@database ReadMeFirst.Guide @author "Paul Hickman" @node main "Easylife V1.10 Distriubtion - `ReadMe' file." @{b}@{u}EasyLife V1.10 Distribution - By Paul Hickman@{ub}@{uu} @{b}@{u}E-Mail: ph@doc.ic.ac.uk@{ub}@{uu} @{"0...Garuntee " link Garuntee} @{"1...Foreword " link ForeWord} @{"2...Requirements " link Requirements} @{"3...Contents of the archive" link Contents} @{"4...Distriubtion Conditions" link Distribution} @{"5...Installation " link Installation} @{"6...Obtaining Upgrades " link Upgrades} @{"7...Contacting The Author " link Author} @{"8...MUI Information " link MUIReadme} @{"9...Credits " link Credits} Peace and Goodwill to all thargoids @endnode @node Garuntee "Readme / Garuntee" @toc Introduction @{u}@{b}The EASY LIFE garuntee@{ub}@{uu} EASY LIFE is garunteed to: a) Not necessarily to what the documentation files say it will b) Not necessarily do anything c) Not necessarily allow AMOSPro to load d) Contain at least 20 spelling misstakes in each file e) Really get on your nerves, and not really make your life very easy at all, if some command decides it's not going to act the way it's described here, but to invalidate your hardisk instead. f) Run off with your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse/pet hedgehog. (Which of course, can never be ...) g) Make disgusting noises when your grandparents enter the room. h) Be water resistant to a depth of 50 metres. i) Not to do any dishwashing. I do not accept responsibilty if any, or all, or none of the aforementioned (Or unmentioned) events occur (except the last one- If it does any dishwashing, It's my fault - blame me). If anything else goes wrong, or right, or anywhere in between, tough, I absolve myself from having anything to do with it. So don't sue me. In fact if you are even the type of person that would consider the merest possibility of allowing the thought of sueing the author of any free computer software to begin to form in your mind, you are expressly forbidden from using this software, and must delete it instantly. (This also applies to anyone who likes tennis). @endnode @node Foreword "ReadMe / Foreword" @{b}@{u}Welcome To Easylife V1.10@{ub}@{uu} @{u}Before You Start@{uu} Firstly, if you don't have a MagicWB palette as your defaults, ensure your current screenmode is exactly 8 colours and click on the "UseIconPalette" to see these icons in their full glory. MagicWB is not required to use easylife - I just like that style of icon. Secondly, make sure you have read every Terry Pratchett book in existance (Except Strata, which for some wierd reason was crap). This will help you understand some of the more technical terminology used in the Easylife documentation. Easylife is an extension for AMOS Professional V1.00+. It provides some improved variable manipulation capabilities, including the addition of structured, or "record type" variables. Also AMOS command/function interfaces for the popular powerpacker & XPK libraries are provided, together with the less well known pattern library, which provides UNIX style pattern matching on strings. (This is also available in amiga Dos library V37+). There is also a large group of commands & functions which enable you to use the Magic User Interface (MUI) system for you AMOS interface code. Who needs intuition??? The extension's features are supplimented by a set of new AMOSPro accessory programs. These are not only very useful, but also serve as examples of using the easylife commands & functions. They include: - The Variable Checker. This accessory will check your source codes for errors not detected by the AMOS 'Test' function, such as the mis-spelling of a variable name, and will also find redundent code, such as procedures that are never called. - The Editor Enhancer. This accessory replaces the AMOS editors search & replace menu with improved versions, and adds 4 small user menu utilities. - The Zone Editor. This accessory will allow you to draw your zones on the screen with the mouse, then save them as a bank, or write 'Set Zone' commands straight into your source code! - The Taglist Editor. An example of an MUI application, this accessory allows you to create MUI taglists for your own MUI programs. - The Structures Compiler. This is necessary for you to use structured variables in your AMOSPro programs. The definitions of the structures are stored in comments in your program source code, and are converted into global variables & a bank by this accessory. - Amosguide. This accessory replaces your on-line help viewer with an amigaguide document reader. A patch to create an amigaguide file from your AMOSPro help is on disk 3 of the distribution. @endnode @node Requirements "Readme / Requirements" @{b}@{u}Requirements@{ub}@{uu} The minimum requirements are: - An amiga with 1Mb ram. - Any version of AMOSPro. To use the XPK compression features, you will require the XPK master library, and some XPK compressor libraries. These can be found in the XPK package on aminet in /pub/aminet/util/pack. To use the MUI features, you will need at least 2Mb of ram, Kickstart 2.04 or greater (3.0+ recommended), and of course a copy of @{"MUI" link mui}. Not necessary, but of use are: - A copy of powerpacker professional (The comercial version) - ASL library autodocs / include files (For MUI use of asl) - The AMOSPro inuition extension (For creating MUI programs with their own screens). @endnode @node Contents "Readme / Archive Contents" @{b}@{u}Archive Contents@{ub}@{uu} Easylife is distributed as 3 archives, this file being in the first of them. Floppy disk users should have extracted them to the root directories of 3 floppy disks. Harddisk users can extract the archives to temporary directories on the RAM: disk or on the harddisk if you don't have the memory. NOTE: The files in archive 3 are not required permanently - only to create an amigagudie on-line help file. If you are low on memory, extract & install the programs on disks 1 & 2, then do disk 3 later. @{u}Part 1@{uu} This disk contains the initial installation files, the accessory programs, the demo programs, replacemnt AMOSPro icons, useful easylife procedures, and some usefull data for MUI programming. After installation, you shouldn't need to use the Lib or Libs directories, as their contents are copied into the AMOSPro disks/directories. Readme.Guide You're Looking At It. Install-Easylife The installation script for floppy & harddisk users. UseIconPalette A saved palette prefs file for the Easylife Icons. Accessories/ AmigaGuide.AMOS An amiga gudie file viewer written in AMOS. This can be used to provide on-line help for AMOS programs, and it can read guides from many sources. Also replaces the AMOSPro On-Line help system. Editor_Enhancer.AMOS Improves the AMOSPro editors search & replace function, and adds 4 new features. Equate_To_Tags.AMOS Converts AMOSPro equates files into tag banks. Optimise.AMOS Will optimise AMOSPro programs - especially those which use tags. NOT IMPLEMENTED YET Structure_Compiler.AMOS Compiles structured variable definitions into global constants & a bank ready for use. Var_Checker.AMOS Checks your AMOSPro programs for errors not found by the 'Test' function. Zone_Editor.AMOS Draw zones directry on the screen with the mouse. AmosProIcons/ #?.Info Magic-WB style replacement icons for your harddisks AmosPro drawer. NOTE: these are not installed - copy them manually if you want them. Demos/ Example1.mui.AMOS A simple MUI example program Struct-Tutorial1a.AMOS \ Struct-Tutorial1b.AMOS \ Introduction to using Struct-Tutorial2.AMOS / structured variables. Struct-Tutorial3.AMOS / Tabifier.AMOS A useful demo MUI application to add/remove tabs from texts. VarCheckerTest.AMOS A program full of errors that the variable checker will find, but AMOS 'test' won't. Lib/ AMOSPro_Default_Resource.Abk A replacement for the default resource bank. Compatible with your existing bank. AMOSPro_Easylife.Lib The extension Default_Resource.Iff The IFF pic the default resource bank is grabbed from. Libs/ Easylife.Library Used by the extension. Also allows other extensions / assembler code to use structured variables. Pattern.Library Pattern Matching Library. PowerPacker.Library Nica Fracois (de)cruncher. MUI/ Default.Abk The default taglist bank. Contains some useful general purpose taglists. Default.Taglist The taglist editor source file for the default taglist bank. Listview-Hooks.Abk Some assembler hook functions for popup listviews. Listview-Hooks.s Source code for hooks. MUI-Hook-Functions.i Include file for writting hook functions. MUI-Tags.Abk The default Tag bank. Contains all the MUI, ASL & Intuition tags. MUI.Equates The equates file the MUI-Tags bank was generated from. Procedures/ ZB_ADD.AMOS Non-Easylife routine to install a zone editor zone bank. _READ_ZONE.AMOS Non-Easylife routine to read a zones co-ordinates. @{u}Part 2@{uu} This disk contains the easylife documentation. You should ensure the Docs drawer of this disk is on the HELP: path (Using Assign ADD). NOTE: All documentation files can be read by loading Easylife.Guide into multiview / amigaguide / AmigaGuide.AMOS and selecting a link from the contents page. Docs/Accesories/ AmosGuide.Guide How to use the on-line help & amigaguide file viewer. Editor_Enhancer.Guide Instructions for the accessory. Var_Checker.Guide Instructions for the accessory. Zone_Editor.Guide Instructions for the accessory. Docs/AMOSPro/ AMOSPro_Help.Guide A conversion of the AMOSPro_Help.TXT file shipped with AMOSPro. This file is not on the disk as distributed, but will be created by the patch program on disk 3 of Easylife. Default_Resource.Guide Documentation for the new default resource bank. Latest_News.Guide The changes made in AMOSPro V2.00 Latest_News112.Guide The changes made in AMOSPro V1.12 Docs/Applications/ Tabifier.Guide Instructions for the MUI demo program. Can be read by pressing help from the program itself. Docs/Extensions EasyLife.guide Instructions on extension commands and functions. EasyLifeMUI.guide Instructions for MUI & Taglist commands and functions. EasylifeSTRUCT.guide Instructions for structured variable comands and functions, and the structures compiler accessory program. Docs/Games/ << Empty Directory >> @endnode @node Distribution "Readme / Distribution Conditions " @{b}@{u}Distribution Conditions@{ub}@{uu} @{u}Section 1: This Package@{uu} This package is freeware. It is not in the public domain. This means you may distribute in anyway you see fit, as long as both archives are distributed, and are not modified (apart from extracting them to disks, and distributing the disks). A charge of no more than twice the price of a floppy disk + actual postage paid may be charged to cover distriubiton expenses. @{u}Section 2: Programs which use easylife@{uu} If you want to distribute a program of your own which uses easylife, the following conditions apply. - The file AMOSPro_Easylife.Lib may be included if needed. Also, any file from the procedures directory may be merged with your source code. You may also distribute AmigaGuide.AMOS if you use it for on- line help, but then you must also include AmigaGuide.Guide. - The file Easylife.Readme from the Misc Directory must be included with the distribution, and it must be one of your programs conditions that it is not removed. - You must send me by E-Mail or on disk a copy of the program. If it is a shareware program, send the registered version, along with anything else you offer to registered users. If it is a commercial program, send it in the form sold to the public with all packaging and documentation. @{u}Section 3: Exceptions@{uu} - Some of the files in this archive are in the public domain. This will be made clear at the top of the file. If no mention of distribution conditions is made, the above applies. @endnode @node Installation "Readme / Installation" @{b}@{u}Installation@{ub}@{uu} The installation of easylife falls into 3 phases - Getting all the file in the right places, then configuring AMOSPro to use them, then setting up the on-line help. The First stage is carried out by the installer script. If you do not have the installer, manual installation instructions follow below. How to install each part of the distribution into AMOSPro is described in the installation section of the documentation for each program. Finally you must patch your AMOSPro help file into amigaguide format. Everything you need to do this is in archive 3 of this package. @{u}Manual Floppy Disk Installation@{uu} You should have extracted the 2 parts of the easylife archive onto 2 floppy disks. Relabel these "Easylife1" and "Easylife2", this disk being Easylife1. Copy the contents of the libs directory of this disk into your AMOSPro_System Disks libs directory. If you already have some of these libraries check that these are newer versions before copying. Copy: Lib/AMOSPro_Easylife.Lib To AMOSPro_System:APSystem/ Lib/AMOSPro_Default_Resource.Abk To AMOSPro_System:APSystem/ Lib/Default_Resource.IFF To AMOSPro_Accessories:System_Iffs/ When installing accessories programs into the user menu, as described in the seperate guides for those accessories, the actual accessory programs can be left in Easylife2:Accessories, as there will not be room in AMOSPro_Accessories. @{u}Manual Installation Hard Disk@{uu} The first thing you should to is run AMOSPro, then quit immediately. This will create the assigns for the AMOS disk names used below. You should have extracted the easylife archives to any temporary location. Copy the contents of the libs directory from the 1st part of the archive into your harddisk LIBS: directory. If you already have some of these libraries check that these are newer versions before copying. Copy: Lib/AMOSPro_Easylife.Lib To AMOSPro_System:APSystem/ Lib/AMOSPro_Default_Resource.Abk To AMOSPro_System:APSystem/ Lib/Default_Resource.IFF To AMOSPro_Accessories:System_Iffs/ From part 2 of the archive, copy the contents of the accessories drawer into AMOSPro_Accessories: drawer. The Docs drawer of part 2 should be copied into somewhere on the help path (I.E. The HELP: device is assigned to the drawer, either directly, or using assign add). You can either copy them into your usualy HELP: drawer, or put this directory somewhere else, and multi-assign it. (E.g. Make AMOSPro_Tutorials/Docs, and put these files there, along with other amos programs documentation). The Procedures, MUI & Demos drawers may be copied anywhere you chose. Some recommendations are: Procedures: AMOSPro_Productivity2/Procedures/Easylife/ MUI: AMOSPro_Productivity2/MUI/ Demos: AMOSPro_Productivity1/EasylifeDemos/ @endnode @node Upgrades "Readme / Upgrades" @{b}@{u}Upgrades@{ub}@{uu} Easylife is being continually upgraded as I find bugs, or requie more features from AMOSPro. If you can think of any new features you would like to see, please @{"Contact Me" link Author}. Every new version, beta or full will be uploaded to the PLAYFIELD! AMOS WWW SITE. @{u}Web Access:@{uu} Open the URL 'http://www.mhs.edu/~achurch/amos/' then select from the menus the links 'Software', 'Extensions', 'Easylife'. Then select the version to download. @{u}FTP Access:@{uu} FTP to 'gate.net' and give a login of 'ftp' and your E-Mail address as a password. The easylife file can be found in the directory '/pub/amos/software/extension'. The filename will be EasylifeXXX.lha where XXX is the version number without the '.' Full non-beta versions will also be uploaded the aminet in the directory '/pub/aminet/dev/amos' with the same filename. You can connect to aminet at (among others): ftp.luth.se wuarchve.wustl.edu src.doc.ic.ac.uk Again login as 'ftp' with your E-Mail address as password. @{u}By E-Mail:@{uu} The src.doc.ic.ac.uk aminet server also has ftpmail access. Send a message with the body text 'HELP' to ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk for details. @{u}By Snail-Mail@{uu} From the UK, you may send a Stamped Addressed Envelope containing 3 Disks (The program may grow) to @{"me" link Author}, and I'll send you back the latest version. (Notice I didn't say blank disks - I'd be much happier to find other AMOS Programs, or PD/Shareware software on them, especially if it is not on aminet). You can also write to me from other countries if you supply suitable UK coinage for return postage, or have any UK stamps lying around... @endnode @node Author "Readme / Contacting The Author" @{b}@{u}Contacting The Author@{ub}@{uu} The person you'd like blame (But can't because I said so in the distribution conditions / legal stuff) for this softare is Paul Hickman, an undergraduate computing student at Imperial College in London, England. Easylife has been going on for 2 or 3 years now, being extended whenever I needed something new from AMOS. Do you need anything from AMOS that isn't there? Then E-Mail me your ideas. I also want to know of any bugs / quirks in the programs, or if you have any ideas for improvements. Feel free to E-Mail me as @{b}ph@doc.ic.ac.uk@{ub} until June 1996 when my course finishes. After then (Or before if you have no E-Mail), I can be contacted by Snail-Mail: Paul Hickman, 23, Adelphi Crescent, Hayes, Middx. UB4 8LZ England. @endnode @node MUI "Readme / MUI Information" This application uses MUI - MagicUserInterface (c) Copyright 1993/94 by Stefan Stuntz MUI is a system to generate and maintain graphical user interfaces. With the aid of a preferences program, the user of an application has the ability to customize the outfit according to his personal taste. MUI is distributed as shareware. To obtain a complete package containing lots of examples and more information about registration please look for a file called "muiXXusr.lha" (XX means the latest version number) on your local bulletin boards or on public domain disks. If you want to register directly, feel free to send DM 30.- or US$ 20.- to Stefan Stuntz Eduard-Spranger-Straße 7 80935 München GERMANY ------------------------------------------------------------ Easylife does not require MUI, except of course if you want to use the MUI interface commands. However, since these are so powerfull, you'd be a complete idiot not to. The aforementioned "muiXXusr.lha" can be found on @{"aminet" link Upgrades} in the "/pub/aminet/dev/gui" drawer, along with a "muiXXdev.lha" archive which you should also download. @endnode @node Credits "Readme / Credits" Easylife, the accessories & the documentation is written entirely by @{"Paul Hickman" link author}. However if would not have been possible without some help. Thanks go to: - Michael Cox, Ryan Scott & Ben Marty for suggestions and bug spotting with the extension & it's support programs. - Andrew Chruch for the masses of technical information about AMOS he regularly posts to the AMOS-Mailing List, which has made some of these commands possible. - Mike Sikorsky, on whose AMOS powerpacker procedures the Elpp commands were orignally based. - Stefan Stuntz for creating MUI - Easily the best GUI I have seen. - Urban Dominik Mueller & Andreas M. Kirchwitz for the CSH shell with which I organised the archives. - Urban Dominik Mueller (again), Kristian Neilsen & All the other authors of XPK. - Nico Francois for powerpacker library & Angela Schmidt for pattern library. - Chad Randall for Iconian, Electronic Arts for DpaintIV, and anyone who has uploaded XPK icons to aminet from which I took icons, bits of images and templates for this distributions icons. - Roger Nedel whose badlinks program found all (?) the errors in my amiga guide links. - Francois Lionet for writing AMOS. Anti-Thanks go to: - Christian Mumenthaler for writting Colonial Conquest II. Without it, this lot would probably have been released a week or two earlier. Please don't write anymore excellent AMOS strategy games. - Anyone who has posted a message comparing Blitz-Basic to AMOS. Frankly, I don't care about it, and I am pissed off with all the junk mail. - The BBC who will undoubtedly broadcast wimbledon yet again. (I *Hate* tennis). - Francois Lionet for writting such bug ridden code when writting AMOS. @endnode