Aporia - What's New NewTools POB 3269 Church St. Sta. New York City. 10008-3269 (800) 924-0018 This file is intended for those who have earlier versions of Aporia and wish to see what we've added. List Of Changes in Version 1.4b * Problem fixed where clicking below the last directory in the Tree tool window could cause Aporia to crash. List Of Changes in Version 1.4a * Problem fixed with setup program (SETUP_AP.EXE) hanging when run on some networks. Setup program now requires that you specify the directory where you have Windows installed and the version of Windows you are using. * Problem fixed where creating tools from Program Manager setup on some networks could cause Aporia to crash. * Problem fixed where an "I" drive (that does not exist) could appear on some systems having only one floppy drive. List Of Changes in Version 1.4 -New Features: * Aporia now lets you create many more tools. You can create up to 250, more than twice as many as previous versions. * The Tree Tool can now handle HUGE disk drives containing up to 2,700 directories. * Creating tools from Program Manager setup has been completely redone. Aporia now lets you choose which groups you want to convert and warns you if you try to create too many tools. * Aporia now comes with two image file libraries. One for EGA, VGA and SuperVGA in 16 color modes and another for SuperVGA in 256 color modes. If you have an unsupported type of display, tools automatically display the built-in monochrome images. * Directory Tool window now uses standard Windows selection methods. Use Control key to select multiple file, use Shift key to extend a selection. * New BLANK NOW command on Aporia menu lets you turn on the screen blanker on demand. * Registered users can now specify the text that will appear on the screen when the screen blanker is on by adding the line "BlankName=text" to the Aporia section of the WIN.INI file. * Screen blanker now works when a DOS windows has the input focus. When a DOS window has the focus the blanker delay time is increased by a factor of 4. * Blanker re-activiates the last active window. -Fixes: * Problems with Aporia running out of local memory have been fixed. * Problems with floppy drives have been fixed. The Tree Tool will not close when you try to change to a floppy drive that is not ready. * Problems when creating new directories under certain conditions have been fixed. * Problems with setup program on certain networks have been fixed. * Problems with renaming directories when running DOS 4.x have been fixed. * A number of subtle memory bugs which could cause crashes under certain conditions have been fixed. * Properly saves Help and Notes information on a per tool basis. * Gracefully handles those cases where users installed the 16 color images on 256 color windows installations. * Aporia runs programs immediately even when there are hundreds of tools. (Exception: A tool that sizes a window will have a delay.) * Opening/Closing of desks is speedier. * Options Tool shows bitmaps correct size (was 30 now 32pixels). List Of Changes in Version 1.3d * Better error reporting when a program fails to run. * Screen library has more images. Thanks to contributing users. List Of Changes in Version 1.3c * Fix to Tree Tool to see all drives. * Fix to setup program to print better error messages. List Of Changes in Version 1.3b * Fix for real mode users running Aporia as shell. List Of Changes in Version 1.3a * Changes to help tool alignment... Moving a desk will move the tools inside the desk. It will not move a desk it contains. Holding down the ctrl-key while moving will move the desk only. * Old Alignment removed. (While 'correct' it was too strange for most). Will provide a straightening function on a later release. * Problem with autocreate of tools from group files fixed: - only searches path for group files now, - no duplicate groups should be made now, - should handle low tool memory situation more gracefully. (you are limited to about 150 tools or so. this limit will go away.) * Setup program asks users if they are using a color system and will not install the images library, which is in color, onto systems that are monochrome. List Of Changes in Version 1.3 In General: * Windows 3.0 compatibility * Users can make their own bitmaps. ImageMaker tool supplied. * Enhancement to tools (main features listed below). * Very low memory use (45K of memory in real mode). Very good. * Replaces Progman.exe (Win 3.0) or Msdos.exe (Win 2.xx or 3.xx) * Lots of bug fixes and user requests done. * Can load Program.exe group files and make them into desks. * Setup program now supplied for both first time and registered users. Tree Tool * Unlimited number of trees up at once. View many disks at once. Trees have none of the old limits: unlimited number of directories and directory depth for big disks and networks. * Tree thumbtracks * Tree caching is faster and more robust. Directory Tools * Unlimited number of directory windows * Directory windows now tile instead of overlap each other Misc: * Creates tools automatically for first time users. * Can Load Group files and convert them into Aporia Tools. * Can change where the Aporia tools, notes, help, images and trash are kept. This is so that users can take advantage or ramdisks and networks: - Set the default Aporia directory where you store everything. Set AporiaDir via the options tool. Note to previous Aporia users: This directory used to be "HelpDir" in the win.ini file. You should change this value. - Set the trash to a ramdisk for fastest results. (Add "TrashDir=" to Aporia section of win.ini) - Share a library of images. (Add "ImageDir=" to Aporia section win.ini) - Share tools notes between users. (Add "NotesDir=" to Aporia section win.ini) - Share help files between users. (Add "HelpDir=" to Aporia section win.ini) - Share your tools. Put the toolfile on a write protected disk. (Change Aporia Directory with the options tool) * Alignment is improved and will force all your tools onto the screen. Useful if you are switching screens or are sharing tools with users with different screens. ie ega, vga, super vga. * Can run a program at a certain spot even if iconic. * New tools are always created at an aligned spot... * Selected files disk usage now also shows total size of files as well well as how many bytes of disk they occupy. * Takes up less memory than before * Trash management works better. Fixes: Desks * Under certain low memory conditions, desks could have become corrupted. * Should not lose tools if exit windows first. Misc * Changing the default paths that Aporia uses always works now. * Help and notes for individual tools works properly. * Always returns you to C:\ after running. * Rename dialog grays the from text when renaming a tree directory. * Font/font color dialogs are now properly app modal. * Works well under low memory conditions. * No longer accesses Drive A on Exit. * Better detects when programs fail to run. * Some problems running tools with extensions. * List Of Changes in Version 1.2 - Fixed bug caused problems when making tool on systems with EGA displays. List Of Changes in Version 1.1 - The manual is complete and extensive. Registered users can receive a fully illustrated version. - All file functions operate as they do with MSDOS-Exec plus they can all be done by simply dragging files around. - Copying can be done by simply dragging files from directory window to directory window. - Files can be run by dragging them from a directory window onto a tool. - Files can be removed by dragging them from the directory window to the trash. - The built in introduction to Aporia has been replaced with an illustrated tutorial text. - Each Desk can be set to either run, or to hide and display its contents. - The tool information display has been enhanced. - Display of memory usage shows conventional and expanded memory. - Aporia tool files can be interchanged and loaded simply so that sets of tools used by different users can be managed. - Users can choose to be prompted about removing tools. - Enhancements provide for more powerful tools that users can make: like a Print tool. - User can save Aporia's state at will rather than loosing all that setup work when windows 386 crashes. - The whole thing is more reliable... Bug Fixes: - Fixes to memory errors. - Uses less memory more efficiently. - Tool size properly saved between sessions. - Trash management flag properly saved between sessions. - No longer crashes when trying to trash a desk. - No more disappearance of tools. - Better handles cases where user removes aporia help files. - Programs keep focus when run. - Error messages are clearer. - Tree & Directory tools handle huge directories like on networks now. - Directory Windows are never created off the screen now. - Tools are resized properly when their text is changed. - Tree problems with A & B drive have been fixed. - The Tree tool is far faster and reliable. - Problems running with Excel tutorial fixed. - Other small fixes and cleanups. List Of Changes in Version 1.0 - Added new images for tools for popular programs. - Tool images are clearer and work on all displays. - Desks can be put into desks. - Desks of tools can be run. - Much better help for the built-in tools. - New improved documentation. - Trash Management. - Compatible with previous releases. - Added a beautiful Tree Tool to view the directory tree. With it you can: - Create, rename and remove directories. - Create directory windows to view directories. - Create Directory Tools. - New powerful Directory Tools: - Open many directory windows at once. The files in each can be: - Viewed in a variety of DOS 'dir' like formats, and select files based on multiple wild-cards: i.e. *.c *.h, rather than just one wild-card pattern. No other product offers this multiple view feature. - The view can be sorted in a variety of ways. - All viewing and sorting parameter are saved between uses. - Selected, either singly or in groups. - Copied or moved by simply selecting them and dragging them over to another directory window. - Made into tools by double-clicking right on them, or by selecting them and using the "Make User Tool" menu option under the "Special" Menu heading. - Run or Loaded by selecting them and double clicking left, or by using the "Run" or "Load" option under the "Files" menu heading. - Each directory window can become a Directory Tool, always pointing to a given directory. - Will run a data file based on the [extensions] list in win.ini, so that, for example, if you try to run a write file, the write program will run instead editing that file. - Holding down the control key when dragging a tool will prevent it running a tool underneath it. So you can stack tools and clean up messes of tools without running things. - Tools now have a mild 3-d look. - Improved size tool. - Generally much faster. - Screen blanking added. - Tools display can be customized: change font type and color, tool size. Show Directory Tools in different color with their directory name displayed. - The default Help and Notes directories and programs can be changed. - Tools can be dragged much quicker and more visably. - Bug Fixes for: memory loss, running pif files, display on vga's, notes not working for tools, copy & move crashing, and others.