B a c k y a r d =============== Version 1.00e - 15.3.98, by Thorsten Lange, Hamburg, Germany copyright 1998 Thorsten Lange and his licensors. All rights reserved. Preface ------- Just a note before we get started: This program is shareware and must be registered for only US$15 if used after a trial period. Although the functions of this version are not limited in any way, registered users have a couple of advantages (for details see the chapters "Shareware" and "Registration"). Please note: Backyard does not support Newton OS 1.x systems! Any suggestions or error reports are welcome (even from unregistered users). My postal and email address can be found in the chapter "Registration". Since English is not my native language, I apologize for possible "non-idiomatic expressions" and errors. So any corrections in this respect are welcome, too. I hope you will enjoy this program - so much that you gladly register your copy :-) BTW: Please visit my homepage at http://www.antopia.com/thorsten for new versions of Backyard and for other Newton stuff that I have written. Functional description ---------------------- Backyard is designed for quick access to 1.) applications (one tap buttons and pop-ups for programs located in one Extras folder), 2.) special actions (like rotating the screen) and 3.) informations (displays current settings, offers quick notes stored in Backyard and links to important notes, calls or contacts) So it is perfectly suited to be the central point to start your work. That's why I would recommend using it as backdrop (the application that is always open) but you can also use it as any other package and open it only when needed. > Pins < Central to Backyard are its notes which can be added to the Backyard screen simmilar to a pin-board. To distinguish these small notes from the notes in the standard notepad I call them just "pins". You can even link notes, contacts or calls to a pin (see chapter "About Pins") giving you a new way to organize the informations stored in your Newton. > Button bars< Backyard can be configured in various ways. There are lots of one-tap actions that you can include in the status bar (the button bar at the bottom of Backyard) or in one or two additional bars. A button can - launch an application (thawing the package on the fly if needed), - perfom other actions (turning light or sound on/off, rotate the screen,...) or - pop up a list of packages that are located within a folder of "Extras" to open one of those packages. Defining buttons is done using the i/prefs dialog of Backyard as described in chapter "Configuring Backyard's button bars". Additionally, Backyard gives you an overview about the state of the system. At a glance you'll find the curent state of the battery, the current default store and of course the date and time. Some state-changing buttons will also display the current state (e.g. the sound button shows whether the sound is turned on or off). BTW: Backyard does not constantly display the amount of free heap. If you are interested in why this is the case please read the chapter "Some words about heap". Backyard is compatible with SPI add-ons. This is an interface to allow developers (including me ;-) to extend i++, WittyKeys or Backyard. If you like to develop SPI additions, you'll find the documentation at my homepage http://www.antopia.com/thorsten. It is really easy to use when you are a little familiar with developing for the Newton. For example AddressAccess V2.1 (comming April 1998) will add the following special actions (add new person-card, add new company-card). Installation ------------ > Backyard.pkg < To install Backyard just transfer "Backyard.pkg" to your Newton. If you want to use Backyard as backdrop application you must install Backyard in internal memory. After Backyard had been installed, it will ask you wether you like to use it as backdrop application. If you definitely don't want to use it as backdrop just select "Don't ask" to suppress future reminders (e.g. after a reset). You can still make it backdrop from Extras routing menu (see your Newton manual) or select "Backyard as backdrop" from the Backyard i-menu. > TL_Lib01.pkg < Backyard itselfs allows you to open applications and manages pins. To obtain the full benefit of Backyard please install "TL_Lib01.pkg" as well (01 is the version number and might vary, so in the following I will call it "TL_Libxx.pkg" or just "TL Lib"). This package will add plenty of actions (like "Rotate", "Sound on/off",...). Note that this library is the same as the one that comes with WittyKeys and i++. So you have to install it only once - this saves you quite some storage space. Just make sure that you always use the latest version available. Note that if you use Backyard as backdrop application I would recommend that you install TL Lib in the internal store as well. About Pins ---------- A pin can be used in different ways. At first it is good for quickly jotting down a short note. I like using it for simple but important to-dos: I have often to remember tasks where the functions of the to-do list are just a time-consuming overkill (e.g. I have to do them quite soon and there is no need to schedule them for some future day). The advantage of the pin-board approach is that you can easily arrange items on the board as you like. You can group them by meaning or make important items bigger, with a different font or a different grey-level. And since Backyard is the center of my Newton, I return to its pin-board quite frequently. So I regulary see all pins at a glance without the need to open another application. Creating pins is absolutely simple: just tap on "New" in Backyard and write the text in the dialog. This pin-editor opens fast because of the few elements included in it and allows for a large entry area with a large font for easy editing. When you tap on "OK" the dialog is closed and you find a new pin displaying the text in a compact font allowing for efficient use of the limited screen estate.. Please remember: Pins are not intended for long notes. Since the text is permanently displayed it stays in heap what could be a problem with long notes on pre-MP2100 devices (for more details about heap see chapter "Some words about heap"). If you like to have access to long notes or checklists you can attach (one or multiple) notes from the notepad to every pin. There is a "New" button within the pin-editor that allows for opening the notepad with a new note. Hint: At the time you create the new note the text from the pin will be copied to the title of the new note! A reference to a note created from the pin-editor will be stored in the pin. Every linked note will be represented by an icon at the left side of the pin. Tapping the icon will bring the notepad to the front displaying this note. Creating new notes isn't the only way to link informations to a pin: Backyard adds two items to the routing menu (the one belonging to the envelope-button) of - built-in Notes - built-in Names - built-in Calls (or "Logbook") - AddressAccess V2.10 (comming in April 1998). (linking meetings and to-dos is currently not supported; please note that you can turn of the modification of the routing menu seperately for each built-in application in the prefs section of Backyard) The two new routing actions are: - "New Pin" creates (without any further dialog) a new pin with a link to the corresponding entry to which the routing button belongs (the text portion of the new pin will be generated from the contents of the linked entry). - "Link to Pin" opens a dialog where you can select from existing pins to which the note should be linked to. The text of the pins will not be changed. So pins allow you to organize and navigate through your data in a new way: just link important notes, names or calls to a pin. Pins are for me a handy shortcut to important notes. For example for my current project I link multiple notes (checklists, protocolls of meetings,...) and the card of the responsible company to a pin. Or when I have an important pending call I simply create a pin from its routing menu. Working with Pins ----------------- As mentioned above you can create pins by 1.) tapping "New" in Backyard or 2.) selecting "New Pin" from the routing menu in Notes, Calls or Names. New pins will appear in the upper left corner. The default width, font and color can be set in Backyard's preferences (see chapter "Preferences") You can resize pins with tap&drag on the lower right corner. To move a pin tap&drag on the upper border. To edit the pin tap into the text area of the pin. Now the pin-editor opens where you can change the text or create new, linked notes in the Notepad or change its font or "color" (grey level). To open a linked entry just tap on the icon and the corresponding application will come to front showing the linked entry. Removing an existing pin can be done by scrubbing it - be carefull to start scrubbing within the text area of the pin, *not* outside the pin. Please note that undo is supported :-) If you just want to remove a link then scrub the corresponding icon (also starting within the pin). This will only remove the link but not the linked information (entry). Configuring Backyard's button bars ---------------------------------- Backyard features up to three button bars where you can add various buttons. To add/remove/rearrange these buttons just tap i/prefs to open the "Backyard Preferences" dialog. In the "Define Buttons" section you can now add, rename or remove buttons. At first you select the button bar you like to configure with the "button Bar" pop-up menu : - "lower" is the standard button bar that is always present. It always contains the i-button and the New-button. - "middle" and "upper" are optional button bars that will only be displayed when you have added a button to them. With the "Package" button you can add a button that opens a program (an icon from Extras). If you tap on the "Package" button a list will be displayed showing all available packages (note that packages located in the "Extensions" folder in Extras will *not* be displayed). The button will immedeately be displayed in the button bar as a text-button. The text can be edited in the "Descr" input field. The "Action" button is for adding special actions or pop-up-buttons that let you select a package from a folder in Extras. It works the same way as the "package" button but for most actions you will not see the "Descr" field since these actions will be represented by an icon instead of a text button. BTW: For some actions (like sound on/off) the button will display the current state. Every new button will be added at the right hand side of the currently edited button. With the "Move Left" or "Move Right" button you can reposition the button within the button bar. To remove the current button from the button bar just tap on "Delete". To edit a button (e.g. its text) you can switch to it by using the "Button" pop-up. A special feature is the "use only in landscape mode" checkmark. If selected, this button will only be displayed in landscape mode allowing for efficiently using the extra width available in this mode. Description of available "Actions" ---------------------------------- NOTE: If you don't find these special actions in your list, you'll have most likely not installed "TL_Libxx.pkg" (see chapter Installation"). There are two kinds of special actions available: submenus and actions. 1.) Submenus (beginning with a "diamond") correspond to a pop-up button - Specials: This opens a submenu with all special actions available in Backyard. - Each remaining item opens a list of packages located in the corresponding folder in Extras. 2.) Single-tap actions correspond to a picture button (if an icon for this action is available; otherwise a text button will be used) - Rotate: changes the screen orientation (OS2.1 please note the settings in preferences (see below)) - Rotate 180ż: turns the screen upside down (OS2.1 only) - Record: starts a new sound recording. After closing the dialog the recorded sound will be added to the notepad (OS2.1 only) - Align Pen: Opens the standard pen alignment dialog - Sleep: turns your Newton off (like using the power switch) - Reset: reboots your Newton (like pressing "Reset" in the battery compartment). Newton will (optionally) ask you whether you really want to reset - Default-Store: switches the store on which new items will be stored. - Backlight Control: is a light switch. It is only available when you have a Newton with backlighting - Sound Toggle: Turns the sound on and off - System Info: performs a garbage collection and than tells you about the state of the batteries and memory (heap, internal, card) together with the OS version and time/date - New meeting: opens the dates application and a slip for entering a new meeting - Keyboard: opens the typewriter keyboard (there are specials for the other built-in keyboards as well) Note: Other applications like AddressAccess (the fully compatible replacement for the built-in Names-app) or CoolKit (for developers using NTK) may add more items to this list! Backyard is extendable using the new plug-in architure "SPI". Since i++ and WittyKeys also support SPI, those specials will appear in their list as well. The first third-party tool supporting SPI is CoolKit which adds items usefull for developers. A description of how to support SPI will be available at my homepage http://www.antopia.com/thorsten. Preferences ----------- To open the "Backyard Preferences" dialog please tap "i" and then "prefs" in Backyard. The first section "Define Buttons" has already been described in "Configuring Backyard's button bars" (see above). > "Pins" section < Here you can set the default "color" (grey level), font and width for new pins. There is also a flag that makes Backyard create new pins always in internal memory and not on the default store and you can disable the modification of the routing menu in Notes, Names and Calls in case you encounter any conflicts or simply don't need that feature. When the last flag in "Pins" is checked Backyard will use AddressAccess (my alternative front-end to names that can be found at http://www.antopia.com/thorsten) to display a linked contact instead of the built-in names. If AddressAccess isn't installed this flag will be ignored. > "Misc" section < The first flag is for disabling the display of the number of days until 01/01/2000. Additionally you can enable "Freezing". "Freezing" is a hidden feature in the Newton OS2 - ROM. It allows the deactivation of packages without removing them from your Newton. If this feature is enabled you can freeze a selected application in Extras ("Freeze" shows up in the routing menu). The icon turns into a snowflake after freezing a package. As far as the Newton OS is aware, the package isn't installed anymore - so it cannot be opened (or cause conflicts). A frozen application doesn't use up any heap memory (every installed application occupies some heap memory, so releasing heap can make "no memory - restart" messages less frequent). Backyard can open frozen applications as if they are installed: just tap it in the i-menu and it will be thawed before opening (this takes a little extra time, of course). After closing the package, it will be frozen automatically. > Ask before "Reset" < if checked, Backyard will ask you before resetting your Newton (when hitting "Reset"). This will only be available if "TL_Libxx.pkg" is installed (see chapter "Installation") and affects all packages using "TL Lib". > Rotate Options < OS2.1 only (MP2x00/eMate) Here you can select the two orientations between which the rotate item should switch. This option is needed to provide the rotate command as a single, one-tap item (and I believe most people will use their Newton in only one landscape and one portrait mode). This will only be available if "TL_Libxx.pkg" is installed (see chapter "Installation") and affects all packages using "TL Lib". There might be additional preferences added by some SPI add-ons. Some words about heap --------------------- There had been so much discussions about heap - especially in conjunction with other backdrop applications - that I felt it is better to include some words here. For those of you who don't know what "heap" is: it is the part of the storage space that is used for temporare objects. Heap cannot be increased using memory cards. You will have the maximum free heap available after a reset. When an application is open it needs significantly more heap when closed. But even a closed application needs some heap. The longer the Newton has been used since the last reset the more temporare objects are accumulated (e.g. remembering the last entry to show). That's why the free heap slowly decreases while using the Newton until you (soft) reset your Newton. > Displaying heap < Backyard does not feature a display for the currently free heap. Why? Because I know of only two different ways to implement something like that and I did not like both of them: 1.) One possibility is to constantly display the amount of free heap currently available. This is easy to do and doesn't afford lots of processing power. But in my opinion this is comparable to displaying random numbers ;-) because all you will see is a number that slowly decreases in time and suddenly jumps back to a higher start value from which it starts decreasing again. The reason is that the Newton is lazy and accumulates lots of garbage in its heap: every object remains in the heap - even when it isn't in use anymore - until the heap is filled up. Then a garbage collection ("gc") will be performed and only those objects needed will stay in the heap. The only significant number is the one obtained directly after a gc because now you can see how much space is really used by *needed* objects. 2.) Consequently, the second possibility is to perform a garbage collection before determinating the amount of free heap. Various employees of the Newton group warned in the developer newsgroup that perfoming unnecessary garbage collections will have negative impact on the overall system performance. The problem is not the time needed to perform a gc (which executes really fast). They did not gave many details on this topic but from what I know about heap it seems to me that a garbage collections also throws away objects that are not needed right now but that are remembered (cached) in case they are used later. When this cache is cleared periodically these objects will have to be reconstructed (which can use a significant amount of time) instead of simply reread from the cache. In my opinion the reason why a periodical garbage collection became popular was that the first system revisions of the MP2000 seemed to had problems with performing a gc in low memory situations. So here a periodical gc might have helped more than it destroyed. Anyway with system 2.1 (717260) (available at http://www.newton.apple.com) this really should be fixed. Heap is a complicated manner and not easy to understand (I do not claim to understand it in full details!). So if you use a MP2100 enjoy the large free heap and don't bother about it. > Backyard and heap usage < Please note that Backyard - unlike other backdrop applications - is *not* intended as a heap saver. Its heap footprint is comparable to the notepad that is usually the backdrop (of course this depends on the amount of buttons and pins used in Backyard). I used some tricks to reduce heap usage but since it is a full featured application it needs heap like other applications. With the enormous amount of free heap on a MP2100 I found it more appropiate to offer a backdrop that bundles frequently used functions (a friend of mine with a MP2100 only laught at me when I told him that I worked 3 days on saving 3KB of heap in Backyard since he has far beyond 300KB of free heap which is very hard fo fill ;-). Users of a MP120 (with not to much installed packages), a MP2000, an eMate 300 or a MP130 can use the notepad as backdop without problems (otherwise Apple would not have decided to make it the default backdrop). Since the heap footprint of Backyard is comparable to the one of the Notepad there should not be a problem in using Backyard instead. Depending on the amount of free heap on your newton I have different recommendations for you: - If you are one of those users who frequently gets "Out of memory" alerts or even system crahes you should probably try one of those heap-saving backdrops (e.g. Freeback from my homepage) instead of Backyard. You can still use Backyard as any other application: open it when needed and close it to save heap e.g. when using internet connections. - If you encounter heap problems only rarely then it might be a good idea to include only those buttons in Backyard that you realy need and avoid saving lots of long notes in the backyard because every note and every button will need a little heap. - If you own a MP2100, upgraded MP2000 or eMate 300 with memory upgrade then it is propably best not to worry about heap at all. BTW1: I use Backyard as backdrop on a MP2000 (remember that a MP2000 has less free heap than a MP130!). BTW2: I think it is wise to upgrade to a MP2100 (no, that does not relate to Backyard ;-) and I will probably do it one day but currently I cannot afford being only one day without my Newton ... Version history --------------- V1.00 / TL Lib V1 initial release Shareware --------- This program is shareware. You may try it for free for about four weeks. After this trial period you have to pay a (little) fee for using it on a regular basis. Since you should be able to really try this program, there are no functional limitations when using an unregistered copy! However, some people need a "motivation" to register their copy which is very easy and cheap - see chapter "Registration" for details. So registered users have the following advantages: 1.) Email support for questions/problems 2.) For the present I will maintain an email list of registered users to notify them when a new version is available at my homepage http://www.antopia.com/thorsten. 3.) When using this program, a reminder will be displayed that you have to register your copy. The more you use this program, the more often the notifications are displayed. After entering the registration code, no more messages are displayed. And everybody benefits because I will continue improving the program. Registration ------------ Registration costs US$15 and is a license for one person. Note that there are two special bundle offers: - For US$25 you can register Backyard along with i++ and WittyKeys (saving US$20). - If you registered one of these packages (i++, Backyard or WittyKeys) and register another one later you will receive the third code for free (saving US$15) automatically. Registered users receive a code that depends on the name as written in the owner info. To enter the code just press the "Code"-button in the "About"- box and fill in the code at the lower left corner. Afterwards your copy is registered and the advantages mentioned above will take effect. The code will be valid for all future shareware-versions of Backyard. If your name changes (e.g. marriage), just send me an email with the new name and I will return the new code number. If you switch between two different owner names (e.g. official and private), just send me both - the program supports two codes at the same time. There are four different ways to pay for Backyard: 1.) SWREG If you are a Compuserve member (or have a friend who is), you can use GO SWREG, ID 16320 to register for US$15. (or use ID16321 for the bundle mentioned above for US$25) Please use the exact owner name (for the registration code) in the SWREG procedure. 2.) Sending Cash Send US$15 (or US$25 for the bundle) in cash or the equivalent amount in your local currency in a letter to Thorsten Lange Tivoliweg 7 21079 Hamburg GERMANY *** please send only cash and not a cheque *** Be sure to include your exact owner name and your email address! It's best to wrap the money in some thick paper and send me an email note that the money is on it's way. Sending cash has really worked without any problems, so far! 3.) Web-base (Kagi) You can pay by credit card by simply filling in a web form at or . The registration will be processed by Kagi. If you want to know more about Kagi and the web-based registration, please visit their homepage where all common question will be answered. You will receive a confirmation email by Kagi. At the same time I will be notified of your registration. After receiving the notification, I will send you the registration code. Only contact Kagi if you have a question about the payment. Don't bother them about my utilities or a non-working code. Kagi only collects the fees but does not know anything about my packages. 4.) Newton Register / Kagi (credit cards, US cheques, ...) You can pay by credit card, US cheques, ... using "Newton Register": - Install "Newton Register" on your Newton. The latest version can be found at ftp://ftp.rahul.net/pub/flasheridn/Register.sit.hqx - Open "Register" on your Newton and select "Backyard:TAL!" - Select the kind of payment and fill out the appropriate fields - Select "Mail" from the envelope button - Double-check the form generated by the program then press "Mail". If you can't send email from your Newton you will have to retype the mail into your host's email program. Tap the "Show Text" button in the email slip. It isn't very long. Retype the data exactly as it appears in the email message. Then send the email message to shareware@kagi.com NOTEs about using Newton Register / Kagi: - If you want to send a cheque or cash select "Query", mail that form and wait until you receive a registration number. Please don't send cash or cheques until you have received a registration number!!! - Only contact Kagi if you have a question about the payment. Don't bother them about i++ or a non-working code. Kagi only collects the fees but does not know anything about i++. My (the author's) email address can be found below. - If you have comments about "Newton Register", please contact the author: FlaSheridn@kagi.com. - "Newton Register" encodes your credit card data when sending it as email to discourage casual sniffers, but it is not as secure as PGP. The package only sets up a mail message. The responsibility for actually executing it is yours! For further informations please contact Thorsten_Lange@kagi.com (or 101353.2024@compuserve.com) More Newton Stuff from Thorsten Lange ------------------------------------- Check out my Homepage http://www.antopia.com/thorsten for the actual list of my applications together with more information about them (screenshots,...) Copyright notice ---------------- Backyard is copyright 1998 Thorsten Lange and his licensors. All rights reserved. This program is Shareware - IT IS NOT FOR FREE. You are allowed to try Backyard for four weeks for free. If you continue using it, you have to register your copy. For more information see chapter "registration" above. Please support development of cheap and reliable software for the Newton and pay for Shareware you use regularly! Restrictions ------------ You may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise reduce the software to a human-perceivable form. You may not modify the software or the documentation. Disclaimer ---------- You expressly acknowledge and agree that use of Backyard is at your sole risk. The software and related documentation are provided "AS IS" and without warranty of any kind. I make no warranty of the performance of this program, expressed or implied. In no event will I be held responsible for any damages or loss as a result of using Backyard. When this disclaimer does not apply, my liability will be limited to the amount paid for the product. Famous last words ... --------------------- Apple, Newton, MessagePad and eMate are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries.