About TapBar

===========

  TapBar is a multi-purpose button manager. You can think about TapBar as a Newton version of Macintosh's Control Strip. With it, you can set up button bars made up of your favorite selection in your own order and layout. The bar can be shrunk and make it compact when you don't need it. TapBar also allows you to add buttons into status bar of Notes (or your selected backdrop applet).



  You can make multiple bars, and each bar has its own setting of button set. For instance, you may have a bar named "Preferences Bar" which has only preferences related buttons such as backlight control or system volume. You can do your task quickly and easily if buttons with same theme are in one group. The appearence of each bar can be set deferently. This may help you to distinguish with them.



  TapBar itself is just an interface to other buttons, that will be made by other developers, freeware authers, or even you. For programmers, TapBar has an open API that allows you to write your own buttons and even create your own commercial button suite!





License

======

  TapBar is basically Freeware. Anybody can download the latest TapBar software from my homepage without fee. It may be distributed to other online services provided that the TabBar applet and all documentation is distributed as a single package without modifications.



  If you are a developer and want to include TapBar software into your package, you need to pay one-time license fee to the auther. Contact to basuke@kagi.com for more detail.



  If you are a CD-ROM publisher which includes many Freeware/Shareware softwares, and want to include TapBar package, you need to send me one free copy of that CD-ROM. Don't let me pay even shipping fee. I never parmit without this requirements. Also contact to basuke@kagi.com for more detail.





Upgrading from TapBar 1.0

======================

  If you are using TapBar 1.0, you may notice some differences. Here're some note about upgrading matter.



  1).  Preferences are safe. All bar's settings remain untouched even when you delete old TapBar in advance.



  2).  New TapBar is now separated into two packages. Read Installing TapBar section below for more detail. Basically TapBar Core has same and more functionalities with old TapBar except an interface. Old TapBar and TapBar Core have same internal name, so you cannot install them at same time. Old TapBar and TapBar Setup can be installed at once, but TapBar Setup won't open with old TapBar.



  3).  When you install new TapBar, you could do it overriding old TapBar. Someone reports that overring old version with new one causes an error, but I'm not sure about this thing. The safest way to upgrade is to delete old TapBar at first, then install new TapBar. This must be OK for everyone.



  4).  For TapBar Customizer users, version 1.1 doesn't include Customizer's function. You can still use TapBar Customizer with TapBar 1.1. Also you don't need to delete TapBar Customizer at first. It could be there at all.





Installing TapBar

==============

  You have two files in a software set, TapBar Core.pkg and TapBar Setup.pkg. 



  1).  TapBar Core is a core function set of TapBar. It is an auto-parts package and will be filing to "Extensions" folder of Extras Drawer. At least you need to install this package to use TapBar. Also, it is strongly recommended to install this package into internal store. Bad thing will happen when you remove the card which has TapBar installed. TapBar Core requires about 23K bytes strage space and less than 4K bytes heap space (*1).



  2).  TapBar Setup is a setup interface applet for TapBar. You need this package at first time setup, and when you want to change bar's settings. After changing setting, you can remove or freeze it if you want. You can install it into any store you want. TapBar Setup requires about 40K bytes strage space and an approprite size of heap space.



  3).  On your first installation of TapBar Setup, you will see a small star sign flashing at the top of screen. This notification leads you to TapBar Setup and start the tour to create your first bar. Follow the instruction. If you've already installed TapBar before, you've never see the tour. Sorry.



  4).  You also need to install some TapBar aware button modules, a.k.a. TapBar buttons. There is a sample TapBar button in this software set. Rotate Button.pkg switches its screen mode between portrate and landscape. Buttons can be installed onto any store you want, but remember this. "You can not remove card easily (*2) when the button on the card is visible." This also means if the button is displayed on the status bar, you cannot remove the card on which the button is installed. Without this restriction, you can install them anywhere you want.



(*1) Depending on how much you install TapBar button modules.

(*2) "You can not remove card easily" means that Newton may ask you to reinsert the card you've just removed. After you insert it and wait a while, you can finally remove it.





Where can I get TapBar buttons?

===========================

  You may get other TapBar buttons from BBS, internet site, or CD-ROM. Also my homepage has the links to the TapBar buttons around the world. 



  Also the commercial software which uses TapBar may have a TapBar icon on its outside package. Check this icon when you are looking for some software at the shop.





How to use TapBar?

================

  To change some setting, you'll use TapBar Setup applet.



  1).  Open Extras Drawer by tapping Extras icon. You may find TapBar Setup icon at Setup folder.



        TIPS: TapBar Setup installs TapBar Setup button which will open ifself. You'll see "TB" icon on the bar.



  2).  TapBar Setup slip will be appeared. This slip has three sections separated by dotted line:



      a).  Settings of bars

                Each bar has its own appearence, button sets, position and so on, that can be configured by the user.

      b).  Settings of status bar buttons

                User can configure which buttons are on status bar of backdrop applet.

      c).  Preferences of TapBar buttons

                Installed TapBar buttons can have its global preferences panel.



  NEWS: The document "How to use TapBar?" which has bunch of images will be available soon! 

                               Maybe...                                     Someday...





Developing TapBar buttons

======================

  You need to get TapBar SDK from TapBar homepage or other BBS sites. The latest version of SDK is always available at TapBar homepage. 



  This SDK contains:



  - latest TapBar Core and TapBar Setup

  - documentation of TapBar API

  - proto template for TapBar button that is suitable for common task

  - sample codes



  If you make a good button, please let me know about that. I'll put your button on my TapBar homepage if possible, or at least I can link to your site.





FAQ : Frequently Asked Question

===========================

Q. After I've delete some buttons, they'er still there on the button list with question mark and italic text. How can I remove them from the list?



A. From the main screen of the TapBar Setup, choose "Clean up buttons" from the action button at the right lower corner. 



Q. The English of this document is a little bit strange. Why?



A. That's becaouse I'm not native speaker. I'm waiting your co-operation. Thank you.





About the auther

===============

Yosuke "Basuke" Suzuki

basuke@kagi.com

http://www.saryo.org/basuke/tapbar/