**********************************************************************************
 A note before installing... If you have a previous version of MoodRing installed
 you should uninstall the old version via the ADD/REMOVE programs from the control
 panel.  If you installed version 1.2 then it probably created the main
 files in the Windows directory instead of the program files directory as it
 should.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused...
**********************************************************************************

MoodRing version 1.2a for 1997.

This readme file is duplicated in the help file within the
main program.  

Finally! Costume jewelry that you can wear on your desktop! 
This program creates a moodring that displays on your desktop
or system tray.  For Win95 only

This program is freeware.
By Patrick Dugan (patrickd@usti.com)


New Items since V1.0:

1.  Added a tray icon of the ring so you can place the ring 
    in the system tray instead of the desktop.
2.  Added parameter AUTO so program can be started 
    immediately in startup menu.
3.  Added delay parameter in program so you can set how often 
    program checks for input.
4.  Desktop ring now remembers where you left it so next time 
    the program starts the ring will appear where you last 
    closed it.

New Items since V1.1:

1.  Added keyboard input to allow keyboard activity to 
    affect the ring.
2.  Added new help file for better WIN95 compatibility.
3.  Changed install to stop putting the directory itself 
    in the startup menu.
4.  Added algorithm to check history of input to look for any 
    changes in activity that will affect the ring.
5.  Parameter Auto no longer needed as it can now be set via 
    the options screen.
6.  Mouse & keyboard input can be given "weight" so you can 
    give a percentage of the input that is used.
7.  MoodRing color for desktop altered to have a little more 
    "depth."


This program created using Delphi 2.0.  The program inspired 
by a similar program written for Windows 3.11 some time ago.  
I wanted to carry the same idea over to Win95 and hopefully 
design a "cute" 32 bit program. MoodRing is simply designed to 
gather information from mouse and/or keyboard input to the 
computer from the user.  The color changes that occur will be 
somewhat slow so if the user is not inputting anything the ring 
will "cool down" and after several minutes will eventually drop 
to black.  The color changes are: Black to brown to green to 
turquoise to blue.  The accuracy of the color changes 
corresponding to your moods in highly questionable.  Normally 
a mood ring depends on your body temperature to alter crystals 
into certain colors.  The colors indicate the finger's 
temperature and (in theory) your mood.  (The color black being 
a bad mood or very stressed, green is fair and deep blue being 
great mood and no stress.)  The computer does not have any 
temperature probes so I can rely only on the sparse input 
available through mouse and/or keyboard. By monitoring the 
input I can determine the speed and consistency of your 
interaction.  I simply use input activity as the deciding 
factor of altering the color.. If you have any comments or 
suggestions you can contact me at patrickd@usti.com. I assume 
no responsibility for the use or misuse of this program.  This 
program is offered "as is" and the user accepts full responsibly 
for its use.

If anyone has any real mood rings they would like to get rid 
of feel free to send them my way.  I like to keep them as a 
souvenir of this programming adventure.  Anybody that has the 
urge to send one can do so to:

Patrick Dugan
211 Main Street
Suite 401
Joplin, Missouri  64801.




When you first start the program you have four choices.  
First when you click the left mouse button in the window the 
ring will appear and the main window disappears.  The ring 
can be moved about by dragging with the mouse.  The window can 
be brought back into view by double-clicking the ring.  The 
second button is the ? button that displays the help file.  
This help file can be resized as needed and 
will stay that size when accessed the next time.  The last 
selection occurs when right clicking the main window.  



A small window will appear allowing you to choose whether the 
ring starts manually (main window displays first) or automatic 
where the ring (either desktop or tray) appears first. The 
program could then be placed in your start up folder and 
started automatically each time.  Next the Style (Gold or 
Silver).  The Location determines whether the ring will 
appear on the desktop or in the system tray.  The Input is 
next (Random, Mouse, Keybrd or M&K (Mouse & Keyboard)).  The 
Random Mode simply uses random numbers to decide how to adjust 
the color.  The Mouse looks for mouse activity, the Keybrd 
looks for keyboard activity and M&K looks for both mouse and 
keyboard activity.  The Input Weight is a percentage that 
will give "weight" to either the mouse or keyboard.  A setting 
of 10% means the mouse gets 90% of input to the program and 
the keyboard would have 10%.  The Input Weight is only used 
when M&K are selected, it has no effect otherwise.  There are 
no 0% or 100% since you can simply set either the keyboard or 
mouse to be the exclusive input.  The Use Algorithm check box 
is next.  If you select this option it will cause the routines 
for input (all but random) to check the recent history of input 
and decide if the activity has increased or decreased and 
adjusts the color accordingly.  The Algorithm currently stinks
and doesn't work right most of the time. Why did I include it?
Well mainly to start getting the code installed to allow algorithms
and perhaps encourage others to send algorithms that might actually
work.  The last item is the Millisecond delay value.  This value 
determines how often the program looks at the input to change color.  
By default it looks 20 times a second or 50 milliseconds.  You can 
increase the value to lower the program's usage of your CPU time.  
The lowest value is 50 (default - 20 times a second) up to 60000 
(once a minute)  Once a minute Finally you can click the button 
in the upper right hand corner of the main window that closes the 
program completely.  


If the ring is set to appear in the system tray, once the ring 
is started the main window will disappear and simply leave the 
ring on the screen or in the system tray.  Over time it will 
change color according to the activity it perceives on the 
computer. You can right-click the mouse to cause it to run 
through a full color change from cold-hot-cold and that can be 
"frozen" by clicking the left mouse button.  This approach can 
be used to "warm up" the ring early.  If you right click on the 
tray version it will immediately change to a medium green.  


I welcome any input and I will gladly incorporate any new 
algorithms that prove accurate. (Speed is NOT such a factor 
it can depend on the experience not just mood of the user.)   
Anyway please send any suggestions to me through email.  

The program was written purely for fun and to learn a little 
about programming in Delphi 2.  I am willing to also  explain 
any "tricks" to any Delphi programmers that wish to know how 
to set tray icons, animate tray icons,  create odd-shaped 
forms, hiding forms on start up, Grabbing system wide keyboard 
input, etc.  I also created a small program called the binary 
clock that creates some semi-transparent forms on the desktop.

I would like to thank Chris Dunaway for help in getting system 
wide keyboard input working and all the people who have sent 
email about the program.  

