The Soft-Sci Screen Saver Shareware ½ Copyright 1990,91,92 by Michael Crisafulli Had STart Magazine not folded the Soft-Sci Saver would have appeared some time in 1991 as the STart Screen Saver. I am grateful to the suggestions I received from the staff at STart which made the Saver easier to use. I have now upgraded and released the Saver as SHAREWARE. If you use it please send a contribution US dollars to me at the address below. Become a registered user for a contribution of $20 US ($25 US outside of the US or Canada) or more and I will send you a disk containing useful utility programs which complement the Saver. These utilities are described at the end of this file. I encourage wide distribution of the Saver so long as this text file and the image files are included with it. This Shareware distribution includes the following files: ST_SAVER.TXT - This documentation file ST_SAVER.PRG - The fully functional Saver SAVERM.IMG - Default mono balloon SAVERC.IMG - Default color balloon ST_SAVER.LSM - Sample mono list file ST_SAVER.LSC - Sample color list file MONO folder - Some mono balloons COLOR folder - Some color balloons (The files ST_SAVER.LSM and .LSC may need to be edited to point to the MONO and COLOR folders.) Michael Crisafulli 7 Garden Path Farmington, Connecticut 06032 USA The Soft-Sci Screen Saver What is a Screen Saver? The phosphors on the screen of any video device are susceptible to damage if they are left with the same image for a long period of time. The image can actually be burned into the screen. The function of a screen saver is very simple: if the computer is inactive for a period of time, darken the screen to prevent damage. Despite this very important function, screen savers are perhaps the most unheralded of programs, never noticed until they actually do their job. However, as illustrated by the host of savers available for the Macintosh, they also offer an opportunity for creativity and entertainment. Walking past several idle Macs provided the inspiration for this Saver. One screen had a small ghostly face which reminded me of the Wizard of Oz on an otherwise dark screen. Another had a Simpsons cartoon bubble floating quietly, if that is possible. The Soft-Sci Screen Saver is more than a utilitarian program, and you can make it very much your own. When it is active it displays a black screen with a small picture bubble or balloon which moves continuously, bouncing off the edges of your screen. The picture your Saver displays can be different from every other one. In fact, it can be different every time you boot your computer. The installation program can automatically select a new image specification for the next boot-up. Using the Saver To install the Saver place the program file ST_SAVER.PRG and the IMG file to be read in the AUTO folder of your boot disk. For monochrome monitors the image file should be named SAVERM.IMG and for color monitors, SAVERC.IMG. The program determines which monitor is attached and reads the appropriate file. If you prefer you may include a configuration file called ST_SAVER.DAT in the AUTO folder to tell the Saver the name and location of the picture to load. If you use this configuration file, the picture file need not be in the AUTO folder, but must be available on line at boot time. ST_SAVER.DAT should contain a line which begins with P> and contains the full pathname of the image file. For example this one, P> d:\imgs\einstein.img specifies the file EINSTEIN.IMG in the folder IMGS on drive D. You can create the DAT file with any text editor and save it as an ASCII file. The Saver Editor, provided to registered users, has a facility for creating DAT files. When the computer is rebooted the Saver will install itself. The sign-on message will briefly display the name of the IMG file read and then indicate successful or unsuccessful installation. If installation fails, the bell will ring and the reason for failure will be displayed. The most likely reason is an IMG file read error. This could be because the file could not be found, because it was the wrong resolution for the monitor, because it was the wrong kind of file, or because the image was too large. The Saver is particulary choosy about these images. I have included several balloons with this distribution. The Saver Editor makes it easy to produce your own balloon images which are completely compatible with the Saver. The second reason for failure, no vectors available, is highly unlikely. If you get this message you probably have another program in your AUTO folder which is incompatible with the Saver. Rename the other programs from .PRG to .PRX and reboot. Try different combinations to find the conflicting program. After installation the Saver is invisible. It continuously monitors the keyboard and the modem interface for activity and becomes active only when it has detected no activity for a predetermined period of time. This period defaults to between seven and ten minutes, depending on the type of monitor. Once it is active the screen is instantly restored by pressing any key or moving the mouse. Automatic Image Selection at Boot Up ST_SAVER.PRG will automatically select a different Saver balloon image for the next boot up if it finds a list file called ST_SAVER.LST (or .LSM or .LSC) in the AUTO folder. For this option to work the boot disk must be write enabled. The path line in ST_SAVER.DAT will be replaced but any other information is retained. ST_SAVER.DAT will be created if it is not there. This ST_SAVER operation can distinguish color and monochrome operation. When the ST is booted in monochrome the program first looks for the file ST_SAVER.LSM. In color the program looks for ST_SAVER.LSC. Use these files respectively (with RANDOM file selection as explained below) if you normally switch monitors on your system. If these first files are not found the standard ST_SAVER.LST is opened. Images referenced in any of the list files must be either all color or all monochrome. The Saver will fail to load an image which does not match the monitor in use. ST_SAVER.LST is an ASCII file with a code line and then an image path on each line. The following sample file instructs ST_SAVER to randomly select any of the four image balloons listed. C:\AUTO\IMGS\UNDEAD1.IMG C:\AUTO\IMGS\HORROR.IMG C:\AUTO\IMGS\ROSEMAR2.IMG C:\AUTO\IMGS\LREDHEAD.IMG ST_SAVER.LST (and its sisters) can be created with any ASCII text editor, but SAVER_ED.PRG, provided to registered users, includes a built-in facility for building and maintaining the file. Compatibility with Other Programs The Saver will normally not affect the program whose screen it interrupts. The interrupted program continues to execute as before. An important exception is a program which itself automatically switches the physical screen. In this case it is possible for the screen pointers to be confused and the wrong screen restored. This is true only when the screen is switched automatically by the program. If the user causes the screen to be switched through a keyboard or mouse action, the activity will be detected through the keyboard interrupt intercept and the real screen restored before the command gets to the program. Any program which completely bypasses the normal operating system routines is also incompatible. Deluxe Paint is an example. Keyboard and mouse operations are not passed along to the Saver so it cannot be turned off. The toolset provided to resistered users includes facilities for addressing these incompatibilites. I have also found an alarm clock accessory which prevents the Saver from operating on the Desktop or when a GEM application is running. During normal operation the Saver takes very little time to execute. You will not notice any change in the way your computer runs. While the saver screen is displayed the animation routine does use execution time which will slow down any number crunching in the interrupted program. This is especially true at high animation speeds. If you're running a ray tracing program which takes hours to complete you might be better off not installing the Saver and just turning your monitor off. The Saver does require a full 32000 byte screen buffer memory as well as the interrupt handlers and the balloon animation routine. The memory used to install the Saver and read the IMG file are returned to the system after installation. Incidently, you should not use two screen savers at the same time. Some AUTO folder programs, such as the Atari mouse accelerator, include a screen saver with their other functions. Such programs usually provide a disabling capability. Other Compatibilities I have run the Saver on color and monochrome systems with TOS 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 for well over a year without problems. It is probably compatible with the STe but all bets are off for anything else. Its screen size is fixed, so it is not compatible with large screen monitors. Becoming a Registered User The Soft-Sci Screen Saver is Shareware. If you use the program send a contribution to compensate me for the considerable effort I expended to produce it (STart never paid me). For a contribution of $20 US ($25 US outside of the US or Canada) you become a registered user, and will receive the following utility programs: Saver Image Editor - Cut a piece from a DEGAS, NEO, IFF or IMG picture and save it as a balloon image, plus other goodies, such as specifying the delay time and creating auto-selection lists. Saver Control Panel - Turn the Saver on or off, or change the time before it becomes active. A library of color and monochrome balloons. A utility to run Deluxe Paint while the Saver is active. Send your contribution to: Michael Crisafulli 7 Garden Path Farmington, Connecticut 06032 USA