Copyright: Copyright ® 1992 clySmic Software.


Table of Contents

I. Introduction

Features and What's New

Included Files

II. Registration

General Information and Legal Stuff

Registering via CompuServe

Registering via Credit Card

Order Form

III. Basic Operations

Starting Clysbar

Using Clysbar

Drag 'n' Drop and QuickAdd

The Clysbar Options Dialog

IV. Configuration

Configuring Clysbar

V. Shell Topics

Clysbar as the Windows Shell

The Startup Icon Bar

VI. Advanced Topics

Add-Ins

Shortcuts

VII. Bonus Programs

Wallpaper Changer Program (Paper)

Runner Program (Run)

VIII. Appendices

Future Directions

Requirements and Incompatibilities

Icons in CLYSICON.DLL

Clysbar Error Messages

Possible Windows Errors When Trying to Run a Program

About clySmic Software


Introduction

Clysmic Icon Bar (Clysbar)

Shareware for Windows

Release 1.70

Program and Documentation are Copyright 1992 by clySmic Software.
All rights reserved.

The clySmic Icon Bar (Clysbar) is a series of nested vertical or horizontal bars with icon buttons used for running programs under Windows 3.1.  I've seen other icon bars, and though the idea was good, the implementations left a lot to be desired.  So I wrote Clysbar to do everything I'd want an icon bar to do.  Clysbar is a Program Manager replacement, but not a File Manager replacement.

Note: Clysbar requires Windows 3.1, as it takes advantage of many new 3.1 features, including  drag 'n' drop and icons for DOS programs.

General Features

What's New in Version 1.70
What's New in Version 1.60
What's New in Version 1.50


Features

•	Sub-Icon Bars, a.k.a. nested icon bars, so you can have a hierarchical (tree) structure with many more programs than will fit on the screen.  Clysbar's capacity is 17 programs per bar, with a maximum of 30 bars.

•	The ability to extract icons from .ICO files, Windows .EXE files, and .DLL files.

•	Various "aesthetic" customizing options, such as up arrow buttons, colors, which side the bar is on, &c.

•	The time of day (local or GMT) displayed at all times, so a clock program isn't needed.

•	Clysbar provides the shaded 3-D button look, the icons don't have to be specially designed to look like buttons.

•	Configuration control partially done by a program rather than editing an INI file (note: in this release, some text-editing is still needed).

•	You can run programs maximized, normal, or minimized, and specify a starting directory.

•	Several button sizes are supported.

•	Bar can be shrunk out of the way when needed.

•	Can use single or double-click to run an application.

•	clySmic Button gives access to the Icon Bar Options Dialog, which can adjust the icon bar and provide Windows information.

•	Optional keyboard interface.


What's New in Release 1.50

•	Even if Main-on-use is set, Shift-Clicking a icon bar button makes that icon bar stick until another icon bar is selected, i.e. it temporarily overrides Main-on-use.

•	QuickAdd: to quickly add a program to the current icon bar, drag a program from File Manager and drop it on the clySmic Button.

•	Now the clock font can be selected from any font in the system, including TrueType fonts.

•	The appearance of the Information Window for each button has been improved.

•	Clysbar now has its own Startup icon bar.  The applications on this bar are loaded when the system is started and Clysbar is the system shell.

•	To override startup program processing ( LOAD= /RUN= and the Startup icon bar), hold down the Shift key while booting.  You can release the key when Clysbar beeps.  This only applies when Clysbar is the Windows shell.

•	The buttons on the bar now highlight themselves as you drag a file over them.

•	There is now an option to keep the icon bar always on top of other windows.

•	Clysbar Add-Ins, a feature to show special information within a button.

•	Improved documentation.

•	More options when exiting Windows (restart, reboot).


What's New in Release 1.60

•	The bar can be horizontal, as well as vertical.  This is selected in the configure dialog, under the Position button.

•	Multirun, which allows you run an entire icon bar of programs with one click.

•	You can use your own icon for the clySmic button.

•	Icon bar button icons can now come from EXEs and DLLs, as well as from ICO files.

•	The included icons for Clysbar's icon bars are now in a DLL (CLYSICON.DLL) rather than in separate .ICO files.

•	The Control Panel has been renamed the Options Dialog.

•	There's a new option to activate the button information windows when the mouse passes over them.

•	Bug fixes: dragging and dropping on OWL programs, such as MegaEdit, now works correctly (used to crash Clysbar).  Problems with interrupted Windows exits now fixed.  Drag 'n' drop didn't work if user required double-click to run programs - this is now fixed.

•	Uses less system resources, under some conditions up to 50% less.

•	INI file syntax errors are no longer fatal, and the icon number field is now optional.  "Icon out of range" error message improved to show how many icons are in the file in question.

•	The x and y position of the bar can now be adjusted individually.

•	New registration options: register via CompuServe for fastest service.

•	Improved (again) documentation, with order form and error message listings.


What's New in Release 1.70

•	Buttons can now have descriptions displayed in the Info Window instead of the program name.  Name buttons anything you want!

•	Icon bars can now be longer (or wider) than the screen, you scroll the bar up and down with the PgUp and PgDn keys.

•	Telephone credit card orders are now accepted via the Public (software) Library.

•	Info Windows have their own font, selectable from a dialog in the configuration utility. You can now have very large, readable Info Windows.

•	Hot keys are supported for all programs: any combination of Shift, Ctrl, Alt and a character can be used. Clysbar has its own hot key whose default is Ctrl-Alt-C.

•	Clysbar can ask you for the command-line parameters of a program if you include a parm of ??.  For example: NOTEPAD ??= runs Notepad and asks you what file to load.

•	Improved keyboard handling: Home and End move to the start and end of the bar, Enter as well as space presses a button, and ? toggles the information window of a button.

•	Improved parsing of INI file lines, with a more forgiving syntax (all fields except the program name are now optional).

•	The documentation is now in Windows Help format.  Press F1 in the bar or configurator, or use the Help buttons.  The documentation itself has been expanded and improved yet again.

•	3-D textured dialog boxes.

•	New SysInfo Add-In that shows free system resources, free disk space, free memory and other information.

•	Add-Ins now have their own About boxes, accessed from the main About box.

•	Buttons can now have Stone, Brick or Marble background textures.

•	Button icons can be stretched when using button sizes larger than Normal.  This can be used to improve appearance on hi-resolution displays (or to make big buttons with big icons!). Also, new Gigantic size buttons with 2x icons.

•	The configurator now has a button that makes Clysbar the Windows shell.

•	Special MinMax run style: runs program minimized, but it maximizes when restored.

•	Many bug fixes.


Bug Fixes

• Programs in the Startup bar now have full DOS icon and hotkey support.

• The error message "icon file not found" is amended to "icon file not found or no icons in file."

• A warning is given if your INI has icon bars that reference each other in a "loop."

• Cancel during configuration works better.

• CALEND's display in high resolution modes is fixed.

• Clysbar better detects when it is the Windows shell.

• Clysbar now uses the international time separator in its clock.

• Drag 'n' drop to a new menu with no items in it and no section header [ ] no longer causes an error.

• .ICL files are now processed correctly.


Included Files

CLYSBAR.EXE	The clySmic Icon Bar program.

CBCONFIG.EXE	The configuration program.

CLYSBAR.INI	The initialization file.

CLYSBAR.HLP	This help file.

CLYSCLOK.FON	A LCD-segment font for the clock display.

CLYSICON.DLL	Icon Bar and utility icons, in library format.

CLYSAROW.DLL	Up arrow icons, in library format.

README.WRI	Introductory documentation.

CALEND.CLB	The "page-a-day" calendar Add-In.

LINES.CLB	The random lines Add-In.

SYSINFO.CLB	The system information Add-In.

PAPER.EXE	Wallpaper changer utility.

RUN.EXE	clySmic program runner utility (like Progman's FILE | RUN menu choice).


Starting Clysbar

  Place all the included files (except the documentation file)  in the same directory - it can (but doesn't have to be) on your path.  The icon file (CLYSICON.DLL) can be placed in your icon directory - the icon directory can be set by the configurator.

To start Clysbar, add CLYSBAR.EXE to whatever program runner you use (Program Manager for instance), and run it.  You can also make Clysbar the Windows shell.

Making Clysbar the Windows Shell


Using Clysbar

Clysmic Button

The topmost button in every icon bar is the "clySmic" button.  Pressing this button brings up the Clysbar Options Dialog (see below).  Shift-Clicking on the button runs the Configurator.  Clicking with the right mouse button on the clySmic button hides all of the icon bar except the clySmic button.  Clicking again with the right mouse button restores the bar.  A double-right click on the clySmic button exits Clysbar.

Running Programs

To run a program from Clysbar, just click the appropriate icon button with the mouse.  Clysbar can also be configured to require a double-click to run, or to use the keyboard.  When the keyboard interface is active, you can move between buttons using the arrow keys and launch a program by pressing the spacebar.  A "focus rectangle" is drawn on the button with the current keyboard focus.

Info Windows

To see an icon button's program name or description, click on the icon with the right mouse button.  This opens an information window that shows you the program's name and command line, or, in the case of a icon bar button or Add-In, the name of the icon bar or Add-In.  Click again with the right button to close the Info Window.

Clysbar can be configured to have the Info Windows "pop" open when the mouse is moved over the icon button, thereby giving the effect of showing the program information "all the time" without taking up valuable screen space.  In this mode, as you move to another button or click on a different program, the Info Window closes.  Info Windows can also be configured to open when the icon button is being pressed.  Keyboard users can open and close the Info Window by pressing the ? key.

Icon Bars

To enter an icon bar, just click on that button.  The Main bar is now replaced by the program buttons and icon bar buttons of the icon bar you've just entered.   There is also an extra button just below the clySmic button.  Its the "up arrow" button and takes you up one icon bar level (DOS gurus will recognize it to be like the .. directory entry).  If a bar has more buttons than fit on the screen, it can be scrolled up and down with the PgUp and PgDn keys.

Note that icon bar buttons have stripes through them to distinguish them from normal program buttons.  This behavior can be configured to give light, medium or heavy striping, or no striping.  The stripe colors can be changed.

Other topics:

Multirun


Multirun

Multirun allows you run an entire icon bar of programs with one click.  This can be used to create "working set" icon bars with groups of programs you use often grouped together.

To use Multirun, Alt-Click on a icon bar button.  Clysbar will then ask if you want to run all the programs in that bar.  If you answer yes, all the programs will be run.


Drag 'n' Drop and QuickAdd

Clysbar allows you to use Windows 3.1's drag and drop protocol in two ways.  First, any program on the bar can be run by dropping a file on its button.  To do this drag a file from the File Manager over a button and let go.  The program on the button is run with the dropped file as the command-line parameter.  For example, if you drag and drop the file WIN.INI over the NOTEPAD icon, NOTEPAD is started and the WIN.INI file is loaded.  You cannot drop files on icon buttons or up arrow buttons.

The other use of drag 'n' drop is to drop files on the clySmic button, called QuickAdd.  These files are added to the bottom of the current icon bar, and can be temporary or permanent.  You will be asked by a dialog box whether to make the entry permanent or not.  Permanent additions are written to CLYSBAR.INI, temporary additions exist only until the icon bar is exited or reconfigured.

If you hold down the Shift key as you drop a file on the clySmic button, the button will run minimized.  If you hold the Ctrl key, it will run maximized.  This is analogous to using the Shift and Ctrl keys during a normal run via clicking a button.

Eliminating the "Make Permanent?" Query

QuickAdd Technical Note


There is a special INI file entry, in the [Config] section, that can be set with an editor.  It is KeepQuickAdd= and the possible values are Never, Always, and Ask.  The default is Ask.  If its set to one of the other values, no dialog box pops up during a QuickAdd.  Never makes all QuickAdds temporary, and Always makes all QuickAdds permanent.


When QuickAdd-ing a DOS program, Clysbar used to place a 65534 in the icon number field of the added button.  This has been changed to an entry referencing the first icon in CLYSICON.DLL.  The older syntax is still supported, so existing INI files will load correctly.  In all cases these gyrations are performed in order to give a "generic" DOS icon to DOS programs QuickAdd-ed to the icon bar.


The Clysbar Options Dialog

When you click on the clySmic button, which is always the top button in the icon bar, the Clysbar Options Dialog opens.  From there, you can configure Clysbar, find out which version of Clysbar and its Add-Ins is running, and display Windows information (similar to Program Manager's Help | About command).

The buttons are:

Configure

About

Help

Windows Info

Exit Clysbar

Exit Windows

Cancel


About Box
About

The About box, with information on clySmic Software and the version number of Clysbar.  Press Ok to exit the about box.

The About Add-Ins button will display About Boxes for all currently loaded Add-Ins.


Cancel Button
Cancel

Exits the Options Dialog and returns you to the icon bar.


Exit Icon Bar
Exit Clysbar

Exits Clysbar.  If Clysbar is the Windows shell, options for leaving Windows are presented, as if Exit Windows was selected.


Help

Brings up this Help system!


Windows Info

Displays various Windows version and resource information like the Help | About box in Program Manager.


Exiting Windows
Exit Windows

Gives you several ways to exit the Windows environment:

• Ok 	Exits Windows back to DOS.

• Cancel 	Cancels the exit.

• Restart	Exits Windows and then restarts it.

• Reboot	Exits Windows and then reboots the computer.


Configuring Clysbar

Configuring many of Clysbar's options is as simple as selecting choices from a dialog.  Just press the clySmic button, which opens the Options Dialog, and select Configure, or Shift-Click the clySmic button.  The Clysbar Configurator then opens.

The following are options you can select:

Default Icon Directory

Info Window Pops up On

Show Hot Keys in Info Window

Extended Error Reporting

Return to Main Bar on Run

Use Keyboard Interface

Always On Top

Display Clock

Display Greenwich Mean Time

Icon Bars

Colors

Fonts

Position

Registration

Make Shell

Backup INI

Help

Action To Run

Button Size

Stretch Icons

Icon Bar Button Shading

Up Button Style

Ok

Cancel

The following options can be changed by editing the CLYSBAR.INI file:

Changing the clySmic Button Icon

Changing Clysbar's Own Hot Key

Eliminating QuickAdd's "Make Permanent?" Query


Default Icon Directory

The default directory to load icons from, including .ICO and icon .DLL files.

If not specified, the directory Clysbar is run from is used.


Extended Error Reporting

Reports all problems with programs and their icons as Clysbar is starting.


Return to Main Bar on Run

Returns to the Main (topmost), icon bar whenever a program is run.


Use Keyboard Interface

Allows operation of Clysbar using the keyboard.  A keyboard focus rectangle (its color is selectable in the Colors Dialog) is displayed on the "current" button.

The arrow keys are used to navigate the bar; Home moves to the top (or leftmost) button in the bar; End moves to the bottom (or rightmost) button in the bar.

The Spacebar or Enter are used to run a program or enter an icon bar.


Always On Top

When selected this makes the icon bar appear on top of all other windows at all times.


Info Window Pops Up On
Info Window Pops Up On...

This option controls how Info Windows are opened and closed.  If you select Right Button Click Only, the way to see an icon button's description is to click once on the icon button with the right mouse button.  Right-click again to close the Info Window.

If you select Icon Button Press the Info Window will display whenever you press and hold the left mouse button over the icon button.  This allows you to see the description as you are selecting that button.

The third choice, Mouse Passing Over, opens an Info Window when the mouse is moved over the icon button in question.  This allows you to see the program names or descriptions at all times without clicking on any buttons.

Note that the right-click method is available in all modes, and keyboard users can use the ? key to open and close an Info Window.


Show Hot Keys in Info Window

When this box is checked, any hot keys assigned to the icon button's program will be added to the Info Window in parenthesis:

When unchecked, hot keys still work, but are not shown:


Display Clock

Turns the clock display in the clySmic button on or off.  The font the clock is displayed with is selectable by pressing the Fonts Button.


Display Greewich Mean Time
Display Greenwich Mean Time

Toggles between showing local time and GMT.

See also:  Number of Hours East of Greenwich


Number of Hours East of Greenwich

Enter the number of hours East of Greenwich your local time zone lies, in order to calculate GMT.  Note: you must compensate for Daylight Savings Time (Summer Time) manually.

So if you're on the East coast of the U.S., you would use 5 when Eastern Standard Time is in effect (winter), and 4 when Eastern Daylight Time is in effect (summer).

If you are West of Greenwich, England, you enter the hours as a negative number.


Action to Run a Program
Action to Run

Choose a single-click (button-like), or a double-click (Program Manager-like) to run a program or enter an icon bar.


Stretch Icons

Selecting this choice will allow Clysbar to scale your icons. For sizes larger than normal, the icon is enlarged to follow the button size, for sizes smaller than Normal, the icon is shrunk.  If this choice is not selected, the icon size remains constant no matter what the button size.  This option has no effect if the button size is Normal.

If stretched icons are selected, there will be some distortion of the icon image.  For the larger sizes, this can be minimized by using the Gigantic button size which generates a 2x icon.

Note that button textures do not currently work with stretch icons.


Button Size

You can choose any size you like from the list - sizes below Normal are very small, but you can get more buttons on a bar.  Sizes larger than Normal allow for less buttons, but are more easily seen.

Auto is recommended and adjusts the button sizes to match differing screen sizes, from VGA through SuperVGA to XGA/8514.

Gigantic buttons are exactly 2x Normal, and look good with Stretch Icons turned on.


Menu Button Shading
Icon Bar Button Shading

Selects shading to identify buttons that represent icon bars, rather than programs.  You can select Light, Medium, Heavy, or None.


Up Button Style

Choose from a variety of "go up one icon bar" buttons.  These are displayed whenever you're in an icon bar that is below Main, the topmost icon bar.  They take you back up one level to the parent icon bar of the current icon bar.


Position Button
Position

The position dialog is where you can choose which orientation the icon bar has: vertical down a side (your choice of left side or right side), or horizontal across the top of the screen.

To fine-tune the position of the bar from the edges of the screen, there are controls to specify x and y offsets from the top and sides of the screen (in pixels).  These can be in the range 0 - 30 pixels and are used to place a "margin" around the icon bar.


Colors Button
Colors (and Textures)

Choose the colors of the buttons, text and shading.  For the keyboard highlight color, there is an extra selection: "focus line."  This shows a dotted outline rather than a color for the keyboard focus rectangle.

You may also select a special button background texture.  The available textures are stone, marble, and brick.  Textures do not currently work with the stretch icons option.

Note that the clock color is also used for the text of the button information window and the button drag highlighting.

The special colors coke-bottle green and robin's-egg blue are only available on systems with video drivers supporting 256 or more colors.


Fonts Button
Fonts

This button allows you to select two fonts, one for the clock of  the Clysmic button, and the other for the text in the Info Window.  Both fonts are selected using Windows common font dialogs.


Help Button
Help

Pressing the Help button takes you to this help system.


Registration Button
Registration

A dialog to enter registration information after the program has been registered.  This eliminates the "reminder" dialog.

Only personal names will be accepted for registration: no handles, and no company names (unless the company contacts clySmic Software for volume discounts and/or site licenses).

How to Register


Programs Button
Icon Bars

This starts Notepad and allows you to edit the INI file directly, which you need to do to add or change program entries (statements).

Each icon bar has its own section, the section name is in square brackets [Like This].  The only required section name is [Main].  Following the section is a list of the buttons for that bar.

Three entry types are supported, a Program Entry Format, an Icon Bar Entry Format, and an Add-In Entry Format.

Check the starter CLYSBAR.INI file supplied with this product for more examples of how the INI file is constructed.

Obsolete INI Statements


Obsolete INI Statements
The following INI file statements are obsolete and may be removed from CLYSBAR.INI:

Section	Statement
Config	BorderWidth=
Config	AutoInfoWin=
Config	MenuShading=
Colors	MenuShade=


Backup INI Button
Backup INI

Pressing the Backup INI Button makes a backup copy of your CLYSBAR.INI file, called CLYSBAR.BAK.


Make Shell Button
Make Shell

Pressing this button makes Clysbar the default Windows shell.  The name of the old shell (usually PROGMAN.EXE) is saved in an entry in SYSTEM.INI called OldShell=.

To restore the old shell in the event you do not want Clysbar to be the shell, edit SYSTEM.INI and delete the Shell= line and rename the OldShell= line to Shell=.


Program Entry Format

The following is the format of a program entry in the INI file:

PROGRAMNAME={RUNSTYLE}{, ICONFILE}{, ICONNUMBER}{, STARTINGDIR}{, DESCRIPTION}{, HOTKEY}

All fields are except program name and the = sign are optional and can be dropped out of a statement.  Note that you still need to include commas where fields are dropped out (see examples, below).

Syntax Conventions

Examples:

PBRUSH=

Runs PBRUSH.EXE in a Normal (not Minimized or Maximized) Window, uses PBRUSH.EXE for the icon file, and uses the first icon in the file.  The omitted icon file name assumes the use of the same name as the EXE you're running and this only works for Windows EXE files (which contain icons).

NOTEPAD=Max,,, C:\MYFILES

Runs NOTEPAD.EXE maximized (takes up the full screen), uses its own 1st icon, and changes the directory to C:\MYFILES before running it.  A variation:

NOTEPAD MYFILE.TXT=Max,,, C:\MYFILES

does the same thing but passes a command-line parm to Notepad.

DOSTUFF.BAT=, WILD

Runs the DOSTUFF.BAT batch file, the normal is ignored since PIF files control DOS programs, uses the icon file WILD.ICO for the icon.  Since .ICO files only hold one icon, no icon number need be supplied.

MYDOC.WRI=

Runs the associated program (WRITE.EXE in this case).  The icon parameters (ICONFILE, ICONNUM) all refer to Write and, since they're omitted, the first icon in WRITE.EXE is used.

TPW=,,,,Turbo Pascal for Windows, Ctrl-Alt-T

This runs TPW.EXE, and uses defaults for all fields except the description and the hot key fields.

exprog=Max, clysicon.dll, 5, c:\foo, Example Program, Ctrl-Alt-E

This entry overrides all defaults to run exprog.exe.  Its run maximized, the icon is the 5th icon in clysicon.dll, we change to c:\foo before running the program, the Info Window description is "Example Program" and a hot key of Ctrl-Alt-E is assigned.

NOTEPAD ??=

This runs Notepad and prompts you for a command-line parameter.


Menu Bar Entry Format
Icon Bar Entry Format

The following is the format of a icon bar entry in the INI file:

>ICONBARNAME=ICONFILE{, ICONNUMBER}

Several "starter" icons for icon bar buttons have been included in the file CLYSICON.DLL.

Note that there are several restrictions on the names for icon bars: Config, Registration, and Colors cannot be used, Main is already used for the main bar, and any items in a bar named Startup will be executed when Clysbar starts (if its the Windows shell).

Syntax Conventions

Examples:

>Sys Config=syscon

Looks for a section called [Sys Config] with programs under it.  The icon SYSICON.ICO is used on the button.

>My C Programs=clysicon.dll, 9

This uses the 9th icon (representing programming) in the CLYSICON.DLL file for the icon bar button icon.


Add-In Entry Format

The following is the format of an Add-In entry in the INI file:

*ADDINNAME=

Note: there is supposed to be nothing after the equals sign!

Syntax Conventions

Example:

*CALEND=

runs an add-in named CALEND.CLB.

Add-Ins


Ok Button

Saves changes and restarts the Clysmic Icon Bar.


Cancel Button

Exits without saving changes.


Changing the clySmic Button Icon

To change the icon on the clySmic button, edit the [Config] section of CLYSBAR.INI and add an entry of the following type:

ClysBtn=ICONFILE{,ICONNUMBER}

This will use the icon or DLL file instead of the clySmic logo.  Note that this file must be in the default icon directory, no paths are permitted.  Included in CLYSICON.DLL are some colored triangles suitable for being the background to a clock on the clySmic button.  So leave the clock on, set the clock color to white, and try this entry:

ClysBtn=clysicon.dll, 24

This will give a clySmic button similar to the one illustrated above.


Changing Clysbar's Own Hot Key

Clysbar's own hot key is, by default, Ctrl-Alt-C.  To change this, edit the [Config] section of CLYSBAR.INI and add an entry of the type:

HotKey=HOTKEY


Clysbar as the Windows Shell

The shell is the Windows program that first runs when you start Windows.  Its normally the Program Manager.  Clysbar can replace the Program Manager and be the Windows main program runner.  To make Clysbar the Windows shell, go to the Configurator, then press the Make Shell button.

Processing WIN.INI's Load= and Run= Lines

Startup Icon Bar


Processing WIN.INI's Load= and Run= Lines

Clysbar will execute whatever you have on your Load= and Run= lines in WIN.INI.  There is one enhancement: if you want to run a program with a command-line parameter, such as

NOTEPAD MYFILE.TXT

you can replace the space between the command and the parm in the load or run line with an octothorpe (#).  For example:

load=NOTEPAD#MYFILE.TXT WINFILE

loads NOTEPAD with the file MYFILE.TXT and the File Manager, both as icons.

Startup Icon Bar


The Startup Menu Bar
The Startup Icon Bar

If Clysbar is the shell it will also process any icon bar with the name Startup when Windows is starting up.  The programs in that bar (if any) will be loaded in a top-to-bottom order.  Clysbar ships with an empty Startup bar (beneath the Sys Config bar).  You can quickly add entries to it by using QuickAdd, or by editing the INI file.

To override all Startup bar processing, hold down the Shift key while starting up Windows.  You can release the key when Clysbar beeps.

Processing of WIN.INI's Load= and Run= Lines


Add-Ins

Add-Ins are DLLs that run within the bar to provide special display buttons.  Three Add-Ins are provided: Calend, which shows a calendar with the date and day of the week, Lines, which draws random lines, and SysInfo, which displays various system information.  These are specified by a special INI entry beginning with an * (see Add-In Entry Format).  They must reside in the same directory as CLYSBAR.EXE and they have a .CLB file extension.  Try pressing the button to alter the display:  Lines will draw the lines differently, Calend will toggle between showing the day of the week and the year at the bottom of the calendar page.

Moon Phase Add-In

Writing Add-Ins


Moon Phase Add-In
The Moon Phase Add-In is available separately from clySmic Software, either as CBMOON.ZIP or directly from clySmic (send $3.00 s&h unless ordering Clysbar at the same time).

Moon Phase Add-In Help (avail. only if Add-In installed)


SysInfo Add-In

SysInfo displays several pieces of system information - you can cycle through them by clicking on SysInfo's button.

•	Free System Resources, in a "gas gauge" bar graph format.

•	Free space on all the non-removable drives in your system in a "gas gauge" bar graph format - click to see the next drive.

•	Free memory.

•	Video system information: the display resolution and number of colors.

•	Miscellaneous information: CPU type, Windows mode, and the math coprocessor status.

SysInfo remembers which information you displayed last and starts by displaying that information, although it always starts up with the lowest drive letter.  SysInfo creates and uses SYSINFO.INI.


For Windows programmers, the Clysbar Add-In Software Development Kit is available, with instructions and source code examples in "C" and Pascal, either as CBSDK.ZIP or directly from clySmic (send $3.00 s&h unless ordering Clysbar at the same time).


Shortcuts

There are some time-saving shortcuts you can use to speed your use of Clysbar.  There are shortcuts for:

Running Programs

Navigation

Clysbar Program Control


Running Programs Shortcut
Program Running Shortcuts

•	Shift-Click runs a program minimized (like Program Manager).

•	Ctrl-Click runs a program maximized.

•	Alt-Click on a icon bar button Multiruns (runs all the programs in) that icon bar.


Navigation Shortcuts

•	Ctrl or Shift click on an up arrow button goes directly to the Main icon bar, even if you are several bars (levels) down.

•	Shift-Click on a icon bar button temporarily overrides the Main-On-Run feature while you are in that icon bar.


Program Control Shortcuts

•	A Double-Right-Click on the Clysmic Button closes Clysbar.

•	Dragging a program over from the File Manager to the clySmic button QuickAdds that program to the bottom of the current icon bar.

•	Shift-Click on the clySmic button runs the Configurator program directly.


Runner Program
Runner Program (Run)

RUN allows you to browse and run a program not on the icon bar (similar to Progman's File|Run menu choice).

When you execute run, you can browse through your disk directories and run any (runnable!) file.  You can also type a filename into the program name box (this will search the path, if needed).  Click on the arrow to the right of the program name box to choose from a history list of the last 35 programs you've run.

To see different kinds of files, you can use the "List Files of Type" combo box.  Non-program files like *.TXT files can be "run" if they have an association (created by the File Manager).


The history list is stored in the file RUN.HST.


Wallpaper Changer Program
Wallpaper Changer Program (Paper)

Paper allows you to easily change the Windows wallpaper.  With no parameters (Paper), Paper brings up a dialog box of .BMP files.  Select one and it becomes your wallpaper.  Paper also accepts a command-line parameter of the .BMP filename, for example:

PAPER HONEY.BMP

loads honey.bmp as your wallpaper.  This feature allows .BMP files to be dropped from File Manager onto the Paper icon in the icon bar.  If you run Paper minimized (by holding down the Shift key and clicking its icon) it will toggle the wallpaper mode between centered and tiled.


Future Directions

•	Icon sizes other than 32x32 16-colors are supported, but are converted to the 32x32x16 format for display.  I haven't been able to test Clysbar with a display driver that uses 64x64 icons because I've never seen one!

•	Full support of configuration program with no INI file editing will be in version 2.00.  This is still in the works!!

•	Visual selection of icons.


Requirements and Incompatibilities

•	Clysbar requires Windows 3.1, as it takes advantage of many 3.1 features, including the icon extraction API, API to run a program with a start directory, icons for DOS programs, drag 'n' drop running, API for free system resources, & advanced Windows help.

•	Clysbar does work with the October 1992 beta release of Windows NT, but it cannot be the system shell and there may be some slight incompatibilities.  There will be a release of Clysbar especially for Windows NT sometime in 1993.


Icons in CLYSICON.DLL

CLYSICON.DLL is a collection of icons for use with Clysbar.  While they can be used for any purpose, their main use is providing icons for icon bar buttons.  As such they represent concepts like "graphics" and "programming."  The triangle series are meant to be used as a background for the clySmic button.

Icon
No.	Use

1	MS-DOS icon, (used for drag 'n' dropped DOS programs)

2	General Applications

3	Debugging

4	Games

5	Accessories, or tools

6	Multimedia

7	Graphics

8	Writing, text editing

9	Programming

10	Key, startup

11	System Configuration, or Windows

12	Document

13	Light bulb, utilities

14	Notes

15	Folders

16	Mail, envelope

17	Disk, database

18	Communications (telephone poles)

19	Moon

20	Another moon

21 - 33	Colored triangles for clySmic button background

34	Dusk

35	Fractal

36 - 48	Colored circles for clySmic button background

49	Communications (radio tower)

50	Note


Clysbar Error Messages

Can't Add Any More Applications to Icon Bar

Cannot Process the Load Line in WIN.INI

Cannot Process the Run Line in WIN.INI

Corrected Button Class Double-click Error

Can't Load Add-In

Too Many Add-Ins Specified

Add-In 'x' Reports a Version No. Mismatch...

File Not a Windows EXE, DLL or Icon File

Icon Bar Must be Run Under Windows 3.1 or Greater

Icon Number out of Range in 'x' - File Has 'y' Icons

Icon File 'x' Not Found or No Icons In File

No Timers Available

Icon Bar [x] Points Back to Icon Bar [y] in INI File - Endless Loop!

Can't Run Config Program

Too Many Applications in Icon Bar

x's Hot Key (y) Needs to Contain at Least Two "Shift Keys" (Ctrl-, Alt-, or Shift-)

 x's Hot Key (y) is Already in Use by Another Program

Too Many Icon Bars


Can't Add Any More Applications to Icon Bar - You attempted to QuickAdd an 18th program to an icon bar.  Try adding the program to an icon bar with less programs in it.


Cannot Process the Load Line in WIN.INI - the load= line in WIN.INI was somehow not found.  WIN.INI may be corrupted.


Cannot Process the Run Line in WIN.INI - the run= line in WIN.INI was somehow not found.  WIN.INI may be corrupted.


Corrected Button Class Double-click Error - some programs disable the double-click behavior of buttons (accidentally, I presume).  Clysbar checks for this when you click the right mouse button over Clysbar and displays this message as the problem is corrected.  This problem could have caused users of  Clysbar who preferred to double-click buttons to not be able to start programs.


Can't Load Add-In - The Add-In wasn't able to be loaded, probably the file specified wasn't found.


Too Many Add-Ins Specified - You can only specify five Add-Ins at once in Clysbar.


File Not a Windows EXE, DLL or Icon File - The file you've specified as the file to get the icon from isn't the correct type of file.  It must be a Windows executable, a Windows DLL, or a Windows icon file.


clySmic Icon Bar Must be Run Under Windows 3.1 or Greater - Clysbar must run under Windows 3.1 or a later release.


Icon Number out of Range in 'x' - File Has 'y' Icons - The icon number you've requested was greater than the total number of icons in the file.


Icon File 'x' Not Found or No Icons in File - Clysbar either cannot find the icon file specified or it found the file but there weren't any icons in it.


No Timers Available - You are using the maximum number of Windows timers.  Close another program that uses timers and restart Clysbar.


Add-In 'x' Reports a Version No. Mismatch - Clysbar May Become Unstable - Please Obtain an Updated Copy of the Add-In - The indicated Add-In was written for a different version of Clysbar than the one you're running.  Either obtain a up-to-date version of the Add-In or discontinue using it.


Can't Run Config Program - there was a system problem loading the configuration program.  Make sure CBCONFIG.EXE is still in the directory that CLYSBAR.EXE is in.  Also, try shutting down and restarting Windows.


Too Many Applications in Icon Bar - You can only have up to 17 applications per icon bar.  Create a new icon bar and place programs there.


Too Many Icon Bars - You can have up to 30 icon bars, you've exceeded that limit.


Icon Bar [x] Points Back to Icon Bar [y] in INI File - Endless Loop! - In the definition of icon bar x, there is a reference to icon bar y, which was already processed.  This "circular" reference is not allowed and Clysbar is terminated.  You must edit the INI file and remove the circular reference.


x's Hot Key (y) Needs to Contain at Least Two "Shift Keys" (Ctrl-, Alt-, or Shift-) - You cannot make a hot key out of, for instance, Ctrl-A.  A hot key needs two modifiers, e.g. Ctrl-Shift-A or Ctrl-Alt-A.


x's Hot Key (y) is Already in Use by Another Program - the hot key you are trying to assign is already in use.  The key is assigned and it is undefined which program the hot key activates.  This is a warning only.


Windows Error Messages
Possible Windows Errors When Trying to Run a Program

System Out of Memory or Corrupt Executable

File Not Found

Path Not Found

Dynamic Link to Task or Network Problem

Library Data Segment Error

Not Enough Memory to Start App

Incorrect Windows Version

Invalid Executable File

Application Designed for OS/2

Application Designed for DOS 4.0

Unknown Executable File Type

Real Mode Application

Writable Data Segment Error

Compressed Executable File

Dynamic Link-Library Invalid or Corrupt

Application Requires Windows 32-bit Extensions (Win32)

Share Error

Association Incomplete

Dynamic Data Exchange Timeout

Dynamic Data Exchange Failure

Dynamic Data Exchange Busy

No Association for File

Unknown Error (x)


Registration Information
General Registration Information
(and Legal Stuff)

Clysbar is copyright 1992 by clySmic Software (say "Cliz-Mik").  All rights reserved.

Clysbar is released as Shareware.  After a thirty day trial period, you must register Clysbar or discontinue using it.  See below for ordering details.

You will receive by mail a user ID number which will eliminate the reminder messages when Clysbar starts up.  The latest copy of Clysbar will be available on CompuServe (GO WINADV).

You may copy the program and distribute it without charge for non-commercial, non-governmental use.  You may not sell or otherwise charge for Clysbar.  However, users' groups may charge a small fee for media and postage.  Please be certain that all files are kept together.

This program is provided AS IS without any warranty, expressed or implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular purpose.  So there.

clySmic Software is not responsible for anything that may happen when you use Clysbar, including hardware damage or information loss.

To order either:

•	Send $24.95 in cash, check or money order to clySmic Software at the address listed in the Order Form.

•	Register via the CompuServe on-line service.  Note that no diskettes will be shipped for CompuServe orders.

•	Register via MasterCard, Visa, Amex, or Discover from the Public (software) Library.  PsL orders will be $24.95 plus a $5 shipping and handling charge.

For quantity orders or site licenses, please contact clySmic directly for more details and volume discounts.  Site licenses will be allowed to have the company name as the "user name."

Please Make Checks or Money Orders Payable to Ralph B Smith Jr - All Checks Made Out to clySmic Software Will Be Returned!!!


Registering via Credit Card
Registering Clysbar via Credit Card

Clysbar can be ordered via MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover from the Public (software) Library by calling 1-800/2424-PsL or 1-713/524-6394, by fax to 1-713/524-6398, or by CompuServe e-mail to 71355,470.  These numbers are for orders only.  PsL orders will be $24.95 plus a $5 shipping and handling charge.  Clysbar is product no. 10683.

To insure that you get the latest version, PsL will notify us the day of your order and we will ship the product directly to you.  Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order, refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, &c., must be directed to clySmic Software.

You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.

General Registration Info


Registering Clysbar via CompuServe

Clysbar can be registered via the CompuServe on-line service.  Sign on to CompuServe and type GO SWREG for more details.  Clysbar is registered program ID number 31, and the title is CLYSMIC ICON BAR.  The cost is charged to your CompuServe account.

The latest version of Clysbar can be found (among other places) on CompuServe, in the Windows Advanced forum (GO WINADV).

General Registration Info


Order Form
Print Me!

TM

S  o  f  t  w  a  r  e

clySmic Icon Bar Order Form

Please Print Clearly

Clysbar Version:	___1.70____	Date:	___________

Name:	___________________________________________

(Print name as it should appear in the registration dialog - no handles or company names please)

Address:	___________________________________________

___________________________________________

City:	_____________________	State:	___________

Country:	_____________________	Zip or Postal

Code:	___________

Quantity: ______________    x $24.95 each = Subtotal:	$__________

New York Sales Tax (New York residents only):	$__________

Total Payment:	$__________

Where did you find Clysbar?	________________________________

Make Checks or Money Orders Payable - in U.S. Dollars drawn on a U.S. bank - to Ralph B Smith Jr.

All Checks Made Out to clySmic Software will be returned!

Mail to:	clySmic Software
P. O. Box 2421
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12220

Please allow 2 weeks for processing.   Personal checks will be held for 2 weeks for the checks to clear.  To expedite orders send a cashier's check, money order or use the CompuServe registration service or the PsL credit card service.


clySmic Information

S  o  f  t  w  a  r  e

clySmic Software
P. O. Box 2421
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12220

CompuServe 76156,164


clySmic World Headquarters


.ICO Files are files that contain a single icon.


Windows .EXE files are programs, but since they're Windows programs these files can also contain icons.


.DLL files are Dynamic Link Library files, which are another kind of Windows program file.  These files can also be libraries of icons, and are a good way to collect a group of icons.  CLYSICON.DLL and CLYSAROW.DLL are examples of DLL icon libraries.


Notepad is the Windows full-screen text editor.  It is used by Clysbar to edit the program entries in the CLYSBAR.INI file.


Syntax Conventions for INI File Lines

The parts of the statement in capital letters represent the fields which you replace with the specific information about the program you want to run.  Thus, PROGRAMNAME represents the name of the program you want to run.

The equals signs (=), greater than signs (>), asterisks (*) and commas (,) are literal characters in the statement and should be typed in as shown.

Items in curly brackets {} denote optional parts of a statement.  One does not actually type the brackets anywhere in the statement.  I've switched to using the curly bracket notation due to the confusion with the icon bar names, which actually are surrounded by square brackets in the INI file.  The curly brackets are only a notation convention to set off optional parts of a statement.


PROGRAMNAME represents the program to run, including the full pathname if the program is not on the DOS path.  An EXE file extension is assumed, but you can run COM or BAT files, or any file with an association (create the association using File Manager).


RUNSTYLE represents the way you wish to run the program.  The allowable entries for this field are:

• Normal, which runs the program normally (!).

• Max, which runs the program maximized (as large as it can be run).

• Min, which runs the program minimized (as an icon at the bottom of the screen).

• MinMax, which runs the program minimized, but when its restored it becomes maximized.

The default value of this field if omitted is Normal.


ICONFILE represents a file which contains an icon or icons.  It can be an .ICO file, which contains one icon, a Windows .EXE file, which can contain multiple icons, or a .DLL file, which can also contain multiple icons.  If an EXE or DLL is specified, you can choose which icon to use by using the ICONNUMBER field.

The default value of this field if omitted is the PROGRAMNAME file.  This arrangement makes adding Windows programs easier.


ICONNUMBER represents the number of the icon you wish to use within an EXE or DLL file.  It is ignored for ICO files.  The default value of this field if omitted is the first icon in the ICONFILE file.


STARTINGDIR represents the starting directory, i.e.: the directory  to change to before running the program.  The default value of this field if omitted is the current directory, in other words, no change directory is done before launching.


DESCRIPTION represents the phrase you wish to appear in the Info Window for this program button.  It can be any descriptive phrase you wish.  The default value of this field if omitted is the program name.


ICONBARNAME represents the name of the icon bar you want to make a button for.  The definition of the bar will be found later in the INI file in Square Brackets, followed by its programs.


HOTKEY is the hot key to assign to the program.  Pressing this key combination when the program is running brings the program to the foreground of the screen.

A hot key is composed of two "shift" type keys (Ctrl, Alt, or Shift) plus an alphabet key.  It is written separated by dashes (-).  For example Ctrl-Alt-Z is a valid hot key.  The default value of this field if omitted is no hot key.


CLYSBAR.INI is Clysbar's INItialization file, the file that contains all the information to customize Clysbar to run programs, use colors and options, and to display the icon bars.


VGA - a video standard with a screen size of 640x480 pixels.


SuperVGA - a video standard with a screen size of 800x600 pixels.


XGA or 8514 - video standards with a screen size of 1024x768 pixels.


GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, a time zone based at Greenwich, England, former site of the Royal Observatory.  It is also known as UTC time and Zulu time.  GMT is used by short-wave listeners, ham radio operators, military personnel, and others who need to use a "world" time.  It is 24-hour based (no AM/PM).


ADDINNAME represents the file name of the Add-In.  The .CLB extension is assumed.


Program Button - a button that when pressed or dropped upon, runs a program.


Icon Bar Button - a button that enters and displays another icon bar (the topmost icon bar is called Main).


Add-In Button - this is a button that displays an Add-In program.