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The pieces of software on this page all falls under the heading of "desktop utilities" - adding small extra features or functionality to the desktop. Many of them are relocatable modules that can be added to the RISC OS boot sequence, though there are also some small applications or even BASIC programs here too.

Compatibility

All the software on this page (apart from Find Icon Bar, which isn't required with the "Nested Wimp") is RISC OS 4 compatible and has been tested on RISC OS Select. If a minimum version of RISC OS is required, this is indicated next to the download archive; all software requires RISC OS 3.1 or better.

With the arrival of RISC OS 5, work is underway to ensure that all the software (when applicable) will work on both 26-bit and 32-bit systems. Most items are now marked "26/32-bit neutral"; anything tested to Castle's requirements will also be marked with the "Iyonix OK" logo.

Filer Dir Patch

Filer Dir Patch is a small module that causes a click on Create Directory in a Filer menu to create a new directory called 'Directory'. This is most useful on RISC OS 4 and RISC OS 5, when Alt-Click will then allow this to be re-named (effectively working in the same way as Windows).

This feature has been added to RISC OS Select, but for those who haven't yet subscribed or are using an Iyonix...

Iyonix OK Download: Filer Dir Patch 1.10
5 Kbytes | 6th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

Find Icon Bar

Find Icon Bar is another one of the spate of 'Nested WIMP style' icon bar utilities. Move the pointer to the bottom of the screen and the bar will pop to the top and stay there until you move the pointer out of it. Find Icon Bar is a module task, so it only uses about 1Kb of memory.

Download: Find Icon Bar 0.02
7 Kbytes | 19th June, 2002 | 26-bit only

Fortune

A small addition to the RISC OS start up sequence, Fortune is a module to display a random "fortune cookie" under the Desktop Welcome Banner each time the Desktop is started. Utterly useless, but possibly worthwhile.

Fortunes are not supplied, though most files from the Internet can be used fairly easily.

Iyonix OK Download: Fortune 1.10
10 Kbytes | 6th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

Free Memory

Free Memory displays the amount of free memory in your machine as a small sliding bar at the top of the screen. This dynamically updates itself as the amount of free memory in your machine changes.

Iyonix OK Download: Free Memory 0.02
5 Kbytes | 19th June, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

Get Filer

Get Filer is a small application to make the Filer save out the Filer_OpenDir commands for all the viewers currently open on the Desktop. This is the information that would have been included in a 'saved desktop' file, if one were saved (impossible under Select anyway).

Iyonix OK Download: Get Filer 1.01
10 Kbytes | 8th September, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

PC Keyboard

PC Keyboard is a module to change the use of the Delete, End (Copy) and Home keys in applications under RISC OS. Historically, the Delete key on RISC OS has always duplicated Backspace, which is different from the behaviour on other platforms. On RISC OS 5 this behaviour is changed to the "PC style" and the OS tries to enforce this, but not all applications follow suit.

The module can be used in three ways:

Iyonix OK Download: PC Keyboard 2.10
26 Kbytes | 5th August, 2007 | 26/32-bit neutral

Version 1 of the module is still available for use on non-Iyonix machines. Although it is 32-bit, I do not recommend using it on RISC OS 5 as it will interfere with the parts of the system now using "PC-style" Delete and End keys.

This version of the module can cause problems for some applications, especially those that use any of the keys above for special purposes. Note that the Delete and Copy keys mimic Ctrl-X and Ctrl-C when text is selected on the Desktop and the module will affect this (with Backspace and Delete respectively taking on the actions). The module turns the Backspace key into Delete and any application watching for Backspace will never see it as it effectively no longer exists. The module can always be turned off if this is a problem when carrying out some actions.

Download: PC Keyboard 1.10
7 Kbytes | 7th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

ResFSApps

An addition to the Apps folder on the icon-bar, ResFSApps allows you to add links to files, directories and applications in the same way as AddApp (in RISC OS 3.5 onwards) with some important differences. A module is built once and loaded on boot, speeding things up and objects can be stored in directories that can be nested as required.

Iyonix OK Download: ResFSApps 1.10
13 Kbytes | 7th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

TaskKill

TaskKill is a small BASIC utility that allows Wimp tasks to be killed from the command line.

Iyonix OK Download: TaskKill 1.01
2593 bytes | 19th June, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

Windows Keys

Windows Keys makes it easier to use the two extra keys on an MS Windows keyboard. It consists of a small module task that watches for the keys being pressed and calls star-commands as set by the user, along with a plugin for the RISC OS Configure application to allow those star-commands to be set easily.

Using this system, the keys can easily be made to launch applications, open directories, load files or almost anything else that can be done from the command line.

Although this module will run on the Iyonix, it is not required as RISC OS 5 already contains similar functionality.

Download: Windows Keys 0.21
13 Kbytes | 15th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral | Requires RISC OS 4

Windows Scroll

Windows Scroll is a small module to provide the 'joystick-like' window scrolling, using the mouse, as found on some MS Windows applications. Clicking Ctrl-Menu over a window with scroll bars will allow the window to be scrolled at variable speed by moving the mouse away from a 'centre point' on the screen.

It does not require a wheel-mouse to work.

Iyonix OK Download: Windows Scroll 0.51
19 Kbytes | 6th December, 2002 | 26/32-bit neutral

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