Logo
Version 2.2
Copyright © 1999-2002 Massimiliano Origgi



Introduction

WorkspaceSwitcher is a Deskbar replicant which adds several useful features to the Deskbar:

  • the number of the current workspace is displayed in the replicant view;
  • a name can be assigned to each workspace and it will be displayed in both the popup menu and the tips;
  • a popup menu makes it easy to quickly switch workspaces and launch preferences tools;
  • quick cycling through workspaces with a click of the mouse buttons;
  • quick switching to a different workspace by moving the mouse pointer on the screen edges;
  • the action associated with each mouse button can be configured;
  • a tip at the screen edges indicating the workspace it would switch to;
  • a Deskbar activator when the mouse pointer is moved to one of the external edges of the Deskbar window;
  • the delay for Deskbar activation is configurable;
  • the hot area for activating the Deskbar is configurable;
  • the Deskbar can be forced to be always on top of all other windows;
  • the Deskbar can be automatically brought to back when the mouse pointer leaves the window;
  • the images it shows on the Deskbar are customizable;
  • hotkeys for switching to the next or previous workspace;
  • a hotkey for activating the Deskbar;
  • fully configurable with an easy to use GUI tool;
  • supports transparent images for the replicant;
  • can move the mouse pointer on the Deskbar when activated;
  • can enable the menu key;
  • can show the name of current workspace as a tool tip on the replicant view.
WorkspaceSwitcher 2.2 requires BeOS 5 Intel (version 5.0.3 is highly recommended).


Installation

Installing WorkspaceSwitcher is really easy: just launch WorkspaceSwitcherSettings, the GUI configuration tool, and press the Install button.

If you have a previous version of WorkspaceSwitcher installed on your system first press the Uninstall button, it will then switch to Install, press Install and WorkspaceSwitcher will be installed on your system.

As version 2.x offers a full blown GUI to configure all settings, it is no longer possible to change them from the command line, anyway WorkspaceSwitcher can read the settings files created with older versions.


Configuration

Screenshot


  • Project Menu
    • Save: saves current settings and updates the replicant
    • Default: resets all settings to builtin values
    • Revert: resets all settings to the last saved values
    • About: shows infomations about WorkspaceSwitcher
    • Quit: closes the application


  • Help Menu
    • Documentation: shows WorkspaceSwitcher documentation in your preferred browser
    • Go to WorkspaceSwitcher home: opens the WorkspaceSwitcher home page in your preferred browser (requires an active Internet connection)
    • Write intuiware: opens your preferred mail application to write us


  • Image
    • Image path: selects the path for the custom images used by the Deskbar replicant.
      You can find a file with the default image used by WorkspaceSwitcher in this archive in the directory Images, just edit it with your preferred paint application.
      The image must be 16 pixels high and 512 pixels wide, that is it contains 32(16x16 pixels) icons representing the 32 possible workspaces available on the BeOS, as shown below.

      Default Image


      Other sets of images are available in the same directory.


  • Deskbar Activation
    • Activation delay: sets the delay, expressed in tenth of seconds, for activating the Deskbar after the mouse pointer has been moved on the activation area.
      The default activation area is formed by the external edges of the Deskbar window in contact with the screen edge. This area can be modified by other options listed below.
    • Hotkey: sets the hotkey for activating the Deskbar
    • Activate on title only: activates the Deskbar only when the mouse pointer is moved on the external edges of the Deskbar's title area (that is the zone where the BeO logo is displayed). This option is mutually exclusive with the Activate on corner only option.
    • Activate on corner only: activates the Deskbar only when the mouse pointer is moved to the screen corner where the Deskbar is located
    • Always on top: keeps the Deskbar always on top of all other windows. This option is mutually exclusive with the Auto back option.
    • Auto back: moves the Deskbar below all other windows when moving the pointer out of it
    • Pointer to Deskbar: moves the mouse pointer over the Deskbar title area when the Deskbar is activated with its hotkey.
    • Menu key: enables the menu key available on most modern keyboards; when pressed it activates the Deskbar, opens the Deskbar menu and moves the mouse pointer over it.


  • Switch Workspaces
    • Switch: sets the way WorkspaceSwitcher will handle switching workspaces. Never disables this option, Automatic causes an immediate switch to another workspace, Show Tip instead displays a tool tip showing the number of the workspace it would switch to if clicked.
    • Tip or switch delay: sets the delay, expressed in tenth of seconds, for switching workspaces or displaying the tip
    • Row size: is used to virtually arrange the workspaces; it sets the number of workspaces lying on a single row.
      For example: let's suppose that there are 9 workspaces and the option is set to 4. The first virtual row will contain workspaces 1, 2, 3 and 4, the second one 5, 6, 7 and 8, while the third one only 9. Moreover moving outside the edges of this virtual box will bring you back on the opposite side: so if you are in the workspace 4 and move right, you'll be back in workspace 1, or if you are in workspace 8 and move down, you'll be back in workspace 4.


  • Mouse Buttons
    • First: sets the action associated with the primary mouse button; Next switches to the next workspace, Previous to the previous workspace and Workspaces Menu shows a menu with a list of the currently available workspaces and, at the bottom, a Go submenu which offers shortcuts to launch the WorkspaceSwitcher settings application and other BeOS preferences tools.
    • Second: sets the action associated with the secondary mouse button, the choices are the same available for the other mouse buttons.
    • Third: sets the action associated with the tertiary mouse button, the choices are the same available for the other mouse buttons.


  • Workspaces Hotkeys
    • Next: sets the hotkey for switching to the next workspace
    • Previous: sets the hotkey for switching to the pevious workspace


  • Workspaces Names
    • Workspace: selected workspace
    • Name: name for the currently selected workspace


  • Buttons
    • Install/Uninstall: this button toggles between Install (when no version of WorkspaceSwitcher is installed) and Uninstall (when WorkspaceSwitcher is installed) and performs the associated action
    • Default: resets all settings to builtin values
    • Revert: resets all settings to the last saved values
    • Save: saves current settings and updates the replicant

Contact

Visit our web site at http://www.intuiware.com for up to date informations and new versions of WorkspaceSwitcher and write us at ws@intuiware.com if you have any ideas, comments or bug reports.


Disclaimer

This software is copyrighted and it is freely redistributable as long as the archive and its content are left unchanged and no other files are added to the archive.

In using this software, you understand and agree that this software is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.

The entire risk as to the results and performance of using this software lies entirely with you, the user.

The author does not make any warranties, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to this software.

In no event shall the author be liable for any consequential, incidental, or special damages whatsoever (including without limitation damages for loss of critical data, loss of profits, interruption of business, and the like) arising out of the use or inability to use this software.

All trademarks and registered trademakrs are the property of their respective owners.


History

Version 2.2 (2002/7/16)
  • Extensive revision of all code
  • Fixed a possible deadlock when using the popup menu
  • Supports transparent images
  • Added option to move the mouse pointer over the Deskbar
  • Added option to enable the menu key
  • Added tooltip over the replicant to show the current workspace name

Version 2.1 (2001/8/16)
  • Each workspace can now have an associated name

Version 2.0.1 (2001/28/3)
  • Fixed workspace number display, under some rare circumstances a wrong number could be displayed.

Version 2.0 (2001/2/25)
  • Added a GUI tool for easy configuration of all options
  • Added hotkeys for switching to the next or previous workspace and for activating the Deskbar
  • Added shortcuts to the replicant menu for quick launching of some preferences tools

Version 1.6 (2000/9/13)
  • You can now configure the action associated with each mouse button
  • The Deskbar crash at startup that some users experienced should be completely fixed now

Version 1.5 (2000/5/4)
  • Now stores settings in a file and relaunches at startup, no more need to edit the UserBootscript
  • Does not switch workspaces when the mouse pointer points to a corner of the screen for better compatibility with the ScreenSaver

Version 1.4 (2000/1/4)
  • Added option to switch workspace when moving the mouse pointer to the screen edges
  • Added option to set the delay before switching
  • Added option to display a tool tip indicating the workspace it would switch to
  • Converted all png image to the bmp format to avoid possible crashes caused by a bug in the png translator

Version 1.3 (1999/11/21)
  • Added option to move the the Deskbar window to the back when the mouse pointer leaves the Deskbar window
  • Added option to keep the Deskbar window always on top
  • A new image has been added to the distribution

Version 1.2 (1999/10/4)
  • Added command line options
  • Configurable delay for Deskbar activation
  • Configurable hot area for Deskbar activation
  • Miscellaneous code changes and improvements.

Version 1.1 (1999/7/1)
  • Cleaned up and optimized for R4.5
  • Launching WorkspaceSwitcher when it's already present in the Deskbar, now removes it

Version 1.0.1 (1999/4/16)
  • Fixed a bug which could crash the Deskbar on exit under some rare circumstances
  • Improved and cleaned up several parts of the code

Version 1.0 (1999/3/4)
  • First public release