IconBox Version 2.02 24th November, 1993 - An Icon Library for the Psion Series 3a - Copyright 1993 Right Hand Software Ltd. 45, Kenilworth Gardens, London SE18 3JB, UK Phone/Fax : 081-319-8576 - Email - righthand@cix.compulink.co.uk chennings@cix.compulink.co.uk 100010,511@compuserve.com 1) For those familiar with IconBox Version 1.0 IconBox was primarily created to explore the new features of the Psion Series 3a, in particular grey plane graphics. This is continued with version 2 together with the addition of various features to extend usability. In summary the changes are : * IconBox now supports external icon library files so you can create and share your own favorites. * IconBox is supplied with 99 base images, an increase of 55 from version 1.0 * IconBox has sprite based cursors, .WVE playback on startup and variable status window sizes. * For registered users only, preferences for border definitions, status and preview window options and cursor type are saved and recalled from disk. 2) Introduction The S3a provides easy access to creating Lists and Groups - now all you need are some nice Icons. IconBox is the answer! IconBox provides a library of 99 32x32 pixel icon images (probably familiar to users of MSWIN/VB) to which any standard S3/S3a border style can be added to produce a 48x48 pixel image that can be saved to disk for use with Lists, Groups or your own applications. Instructions for creating your own icon libraries are given below. 3) Shareware IconBox is shareware which means you are granted a limited license to evaluate the program. If after a reasonable period of evaluation, you wish to continue to use the program you must register it. Registered users will receive an access code which will enable the facilities for saving various program settings to disk. In addition, registration brings the benefit of knowing that you are supporting the development of software for the Psion range of computers. On a general point - there appears to be a growing view that 3/3a shareware registrations are like hens teeth (ie pretty rare) - this can only be a bad thing for the future of low cost, quality Psion software - so go on buck the trend and register a program. As I said, this is a general point and NOT a specific plug for IconBox or indeed any of our other products - if you don't like the code or the price then of course don't use and don't register (or better still write and tell us how to make them better) but when you find a program that you do - do! [fx:SoapBoxMode=Off] Please see the Terms & Conditions of use and details of how to register IconBox that are set out in section (6) below. 4) Installation & Logistics a) Setup Copy the file IBOX.APP to any directory on any drive and use PSION-I to install IconBox to the system screen. Alternatively, place IconBox in an \IMG\ directory so that it can be launched from the RUNIMG filelist. IconBox is a type 3 application and so has a filelist on the system screen which shows the names of available icon library files. Icon libraries are standard .PIC files which have a file extension of .IBL. Icon libraries may optionally have a standard .DBF file which contains the names of the individual icons. These files must have the same name as the picture library and have a file extension of .IBN. You are supplied with the files ICONBOX.IBL and ICONBOX.IBN these files should be copied to a \IBX\ directory that can be created on any drive via the menus on the main system screen. IconBox plays the file RHS.WVE on startup. This file should be copied to the same directory as the main IBOX.APP or alternatively to a \WVE\ directory on any drive. If you don't want IconBox to play the file, simply rename it or delete it. b) Files IconBox uses 3 types of file. Firstly, IconBox is resource based (English language resources are embedded in the main .app) and IconBox will look for foreign language resource files in a \IBOX\ (or whatever you rename IBOX.APP to) directory that must be located under the directory from which the app is launched. No foreign language resource files currently exist but if anyone is interested in doing the translation work, we will be happy to supply them. Secondly, IconBox saves icons to disk as standard 2 plane multi .pic files. These files are given a default extension of .IBX. By default these files will be created in the directory that contains their parent .IBL library file. If the parent .IBL file has a matching .IBN file the icon name from the database will be used. Alternatively the name will simply be the number of the icon (e.g. 005.IBX). You can of course override these defaults from the file selector dialog. Thirdly, for registered users, IconBox will save various setting to the file IBOX.INI. If the drive from which IconBox was launched can be written to and is not a FLASH SSD, the .INI file will be created in a \IBOX\ directory under the directory from which the program was launched. Alternatively, the .IBI file will be created in LOC::M:\RHS\. c) General Operation. To launch IconBox, make sure that the .IBL file has been installed as described above and that it is showing in the IconBox file list. Select the file and press enter. Alternatively, use TAB to enter the file selector from the IconBox filelist and pick an appropriate file. IconBox has supports online help. Press the HELP key for details of how to use the various facilities available. A summary of the active keys is shown below : Cursors : The cursor keys (Up, Down, Left, Right, PgUp, PgDn, Home, End, Ctrl-PgUp and Ctrl-PgDn) move the cursor which highlights the current image. Diamond : The diamond key toggles the preview window on/off. The preview window shows the image as it will be saved to disk together with its default name. CtrlMenu: Toggles the status window. Menu : Brings up the menu bar. Help : Brings up the help system. Psion-O : This presents a dialog from which you can select a new icon library. Psion-B : This presents a dialog from which you can define the various attributes of the border to be used with the selected image. Psion-S : This presents a file selector dialog from which you can save the current image to disk. Psion-C : This presents a dialog from which you can choose the type of cursor. Psion-R : This presents a dialog from which you can register IconBox. Psion-A : This displays program information and copyright details. Psion-X : Exits the program. 5) Creating Icon Libraries The icon library files used by IconBox are standard multi .PIC files in which the 1st bitmap is treated as the black/white plane and the second bitmap is used for the grey plane. Files containing a single bitmap effectively have no grey plane. The bitmaps can be of any size (bearing in mind memory constraints). Iconbox opens the bitmaps and simply divides them into 32x32 pixel sections that are then used for the icons. Note that (a) both the width and height of the bitmap are rounded down to the nearest multiple of 32 and (b) if there are 2 bitmaps, in each case, the smaller of the 2 widths and heights are used. If you would like to provide default names for your icons which will be displayed in the preview window and used when saving icons to disk, you will need to create an .IBN database. This is a simple Series3 database file with 2 fields - "Key" and "Name". The "Key" field is of the form "nnn=" where nnn is the number of the icon reading left to right, top to bottom, from the top left hand corner of the bitmap. For example 005= would identify the 5th icon. The "Name" field should simply contain up to 8 characters that can validly be used as a file name. Probably the simplest approach is to copy and amend the supplied ICONBOX.IBN. 6) Terms & Conditions a) IconBox comprises the files IBOX.APP, ICONBOX.IBL, ICONBOX.IBN, RHS.WVE and this file IBOX.TXT. IconBox is copyright material of Right Hand Software Ltd. and all ownership rights are retained. b) You may use and distribute IconBox only in accordance with the terms and conditions stated here. c) You may NOT modify IconBox in any way. d) You may use Iconbox free of charge ONLY for a fair and reasonable period of time (14 days) in order to evaluate the program. For all and any subsequent use of the program, you must register your copy. You can register your copy by with a nominal payment (suggested minimum 10.00 ukp or $15.00 (US) or local equivalent). Payment should be by cheques drawn on UK Banks or Building Societies made payable to Right Hand Software Ltd, in cash or via the Compuserve shareware registration service ( Go SWREG - The Registration ID number is 1588 ). Please contact us if you wish to discuss other forms of payment. You may use IconBox only in a personal and private capacity. Use within commercial, corporate or government institutions requires a commercial users licence. e) You may distribute IconBox only provided that : i) All the original files are included (in particular these terms and conditions). ii) NO charge is made other than to cover the fair and reasonable costs of distribution. Any distribution of IconBox that renders any form of commercial advantage (financial or otherwise) to the distributor, requires a commercial distributors license. f) While appropriate care has been taken in the creation of IconBox, Right Hand Software Ltd. does not warrant that the software is error free. Indeed, Right Hand Software Ltd. disclaims all and any warranties relating to the software. g) Under no circumstances shall Right Hand Software Ltd. be liable for consequential, incidental or indirect damages of any kind arising from the use of the IconBox software. === End of IconBox v2.00 Documentation ================================ Credits: Psion for the Series 3a, EPOC and the C-SDK. dw2@cix.compulink,co.uk for putting me straight (again) on how to use them. PMR (Tonmeister) for the sounds. ======================================================================= 15th November, 1993 Version 2.01 Changes - Mainly to try and dodge the "thought police" ;-) * Added Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Ctrl+PgUp, Ctrl+PgDn cursoring. * Added Diamond Menu and accelerator keys. * Conformity to text case conventions in menu items. * Shareware reminder on unregistered save icon to disk. ======================================================================= 24th November, 1993 Version 2.02 Changes * Beeps when reaching top/end of file replaced with screen message. * Fixed Save Icon bug - wrong icon was saved if preview window not enabled (Credit for bug report to Gary Barr). =======================================================================