toggles Message On/Off so you can leave a message on the screen as to where you are or whatever. Shift N reName Bitmap. Rename the current bitmap to another name. For easier Bitmap Maintenance. This function can be disabled by editing Bitmaps.ini setting PWord=ND Shift P Pauses Picture Show till Shift P or Space is Hit again. Toggles Pause ON & OFF NOTE: Mouse Move does not stop SCREEN Saver when it is in Pause Mode. Shift R AlteRnate Bitmaps. Switch to Showing Bitmaps in directory specified in Alternate Bitmap Path of Setup and PathR in bitmaps.INI Shift S Setup. Runs internal Setup Routine to Configure this Program to your specifics and stores these settings in the bitmaps.ini file. Also allows unregistered version to be immediately registered. Shift T sTretch Toggle. Toggles Stretch mode so pictures that are not full screen size will be stretched to full screen. BUT When stretched you will loose resolution and display speed. It is best to use bitmaps that exactly match you screen size and NOT Stretch them. Shift W Wait Delay. Changes delay (for this session only) the Delay (actually the length of time each picture slide is displayed). 0 - 100+ Secs. Shift X 3rd Alternate Bitmaps. Switch to Showing Bitmaps in directory specified in 3rd Alternate Bitmap Path of Setup and PathX in bitmaps.INI Shift Z Toggle Secure Mode. Turns On or Off Secure Mode Immediately. Until you hit the Shift Z key again! Most all other special keys are turned off while in secure mode. Security is not complete as I have not found a way in Visual Basic to turn off special Windows keys like Ctrl Esc and more. Shift Space: Menu Toggle. Displays & Hides Menu (When not in secure mode). From this Menu you can perform Most but not all ie No Alternate Bitmaps Paths (Shift R & Shift X) can be selected from this Menu just from the Keyboard when saver is running. You do not have to hit Alt and underlined Letter on Menus to access that menu just the Letter itself will do. You can copy bitmaps to floppy. Pause is on while in Menu Mode. To Exit Menu Mode hit Esc, or Space or Shift Space again MISC TIPS Make sure your video cards and Windows is Setup for a Super VGA 256 Color mode. This Program was mostly tested at the resolution 640x480. For best results use bitmaps that are exactly 640x486 usually having a size of 308,280 bytes. Put all the bitmaps you want displayed in a separate directory (IF they are mixed in with the small tile style bitmaps (ie the ones supplied with windows) than those will also be displayed, which is not what most user would desire as they make poor pictures. Use this programs Setup Routine (in Windows Control Panel Desktop Screen Saver SETUP or Hit Shift S when it is running) to Set the Path to the directory containing the bitmaps you wish displayed. You can have 3 separate bitmap Paths if you desire to show different sets/styles of bitmap/pictures at different times. The 2 alternate set of bitmaps are displayed/toggled when you hit Shift R & Shift X while this screen saver is running. The location of these default paths and other defaults are set in Setup (Shift S when Running) and stored in the file bitmaps.ini installed in your windows directory. If you edit bitmaps.ini directly remember to put a \ at the end of the path like in C:\WINDOWS\. Also in Setup you can set the Stretch to Screen option to 1 or 0. If 1 Bitmaps will be stretched to fill the screen which will also slow down their display and will cause loss of picture quality. This screen saver works only while windows and windows programs are running not when DOS applications are running not even if a DOS app icon is selected, hopefully Microsoft will add support for Screen saver activation within DOS apps someday. If you need more good quality scenic bitmaps they are available from me at above address or phone number or by calling my BBS (504) 891-1888 2400 N81 usually busy. Common Problems: 1. OUT Of Memory Message Box also Error #7 generally caused by; Being Short on System Resources as in you have a lot of programs currently loaded. An inefficient Windows Setup which is short on Memory caused perhaps by; installing TO MANY True Type Fonts. Running in an extremely high video mode, ie more than 640x480 or more than 256 colors definitely eats up system resources. Not Running windows in 386+ Enhanced mode. Not having a decent size (11+Meg) PERMANENT Swap File (see Control Panel 386 Enhanced Virtual Memory Section). Having less than 600k free RAM/Memory before starting Windows (ie not loading things into high memory.) Incompatible Bitmaps. Large bitmaps, be sure your bitmaps are not much larger than 308K. If the program does not startup then you may have insufficient memory to start it. If you still are having Out of Memory problems, well it is not my fault VBRun300.DLL is so big or that Visual Basic or Windows is a RAM hog, but it runs fine on all the 25 various (386&Up 4+Meg 256 Color SVGA with PLENTY of BMPs) computers we have on display at DCI. 2. Super VGA Video Mode should be set to 640x480 x 256 Colors and you should have a reliable video card with 512K or more memory 3. Bitmap Directory and Organization. Group common bitmaps together Don't mix 16 color small bitmaps with 256 Color 640x480 Bitmaps. By Default this program looks in your windows directory for the bitmaps it shows. If it find no initialization file bitmaps.ini there it creates one. It sets the Bitmaps PathS to your windows directory. If it finds any BMP files that start with a 1 (like in 1Earth.BMP; and in the BMP we supply) then it will set the BMP Pattern to 1*.BMP (to avoid showing all the small 16 color ones that come with windows) Run this programs setup (Shift S when Running) and set the paths and pattern to what you wish. I usually recommend deleting all the BMP files that came with windows and just keep the 256 color ones that you really like; Separate them into separate directories if you wish to control which set of your favorite BMPs are shown when and you can easily switch between them. There is a limited Password feature that allows you to make exiting this screen saver more difficult. If you want the password feature on by default you have to manually edit the bitmaps.ini file and at the end of the last line (PWord=) add some text that you would enter to stop this program (No Spaces). From then on 60 seconds AFTER this screen saver starts it will not be as easy to stop it. To Stop it enter your password and hit enter. Every 20 Characters it clears the KBoard Buffer so if someone had typed 19 misc characters will it was running you would have to enter your password twice. To turn on Secure/PWord mode without making it the default (then do not edit bitmaps.ini or make sure the last line in it (PWord=) has no text after it.) just hit the key (Shift Z) when the blanker is running and it will activate this SEMI-secure mode. Since their is no assigned PWord in the INI file and I do not want to have to ask you each time for a password I set it so you just have to hit Shift Z again to turn it off, When PWord or Shift Z is Entered Security is turned Off but the screen saver keeps running and a mouse move or a usual exiting (unused) key stroke will end the program. When in secure mode most all of the other special key functions are disabled as it would not be appropriate in a secure environment to have access to them; The Only Keys that still work when in secure mode are; (A) About, (G) Return to Default Pics and Pause Off as well as Shift Z to turn off Secure mode. If the Options line in Bitmaps.INI contains the Text ND (Options=ND) than the Delete & Rename Functions will be disabled so a User can not Delete or Rename Bitmaps. If the Options= Line in Bitmaps.INI contains the Text NA (Options=NA) than the Alarm/Chimes will not beep several times on each Half Hour. Which is the default as not to many computers seem to have the CORRECT time anyway. Most Keyboard commands are used in combo with the shift key to protect them from the casual user walking by and accessing those feature to easily. I did not use Alt or Ctrl as Windows uses them for switching around and it was to easy to switch to other apps and have the screen saver continue running. To Exit This Program just Move the Mouse or Esc or Alt or Ctrl or Hit the Space bar (When not in Pause) or Alt F4 EXCEPT when in Secure mode then hit Shift Z and one of the pre mentioned keys or if you edited Bitmaps.INI to include a PWord then Enter That PWord & hit one of the pre mentioned Keys like Space or Move the Mouse. If you hit Shift Enter to Exit it shows the Date & Time and long you were gone. FYI The Default Bitmaps.INI file (created in your windows directory when you 1st run this program) should look like (leave out the comments on the right) this. ======================= [Bitmaps] COMMENTS Path=C:\WINDOWS\ default directory to look for Bitmaps PathR=C:\WINDOWS\ 1st Alternate Dir of BMPs. (FYI2 on my computer it is PathR=C:\WIN\BMPR\) BPattern=*.BMP *.BMP=ALL Bitmaps 1*.BMP means BMPs starting with a 1 Echo=None for debuging purposes only Delay=4 Secs to show ea picture Size=0 0 means not to stretch to fill screen PathX=C:\WINDOWS\ 2nd Alternate Dir of BMPs (on my computer it is PathX=C:\WIN\BMPX\) PWord= Blank you add Text if you want secure mode/Password Options=NA NA=No Alarm/Chimes. Add ND to disable Delete & Rename ======================= INSTALLATION NOTES: Disregard this Section if it is already Installed! UnZip It (preferable into a separate directory of its own) and Run the Install BAT file from DOS without Windows Running! (Type Install & hit Enter) . This Program Requires the FREE Visual Basic 3.0 Runtime DLL (VBRun300.DLL) to be in your Windows (or Windows\System) directory. This file may or may not have been included with the program depending upon the source you obtained it from. VBRun300.DLL is a 398,416 byte file and if included on BBS often is redundant and adds immensely to your download time. Also some versions of this program includes several free quality bitmaps, but do to download size and speed BBS versions often do not. Other than the VBRun300.DLL file two other files are required to get this screen saver running; Namely, Bitmaps.SCR & Bitmaps.Txt. These files should be copied to your windows directory. Running the supplied INSTALL Program (not supplied from some sources) should put these files in their proper locations (your windows directory as this is a standard windows screen saver) or you can do it manually (if you know DOS) i.e. COPY B:\bitmaps.scr c:\windows COPY B:\bitmaps.txt c:\windows COPY B:\bitmaps.exe c:\windows <== Optional Executable on Request Version COPY B:\VBRun300.dll c:\windows\system (or c:\windows) <== Required Then run from Windows Program Manager start Control Panel and then the Desktop Subprogram. From within Desktop Choose Screen Saver and Scroll to the one called Bitmaps by DCI. Next select a Delay time for windows to wait for no activity before starting it. Finally Run Setup to set your particulars like location/Dir of your Bitmap Files/Pictures and Alternate Bitmap Directory, Delay Time you want pictures displayed before flipping to the next picture. Bitmap File Pattern usually *.BMP for all Bitmap Files, but some people rename their bitmaps in a way to differentiate them like 642Earth.BMP for 640x480x256 Color and thus may prefer a File Pattern of 642*.BMP to display only those such bitmaps in this Screen Saver. You can also install the optional bitmaps.exe file so you can start the Picture Show at will without waiting for Windows to Timeout. Simple Add the program to Program Manager by entering in Program Manager Alt FN Enter (File New Program Item) Desc=Picture Show Command=C:\windows\bitmaps.exe. To install this executable version manually give the DOS command ==> COPY B:\bitmaps.exe C:\WINDOWS Naturally use A: If File is on floppy in drive A: and change C:\WINDOWS to be the location of your windows directory. If you ran the DOS Install routine then forget this as it should have been done for you. REGISTRATION NOTES Shareware Software. Registration fee of $25 Required if you continue to use this program for more than 30 Days. Registration entitles you to the an upgrade to the Non-Shareware version which removes the annoying copyright and registration messages on entry and exit of this screen saver, and the next Version/Upgrade is supplied for Free; plus 6 of my favorite high quality 640x480x 256 color scenic bitmaps. For an Extra $90 I will supply you with the source code and tips on how to right a Visual Basic Screen Saver (not documented by Microsoft). For $100 you can put as many copies of the non shareware (GOOD) version on as many computers as you use. For $200 you can distribute the non shareware/unannoying version with any (AS MANY) computers as you desire, and you can sell as many as you want for as much as you want and keep all the money. Anyone is welcome to GIVE AWAY FREE as many copies of the SHAREWARE VERSION (the one which says Unregistered Version in the Setup Window and must include THIS UNALTERED Documentation file Bitmaps.TXT * To Register Mail Check to; Dave Charbonnet 6042 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA 70118 * For Fastest Service call (504) 899-5663 M-F 11-6 with your Visa or MCard# END OF FILE