RISC OS 3 Resource Module Generator
by Martin Sperl

NewResources creates modules which add new resources to RISC OS 3's ResourceFS resources filing system. These new resources are then added to, or replace, those already in ResourceFS (Edit, Paint, Draw etc., and the message files for these and other ROM-based applications). This program therefore provides an easy way to create new resources or modify existing ones. Translating RISC OS text messages into languages other than English is easy this way. You can also include your favourite applications in the resources filing system as well as new fonts. The only limit on what can be put into ResourceFS is the amount of memory available in your machine.

In order to add new resources to ResourceFS, you must create a module which contains the actual image of the file (or files) you want to add to the filing system. This is not a job for the faint-hearted, and so NewResources does it all for you. All you have to do is to drag a file, application or directory to NewResources and the module will be created for you in the correct format.

Running the application installs an icon on the icon bar. Clicking Menu over this icon brings up a menu with 3 entries. In addition to the usual 'Info' and Quit entries there is another entry: 'Delete all'. If you choose this the program deletes all the existing entries for files which have been previously dragged onto the application icon or window (see below).

When you click with Select or Adjust on the icon the main window opens. Most of the entries are greyed out except for a writable icon for the name of the module which will be created (not its filename). Dragging a file or a selection of files onto the icon bar icon or into the window causes the filenames to be listed in the sub-window "Original files". Dragging a directory or an application results in all the files within the object being listed. The file information for the selected file (the one with the inverted display) is shown in the bottom left corner (length, filetype, date and time) and cannot be edited. Also shown is the pathname which the file will have once it is in the resources filing system. This information can be edited.

This pathname is derived from the original path. If the original path includes "Apps","Fonts" or "Resources" it is truncated just in front of the respective directory. If after these truncations there is still a "$." to be found in the filename everything to the left included the dot "." is deleted. If the filename includes a ".!" then again everything to the left of the "!" is deleted and "Apps." is added in front.

For example: - the filename
"ADFS::HardDisc4.$.Apps.Resources.!MyFonts.Fonts.Outlines"
would be truncated to "Fonts.Outlines" which would be its resourcespath.
             - the filename
"ADFS::HardDisc4.$.DTP.Ovation.!Ovation"
would be truncated to "Apps.!Ovation"
             - the filename
"ADFS::HardDisc4.$.Private.Data"
would be truncated to "Private.Data".

Files within sub-directories of applications have their sub-pathnames added to the resources path, for example:
  Apps.!MyTask.Data.Choices

To select an entry in order to change its path or just to look at its information, click on the required file in the "Original Files" sub-window. When editing the resources path the up/down cursors change to the next/previous file. To create the module simply drag the file from the "Save as" box in the normal fashion to a filer window. The creation of the module may take some time (especially with long applications).

To delete one entry select it and the click Menu over the "Original files" sub-window. There are two entries in this menu: 'Delete' which deletes the currently selected entry and 'Delete all' which was described previously. When clicking Menu over the main window only the 'Delete all' entry appears.

Once you have created your module and saved it to disc, it can be installed simply by loading the module (i.e. double-clicking on its icon in a directory viewer). New resources contained in the module will be added to ResourceFS, while resources which duplicate any already in the filing system will replace the earlier ones. Thus you can add applications of your own, or you can replace RISC OS's message files with your own. You can see the new resources by clicking Menu over the Apps icon on the icon bar and choosing the 'Open $' option. Any applications in your module will now appear in the Apps directory, fonts will appear in Fonts, and any other resources will be in Resources.

Be careful not to create a filename in your new resources which is the same as an existing directory name (e.g. 'Resources.Desktop'). This is quite likely to hang the computer.

Included on this disc (in the directory !NewResrc.Files) is a module called 'GermanRisc', which was created using NewResources, together with a sub-directory entitled Resources which contains the source files for this module. This provides German language messages for some of the ROM-based applications, such as the Wimp, Desktop, Alarm etc. To alter any of the messages or to add your own, just amend the relevant file(s) and then drag the complete Resources directory to NewResources to recompile the module. Note that, in the files supplied, not all the Alarm messages have been translated into German.
