Blast from the Past

[mportune@telerama.lm.com (Matt Portune)]

Ok, nobody likes to beat a dead horse, but I found something relating to 
the ill-fated AWGS 2.0.  When they first mentioned word of the big 
update, I typed up this HUGE list of things I thought could use a 
fixing.  Not that this pertains to anything, but I just found it in the 
cob webs of my hard drive, so I thought I would post it, if anybody is 
actually interested in reading it.  I snail-mailed this whole thing to QC 
way back when, and I never received any kind of reply.  Oh yeah, this was 
before the AWGS 1.1 patches were available too, so don't write me back 
saying "Hey, you know there's a patch for that..." because I already have 
ALL the patches.  :)   So anyway, here it is.  (keep in mind that it 
lacks details in the spreadsheet/database area, because I never used 
those that much.)  Enjoy!
 
 
Word Processing
 
	- true top and bottom margin settings, instead of using blank 
lines in the header and footer
	- make the spell checker NOT highlight words that have already 
been deemed "ignored" (to reduce unnecessary screen updates and pauses)
	- make the spell checker have a "backtrack" option, in case you 
skipped over a word you wanted to change, instead of having to start over
	- make sure spell checker window doesn't appear on top of the 
highlighted word and its context
	- add a grammar checker (If one isn't already in the Works 
(pardon the pun))
	- Original Idea: If you click on the page number above the scroll 
bar, it would change the size of the scroll bar, toggling between the 
size of the current page and the size of the entire document.  (Right 
now, after exceeding one page, it shrinks to "entire document" size)
 
Spreadsheet
 
	- be able to call data from cells in other spreadsheets, whether 
open on the desktop, or still on disk
	- be able to designate certain zones to be printed, while 
ignoring others, instead of always having to print the whole thing
 
Database
 
	- in Definition mode, you should be able to edit the text in a 
label, instead of having to create a new one in place of the one you want 
to change
	- you should be able to turn a field into a label after you've 
declared it.  Of course, with an appropriate warning if there is already 
data in that field.  (Right now, the label option box goes grey once it's 
declared, and it can't be changed)
 
Page Layout
 
	- should be able to use mail merge within page layout documents
	- be able to declare certain pages to not use the formatting and 
text on the master page, instead of disabling all pages from the master page
	- when typing in text, make the screen scroll automatically, 
instead of having to stop typing and do it manually with the mouse
	- implement cursor controls like the Word Processor module (like 
option-arrow and command-arrow)
	- make the "fit in window" option show as many pages as it can 
fit on the screen at once, instead of one page at a time, losing a lot of 
valuable screen space
	- give the hide tools/rulers/guides options in the "options" menu 
command-key equivalents
	- give the tools in the tool bar option-key equivalents
	- make more things "undo-able"  (I hardly ever see this option 
blackened in the menu)
	- with text-wrapping and graphics, make the text automatically 
wrap itself around the shape of the graphic or a predefined border, (with 
an option to wraparound, or overlap the graphic) instead of having to 
manually set up multiple text objects around the graphic
	- with text objects linked to each other top to bottom, make the 
text flow between them evenly spaced automatically, (without needing a 
good eye and a steady hand to move the text object around) so the first 
line of text in the lower text object matches the spacing of the text in 
the upper text object
	- for importing large text documents, make an option to import 
the text automatically to all required pages, instead of having to 
manually set up text objects on all the needed pages, and click in the 
continuing text on each page (which gets tedious after 40 pages or so)
	- when flipping or rotating text objects, make an option for the 
text inside to do the same thing, instead of just changing the 
orientation of the text object and reprinting the text inside the new object
	- be able to select an object that is "in back" of other objects 
without having to send all the objects in front to the back first  (maybe 
an "option-click" to select objects throughout multiple levels of objects)
 
Graphics
 
	- same multilevel object selection method as just described in 
page layout
	- be able to import other AWGS documents onto the canvas, like 
Word Processor and Page Layout documents, with formatting intact  
(everything would be imported as objects)
	- when painting, drawing, or selecting objects, and you move off 
the screen with the mouse button still held down, make the document 
automatically scroll, instead of remaining stationary on one screen
	- for some reason, the horizontal scroll bar reduces in size 
every time you show the tools, move the bar to the far right, then hide 
the tools again.  This throws off the perception of the canvas, making 
you think you've got a lot more drawing space than you really do, and 
results in images being cut off.
	- make some user-definable flood-fill patterns
	- some tools aren't very trustworthy...
		magnifying glass - sometimes causes random pixels to 
paint themselves random colors, and can't be "undone", thereby messing up 
the image
		arc tool - sometimes when you draw an arc, scroll off the 
screen, then come back, it's gone!  (Unfortunately, this happens quite 
frequently)
	- have an option to be able to "lasso" only specific colors
	- have an option to change the size of the spray-paint
 
(I know it's not supposed to be a full-fledged paint program, but these 
are things I felt were necessary, even in a reduced-capability paint module)
 
Communications
 
	- needs more modem driver options in "Hardware" window
	- needs updated baud options (up to 57,600) in communication window
	- NEEDS MORE PROTOCOLS!! (especially Z-Modem)
	- make use of a simple scripting language for auto logging, (etc.)
	- NEEDS MORE TERMINAL EMULATION!! (ANSI, etc.)
	- make a more detailed status bar that reports progress of an 
upload or a download, maybe with a graphic progress meter, error 
reporting and handling, time required and time elapsed if available, and 
which file is presently being transferred (if batching).  (Anything would 
be better than the cryptic little info bar it has right now)
	- make an option to quit without hanging up, so you can run 
something else, then come back and resume online activity
 
A few other quirks...
 
File . . . Open
	- Make it possible to open multiple files by shift-clicking or 
command-clicking
 
File . . . Save As...
	- For some reason, with System 6.0.1, the "Super Data Path" NDA 
won't work with this.  It works for opening files, but not "saving as".  
It only happens with AWGS, and with 6.0.1.  It worked fine with 6.0 and 
5.0.4.  All other applications are not affected.  The "data path" option 
in TransProg III is experiencing the same problem, under the same 
conditions.  I'm not sure where the fault lies, but I thought you should 
know.
 
General
 
	- Some modules could use faster screen updating if it's possible, 
especially the Page Layout module.  You could click on the scroll arrow, 
get a cup of coffee, and come back just in time for the screen to move, 
even with a Zip 9/32 accelerator cranked on full throttle!
	- Make font size limited to available memory instead of 48 point 
(without having to use the "option-shift-choose font" Easter egg)
	- Assuming the problem is caused by sloppy program code, try to 
hunt down the bugs that cause random freeze-ups like the one I just 
experienced about 2 seconds ago.  (Good thing I saved this monstrous 
document about every 30 seconds out of habit)  I know, I know, you tell 
me the freeze-ups are usually caused by conflicting desk accessories, 
inits, Control Panels, and stuff, and you're right, but because I knew 
that AWGS would struggle with this document, I shift-booted before I 
started, leaving me a nice blank 4.25 megabyte hunk of RAM to work with, 
and no DAs to worry about, and it still happened.  Whether it's System 
6.0.1, 6.0, or 5.0.4, it still happens.  I'm hoping it is something that 
can be fixed in the upgrade.
 
	I apologize for such a long letter, but I jumped at the chance to 
offer suggestions about an upgrade for AWGS 1.1.  I also apologize if I 
pointed out any quirks that I thought were quirks, but in reality, I just 
didn't see it in the manual.  That always makes me feel goofy, 
complaining about a lacking feature when it was there all along.  If you 
can, write back and tell me what you think (and anything else you want to 
tell me).  Good Luck and God Speed with this project.  I'm looking 
forward to the release of AppleWorks GS 2.0  (if that's what you plan on 
calling it).
 
Thanks for taking the time out to read this!
 
Sincerely,
 
Matt Portune
 
II Infinitum
 
---------------------------------
 
ok, that's it.
heheh I think I wrote this Freshman year of high school.  :)

-- 
      /--- Matt Portune --------------------- pGSi 16/64 (loaded) -------\
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      |  ae094@dayton.wright.edu            Blue Monday BBS              |
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