********************* DsRecall & Test ReadMe.txt & Help.txt Dawson Software 2016 ********************* CONTENTS The Author License Introduction What this program does Controlling this program Additional Control & Information Errors Information panel The message Acknowledgement Other Programs ********** The Author ********** DawsonSoftware. Folkestone. Kent. England. www.DawsonSoftware.uk ********** LICENSE ********** This program is released as "Freeware". This means you can use it to explore it's potential without any charge or obligations. What you can NOT do :- # You can not sell any copy of this program. # You can not charge for the supply of any copy of this program. # You can not use this program in any commercial venture. What you CAN do :- * Copy and pass on this program. * Use this program in conjunction with any personal project. * Use this program to test commercial products or ventures. * Use this program as part of academic study. * Obtain permission to distribute this program. Contact me if you if your needs are not satisfied here. What you MUST do :- # Include the ReadMe.txt file when copying and passing on. # Include the program DsTest.exe when copying and passing on. ************ Introduction ************ This program has been created to meet a need of mine. I wanted to restart a program, of mine, and load initiation values without any fuss. I decided on creating a remote call program which will do it for me. Once started - I realised that additional parameters might be useful in the future. Also, because the application, I needed this facility for, was very large and complex I created another small program to assist me - DsTest. ********************** What this program does ********************** This program can be activated to start any other program (even the calling program) and display a message panel. Once activated it will :- * display it's self, [or not] * display an additional message, [or not] * pause for a defined period, * start up the program it is asked to, * close it's self down. ************************ Controlling this program ************************ There are four different options, this program provides. These are :- 1. Execute the program defined in the command line. 2. Display an additional message. 3. Run in the background or run visibly. 4. Adjustable pause length. This program uses 4 parameters to do this. This program will operate with only the first parameter. Param1 ----------- This is the name and address of the program that this program will call (execute). If this is invalid an error will be raised. Param2 ----------- The second parameter can contain an addtional message which will be displayed on this program's splash screen. If you need later parameters, but not this one, you can set this parameter to "" or 0 - it will then be treated as null and ignored. Param3 ----------- This can be a text value of 0 or 1. The default is 1. This dictates if this program runs visibly or not. 0 = not visible. 1 = is visible. Param4 ----------- This can be a text value of 2 to 20. The default is 4 This defines the pause period. [1=400ms approx]. Passing the Parameters --------------------------------- The command and parameters are AnsiStrings which are appended (separated by a white space) and the concatenated string is then converted to PChar which is then used in the command line API function to call this program. The full Unc name & address, of the program to call, and parameter 1 and 2 are enclosed in double quotes. ["A small message" or "C:\Program Files\DS Recall Utility \DsRecall.exe"] This is necessary because the command line interpreter considers a space to be a parameter separator and these may well contain white spaces. Receiving the Parameters ------------------------------------ The API function which returns the parameters (this end) provides AnsiStrings. So although I have used numerals in the parameters - they are ASCII characters not integers. Before this program restarts the designated program - parameter 1 (the program to be called) is enclosed in double quotes. ****************** Additional Control & Information ****************** You can pause this program and view it's settings. [see "Information panel". below] This facility is also useful when errors occur. [see "Errors", below] ******* Errors ******* An error will be raised, if :- # The program to be called back does not exist, # It's name & address is over 78 characters. Error detected -------------------- When an error is raised :- This program will halt, and display an error panel. The error panel gives no information but has a button which will cancel the task and close down this program. Non Error Faults ---------------------- If the message, to be displayed, is longer than 50 characters it will not fit into the display. The visible value is either read as 0 or the default of 1 is applied. This means unless you accurately define this as 1 - this program will run visibly. Also if an error is detected this will be reconfigured as 1. ***************** Information panel ***************** An information panel is available which displays :- * the text value of parameter1, * the text value of parameter2, * the text value of parameter3, * the text value of parameter4, * a cancel button, * a help button, * a continue button. The information panel is available if an error is detected or not. However, if an error is NOT detected you have a limited time to reveal the information panel before this program completes it's task and then shuts down. Revealing the information panel will pause this program. Revealing the information panel ------------------------------- If you click the title of either the main panel or the error panel - the information panel will be revealed and this program will be paused. The continue button, on the information panel will only be available if an error was not detected. Other control ------------------ * Clicking the information panel will hide it. * Clicking the error panel will hide it. *********** The message *********** The main panel has a title and three other lines of text. Title - Dawson Software :: Folkestone. Kent Line 1 - The program is restarting. Line 2 - {reserved for your message} Line 3 - Please wait ... Line 2 is equally spaced, vertically, between lines 1 & 3. *************** Acknowledgement *************** My thanks go to South Kent College - not just because it was on their campuses at Ashford, Folkestone and Dover that I acquired the skills and knowledge needed to pursue my ambitions - but also because their continued support and advice has made programs like this possible. If you find this program useful - you can thank them ! If you find this program to be useless - you can blame me ! ************** Other Programs ************** The program was originally created under the name "Tricky Micky" and has now been rebuilt under my trading name of Dawson Software. [DS] Look out for other programs of mine. Beginner User Guide A Computer Tutorial for new PC users. DS Multi-Choice An Educational Freeware Program. DS CabList A Help Program about Win95 CD files. DS Resister Converter. An Educational Freeware Program. DS Junior Calculator. A Licensed Educational Software Program. DS Calculator. A Licensed Educational Software Program. ** END **