🚀 go-pugleaf

A while ago I've read something about a program called EASELST.
It changes  the default gray desktop background with a Degas PI3
file. I tried the  demo version, and it worked perfectly. The
only 'but' was that the program  was something more than 100K.
Three pictures (one for each resolution, so 3 * 32K is already
96K) were kept in menory. Since I only have a monochrome monitor
this is a waste of 64K.

So I tried to develop such a program on my own. After doing a lot
of dirty oldfashioned peeking and pooking around the lower memory
areas I found out what happened when the desktop was drawn. I
replaced this with drawing the picture. It worked out fine.

Another difficulty was how to restore the desktop when windows
were moved or changed in size or icons were changed. This lead to
some nice assembler routines. Putting it all together lead to a
program called DESKTOP.PRG, with size no more than 947 bytes! It
has to be installed in the AUTO folder, and a file DESKTOP.PI3
has to be in the same AUTO folder or in the root directory of the
boot device. I've had no problems with it; everything works as it
should. There are no interactions with GDOS or whatever other
routine. This program is called version 1.0!

The second step was to make it possible to load a new picture
after the boot session. This implied the use of a accessory. This
accessory (called DESKTOP.ACC, version 2.1, 4130 bytes) makes it
possible to load a new PI3 file or to switch the old gray
background on again.

The next and at the moment last step was to make it possible to
use PC3 files instead of PI3, for disk space savings sake only.
So DESKTOP.ACC version 2.2 (4506 bytes) has seen the light.
Because of the fact that these are accessories they install the
new GEM vector (with XBRA id N_DP) before or after some other
accessories did the same. This can lead to some really heavy
bombing on your screen. In that case you'll have to stick to the
AUTO program.

These programs are part of my learning process of programming
assembler. The accessories are a combination of assembler and C.
Since I don't have the intention to get rich any more, they are
to be considered as Public Domain. Anybody who is interested can
obtain them by emailing me.

Noud van Kruysbergen
NICI
P.O. Box 9104
6500 HE Nijmegen
The Netherlands
kruysbergen@hnykun53.bitnet