Short: Timer controled random WBPattern change Author: RhoSigma, Roland Heyder Uploader: Roland Heyder Type: util/wb Version: 6.100 (12.05.15) Architecture: m68k-amigaos >= 2.0.4 english: ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ => This small program is intended to be used from your Startup-Sequence or User-Startup. It will randomly select pictures from a given list and write its names into the file ENV:sys/WBPattern.prefs. As ENV:sys is watched by the IPrefs task for any changes going on there (notification), this behaviour will force IPrefs to update the display and use the new pictures as backgrounds. => RandomWBPatt may be used ONCE per boot-up to have another background every time you restart your system, or you may keep it running in the background with the TIMER option to change the background pictures every given period of time. => See Docs/RandomWBPatt.doc for full installation/usage details. Find all my Software on Aminet: ------------------------------- http://aminet.net/search?readme=rhosigma&sort=path deutsch: ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ => Dieses kleine Programm ist dafür gedacht, von der Startup-Sequence oder der User-Startup aus benutzt zu werden. Es wählt zufällig Bilder aus einer bereitgestellten Liste aus und schreibt deren Namen in die Datei ENV:sys/WBPattern.prefs. Da ENV:sys vom IPrefs Task auf jedwede Veränderung überwacht wird (Benachrichtigung), zwingt dieses Vorgehen IPrefs dazu, die Anzeige zu aktualisieren und die neuen Bilder als Hintergründe anzuzeigen. => RandomWBPatt kann einmalig (ONCE) pro Bootvorgang benutzt werden, um bei jedem Systemstart einen anderen Hintergrund zu haben, oder es kann im Hintergrund weiterlaufen mit der TIMER Option, um die Hintergründe jeweils in dem angegebenen Zeitabstand zu wechseln. => Siehe Docs/RandomWBPatt.dok für Installations- und Benutzungshinweise. Finde alle meine Software im Aminet: ------------------------------------ http://aminet.net/search?readme=rhosigma&sort=path =========================================================================== History: ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ v3.089 (30.03.02) - First public release v3.222 (10.08.02) - Random generator reworked: As more pictures from the given list were already shown, as longer it takes for the random generator to get a hit on an still unshown picture, finally ending up in an endless loop causing heavy disk activity. Now after a maximum of 100 random tries, the generator is switched to sequencial mode to find the few remaining unshown pictures. v4.231 (19.08.02) - Major change for this Version is the splitting of the old list file 'SYS:Prefs/Presets/RndPattFiles' to the files 'RndPattFiles-WB' and 'RndPattFiles-WIN' which hold the listings for the appropriate WBPattern-Settings 'Workbench' and 'Windows' - Minor changes: some more enhancements on random generator code and CTRL-C/F handling. v4.539 (23.06.03) - added CTRL-D/E handling for WBONLY/WINONLY forced reloads, CTRL-F is still operating by using the given commandline options - recompiled because of major changes in »extra.library«, see History of util/libs/ExtraLib.lha for more info v4.621 (13.09.03) - fixed some problems with OS3.5/3.9 quality settings, which were always reset to default values, now this is only the case, if 'RandomWBPatt' has to change the type of background, but then it must use defaults because of compatiblity reasons to OS3.0/3.1 - in general RandomWBPatt now keeps all settings made with the WBPattern preferences editor v5.000 (31.03.04) - in certain cases, especially when used for single pattern change (ONLY-Options and/or CTRL-D/CTRL-E), the 'wbpattern.prefs' file in ENV: was truncated because of odd filename length of the picture. -- fixed now -- v5.282 (08.10.04) - if ONLY-Option is used, then you now only must provide either the RndPattFiles-WB or -WIN file according to your ONLY-Option, older versions always did expect both files or the program was aborted by runtime error 53 (File not found) - if no RndPattFiles file is found, then the program simply does nothing, older versions did abort with runtime error 53 too v5.300 (28.11.05) - added some workarounds for OS-Functions, so I could loosen the OS requirements to OS 2.04, was easy to do, because only two OS3.0 functions were used :-) - also updated the Version/Architecture stuff of this readme to fit the requirements of the new Aminet v5.400 (03.03.07) - random generator upper bound fixed -> last file in list was unused - if a break was received when clock was already down to next pattern change, then the pattern was changed once more before exiting -- fixed now -- (break means break now, immediately) - added better error handling, especially for missing libs or wrong versions of it, all unexpected errors will reported and program will exit in a clean way v5.410 (23.06.07) - random generator reworked, all operations done in RAM now, cause disk operations take too long with large image lists >500 files especially when most files are already done and the generator is trying to get a hit on one of the few remaining files (see also changes for v3.222) v5.411 (03.07.11) - [not published] - *.done files will also list last shown date and time for every picture, this was simply something to satisfy myself, because i have >3000 pictures in list and wanna know how long ago i saw a particular picture v5.412 (10.07.11) - [not published] - in case if both, WB and WIN pattern change is active, a restart of the WIN list has (as side effect) skipped one WB picture, -- fixed now -- v6.000 (22.07.11) - cleaner way implemented to obtain the window's RastPort of a running StopMenu task, old method simply did check the window positions and dimensions, which restricted the usage to a fixed screen size, now StopMenu's window is identified by Window->UserPort->SigTask, so it should be usable on any screen size - as any screen size is supported now by the StopMenu hack (see Docs), output must maybe limited, for full info (pic names & countdown) you must have at least 710 pixels screen width, <710 but >640 will only show the countdown clock, <640 does no output anymore - no need to install custom *.info files for StopMenu hack anymore, required images are build-in now - to prevent trashing of the StopMenu display, long filenames are shortcutted if required, first the file extension is removed and if this is not enough, then one by another letter is omitted at the end of the name - finally the StopMenu hack can be disabled for those who don't like such techniques or simply don't need the info display, just omit the PEN option to disable it - RandomWBPatt will NOT affect any OS3.5/3.9 quality settings anymore, even if it has to change the type from pattern to picture (see also changes for v4.621) v6.100 (12.05.15) - cleaned up and final release - very subtle arithmetic overflow fixed in find random hit loop, which caused the program to hang on the last picture in list, if certain preconditions were fulfilled - new version of extra.library included (Aminet: util/libs/ExtraLib.lha) - it works for me and I see no need for any more improvements, also I've never received any comments or suggestions, by this means... ***************************** *** PROJECT DONE & CLOSED *** *****************************