@DATABASE CP @remark English Version @master CP.Guide @$VER: 0.205 @author "Conor Kerr" @(c) "© Copyright 1997 Mystique Corporation" @font topaz.font 8 @Node main "Cp Version 0.205" @next what @prev main CP Version 0.205 Documentation @{" Introduction " link what} What you can do with CP @{" Features " link features} CP's features @{" Requirements " link requirements} Will it work on my 175 MHz Power Amiga? Installation... @{" Hard-disk " link install} How to install CP HD @{" Floppy Disk " link installflop} How to install CP DISK @{" Using CP " link usage} How to use CP @{" Registration " link regi} How to register @{" Contact " link contact} How to contact Mystique... @{" Credits " link credits} Where its due... @{" Bugs " link bugs} Current bugs/limitations @{" History " link history} Overview of CP`s history @{" Future " link future} Still to do @{" Copyright " link copy} Read this now!! @{" Disclaimer " link disclaimer} @{" ASSIGNing CP " link cpassign} How to assign CP @{" ORDERFORM " link orderform} The most important section in this guide!! This documentation is best viewed on a non-interlaced screen. @endnode @node what "What is CP?" @next features @prev main CP is the most advanced, feature-packed kid's package currently available on any system. That is what they will say when the full version is released!! Incorporating full-screen animation with an advanced GUI and full customisation, CP truly represents the ultimate in children's software. Add a wealth of fun-packed features and you can't help wondering why something this great hasn't been done before! CP is currently at version 0.205, with 0.25 coming in October. Only the paint package side of the software is available at this stage, but more and more parts of the system will be included as version after version is released. It is incredibly complex (source code is over 270K and rising) and incredibly powerful yet is so simple to use that even a four year-old can use it!! It concentrates on fun, graphics, power and ease of use. It represents a new era in software - CP is the most user-friendly software on any platform - a major point considering it has been designed for kids. But what are you reading this for? CP is waiting for you... @{fg shine} Please note however that CP is shareware and as a result has certain restrictions. To remove these restrictions click here -> @{" Registration " link regi}. N.B. IF YOU USE THIS PREVIEW VERSION AT ALL YOU MUST AT LEAST SEND AN E-MAIL TO ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. Thank you...@{fg text} Please read @{" History " link history} for details about what's new in this version of CP. @endnode @node Features "CP's Main Features" @next requirements @prev what This list is a VERY short summary of CP's Main Features. It does not go into any sort of detail about the various functions whatsoever. For a more detailed description of CP's features consult the section @{" Using CP " link usage}. * Fully Animated!! When finished, every task in CP will be performed using amazing full screen animations - children will think that they are part of a film, not just that they are using the computer!! * Fully Customisable!! CP can configure itself according to who is using the program!! Almost every aspect of the software can be configured - the preferences program covers such topics as Users, Graphics, System, Tools, Music/Sound and User's Skill - all with many individual options, resulting in a package that can adjust perfectly to who is using it, right down to the way things are displayed and what the users are limited to doing!! Each user has their own preference file which contains details about.. · Their name. · The sample to be used for their name. (You need a sound sampler for this). · Their ability - For example, whether the right mouse button performs a different function or not. · Disk Access - Whether or not they can load/save (or even format disks) and which type of file requestor they can use - simple, advanced or workbench (ASL). · Color Selection - Whether they use a scrolling palette with large icons for younger children or a standard DPaint style palette. · Tools - You can even restrict the amount of tools that the user has access to!! This means that you can set up CP so that only the older children can use certain tools. · Icons - Each child can either can use all the "stickers" or their own particular sets - e.g. war, space, animals, cartoons etc.!! · GUI - There will be a number of GUIs to choose from - paint, flowers, shapes (the standard interface) and war. (+ possibly even more!!). · Screen Blanking - CP has its own screen blanker built-in which will have many different, often humourous animations. Each user can have a blanker selected for them according to their taste. · Sound/Music - CP will come with many tracks of stereo sound and plenty of amusing samples to keep your children happy all the time!! · Graphics - You can control how fast animations are, choose between different types of scrolling all for that personal touch!! * Exceptionally Intelligent. CP just goes from strength to strength!! Every week the program becomes more intelligent. Once finished, it should be able to cope with most errors in such a fluid fashion that the user won't even have to be alerted as to what has happened. In circumstances where input is completely necessary, even the youngest CP user will be able to understand what has gone wrong and what options he/she has to rectify the problem!! * Great-Looking!! CP is very graphic intensive and has an excellent, easy-to-use GUI that your children will love. The children can even choose from a set of different themed GUIs including standard, paint, army, flowers and cartoons!! (With possibly more to come). * Great Sound!! No fully interactive animated interface would be complete without a great sound system!! CP will have sounds for every function and animation giving the whole program a more interactive, involving feeling for the children!! * So much creativity!! Plenty to do!! CP will be a full suite of software for kids incorporated into one package - a kind of one-stop shop!! Currently it consists only of an early version of the Paint package but will go on to include many games, utilities and educational tools, all fluidly integrated into the one great package!! * CP is full of great graphics... It uses a huge variety of wipes and animations to aid enjoyment of the program as well as to help the user!! A Major hit with all the children so far!! * CP has multiple color cycling modes!! CP's tools can all be used with special graphics modes that transform the way they work giving you even more options!! * CP contains the most advanced loading/saving routines for chidren known to man!! These routines are so simple to use yet they are unbelievably complex!! They look great, feel great and cope with a huge amount of errors so that all the children need to do in the easiest routines is to click on the picture they want to paint and you know that they will rarely have a problem! * CP has an amazing UNDO and memory system which will adapt to ever setup to make the most efficient use of what its got. CP's undo system can even resize screens so that the program will never quit!! *CP will have an amazing animated help system designed to help the children through the package. The only problem with this is that it'll be so much fun to use that children will make mistakes on purpose just to see "that funny man"!! * CP is still not finished. That must be the best feature of all!!... There are a lot more additions to CP still to come including: · Many other programs - CP will be a full SUITE of software - the paint program is only part of that suite!! Still to come are many Games, Educational programs and Utilities. These will all be accessible through a main menu. It is not finalised at this moment in time what these programs will be. · A Slideshow/Book Generator which will allow your older children to create presentations of their pictures. These presentations will autoboot or run from HD by double clicking on their icon in Workbench. The child will be able to wipe the pictures into each other in all sorts of fantastic ways!! This generator will also generate "books" - that is, a slideshow with wipes and accompaning text and sounds. All the child needs to do is draw the pictures and write their own captions (these captions will appear below the pictures in some great ways!), pick their wipes and click save!! You can even add animations and sound effects!! · CP has an in-built feature whereas colour zero can not be filled with the fill tool. This is intended so that a colouring book program can be added. Smaller children will be able to pick from a large amount of black and white line drawings and will then be able to colour them in. This is probably the most popular part of CP with children (A small beta version has been finished already).@{fg shine} * CP should be compatible with all versions of workbench and all Amiga® setups including Power Amigas.@{fg text} @endnode @node requirements "Requirements" @next install @prev features CP should run on any Amiga® computer or compatible OS from Workbench® v1.3+ with 1MB+ of RAM. CP has been designed principally for use with a hard-drive but there is a version currently available for those users who do not have a hard-drive. Please note that, although optimised for use on a disk-drive based Amiga®, the disk version will not run as efficiently as the HD version. @endnode @node install "Installation" @next installflop @prev requirements If downloaded from the internet, CP comes as a .lha file. To extract this file, move it to the directory you would like the files extracted to, double click on its icon and type: @{fg shine}"lha x cp.lha"@{fg text} and all the files will be extracted to that directory. · CP comes with a hard-drive install script that uses the standard Commodore® Installer Version 43.3. Simply double click on the icon "Install_CP" and follow the onscreen prompts. If any errors occur during installation, the script will try to alert you of the problem encountered and will normally give you some options to choose from. If, for any reason, the installation is aborted mid-way or a serious error was encountered, all installed files will be removed from your hard drive. If this happens, please try installation in a different directory on your hard-drive. If you are having serious problems installing CP, please write or e-mail: @{" Contact " link contact} @endnode @node installflop "Floppy disk users" @next usage @prev install There is no install script for the floppy version. Each of the @{b}.dms@{ub} files must be unpacked to a blank floppy one by one. To do this, you will have to have the program DMS (available on Aminet or magazine CDs etc.) and either have two disk drives, or more than 1MB of memory. If you have more than 1MB of memory: Copy the archive and the program DMS to RAM, open a new shell window and type: @{fg shine}"ram:dms write ram:cp_disk.dms" @{fg text}where @{fg shine}disk @{fg text}is either "ONE" or "TWO". If you have only 1MB of memory, but have two disk drives: Copy the archive and the program DMS to a blank disk. Boot workbench and take out the workbench disk. Insert the blank disk with the archive into Df1:, open a new shell window and type: @{fg shine}"df1:dms write df1:cp_disk" @{fg text}where @{fg shine}disk @{fg text}is either "ONE" or "TWO". @{fg shine}You will be requested to put a blank disk in Df0: in both these cases. Make sure that you do not need the disk in Df0: or it will be wiped!! @{fg text} @endnode @node usage "Using CP" @next regi @prev installflop As CP is at version 0.205, so is the documentation. It has taken a lot of work to write the documentation as you see it, but expect this section in a future version. Meanwhile, please read @{" bugs " link bugs} for a quick overview of potential problems. @endnode @node regi "Registration" @next credits @prev usage CP Version 0.205 is shareware. I suppose it could also be called crippleware, but a lot, a lotta, a lotta lotta work has gone into it. I know that a lot of people say that, but it is true. But then, if you had to pay "the small fee" of £20 UK for every little utility you bought (and without the satisfaction of a commercial guarantee) then you would pay more for your (albeit, advanced) OS than if you had have bought Windows '95!! A scary thought indeed. HOWEVER, this is not an OS/Workbench enhancement, it is a full, highly- advanced package and well worth the small fee asked. Plus, registering has many additional benefits... If you register, CP Versions 0.205 to 0.9 will be free to you. You will be notified when the new versions are out (via e-mail only). You will get to use all the extra tools. (Up To 100!! compared to current 15). @{fg shine} CP is limited to about 12 minutes of user time from the moment the first name screen is shown. If you register, you will get unlimited use of CP. @{fg text} You will be entitled to special upgrade offers when the full commercial version 1.0 is released. @{fg shine} PLEASE READ THE TEXT BELOW AND THEN USE THE SUPPLIED ORDERFORM TO ORDER YOUR COPY OF CP. DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY WITHOUT THE NECESSARY DETAILS ATTACHED (THOSE DETAILS COVERED IN THE ORDERFORM). FOR THIS REASON, IT IS SAFER FOR YOU TO PRINT THE ORDERFORM OR AT LEAST COPY ITS FORMAT. When ordering, you MUST specify whether you want the Hard-drive version or the disk version. (Disk version has fewer features and graphics). @{fg text} PRICES: HD Version____________________ VIA E-MAIL .............................. £5.00 (ENTIRE WORLD) ON DISK VIA NORMAL MAIL ........ £7.00 (UK & EIRE) (INC P&P AND PRICE OF DISKS) ........ £7.50 (REST OF EUROPE) ........ £8.00 (REST OF WORLD) DISK Version__________________ VIA E-MAIL .............................. £5.00 (ENTIRE WORLD) ON DISK VIA NORMAL MAIL ........ £6.50 (UK & EIRE) (INC P&P AND PRICE OF DISKS) ........ £7.00 (REST OF EUROPE) ........ £7.50 (REST OF WORLD) N.B. When having either version sent to you on disks via normal mail, you will receive ONE version only - i.e. the latest version. For any additional versions, the prices via normal mail are: HD Version____________________ UK & IRELAND .......... £2.00 REST OF EUROPE ........ £2.30 REST OF WORLD ......... £2.50 DISK Version__________________ UK & IRELAND .......... £1.50 REST OF EUROPE ........ £1.80 REST OF WORLD ......... £2.00 @{fg shine} ALL PRICES QUOTED ARE ENGLISH STERLING. @{fg text} ALL PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. (MOST LIKELY TO GO DOWN IF ANYTHING). ______________________________ Please send orders by post only. I cannot accept VISA etc. at this time (Maybe in the future...). Please do not send English/Irish cash. Make cheques/postal orders out to ..... Conor Kerr Send cheques/postal orders to ......... 13 Ardmore Park Belfast BT10 OJJ NORTHERN IRELAND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS (NAME, ADDRESS ETC.) @{fg shine} NEVER FORGET TO STATE WHICH VERSION (HD OR FLOPPY) THAT YOU WANT AND HOW YOU WANT IT SENT TO YOU (POST/E-MAIL). Please send only UK CHEQUES/POSTAL ORDERS. Otherwise, send the equivalent cash for your currency based on the exchange rates at the time of ordering. IF YOU SEND CASH IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. IF THE MONEY DOES NOT REACH ME, I CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSSES INCURRED. @{fg text} Please please please register. It is hoped that the final version of CP will be written in C so that it will be faster and so that it can be ported to the new Power Amigas. C compilers are very expensive, so for a commercial version to be released (with loadsa extras), as many people as possible should register - plus there's all the benefits of registering!! GO ON. GO ON. GO ON. GO ON... YOU WILL. AAHHH, YOU WILL, YOU WILL...!! Think of it this way: You get 9 versions of this excellent software for less than £6.00 sterling (includes postal order surcharge and is based on receipt by E-Mail). PLEASE NOTE; No guarantees are given that CP will reach commercial stage. It is our primary goal, but circumstances, however unlikely, may arise that prevent this ever occurring. All information in this document was correct at time of writing. However, this cannot be guaranteed as AmigaGuide® files can be changed all too easily. GOTO @{" ORDERFORM " link orderform} @endnode @node credits "Thanks..." @next contact @prev regi CP has taken a lot of time to develop this far. It would have taken a lot longer without the help of some people. @{fg shine}So, Thanks go to...@{fg text} Dietmar Eilert for his wonderful GoldED. John Paul Copeland for his help with PicassoII compatability. @endnode @node contact "How to contact Mystique" @next bugs @prev credits Please send us your comments (however good or bad), suggestions and bug reports... E-mail us at @{fg shine} cp@mystcorp.u-net.com@{fg text} Snail-Mail me at Conor Kerr 13 Ardmore Park Belfast BT10 OJJ Northern Ireland Visit the CP Home Pages and support site at; @{fg shine} www.mystcorp.u-net.com @{fg text} @endnode @node bugs "Bugs" @next history @prev contact @{b} Current notable bugs/limitations. @{ub} CP Version 0.205, I admit, does have a number of bugs. However, it has never crashed on me, even after extensive playtesting by both myself and children who have tried it out (and incidentally, loved it). In its current form though, it allows access to the format command and so may delete disks if asked to do so. A lot of warnings are given but the younger child is at risk of formatting discs if the discs have little space left on them (the only occasion on which the option to format is offered). The amazing loading and saving routines for the younger child are almost finished and very reliable. However, if someone deletes any of the user files, the option to load may be removed as, if a file cannot be found, the program will alert the user and exit the loading routine. In later versions, it will cope with almost anything, and will warn the user, but carry on. @{fg shine} CP is limited to about 12 minutes of user time from the moment the first name screen is shown. I apologise for the inconvenience, but you will have to register to get unlimited use of CP. @{fg text} CP currently comes with a limited number of tools. Registration will allow the user access to many more tools. CP is modular so tools can be written extremely quickly. As a result, registered users of CP will be able to use almost 100 tools eventually. @endnode @node History @next future @prev bugs The HIStory Of CP ----------------------- CP has been in development now since 1993. (!!) It was started in December 1993 and was originally a present for my little cousin. It has gone through some amazing transformations in the past few years and what you see now is the result of about 400 hours work!! CP has been running crash-free for over a year now. @{fg shine} Changes since CP Version 0.1 @{fg text} · Version 0.15 ____________________________________________________________ PERFECTED SCROLLING!!! CP has a new advanced scrolling mechanism which scrolls fluidly on all set-ups. Scroll speeds are exactly the same now, no matter what tool you are using!! NTSC compatibility introduced. CP now adapts (crudely) for NTSC users. Better graphics. CP has had some changes to some of its graphics with even a few extra screens!! Other minor improvements. (Samples have been allocated properly among other things). · Version 0.16 ____________________________________________________________ Fixed bugs in "Load Picture" which caused CP to quit. Also enhanced the look of the "Load Picture" routine. Added "Please Wait" dialogue box to the Control Menu to alert users that the delay on leaving the control menu is meant and not an error. Added "Pick A Picture To Load" Text to loading routines. Fixed bug in installer which meant CP would only install to a directory on a hard drive, not on the root volume. · Version 0.20 ____________________________________________________________ Updated the intro sequence with better, more linear graphics (no messy multiple screens). Updated MOST other graphics to a more pleasing, three-D effect. Added new pictures to the Main and IO menus. Introduced a keyfile system to reward people who send an E-Mail. Added 2 new Preference sections covering: Users' Names Users' Samples (Not Yet Implemented - NYI) No. of Users Method for name selection (NYI) Mouse Use Help Menu On/Off (NYI) Startup Options Color selection methods Keyboard Enabled/Disabled (Partly implemented - use advised AGAINST!!) Added other minor system fixes. Created new fonts and adapted program for their use. Created two small, very basic (Crap!!) anims, just to give users something to look at. Updated the Installer File (now works perfectly). Removed the need for a CPSYSPREFS file to be in your S: drawer, CP now uses a system assign. · Version 0.205 ___________________________________________________________ Added a full help system to the preferences section of the program. Added a NEW Preference section which allows the person setting up the program to choose which tools their children are allowed access to. Each tool now has a difficulty rating which parents can use as a guide to choosing tools for their children. Added new drawing mode for younger users(2-4) which means that, to draw, they only have to click to start drawing and click to stop drawing! Added a NEW, partly-finished Preference section which currently only covers disc access issues. You can now select how much disc access the current user should be given. Covers such things as loading and saving and the selection of disks. Restored full NTSC compatibility (Temporarily abandonded for Version 0.20!). Added many more wipes to the Preference section making its use much more fluid!! Fixed up the sticker menu - now the stickers update properly on screen. Also fixed a bug which wouldn't let users pick a new sticker until they had scrolled through the bank of stickers. Finally got rid of the bug that caused CP to quit if a screen size of less than 400 was selected - screen sizes right from 336 pixels wide can now be selected. Updated the ending sequence of the program. Other minor system changes, modifications and extras. Now check out CP's @{" future " link future} It's much more exciting... @endnode @node future "What's to come...!!" @next orderform @prev history As the list of @{" features " link features} shows, CP's future is looking bright! CP is modular and the bulk of the work has already been done. It is very open so lots more features can be added without affecting the current code. This also means that, since the new code won't affect the old, the older code can be continually refined without having to refine all the new modules as well. And that is good news for you... Because this means that CP can only get better. The older modules can only become more advanced and the new modules can only add to the fun experience that is CP. I can see the end of the road however - CP Version 3.0 in a world where Gateway 2000 got the balance right (i.e. R&D + Advertising), the Power Amiga controls most of the devices in our homes and the major development in going from CP Version 2.0 to 3.0 is voice recognition! Roll on 23 June 2000!! However, on a more serious note... CP version 0.25 will have: · Better NTSC compatibility - by better, I simply mean that it will look better for NTSC users. · Locale support!! · A new user-selection system which looks better, works better and is a lot faster!! · @{fg shine}New preferences.@{fg text} CP version 0.1 had a basic preferences system which hardly used any of CP's preferences whatsoever. The new system will make more use of CP's 125+ individual user preferences. · Other enhancements and better graphics. @endnode @node orderform "Fill this in NOW!!" @next copy @prev future Please rush me a copy of the amazing CP!! _____ I would like: The HARD DRIVE Version |_____| (Tick Here) OR _____ The FLOPPY DISK Version |_____| (Tick Here) _____ I would like to receive CP via: E-Mail |_____| (Tick Here) OR _____ Normal Mail |_____| (Tick Here) ***************************************************************************** @{b}DO NOT FORGET TO GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS:@{ub} @{b}E-Mail@{ub} __________________________________ NORMAL MAIL: @{b}Name@{ub} ____________________________________ @{b}Address@{ub} _____________________________________________________________ @{b}Postcode/ZIP@{ub} ______________ @{b}(VERY IMPORTANT!!)@{ub} @{b}City@{ub} ______________________ @{b}State/County@{ub} ________________________ @{b}Country@{ub} _____________________________ ******************************************************************************* _________ I have enclosed foreign cash |_________| (Tick Here) AMOUNT ___________ ** OR ** _________ I have enclosed an English/Irish Postal Order |_________| (Tick Here) AMOUNT ____________ ** OR ** _________ I have enclosed an English/Irish Cheque |_________| (Tick Here) AMOUNT ___________ Send to: Conor Kerr 13 Ardmore Park Belfast BT10 OJJ Northern Ireland Thank you for purchasing CP!! I hope that you will enjoy this product. @endnode @node copy "CP Copyright Notice" @next disclaimer @prev future CP and all associated files are Copyright ® Mystique Corporation 1997. All rights reserved. Amiga® and Workbench® are trademarks of Commodore-Amiga Inc. @{fg shine} CP Version 0.205 MUST NOT be distributed in any form other than its site and the Aminet. @{fg text} Distribution (on CD, by PD Houses, by BBSs etc.) will be allowed with a later version (probably 0.3). @endnode @node disclaimer "DISCLAIMER" @next cpassign @prev copy CP SHOULD NOT DAMAGE YOUR SYSTEM IN ANY WAY. CP KEEPS ITSELF TO ITSELF. CP SHOULD NEVER TOUCH ANY EXTERNAL FILES EXCEPT COMMANDS IN THE C DRAWER, LIBRARIES AND FONTS. @{fg shine} However, you use CP at your own risk. I cannot be held responsible for any damage resulting from the use of this package. @{fg text} @endnode @node cpassign "Assigning CP" @next main @prev disclaimer CP needs an assign in S:User-startup to run properly. The installer modifies the file S:User-startup to assign CP when your machine is booted. For this assign to work, you must reboot after installing CP. If you DIDN'T and you got the message @{fg shine}CP needs an assign@{fg text} then you should reboot now. If you DID reboot after installing CP, then the installer may have been unable to add an assign in your S:User-startup file. To add an assign in the user-startup file, follow these steps: Open the file @{fg shine}S:Startup-sequence@{fg text} with a text editor and look for the line; @{fg shine}Execute S:User-startup@{fg text} If this line is not there, add it BEFORE LoadWB Now, if the file @{fg shine}S:User-startup@{fg text} exists, add the following line to it; @{fg shine}Assign CP: *****:????/CP/CP@{fg text} (Where *****:???? is the directory where the main folder CP is installed) Otherwise create a new file, add the above line, then save this new file as @{fg shine}S:User-startup@{fg text}. Reboot, and enjoy CP!! If you need any help, just @{" contact " link contact} us. @endnode