README for Desktop source release 19991223
------------------------------------------

This file contains the source code used to build my current
Desktop binary.  

What's new in this build:
*  Shortcut deletion
*  Send To menu
*  New icon set
*  Tabbed preferences dialog
*  Folder renaming
*  GEM/XM resources merged

What was new in the last build:
*  Worked around bug that caused extra line in DESKTOP.INF and
        'out of applications' error.  See below.
*  Fixed radio buttons in Install Disk Drives dialog.
*  Disk drive autodetection.
*  Win95-aware startup code tries to set the window title if
        running under the GUI.
*  Moved authors dialog about slightly.
*  Splash screen now displays while loading under John's AES -
        not sure if the bug was with the AES or Desktop, as it
        worked fine under DRI AESes, but only displayed after
        running through app_start() on new ones.
*  Load status is displayed in the splash screen - added just
        in case slow drives are present or something causes
        Desktop to pause briefly while detecting disks.
*  Moved every string used by DESKTOP.APP into DESKTOP.RSC
        (except some paths (:\*.*, \*.*, *.*), the window title
        and the copyright information in the binary itself).
        This is meant to help with any future attempts at i18n.
*  New source files (DESKCDS.C, .H) containing CD/DVD support
        code (just drive detection at this time).

This release of the Desktop has been rebuilt from the 19990831
code, because the previous release (1005 Public Beta) was full
of nasty bugs.  I've added some new features, and readded some of
the better parts of 19991005.

Shortcut deletion is now working.  It works exactly as it does
for files (highlight the shortcut and hit Alt-D or select the
Delete... option from the File menu).  You'll notice a 'Open
With...' option on the file menu.  It doesn't work yet, so
selecting it just pops up an alert.  It'll be done sometime
in the near future.

The Send To menu is also new.  It can be set up to contain up
to 8 of your most frequent applications or utilities, and allows
the selected file to be passed (as a filename) to each app.
Use the 'Edit Send To menu...' option to set it up as you want.
If you need to pass parameters to a DOS app, the best solution
is to create a batch file and Install that from the Options menu.
For example - HEXEDIT.BAT (@ECHO OFF, EDIT /H /70 %1) is installed
on my copy here as 'DOS - takes parameters', and listed on my
Send To menu.

Folders can now be renamed in the same way as files.  The 'Fit to
Window' mode now readjusts when you shrink a window, and suffers
from less flickering (previously, every window was updated for
some reason).  The preferences dialog now has tabs, allowing for
better organisation of options and for future expansion.  Finally,
thanks to Eathan Clark for his FreeGEM icon set, which is included
(high resolution monitors only - sorry to all you CGA and low-res
EGA users out there!)

As ever, this code might contain bugs or other 'features' - I'd be
grateful for any bug reports, comments and suggestions you may have.

Ben A L Jemmett
(ben.jemmett@ukonline.co.uk)
23rd December, 1999
-------------------

New features from older builds:
*  Integration of Ken's multiple window support and info line
	code.
*  Window menu.
*  Selection of icon wrap to screen or window.
*  3D dialogs - try it under John Elliott's AES!
*  Shortcuts - links to commonly used directories.
*  Trashcan and trashcan info.
*  The Info... box returns the description string of a new
        AES (at the moment, just John Elliott's Pacific C
        version).
*  Colour support for modern AESes (again, restricted to John's
        version until someone write another one that returns
        the same X_BUF_V1 structure from appl_init() )
*  Redesigned Authors dialog and rebuilt resource tree (for some
        reason RCS.APP started including hundreds of useless
        tree and object #defines, so Desktop kept crashing when
        new trees were added...)
*  New source file (DESKCLRS.C) - contains colour code I added to
        DESKTOP.C, but then moved to clarify some parts of the code.
        The MAKEDESK.BAT and DESKTOP.INP have been modified to
        include this file (someone please hack LINK86 so it doesn't
        expect an EOF at the end of DESKTOP.INP... :) )