Author Topic: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?  (Read 5714 times)

Lars

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XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« on: March 20, 2024, 06:56:08 am »
Out of interest but also need (I had raised 2 tickets): is there a rough availability date for XWP 1.0.17 ?

I was curious and looked into the XWorkplace/XWPHelpers SVN repos but could not see any checkins from Rich. I therefore suspect that currently, he only has done the changes to his local copy.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2024, 06:57:44 am by Lars »

Rich Walsh

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2024, 05:11:07 pm »
Out of interest but also need (I had raised 2 tickets): is there a rough availability date for XWP 1.0.17 ?

Normally, I don't release a new version of XWP until there are enough new features and bug fixes to make it worth the user's time and effort to install it. That typically occurs every 12-18 months (the last one was released 4 1/2 months ago). As it happens, I think I've achieved this "critical mass" sooner than usual, so I expect to do a new one in the next several months.

Quote
I was curious and looked into the XWorkplace/XWPHelpers SVN repos but could not see any checkins from Rich. I therefore suspect that currently, he only has done the changes to his local copy.

I usually keep the Netlabs repo at the same level as the most recent release. Anyone who builds it himself and then runs into problems can compare his results to the released binaries to determine if he introduced the issue or if it was already there but hadn't been noticed before. Further, I don't think it's helpful for other builders to have to wade through my mistakes and delays (i.e. a commit, 2 fixes for that commit, another commit a month later to finish it, etc, etc.). Before I commit anything, I consolidate all of my patches for a given feature or bug-fix into a single coherent patch that can be rolled-back easily if the builder wishes.

Lars

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2024, 05:16:02 pm »
ok, thanks for the answer.

Martin Iturbide

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2024, 03:36:45 am »
Hello Rich

If it is possible to kindly request you a new features for the next XWorkplace. I would like if you can take a look at "Win95key" (some discussion about it here) and also to the XWP ticket #11. Something when the user can define the "Modifier Keys" and play with those to create combinations of keys. It does not has to be as I suggested on the ticket, you may have a different idea.

Just in case in OS/2 we don't use the "Windows Key", we call it the "Warp Key"   ;D ;D ;D

Thanks.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2024, 03:44:22 am by Martin Iturbide »
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Devid

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2024, 03:05:47 pm »
Hello Rich

If is it possible...
https://www.os2world.com/forum/index.php/topic,2222.msg23759.html#msg23759

Another feature could be files preview (image, pdf, text, ecc.) with some sort of keyboard shortcut (in OSX is the spacebar key).

Thanks!

Martin Iturbide

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2024, 08:52:06 pm »
Hi again

Checking the old (1996) NPS WPS Enhancer, I found this two little things interesting.

1)  "Screen Drawing" allows you to draw over the desktop with the key combinations, that may be interesting when you are showing your screen to someone else, or taking screenshots.

2) "Windows Shadows on Desktop" is kind of a nice touch.

Regards
« Last Edit: November 05, 2024, 08:54:12 pm by Martin Iturbide »
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Dariusz Piatkowski

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2024, 02:30:27 am »
Rich,

I badly miss the easy RMB 'Copy/Paste/Cut' option...could we get that implemented???

Soooo handy all over the place...tired of always going up to the Menu bar and selecting from there.

Thanks,
-Dariusz

Dave Yeo

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2024, 03:49:20 am »
For copy and paste, just use mouse chords. Highlight with button 1, then while still holding button 1 down, press button 2, this will copy. The find where you want to paste, hold down button2 and then press button 1.
I think I got that right, it's automatic for me.

Rich Walsh

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2024, 08:45:33 am »
Let me offer a generic response to the feature suggestions above. No :)

These days, I only consider new features that have very broad appeal and require little if any configuration (e.g. "Text Size").  I also shy away from features that don't need to run in the WPS process and could be implemented as standalone utilities. Finally, I avoid grandiose schemes that are likely to deliver more bugs than benefits. Some examples:

* Win keys (Martin): in these days of mobile phones where it all "just works" with almost no configuration required, how many users are still willing to go to the effort to configure stuff like this? My sense is "almost none". As it is, I doubt many people use _any_ of XWP's hotkey features, much less add to or change the existing defaults. If you want to pursue this, why not talk to Styler's maintainer?

* File descriptions and Colored dots (Devid): this was implemented by someone in 1994 and never heard from again. Why? I can see how this might be useful if you had a folder full of documents you needed to organize but in the grand scheme of things (e.g. 'C:\OS2\DLL'), not compelling.

* File Previewer (Devid): this one has broad appeal and should require little configuration, so why not implement it? Because the results would be half-assed at best. OS/2 does not support vector graphics like OSX does, so appropriately-sized thumbnails aren't possible.  Further, OS/2 apps aren't designed to render the files they create on-demand, so the viewer would have to implement every supported format itself either directly of through plug-ins. Ugggh!!

* Screen drawing (Martin): what does this have to do with the WPS? Since this is used almost exclusively with screenshots, why not ask the maintainer of Gotcha! about it?

* Windows Shadows on Desktop (Martin): waaaay too DOSish if done like NPS; somewhere between waaaay too difficult and impossible if done "correctly".

* RMB 'Copy/Paste/Cut' (Dariusz): pros: broad appeal - cons: an exception list as long as your arm.

« Last Edit: November 06, 2024, 05:23:20 pm by Rich Walsh »

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2024, 05:56:27 pm »
Hello Rich

I understand that we can not bend your will to change your mind. You are not getting paid for your work on XWorkplace and I appreciate the effort you made to include the "text size" functionality and keep bug fixing it.

I just want to reply this:
.. If you want to pursue this, why not talk to Styler's maintainer?

The user right now has two icons for Keyboard configuration on ArcaOS. (picture attached). For something very punctual as the "Warp Key" (not the Windows Key  ;D) configuratioin, I personally think it can be better to integrate that XWorkplace Keyboard WPS object instead of putting it on Styler as a extra icon,  Styler is very good but it is more related to Window/Buttons Styles.

Regards

« Last Edit: November 06, 2024, 09:35:14 pm by Martin Iturbide »
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David Graser

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2024, 08:15:06 pm »
I agree with Rich.

NPS WPS Enhancer:  I do like the screen drawing feature and do use the Windows shadows also.  I agree with Rich that the shadows aren't really needed.

I like the way you can set the up the way a window can be dragged across the screen such as selecting the body of the window to drag instead of just the titlebar

I use the program called Title to right click on the titlebar which moves a window order forward while moving the top window to the back.

i use Xit to add additional working bitmaps to the titlebar such as a bitmap to roll up a window and unroll the window, cut and paste icons, etc.

The only issue using NPS Enhancer and Xit is to figure out what to disable that might conflict with Xworkplace.

It would be nice to have a program in addition to Xworkplace called WPS Enhancer where the above features could be added without all the other useless features that are no longer needed in the above programs.

it is a shame the developers did not release the code for these three programs.

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2024, 10:34:58 pm »
I too agree with Rich and see no need to add anything to XWP, in fact I stopped updating XWP at 1.0.11 because it does everything that I need and expect from an enhancer program, also I don't have the latest win abomination to compare it with (yes, I do have win 7 on one of my computers because my weather station only has a win display).

Martin Iturbide

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2024, 02:11:37 pm »
Hello

I'm lost on the "RMB 'Copy/Paste/Cut' (Dariusz)", can someone explain it to me?
Is it something that with the "right mouse click" shows a menu with  'Copy/Paste/Cut' ? Was it available and it is not available anymore? or was some special software?

Regards
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Dariusz Piatkowski

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2024, 07:30:54 pm »
Hello Martin,

...I'm lost on the "RMB 'Copy/Paste/Cut' (Dariusz)", can someone explain it to me?
Is it something that with the "right mouse click" shows a menu with  'Copy/Paste/Cut' ? Was it available and it is not available anymore? or was some special software?...

So if I recall correctly it was either Xit or NPS that enabled the additional pop-up options that deal with the Copy/Paste/Cut etc. operations. This was applicable to the TEXT content, with the benefit of it being active ANYWHERE that TEXT content was available: so editors, as well as text fields, etc...thus making it very useful when you are trying to avoid re-typing stuff.

I ended up disabling Xit for precisely the reasons Rich mentioned: there were just too many exceptions I was running into where Xit would mess with the application itself. Heck, Lucide is a perfect example, attempting to search for some string would oftentimes cause it to freeze WPS. I had similar issues with PMMail where upon startup WPS would freeze. Hard to explain why, but removing Xit cured it.

So anyways, until Dave mentioned it here in his response I was completely unware of the functionality that operation he suggested brings:

1) highlight the text you want and while still LMB pressing down click on the RMB => tada...the text is copied

Now to PASTE this, you simply:

1) push down on the RMB, and click on the LMB

easy!!!

Martin Iturbide

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Re: XWP 1.0.17: any availability date ?
« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2024, 09:22:55 pm »
1) highlight the text you want and while still LMB pressing down click on the RMB => tada...the text is copied

Now to PASTE this, you simply:

1) push down on the RMB, and click on the LMB

easy!!!

WOW !!! this is so hard with a trackpoint, but works great for a regular mouse !!!
Thanks for sharing.

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