TD3X.ACC Docs TD3X.ACC is a Read-Only Control Panel (ROCP) plus an auto- prompting time-date entry facility. It is an update of TD2X.ACC, with improvements and added features requested by users of the previous version. It is in the public domain; all I request is that it be distributed with this doc file, so that users can get the most from it. The rationale behind an ROCP TOS does not automatically set various parameters when you power up or reset your ST. In addition, the ST line does not include a battery-powered clock. The alternative which Atari chose is CONTROL.ACC, working in conjuction with a DESKTOP.INF file. When you power up or reset your ST, CONTROL.ACC initializes parameters. When you invoke it from the "Desk" menu, you can set the system clock and/or alter the parameters loaded in from DESKTOP.INF. Atari's accessory has several shortcomings. The first is that it occupies nearly 20K of RAM. The second is that you have to select it to set the time and the date; it does not automatically prompt you to do so. The third is that an ROCP will serve the needs of most users while occupying far less RAM. (Most of the time you actually use CONTROL.ACC as an ROCP.) Why set the system clock? When a program is saved or copied by the ST, the file has a time-date stamp attached to it. This allows a user to view when the file was saved or copied. (TOS 1.4 does not alter the time- date stamp when you copy files.) Furthermore, a hard drive back- up program may provide the option for the user to back up only those files stamped on and/or after a user-selected time and date. Therefore, TD3X.ACC prompts you to enter the time and the date when you power up your ST. If, however, you have installed a battery-powered clock, the prompt will be bypassed. Likewise, if you reset your ST, you will not have to re-enter the time and the date. How to set the time and the date Entering the time and the date follows standard GEM entry procedures. The up-arrow and the down-arrow keys will move you between the time and the date fields. The left-arrow and the right-arrow keys will move one character in the desired direction. The [Delete] key will move erase the character to the left of the cursor and move the cursor one space to the left. The [Esc] key will clear all characters in a field and move the cursor to the start of the field. Pressing the [Return] key will enter the time and the date. (Alternately, you can click the left mouse button the on date-entry field.) Time entry is in 12-hour in AM-PM format. (The "M" is a default; do not enter it.) Date entry is in USA-standard month/date/year (MM/DD/YY) format. Leading zeros are required. If you enter an illegal value, the program detects the error, and you are reprompted. For example, you can enter 02/29/XX only for leap years. Due to a bug in TOS, year entry is limited to /85 through /99. Also, TOS prior to 1.4 does not tie the XBIOS and the GEMDOS clocks together. TD3X.ACC sets both clocks. The ROCP itself TD3X.ACC initializes the following parameters: 1) The baud rate and the flow control for the serial (aka modem aka RS-232) port, 2) The various parameters for the parallel (aka printer aka Centronics) port, 3) The color palette, 4) The keyboard attack rate (the delay between a keypress and the start of keyboard repeat) and the keyboard repeat rate, 5) The mouse double-click rate, 6) Keyclick on/off, and 7) Bell on/off. Enhancements from TD2X.ACC TD2X.ACC did not implement the initialization of the serial port. This support was added, in case you are using a printer hooked up to the serial port. The major enhancement is that you can now change all parameters, the color palette only, and/or reset the system clock on the fly. All choices are prompted by alert boxes; the choices are pretty much self-explanatory. If you choose to change all the parameters, you will first be warned that doing so when you are using your printer or your modem might crash your work session and/or your ST. Frankly, I did not want to include the changing of all parameters as an option because of its potential for disaster. However, I anticipated that some users might want this option, so I chose to add the online warning to absolve myself from the consequences of its improper usage. You are then greeted with the familiar file selector box. When you power up or reset your ST, the default path is set to the root directory of the boot drive, where DESKTOP.INF-type files are likely to be located. Floppy disk and hard drive systems are both supported. If you select a file, it will be checked to be sure that it is, in fact, in DESKTOP.INF format. If it is not, you will be presented with an alert box, and then you will return to the file selector. If you click on "Cancel", you will be returned to the initial selection alert box. If you select a legitimate file, all of the parameters will be reset. You are then presented with an alert box to change the color palette by itself. You can choose to abort this, to reset the palette to the standard ST default palette, or you can can change the palette by selecting a DESKTOP.INF-type file with the file selector. If you click on the "Colors" selection in the initial alert box, you will go directly to the color palette selection alert box. (Do not pass GO; do not collect $200.) Resetting the color palette is the main reason that I decided to upgrade TD2X.ACC. There are badly-behaved programs -- mostly games -- which, when exited, do not restore the color palette. With TD3X.ACC, relief is just a couple of mouse strokes away! You will eventually end up at the time reset alert box. You have the option whether or not you want to reset the system clock. Warning! The seconds are always set to zero when entering the time and the date. Repeatedly selecting TD3X.ACC from the "Desk" menu can gradually cause the system clock to lose time. This will happen only if you choose to reset the time, and then you use the [Return] key or the left mouse button to re-enter the displayed time. TD3X.ACC will NOT tamper with the seconds when you reset your ST. Conclusion TD3X.ACC was written in 100% assembly language for speed and compactness; it takes just 3K of disk space and less than 8K of RAM. It uses an imbedded, hard-coded resource object; there is no separate .RSC file. (This thanks to a terrific program by John Eidsvoog, which he may some day decide to release.) Finally, TD3X.ACC, like its earlier versions, is completely compatible with CodeHead Software's MultiDesk. I would, however, suggest that you put it on the root directory of your boot drive rather than having MultiDesk automatically load and execute it at power-up and reset. The reason is that MultiDesk initially runs an accessory all the way through; you would find yourself having to click on "Abort" three times. In addition, you probably will want to have TD3X.ACC memory-resident at all times. The main function of MultiDesk is to allow users to load and unload accessories without rebooting. I hope that you find TD3X.ACC useful. To those who have used TD2X.ACC, I apologize that the upgrade to TD3X.ACC took so long.