From: hdccorp@halcyon.com (hDC Computer Corp. (Brian Conte))
Subject: Re: HDC MicroApps
Organization: Northwest Nexus Inc. (206) 455-3505
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 05:49:17 GMT

| I just got a copy of HDC's MicroApp Manager and the Power Toolbox MicroApp.
| I am REALLY impressed, and REALLY like the Power Toolbox.  (REALLY.)

Glad you like it!  We had fun making it!

| (1) Is there some sort of reference for the Script language that the Power
| Toolbox uses?  It looks like it is a REALLY powerful language, but I have
| no access to any of the functions or procedures' names or true functions.

Yes.  If you have the free version of Power Toolboxes (the one with 22
toolboxes), then the syntax is in the on-line help - look for Enhanced
Command Syntax.  If you have the $39.95 version (with 42 toolboxes),
it's there as well as in a quick reference card that comes with the 
product.  Also note that the 42 toolbox version comes with 75 predefined
scripts like Portrait/Landscape, Arrange windows, etc.

If you have the free version (available on CompuServe and ftp.indiana.edu,
I believe - also available on a disk from hDC for a $5 shipping charge)
and are interested in the $ version, give hDC customer service
a call at 206-885-5550.  This version comes with 20 more toolboxes, 
printed docs, and the 75 predefined scripts mentioned above.

By the way, I hope you've discovered the graphical Command Builder
for building Enhanced Commands - press the button with the blue
triangle on it if not.  The Command Builder allows you to build
most Enhanced Commands just by pointing and clicking, without
having to memorize or look up Enhanced Command syntax.


| (2) Is there some other way of grabbing bitmaps for the buttons (other than
| the little snapshot rectangle).  I'd like to be able to set up LIBRARIES
| or something.  (I guess that I can just draw a lot of little button icons
| in a Paintbrush file, and then have it on the screen when I am grabbing
| button pictures.)

You can use Power Toolbox in conjunction with most icon editors;
some such as hDC's Icon Designer allow you to manage your icons
in libraries.  Just create your icon, or select one from the
libraries, copy it to the clipboard, and then paste it to the button.

Another way to do it is to create a toolbox containing all of your favorite
icons and Enhanced Commands; then you can copy and paste from this toolbox
to create new buttons - this way you get the underlying command as well as
the icon.

Also, a little-known feature of Power Toolbox is that if you don't specify
an icon explicitly, it creates a default one, depending on the enhanced
command.  Try entering commands like "c:\windows\setup.txt" and
"notepad :icon=c:\windows\clock.exe" for example.

| (3) Is there any way to add power toolboxes to applications that are not
| originally supported?

If you have "switch with app" turned on, just run the app you want to make
a toolbox for and then use the Edit Toolbox command - a blank toolbox of
default size will be created for you that you can then modify.  Another way
is to use the Toolbox New command in the editor.

| (4) ARE THERE ANY OTHER GOOD MICROAPPS OUT THERE?  I LIKE this one, and I
| bet that there are some others out there that may be useful.

Funny you should ask...  The afore-mentioned Icon Designer is a MicroApp
icon editor and manager that sells in retail stores for about $45.  hDC's
Power Launcher product includes Power Toolbox as well as 4 other MicroApps:
Power Keyboard and Power Mouse (which allow you to fully customize
your keyboard and mouse similar to how Power Toolbox lets you customize
toolboxes), a screen saver, and an Enhanced Command OLE server.  As a
Power Toolbox user, you get a special price on Power Launcher - see
the PUSH ME! button for more info.  Also, hDC JUST released version 2.0
of it FirstApps product - for less than $50 at Egghead, you get no less
than 20 MicroApps!  These include a ZIP-compatible compression utility,
MicroApps that detail memory, disk space, and system resource usage,
even one that lets you run After Dark screen saver modules as your
windows background.  See your local Egghead or give us a call if you
want more info.
-- 
hDC Computer Corporation
hdccorp@nwnexus.wa.com
Xref: sparky comp.os.ms-windows.apps:6050 comp.os.msdos.apps:5863