Web Desk v1.50, By Mark Wherry (c)1997

Welcome to Web Desk!

This small program allows you to put an icon on your desktop, which when
clicked on will download a required page from the internet.  It is similar
to the way you can have a data file icon which automatically loads the file
into an application.  The difference is, the Web Desk icon gets the file
from the internet!

Requirements

To use this program you will need:
	-The CAB web browser v1.4+
	-A multitasking operating system, eg. MagiC 5.
	-A AV-Protocol aware desktop (Thing/Gemini/MAGXDesk).
	 (Note: Web Desk will only work if the desktop has the 
	  identifier 0.  This works fine, but if any one has any 
	  problems, please tell me.)
	
Installation

In contrast to v1.00 Web Desk now needs to be running all the time.  Also,
you must specify an evironmental variable called "BROWSER" which inicates 
where your copy of CAB.APP is.  This is so Web Desk can find CAB if it is
not already running.  Don't worry; it's easy to set up and here's how you
do it:

MagiC: -Copy WEB_DESK.PRG to your START folder.
       -Add the line to MAGX.INF (if it isn't present already):
        "#_ENV BROWSER ". eg.
        "#_ENV BROWSER C:\Internet\CAB\CAB.APP"
       -On your desktop, install WEB Desk (from the start folder) as an 
        application that supports VA_START, and can load up files with the 
        extension "*.WDF".
       -Reboot your system and enjoy Web Desk!
       
MiNT/MultiTOS (or clones): -Copy WEB_DESK to your AUTOGEM folder.
                           -Add the line to MULTITOS.CNF 
                            (if it isn't present already):
                            "setenv BROWSER ". eg.
                            "setenv BROWSER C:\NET\CAB\CAB.APP"
                           -On your desktop, install WEB Desk (from the 
                            start folder) as an application that supports 
                            VA_START, and can load up files with the 
                            extension "*.WDF".
                           -Reboot your system and enjoy Web Desk!
                           
I don't know about any others, but if anyone else feels like filling the
gap...  In any case, the above example should give you the gist.

Using Web Desk

This is the easy bit.  Once Web Desk is installed, all you have to do is
create some *.WDF files.  These should contain one line, and must be in
ASCII format.  They contain one address each.  When the *.WDF is launched,
CAB will read that address and display the page. 

!!WARNING!!: If Web Desk Launches CAB and you have a long home page, 
it will not work!  If you use Web desk in this manner assign a home 
page of no more than few words, and no pictures!!

So how does it work?

Web Desk waits for a VA_START (or an AP_TERM!) message telling it which 
file the url (Universal Resource Locator/Internet Address) is contained in.  
It reads the url and passes it to CAB via the CAB-Protocol.  If CAB is 
active, the url is displayed in a new window, if not CAB is loaded and then
displays the url in the current 'home page' window.

The Future

The next version will include:
  -Support for single-tasking operating systems.  Web Desk will run as an
   accessory.
  -Nice ST-Guide hypertext documentation.
  -?????.....

Programmers

Come on you clever folk, let's all support the CAB-Protocol, so like
Windows 97/IE4, we to may include internet links in our applications.
The secret to this is in one message, CAB_VIEW, here's how it works:

/* CAB View Test     */
/* By Mark Wherry    */

#include 

#define CAB_SUPPORT 0xCABB
#define CAB_HELLO   0xCAB8
#define CAB_VIEW    0xCAB3

int ap_id,cab_id,loop;
short tmsg[8],rmsg[8];

char *url;

int main(void)
{
  ap_id=appl_init();
  
  cab_id=appl_find("CAB     ");
  
  tmsg[0]=CAB_SUPPORT;
  tmsg[1]=ap_id;
  tmsg[2]=0;
  tmsg[3]=0;
  tmsg[4]=0;
  tmsg[5]=0;
  tmsg[6]=0;
  tmsg[7]=0;
  
  appl_write(cab_id,16,tmsg);
  
  do{
  evnt_mesag(rmsg);
  }while(rmsg[0]!=CAB_HELLO);
        
  url="http://whatever.the.server/page.html";      
        
  tmsg[0]=CAB_VIEW;
  tmsg[1]=ap_id;
  tmsg[2]=0;
  *(char**)&tmsg[3]=url;
  tmsg[5]=1;
  tmsg[6]=0;
  tmsg[7]=0;
  
  appl_write(cab_id,16,tmsg);
  
  return 0;
} 

For more information see the CAB-Protocol document included with CAB 
v1.5+.  Together we can make the Atari a better place...

History

v1.00 (/2/97):  The basic idea realised and released.

v1.50 (10/2/97):  This is more like it!  Although in comparison, a dramatic
                  increase in the version number seems surprising.  However,
                  when you consider what the program does now, this is a 
                  mile-stone!
                  =AV-Protocol support added:
                   -Web Desk can receive VA_START messages.
                   -Web Desk can launch CAB if it is not already running.
                    (So long as your desktop has an ID of 0 :-])
                  =AP_TERM support added.
                  
v??? (//97):  To be continued...

Bit at the bottom

Web Desk is FREEWARE, (as if anybody would want to register!, :-])

I am not responisble for any problems which may occur with the use of 
this program.  Any damage caused is the problem of the user, not me; this
program is used at the user's own risk.

Sorry about that, but it does seem to be standard practice these days! 

I'd appreciate any feedback on this program, so if you want advice, or you
want to give me some advice, or if you have any suggestions write to me at:

                    Mark Wherry
                    4 Fernpark Close,
                    Topsham Road,
                    Exeter,
                    Devon,
                    EX2 6AW
                    
                    ...And if you know anything about MagiC programming,
                    please, please get in contact!



   MAHLER is comming (April '97).....                                    
        .....and the MIDI ports will never be the same!.....