After Dark problems answered.
L.H....@lut.ac.uk
moment, so I can't answer mailed queries.
Here's the Mac Screensaver/After Dark FAQ. Please read it.
L.
COMP.SYS.MAC FAQ: Screensaver/After Dark answers
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
DO I NEED A SCREENSAVER? (0.0)
--WHAT MAC SCREENSAVERS ARE AVAILABLE? (0.1)
----Modular screensavers (0.1.1)
----Standalone screensavers (0.1.2)
--HOW DO I WRITE SCREENSAVER MODULES? (0.2)
----Writing DarkSide modules (0.2.1)
----Writing After Dark modules (0.2.2)
----Writing your own screensaver (0.2.3)
--HOW CAN I SAVE MY SCREENSAVER PICTURES? (0.3)
HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK? (1.0)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK v1.x? (1.1)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK v2.x? (1.2)
----After Dark revision history (1.2.1)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF STAR TREK: THE SCREENSAVER? (1.3)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF MORE AFTER DARK? (1.4)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY AD MODULES OR OBTAIN NEW MODULES? (1.5)
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF DARKSIDE OF THE MAC? (1.6)
HELP! I'VE FORGOTTEN MY AFTER DARK PASSWORD, AND CAN'T USE MY MAC! (2.0)
WHERE SHOULD I PUT THE 'AFTER DARK FILES' FOLDER? (3.0)
--MY STAR TREK MODULES SAY THEY ARE 'Out of memory', BUT THE REST PLAY FINE!
(3.1)
MY AFTER DARK CONTROL PANEL AND MODULES HAVE LOST THEIR ICONS! (4.0)
--IN LIST VIEW IN THE FINDER, MY MODULES SAY THEY ARE '<a particular module>
documents'! (4.1)
AFTER DARK CRASHES MY MACHINE! (5.0)
--MODULES THAT DON'T WORK UNDER MULTIMODULE AND RANDOMIZER (5.1)
--MODULES WITH OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS (5.2)
EXTENSION INCOMPATIBILITIES (6.0)
--KNOWN INCOMPATIBILITIES WITH AFTER DARK (6.1)
MODULE NAME CHANGES AND SIMILARITIES (7.0)
--THE NAME HAS CHANGED (7.1)
--NOT TO BE CONFUSED (7.2)
8.0 MODULE REQUESTS
DISCLAIMER AND LEGAL-WEASELLING
--COPYRIGHT
--DISCLAIMER
COMP.SYS.MAC FAQ: Screensaver/After Dark answers
Version: 1.4
Last updated by Lloyd: Saturday, 4 September 1993
Copyright (C) 1993, Lloyd Wood (L.H....@lut.ac.uk).
Not for physical distribution unless I get a copy of the medium - see Copyright
at end
This is a FAQ - a Frequently Asked Questions list. These are written and posted
to newsgroups to cut down on needless repetition of questions that everyone (bar
the ignorant questioner) knows the answer to. You can find many of the other
FAQs in existence by searching back through newsgroups for 'faq', or by ftp'ing
to rtfm.mit.edu. (If you don't know what ftp is, ask your systems administrator.
If you don't know what rtfm means, read some FAQs.) There are a number of
Macintosh-specific FAQs, and anyone reading comp.sys.mac.whatever will have read
through these FAQs and will be aware of the information in them.
REVISIONS
In reverse order:
1.4 - Saturday, 4 September 1993
Apple releases 'Monitor Energy Saver', which will make the screensaver as we
know it obsolete (0.0). Added Citadel, DiskLock, Screensavor and the Disney
Collection (0.1.1). BS has made the programming information publicly available
(0.2.2). Dealt with the 'screen capture' problem (0.3). Made how to update
DarkSide more visible (1.6). Star Trek 'out of memory' explained (3.1).
Mentioned umich more often. Made the copyright clearer.
1.3 - Tuesday, 26 July 1993
NowFun! reported as being released. More contest info (0.2.2). DarkSide 4.0's
password dialog crashes if Okey Dokey 1.0.1 shows time remaining (0.1). Added
book/disk info (1.5). Added Faces in the Dark (5.1). Clarified info on
AutoDoubler, Slide Show, and password problems. Adam Miller's email address is
now AMI...@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.edu (5.1).
1.2 - Saturday,10 July 1993
Twilight Zone is out! It plays After Dark modules in program windows. Added more
NowFun! info. (0.1.1). Rewrote (5.0) to try and cut down the number of 'help me,
I'm far too lazy to read your FAQ myself'-type requests I'm getting.
1.1 - Wednesday, 23 June 1993
Added some A/UX-related information (0.0). Pyro! reported at 4.1 (0.1.1).
Received and tested modules I had had reports on, but hadn't yet seen (5.1) -
thanks to Stephane Rousset (rou...@gvprod.enet.dec.com) for his thoroughness.
1.0 - Sunday, 20 June 1993
Major revision, and sufficient corrections (including those from BS) to be
called 1.0. DarkSide 4.0 is out, and it plays After Dark modules! Expanded
details of common icon problems (4.0, 4.1). Detailed Macsbug and the alias trick
(5.0). Added Have-a-Blast (5.2). Updated sumex-aim.stanford.edu ftp directory
references from util/ad (old structure) to gui/ad (new). Many other
additions/changes.
INTRODUCTION
Abbreviations used here:
AD - After Dark, a commercial screensaver package for the Macintosh.
BS - Berkeley Systems, the makers of AD.
DS - DarkSide of the Mac. A freeware Mac screensaver that will run AD modules.
MAD - More After Dark, a commercial pack of extra AD modules from BS.
ST - Star Trek: the Screensaver, a commercial AD package and modules from BS.
This FAQ answers common questions about screensavers for the Macintosh. What's
available and whether or not you need a screensaver are covered. Most of this
FAQ pertains to the most popular commercial Macintosh screensaver - AD from BS,
and the modules available for it.
This FAQ is crossposted to most of the comp.sys.mac.* newsgroups on an irregular
basis whenever it is updated. A copy can always be found on
sumex-aim.stanford.edu in info-mac/gui/ad.
The FAQ details common AD problems and misconceptions, concentrating on 'Why
does AD crash my machine?' The answer is almost always 'You need to get and run
the free 2.0x updater' or 'You are using a badly-written third-party module
running under the MultiModule or Randomizer modules'. [These modules impose
stricter rules on how a module can run than AD alone does, and a large number of
third party (shareware/freeware) modules either won't run as a sub-module or
crash the Macintosh.]
How to update AD is given in (1.0). A list of 'problem' modules that should not
be run under MultiModule/Randomizer is given in (5.0).
The information in this FAQ is based on my use of AD and tidbits I have gleaned
from email from writers and users of third-party AD modules and with BS. I have
no connection with BS other than as a user of AD and MAD. (I'm declaring the
free T-shirt they gave me, though. Nothing underhand here.)
I welcome comments and corrections, hints on using specific AD modules, and tips
and compatibility information relating to other Mac screensavers.
This FAQ does not cover the use of AD on the Windows platform - it's for the Mac
version (and other Mac screensavers) only. There is no way to convert Windows AD
modules to Mac AD modules without extensive rewriting of the source code - it's
a job for the authors of that module, and few have experience of programming
Windows AND the Mac. Module ports are unlikely. Windows users should look at
'Intermission', a freely-available application that runs Windows AD modules.
DO I NEED A SCREENSAVER? (0.0)
Despite what many people will tell you, the answer is almost certainly 'no'. It
takes a long time to burn the phosphor on a cathode ray tube with a still image
- accidentally leaving your Mac on all weekend won't do it, so don't worry if
you did this.
Old Mac Plusses or monochrome Mac monitors that have seen years of service may
have a ghostly bar at the top of the screen from the menu bar, visible when a
menu bar is not present, but that's about it.
The phosphor on colour monitors is even more difficult to burn, making
screensavers even less useful than you may think.
Running a screensaver (other than an Energy Star saver with an Energy
Star-complaint setup, or a backlight dimmer on an LCD) does not decrease your
monitor's power consumption. The US Energy Star programme will soon lead to the
demise of the screensaver as unused monitors power themselves down.
If you use a Quadra, Centris, or LCIII, AND use an Energy Star-compliant monitor
(look for the star logo) off internal video on one of these machines, you no
longer need a screensaver. Apple's freely-available 'Monitor Energy Saver'
package enables the Energy Star features of your monitor with these machines.
Your monitor will power down in stages when the Mac is not in use, saving on
your electricity bills as well as saving your screen. 'Monitor Energy Saver'
(also known by its codename 'DarkStar') is available on sumex-aim.stanford.edu
(info-mac/cfg/monitor-energy-saver.hqx), on AppleLink, and should be on
ftp.apple.com shortly.
If you have just bought a Color Classic or LC520, which follow Energy Star
recommendations, you should be using the Screen control panel supplied with the
System Software to automatically turn off the monitor circuitry when the Mac is
not in use - you DO NOT need a screensaver to save your screen, although you may
want to 'smooth' the intrusion of the monitor switching off by using a 'dimmer'
like Twilight.
If you own a Mac with an LCD display you are unlikely to need a screensaver. The
only screensaver you would be interested in is one that dims the backlight after
a period of inactivity, to save power when running off the batteries - included
in various PowerBook-specific utility packages. LCDs can retain the colour they
are set to, whether black or white, in a 'memory effect' that takes time to
change, but does fade away. If you use a (probably unnecessary) screensaver, it
has been suggested that it should be one which flips all of the pixels
regularly, to prevent this memory effect. (This is unrelated to the ni-cad
battery 'memory effect'.) More information on both of these topics can be found
in the PowerBook FAQs of the Mac newsgroups. Read through
comp.sys.mac.portables.
A/UX users may want to use something to cover the login screen. So far Moire has
been reported as the only screensaver doing this. DS and other startup
applications will never do this. Read through comp.unix.aux for more information
on this and other A/UX issues.
Screensavers are primarily fun, decorative things to have around, and should not
be taken seriously. A screensaver is a useful for protecting your Mac from
prying eyes while you are away from it, and many screensavers include optional
password features for this. You may want a screensaver for its password
protection, rather than its 'screensaving' abilities.
--WHAT MAC SCREENSAVERS ARE AVAILABLE? (0.1)
Far too many. This FAQ concentrates on AD because it is the most popular, the
most well-known (being an advertised package), has the most support from other
programmers in the form of different screensaver 'modules', and because there
are other packages that can run AD modules. It's become a standard. AD is
commercial and costs money, although updates, bug fixes, programming information
and third-party shareware modules are freely available online.
If you simply want to play the many shareware/freeware AD modules available from
ftp sites, get DarkSide 4.1 (see below). As AD (or Pyro!, or NowFun!) is
commercial, it and its commercial modules CANNOT (and SHOULD NOT) be obtained
from ftp sites. Updaters can be obtained by ftp, but they must update the
original package which you have bought. If you want to use AD (or Pyro!, or
NowFun!) or the modules supplied with it, you must buy AD (or Pyro!, or
NowFun!).
If you are looking for a screensaver, it is well worth obtaining freeware and
shareware savers from ftp sites (sumex-aim.stanford.edu in info-mac/gui,
mac.archive.umich.edu in util/screensaver) and evaluating them before
considering commercial products.
But first, read (0.0). You may not even *need* a screensaver with your
particular Mac setup.
----Modular screensavers (0.1.1)
Modular screensavers, with a number of different effects, include:
After Dark (AD) - commercial (brkly...@aol.com) The most popular. Has the most
modules available, and some third-party savers can run these modules. Includes
the screensaver, modules and programming information. More After Dark (MAD) is
an add-on package from BS that does not include the screensaver itself - just
add-on modules and an updater for the screensaver. Star Trek - the Screensaver
(ST), also from BS, includes the ST saver and modules, but not the programming
information included in AD. BS has just launched the Disney Collection, a
package similar to ST.
Citadel 1.2 - commercial, by Datawatch. A security package reported as including
hard disk and partition locking, passwording, file encryption and destruction as
well as an AD-compatible screensaver. I haven't seen a copy of Citadel, and
cannot comment on something I haven't seen - tips welcomed. I know nothing
further.
DarkSide of the Mac 4.1 (DS) - freeware, by Tom Dowdy, an Apple employee
(do...@apple.com). **DS 4.x also plays AD modules** (unlike DS 3.2 and earlier).
Like AD, DS includes a password feature and a Randomizer. DS runs as a startup
application under System 7. It only patches one trap when it needs to. As it's
an application you can quit it at any time if you need more memory, and restart
it later. (System 6 users want the older DS v2.5, the last version to run under
S6 - but they won't be able to play AD modules).
Some of the forty supplied DS-only modules (e.g. Circuit, LostInSpace,
VaseDance) are very polished and original and are well worth a look. Many others
(e.g. Searchlight, Worms) are similar to AD's and Pyro's, but with fewer cute
frills.
An up-to-date DS package can be ftp'ed from ftp.apple.com (directory:
/dts/mac/hacks). A copy should also be on sumex-aim.stanford.edu (directory:
info-mac/gui).
A number of people have posted, saying that they own AD and MAD, but that they
prefer to use DS to run their modules.
DS 4.1 uses less memory than AD does to play AD modules, and takes up less disk
space and less CPU time. It is claimed to run all AD modules, with the known
exceptions of the commercial BS ST modules ('for legal and technical reasons'
the ST modules require an AD 2.0x control panel. DarkSide can't see or play
these modules).
[If you use Okey-Dokey 1.0.1, turn off the countdown display, which crashes DS
4.0's password dialog.
If the MAD Confetti Factory module crashes, you are using DS 4.0. Get DS 4.1.
If DS still seems to crash, try giving it slightly more memory (your INITS may
be eating up a lot of program heap space) or trashing the DS Preferences file,
and see if matters improve.
If DS stays at the front on startup, check your Startup Items folder. DS should
be there only once.
If you keep your AD and DS modules together, note they both have 'Clock' and
'Puzzle' modules, and that MAD also has a 'Rain' module. Remove or rename one of
each.
To only randomize some DS modules, put them or their aliases together in a
folder, and open that folder with Open...
The docs are in MacWrite Pro format. Eventually, an XTND translator for this
should appear. One in the package would be nice...]
I'll attempt to detail further DS problems in this FAQ as I receive them.
If you don't already have a screensaver, want to write screensaver modules, or
are interested in using the wide range of free/shareware AD modules, this is THE
screensaver to get. The price is unbeatable.
NowFun! - commercial. This 'fun' compilation package from Now Software is
reported as including FunScreenSavers, an AD-compatible screensaver with thirty
modules (many previously shareware), FunPictures (an updated DeskPict),
FunCursors, FunColors and FunSounds. I haven't seen a copy of NowFun!, and
cannot comment on something I haven't seen - tips welcomed. I know nothing
further.
Pyro! 4.1 - commercial. This was the original 'fireworks' screensaver, and comes
with fifteen or so modules. The modules are similar in function to the DS and AD
modules. One or two third-party modules do exist, but nowhere near the volume AD
has - and, unlike the others listed here, Pyro! cannot play AD modules. DiskLock
1.2 is reported as being a commercial security program, with similar features to
Citadel, that also runs Pyro! modules. I haven't seen a copy of Pyro! 4.1 or of
DiskLock, and cannot comment on something I haven't seen - tips welcomed. I know
nothing further.
Screensavor - Commercial, by MIFP Development (mbg3b2!mi...@uunet.uu.net or
pere...@sandy.ohsu.edu) . A 'specialist' picture displayer. Includes a startup
application (like DS) and an equivalent AD module. Sets of pictures (e.g.
landscapes, kittens) also available. Does fades, zooms, and other effects.
Shows GIFs and PICTs as well as its proprietary format - more flexible than the
AD Slide Show module.
Twilight Zone - an entry for MacHack 1993 by Steve Falkenburg (no email address
known). Although it isn't a screensaver, this little application will run
AfterDark modules inside individual windows. The modules can be resized, moved,
run in the background, and more than one can be run at once. It won't run all of
the Berkeley Systems modules - it crashes on most - but, as an example, I had
Fractals, Mathos and Spinning Bow Tie running at the same time - faster than
they do when screensaving. It's the only way to run more than one module at
once. A copy can be ftp'ed from mac.archive.umich.edu or its mirrors (directory:
util/screensaver/afterdark). It's unstable and buggy (it IS a hack!), and needs
work - anyone want to use the source code (included) or know where to email
feedback?
----Standalone screensavers (0.1.2)
There are also a large number of small standalone screensavers to choose from,
and many are present in the gui directory of sumex-aim.stanford.edu. Some aim to
be as simple, small and unobtrusive as possible (e.g. TinySaver 2.2,
FadetoBlack, BasicBlack). Popular choices include Eclipse 1.0 and Moire 4.01 (If
you are using Moire simply because it also includes a menu-bar clock, consider
getting the SuperClock! 4.0.4 control panel, which is far better, and another
screensaver. Moire is also available as an AD module - you can run it under DS
4).
There are a number of screensavers for Macs that support use of the Brightness
control panel and dim an unused screen, e.g. Twilight. Twilight 7.1.4 onwards
also 'dims' the same way on all other Macs, by allowing you to install the
Brightness driver. The Brightness control panel can then be used on these Macs
as well.
[If you want software brightness control, but don't want to install the system
software driver supplied for Twilight, a copy of the 7.0b1 Brightness control
panel, which works on all Macs, can be found on sumex in cp - someone has added
new icon and version resources.]
If you do think you need a screensaver, look at what's freely available from ftp
sites first - particularly DS if you're running System 7 or better. You will
find something to suit you.
--HOW DO I WRITE SCREENSAVER MODULES? (0.2)
----Writing DarkSide modules (0.2.1)
If you don't own After Dark, but you have a neat idea for a screensaver and
don't fancy writing an entire standalone package, look at DS 4. All the
information and code you need to write DS modules is supplied within the
complete package. At present, I know of only two third-party DS modules -
there's definitely a market window here.
If you are writing DS modules, bear in mind that older versions of DS have a
deliberately incompatible module format - DS 4 won't play 3.x modules, and
neither will play 2.5 modules. I suggest supporting 4.x (an easy upgrade for any
System 7/3.x users) and, if possible, 2.5, which is the last version System 6
users could use, although you'll have to dig around a bit to find a copy of DS
2.5 to get its example code and to test with.
----Writing After Dark modules (0.2.2)
You learn to write After Dark modules by examining the example code that came
with the AD package you bought. This example code makes up the Bouncing Ball
module. ST does not include programming information - BS has posted the
programming examples and information on AOL, AppleLink, and CompuServe. It's
also available upon request from BS.
Although some shareware modules do come with source code, it's probably out of
date. Get the latest version of the AD package for up-to-date code, or contact
BS.
As an incentive to write AD modules, you can enter programming contests (This is
why AD dominates). The 1993 contest closed on 15 July 1993. It had a grand prize
of $10,000, with runner-up prizes of hardware, for the best AD modules in
Macintosh, Windows, and Computer Artist categories. Contact BS for details of
the next contest.
The BS contest concentrates on good-looking modules. If you'd rather show off
your programming skills, consider an alternative Dutch contest, organised by
VAMP (Vereniging Actieve Mac Programmeurs) - cash prizes and a Symantec Mac
development setup are on offer, with the chance of getting your modules
published on CD-ROM. Entries will also be seen by BS. Closes 31 December 1993,
judged by April 1994.
Further details from in...@fourc.nl <info%fou...@relay.nluug.nl if you need a
gateway> - automatic response.
If you are writing AD modules, you will want to make sure that they will also
run without problems (either coding or cosmetic) under the freeware DS 4.1 and
Twilight Zone, and probably NowFun! as well. No sense in unnecessarily limiting
your market.
----Writing your own screensaver (0.2.3)
Why bother? If you write a module for AD or DS you will have a much larger
market than for yet another stand-alone screensaver, and all the stand-alone
niches (smallest, brightness, clock etc) have been filled. You won't have to
worry about incompatibilities with other software or breaking with the next
system release - that's the job of the AD or DS authors. And you can enter the
contests. No-one needs another standalone screensaver.
If you want to write something that does interesting things with After Dark
modules, the code supplied with Twilight Zone should be your starting point. If
you really want to write your own screensaver, The Macintosh C Programming
Primer (Vol 1, 2nd ed.) contains source code, as does The Macintosh Pascal
Programming Primer.
--HOW CAN I SAVE MY SCREENSAVER PICTURES? (0.3)
This is short and simple, so it's here. First, have you tried the obvious -
pressing command-shift-3? This is the 'Camera function key (FKEY)', which
captures your screen to disk. [Under System 6, this only works in
black-and-white. If you're using S6 on a colour Mac (why?), skip ahead to
Flash-It!].
Disable your screensaver password if you use one, and set your screensaver
going. When ready, press command-shift-3 together. You should hear a camera
shutter click and your screensaver will wake. If this is successful, a PICT
file called 'Picture <number>' will appear in your hard disk's Finder window.
Double-click on this to open it with TeachText and see what you have captured.
If it's the screensaver picture, well and good. This method appears to work fine
with AD 2.0x under S7.1, although it may not work for earlier ADs and/or earlier
Systems. This doesn't work for DS 4 under S7.1, which wakes before the screen
capture takes place - you will get a picture of your desktop instead.
If the Camera FKEY didn't work for you, you need to get Flash-It!, a control
panel (v3.0.2 at time of writing), from an ftp site like sumex-aim.stanford.edu
(directory info-mac/cp). Drop Flash-It! into the 'Control Panels' folder and
restart. Choose one of Flash-It!'s functions and set the function hotkeys to be
command-shift-3, replacing the Camera FKEY. Repeat the above procedure, and this
time you should get your picture.
HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK? (1.0)
What version of AD do you own? There are two major revisions, namely versions 1
and 2. When someone mentions they own 'After Dark', you can assume they mean
version 2, of which there have been a number of minor revisions in the past few
years, listed below. Version 2.0 was released back in August 1990, so version 1
is OLD.
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK v1.x? (1.1)
An updater to 1.1c is available from sites on the Internet. If you are already
running 1.1c and wish to upgrade to version 2, you can do so by returning your
master disk to BS with $15. There is NO free updater from version 1 to version
2, and the changes are major.
You may find that version 1.1c fails to work on the brand-spanking new Mac* you
have just bought. If so, trash it or, better, upgrade to version 2 - see (1.2).
Or, if you are running System 7 or better (which AD 1.x will have problems
with), get the free DS 4.1, which plays AD modules.
*Here, even a clapped-out IIci running System 6.0.5 qualifies as 'brand-spanking
new'. Version 1 is THAT OLD.
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF AFTER DARK v2.x? (1.2)
An updater to update the various revisions of version 2 to the latest revision
can always be found in the info-mac archive on sumex-aim.stanford.edu
(directory: info-mac/gui/ad) or on one of the mirror sites scattered world-wide.
You can also try mac.archive.umich.edu (directory: util/screensaver/afterdark).
BS issues updaters periodically, in line with new Apple machines or System
software. The updater generally takes up to a couple of weeks from release to
reach sumex-aim.stanford.edu, so be patient if you have heard rumours of an
updater but can't find it yet.
Alternatively, if you don't have access to ftp or an email file-server, you can
return your master disk to BS to have it updated for free. (You do own a master
disk, don't you?) MAD includes a copy of the AD updater (2.0u or later,
depending on when the MAD disk was mastered.)
The updater updates version 2 revisions (NOT version 1 - see (1.1)) to the
latest revision, currently 2.0x. The 2.0x updater updates both the control panel
and all of the modules supplied with the AD package, making minor revisions
throughout.
Note that you want the 2.0x updater v1.02 - the first release of this updater,
without a version number, scrambled the password - clear the password and turn
off passwording to avoid this. The second release, again no version number (tut,
tut!), fixed this by clearing any stored password. v1.02 is the only updater to
add the longer-than-five-minutes Randomizer times mentioned in some of the posts
about the new features in 2.0x, and to fix the -'Fish!' sea-floor showing
inverted blocks of colour problem- that users of the earlier updater versions
experienced, by updating Fish! to v2.01.
There is no reason not to upgrade. The newer your model of Mac and/or System,
the newer your copy of AD must be to run correctly. If you have a problem and
you're not running the latest version of AD, don't even bother asking about it
UNTIL you've updated and seen if that fixes it. Experience is that not running
an up-to-date After Dark is usually the problem, and the reported 'problem' is a
symptom of this, which vanishes when AD is updated.
This FAQ assumes that you have the latest revision of version 2 (2.0x, updater
v1.02, at time of writing).
----After Dark revision history (1.2.1)
The version history of the updater releases (not detailing the numerous minor
improvements, bug fixes, or feature additions to modules) is:
2.0 - August 1990 - initial release.
2.0h - Bug fix relating to using (H)yperCard with AD.
2.0s - Bug fix of (s)ound code. Last version where the letter meant anything,
since they had squandered two-thirds of the alphabet already.
[They're not making this mistake with the Windows version - after 2.0 came
2.0a....]
2.0t - September 1991 - Supports new System 6.0.7 sound code.
2.0u - June 1991 - Full System 7 compatibility. Understands new System Folder
layout. Much faster when only the Finder is running.
2.0v - August 1991 - Fixed 040 cache-compatibility problems.
2.0w - September 1992 - Fixed problems with newly-released machines running
System 7.1 (IIvx, Duos) - old (pre-7.1) machines running System 7.1 could still
use 2.0v. Added 'All' and 'None' buttons to the Randomizer. Prevents Randomizer
and MultiModule recursively launching each other. [Updater 2.0w is unusual in
only updating the control panel, MultiModule and Randomizer, and not other
modules.]
2.0x - February 1993 - new control panel icon, updater clears password (first
release of updater scrambled it - see above), more 'When' options, muting sound
via the control key. Slide Show (updated to 2.1) now works with QuickTime
without crashing. Some recognition of aliases of modules. Brings AD and the ST
package into line with each other feature-wise. AD can now play ST modules.
Longer Randomizer times, but only with v1.0.2 of the updater updating a non-2.0x
Randomizer (Fish! is updated to 2.01 from a previous 2.0x update).
[Updater release info from Jim Tso at BS]
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF STAR TREK: THE SCREENSAVER? (1.3)
At time of writing, by applying a revision 2 updater LATER THAN 2.0w, i.e. 2.0x
or later. This will update the control panel and modules shared in common with
the AD package (Randomizer, MultiModule).
At time of writing, there is no updater for the ST modules. A ResEdit template
for extracting PICT resources from the ST files is available from a number of
ftp sites, for use by the inquisitive.
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF MORE AFTER DARK? (1.4)
There isn't an updater for these modules, and there are no longer plans for one.
There was a minor revision of MAD from 1.0 to 1.0a to fix some obscure bugs -
this is only available by returning your disk to BS. I haven't yet seen this
revision.
The changes in 1.0a are:
Mowin' Man bug-fix. With some large monitors and video cards, Mowing Man could
crash if the mower started from the top right of the screen.
Tunnel bug-fix. With some video cards, Tunnel could crash if the Round
Rectangle setting was used.
Virex-D was removed from MAD 1.0a as it was no longer up-to-date - see (5.2).
[MAD revision info from Jim Tso at BS]
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY AD MODULES OR OBTAIN NEW MODULES? (1.5)
If the modules are part of the AD package which you bought, you need the updater
that also updates the control panel - see (1.2). If they are part of the MAD
package which you bought, you can return your disk to BS to get 1.0a - see
(1.4). If they are shareware or freeware, look at sumex-aim.stanford.edu
(directory: info-mac/gui/ad) and mac.archive.umich.edu (directory:
util/screensaver/afterdark) to see if a later version has been released. These
are also the place to look for new modules - read the info-mac digest and new
files @ mac archive (in comp.sys.mac.digest) for news of new Mac software,
including AD modules.
If you are having problems with a particular third-party module, see first if a
later version is available from an ftp site like sumex-aim.stanford.edu. If not,
mail or email the author of the module about the problem. Authors do appreciate
feedback and fan-mail, if not cold hard cash.
There are also two book/disk packages containing AD modules:
'Art of Darkness', author Erfert Fenton, Peachpit Press, ISBN 1-56609-012-1.
I'm told it includes ten modules (of which only Movies 'til Dawn and an older
version of Blackboard are available for ftp), info about screensavers in general
and histories of BS modules - BS supplied modules and info for the book. I
haven't seen this book or its modules, so I cannot comment on it. I know nothing
further.
'Cool Mac After Dark', author Ross Scott Rubin, Hayden Books. I'm told it
contains advice on writing a Quickeys macro to activate AD, data files for use
with modules and a number of freeware modules available for ftp (including
NetTrain, which I haven't seen). I am unsure which modules this book contains.
I haven't seen this book or its modules, so I cannot comment on it. I know
nothing further.
--HOW CAN I UPDATE MY COPY OF DARKSIDE OF THE MAC? (1.6)
An up-to-date DS package can be ftp'ed from ftp.apple.com (directory:
/dts/mac/hacks). A copy should also be on sumex-aim.stanford.edu (directory:
info-mac/gui). The apple site always gets a new release first, direct from the
author.
HELP! I'VE FORGOTTEN MY AFTER DARK PASSWORD, AND CAN'T USE MY MAC! (2.0)
A common problem. If you are using System 7, hold down the shift key on restart
(press the reset button, or control-command-power on newer Macs - don't turn the
Mac off and on!) to disable all extensions and control panels, including AD. If
you are running System 6, you will need to startup from a floppy disk instead of
holding down the shift key. If you have an 'extensions manager' installed, use
that to disable AD instead. (I suggest Extensions Manager 2.01 by Ricardo
Batista, an Apple employee. It's a free control panel on all the ftp sites.)
Note that you must fully disable AD. If you don't, the password information will
be carried over to the fresh control panel as a security measure. Simply turning
off AD with its on-off switch does NOT disable it, and won't do you any good. If
you can open any copy of the AD control panel, you haven't disabled AD on
startup, and the password will be carried over.
Throw away the control panel and replace it with a fresh copy from your master
disk. Restart and enter a new password.
If you have misplaced your AD master disk, you could try grabbing a copy of the
2.0x (or later) updater and updating the control panel instead of replacing it.
2.0x is the first updater to clear the password on updating the control panel -
see (1.2).
WHERE SHOULD I PUT THE 'AFTER DARK FILES' FOLDER? (3.0)
If AD can't find the modules that are sitting as they should be in the 'After
Dark files' folder, you probably need to update AD. Versions 2.0u and later of
AD will recognise the folder in System 7's Control Panels folder, in the
Extensions and System folder, and on the Desktop, whereas 2.0t and before
expected the AD control panel and files folder to be in the same place. (This is
detailed in the MANUAL that came with the AD PACKAGE that you BOUGHT. No 'Can
you tell I'm a pirate?' questions, please.)
If you are using AutoDoubler, you can try putting the AD files folder on the
Desktop - that's next to your hard disk, OUTSIDE all folder windows - so that
AutoDoubler can compress it. This works well as long as MultiModule and
Randomizer are not deliberately compressed while in use. If a module then
crashes your Mac, you can often find out what module it was by looking in the
AutoDoubler Temporary Items folder on restart, as AutoDoubler put copies of all
open compressed files there.
[AutoDoubler 1.0x users should see the comments on the PowerDown module in (5.2)
as well].
--MY STAR TREK MODULES SAY THEY ARE 'Out of memory', BUT THE REST PLAY FINE!
(3.1)
This is answered here because, like the 'After Dark Files' folder question
above, it's a matter of getting the files in the right place. The Star Trek
modules have a lot of pictures, sounds and features in common, and to save space
these are provided by a number of files in a 'Shared Resources' folder, which,
like the modules, must be in the 'After Dark Files' folder.
The Star Trek package installs everything correctly, so this really shouldn't be
a problem.
MY AFTER DARK CONTROL PANEL AND MODULES HAVE LOST THEIR ICONS! (4.0)
There are a couple of module floating around that have accidentally had their
'bundle bits' set, and you have either just obtained one of these modules or
just rebuilt your desktop, bringing the problem to light.
The 'bundle bit' of a file tells the Finder that the file has icon information
the Finder must show. A module with a bundle bit set causes its (non-existent)
icon information to replace AD's correct icon information - hence the 'blank'
generic icons you are seeing.
To fix this, you need a utility that will show file flags, such as ResEdit 2.1.1
or FileTyper 4.0. Go through all your modules, bringing up the file flag
information (This is the 'Has BNDL' box under the 'Get File/Folder' option in
ResEdit 2.1.1's File menu) and make sure the bundle bit is cleared. If it isn't,
clear it and save that file. Alternatively, just drop all of your modules on
FileTyper, clear a bundle bit and 'change all' - a simple drag and drop
operation. (Check that the AD control panel *does* have a bundle bit - if it
doesn't, the Finder won't know about its icons.)
Once you have cleared that bundle bit, restart and hold down option and command
to rebuild your desktop files. If you haven't found a set bundle bit, it's
possible that something like Norton Utilities found and fixed the bundle bit a
while back, in which case you merely need to rebuild your desktop. You should
then see the AD icons in all their glory. (There aren't any ics resources for
the modules or MultiModule documents. No, I don't know why!)
[Aside - Isn't FileTyper wonderful? Now drop a floppy disk on FileTyper, set
hasCustomIcon, drag the disk to the trash and then reinsert it. No INITs needed
to give you colour floppy disk icons! And, while we're talking lost icons, if
your hard disk is showing a blank piece of paper as its icon, you need to drop
it on FileTyper to clear hasCustomIcon to get it back to a white box after
restart, then repaste that icon you spent ages designing and kept a backup copy
of. In an ideal world, setting hasCustomIcon on a hard disk would give you a
grey-shaded box... Oh, and if you can't rename your hard disk you are probably
using filesharing, which prevents renaming so that the network doesn't get
confused. Turn off filesharing to rename your hard disk. If filesharing isn't
on, use FileTyper to clear the disk's 'nameLocked or isSystem' field.]
--IN LIST VIEW IN THE FINDER, MY MODULES SAY THEY ARE '<a particular module>
documents'! (4.1)
Congratulations on spotting the 'bundle bit' problem early - see (4.0). That
particular module has (or, in the past, had) its 'bundle bit' set, and if you
were to rebuild your desktop you could lose your AD icons. Check the bundle bit,
as detailed above. If you want 'After Dark document' back, you'll have to
rebuild your desktop once you've cleared that bundle bit - although you may want
to check all your other modules for set bundle bits first, to save you finding
another module with a set bundle bit and having to rebuild the desktop files
again.
If you have Twilight Zone, the AD control panel will look like a blank document
and your AD modules will become TZ modules, so that double-clicking on a module
launches it in a TZ window. If you rebuild your desktop, they'll look like TZ
documents. This is normal behaviour - remove TZ and rebuild the desktop to
revert everything to standard AD.
AFTER DARK CRASHES MY MACHINE! (5.0)
No. If you are running the latest version of AD - see (1.0) - it's almost
certainly an individual module rather than the AD control panel itself. This
section deals with AD modules known to crash AD. AD modules known to crash DS at
DS 4's release, other than these, are given in the DS information in (0.1). If
other modules that only crash DS become known (i.e. if you tell me about them),
DS will get its own section.
First, are you running the latest version of AD? If not, try updating a copy
with the free updater detailed in (1.0), and see if the problem goes away. This
is likely to solve the 'AD doesn't work at all on my setup!' problem.
If you are already running the latest version, are you using a just-released Mac
or just-released System? If so, an update may be in the works - just email BS.
If not, is the problem with a specific module, and can you isolate it by trying
out different modules? Is SystemIQ enabled? If not, is there a specific reason
why not? Things generally run better with SystemIQ on, and the SystemIQ setting
can affect some systems.
If the problem is with a module written by BS, well and good, provided that the
module is NOT the RANDOMIZER or MULTIMODULE. Email them about it - the address
is below.
[They request that mail from the Internet is sent to brkly...@aol.com]
If the module is from a third party (shareware/freeware) and you cannot find a
later version anywhere, mail or email the author of the module about the
problem.
If you are having trouble with the MULTIMODULE OR RANDOMIZER, you need to track
the problem down. A large number of third-party modules don't work well under
these, often causing crashes, and giving AD an undeserved reputation for
crashing in the process. If you ARE NOT running any third-party modules under
the MultiModule or Randomizer, you can grumble at BS. If you ARE, look at the
list below to see if the problem has been encountered. Look around the net for a
later (bug-fixed) version of the module. See if writing to the author of the
module helps. Try out each After Dark module in turn under these so that you
know EXACTLY what causes the problem.
When trying out a new AD module, try it as the only module selected in the
Randomizer, and see how well it behaves. If you use the Randomizer a lot, this
is an easy way of spotting problem modules before they crash your machine and
lose you work. Most modules that crash under the MultiModule or Randomizer will
do so immediately they are selected - no waiting around needed.
To see if any modules you already have cause problems under the Randomizer,
select the Randomizer module, set the delay to ten seconds, select 'in order',
select Choose... and press the All button to choose All modules. [If you do not
see an All button, you need to update your copy of AD - see (1.0)]. Close AD, go
into screensave, and watch to see which modules crash your Mac, usually as the
module starts. Reboot [by control-command-power, or the interrupt switch on
older Macs - Macsbug will let you recover from the crash smoothly, but AD will
usually be disabled until restart], remove the badly-written module, and repeat
until there are no crashes. (If you use Have-a-Blast or Off the Air, see below.)
Removing modules that crash your Mac is a VERY good idea - although YOU may know
not to use them under MultiModule or Randomizer, other users won't, and you know
they'll fiddle with the AD settings...
If you must keep particularly impressive 'bad' modules around, a neat trick with
AD 2.0x under System 7 is to make aliases of the offending modules. Keep the
'bad' modules in another folder, and their aliases with the other modules in the
AD Files folder. AD can then see the aliased modules, but Randomizer and
MultiModule can't, and crashes are avoided. [Until someone 'tidies up' your
'unnecessary' aliases, of course... removing the bad modules is better.]
[If your Mac is generally crash-prone, for whatever reason, you should install
Macsbug 6.2.2 (except on Centris 610s and other FPU-less '040 Macs, which have a
special 680LC40 version of Macsbug - both are on ftp.apple.com in
/dts/mac/tools/macsbug), which will allow you to exit from most crashes (type
'es') without needing to restart, or to smoothly restart without minutes of
disk-checking (type 'rs'). Shut down by typing 'g power'. The only downside to
Macsbug is that any 'Type x error' will put you into Macsbug, needing 'es' to
continue, making the Mac less idiot-proof. Don't worry about it - that's just
Macsbug doing its job. Macsbug is not an extension - it lives loose in the
System Folder, not in the Extensions folder - and it won't cause extension
clashes - it just highlights the ones you already have, and allows you to work
around them. And, with its white screen, it makes Randomizer crashes noticeable
as soon as they happen. Good for troubleshooting.]
AND IF THE ABOVE ADVICE IS NOT ENOUGH...
If you have encountered *specific* problems with a module NOT mentioned in this
FAQ, please let me know by email (and, if possible, include a binhexed copy of
the module so I can try it out) and I'll update this list for others to share in
your knowledge. Ditto for updates to the modules here - I'm not omniscient, and
may have missed a bug-fix or two.
DO NOT simply email me with a long list of modules you're using (many of which
are mentioned here already), say vaguely that your Mac crashes under Randomizer,
and ask for my advice. You won't get it - that's what this FAQ is for, and I
don't repeat myself. Self-help is the key here. Use the information provided
here to discover WHY it crashes, and then eliminate the source(s) of the
crashing. If it still crashes or you discover something new, THEN email me.
--MODULES THAT DON'T WORK UNDER MULTIMODULE AND RANDOMIZER (5.1)
This list has been compiled from information mostly obtained by running AD along
with lots of other extensions on single-screen internal-video Mac IIsi and LC
setups that have run Systems 7.0 through to 7.1. AD 2.0t to x were used.
Although some modules do have problems with large or multiple-monitor setups,
detailed information is lacking, since I can't test for it. (Anyone want to
supply a list of 'problem' modules for unusual multiple/large monitor setups?)
Ditto for modules that may have '040 cache problems.
This list details modules that 'work fine' EXCEPT when run under MultiModule or
Randomizer (or both - I currently runs Randomizer, randomizing a lot of modules
every fifteen minutes, in parallel with Dan Walkowski's PowerDown, which shuts
off an unused Mac, under MultiModule. This catches more problem modules than
most - your mileage may vary, and you may not encounter some of these problems
on your set-up, particularly if you are using a Classic or Plus.) [Some modules
misbehave under MultiModule only under very specific conditions - size of
allocated area, covered or not, system setup - and a list of these is
impossible. Troubleshooting MultiModule settings is left as an exercise for the
reader.]
Modules whose latest versions worked fine when this FAQ began, but whose earlier
versions didn't, are not listed here, as that would entail a full version
history report of every AD module in existence! (Modules that have had problems
corrected during the history of this FAQ are, however, mentioned for
completeness, under the heading of the latest version known. Go and get it.) If
the module you are having a problem with is not mentioned here, see if a later
version is available. If not, contact the author of the module about the
problem, and please let me know, too.
MULTIMODULE AND RANDOMIZER
If you use these, make sure you have the latest revision of AD. Versions earlier
than 2.0w would crash if MultiModule included Randomizer and Randomizer included
MultiModule in their selections, whenever the Randomizer tried to run the
MultiModule which was already running. (Say 'recursion', people.) 2.0w and later
detect this and add incredibly useful 'All' and 'None' buttons to the Randomizer
[but still no support for my extended keyboard's extra cursor-control keys,
unlike the control panel itself.]
THIRD-PARTY MODULES WITH RANDOMIZER
And now, the third-party list, in alphabetical order:
Balloons - BugByte, Inc, 1991
A very large (340K) module that advertises a HyperCard stack on tying balloons
into knots to make figures and demonstrates some shapes with accompanying sound
effects. Does not run under Randomizer, claiming that not enough memory is
available. Does not appear to crash.
Bat Signal 1.1 - subversive software (subve...@aol.com)
A Spotlight-like module, but using the Bat Signal, and with the coolest about
box yet. There are at least two pre-1.0 versions of this module in existence
with no version numbers - one of those didn't work under Randomizer. Replace
with 1.1. Well worth seeing, *especially* for the about box. Bat Signal Returns
is under development.
Blackboard 1.0 - Mark Malamud and Susan Hautala (mar...@microsoft.com
73760...@compuserve.com Full...@applelink.apple.com)
Pupil drawing on a chalkboard - either punishment or equations. 0.9 won't run
under Randomizer, claiming not enough memory. Doesn't appear to crash. 1.0 is
said to work correctly, but is only available with the 'Art of Darkness'
book/disk package mentioned in (1.5). Mark says that a shareware 2.0 will be
released late in 1993.
Cards - Chris Christensen (no email address given)
Puts playing cards at random places on the screen. Refuses to run under
Randomizer, claiming 'Bouncing Ball: Sorry, there is not enough memory.' (and
showing its code origins. At 225K, it's obese, too - the Klondike 5.1 game takes
under 100K, and you can PLAY that.) Does not appear to crash.
Chomp! - BS (brkly...@aol.com)
This was one of the original modules for the original AD. Bites are taken out of
the screen with a chomping sound. Causes the System 7 Finder to quit when run
under Randomizer with AD v2. No longer supported by BS and should probably be
trashed. Although other modules from the same era, like TacTiles and Shapes,
seem to work fine, treat them with caution.
EarthSplash 1.1 - Chuan Y. Fu (tr...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
(Previously Earthbounce). Unstable under Randomizer - seen to crash in
_MakeRGBPat. The author says he's working on an update.
Faces in the Dark 1.0 - Geoffrey Hutchison (no email address)
Draws b/w face doodles. Occasionally 'freezes' under Randomizer - cmd-opt-esc
recovers to Finder.
Frect 1.0 - Adam Miller (AMI...@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.edu)
Produces 'fractal rectangles'. Causes the System 7 Finder to quit when run under
Randomizer.
Gates Does Windows 1.0.2 - Robert Gibson, Mark Simmons
(7251...@compuserve.com, 7251...@compuserve.com)
Bill Gates appears as a window cleaner. Very large and impressive, but 1.0.1
crashed under Randomizer as it runs out of memory. Version 1.0.2 fixes this
crashing, but behaves oddly on some systems under Randomizer. This module is a
'ZiffNet exclusive', so it can't be put on ftp sites. You'll have to ask someone
for it.
HolisticSofa 0.94 - Alan Keahey (tke...@cs.indiana.edu or GEnie: A.Keahey)
This module explores the sofa-on-stairs problem detailed in Douglas Adam's 'Dirk
Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'. It crashes under the Randomizer on most
newer Macs. The author wrote it on a Plus, which it didn't crash on, and can't
duplicate the problem. Another Plus owner has reported crashing under
Randomizer. Also available as a standalone screensaver.
Kablooie 1.0 - Adam Miller and Jakub Buchowski (AMI...@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.edu)
A customisable fireworks module for AD - just what it needs to get one over on
Pyro!'s main selling point [DS has a fireworks module]. Puts up 'Kablooie:'
running under the Randomizer and nothing else. Adam Miller knows of the problem,
but no fix has appeared.
Kings Cross Coke 1.0 - John Rotenstein (PO Box 165, Double Bay NSW 2028,
AUSTRALIA)
Shows logos and illuminates them as if they were flashing/cycling neon signs.
Includes a scrapbook feature to choose images from. Has memory problems -
crashes under Randomizer and MultiModule, and is pretty flaky on its own,
especially when cutting and pasting in the scrapbook. Spectacular, but risky.
Millions of Colors 0.5 - Guy Rice (Mark Hatle, S...@VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU)
Bands of colour. Doesn't work under MultiModule. Email will be passed on by Mark
Hatle. Package includes source code - anyone want to fix it?
Nebulae 1.0 - Bryan & Lisa Gibson-Winge (Compuserve: 72677,3222)
Complains of not enough memory to run under MultiModule or Randomizer. Doesn't
appear to crash.
Off The Air 1.0 - Guy Rice (Mark Hatle, S...@VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU)
Simulates a noisy television channel after the station has gone off air. Under
Randomizer changing modules every few minutes, causes a crash a few modules
AFTER it has run. (Trashing memory? Finding this one took ages.) The 'Set
Monitor Depth' feature is bad ju-ju and can also crash the Mac. Email will be
passed on by Mark Hatle.
Punkin Patch - Steve Henck (no email address given)
A 'Halloween' module. Cute graphics. Won't run under Randomizer, claiming not
enough memory for off-screen graphics. Doesn't appear to crash.
Rrrring! - Steve Henck (no email address given)
Assorted deaths to ringing telephones. Cute graphics. Won't run under
Randomizer, putting up 'Randomizer:'. Doesn't appear to crash.
Shredded Crystals - BS (brkly...@aol.com)
This was one of the original modules for the original AD. Jagged shapes appear
on screen. Causes the System 7 Finder to quit when run under Randomizer with AD
v2. No longer supported by BS, and should probably be trashed. Although other
modules from the same era, like TacTiles and Shapes, seem to work fine, treat
them with caution.
Sparkler 1.0 - Mike Wessler
Pixels explode off the screen. Crashes under Randomizer. [Not to be confused
with the catherine-wheel-like Sparklers 1.0, by Frank Kubin, which works fine
under both MultiModule and Randomizer.]
TerrainMaker 2.0 - Adam Miller and Jakub Buchowski (AMI...@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.edu)
Reported as just saying 'Randomizer:' under Randomizer on an unusual video setup
- a IIcx with PCPC Nubus card and 19" monitor. Appears to work fine on standard
video setups.
VectorBalls 1.0 - Mark Adams, Maverick Software
(Maveri...@Applelink.Apple.com Mar...@aol.com)
Very impressive bouncing sets of crystal-lattice-like 3D balls. Crashes under
Randomizer and MultiModule. The author claims the crash occurs in a ROM routine
he calls, and is not sure why. With the crashing fixed, and a 'Random Shapes'
option, this module would be a must-have.
Reported as being included in the NowFun! screensaver - version unknown.
--MODULES WITH OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS (5.2)
In alphabetical order:
Have a Blast 1.0.1 - Alan Goates, Otherware (ago...@nyx.cs.du.edu)
1.0 could crash on wake (moving the mouse or Randomizer choosing another module)
if 'Repair Damage' was chosen. 1.0.1 fixes this.
Hopper 1.0.1 - Rob Snevely, Wild Nobility Productions
Under later versions of AD, this module only displays its generated pattern in
the bottom-right quadrant of the screen. [It uses the whole screen under DS,
though. Very strange. Anyone have an email address for these guys?]
Movies 'til Dawn 1.01 - BS (brkly...@aol.com)
1.01 works with all versions of QT, unlike 1.0, which stopped working with QT
1.5. Get 1.01 and trash 1.0.
Playing movies is pointless for a screensaver, since it may save your screen,
but kills your hard disk through overwork and keeps your CPU running at full
speed - important on a portable. If you MUST play movies, make sure you have QT
1.6.1 (far less disk access and memory is used than with 1.5 or earlier) .
Also look at Movies in the Dark 1.0 by Maurice Volaski or the OURA QT (say each
letter!) movie player 1.0d2 module by Laurence d'Oliveiro. (There's also a
Bouncing Movie module, but it's a quick hack that no longer works. Trash it and
get one of the others.)
Note that Slide Show 2.1 (with 2.0x or later) can display QT JPEG-compressed
PICT files, which is far more useful than playing movies. (Slide Show 2.0 or
earlier will hang on the second screensave if a QT JPEG is used.) If you DO use
JPEG pictures with Slide Show 2.1, remember that pictures are uncompressed with
a blank all-colours-are-black screen. AD will not wake until QT has finished
decompressing the picture, so you may spend time staring at a black screen. If
you have the password feature enabled, you may have to type the password blind,
and then wait for QT to finish decompressing the picture.
[And you know about QT's 'Startup Movie' feature, right?]
Paw-Paw 1.3b3 - Aaron Barnet (c2m...@fre.fsu.umd.edu)
Version 1.2b had known memory problems, most visible when running with Microsoft
Excel or Word (like a lot of Mac software - blame Microsoft's un-Mac programming
methods). Get Paw-Paw 1.3b3 (on sumex-aim.stanford.edu) which fixes these
problems, and trash 1.2b.
PowerDown 1.1 - Dan Walkowski (walk...@cs.uiuc.edu)
Shuts off an unattended Mac after a pre-set time. Ideal for Macs with full
'soft' power on and off. (DS 4 users can get the same functionality with
Fabrizio Oddone's DarkShutdown 1.1.1 DS module.)
Running PowerDown in parallel with Randomizer under MultiModule with the AD
files folder on the Desktop so that AutoDoubler 1.0.7i could compress it (whew!)
led to extra copies of the modules running when PowerDown shuts down being put
in an AutoDoubler Temporary Items folder. There was no crash or other undue
behaviour. Telling AutoDoubler not to compress PowerDown, Randomizer and
MultiModule prevented this from happening - AutoDoubler always puts copies of
compressed files open at shutdown in the Items folder These modules were running
at shutdown, and weren't closed properly.
[If you are using PowerDown, look at the Okey-Dokey 1.01 control panel from the
same author, which presses the default button in a dialog after a pre-set time.
This allows you to have open documents in most applications saved automatically
on shutdown, which would otherwise stop at the first dialog. DarkShutdown
handles this itself.]
Virex-D (MAD 1.0) - BS (brkly...@aol.com)
Virex-D, one of the MAD 1.0 modules, was an advertisement for the commercial
Virex virus-killer. As the D indicates, Virex-D DETECTS viruses - it does not
remove viruses or repair damage caused by viruses. Virex-D has not been updated
recently and is no longer distributed with MAD 1.0a. It SHOULD NOT be used for
virus protection. It wears your disk unnecessarily, too.
Use the freeware Disinfectant application (version 3.2 as I write) and
Gatekeeper system extension (version 1.2.8 as I write), available from all good
Mac-support ftp sites, to combat Mac viruses
A commercial package is not a requirement for protection from viruses. Remember
that the few Mac viruses in existence are mostly benign and are very rarely seen
- this is not something to even think about if you have an up-to-date
virus-killer, and Disinfectant and Gatekeeper are far more than adequate, not to
mention completely free. [Read the excellent Disinfectant on-line help for more
information.]
VoiceWaker 1.07 - Alessandro Levi Montalcini (Fri...@Polito.IT)
This module works with a microphone to wake up a Mac when you shout at it. (A
neat trick - just say 'Wake up!' and pretend you own an av :-) All versions
seen, including 1.07, crash the Mac on screensave if a Global Village Teleport
ADB modem is in use and the Teleport menu is present. 1.07 is reported as being
included in the NowFun! screensaver.
EXTENSION INCOMPATIBILITIES (6.0)
There are few extension, INIT or control panel conflicts with AD - most problems
originate with badly-written AD modules, listed above. DS conflicts are listed
in (0.1).
--KNOWN INCOMPATIBILITIES WITH AFTER DARK (6.1)
In alphabetical order (well, there are only three I know of):
Attention 1.02 (piov...@ghost.dsi.unimi.it)
This control panel allows you to select a sound other than the
presently-selected 'beep' sound for notification alerts.
1.0 prevented AD from sleeping if 'Always Audible' was selected and had minor
incompatibilities with CarpetBag.
1.01 and 1.02 fix this, but may cause crashes with the new StyleWriter II
driver's beep-after-printing feature. Use with caution.
MacWrite Pro (Claris)
There are reports that AD cannot automatically sleep when the first release of
MacWrite Pro has a document open. Speculation is that MacWrite Pro is doing
background processing when not being typed into.
You can still select the 'sleep' corner to activate AD. MacWrite Pro is now at
1.0v4 - has this been fixed?
TouchBase Pro (After Hours Software)
TouchBase Pro 2.0 won't let After Dark sleep if it is running, either in
foreground or background. After Hours say that this is fixed in 2.0.1.
MODULE NAME CHANGES AND SIMILARITIES (7.0)
Over the years, a number of AD modules have changed their names to avoid being
confused with other products. Also, some modules out there have similar names,
but are not related. This should help clear all that up.
--THE NAME HAS CHANGED (7.1)
Names on the left are old -> changed to names on the right. Look out for the new
AD modules, and trash the old ones once you've got their replacements. Listed in
alphabetical order of the old names.
EarthBounce 1.0 -> EarthSplash 1.1
Has Randomizer problems. See above.
MacTabloid 2.0 -> Headlines 1.0.1
MacTabloid 2.0 is a third-party hack of Headlines 1.0.1 by K. K. Farbesokani
(star...@genie.geis.com). The size of its word database appears to give it
problems Headlines does not have. MacTabloid runs out of memory under Randomizer
- the memory requirements do not appear to have been adjusted upwards for the
larger database. Avoid it - Headlines 1.0.1 is the latest, most stable,
official, version.
Mandelbrot -> Fractals 1.33
Alessandro Levi Montalcini's 'Mandelbrot' underwent a name change when Hoffman
and Hartshorne's 'Mandelbrot' module appeared as part of the MAD package. It's
now the shareware Fractals 1.33, and is a full-fledged configurable fractal
generator, whereas MAD's commercial 'Mandelbrot' just shows you the set and some
expanded detail. A later version of Fractals is reported as being included in
the NowFun! screensaver.
Wallpaper 1.0 -> Mathos (no version, Oct. 1, 92 given in about box, but released
May, 93)
Generates fractal 'wallpaper' patterns. Name changed to avoid confusion with
Thought I Could's 'Wallpaper' desktop-pattern utility. (I'm a fan of Desktop
Textures 2.1, on sumex, myself.) A number of versions of Wallpaper were released
without version numbers and as versions 1.0 - with and without a separate
coprocessor-only Wallpaper881 module - so upgrading to Mathos or Mathos881 (they
are in one archive) will solve your 'what version is this?' problem for now.
--NOT TO BE CONFUSED (7.2)
These AD modules have similar names, but are different!
Lines by Charles Clarke, LineCA 1.0.1 by WildMan Software, Quantum Lines by
Scott Berfield and Roaming Lines 1.1c by David Bau
Lines simply fills the screen with coloured lines, LineCA is a scrolling
one-dimensional Life-like cellular automata generator, Quantum Lines is
bouncing twisting pattern, and Roaming Lines is a variation on Berkeley's String
Theory with some neat options.
Maze (the first version) 1.0 by David Bau, and (Calico) Maze 1.1.1 by Richard
Lesh.
Two different maze builders/solvers. Bau's Maze lacks colour, but has an
interesting maze-drawing method. Calico Maze has more colour and more choice of
maze sizes than the very similar MAD Snake module, and is well worth a look as
the 'definitive' Maze module.
Messages by BS, and Random Messages 1.0 by Paul Russell
Two modules that choose a string from a message-list and display it on screen.
MAD includes the polished Say What?, but the out-and-out-winner has to be
Headlines 1.0.1 by Jamie McCarthy, which, like the unix spew it's based on,
generates hilarious random headlines from a topical database.
Sparkler 1.0 by Mike Wessler, and Sparklers 1.0 by Frank Kubin
Sparkler has Randomizer problems. See above. Two totally different modules and
effects.
8.0 MODULE REQUESTS
Right, this is the part where you send in your neat ideas for screensaver
modules, in the hope that someone will turn them into reality. Requested are:
An oscillogram display of the sound level coming in the mic input port - known
to be possible, as VoiceWaker modulates the brightness level accordingly. A
module similar to the WaveWindow application would be nice.
A frequency spectrum of same.
A SoundTracker MOD file player, ideally incorporating the above.
(Tracker/ProTracker-playing code is readily available. Star Trek includes a
straightforward sound and SoundEdit-playing module.)
Exact copies of the default screensavers supplied with Windows, so that Macs can
lurk better in PC-dominated offices.
Exact copies of the Sun screensavers, so Macs can pretend to be workstations.
A screensaver that creates realistic-looking Finder windows with icons, and has
the mouse pointer doing operations, so that you can claim that your Mac is
working even when you are not.
Tetris.
A GIF picture viewer. Slide Show does PICTs and JPEGs (with QuickTime) but not
GIFs. (the commercial ScreenSavor has been reported as doing this.)
A 'starfield' module that simulates Doppler shift, which neither Star Trek,
'Warp Factor' or 'Warp!' do.
A neko or gegi-type module featuring puppies, not kittens.
And fixes to all the still-buggy modules listed above, of course. Please...
DISCLAIMER AND LEGAL-WEASELLING
--COPYRIGHT
This work is Copyright (C) 1993 by Lloyd Wood. Permission is hereby granted to
distribute this unmodified document provided that no fee in excess of normal
on-line charges is required for such distribution. Permission is NOT granted to
services who charge and make a profit for information or for access (e.g.
variable download rates depending upon download speed, or a standing charge), as
this is in excess of normal on-line charges. Such services wishing to distribute
this FAQ must negotiate a suitable fee with me first for my services.
Portions of this document may be extracted and quoted free of charge and without
necessity of citation in normal on-line communication provided only that said
quotes are not represented as the correspondent's original work. Permission for
quotation of this document in printed material and edited on-line communication
(such as the Info-Mac Digest and TidBITS) is given subject to normal citation
procedures (i.e. I demand an attribution or credit).
I DO NOT PERMIT DISTRIBUTION ON CD-ROM, DISKS FOR SALE (e.g. SHAREWARE
CATALOGUES OR MAGAZINE COVER DISKS) OR ANY OTHER STORAGE MEDIUM UNLESS I RECEIVE
A COPY OF THE CD-ROM, DISK, OR STORAGE MEDIUM UPON WHICH THIS WORK APPEARS. (I
wouldn't mind an Info-Mac disk or two :-)
--DISCLAIMER
I do my best to ensure that information contained in this document is current
and accurate, but I can accept no responsibility for actions resulting from
information contained herein. This document is provided as is and with no
warranty of any kind.
END.