Medialinx Tips32 Development Kit Version 1.10 for EPOC/32 and OPL/32 Revision: 12th April 1999 Author: Graham Crichton Publisher: Medialinx Internet Solutions Language: English NEW in v1.10 - Window size remains the same even if the screen size changes. - Tips32 can now remain on top of all other windows if the developer wants it to. - Developers can protect their tips files from reverse engineering by now using Protect.opo. - The Psion SIS file now copies files to a Tips32 folder instead of the Documents folder. Overview ======== Tips32 is a piece of software aimed at OPL software developers to add a Windows style tips interface to their programs. Tips32 can be customised in a number of ways. * You can change the title of the window * You can hide/show the "Credits" button * You can hide/show/change the name of the author of the Tips file * You can make the Tips32 window appear on top at all times Tips32 is an OPM (OPL Module) and conforms to EPOC World OPM Standards. Installation ============ You can install Tips32 automatically by running Tips32.sis from the Add/Remove control panel or EPOC Install. You can install Tips32 manually by following these simple steps: 1. Create a directory (if it does not exist) \System\Opm 2. Copy Tips32.opm to C:\System\Opm\ 3. Copy Tips32.mbm to C:\System\Opm\ 4. Create a directory (if it does not exist) \Tips32 5. Copy Protect.opo to C:\Tips32\ 6. Copy Template.tip to C:\Tips32\ 7. Copy Example to C:\Tips32\ 8. Copy Tips32opm.sis to C:\Tips32\ 9. Copy Titanic.tip to C:\Tips32\ (Optional) * Example is an OPL example using Tips32. * Titanic.tip is an example of a Tips32 tips file. * Template.tip is a template tips file that you shoud use when creating your own tips files. * Protect.opo allows you to protect your Tips files from tampering. Protect makes a protected copy of your tips database which you can distribute and it leaves the original alone. * Do NOT install Tips32opm.sis. This file is only provided for distribution purposes. Adding Tips to your program =========================== To add tips to your program you must first create a databse of tips containing SIX Text fields (with a length of 40 characters each). You can copy and edit the supplied template file Template.tips to avoid creating a new one. Titanic.tip has also been supplied with this package. It demonstrates a completed tips file. You must create a record for use as your index record. The first record in the file will contain the name of the Tips Window, the name of the author, whether the "Credits" button is to be displayed or not and the window display status. The format will look like this Field Content ===== ======= Line1 Name of Window Line2 Author Line3 0 to show "Credits" button, 1 to hide Line4 1 to keep window on top, 0 to hide Record number 2 onwards will contain the tips. A tip card can be made up of SIX lines of text. Tips32 records the number of the last tip that the user read so that it can display the next tip when the user runs the tips program again. This information will be stored in a file called Tips.ini in the same directory as the tips file. To add Tips32 to your program you must add the following lines of source code to your program: REM -- Code Starts Here -- REM Example code to execute Tips32 with a tips file REM Copyright © 1999 Medialinx Internet Solutions REM Include this code in your source-code REM ------------------------------------------------------------ REM Procedure loads the OPM, executes Tips32 and unloads the OPM REM ------------------------------------------------------------ PROC SHOWTIPS: OPM_LoadModule:("Tips32") InitTips32:("C:\Tips32\Template.tip") REM Change the file to the location of your tips file OPM_UnLoadModule:("Tips32") ENDP REM ------------------------------------- REM Loads in a module held in /System/Opm REM ------------------------------------- PROC OPM_LoadModule:(modulename$) LOCAL f$(255) f$=OPM_FileLoc$:("\System\Opm\"+modulename$+".opm") IF f$<>"" LOADM f$ :REM Load the module ELSE ALERT("Cannot find the OPM:","\System\Opm\"+modulename$+".opm") STOP ENDIF ENDP REM -------------------------------- REM Unloads in a module from memory REM -------------------------------- PROC OPM_UnloadModule:(modulename$) LOCAL f$(255) f$=OPM_FileLoc$:("\System\Opm\"+modulename$+".opm") ONERR notloaded:: UNLOADM f$ notloaded:: ONERR OFF ENDP REM -------------------------------------------------------- REM Returns the file position if the file exists on C: or D: REM -------------------------------------------------------- PROC OPM_FileLoc$:(file$) IF EXIST ("C:"+file$) RETURN "C:"+file$ ELSE IF EXIST ("D:"+file$) RETURN "D:"+file$ ELSE RETURN "" REM File does not exist ENDIF ENDIF ENDP REM -- Code Ends Here -- When distributing your program you must distribute your tips file, Tips32.opm and Tips32.mbm only. You must also give users full instructions on how to install these files. You can distribute Tips32opm.sis with your program to automatically install the Tips32 environment on to your clients computer. This SIS file contains only the Tips32.opm and Tips32.mbm files. Staying on top of things! ========================= You can make the Tips32 window stay on top of all other windows. To do this set the value of Line4 in record 1 to 1. To return the window state to normal change this value to 0. Taking the Credit for it all! ============================= You can hide the "Credits" button in the Tips32 program by setting the value of Line3 in record 1 to 1. To show the button again cnage this value to 0. Protecting a Tips Database file =============================== If you distribute your Tips32 Psion Database file, anyone can make changes to it and even change the owner information and claim it as their own work. The Tips32 Protection Engine decompiles the Tips32 file and removes all Psion UID information from the file, thus stopping people opening the file in Psion Data or the equivalent. To protect your file open Protect.opo and in the Input line select the file that you want to protect. In the Output line enter the name of the file you would like to save. Press RETURN when finished. Protect.opo will display a busy message at the bottom left hand side of the screen telling you that it is busy. When your file is ready the program will quit. This process may take a few minutes. You can distribute the protected version with your program. You do not have to protect your files, you can still distribute files created in the Psion Data program. Copyright ========= Copyright © 1999 Medialinx Internet Solutions. All rights reserved. Freeware. Use this software at your own risk. Medialinx Internet Solutions 4 Hanwood Farm, Dundonald, Belfast. BT16 1YA. Northern Ireland. Email: support@medialinx.co.uk Web: http://www.medialinx.co.uk Please send bug reports to bugs@medialinx.co.uk This product is unsupported =========== You can distribute/use Tips32 in your program(s) freely in shareware, commercial or freeware applications. If you do use Tips32 please email me so I can keep track of who is using the software. Other Medialinx Titles ====================== Shortcut Wizard 5 Creates Windows style shortcuts Startup Wizard 5 Launches shortcuts on power-up SoundOn-SoundOff 5 Toggles system sound quickly Tips32 5 Adds Windows style Tips to your programs Recycle Bin 3a Recoverable trashcan program DriveMap5 5 Maps local and network drives RemoteLink5 5 Disables the remote link on startup LinkOn-LinkOff 5 Toggles the remote link quickly Welcome5 5 Shows Tips32 tips on power-up Under development: Gadabout5 - Coming Soon to EPOC/32! Thank you for using this product, Graham Crichton.