QDT v1.01 Brief

Version History:
	10-27-05	Original

Copywrite (c):
2005		James Hunkins   [JDH Software Technologies]

WebSite:		http://www.jdh-stech.com



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Contents

QDT v1.01 Brief					
Contents							
Introduction						
Basic Installation Instructions		
Summary of Changes					
Future Releases					
Detailed Usage Information for 1.03	
QDT Installer						
QDT : Drag and Drop - Move			
IconDraw							
Appendixes						
A:	Changed Files					
B: Support						


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Introduction
This brief covers the changes to the first update released for QDT.  The information included in this document will be merged into the user manuals.

This is first update (v1.01) for QDT and should give a taste of the types of features and enhancements that will be added over the coming months.  It is hoped that future updates will follow without the extended delays that this release had from the initial QDT introduction.

Basic Installation Instructions
The update package includes three files.  The zipped file with all the updated files, a copy of the unzip program, and the basic program that starts the installation.

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Important - Before You Start!!!

Before running any updater, just in case of unforeseen problems, you should always at the minimum save to a different location your DESKTOP_QDT file and any icons that you have added or modified.  Ideally, saving the entire QDT directory tree is the safest method.

If you have modified any icons that come with the system and have not renamed them, they may be overwritten.  So either rename them or save them out and replace them after the update.

Once the three files are in a location that you can access, simply load and run the basic program and follow the screen prompts.  This installer will update or fresh install QDT as needed.

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Summary of Changes

> Installer
	- added update capabilities versus full install only
		. includes detection of existing QDT environment
	- improved the look of the progress buttons on the left side of the installer window

> QDT : Drag/Drop
	- this is the most requested feature
	- full drag and drop moves anywhere on the open and active QDT desktop
		. includes a cursor that reflects the moving object with action label 
		  attached

> IconDraw
	- color pick capability added
	- hits on live actual size icon window rotates background colors
	- faster redraw of live actual size icon window

Please check for additional notes in any included readme files for last minute changes and/or additions.

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Future Releases

The next release should include the following:
	- QDT - Drag/Drop - copy
	- QDT - Drag/Drop - execute
	- QDT - execution of Basic files from an icon
	- Object - FileManager
	- TextEntry support for extended character set

Please check the QDT website for additional features in the planning.  These include both the completion of notebook/desktop functions already visible within QDT plus several additional capabilities.

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How to Get Updates

For this immediate release, it is still necessary to get updates directly from the distributor from whom you purchased QDT.

In the near future, plans are to allow downloading of updates directly from the QDT website.  For this you will need to have the QDT serial number which was assigned to you when you purchased QDT.  The next release will incorporate this into the code and require it for any future update installations.
 
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Detailed Usage Information for 1.01

> QDT Installer
The installer has been modified to check for any prior copies of QDT that are on the system.  For this to work, the QDT environmental variables must be loaded along with the env.bin file.  QDT also will look at the default location to see if it sees QDT there.

If a prior installation of QDT is found, then a dialog box will open before the installer starts its normal process, giving options to Update, Replace, or Quit.

	- Update : this will only update the files that have been changed since your last build
		. sometimes this may include every file due to the change in a global data structure
		. the original desktop file and icons will be preserved
	- Replace : this will replace the entire QDT package, removing any prior configurations
	- Quit : as it says, aborts the install process.

If no prior installation is found of QDT, the installer will act just like a normal first time install.  See the separate QDT Installer Manual for more information.

> QDT : Drag and Drop - Move
This release allows for full drag and drop moves of any object  anywhere on the full desktop, as long as the destination is on the top and unlocked (not  partially covered by another window) {IMPORTANT}.

To move an object from the desktop or an open folder, either use the drop down menu (right mouse click) and choose move or use CNTR F4.  The cursor will change to show the actual object being moved with a MOVE label at its base.

Move the MOVE cursor to where you want to drop the object, make sure that the new location shows that it is droppable, and then click again with either mouse button to drop the object into its new spot.

As the MOVE cursor moves around the desktop, QDT checks to see what is under the cursor and determines if it can be dropped onto.  If the destination is an object, an outline is drawn around the object when the cursor is over it if allowed   If it is a folder, then a small square outline is drawn in the upper left hand corner of the folder.  If neither outline is seen, then dropping the object there is not supported and will normally land the object onto the desktop at that same physical location.

The dropped object may appear to be in a folder if dropped onto a folder that will not accept it but it is actually on the desktop sitting on top of the folder.  Clicking on the folder will bury the desktop object behind it.  The key is to always check to see if your preferred destination is legal by checking for the object or folder corner outline before dropping your object.

Some simple rules are involved here:

- the main desktop QDT object can not be dropped into any folder
- a folder can not be dropped into its open folder or any folder within itself
- an object can be dropped anywhere on the desktop, onto a folder object (placed within that object's folder) or onto an open folder
- an object can not at this time be dropped into a non-folder object.  This functionality will be added at a later date to allow dropped and executing capabilities.

In addition to using the mouse to position the move cursor to the desired new location, finer control is easily accomplished by using the cursor keys to 'edge' the icon to where it is wanted.

When aligning the icon to another object vertically, if the object titles are not the same width there may be a minor alignment shift when dropping the object of a pixel due to the averaging used to center the icon with its text.

> IconDraw
Two enhancements have been done to IconDraw; the color picker and enhanced live real size icon window function.

The window in the right hand corner of IconDraw that displays the actual icon real time now refreshes itself much faster.  But most importantly by clicking on that window (shown here in pink), the background color rotates through the original QL's 8 colors, allowing the user to see how the icon will look against different backgrounds. 

The other added enhancement is the color picker.  By clicking on the eye dropper in the window or pressing 'P', IconDraw changes its pointer to that of an eye dropper in the main drawing window and waits for the user to pick the pixel color desired.  This allows the picking of any color already in use in the icon instead of having to remember exactly what shade of that color it is and then finding it in the color pick window.

As seen in the screen capture, by placing the tip of the eye dropper on the pixel with the desired color, pressing the left mouse button will pick the color into the LMB value; the same with the right mouse button into the RMB color.

The color picker is turned off after any color pick is done.  It can also be canceled by reclicking on the eyedropper or pressing 'P'.  When active, the draw window is reshaped to that of an eye dropper and the color picker loose item is shaded yellow.

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Appendixes

A:	Changed Files
Due to an update to several of the primary data structures, all files have been updated except the icons and the backgrounds.

Several icons have been added thanks to the contributions of some of the users

B: Support
The best way to get support is on the QDT web site:

	http://www.jdh-stech.com

Email contact info is included there.

Updated manuals will be made available there for direct download as they are available.  Future release announcements will also be made there.

Additionally, the QL-Users mailing list is monitored regularly for issues, questions, and requests. 







QDT v1.01 Brief		Created on 10/27/05 12:50 AM	
Copyright (c) 2005	JDH Software Technologies	James Hunkins