Topic       : Documentation for Thing
Author      : Arno Welzel/Thomas Binder/TransAction
Version     : thing.hyp 1.27E (23/8/1998)
Subject     : Documentation/Shells
Nodes       : 269
Index Size  : 6336
HCP-Version : 4
Compiled on : Atari
@charset    : atarist
@lang       : 
@default    : %I
@help       : %Hilfe
@options    : +g -i -s +y +zz -t4 -d10
@width      : 75
@hostname   : THING   
View Ref-FileSetup: Updating from an earlier version                               Thing

To update from an earlier version copy the following files:

  THING\THING.APP ................... To the start directory of Thing 
  THING\THING.RSC 
  THING\THINGTXT.RSC <-- New in Thing 1.20! 
  THING\THINGIMG.OVL <-- New in Thing 1.09! 
  THING\THINGREG.OVL <-- New in Thing 1.20, revised for Thing 1.27! 
  THING\THINGRUN.PRG 

  DOC\THING.HYP ..................... To the GUIDES folder of ST-Guide
  DOC\THING.REF 

Users who have ample memory and work in more than 16 colours can also 
install THINGCOL.RSC in place of THING.RSC (in the destination directory 
the file must be renamed to THING.RSC); the 'Info' dialog then contains 
the new, coloured Thing logo.

Note: Thing (>=v1.0) now supports 'mini-icons'. These icons are 
located in the second tree of the file ICONS.RSC which contains at 
least the standard icons "FILE", "APPL" and "FOLDER". A selection 
of mini-icons are included in ICONS.RSC and can be edited to suit your 
requirements using a resource editor such as Interface or ORCS.

What's changed?

Thing since V1.20 costs 30 DM or £16 for new registrations in place of 
25 DM or £13 previously. Updates from Thing 1.0x are not free but subject 
to a charge of 15 DM or £6. Updates from V1.20 on the other hand are free 
of charge, or course -- although I would not object to a contribution :)

There have been so many changes since the last full English release v1.09
(the 1.20 hypertext only received limited distribution) that the easiest 
way to grasp the changes is to read the version 'History' as well as the 
'Important notes' pages.

Here's a few (subjective) highlights:

For Thing 1.20:
∙ Finally, space characters can be used in long filenames (for experts: 
  When passing parameters, Thing only uses quotes when absolutely 
  necessary)

∙ Ejection of media (via GEMDOS and XHDI)

∙ Copying and moving with Cut, Copy and Paste (i.e. as for moving text
  in a text editor)

∙ Complete 3D-look in >16 colour displays, naturally still optional

∙ Thing can now also be removed from memory under multitasking systems, 
  though this does not work 100% with MultiTOS & Co

∙ Window contents will scroll automatically when the top or bottom edge 
  of the window is reached during a Drag&Drop Copy/Move operation

∙ Correct copying, moving and deletion of symbolic links

∙ Creation of symbolic links, either explicitly via 'New' or via Drag&Drop

∙ Text in mini-icon mode can also be assigned a colour in ICONS.INF

∙ Directory and group windows may also have a background pattern

∙ Optional automatic window placement with adjustable window spacing 
  separation as well as distance from screen edges

∙ Optional interactive placement of new directory windows if there isn't 
  enough free desktop room to prevent overlapping (as is possible with 
  most window managers for the X window system)

∙ Splitting the 'Automatically fit window' option into 'Automatically 
  fit window in X-direction' and 'Automatically fit window in Y-direction'

∙ New page in the 'Configuration' dialog for the new window options

∙ The group colours are now saved separately for < and >= 16 colours

∙ Three new group options: 'Determine attributes', 'Close group 
  automatically after opening group object' and 'Parent object'

∙ Display and possibility for changing file-owner and -group IDs with 
  suitable file systems

∙ Display and possibility for changing the previously suppressed three
  MiNT file attributes 'setuid', 'setgid' and 'sticky'

∙ Display of the time of the last status change and the last access to
  a file in the 'Info' dialog, so long as the file system makes this 
  information available

∙ The colour icons in > 16 colours are now loaded noticeably faster 

∙ Inverse file masks (e.g. '~*.c' -> all files that do not end in '.c')

∙ With Mac keyboards,  Page Up ,  Page Down  and  End  keys are now also 
  recognised and evaluated. If MagiC PC adhered to the VDI-standard 
  scan-codes for this then it would work there as well, but unfortunately 
  it doesn't ...

∙ New 'Font Selector...' menu option

∙ Thing now evaluates $SDMASTER for Shutdown program and $RSMASTER for 
  the resolution change program. If $RSMASTER is available, the 'Change 
  resolution' option will be available under OS's other than MagiC.

∙ And, particularly important, a new logo in the 'Info' dialog :-)

For Thing 1.27
∙ Context menus, similar to those in Windows 95 or MacOS8: If you right-
  click (alternatively:  Control  + left-click) on an entry in a group or 
  directory window, on the background of a group or directory window, on a 
  desktop icon or on the desktop background then a popup menu will appear 
  containing the most important functions currently available

∙ The new ThingIcn is ready at last and permits a convenient way of 
  assigning files to icons via Drag&Drop. However, due to its size ThingIcn 
  is now only available in its own archive, which should be available from 
  the same source as Thing itself

∙ The memory limit for installed applications can now be specified also in 
  a MultiTOS-compatible manner (which works from MagiC 4 onwards and has 
  the advantage, among others, that the program file does not have to be 
  altered)

∙ The command lines of installed applications can now contain placeholders, 
  which is useful for programs that expect options only after the 
  filename, for instance

∙ The sorting of directories may now be set individually for each window 
  and can be saved together with the display mode (text/icons/mini-icons) 
  individually as well

∙ Sorting and the auto-locator now pay respect to case (again) if desired; 
  this may be selected separately for either or both

∙ Groups can now be created directly in any desired directories as well, 
  not only in the Thing folder

∙ Several reported problems when working with ICONNECT from ASH have been 
  fixed

∙ Contains a few bug-fixes compared to Thing 1.26 (not released in English)

This doesn't look like much, but first of all just the context menus and 
the now available ThingIcn are important innovations, and secondly there 
was a host of small changes which are hardly worth mentioning by 
themselves but which markedly improve or extend the ease of operation and 
functions of Thing. Further details may be found in the History.




      Thing from V 1.20 onwards needs a new key, i.e. those from Version 
      1.0x no longer work. Those still having an old key who did not pay 
      the update fee of DM 15.- (or £6) when Version 1.20 appeared can 
      still do so to obtain a key suitable for Thing 1.2x.

      British and other non-German users see SUPPORT.TXT.