Description WPS Classes replacement (WPSDSCR)

Objects From Russia WPSDSCR Description WPS Classes replacement (WPSDSCR) beta 0.93 version Copyright (c) 1995 Virtual Objects Software Author: Vitaly Gumirov [Team OS/2] E-mail: vos@ifshop.ict.nsk.su FIDO: 2:5000/64.4@Fidonet 0. Introduction This package includes the replacement classes for Data File and Folder WPS classes adding the 'Description' column in Folder's details view. This new version includes customization features. Now you could configure your folders to use various sources for files' descriptions. FileList Folder could take the values of descriptions for it's Data Files from either .SUBJECT extended attribute or FILES.BBS file or 4DOS's/4OS2's descript.ion file or any other file-list file you specify. 0.1 ACKNOLEDGEMENTS Our team is very pleased to know about your interrest to our WPS DSCR classes. Morover your advices are very helpful in technical and psychological aspects ( is it right in english ? :-) 0.2 Packaging WPS DSCR classes package contains the fillowing files: dscrdf.dll DSCRDataFile WPS class DLL dscrlst.dll DSCRFileList WPS class DLL install.cmd REXX program for installing WPS DSCR classes uninst.cmd REXX program for uninstalling WPS DSCR classes register.cmd REXX program for re-registering already installed WPS DSCR classes rxdscr.dll REXX library used by WPS DSCR REXX scripts READ.ME This file wpdsc093.txt short WPS DSCR package description file_id.diz short WPS DSCR package description FILES.BBS sample FILES.BBS file DSCRdf.idl public IDL file for DSCRDataFile class DSCRlst.idl public IDL file for DSCRFileList class WPSDSCR.IR SOM Interface Repository for WPS DSCR classes dscORexx.cmd ObjectREXX sample program We've included IDL files for our classes. So, if you'd like you could now inherite these classes. For those who using ObjectREXX this pack includes SOM Interface Repository. But note, WPS DSCR installation procedure does not integrate it to your system. To make use of it you have to edit 'SET SOMIR=' statement in your CONFIG.SYS your self or use IBM's merge IR utility. 1. Installation 1.1 First time installation To install these WPS classes you should unzip WPDSCR93.ZIP package and run INSTALL.CMD from that directory where you've done unzipping. Note, INSTALL.CMD requires one parameter. It is some directory contained in your LIBPATH where WPSDSCR DLLs have to be copied. For example, I have in my config.sys the following LIBPATH: LIBPATH=C:\OS2\DLL;C:\UTILS\OS2APP;/*...*/ So, to install WPSDSCR classes and copy their DLLs into C:\UTILS\OS2APP I should run: INSTALL.CMD C:\UTILS\OS2APP After that you have to reload Workplace Shell. The simpliest way to do that is to reboot your system ;-) 1.2 Upgrading from the previous version We've tried to make upgrading from the previous version as a simple as a possible. You simply should run install.cmd as described in the previous section. It'll unregister older version of WPSDSCR classes for you and then place the reinstallation REXX script into your StartUp folder and ask you to reboot the system. After you reboot the second phase of the reinstallation process will be started. If some problems will appear at this stage you could try to run uninst.cmd and then again start install.cmd as described above. 2. Removing WPSDSCR classes from your system To remove WPSDSCR classes from your system simply run uninst.cmd, reboot OS/2 and then delete WPS DSCR related files. The files which are default copied to your system are: DSCRDF.DLL DSCRLST.DLL RXDSCR.DLL This files should be located in the directory which you have specified for WPSDSCR's INSTALL.CMD when installing classes. 3. Future enhancements I'm still planning to add the possibility of editing descriptions in a Folder window just like one can edit object name pressing Alt-F9. Now I've found the ways to do that. But it'll require much coding and is associated with PM hooks and SOM event framework. So, I suppose the introduction of this feature will be delayed for some long period. Another idea came to our team was using external SOM class or REXX script for parsing file-list files. Which of these ways will be selected depends on your opinion. To my mind using SOM class for parsing is more extendable way, but REXX scripts could be more simply customized by the end users. 4. Usage 4.1 File list settings page "File list" page has been added to the folders settings notebook. It containes: a) Radio buttons to specify whether you'd like current folder to use SUBJECT EAs as a source for descriptions or file-list file. a) entry field where you could specify the name of file-list file to be used by this folder. Default value is still FILES.BBS ;) 4.2 FileList folder popup menu Now the folders popup menu contains cascade menu item "File list" which has the yet another item "Apply settings to subfolders". I suppose this does not requires any furter explanations;) 4.3 "FileList Folder" template object When WPS DSCR classes are installed or at the first time you are calling settings notebook for some Folder the special template object is created in Templates folder. This is very important and powerful object. It gives an opportunity to configure default settings for all folders. This means you could configure class DSCRFileList simply editting settings of this object. But note, when you first open and close some folder it takes the default settings from this template object and saves 'em in it's own extended attributes. Well, this feature is not fully studied yet. 5. Known bugs a) On some display adapters icons could dissappeared (some Cirrus Logic cards, ATI-32 was reported). b) Saving of file-list file after editting does not cause folder to be refreshed. You should still use "Refresh" from folders popup menu. c) Reinstallation may cause additional template objects of DSCRFileList and DSCRDataFile to be created in Templates folder. 6. Warranties Because I'm not an insurance company I provide no any warranties ;) But I'll be appreciate you for your messages about errors and any of your ideas for future enhancements.