short: substitute loadseg'd programs with others ToolAlias v1.02 --------------- PUBLIC DOMAIN BY Martin W. Scott NO WARRANTIES ATTACHED - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK RELEASED FEBRUARY 1993 ToolAlias requires AmigaDos 2.0 or higher. ToolAlias provides a mechanism for rerouting specific programs to other programs. For example, with ToolAlias, you could reroute all references to ':c/muchmore' to use instead 'sys:utilities/ppmore', so that when browsing documents on a Fish disk, you get to use your favourite text viewer, rather than loading the one specified in the document's ToolTypes. I take no credit for this idea: I got it from a program called Replex by Ekke Verheul, that appeared on a recent fish disk. That program was as good as this incarnation, except that the method of patching the AmigaDos LoadSeg routine caused software failures when (blink-created) overlays were loaded. Since one of the programs I use a lot (Yak) utilised such overlays, Replex was unusable on my system. But I really liked the idea. So, now the instructions. ToolAlias is implemented as a commodity that should be started by dropping its icon into your WBStartup drawer. The DONOTWAIT ToolType should therefore be set; the standard Commodities ToolTypes may also be used, to modify ToolAlias's HotKey and determine whether or not the settings window opens on startup. The standard Commodities ToolTypes are: Name Default Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CX_PRIORITY 0 Commodity priority. CX_POPUP TRUE Whether to show window on startup. CX_POPKEY control alt t Key to open/show settings window. The settings window may be opened at startup, or more usually by pressing the HotKey (or using the Exchange). The window has a number of gadgets, whose use should be fairly obvious; the descriptions are: Old The old name to be substituted New The new name to replace the old name << Move to start of list of substitutions < Move to previous member in list Add Add a new entry after the current member Del Delete current member > Move to next member in list >> Move to end of list of substitutions Save Save current configuration (and close window) Load Restore last-saved configuration Use Use current configuration (and close window) Quit Terminate ToolAlias, removing patches The configuration is saved to the file 's:ToolAlias.config'. (slightly) Technical Details ---------------------------- The system LoadSeg routine is patched, and a list of all substitutions kept. When a program calls LoadSeg with a name, the patch first searches it's list for a matching name, and if found, calls LoadSeg with the corresponding new name. When names are compared, case is insignigicant. Heres an example list: old :c/less new ppmore old :c/muchmore new ppmore old :c/xicon new c:xicon old :c/iconx new c:iconx This list would enable you to browse Fish disks while using your own preferred text viewer (in this example ppmore), and the Workbench scripting programs from your own C: directory (which may be on a hard-disk, sppeding things up). I should stress that names must match exactly to be substituted; with the above list, a default tool of 'muchmore' wouldn't be substituted with another name as it doesn't match any of the 'old' names. I have to be honest and say I can't think of any uses for ToolAlias other than circumventing default tool types with your own preferences, but since I get a lot of PD stuff and magazine coverdisks, I find it useful. History ------- v1.02 - enforcer-hit removed. - cache-friendly patching now used. v1.01 - initial release. Distribution ------------ As with all my programs, ToolAlias is freeware, though I'm not averse to receiving contributions should you feel the need to send them. Source in C is included, and compiles with SAS/C v5.10. ToolAlias comes with no warranties, and any loss or damage arising from it's use is the responsibility of the user, you, not the programmer, me. This isn't to say that I think it will crash your system (in fact I'm pretty sure it won't). You may contact me with comments, suggestions, bug-reports, cash, etc. by postal mail at: Martin W. Scott 23 Drum Brae North Edinburgh EH4 8AT United Kingdom or by email until Summer 1993 at: mws@castle.ed.ac.uk Enjoy, Martin.