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Commander - On-line Reference Engine

Current Version: 3.1.4 (MacOS X only)    Released: 20th Jul 2002     

Current Version: 3.1.3 (MacOS/Win)   Released: 21st Aug 2000     New Features

Commander is primarily an engine for displaying help and/or reference information. The application doubles as a system to help you manage your clippings, text files, graphics and Read Me files.

Golden Micro Solutions publishes command set files for the 4th Dimension™ software development environment (see below).

You normally use Commander to access reference information stored in separate Command Set files. The 'Pro' version of Commander can be used to create these files, or you may be supplied with these files by other people. This information may take the form of Help topics, programming language reference information, tutorial steps and so on.

Commander allows you to have an unlimited number of Command Sets available via the pop-up menu in the bottom left hand corner of the window.

The Pro version of Commander allows you to organise data contained in text files, text clippings, picture clippings, and standard JPEG, Gif and PICT files by dropping any files of these types into a folder within the Command Sets folder. Once in that folder they are instantly accessible from within Commander, just as though the information were contained in a command set file. Suddenly, dealing with, organising, renaming, deleting and keeping track of a million-and-one text clippings becomes easy!

Commander ships with an example folder of these items so that the concept is easy to see. See also the full on-line help within the application (in the Help Menu).

Uses - Yet Another Electronic Documentation Tool?

Commander is not designed to be a complete electronic documentation tool.

Other tools, such as Adobe Acrobat, eDoc, DocMaker and so on, provide far greater functionality when it comes to creating complete and attractive electronic versions of your documentation. As such, we do not see Commander as a rival or substitute for those products.

Commander is designed to allow you to relatively easily produce reference and/or index type electronic documents. In many cases, once a user is familiar with your software, he or she will rarely need to refer to the documentation. When they do, using a tool such as Acrobat, or DocMaker to locate the information is usually quite acceptable.

However, there are some situations, such as programming languages (e.g. 4th Dimension, AppleScript, Hypercard, Realbasic), when the user may frequently refer to the reference documentation (e.g. a Language Reference Manual). In most cases this is to quickly double-check the use of a command, or to find a small piece of information quickly.

This is the situation in which Commander is designed for, and excels at. The topic list at the left hand side of the window accepts type-ahead commands (for example, type 'k' on the keyboard to view the first topics beginning with the letter k), meaning that specific topics (language commands) can be found extremely quickly, and without disrupting the users train of thought.

By all means use Adobe Acrobat to produce your complete on-line documentation, but use Commander to produce the reference document your users will want to refer to on a frequent basis.

Licensing and Distribution Information

There are three different levels of licensing for Commander:

1. Reader Version

Commander in it's purest (Reader) form is FREE. This is not to say that the software is public domain, it isn't, it's just that we do not charge for the basic 'reader' version of the program.

This version is limited in that it does not allow you to create new command set files, and will only allow you to view the first six files in any additional 'clippings' folder (within the Command Set folder). You may distribute this version of Commander, unaltered, to anyone you wish.

 

2. Pro Version

If you wish to purchase the Pro version of Commander for the sum of US$19.95, you will be provided with a Registration Code which will enable the complete functionality of the application.

In particular this means that you will be able to :

• use the built-in (HTML) compiler to create your own Command Set files
• view/access more than six files in a text/graphics folder
• Command-click URL's in clipping and text files to start up your email application or web browser.

In addition to being able to distribute the Commander application as per the previous section, registering the Pro version also provides you with a licence to distribute any freeware Command Set files you have created. That is, you may distribute any command set files to anyone you wish, provided that you make no charge for either Commander or the command sets.

 

3. Commercial Distribution

If you wish to distribute commercial Command Set files, that is, charge a fee for the Command Set files you have created, you will need to negotiate a distribution licence with Golden Micro Solutions. Contact us for more details. 

Available Command Sets

Golden Micro Solutions publishes several command set packages:

4th Dimension 3.5.x Command Sets - Freeware

This package contains the following sets:

• 4D Language Reference [v 3.5.3]
• 4D General Reference [v 3.5.3]

If this freeware package entirely meets your needs, you are welcome to keep, and continue to use them, for FREE. However, if you require the additional command sets, or the language reference for 4th Dimension 6.x, you may find the full commercial version more suitable (see below).

Go to Downloads Page Now!

 

4th Dimension 6.0.x Command Set - Freeware

This package contains the following set:

• 4D Language Reference [v 6.0.5]

If this freeware package entirely meets your needs, you are welcome to keep, and continue to use them, for FREE. However, if you require the additional command sets, or the language reference for 4th Dimension 6.8.x, you may find the full commercial version more suitable (see below).

Go to Downloads Page Now!

 

4th Dimension 2003.x Command Sets - Commercial

Released on August 28th 2004

New Purchase = US$ 34.95

Upgrade from previous 6.8.x sets : US$ 19.95

 

When you have purchaseded these sets, and your order processed, they software will be emailed to you, so please endure you provide your correct email address.

This package contains the following sets:

* 4D 2003 General Reference * 4D 2003 Language Reference * 4D Business Kit 2.1 * 4D Chart 2003 * 4D Internet Commands 2003 * 4D Tech Notes Q2 04 * 4D Tech Tips July 2004 * 4D View 2003 * 4D Write 2003

Other (older, not updated) sets include with this one are: * 4D Backup 6.7 * 4D Calc 1.5 * 4D DDE Tools * 4D For OCI8 6.8 * 4D ODBC * 4D OLE Tools 6.8 * 4D Open 6.7 * 4D Oracle 6.7 * 4D Pack 6.7 * 4D Web Assistant * 4D Error Codes * 4D Keyboard Shortcuts * 4D Window Types & Sets * Dimensions To 0205 * FilePack 2.5 * WML Reference

Golden Micro Solutions accepts VISA (preferred), Mastercard and American Express. Delivery of the product is via email. Press the 'Order Now' button to view the secure orders page which details the current price details.

North American Users Note!

Our exclusive North American reseller of Commander is now:

Automated Solutions Group

16742 Gothard Street, Suite 207, Huntington Beach, CA 92647

(714) 375-4252

http://www.asgsoft.com

Go to Downloads Page Now! 

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New Features in Version 3.1.4 [20 July 2002] Back To Top

[New] Fully compatible with MacOS X.

Users running Commander under Windows and/or Classic MacOS, should continue to use version 3.1.3.

 

New Features in Version 3.1.3 [21 Aug 2000]

[New] Windows version now available.

[New] Modify font and size of topic list and description.

Known Windows Issues - To be corrected in a future release.

[Issue] When using the Find command, the appropriate text is not correctly highlighted.

[Issue] No styled text.

New Features in Version 3.1.2 [1 Aug 2000]

[New] Modify font and size of topic list and description.

[New] On Macintosh, Commander will now display MacOS 9.0 URL clipping files.

[Bug] Fixed problem with copying 4th Dimension layouts and forms from clipping files.

[Bug] Fixed problem of crashing at startup if a command set was dragged onto the Commander application.

New Features in Version 3.1 [Oct 1999]

The biggest change in Commander 3.1 is the ability to compile new command sets from a folder full of text or clipping (MacOS) files. For those of you who're not keen to use HTML to create your command sets, this should be a welcome new addition.

The other new features have been added to Commander 3.1 are:

• Added an AppleEvent mechanism so that other applications can query Commander and either display the found topic, or return the start of the topic text to the calling application.
• When switched into the back ground, the Commander window can now be set to automatically minimise. This is set with the new 'Auto Minimise', menu item in the File menu.
• You can drag and drop text files or clippings on the minimised window to add them to the current clipping folder.
• When dragging text clippings, the new topics will be named with the first part/line of the clipping being dragged.
• Topic list and description area no longer display a selection border.
• Added capability to print styled text, with multple pages. Minor printing bug corrected.
• Added Paste menu item functionality to allow pasting of text from the clipboard into a new text file in the current Clipping Folder. This is to provide compatibility with applications which do not support drag and drop.

4th Dimension, 4D Write, 4D Open, 4D View, 4D Business Kit, 4D Chart, 4D Calc are all registered trademarks of 4D SA, and 4D, Inc. Portions of the 4th Dimension command reference documentation are Copyright © 1989-2002 4D SA, and 4D, Inc.

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