MusLook 1.02 (16 Jan 1998)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1.00 contained a slight mistake in the installation instructions, and
also a minor error in the !Run that caused filer action windows to be
rather 'quiet' :(

This is a bug-fix release.

1.01 also contained an error in the description of using "RTexture",
this release fixes this.  No code has changed, just this file.

This is an "Adny slaps his forehead and says 'Doh!'" release.


Remember kids: don't code when you're too tired to focus on the screen...
               ...and you can forget documentation as well.


* NB:
* This 'patch' is ONLY for RISC OS 3.1 machines.  It is utterly useless on
* machines using later versions of the OS, and will cause problems
* if you attempt to use it with one.

This 'patch' is aimed primarily at users of older machines with 4Mb (or less)
memory.  It's also useful on 8Mb machines as it frees up an extra 100K of RMA
(when compared with the standard !NewLook).


This document assumes that you are using the 'new' (ie. RiscPC style) !Boot
sequence.  If you aren't, then MusLook /is/ still usable, but you'll have to
work out how to set it up and integrate it with your existing !Boot yourself
I'm afraid.


What is MusLook?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MusLook is a low-memory 'upgrade' for !NewLook that makes it *much* more usable
on machines with limited memory.

NewLook has two key disadvantages:

1. The 3D templates are loaded into the Module Area, occupying more than
   90Kbytes

2. Many of the high-resolution sprites are inefficient:  they use far more
   memory than they need.  These sprites are stored in the Module Area,
   wasting yet more of a limited resource.


Now does it work?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Basically, I've redrawn a number of NewLook's sprites so that they use a lot
less memory.  You won't even be able to tell that some of them have been
redrawn, but others will look slightly different.  Some use fewer colours, but
you'll soon get used to the (small) difference... it's a small price to pay.

Rather than loading all the templates and sprites into the RMA MusLook keeps
them on disc, saving a vast amount of memory.


Why the long-winded install?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The installation procedure isn't really tricky, it's just long winded.
Basically, due to copyright restrictions, I can't simply distribute a complete
application.  So you have to 'build' it yourself.

Don't worry!  It's easy ;)



Limitations
~~~~~~~~~~~

There is no nice control program.  MusLook always loads the 3D window templates
and 3D icons.

There is no facility for setting the backdrop.  See later for information on
ways that you can get around this :)



Installation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Open !Boot.Utils.RO310Hook.Utilities to get at !NewLook.

2. Open !NewLook itself.

3. double-click on the 22Sprites file to load it into paint.

4. Drag the supplied "22Update" spritefile into the spritefile window.

5. Save the modified spritefile inside !MusLook as "Sprites22".

6. Copy !NewLook's 22Icons3d and 24Icons3d files into !MusLook as
   "Icons22" and "Icons" respectively.

7. Double-click on the "ROMApps3D" module in !NewLook to make sure that
   it's loaded.

8. Double-click on the "!Grab" obey file inside !MusLook - this will
   extract all of the NewLook templates, etc. into !MusLook.

9. *Optional* If you'd prefer to use my templates/sprites for !Paint
   and !Draw (they're much better than the NewLook ones, IMHO) then
   drag the appropriate directories from the "Adny's" directory over
   their counterparts in the "Extracted" directory.  There's also an
   (IMHO) improved version of the Free Space display window supplied.

10. Put !MusLook into !Boot.Choices.Boot.PreDesk

11. Remove !NewLook from !Boot.Utils.RO310Hook.Utilities (KEEP A BACKUP!)

12. Shutdown & Reboot :)



Removal:
~~~~~~~~

1. Put !NewLook back into !Boot.Utils.RO310Hook.Utilities (restore it from
   the backup that you made.  See, I told you to make a backup!)

2. Remove !MusLook from !Boot.Choices.Boot.PreDesk (you might like to keep
   a backup of this too, for easier re-installation).

3. (If you did one of the backdrop things described below, don't forget to
   remove that - it'll probably interfere with NewLook otherwise).



Backdrops
~~~~~~~~~

NB: If you want to set a backdrop up in the ways described here, you should
check your 'Desktop' boot file to make sure that it doesn't also set a
backdrop.  If you find that it does, simply comment that line in the file (ie.
put a pipe '|' character at the start of it) *and* any line that reads
just 'pinboard'.

Here's how to create an 'automatic' pinboard backdrop for just one
chosen backdrop:

1. Create a directory called "!PinDrop" (or whatever you like) in
   !Boot.Choices.Boot.Tasks

2. Copy the backdrop spritefile into this directory

3. Create an obey file called "!Run" in the directory that reads:

      %backdrop -tile <obey$dir>.spritefile

   (replace "spritefile" with the filename of the backdrop spritefile,
   and change the -tile to -scale or -center if necessary).


If you want to have a random backdrop (as NewLook allows you to), then do
the following:

1. Create a directory called "!PinDrop" (or whatever you like) in
   !Boot.Choices.Boot.Tasks

2. Copy the "RTexture" BASIC file from !NewLook into this directory

3. Copy all the spritefiles whose names start with 'T' from !NewLook
   into the directory (you don't need to copy Tools3D!)

4. Create an obey file called "!Run" in the directory that reads:

      %set NewLook$Options ""
      %wimpslot -min 16K -max 16K
      %run <obey$dir>.RTexture

   (if you want the 'lighter' option, replace the "" with "TL" in the
   first line).


Licence, Disclaimer, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(c) Musus Umbra 1998

Permission is granted for unlimited personal use & modification.

Permission is granted for redistribution (by any method) provided that:
        No charge is made for this software.  A reasonable charge may be
                made for media / handling / etc. This software is *free*.
        Any distributed copy of this software must be unaltered and entire.
                You may not distribute modified / imcomplete copies of this
                software.  If you fix a bug / add a feature, let me know so
                that I can update the master copy.

As usual with freeware, there is no warranty of any kind.  The author cannot
be help responsible for any loss/damage arising from the use/inability to
use this software.  It is the user's responsibility to determine the fitness
of this software for any purpose they put it to.

(But if it doesn't work, I will try to help :-)

Contact:
        e-mail:         musus@argonet.co.uk
        WWW:            http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/musus/
        Snail:          c/o 23 Baronsway, Whitkirk, Leeds, LS15 7AW, ENGLAND.
