MAG Disk (Jul 1991) : MadBlanker /

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Name Size Date Type
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MadBlanker 15100 1991-07-07
MadBlanker.c 21913 1991-07-07 Text [Original]
readme 6463 1991-07-07 Text [Original]

readme

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  MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 
    MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 
 MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker
     MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 
  MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 
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   Version 2.0    written 1st November 1990

   (Y.A.U.P.)  <-- Brand of assured Utter Uselessness.

   (Yet Another Useless Program  by  K.Mardam-Bey)


   ----------------------------> A different KIND of SCREEN blanker.


   Do you suffer from BLANK-SCREEN Paranoia ?
   Do you wonder WHAT goes on behind that veil of darkness which
   other screen blankers throw at you?
   Do you suspect your computer is up to foul play ?
   Do you feel LEFT OUT !!???


               AH HA!!  Then this program is for YOU !!!


     This program DOES blank your screen BUT it allows you to see
   through to the screen RIGHT BEHIND!! (incredible, huh?)

   It SHOULD work with pictures and screens in all screen modes.


   Tell me MORE!!  How does it WORK!?
  ------------------------------------

   You have to RUN or RUNBACK this program. It has a default set
   of variables that can be changed either when it is first run
   or after it has been run by running it again with different
   parameters. These parameters are passed through the CLI only.


   Examples:  RunBack MadBlanker r s g x100 y100
              MadBlanker h b 

   First Try:
                 RunBack MadBlanker on

   to see the default mode.

   then    RunBack MadBlanker g x800 y20 on
           RunBack MadBlanker g x20 y800 on
           RunBack MadBlanker g x300 y130 on

   for variations. (Ofcourse, the numbers you use depend on how
   you set up your system. I am assuming a standard WorkBench
   screen in these examples).


   There should be a space inbetween each parameter!

   The command line parameters...
   -------------------------------

    h  -   This is basically 'HELP', MadBlanker gives you a list
           of available parameters and their meanings (rather
           vague unless you read the rest of this file) as well
           as their current values and then it EXITS. If there
           are other parameters on the command line, they will
           be processed first and THEN their status will be
           listed and THEN MadBlanker will be installed.

   on  -   This tells MadBlanker to blank the screen immediately.

    w  -   This toggles whether MadBlanker opens the small
           information window when it is run or quit. If it
           is turned OFF, then MadBlanker will try to print
           out information in the CLI window (if it can).
           Default is ON.

    r  -   This tells MadBlanker to use the original screen colors
           which means that the blanking color might not be black. It
           will be whatever the original screen's background color is.
           The default is OFF.

    s  -   Scroll INSIDE the square as well.
           The default is OFF.

    g  -   The Box changes it's size as it scrolls around.
           The default is ON.

    b  -   Force MadBlanker to use the WorkBench screen as it's
           background screen everytime (as opposed to using the
           current top screen).
           The default is OFF.

      _______ A number
     /        by itself
    \/

   <num>   number of seconds MadBlanker waits before blanking,
           since the last key-press or mouse movement.
           Minimum 5 seconds, Maximum 3600 seconds.
           Default 180 seconds (3 minutes. I can count good, huh? :)


 p<num> -  Set MadBlankers' priority to <num>
           Default is 0.

 d<num> -  Delay (in thousands)
           Default is 0 delay.

 x<num> -  if 'g' option is OFF then these specify the fixed size
 y<num>    of the box as it scrolls around the screen.
           'x' is the WIDTH.  Default 60.
           'y' is the HEIGHT. Default 50.


   Once the blank screen is turned on, any input from the mouse or
   the keyboard will turn it off.

   To change a value after MadBlanker has been run, you simply type
   "MadBlanker <paramaters>" again (without RUN or RUNBACK) with the
   values that you want. (ie. you don't have to quit it and rerun it).



  NOTE!
  -----

 1) The BLANKING color will be BLACK EXCEPT when :
     (a) Any screen with a depth of FOUR BITPLANES or more is used
       as the original screen.
     (b) you turn the 'r' option ON.

 2) If the original screen doesn't have a BLACK pen color, MadBlanker
    searches for the darkest color available and changes it to BLACK.
    (So we can BLANK the screen!)

 3) In HAM Mode, the colors wll probably BLEED at the left hand side.
    That's the way HAM works!

 4) It uses up a WHOLE lot of memory. This is because it needs to
    open a screen with the same dimensions as the one beneath it
    THUS, if you have a 32-bitplane screen with five billion colours
    then KAPOW!!! You now have ANOTHER 32-bitplane screen with five
    billion colours. Sorry about that. Hehehe. No I'm not. :-)


  HOW TO EXIT!! (Dumb program, huh?)
  -----------------------------------

   YEESH, okay okay...

       You can type     LEFT-AMIGA-/

       or you can simply type "MadBlanker" without parameters.


    If you're wondering how much CPU time it takes up while it is
  bouncing around, run XOPER, then set MadBlanker's Wait time to 5
  seconds and then switch XOPER to the front. Neat, huh ? Remember,
  you can change MadBlanker's proiority.


    Well, this is really more of a hack than a screen blanker. It uses
  quite a bit of memory and CPU time, however, being the paranoid that
  I am, it gives me a peace of mind that far out-weighs it's meager
  demands on my system. <grin>


     Anyway,

        enjoy folks,

             K.Mardam-Bey


=======================================================================
  MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 

   This program is entirely public domain, as is the source code.
   Eat it, talk to it, take it for walks, introduce it to friends.
   (ie. Do whatever you want with it).

  MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker MadBlanker 
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