Smartbar 0.3

Overview

Smartbar was born as a self-made utility to execute comfortably some common tasks (and as an experiment to learn Tcl/Tk): I'm now trying to make something more interesting and powerful of it; but for this I need also users' suggestions.
Version 0.3 has a new printer manager, a new user manager, an improved filesystem navigator and a better look. Now 'wish' can be in any directory specified in the path. Now you can operate on buttons even if the application is not the top window.

Features

It allows mounting of floppies (both in msdos and ext2 file systems) and cdroms. When not in use the program appears as a small window like the one on the left; but as you move the mouse pointer over the window, it enlarges and displays the available options (look at the picture on the right). Notice that unuseful options are not displayed: for example if the CDROM is already mounted, the 'Mount CD-ROM' button disappears and the 'Unmount CD-ROM' button appears. Of course when the mouse pointer moves away from the window, it comes small again. The 'Processes' button opens the 'Process Manager' window. So far the only available action towards a process is the 'kill'. The 'Process Manager' window displays the list of all the currently running processes also the ones not belonging to the current user. Of course suggestions to enhance and increase the features of this panel are welcome. The 'System information' window displays a subset of the available system and software information. This information is taken in real time from the proc filesystem and other sources. But the most powerful and versatile feature of this program is unquestionably the filesystem navigator, that appears like the picture. It is somehow structured like an Amiga utility called 'Directory Opus' and it also behaves like it in some ways. The window is divided horizontally and the two halves display the content of two directories. In particular in the left panels are shown the subdirectories of the current one, whereas in the right ones are displayed files (normal and special ones). It is possible to select one directory only in the right panels, whereas you can select as many files as you want in the right panels. Of course the buttons on the top of the two halves operate on the selection and if you move the mouse over one of them you can see in the status line a brief description of every task and whether it operates on files, dirs, or both. You can easily take a look at the status of the printers and also kill the unwanted print jobs with the new printer manager. Some simple but useful user management options are provided by the user management panel. Notice that the 'Delete user' command doesn't delete the user home directory nor his mail spool file. The last program feature is the cancellable shutdown: pressing the last button in the main bar (the one in red), you activate the shutdown & reboot process that begins exactly one minute after your click. A window like this is displayed (you must have the font adobe-helvetica-bold-o-normal--34-240-100-100-p-182-iso8859-1 installed; usually this is true if you have installed all the 100dpi Slackware or Red Hat fonts; if you don't have this font you can change it in the profile script). And you have a minute to cancel the shutdown.

Installation

The first time the program is launched it creates a profile file usually called .smartbar.profile in your home directory. Remember to take a look at this file and modify it according to your system configuration and your needs as indicated in that file, otherwise the program may not work correctly. The profile script format has changed since the previous versions. Remember to delete or rename the old one.

Notice

• You can use and copy it freely but if you find it useful and want to continue using it you have to send me a postcard with your greeting and a view of your country (the address is below) ;-)
• Look at the copyright notice at the end of this document.

To-Do List

• some cofiguration dialogs in order to make superfluous the profile modifications
• a graphic representation of the average cpu load
• something useful on the user management
• an automatic log processor
• what you'll ask me... :-)

Copyright Notice

• the Smartbar program is not modified in any way and
• you maintain the copyright notice on all copies of the program

NO WARRANTIES. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DANIELE PAOLO SCARPAZZA DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. DANIELE PAOLO SCARPAZZA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, LOST PROFITS OR INFORMATION, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS, EVEN IF HE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.