@database Selector @$VER: 5.4 @author "Anders Persson" @index ci @remark Hey Hacker! Jesus Loves You! @remark This is true! Jesus Really Loves You! @remark He gave his life for You, so that you can live if you @remark choose to except him. @remark Let Him come into your life! He knows you best of everyone. @remark He knows what's best for you. But hurry! Before you know, @remark your life is over, and it's all too late. @remark Time is short. @remark Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life! @node "Main" "Selector" @{b}@{fg shine}@{bg shadow}Selector 5.4 Guide@{ub}@{fg text}@{bg back} @{"Introduction               " link "intro" 0} The @{"Copyrights                 " link "cr" 0} beginning... @{"Installation               " link "inst" 0} @{"Beginners course           " link "start" 0} @{"Concepts                   " link "Concepts" 0} Command @{"Panel defining commands    " link "panel" 0} Reference @{"Window Commands            " link "Window" 0} Part... @{"Startup commands           " link "Startup" 0} @{"The OnExit command         " link "onexit" 0} @{"The OnChange command       " link "onchange" 0} @{"Command Index              " link "ci" 0} @{"Getting input              " link "input" 0} Miscellaneous @{"Keys                       " link "keys" 0} @{"SEL: Searchpath            " link "sel" 0} @{"Making Resident            " link "res" 0} @{"Env variables              " link "env" 0} A little more @{"Arguments & Other variables" link "other" 0} advanced @{"Selector in shell scripts  " link "shell" 0} programming @{"More tips & trix           " link "tips" 0} @{"All examples with source   " system "run >nil: execute allexamples"} @{"Bonus Tools            " link "tools" 0} @{"Version History            " link "vers" 0} @{"Selector Name Conflict     " link "name" 0} @{"The End                    " link "slut" 0} Bye! @{"Search document            " system "SearchGuide guide selector.guide"} (Only if you have SearchGuide installed) @endnode @node "Concepts" "Concepts" @{b}@{fg shine} Concepts:@{ub}@{fg text} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Selector window is defined by a source file. This file is loaded by the shell command: @{fg shine}Selector "Source file"@{fg text} The source file is defined by commands in three different categories: 1. @{"Startup commands" link "Startup" 0} These commands executes every time the file is loaded or the window is updated by the update command. 2. @{"Window commands:" link "Window" 0} These commands specifies the windows apperance. They can only be specified once in the same sourcefile. 3. @{"Panel defining commands:" link "panel" 0} These command specifies the contetns of the panel, with buttons, text strings etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}More about commands:@{fg text} Many of the commands have default values. You don't have to use any startup or window commands if you don't need them. A window is allways opened automatic anyway. You can only have one command on each line. You might think that it looks like there is many commands on the same line when you take a look at the Exec or Button commands. For example the exec command: It is in fact one command that can execute many external (AmigaDos) commands. And these must be written on one line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} ITEMS:@{fg text} The selector panel is built of items. These can be buttons, textstrings or spaces. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} STRING SYNTAX:@{fg text} A string can either contain no spaces, or it can be enclosed by one of the following signs: " ' @ # £ ^ & If you for example use the "-sign to enclose the string, then you can't use any "-signs inside the string, but you can use any other of the signs in the list above in the string. Examples: Gives the text: A_String = A_String "Isn't it good?" = Isn't it good? 'That is "cool"' = That is "cool" ^Now using both " and '-signs!^ = Now using both " and '-signs! "Hello, are you "cool" today?" = Not alowed. Selector will believe this is three strings: Hello, are you cool" today?" There is no real difference between a and a . All are in fact strings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} COMMENTS:@{fg text} You can write comments in your source by setting a ; before it. ; A comment... @endnode @node "Window" "Window" @{b}@{fg shine}Window commands:@{ub}@{fg text} ---------------- These commands specifies the windows apperance. They can only be specified once in the same sourcefile. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{"Background" link "Background" 0} @{"Border" link "border" 0} @{"Close" link "Close" 0} @{"Darkcolor" link "darkcolor" 0} @{"Font" link "Font" 0} @{"Gap" link "gap" 0} @{"LightColor" link "LightColor" 0} @{"Palette" link "palette" 0} @{"Rows" link "rows" 0} @{"Screen" link "screen" 0} @{"Size" link "size" 0} @{"Title" link "Title" 0} @{"X" link "X" 0} @{"Y" link "x" 100} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: @{"Startup-commands" link "Startup" 0} @{"Panel defining commands" link "panel" 0} @{"Concepts" link "Concepts" 0} @endnode @node "Title" "Title" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} TITLE@{fg text} | OFF Sets the window title to "string" or turns it off (the whole dragbar) Default is the name of the file. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "Close" "Close" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} CLOSE@{fg text} ON | OFF Specifies if there will be any close gadget on the window. If you have turned of the title bar, then this command will have no effect. Default is ON ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "X" "X" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} X@{fg text} [percent|fromMax|fromPointer] | auto | atPointer Sets the x position of the window. Examples: x 120 ;Sets the x position to 120. x 50 percent ;Sets the x position so that the window will be placed in the middle of the screen in x-led. x auto ;Same as the last one. x 100 percent ;Sets the x position so that the window will be placed as much to the right it can be. x 0 frommax ;Same as the last one. x 3 frommax ;Sets the x pos, so that the gap between the right border of the screen and the right border of the window is 3 pixels. x atPointer ;Sets the x pos, so that the mouse pointer points at the middle of the window (in x-led). x 0 fromPointer ;Same as the last one. x 30 fromPointer ;Sets the x pos 30 pixels to the right of the pointer. (Calculated from the middle of the window) x -30 fromPointer ;Sets the x pos 30 pixels to the left of the pointer. Default is auto ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} Y@{fg text} [percent|fromMax|fromPointer] | auto | atPointer Works in the same way as the @{"X-command." link "X" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "Background" "background" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} BACKGROUND@{fg text} Sets the background color to . Instead of you can use "dark" or "light" for the colors set by "lightcolor" and "darkcolor". Default is 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "LightColor" "LightColor" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} LIGHTCOLOR@{fg text} Sets the color of the buttons light colored lines (for the 3d effect) to . Default is 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "darkcolor" "darkcolor" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} DARKCOLOR@{fg text} Sets the color of the buttons dark colored lines (for the 3d effect) to . Default is 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "gap" "gap" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} GAP@{fg text} Sets the gap (space) between two items. So if you set Gap to 0, there will be no space between the items. If you set it to 2, there will be a space of two pixels between every button (item). Note that the lines set by @{"startbox and endbox" link "startbox" 0} only will be seen if you have a gap of 2 or more. Also see @{"Gap Demo." system "run >nil: selector gap.sel"} Default is 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "size" "size" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} SIZE@{fg text} | auto Sets the width of the buttons and text (in characters) to . If set to auto, then the size will be set according to the longest button name (or text field) specified in the file. Default is auto ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "rows" "rows" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} ROWS@{fg text} | auto Specifies how many rows the items will be placed in. If you for example set rows to 3, then the first 3 items will be placed under each other. The 4:th item will be placed in right of item 1. The 5:th in right of item 2 etc. Please try out the @{"Rows demo" system "run >nil: selector rows.sel"} supplied and you will understand. If you have set rows to a value so low that all items not will fit on screen because the panel is going to be to whide. Then the number of rows is increased so that everything will fit on the screen. This is also the case if you specify a value to high. If you set rows to auto, then it will be set so that the window will be used optimaly and with as few columns as possible. Default is auto ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "border" "border" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}BORDER@{fg text} ON | OFF (Or @{fg shine}NOBORDER@{fg text}) This specifies if the window will have a border or not. This can be usefull if you for example want to make it look like there are buttons directly on the workbench. Default is ON. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "screen" "screen" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} SCREEN@{fg text} [OrDefault] | Default or @{fg shine} SCREEN@{fg text} 'SCREEN PubScreenName' will open the window on the public screen with the name 'PubScreenName'. For example: 'SCREEN Workbench' for the workbench screen. Please note that this name is case sensitive. 'SCREEN default' uses the default public screen. This is often the workbench screen. 'SCREEN Name OrDefault' uses the screen 'Name' if it is available, else the default screen is used. 'SCREEN ' This will open a screen with the specifications above. Mode 1 for lores, 2 for medres, 3 for interlace, 4 for hires interlace and 5 for common. The screen opened is NOT a public screen. @{i}Note:@{ui} The screen will be opened/locked only once. This means that you can not change the screen parameters with the update command. This is the same for both public screens and opened screens. Default is: 'SCREEN default' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "palette" "palette" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} PALETTE@{fg text} <% red> <% green> <% blue> Sets the palette for colornumber. You MUST open a @{"screen" link "screen" 0} before you can change any palette. Here follows a demo of the SCREEN, PALETTE commands: screen 320 255 3 1 palette 0 .4 .3 .5 palette 1 .4 .3 .5 palette 2 .1 0 .4 palette 3 .6 .7 1 palette 4 .5 .6 .8 palette 5 .6 .5 .7 palette 6 .7 .4 .6 palette 7 .8 .3 .5 darkcolor 2 lightcolor 3 noborder title off gap 6 color light text "Super Neon Crackers" text "Proudly Presents:" space startbox color dark 4 button "Snus Maze" 'run >nil: coolgame1' exit color dark 5 button "Second Game" 'run >nil: coolgame2' exit color dark 6 button "Oh, nomore supermasken" 'run >nil: coolgame3' exit color dark 7 button "Bumper" 'run >nil: coolgame4' exit endbox space color light text "NeonBBS (+46)31-1234567" @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector gamedisk.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "Font" "Font" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}FONT@{fg text} Sets the font for the window. Ex: Font topaz 9 Instead of name or size, you can write "default" for the default font. Ex: Font default 18 You can set selectors default font by starting the program @{"SelectorFont" system "run >nil: /selectorfont setdefault"} from workbench, or from shell with the keyword "setdefault". SelectorFont can also be used to request a font from the user, ex: defenv myfont "default" font [myfont] text "Current font:" text "[myfont]" button "Change it!" 'setenv myfont `SelectorFont [myfont]`' update unsetenv myfont @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector font.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "Startup" "Startup" @{b}@{fg shine} Startup commands:@{ub}@{fg text} ----------------- These commands executes every time the file is loaded or the window is updated by the update command. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{"Defarg" link "defarg" 0} @{"Defenv" link "defenv" 0} @{"Exec" link "Exec" 0} @{"Setenv" link "setenv" 0} @{"Unsetenv" link "unsetenv" 0} @{"Version" link "version" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: @{"Window commands" link "Window" 0} @{"Panel defining commands" link "panel" 0} @{"Concepts" link "Concepts" 0} @endnode @node "Exec" "Exec" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} EXEC@{fg text} 'command 1' ['command 2'] ['command 3'] .... etc. Executes external commands as if you would write them into a shell window. Note the use of the '-signs. This is made so you can use "-signs in your command lines. Every command line is stated within two '-signs. Like this: Exec 'list >"ram:A file"' 'type "ram:A file"' It is however possible to use the "-signs instead of the '-signs if you not are going to use any "-signs in your command. Like this: Exec "list ram:" is equvivalent to Exec 'list ram:'. But Exec 'list "ram disk:"' is not equal to Exec "list "ram disk:"" where selector will believe that you want to execute the command "list " and then the command ram etc. Read more about string syntax under @{"Concepts." link "Concepts" 42} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "setenv" "setenv" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} SETENV@{fg text} variable "value" Sets the env variable to "value". You can also accomplich this with the external command setenv. Like this: exec 'setenv variable "value"' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "defenv" "defenv" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} DEFENV@{fg text} variable "value" Sets the env variable to "value", but only if the variable not previosly is set. This way you can specify default values on env variables. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "defarg" "defarg" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}DEFARG@{fg text} argument "value" (Where argument is arg1....arg9) Sets the argument to "value" if the argument not was passed from the command line or button..load command. Please see the @{"defarg example" link "other" 32} under @{"Arguments & Other variables." link "other" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "unsetenv" "unsetenv" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} UNSETENV@{fg text} variable Deletes the env variable . Please see the @{"unsetenv technique" link "tips" 66} example. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "version" "version" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}VERSION@{fg text} This command tests selectors version number. Example: Version 4.3 If selectors version number is lower than 4.3, selector will end and say that "This script needs Selector 4.3" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "panel" "panel" @{b}@{fg shine}Panel defining commands:@{ub}@{fg text} ------------------------ These command specifies the contetns of the panel, with buttons, text strings etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{"Button" link "button" 0} @{"Center" link "center" 0} @{"Color" link "color" 0} @{"Endbox" link "startbox" 0} @{"Space" link "space" 0} @{"Startbox" link "startbox" 0} @{"Text" link "text" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: @{"Window commands" link "Window" 0} @{"Startup-commands" link "Startup" 0} @{"concepts" link "Concepts" 0} @endnode @node "button" "button" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} BUTTON@{fg text} 'Button Name' ['command 1' 'command 2' ... 'command n'] [@{fg shine} UPDATE@{fg text} | @{fg shine}LOAD@{fg text} [arguments] | @{fg shine}EXIT@{fg text} [] | @{fg shine}QUIT@{fg text} []] | @{fg shine}DumpX@{fg text} | @{fg shine}DumpY@{fg text} ] This is selectors most important command. It spesifies the button name and what actions that will happen if the button is pressed. The command part (['command 1' .... 'command n']) has exactly the same syntax as the exec command. So read about the @{"exec command" link "exec" 0} for more details. But with the button command, you can leave the command part out if you want. You can for example make a button that does nothing at all: Button "Nothing". The@{i} @{ui}@{fg shine}EXIT@{fg text} option simply ends the program. You can use the @{i}@{fg shadow}EXIT@{ui}@{fg text} command to write out a result to the shell window before quitting. If you have used the @{"OnExit" link "onexit" 0} command, this will be executed before ending. The @{i} @{ui}@{fg shine}QUIT@{fg text} option works in the same way as the EXIT option except that the @{"OnExit" link "onexit" 0} command (if used) not will be executed before quitting. The @{fg shine}UPDATE@{fg text} option reloads the source file and updates the panel. This is usefull if you make use of @{"env variables." link "env" 0} If selector was loaded with arguments, these will remain the same. If the window parameters (size, title etc.) not are changed, then the window don't have to be closed and opened again, and this speeds things upp a lot. It also prevents you from "jumping" to the workbench every time the window is updated. So if you like a fast update, then make sure that the window size is the same. You can do this with the @{"size command." link "size" 0} @{b}NOTE:@{ub} The X and Y parameters will be ignored on an update. The new window will remain in the same position on the screen. If you want X and Y not to be ignored, please use the @{i}LOAD [this]@{ui} option instead. The @{fg shine}LOAD@{fg text} [arguments] option is similar to the @{i}UPDATE@{ui} option. But @{i}LOAD@{ui} loads the source and rebuildes the panel after that file. The possibility of @{"passing aguments" link "other" 11} with the load command was introduced in Selector 4.1 The @{fg shine}DumpX@{fg text} option saves the current X position of the window to the env variable specified. This is useful if used from the @{"OnExit" link "onexit" 0} command for saving a default start position for the window. The @{fg shine}DumpY@{fg text} option works in the same way as DumpX. @{fg shine}Here is some examles of buttons:@{fg text} Button Help 'run >nil: multiview help.doc' @{i}This one loads multiview with the file help.doc if the button Help is pressed.@{ui} Button Exit exit @{i}Selector is terminated when the button is pressed@{ui} Button Exit exit "Selector is ending" @{i} Selector writes the string to the shell window before quitting (when the button is pressed).@{ui} Button "Another Exit" 'delete t:temp' exit @{i}The file t:temp is deleted before ending@{ui} button Reload 'setenv cool Yes' update @{i} This one sets the env variable cool to Yes and then reloads the source and rewrites the window.@{ui} button Update Update @{i}is (almost) eqvivalent to@{ui} button Update Load [this] @{i}or@{ui} button Update 'run >nil selector [this]' exit @{i}(if you have selector in the path.)@{ui} Button "View Source" "type [this]" @{i} Types the source file @{ui} Button Other Load Other.sel "One" Two '"Three"'@{i} Loads selector with the source Other.sel and passes the arguments One, Two and "Three" @{ui} @{"[this] is the name of the source." link "other" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "text" "text" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} TEXT@{fg text} Writes the text as an item in the panel. Example: Text "This is written" Text "in the panel." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "space" "space" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} SPACE@{fg text} Inerts a half space (half the heght of an item). But it is counted as one item. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "color" "color" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} COLOR@{fg text} [background] (or @{fg shine}foreground@{fg text} ) Sets the color of the following buttons and text. Example: color 1 text "This is written in color 1" color 2 1 text "This is written in color 2 on a background of color 1" Instead of color numbers, you can use "light" and "dark" for the colors set by the @{"darkcolor" link "darkcolor" 0} and @{"lightcolor" link "lightcolor" 0} commands. Example: color light color 3 dark ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "center" "center" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} CENTER@{fg text} ON | OFF Specifies if the folowing text and buttons text is going to be centered or not. If it is turned off, the text will be left justified. Default is ON ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "startbox" "startbox" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} STARTBOX@{fg text} and @{fg shine}ENDBOX@{fg text} Specifies a inverted 3D box in the panel. Example: Startbox text "This text and the next button" button "will be within a box" endbox @{i} Note 1:@{ui} You must have a GAP @{"(se the gap command)" link "gap" 0} of 2 or more for the box to be seen. @{i} Note 2:@{ui} If you make use if the @{"ROWS" link "rows" 0} command, it is possible for a box to begin on one column and end on another. Then this will look like there is two boxes. But the line between them is so thin, that it looks like the items are grouped together anyway. @{i} Note 3:@{ui} The boxes can not be nested. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "env" "env" @{b}@{fg shine}Env variables:@{ub}@{fg text} -------------- It is possible to make use of env variables anywhere in the source. They are stated with []-signs around them. So if you have an env variable with the name color ($color) then you should write [color] in the selector source. Here is a little example: Defenv g 6 gap [g] text "The gap is now: [g]" button "No Gap" 'setenv g 0' update button exit 'unsetenv g' exit @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector env1.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}How the variables works.@{fg text} When the source is loaded (or updated) this is what happens: 1 The next line is loaded. 2 It is seached for any [variables], and they are replaced by the contents of the real env variables (if there is one). The contents of the env variable is actually copied into the text line. So the only time you can change any variables in a selector source is when it is loaded or updated. You can of course change the real env variables, and then update selector. This is what is done in the above example. 3 After this, the line is analyzed, and if it is a window command or startup command, it is executed. If it's an OnChange command, the contents of the variable to be watched is remembered at this point. 4 When all lines has been gone though, then the window is calculated and opened. Then the whole source is gone through again, and the Panel defining commands are analyzed. This is why you must have the defenv command before the gap [g] command in the the example above. The Defenv command sets the env variable g to 6 if the variable g not allready exists. So 6 is the default value for g. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Replacable commands:@{fg text} Using env variables, you can not only have variable strings and numbers, but you can change the whole funcionality of the panel by using variable commands. Try this: close off defenv item "button 'Remove button' 'setenv item Text Nothing' update" [item] button exit 'unsetenv item' exit @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector env2.sel"} Here the command [item] is defined to be a button that replaces itself with the text string 'Nothing' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can also use env variables to switch some commands off with the comment sign (;), like this: close off defenv c ";" gap 4 rows 3 startbox [c] text "Just press" [c] text "the different" [c] text "buttons" endbox button "Help text" 'setenv c " "' update button "No Help" 'setenv c ";"' update button exit 'unsetenv c' exit @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector env3.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Getting user input to an env variable.@{fg text} For this, you must use the AmigaDos echo command and open a new con window: close off defenv Me "Boray" button '[Me]' 'echo >nil: nil: selector env4.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine} Requeststring@{fg text} Another and a much better way to get user input is to use the external command Requeststring that also is included in this package. (In the Tools drawer). This command is made by Adam Dawes and is freeware. @{"(Requeststring.txt)" link "/tools/requeststring.txt/main" 0} Here is the above example using requeststring instead of echo and CON: close off defenv Me "Boray" button '[Me]' 'requeststring >env:Me body "Enter Your Name" title Request default "[me]"' update button exit 'unsetenv Me' exit @{"Try It!" system "run >nil: selector env6.sel"} (Please note that the line beginning with "button '[Me]' and the following line are supposed to be on the same line.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}In source, but not in env:@{fg text} If you have an env variable in your source, and that variable doesn't exists, then the name of the variable will be used. Example: setenv variable1 "This variable exists!" text '[variable1]' text '[variable2]' ;This doesn't... @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector env5"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also see @{"Other variables" link "other" 0} and @{"shell scripts." link "shell" 0} @endnode @node "other" "other" @{fg shine} Other variables:@{fg text} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Current source name@{fg text} [THIS] is the current loaded source file. It is no real env variable. You can see it as a local variable for each running selector. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Arguments@{fg text} [arg1] [arg2] .... [arg9] is the optional arguments passed to selector from the command line. (Selector [ ... ]) Or with the @{"Button..load" link "button" 0} command: (button ButtName load [ ... ]) When you pass arguments to Selector, they are treated as normal Selector strings, for example: A source called arg.sel: text '[arg1]' text '[arg2]' text '[arg3]' @{"Run it like this:" system "execute arg"} Selector arg.sel 'This is arg 1' "This is arg 2" 'This is "arg 3"' @{fg shine}Default arguments@{fg text} You can use the @{"DefArg" link "defarg" 0} command to specify a default value for an arg variable. This default value will be used if the argument wasn't passed from the command line (or button..load command): Example: (source called "argtest.sel") defarg arg1 "First arg not given" defarg arg2 "Second arg not given" text '[arg1]' text '[arg2]' Try it like this: 1 @{"selector argtest.sel Passing arguments" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel Passing arguments"} 2 @{"selector argtest.sel" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel"} 3 @{"selector argtest.sel * *" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel * *"} 4 @{"selector argtest.sel * 'Only second arg given'" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel * 'Only second arg given'"} 5 @{"selector argtest.sel 'Only first arg given' *" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel 'Only first arg given' *"} 6 @{"selector argtest.sel 'Here to'" system "run >nil: selector argtest.sel 'Here to'"} As you can see, passing "*" will give the default string. You must use the "*" if you only want to pass the second argument (like in case 4 above). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}About arguments without default value@{fg text} If you don't have a default value for an argument that not is passed, then the name of the argument will be used. Example: (source called "argtest2.sel") text '[arg1]' text '[arg2]' Try it like this: @{"selector argtest2 Hello!" system "selector argtest2 Hello!"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also see the use of selector in @{"shell scripts." link "shell" 0} @endnode @node "shell" "shell" @{fg shine}Selector in shell scripts@{fg text} ------------------------- Selector can be used as a powerful tool within shell scripts. This thanks to: @{fg shine}*@{fg text} The possibility of using env variables within selector source files. @{fg shine}*@{fg text} The possibility of passing variables to selector from the command line. @{fg shine}*@{fg text} The possibility of passing a return string (or variable) from a selector script (with the button option exit ). @{fg shine}*@{fg text} The possibility of making selector sources with the AmigaDos command List LFORMAT. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}General requester@{fg text} It is sometimes a good idea to have a little requester to use in shell scripts. Here is a selector source called req.sel: gap 6 rows 2 title "Request:" space color 2 text "[arg1]" color 1 startbox button Yes exit Yes endbox button No exit No (The @{"[arg1]" link "other" 10} variable is the first argument given to selector) Here is a shell script that uses req.sel: if `selector req.sel "Really delete?"` eq Yes delete "file" endif @{"Try them together!" system "execute testscript"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Confirmation tool@{fg text} In the example above we used a general requester to confirm if a command was to be executed or not. This spesific problem can be solved in a much better way: Pass the command to selector, and let selector execute it if you press Yes. gap 6 close off title 'Please Confirm' rows 2 color 2 text "Okay to:" text '[arg1]' color 1 startbox button Yes '[arg1]' exit endbox button No Exit @{i} Use it like this:@{ui} Selector confirm.sel 'delete "ram:the file"' @{i}If you press Yes, the command given by [arg1] is executed.@{ui} @{"Try it!" system "execute confirm"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}List LFORMAT@{fg text} The use of the List LFORMAT command and Selector gives a powerful combination as seen in the folowing shell script: .key dir ECHO >ram:panel "title ''" LIST >>ram:panel files pat ~(#?.info) LFORMAT "button '%n' 'run >nil: *"%f%n*"'" RUN >nil: SELECTOR ram:panel @{"Try it!" system "execute lformat sys:utilities"} (The script is executed with the argument "sys:utilities") ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}TinyMess@{fg text} Using the @{"OnChange command" link "onchange" 0} and the same principle used in the @{"clock example," link "onchange" 77} we can make a little message window that is shown for two seconds. We can than use this from a shell script: title off text "[arg1]" setenv tinymess "[arg1]" onchange tinymess exit unsetenv tinymess @{"Try it:" system "run >nil: selector tinymess 'Please wait!' "} run >nil: selector tinymess 'Please wait!' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: @{"SEL:" link "sel" 0} and @{"More trix & tips" link "tips" 0} @endnode @node "keys" "keys" @{fg shine} Keys:@{fg text} ----- You are able to exit anytime by pressing ESC.... You can also press the keys 1..to 9.. for pressing the first nine buttons. If you press return, then the last button pressed will be pressed once more. @endnode @node "intro" "intro" @{fg shine}Introduction@{fg text} Selector was from the begining just a program shipped with the blanker "WakeUpII". It was ment to serve as a launching tool for the different programs included in that package. But it has grown to a highly configurable launching tool for almost any purpose. But it is not yet another program like toolsdeamon or launchingpad. Selector serves as a complement to these types of programs. It's strenght lies in what it once was design to do. To be a launching tool for a group of software. Selector is a powreful tool to use within shell scripts or to make a little GUI for your CLI type program. I have for example made a GUI for GMPlay (gmplay_gui13.lha on Aminet) using selector. It is really easy to produce a button panel, info window or a little requester with selector. @{"-This I wan't to see!" link "start" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "start" "start" @{fg shine}Beginners cource@{fg text} Now let's see how easy Selector is to program. If there is a command that you don't understand, look in the @{"command index." link "ci" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- We will begin with a little info window: text "This is a little info" text "window made with" text "Selector 4.0" space text "Close window to continue" The script above is written to a file called "b1.sel" Then it is run with: Selector b1.sel @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector b1.sel"} @{i}-Now, wasn't that easy?@{ui} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now we will try to make a little button panel instead: button "The clock" 'run >nil: sys:utilities/clock' button "Startup" 'type >con: s:startup-sequence' button exit exit @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector b2.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, how about a little requester? close off gap 6 rows 2 color 2 text "Leave from this" text "requester now?" color 1 startbox button Yes Exit endbox button No @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector b3.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is possible to execute several external AmigaDos commands on the same button. In the folowing example, we make one tiny button that uses the AmigaDos command echo to create another selector source called ram:s And then it loads it with the button option LOAD. title off gap 0 button "Press" 'echo >ram:s "text *"A button that makes*""' 'echo >>ram:s "text *"Another selector script*""' 'echo >>ram:s "text *"and runs it*""' load ram:s @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector b4.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now I think it's time for you to look at one of the folowing sections: @{"Concepts" link "Concepts" 0} @{"Panel defining commands" link "panel" 0} @{"Window commands" link "Window" 0} @{"Startup commands" link "Startup" 0} @endnode @node "tips" "tips" @{fg shine}Creating a switch button@{fg text} You can simplify making a switch button by writing a little shell script: .key var,s1,s2 if $ EQ setenv else setenv endif Name this script "switch", Set the script falg (Protect "switch" +S) and use it as shown below: close off gap 4 defenv s ON button exit 'unsetenv s' exit space startbox text "The switch is:" button [s] 'switch s ON OFF' update endbox @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector switch.sel"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}More about variables...@{fg text} Remember that the env variables in a selector source file only are updated when a source is @{"updated or loaded." link "env" 18} So don't try something like this: button "Load source" "setenv name `requestfile`" load [name] The variable [name] is not changed... You can solve the problem above like this: button "Load source" "run >nil: selector `requestfile`" exit ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Changable arguments@{fg text} Maybe you would like to pass a variable from the command line, that then could be altered. This you can do by passing the arg to an env variable: Example: (Source called ChArgs.sel) defarg arg1 'Nothing passed' defenv vary '[arg1]' close off button '[vary]' 'setenv vary "Button pressed"' update button Quit 'unsetenv vary' exit Try it like this: @{"Selector ChArgs 'Press the button!!'" system "run >nil: Selector ChArgs 'Press the button!!'"} @{"Selector ChArgs" system "run >nil: Selector ChArgs"} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Unsetenv technique@{fg text} If you wan't some variables in an information window without buttons, you could wonder how to unset them again. This because there is no exit button to unset them on... well, the answer is simple, use the unsetenv command at the end of the source: Ex: (source called "etips.sel") defarg arg1 c:type exec 'setenv size `list "[arg1]" lformat "%l"`' text 'The size of [arg1]' text 'is [size] bytes' unsetenv size Try it like this: @{"selector etips" system "selector etips"} @{"selector etips sys:utilities/more" system "selector etips sys:utilities/more"} This technique is possible because of @{"the way selector inserts" link "env" 19} the env variables into the source, line by line. You can use this technique as long as you only use [variables], and no $variables. This because the variables only exists when the panel is loaded, and not when a button is pressed etc. Then they exist in the source, but not in ENV: This technique is in fact preferable over the alternative to unset the variables on an exit button. It also makes the env variables occupied for a shorter time, which in turn prevents name conflicts. It also in many cases let you skip the exit button and "close off" command. The fact that I not used this technique in many of the examples, is that I didn't think of this possibility until some minutes ago. I also added the unsetenv command to speed the technique up (instead of exec 'unsetenv...) Example: The corresponding source (using this technique) for the @{"dissapearing button example" link "env" 46} would be: defenv item "button 'Remove button' 'setenv item Text Nothing' update" [item] unsetenv item @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector etips2"} But, as mentioned, this technique is NOT allways possible to use, for example in the @{"switch example." link "tips" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Passing variables@{fg text} If you want to write, for example a general requester that can be called from other selector scripts, you can make this in several different ways. I want to show you three different ways to accomplish the same goal. In the examples, we want to call a color requester, and set the background to this color. Each of the alternatives uses different ways of passing variables. @{fg shine}1.@{fg text} The simplest way. One that starts a new copy of selector. This takes of cource a little more memory, and is a little bit slower than the next two alternatives. It is much more slow if you not have a hard disk and selector not resident. @{i}Calling file:@{ui} background [color] button "Select color" "setenv color `selector color.sel`" update @{i}Called file:@{ui} button "Gray" exit 0 button "Black" exit 1 button "White" exit 2 button "Blue" exit 3 @{fg shine}2.@{fg text} One that loads the other file to this copy of selector, and then reloads the old source. For this you must pass the name of the calling source to the called file. @{i}Calling file:@{ui} background [arg1] button "Select color" load 'color.sel "[this]"' @{i}Called file:@{ui} button "Gray" load '"[arg1]" 0' button "Black" load '"[arg1]" 1' button "White" load '"[arg1]" 2' button "Blue" load '"[arg1]" 3' @{fg shine}3.@{fg text} Similar to number 2. But here the name of the variable that will be set is passed to color.sel, and set in that file. @{i}Calling file:@{ui} background [color] button "Select color" load 'color.sel "[this]" color' @{i}Called file:@{ui} button "Gray" 'setenv [arg2] 0' load '"[arg1]"' button "Black" 'setenv [arg2] 1' load '"[arg1]"' button "White" 'setenv [arg2] 2' load '"[arg1]"' button "Blue" 'setenv [arg2] 3' load '"[arg1]"' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "cr" "cr" @{fg shine}Copyrights@{fg text} Selector is Copyrighted (C) 1997 by Anders Persson, but you can distribute it with your freeware software as long as you also include the readme file (Selector/Selector54.readme). You can also include selector with any shareware or commercial software, as long as you send me a registred version of your product. Here is my address: Anders Persson Mellangardsv. 9 S-417 29 Goteborg SWEDEN The fact that Selector is freeware doesn't mean that I don't like gifts, like money or perhaps a program that you have made... @endnode @node "input" "input" @{fg shine}Getting input@{fg text} If you like to run a CLI/shell program that must have input from the keyboard, then you MUST open a new con: window for both output and input. Like this: button "Check" 'checkmate <>con:0/11//210/CheckMate/Close [cont] b [base]' button "DiskCopy" 'diskcopy <>con:0/11//180/DiskC/Close from df0: to df0:' ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Filename input@{fg text} If you have AmigaDos3.0 or better, you can use the C:requestfile command to get a filename. Here is a little example: button "Read text" 'multiview `requestfile`' @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector filename.sel"} Please note the difference between the ` and ' signs. The ` sign (placed over the tab button) is used in AmigaDos to pass output from one command directly into another command. This is how it works: Ex: list `echo "S:"` First the command echo is executed. The output from this command is S: The text `echo S:` is then replaced by the output from echo (S:) list S: This command is then executed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also se: @{"How to get user input to an env variable." link "env" 86} @endnode @node "res" "res" @{fg shine}Making Selector Resident@{fg text} Making Selector resident will speed things up, and save memory if you have more than one selector running at the same time. If you only have one selector running, it makes no difference until you start one more... So the only time you not should make it resident is, if you don't use selector... very often You can make Selector resedent by adding this line to your user-startup (or startup-sequence) @{fg shine}Resident C:Selector pure@{fg text} (If you have Selector in C: of course) @endnode @node "sel" "sel" @{fg shine}Selectors searchpath@{fg text} If you want to load Selector with a source file called "Filename", you probably do this by the folowing command: Selector "Filename" Now, selector starts to look for the file "Filename" in the following order: @{i} 1. "Filename" 2. "Filename.sel" 3. "SEL:Filename" 4. "SEL:Filename.sel"@{ui} This way, you can have a directory where you have all your selector files (.sel) and then assign SEL: to it. You can then, without bothering in what directory you stand, allways reach the files. This works in the same way, as the S: directory works for the AmigaDos execute command. You should then add something like this to your user-startup:@{fg shine} Assign SEL: work:selector@{fg text} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "why" "why" Imagine you have made a software packackage, including some programs, for example one for listing all tasks of the system, and another for showing which tasks that requires most CPU time. And some other programs that has other functions... How would this be for the user? Well... He could click himself to the drawer containing these programs every time he needed them. But when he had done that a couple of times, he would probably put some (or all) of the programs in his launching tool. For example as a sub-menu in toolsdeamon. Let's make it more easy for the user, so that he won't need to include all the different programs, one by one, in his launching tool. With Selector, you can ship a little nice button panel with your software, and the user will only need to add one item to his launching tool. @endnode @node "ci" "ci" @{fg shine}Command index@{fg text} @{"Background" link "background" 0} @{"Border" link "border" 0} @{"Button" link "button" 0} @{"Center" link "center" 0} @{"Close" link "close" 0} @{"Color" link "color" 0} @{"Darkcolor" link "darkcolor" 0} @{"Defarg" link "defarg" 0} @{"Defenv" link "defenv" 0} @{"DumpX" link "button" 0} @{"DumpY" link "button" 0} @{"Endbox" link "startbox" 0} @{"Exec" link "exec" 0} @{"Exit" link "button" 0} @{"Font" link "font" 0} @{"Foreground" link "color" 0} @{"Gap" link "gap" 0} @{"Lightcolor" link "lightcolor" 0} @{"Load" link "button" 0} @{"NoBorder" link "border" 0} @{"OnExit" link "onexit" 0} @{"OnChange" link "onchange" 0} @{"Palette" link "palette" 0} @{"Quit" link "button" 0} @{"Rows" link "rows" 0} @{"Setenv" link "Setenv" 0} @{"Size" link "size" 0} @{"Screen" link "screen" 0} @{"Space" link "space" 0} @{"Startbox" link "startbox" 0} @{"Text" link "text" 0} @{"Title" link "title" 0} @{"Unsetenv" link "unsetenv" 0} @{"Update" link "button" 0} @{"Version" link "version" 0} @{"X" link "x" 0} @{"Y" link "x" 100} @endnode @node "slut" "slut" @{fg shine}The End@{fg text} I would very much appreciate if you sent me a mail and told me how you are using selector and what you think about it. Send an e-mail to: di3andpe@ida.his.se If you don't get any answer, I have probably left scool, so send an ordinary mail to this address: Anders Persson Mellangardsv. 9 S-417 29 Goteborg SWEDEN If you don't have email, you can of cause use this address right away. Regards/ Anders Persson @endnode @node "vers" "vers" @{fg shadow}@{bg shine}Version History@{fg text}@{bg back} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{fg shine}Selector 1.08 (940713)@{fg text} -Static button panel for launching the different programs in the WakeUpII screenblanker package. @{fg shine}Selector 2.06 (940717)@{fg text} -The button panel was made configurable, with the commands: "Button", "X", "Y", "Size" and "Center" @{fg shine}Selector 3.20 (940729)@{fg text} -More commands: "Title", "Gap", "BackGround", "ForeGround", "LightColor" and "DarkColor" -{this} a variable for current source -Support programs for making panel design more easy: "AddButton 1.03 (940720)", and "NewPanel 1.01 (940721)" @{fg shine}Selector 4.0ö1 (960425)@{fg text} -More commands: "text", "space", "Title off", "Close", "rows", "exec", "setenv", "defenv", "color", "startbox", "endbox", "button...uppdate" and "buton...load" -Panels can now be more than one row of buttons. They can also contain text strings and inverted boxes. -Env variables support -Possible to pass variables from command line ([arg1]...[arg9]) -Possible to pass return data with the "button...exit" command -{this} altered to [this] -Selector can not be started from Workbench any longer, this because it didn't get the whole search-path when it did. And this would get incompatible scripts. -The support programs (AddButton and NewPanel) became unmodern and was removed. -This guide document was written. @{fg shine}Selector 4.14 (960529)@{fg text} -Bugfix: Selector did enter an infinite loop when there was a text string or button name that was wider than the screen. -Bugfix: It wasn't possible to exit by pressing escape when there was no buttons in the panel. -Bugfix: Now possible to use arg0, arga, argb, argc etc. as env variables. -Possible to pass arguments with the @{"button...load" link "button" 0} command -The @{"DefArg" link "defarg" 0} command was introduced. -@{"Unstated arguments" link "other" 60} that not have a default value (given with defarg) will now contain the name of the argument rather than nothing. This was made so that all variables (env, arguments and [this]) will work in the same way. -Env variables and arguments can now contain nothing (""). -Selector builds the panels on the screen faster. -Source file name given in error messages. -The @{"unsetenv command" link "unsetenv" 0} was introduced and the @{"unsetenv technique" link "tips" 66} was invented. -More examples in this document @{fg shine}Selector 4.30 (960804)@{fg text} The documentations for version 4.2 and 4.3 was lost in my second HardDisk death. I have now (970101) updated this amigaguide document with all the changes (from 4.14 to 4.30) that I have found. -New commands: @{"OnChange," link "onchange" 0} @{"NoBorder," link "border" 0} @{"Version," link "version" 0} @{"Screen" link "screen" 0} and @{"palette" link "palette" 0}. -The @{"color" link "color" 0} and @{"background" link "backbround" 0} commands were extended. -The @{"update of the window" link "button" 0} is made much faster if the window parameters not are changed (Size, title etc.). -Some more examples and a new '@{"All Examples" system "run >nil: execute allexamples"}' script were added to this document. @{fg shine}Selector 5.0 (970319)@{fg text} -Bug on graphics cards and super hires fixed. -Fonts support. New command: @{"Font" link "font" 0} -New support program: SelectorFont, to set the default font for selector, or request a font in your scripts. This program needs asl.library. -Now possible to open the window on any public screen using the extended @{"SCREEN command." link "screen" 0} -The @{"X and Y commands" link "x" 0} were extended. -New command: @{"OnExit" link "onexit" 0} -New button/onchange/onexit options: @{"Quit, DumpX, DumpY" link "button" 0} -The button/onchange/onexit option "Update" will now ignore the X and Y commands. If you want selector to behave as before: Use Load [this] instead of update. -AmigaDos1.3 no longer supported. At least AmigaDos2.0 is needed. Some of the included examples need AmigaOS3. -Added @{"Bonus Tools" link "tools" 0} -The @{"copyrights" link "cr" 0} is changed. Greetings to Henrik Thurén, "KnC" McWhirter, Jörn Hansson and Stefan Nilsson! Thanks for your help and support! @{fg shine}Selector 5.1 (970407)@{fg text} -I discovered that I needed to use both "-signs and '-signs in strings, so I extended the string enclosing signs from ( " and ' ) to ( " ' @ # £ ^ and & ). So now you can write for example: text ^Isn't this "cool"?^ for the text: Isn't this "cool"? Or a little more concrete example: screen DM button Tempdir @rx "address DM newdir 'dh2:temp/*'"@ button ^Mark lha^ &rx "address DM select '*.lha'"& -Bugfix: It wasn't possible to use fonts larger than about 40. -Bugfix: The window became to big when using @{"noborder" link "border" 0}. @{fg shine}Selector 5.2 (970422)@{fg text} -Bugfix: Selector did not work with FastIPrefs or ToolManager. Thanks to Stefan Nilsson for the bug report! -The error handling was extended so that longer error messages now can be displayed without problems. -Bug fixed in the version command. @{fg shine}Selector 5.3 (970521)@{fg text} -Bugfix: The error handling routine introduced in the last version calls the routine that handles string enclosing (with " ' @ etc.) So, if there was an error enclosing a string, these two routines keept on calling eachother until the stack was overflowed. -New version of the SelectorFont program. It can now remember what font you last selected, so that it won't start with topaz 8 all the time. Please note that the shell options not are the same. Try "SelectorFont ?" for more specific information. -New bonus tools: SelectorText: Converts (and optionally reformats) a text file to a selector script file. WBRun: Starts a program like it was started from workbench. @{fg shine}Selector 5.4 (970529)@{fg text} -Added new options to the @{"X and Y commands" link "x" 0} that makes it possible to open the window where the mouse pointer is. Useful for popup menues etc. -Changed the noborder command to @{"Border ON/OFF" link "border" 0}. This to make the commands more similar to each other. For example: Close ON/OFF, Title OFF etc. But the NOBORDER command is still available for compability reasons. -Reworked the command reference part of the documentation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "onchange" "The OnChange command" @{b}@{fg shine}The OnChange Command@{ub}@{fg text} This is a new powerfull command in selector 4.3. It specifies what will happend when an env variable is changed. @{fg shine} OnChange@{fg text} [to value] ['command 1' 'command 2' ... 'command n'] [@{fg shine} UPDATE@{fg text} | @{fg shine}LOAD@{fg text} [arguments] | @{fg shine}EXIT@{fg text} [] ] | @{fg shine}QUIT@{fg text} []] | @{fg shine}DumpX@{fg text} | @{fg shine}DumpY@{fg text} ] The first part (OnChange [to value]) specifies the conditions for the the rest of the commands to execute. is the name of the env variable to be watched for any change. If you specify the [to value] option, then the commands are only executed if the variable is changed to this specified value. The last part (['command 1' .... ... 'command n'] [@{fg shine} UPDATE@{fg text} | @{fg shine}LOAD@{fg text} etc..) specifies what will happend, and is stated in exactly the same way as in the @{"BUTTON command." link "button" 0} Example: DefEnv test "Change Me!" Onchange test to end exit Onchange test update color light text "Current value of test is:" color dark light text "[test]" text color dark button 'Set it to "Hello!"' 'setenv test "Hello!"' button 'Set it to "That is cool!"' 'setenv test "That is cool!"' button 'Set it to "end"' 'setenv test end' This example opens a window with the contents of variable "test". Every time the variable is changed, the window is updated. If it is changed to "end", the window is closed. You can change the variable by pressing the three buttons, or with the setenv command from a shell window. The update is not performed right away because selector only checks the variables for change every two seconds. @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector onchange.sel"} If you now @{"Try it again," system "run >nil: selector onchange.sel"} you will see that the variable allready is set to "end" (you did it a little while ago, remember) and the window is not exiting... why? Well, as the commands name is "OnChange", selector won't bother because the variable was not CHANGED since the moment the script was last loaded or updated. You must first set the variable to something else, wait two seconds, and then set it to "end" to close the window. Also try to start more than one window with the example above, and watch how all the windows are updated when you press the button in just one of them. Observe that you (in the example above) can't place the two onchange statements in the opposite order. Then the second statement would never be reached. You can look at this as an if....elseif statement. --------------------------------------------------------------------- There are two internal values you can use: *any* and *none* OnChange test to *none* exit This means that the window will be closed if the env variable "test" is unset. OnChange test to *any* exit This is the same as: OnChange test exit ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Another OnChange example: "The Clock" x 2000 y 11 exec 'setenv datum `date`' onchange datum update text "[datum]" unsetenv datum @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector clock.sel"} This script can be quite hard to understand. But it is illustrative for how the onchange command works. First the variable "datum" is set to the string returned by the amigaOS command "date". Then follows the onchange command. It now "remembers" the contents of the variable "datum". Then as you can see at the bottom of the script, the variable datum is unset. When the whole window is displayed, selector waits about two seconds and then compares the old remembered value of "datum" with the current one... Oh.. It is changed!!! to nothing (*none*). Now, lets see what to do, I have to update.. yes... And then the variable is set again by the exec command, and the whole procedure is starting all over again. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You might want to look at @{"how selector analyses a script." link "env" 19} @endnode @node "inst" "inst" @{fg shine}Installing@{fg text} is easy... Just move the executable file "Selector" to your C: directory. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ When you have learned a little bit more about Selector, you might want to look at @{"SEL:" link "sel" 0} or @{"Making resident." link "res" 0} @endnode @node "onexit" "onexit" @{b}@{fg shine}The OnExit Command@{ub}@{fg text} This is a new command in selector 5.0. It specifies what will happend just before the program ends. @{fg shine} OnExit@{fg text} ['command 1' 'command 2' ... 'command n'] [@{fg shine} UPDATE@{fg text} | @{fg shine}LOAD@{fg text} [arguments] | @{fg shine}EXIT@{fg text} [] ] | @{fg shine}QUIT@{fg text} []] | @{fg shine}DumpX@{fg text} | @{fg shine}DumpY@{fg text} ] The syntax is exactly the same as in the @{"BUTTON command." link "button" 0} except that no button name is given. There can be only one OnExit command in a source. The command is executed when the window is closed, using the standard close-gadget, when pressing ESC or when an EXIT command is reached from a Button/OnChange command. But if the QUIT command is used instead of the EXIT command, the OnExit command won't get executed before quitting. Use this command with care! It's possible to make a window you can't get rid of, for example: onExit update text "Can't get rid of me!" Better example of OnExit usage: defenv xvar auto defenv yvar auto x [xvar] y [yvar] onexit dumpx xvar dumpy yvar text "Move this window around and" text "then close it! Open it again!" text "Where will it appear next?" @{"Try it!" system "run >nil: selector onexit.sel"} @endnode @node "name" "name" @{b}@{fg shine}Name Conflict@{ub}@{fg text} I have now (970309) found out that there is another "Selector" out there... "Program Selector V3.0" by Nico François 1991, and a compatible replacement for "Program Selector" called "Chooser V1.0" by Simon Dick 1995. There is (in my oppinion) no meaning in using these instead of my "Selector" (Sorry guys...). What you can do with these two programs is basically only what you can do with the Button and Text commands in my Selector. @endnode @node "tools" "tools" @{b}@{fg shine} Bonu Tools@{ub}@{fg text} I have here included some programs that I think is useful in shell scripts or directly from selector. They are either FreWare or PD, so you can (as I understand) use them however you like. But read the .docs and .readmes to be sure. Here they are described: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}BreakName@{fg text}, by Kai Iske @{"(BreakName.doc)" link "/tools/BreakName.doc/main" 0} This command is used to break a process with the specified name. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}Change@{fg text}, By myself This is used to edit a file, to change all (or some) occurences of one text string to another. Try "Change ?" for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}Count@{fg text}, By myself This command counts all occurences of a text string in a file. Try "count ?" for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}PSRun@{fg text}, By myself PSRun , If the public screen exists, then this screen is moved to front, else "run >nil: " is executed. Try "PSRun ?" for mor info. This is useful to get a button in selector to open a program if it isn't allready open, else to move to the programs screen. Ex: button Diskmaster 'psrun DM c:DM2 config.dm' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}psx@{fg text}, by Steve Tibbett @{"(psx.docs)" link "/tools/psx.docs/main" 0} A public screen manager. You can open new screens, etc. Try "psx ?". You can also start only "psx" and it will open a GUI. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}RequestString@{fg text}, by Adam Dawes @{"(Requeststring.txt)" link "/tools/requeststring.txt/main" 0} This command has been described earlier @{"Here" link "env" 99} It simply requests a string using the reqtools.library ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}SelectorFont@{fg text}, by myself A font requester, more described @{"here." link "font" 0} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}SelectorText@{fg text}, by myself This program converts a textfile to a selector file. Try "selectortext ?" for more information. Here is a little example what you can do with it: .key text/F echo >ram:file1 selectortext >ram:file2 ram:file1 50 echo >>ram:file2 "button Continue exit" selector ram:file2 delete >nil: ram:file1 ram:file2 @{"Try it as below!" system "run >nil: execute bigmess Please note that this program is shareware. This demo version can only be used odd weeks even days. And this really disturbing info windows keeps poping up every 14 seconds."} execute bigmess Please note that this program is shareware. This demo version can only be used odd weeks even days. And this really disturbing info windows keeps poping up every 14 seconds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}Unsort@{fg text}, by myself Unsort , The file is "line-randomized". If you want things to happend in random order, you can for example do this: list >ram:batfile mods: lformat "modplay %s" unsort ram:batfile execute ram:batfile ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @{fg shine}WBRun@{fg text}, by Sylvain Rougier and Pierre Carrette. @{"(WBRun.doc)" link "/tools/WBRun/WBRun.doc/main" 0} A command that runs a program as it had been started from workbench. Very useful from selector. WBRun needs parm.library that also is included in this package, under Tools/WBRun. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ @endnode