cca@newton.physics.purdue.edu (Charles C. Allen) (06/14/90)
Does anyone have a net address for the guy who wrote Darkness? I
couldn't find one in the documentation.
Basically, Darkness is a fine idea, but I don't use it for the
following reasons:
* I agree that INITs and CDEVs are to be avoided, but so are
magic key combinations like the ones Darkness uses. I HATE
things like that.
* Since it's "background only", you can't have MultiFinder start
it up using the "Opened Applications and DAs" option. I
refuse to warp my application locations just so I can use the
"Selected Items" option.
* The "sleep now" and "SetDarkness" options don't work on a
IIci, Apple 2-page display with 8*24 card, running 6.0.5 under
MultiFinder (only foreign INITs are Suitcase II 1.2.6 and ATM
1.2). It does kick in by timing.
Why not just make Darkness a regular application? This would solve
the first two problems easily.
My shareware fee is in escrow until Darkness becomes usable for me :-).
Charles Allen Internet: cca@newton.physics.purdue.edu
Department of Physics HEPnet: purdnu::allen, fnal::cca
Purdue University talknet: 317/494-9776
West Lafayette, IN 47907dave@interlan.interlan.com (Dave Goldblatt) (06/15/90)
In article <3800@newton.physics.purdue.edu> cca@newton.physics.purdue.edu (Charles C. Allen) writes:
* I agree that INITs and CDEVs are to be avoided, but so are
magic key combinations like the ones Darkness uses. I HATE
things like that.
I agree, but can live with it.
* Since it's "background only", you can't have MultiFinder start
it up using the "Opened Applications and DAs" option. I
refuse to warp my application locations just so I can use the
"Selected Items" option.
Definitely!
* The "sleep now" and "SetDarkness" options don't work on a
IIci, Apple 2-page display with 8*24 card, running 6.0.5 under
MultiFinder (only foreign INITs are Suitcase II 1.2.6 and ATM
1.2). It does kick in by timing.
And worst of all, same on my IIci (6.0.4, internal video w/b&w monitor).
Yanked all INITs, still no difference.
My shareware fee is in escrow until Darkness becomes usable for me :-).
Haven't even written the check yet. :-)
-dg-
--
"You can twist perceptions * Dave Goldblatt dave@interlan.com
Reality won't budge..." * Diagnostic Engineering
- Rush * Racal InterLan
* Boxborough MA (508) 263-9929minich@d.cs.okstate.edu (Robert Minich) (06/15/90)
OK, so it's not only _me_ that is having trouble with darkness. I can't get any magic key sequences, sleep now, or anything other than the standard "don't flinch for two minutes" to work. I like the idea of a MultiFinder app instead of INIT (YEAH!) but Darkness goes to an extreme. It seems to me that a cdev to twiddle a pref file would be a very nice addition, even if you have to reboot to see the changes. Also, the app should be sneakier. How about this: a normal app that comes to the front after x minutes and does the nifty blank out stuff. Also, do a "invisible menu bar" like Tetris. That way, we don't even need a sleep now corner because we can just choose the dimmer like any other running program. (still need a never-sleep corner, tho) I am almost interested enough to go write this myself, but there are a few things I don't quite understand that I would like to. First and foremost, I need to know what darkness does to determine nothing has happened for x minute. I guess I could check the mouse location, but that does not help if you're typing. I would also be nice to know more about launching other programs from within another program, since I'm too cheap to buy the Programmer's Guide to MF, which I pressume is pretty thin reading. (When is Inside Mac VI going to hit the *@#*&%#$ press?) Last note: has anyone else wondered what they might use darkness for OTHER than to run screen dimmers? Perhaps this could be extended into a tool to periodicly run other programs? !!! please edit the newsgroups line for follow ups !!! -- | _ /| | Robert Minich | | \'o.O' | Oklahoma State University | | =(___)= | minich@d.cs.okstate.edu | | U | - Bill sez "Ackphtth" |
ml10+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael A. Libes) (06/15/90)
Mac Tip #1: Never call InitWindows in a background only program!
This is why there are versions v1.0.1 and v2.0.1 of Darkness. You
will see v2.0.1 appear soon on the net. Sorry about the problem, but by
the size of the response, it looks like Darkness is catching on...
Enjoy!
- Lunarmobiscuit (author of Darkness)