Begin
File:			bwm.tgz
Description:	Basis Workspace Manager (Bwm)
Keywords:		Basis QNX Windows GUI desktop workspace manager
Version:		1.0D
Entered-date:	Sept. 22, 1997
Author:   		Frank Kolnick, Basis Computer Systems Inc.
Ported-by:
Original-site:
Copying-policy:
Supplemental:

Basis Workspace Manager (Bwm) version 1.0D                  Sept. 22, 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Requires: QNX 4.22 or later, QNX Windows 4.21B or later (4.23A preferred).
(Revision history at end of document.)

To install:  1. copy bwm.tgz to /windows/apps
             2. cd to /windows/apps
             3. execute:  gzip -cd bwm.tgz | pax -vr

This workspace manager (Bwm) is provided as an alternative to the default
Olwm. It implements a more 'modern' workspace metaphor and has numerous
additional features. It also highlights some of the latest features of the
QNX Windows GUI, such as file browsing, drag-and-drop file copying,
drop-down lists, 'tabbed' buttons, reserved screen areas, etc.
Bwm is provided 'as is' by Basis Computer Systems Inc.

Please feel free to send comments, suggestions and problem reports to
"fkolnick" on QUICS or "fkolnick@sentex.net" on the Internet. There are
also "3rdparty.basis" newsgroups on QUICS. Note that Bwm is not part of
QNX Windows and is not supported by QSSL technical support.

This package contains the following files, which should appear in
/windows/apps/Basis:

Bwm             --  the window manager program
Bwm.cfg         --  a configuration file for Bwm
Bwm.help        --  help file for Bwm
Bwm.text        --  alternate text-only help file (see below)
Basis.pict      --  a library of icons and symbols for Basis products
BProg.list      --  a sample 'programs' list for the Bwm main menu
BMenus.list     --  a sample 'sub-menus' list
Bwm.splash.pict --  start-up and 'info' identification picture
Bwm.readme      --  this file

The Bwm.cfg file may be located in your own 'windows' subdirectory or
in /windows/apps/Basis. If in the latter, you may append a specific node
number, e.g., "Bwm.cfg23".

The 'help' file and some information notices use embedded formatting
codes which are only supported in QNX Windows 4.23A or later. If you
are not running this release (currently in beta, downloadable from QSSL),
please rename the "Bwm.text" file to "Bwm.help". Some features of the
workspace manager also require the latest release.

You may need to add 'read' permissions to /etc/shadow in order to
log in, if QNX Windows is not started from 'root'.


Bwm.cfg
-------
The configuration file (Bwm.cfg) defines a few optional parameters to the
workspace manager. (Note that any line beginning with a double-quote
character is treated as a comment and is not interpreted.) The following
parameters are supported (see the supplied Bwm.cfg for examples):

saver_msg    <text string>  -- defines a message which is displayed when
                               the built-in screen-saver is activated
screen_saver <pathname>     -- specififes a program to execute as the
                               'screen-saver'
help_path    <pathname>     -- specifies the file to be opened when the
                               'help book' icon is selected (note: if the
                               file contains HTML, an HTML viewer must be
                               installed; if the path refers to a directory,
                               it is assumed to contain table-of-contents
                               information and is passed to the HTML viewer)
menu_button  <label>        -- defines a text label for the main menu button
                               in the client bar (replacing the standard
                               button glyph)
help_button  <label>        -- defines a text label for the help button in
                               the client bar
<type>       <path>,<path>  -- specifies a 'viewer' and/or an 'editor'
                               program to handle files of the given type
                               (".c", ".pict", etc.) or class ( "text",
                               "picture", "html", "bin" (binary),
                               or "font"); in the case of file classes,
                               Bwm will examine the file to determine its
                               format (e.g., source code will default to
                               'text' if an explicit viewer/editor is not
                               defined -- see 'Plug-in Services', below)

Note that the viewer/editor 'program' can also refer to a script which
starts up a shell and executes one or more commands, for example.

When Bwm executes the given screen-saver program, it automatically expands
its window to full-screen size and strips the frame bars. Hence, almost any
QNX Windows program can be used as a screen-saver.

Bwm has built-in viewers for text, pictures, fonts, and binary (i.e., as a
hexadecimal dump). When a particular file is double-clicked, Bwm attempts
to run the given program for that type of file. Otherwise, it looks for a
file named "B<type>_viewer" in /windows/apps/Basis (e.g., Bhtml_viewer).
The program is executed and passed the file's name as an argument.
(Double-clicking an executable file runs it.) Note that the text viewer
currently doesn't completely display very large files. This will be
enhanced in a later release.

The Basis viewers and editors (e.g., "Bhtml_viewer") do not have to be
defined in Bwm.cfg. If they are found in the directory, they are used,
when appropriate. Entries in Bwm.cfg will override these defaults.


screen.cfg
----------
Note that the 'System Information' (computer) icon takes its label from
the server name, i.e., the 'name' command in the screen.cfg file.

Additional Bwm configuration options are accepted on the command-line,
which must be placed in your screen.cfg file, e.g.,

start   /windows/apps/Basis/Bwm -BliIEcCfwhPrWsVz

Type "use Bwm" at the QNX command-line prompt to list the currently
supported options in the version of Bwm you are running. Most options
are self-explanatory. A few require some extra detail:

'M' -- This generates a 'Tools' sub-menu of all executable files in
       /windows/apps/Basis/tools. It will search one further level, i.e.,
       the executable may be placed inside its own folder under 'tools'.
	   The file's name is used as the menu item label.
	   (The file or directory may also be a symbolic link, i.e., an 'alias'.)
       A 'Character Chart' tool is always available. It requires QW 4.23A
       to be able to switch fonts.
'r' -- Generates sub-menus of the most recently accessed files and folders,
       and the most recently executed files (through the workspace
	   manager). Selecting the item re-opens the file or folder, or
	   re-executes the program.
'u' -- Suppresses a window's icon when it is `closed' (iconified). The
       window itself disappears; it re-appears when its button in the
       client bar is selected.
'U' -- Allows Bwm to move and resize new windows to their previous location
       and size. This overrides the parameters supplied with the WindowOpen,
       if any, unless the "a(N)" window option is given.

Bwm presets various screen options. You can supplement these with the
"options" command in your screen.cfg file. You can also specify the 'n'
command-line option to prevent Bwm from setting any screen options, or the
'!' to supplement the default options.

Bwm can currently only be configured from its command-line and through
configuration files. GUI-based configuration will be provided later.


Bprog.list
----------
BProg.list contains a list of programs which will appear in either the
main Bwm menu or in a separate 'programs' sub-menu (depending on the 'l'
command-line option). The file contains a one-line entry for each item
in the menu (see the supplied BProg.list for examples):

<label>;<home directory>;<command>

i.e., the text string that will appear in the menu, followed by the
program's home directory (use '-' to indicate the current working
directory), followed by the command-line to execute the program.
These three fields are separated by semi-colons. E.g.,

shell;-;/windows/apps/Wterm/wterm
symbol editor;Sedit;sedit
solitaire;Solitaire
puzzle

Note that the 'command-line' field is optional and is assumed to be the
same as the menu item label, if omitted. (Other items in the main menu,
such as the presence or absence of a 'help' item, are controlled by
arguments to the Bwm command-line in screen.cfg.)

The 'command' menu item opens a window containing two text fields: one
for a directory path and the other for the name of a file to execute in
that directory. Note that both of these are combination fields: click the
button on the right to drop down a list of the most recently entered
directories or file names.

(This file is optional. If absent, no 'programs' item will appear in the
main workspace menu.)


BMenus.list
----------
BMenus.list contains one or more lists of programs which will appear in
sub-menus under the main menu. The format of a list is:

<sub-menu label>:
<label>;<home directory>;<command>
<label>;<home directory>;<command>
<label>;<home directory>;<command>
.

i.e., a label for the sub-menu's item in the main menu, followed by a series
of menu items (as for Bprog.list, above) followed by a line containing a
single period or an empty line.

(This file is optional.)


Plug-in Services
----------------
A 'service' is any program that can be activated automatically by the
workspace manager. This typically occurs when the icon representing a file
or a service (such as 'printing') is double-clicked, or a file icon is
dragged and dropped onto a service icon. Bwm will run the program (as defined
in Bwm.cfg) and pass it a command line which contains the name of a file, if
applicable. If no filename is given, the service manager is expected to open
its own window to examine, create, modify, etc. the particular type of
resource it manages (e.g., a list of files waiting to be printed or faxed).

In the context of a service, the 'viewer' path in the Bwm.cfg file refers
to a command which will display information about the service and its
resources, and/or accept a filename to be processed (printed, mailed, etc.),
while the 'editor' path allows the user to control the service and
modify/create/etc. resources (e.g., compose a mail message).

No plug-in services are currently supplied with Bwm. Icons are provided for
services named "mail", "print", "fax" and "phone". Clicking or dragging to
one of these icons will cause Bwm to try to run a program defined in the
Bwm.cfg file for that name, as described above. The viewer/editor 'program'
can refer to a script which starts up a shell and executes one or more
commands, for example.

Additional services which are recogized:
"archive" -- handles the 'archive/compress' menu item in the file folder menu


Some suggestions
----------------
1. Add the following lines to your screen.cfg file:
   font	helv
   font	title=helv,140,BI
   button	O=Nm,f=Bd

2. Replace /windows/glyphs/scroll640x480.pict with alt_scroll640x480.pict
   (also sometimes known as: sample_scroll640x480.pict, in the distribution).

3. Try these Bwm options first: -BliIeEcCfwhPrWsVzkUu

4. The built-in 'calendar' window supports English, French, Spanish,
   Portugese and German. Set the "LANG" environment variable appropriately
   (e.g., "ll_cc.ASCII", where 'll' is "en", "fr", "es", "pt" or "de", and
   'cc' indicates the country, e.g., "US" -- Bwm only uses the 'll' part).


History
-------
0.1A   - initial release
0.2A   - adds 'tools' sub-menu
       - adds 'calendar' window (click on time field in client bar)
       - adds 'find file' window (click on menu icon in folder title bar)
       - adds 'character chart' (click on 'tools' sub-menu)
       - adds 'disks' card in resources window (double-click 'computer' icon)
       - adds file operations menu (delete, rename, alias, etc.;
         click 'menu' on a file or folder)
       - adds 'file properties' dialog (from the file operations menu)
       - adds 'clipboard' support (save to file, etc.); the 'k' config.
         options enables Ctrl-C to copy selected elements to the clipboard
         (requires QNX Windows 4.23A)
       - adds Ctrl-double-click to edit a file
       - elements in viewers are now selectable (so they can be copied to
         the clipboard)
       - Bwm built-in utilities support the 'info...' client menu item
0.3A   - adds 'find' (text string) button to text viewer windows
       - adds 'open pathname' item to the file folder menu
       - Shift-double-clicking a picture file displays a list of the
         file's elements (in text format)
       - remembers 'lists' (last-accessed folders, files, etc.) between
         activations of the server
       - optionally remembers application window positions and sizes (see
         the 'U' option); works best if windows and applications (SetName)
         have relatively unique names, and if window classes are defined;
         works automatically, without involving the application
       - looks for config. files in user's "windows" sub-directory first
       - workspace icons can be dragged (positions are remembered between
         activations)
       - default icons for printer, fax, mail and telephone services, to
         activate user-supplied plug-in managers (see 'Plug-in Services',
         above); their tags are "print", "fax", "mail" and "phone", which
         correspond to their plug-in service classes
       - typing a character in a 'file folder' window causes the window to
         scroll to the first file/folder beginning with that character
       - double-clicking a font file (in /windows/fonts) displays its
         parameters and a short sample of text
0.3B   - a few cosmetic changes
       - supports QSSL 'TOC' files (double-click to activate the HTML viewer)
       - file properties window displays line and word counts for text files,
         picture parameters and element counts for picture files
0.9A   - supports a 'Jaz'-type disk icon
       - better workspace icon placement
       - keeps better track of previously entered strings (file names, etc.)
         and stores/retrieves them by node number
       - new 'help_path' configuration option (see "Bwm.cfg", above )
       - supports filtering of files in folder window by pattern (select the
         'menu' button in the title bar, then the "Filter" item)
       - supports selection of files in folder window by pattern (select the
         'menu' button in the title bar, then the "Select" item)
       - fixes a bug which could cause BWM to go 'ready'
1.0A   - fixes some problems with screen-savers
       - displays a start-up 'splash' window
       - new 'd' option, to display all folders in 'detailed' mode by default
       - new 'J' option, to re-use the same window while browsing folders
       - new 'u' option, to suppress window icons in the workspace (requires
         QW 4.23A); windows can be restored by clicking on their application's
         button in the client bar
       - new '!' option, to append specific screen options
       - the screen-saver can be started manually from the 'tools' sub-menu
       - supports sub-menus under the main menu (see "BMenus.list", above)
1.0B   - supports an optional 'clients' workspace menu item
       - supports a 'terminate' option in client menus, to forcibly abort
         an application
       - can display window names rather than client names in the client bar
       - 'help_path' may refer to a directory (which is passed to Bhtml)
       - option to display the 'main menu' button on the left side of the
         client bar
       - option to replace the graphical 'main menu' and/or 'help' buttons
         (in the client bar) with plain text buttons
       - fixes a redraw problem when full-size folder windows are restored
         to normal size
       - fixes a crash caused by long sub-menus
1.0C   - fixes a bug in window menus (wouldn't close, quit, etc.)
1.0D   - the screen-saver is now initially disabled by default
       - does not interfere with 'Ctrl-Fn' keys (unless there are multiple
         workspaces, in which case you should disable manual switching)


Copyright 1996-1997 Basis Computer Systems Inc. All rights reserved.
Basis Computer Systems Inc. makes no warranties, express or implied,
with respect to this software. All risk is with the user of the
software. Permission is granted to make copies of this program
available to any licensed user of QNX Windows, free of charge, provided
that this text file is included with the software, and that no files in
the distribution are modified or omitted.


End