AutoSave Plus  -  Automatic Save Utility

By A C Rowland

from AutoSave by Andrew Hersee


This program is designed to automatically save files from Wimp applications at regular intervals. It adds to Andrew Hersey's program (RU 4:8) a prompt before saving and a user friendly configuration option. It requires RISC OS 3.1 or later and supports interactive help.

When first run, you are presented with a configuration dialog box. Here you should:

   specify how often you want AutoSave Plus to save your documents
   add the names of the applications you want it to work with to the Task List.

AutoSave Plus does not just work with every application willy-nilly: it may be undesirable in some circumstances and some applications have a built-in autosave feature which should be used in preference.


Configuration

This dialog box sports a Tip Box giving context sensitive help.

The easiest way to add an application to the list is to run it, and when it is installed on the iconbar, choose AutoSave Plus's Add entry... button and select the application's name from the drop down menu. This ensures that the name is entered accurately, because names must appear exactly as they do in the Task Manager's task display. Of course, only choose suitable applications, i.e. ones which...

   are editors
   take the input focus when you click on them, i.e. the window border goes cream  Paint, for example, does not do this.

The drop down menu simply lists all running programs, whether suitable or not (as AutoSave has no way of knowing how any particular application works).

To enter a lot of applications at once: run them all as above, then click Menu over the Task List and move onto Add entry in the menu. Then use Adjust to keep the menu open as you add the names.

For each application in the list you may set up your preferences individually. If you select Reminder only AutoSave Plus will not attempt to save documents but will simply generate an error reminding you to save. You should also use this option if the application concerned has no save key.

If you select Auto save you should position the caret in the Key field and press whichever key the application uses to save (usually F3). You may also specify whether this is to be fully automatic or not: when Full is selected (the button turns red) files will be saved without further ado, as if you had pressed F3 then Return yourself. If not, the Save as: window will be presented for you to alter the filename before saving if desired.

The settings may be changed in future by selecting the application in the Task List and choosing Setup.... Note that any changes you make will not take effect until you choose Change or press Return. The settings for a group of applications may be changed all at once  just use Adjust to select the ones you want first  but in this case it is not possible to alter the spelling of names.

To remove applications from the list, select them as above and choose Remove.

Finally, do not forget to choose Save to make the changes permanent and close the dialog box.


The iconbar icon

Clicking Select over the iconbar icon causes the document containing the caret to be saved immediately (if a single keypress save works in that application). The advantage of doing this, rather than just saving from the application itself, is that AutoSave Pluss timer is reset.

Clicking Adjust over the iconbar icon pauses AutoSave Plus and greys the icon to indicate this. A second click with Adjust will restore it.

The iconbar menu gives access to the usual things, including the Configure dialog and this Help file.


How it works

Whenever the delay you specified elapses, the program finds out which window contains the caret. It checks that the document is titled, and that the window title contains an asterisk, by convention indicating that the document has been modified. It will also check that the application is known to AutoSave Plus, and if so will then take the action you specified when you configured the program. If you selected Auto save there will be a beep and a window will open presenting you with the choice of cancelling, saving immediately or saving after a delay, when you will see this window again. F2 switches to Delay, F1 to Save now and keys F3-F7 give preset delay times. Of course, Escape and Return have their usual functions. You are advised not to continue typing or click outside the prompt window when it is open.

 Copyright RISC User Magazine 1997
