[Please open this file in Write or Wordpad and, if necessary, select a constant width font and reformat it to wrap the lines correctly.] ************************************************************************ ARIS / Oxford [Oxford Computer Group Ltd] Advent97 A Christmas Screen Saver for 1997 ************************************************************************ Christmas greetings from ARIS/Oxford, a subsidiary of the ARIS corporation and formerly Oxford Computer Group. To follow our 1996 "Globe and Grotto", 1995 "Christmas Card" and 1994 Advent Calendar, we have written a new Christmassy screen saver which we hope you will find a pleasant decoration for your PC display in this festive season. The previous savers are also still available, free of charge, normally from our web site (www.ocx.com), other web sites (such as www.rocketdownload.com), and possibly from other places such as Compuserve (search for OCG96.EXE), or by request from us (although only until we exhaust the few remaining disks from previous years). Also available from the web site is the NSPCC "Happy Kids" screen saver, which we wrote to help with Microsoft's promotion of the NSPCC (National Society for the prevention of cruelty to Children) campaign in 1996. On our web site you will of course find details of the training and consultancy services we provide, and details about our new parent company ARIS Corporation in the US. This readme accompanies the first release of the saver (32-bit), V1.14.0.5, 3rd December 1997. This readme is written to accompany both the disk-based and "download-based" distribution of the files. On the disk there are two files, this readme file (README.TXT) and the archive file Advent97.EXE. For the benefit of people who download it, the archive file also contains this readme file. 32-Bit, not 16-Bit, Code ======================== This year we have built the main release of the screen saver as a 32-bit program. It will not run on Windows 3.anything. We will probably make a 16-bit version available, but it will not be on the disks and will only be available from the web site. If you need the 16-bit version and find that it is not on our web site please send an email request to info@ocx.com. The 32-bit version uses the proper Windows 95 screen saver password support (which the 16-bit version cannot do). The 16-bit version (if available) will no longer have any password support in it. Virus Warning ============= As usual we have used standard virus checking programs to confirm that the screen saver files are free of viruses. Especially if you do not receive the screen saver files directly from us, please use your own virus checking programs to verify this fact for yourselves. If you were aware of the rumour spread by some Scrooge in 1995 about the Advent screen saver, you will hopefully be unsurprised and pleased to hear that it was completely groundless, although it did cause some people unnecessary worry. Please contact us (at info@ocx.com) if you have any queries, or become aware of any rumours. File List (archive file contents) ================================= Advent97.SCR 32-bit Christmas Screen Saver, new for 1997. No other files are required to run it. Note that approximately 2.9MB disk space is required for Advent97.scr README.TXT This file. Quick install ------------- As before, we cannot fit a proper "push-button" install program on the single distribution disk, so here follows the brief instructions about how to extract it from the archive on the disk. More comprehensive instructions follow later. Extract Advent97.scr from the "self-extracting" archive file Advent97.exe by running the command "A:Advent97 Advent97.scr" (this assumes that your Advent97.EXE program is on a floppy disk in drive A:). You will need to run the command from an MS-DOS command prompt (ie a Windows MS-DOS window). The file Advent97.SCR will be created in the current directory; so either make the Windows directory the current directory before running the command (normally the default if you run MS-DOS from Windows), or move the file to the Windows directory afterwards, then select it as for any other screen saver. ======================================================= Screen Saver Description ======================== Advent97 is a based on the Advent Calendar theme, we hope we have improved on the simple version we first did in 1994. Disclaimer ---------- The screen saver is intended as a bit of Christmas fun. Neither ARIS nor Oxford Computer Group make any direct or implied suggestion as to the suitability of these files for any purpose. Neither ARIS nor Oxford Computer Group accepts any liability for any loss or damages resulting from the use of these files. If you are not happy with these conditions, do not load the files. System Requirements ------------------- Advent97.scr uses quite a lot of system resources - we couldn’t do it any other way. If you do not have sufficient free virtual memory (3.6MB approximately), the screen saver will be unable to load all its graphics resources and a message will be written over the graphics. The saver will then stop updating the screen, so you will see a static picture with the message summarising the error. The saver will then wait to terminate in the normal way when you press a key or move the mouse. The speed of your disk (or network) will determine the length of the short pause that occurs when the animations are first loaded from disk. On slower machines (e.g. 386s and slow 486s), and those with insufficient physical memory, the animations will not run smoothly. As a reference, the pennant is designed to take 1 second to flutter, this will usually be achieved on a Pentium class computer with a contemporary graphics card and sufficient free physical memory. [The pennant is not visible on a 640x480 display] The Advent97 screen saver works best in SVGA 256 colour mode (it also works at higher colour depths, but correspondingly more memory and CPU power will be needed for no gain in display quality). This version will also run on 16 colour displays, but CONSIDERABLE CPU time is used by the somewhat inefficient colour dithering algorithms, and the finished results are not satisfactory - note this means it can take 6 minutes for the graphics to load on a 386DX machine. [Advent97 is comparatively slower than the previous two savers when loading on 16 colour systems - we did not have space to include the "pre-dithered" graphics that reduced the loading time in previous years.] The Windows graphics extensions "DirectX" and "WinG" are not used. The saver is designed to work at a resolution of 800x600. At 640x480 you will miss quite a bit of the "action" At higher resolutions you will see black space around the edges. The saver is supplied as a 32-bit program tested on Windows 95 and Windows NT3 and Windows NT4. True Saver Mode --------------- The saver has a "true screen saver mode". This can be enabled on the Setup (Settings) dialog. Under Windows 95, and only if password protection is enabled, you can return to the "ordinary saver" from the "true saver" by pressing a key or moving the mouse and then dismissing the password dialogue. Passwords --------- Under NT the passwording is provided by the operating system with no intervention from the saver. Under 95 the same the protection is also provided by the system, but with the cooperation of the saver. The password button in the saver Setup (Settings) dialog is greyed out and should not be used. To enable passwords use the check box provided by the control panel dialog. 16 Bit Versions --------------- If we produce a 16-bit version of the Advent97 screen saver, it will be made available from our web site (see below). Installation ============ There is no ordinary install program (it won't fit on the disk). Installation consists of extracting the screen saver from the archive, ensuring it is in the Windows (system) directory and then selecting it from the Display (or Desktop) Control Panel applet. We do not recommend that you use the NT4 & Win95 "right-click / Install" method, especially if you have not placed the saver in the Windows directory. File Extraction --------------- The files (the screen saver and this readme) are supplied in the form of a self-extracting PKZIP compressed archive (Advent97.exe). From an MS-DOS type prompt you can just run this executable to extract the files it contains (either do this in your Windows directory, or in a temporary and/or empty directory so that you will be able to delete the files afterwards). The decompressed screen saver (Advent97.scr) should be placed in your Windows directory (c:\Windows, c:\WINNT, c:\WIN95 etc.) or in the system sub-directory of this directory. The MS-DOS prompt can be the Windows MS-DOS window (usually accessed from an icon in the "Main" Window, or from the Programs list in Windows 95). The following example commands show a method of directly placing both the files supplied in the archive into the directory "\WINDOWS" on drive "C:", it assumes that the Advent97.exe file is on a floppy disk in drive A: a:Advent97 c:\windows If any files already exist, you will be asked if you want to overwrite them. The archive file is not required after you have extracted the files that you need from it. But you may wish to keep it to pass on to your friends. Selecting the Screen Saver -------------------------- Once the file is in place, the screen saver can be activated from the Display (NT4 and Win 95) or the Desktop (Windows NT3.51) control panel applet. In the drop-down screen saver selection list look for either the name "Advent97" or the full title "Advent97, by ARIS/Oxford". If you cannot see these entries you have probably not placed the saver file (Advent97.scr) in the Windows directory, or you have loaded the 32-bit version on a Windows 3 system. Copyright and Copying ===================== The copyright to all the programs, graphics and text is owned and retained by Oxford Computer Group Ltd. You are encouraged to redistribute the original files (as the complete set), but may not do so for commercial gain (except for standard bulletin board type access charges). About Oxford Computer Group Ltd - a subsidiary of the ARIS Corporation ====================================================================== Tel: +44 (0)1865 315200 (Oxford) Tel: +44 (0)171 638 7676 (London City) Tel: +44 (0)121 779 7512 (Birmingham) Fax: +44 (0)1865 315201 E-mail: info@ocx.com Web: www.ocx.com Snail Mail: ARIS/Oxford Wolsey Hall 66 Banbury Road OXFORD OX2 6PR UK ARIS/Oxford is an innovative professional services and software company offering training, development and consulting in the Microsoft, Lotus and Oracle arenas. The group probably has the world's highest concentrations of Microsoft Certified System Engineers (30+) and Microsoft Certified Solution Developers (30+). The consulting division offers a bespoke programming service specialising in SQL, Access, Visual Basic, Visual C++ and C (amongst others). The company services range from a full management of design and implementation of a large client-server application to a day's help with an Access database; from £1 million to £1000. The education division is a Microsoft ATEC and a Lotus Desktop Training Centre. Although based in the UK, we provide training services throughout Europe, and with our parent company based in Seattle, throughout the world. ARIS has sites in Seattle, Portland, Washington DC, Tampa, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Dallas and New York - in addition to Oxford, London and Birmingham. ARIS provides quality online training geared towards Microsoft Certified Professional exam success, with courses aimed at support personnel and consultants who need Microsoft systems training, but who are too valuable to be spared from their desks. Classes include students from Australia, Russia, South Africa and Japan. For more information, visit http://www.ocx.com or http://www.aris.com. Could we do one for you? ------------------------ We are able to produce bespoke screen savers for clients. Costs depend on exact requirements. You may like to start by completing the questionnaire on our web site. Competition ----------- It is quite fun to see how far this program gets during its short Christmas life. Mail us a Christmas card (e-mail or post) and we will ask Santa to deliver a bottle of champagne (or alternative for the younger entrants) to the sender who has either the most amusing/interesting location or otherwise writes/draws the best response. On the other hand, you can always send us a bottle (well wrapped) if you think we have enlivened your day. Known Problems -------------- 1) Some users may notice a dark-grey box associated with the true-saver mode, we have not fixed this properly. 2) It is intentional that the password selection box in the screen saver Setup (Settings) dialog is greyed out. Use the Display / Desktop dialog to control passwording. 3) On 16 colour systems the main screen can take 6 minutes to appear on a 386 class system. Problem Reporting ----------------- It is possible, but hopefully unlikely, that you will encounter some other problem with the screen saver. Installation is very simple and unlikely to cause any problems, please first consult with your colleagues if you have any difficulties with it. The most likely problem you will encounter will be a consequence of having insufficient memory, or insufficient resources; you will see a message advising you that a graphics operation could not be completed. If this happens, you may find that you can work around the problem by closing down other applications (this both releases memory and GDI resources), enlarging the swap space, or freeing up disk space if this is limiting the amount of virtual memory available. If something else unexpected happens while the screen saver is running, please assemble the following information before you contact us. 1) The version information line in the About Box (accessed from the Setup (Settings) dialogue). This includes some system information. 2) The processor type / amount of main memory / graphics board type / amount of graphics memory / free disk space. 3) What happens, and when. 4) Other useful details might include answers to the following: Does the problem always occur (and is thus reproducible), or is it intermittent; Does the problem occur on a colleague's similar machine; Does a particular change to your system setup make the problem go away; Has the problem been occurring always, or has it suddenly started? [Please also check that the copy of the screen saver you have installed is not corrupt.] We will endeavour to list any problems and / or solutions etc on our Web pages. History ------- File dates & times 03Dec97 14:05 1st release. V1.14.0.5, 2,806,784 bytes (32-bit version) We will post any further updates to the Web site if there is both a need and the time. PS - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at ARIS/Oxford