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From: minich@d.cs.okstate.edu (Robert Minich)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Darkness 2.0 problems
Message-ID: <1990Jun14.210638.17635@d.cs.okstate.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 90 21:06:38 GMT
Organization: Oklahoma State University
Lines: 32


  OK, so it's not only _me_ that is having trouble with darkness. I
can't get any magic key sequences, sleep now, or anything other than the
standard "don't flinch for two minutes" to work. I like the idea of a
MultiFinder app instead of INIT (YEAH!) but Darkness goes to an extreme.
It seems to me that a cdev to twiddle a pref file would be a very nice
addition, even if you have to reboot to see the changes. Also, the app
should be sneakier. How about this: a normal app that comes to the front
after x minutes and does the nifty blank out stuff. Also, do a
"invisible menu bar" like Tetris. That way, we don't even need a sleep
now corner because we can just choose the dimmer like any other running
program. (still need a never-sleep corner, tho)
  I am almost interested enough to go write this myself, but there are a
few things I don't quite understand that I would like to. First and
foremost, I need to know what darkness does to determine nothing has
happened for x minute. I guess I could check the mouse location, but
that does not help if you're typing. I would also be nice to know more
about launching other programs from within another program, since I'm
too cheap to buy the Programmer's Guide to MF, which I pressume is
pretty thin reading. (When is Inside Mac VI going to hit the *@#*&%#$
press?) 
  Last note: has anyone else wondered what they might use darkness for
OTHER than to run screen dimmers? Perhaps this could be extended into a
tool to periodicly run other programs?

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-- 
| _    /| | Robert Minich             |
| \'o.O'  | Oklahoma State University |  
| =(___)= | minich@d.cs.okstate.edu   | 
|    U    | - Bill sez "Ackphtth"     |