altPlugin Toolbar

Put this stack in the plugins folder. You can click on the blue triangle at the top to access the controls. Drag the bottom-right corner to resize the plugin.

Below are updated versions of all the altPlugins. They have been updated and it is recommend you use these versions and not the older versions.

You should have already downloaded and launched altPlugin Toolbar (above). It will have created a folder "altPlugs" (not to be confused with the folder "altPlugins" which was used with a previous altPlugin toolbar - I suggest you delete THAT folder). Just save these files to the "altPlugs" folder, then choose the "Refresh Plugins" from the Toolbar menu (blue triangle at the top of the Toolbar).

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO DOWNLOAD THE PLUGIN

altArchive

When pressed, it will save serialized copies of your stack in a folder named "archive" at the same level as your stack.

altBackdrop

This plugin toggles the backdrop. Right-click on it to set the backdrop color.

altImgViewer

This plugin can browse folders full of images, in the background. You can view the images full-size, copy them to your stack, and get information about them by right-clicking on them.

altPropList

This is a plug-in which can display ALL the properties which can be set for an object. You can also use this to compare properties between two objects. This is helpful in debugging why one object behaves different from another. .

altHTML

HTML Builder is a plugin you can use for creating htmltext for fields. You can toggle between the htmlText view and the regular text view. Any changes you make from in one view is reflected in the other vew. This plugin has the following features:



• set the textstyle
• set the textsize
• set the linktext
• view the text or the htmltext
• copy the text of the htmltext to the clipboard
• Toggle Label Text button let's you create labels, then edit them, then lock them again

altPropEditor

This plugin displays ALL the properties of an object, and allows you to edit them. It inserts a frontScript to automatically set itself to the selectedObject. You can minimize the plugin by clicking the triangle button on the top, which also turns off the frontscript.

You can click on the property name to instantly access the description of the property in the documentation.

altNewStack

This is a one-button shortcut to creating a new stack. The old 1.1 IDE had this button on the revMenuBar, but 2.0 doesn't. Now you can have it again.

altOpen

This is a one-button shortcut to opening an existing stack. The old 1.1 IDE had this button on the revMenuBar, but 2.0 doesn't. Now you can have it again.

altPluginBuilder

This will create a starter "altPlugin" stack complete with the icon image and image properties needed. It will also make an existing stack "altPlugin" compatible, including adding an icon and setting the version and update properties. See the section on creating your own plugin for more info.

This plugin takes the hard work out of locating your 'put xx into msg' debug scripts.
Just click the button to load the script and process it. Then click the line number on the list in the left and it will locate the place in the script where the put is found. You can edit and then Apply the Changes.

You can use the UNDO button to undo your last script edit.

This plugin allows you to count the number of lines, words and characters in scripts. You can focus on stacks and substacks or on just a single object.

This plugin allows you to remove custom Rev properties in order to reduce the filesize of stacks which are not to be included in standalones. The distribution builder automatically does these things for standalones.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

What does this really do?

Rev creates a custom property set called cREVGeneral for each stack, card and control. This set contains property values used by the IDE. When a developer builds a standalone, this property set is systematically removed as the standalone no longer needs access to IDE property sets. One of the properties in cREVGeneral is "the script" and it contains the htmlText of the script for that object. This is done so that users who choose to colorize their scripts, can quickly access them later. The size for this property is greater than the actual script size, so if you have a stack with many lines of code, this property can increase your stack size.

Can I still edit my stack in the RunRev IDE?

Certainly! If you altClean your stack and remove the cREVGeneral prop sets, you can still edit you stack and run it in the IDE as you normally would. Rev will just add the cREVGeneral to any control you edit -- eventually growing the stack in size until it is back where you started.

If the Distribution Builder already deletes the cREVGeneral prop set, then why do I care?

Some people distribute stacks outside of the standalone. These stacks don't need the cREVGeneral prop set and can be reduced in size significantly. In my case, I use a splash screen standalone which downloads the latest version of a stack from the web. The size of the stack on the web is reduced condsiderably by 'altCleaning' it.

Will AltClean remove any other RunRev custom prop sets which may effect my project?

No, it doesn not affect other custom prop sets or other profiles. The Geometry Manager and other RunRev features sitll work as planned.

Why did it take you so long to write this plugin?

Actually, I first learned of this issue while talking with Richard Gaskin and Geoff Canyon at the Revolution Conference in San Francisco MacWorld. Then Monte Goulding filled me in on exactly how to clean a stack. Thanks to all of them, this plugin is now freely available.

Are there any known issues?

Yes, for one, you cannot AltClean a password protected stack. Also, currenlty AltClean will not work on any stack with the preface "rev". This is done intentionally as it's never a good idea to modify the IDE source environment.

Why doesn't RunRev do this?

Originally, it was thought that everyone would just create standalones, or use the standalone builder to remove the cREVGeneral property set. But, as things evolved, people started just posting stacks to the web, RevNet, etc.. For instance, plugin stacks are used inside the Rev IDE but have no need for the cREVGeneral property set.

As usual with any of our plugins, please back up your stacks! I use altPluginArchive to do this. It also makes a serialized copy of a stack each time it is invoked.

AltLayoutManager

WHY?
Sometimes the Geometry Manager is too automated and developers wish to 'roll their own' resize stack handlers. This tool helps.

Use Layout Manager to handle resizable stacks and control layouts for cross-platform applications. It also lets you add vertical and horizontal divider pane controls. Here's how it works.

With Layout Manager, you can create different layouts with controls differently sized and with different behaviors for up to 3 different platforms. Layout Manager insert stack scripts, and auto-generates resizeStack scripts, which users may modify at a later time if they wish.

Typically, you should first layout the controls on a stack which is the minimum width and height you want the stack to be. Then, use the Set MinWidth and Set MinHeight commands on the Stack tab. Now you're ready to set the resizer properties for those controls you wish to be 'dynamic.'

You'll need to add the library scripts to your stack. This is done by clicking the add altLayout library button in the Stack tab. You will be then prompted to automatically insert a preOpenStack script. If your stack has only a single card which people will be resizing, then put the script in the card script, else put it in the stack script.

Please note: Layout Manager puts it's own 'on preOpenStack' handler at the top of the card/stack script. If you already have an 'on preOpenStack' handler then you'll need to manually copy the 'start using stack "altLayoutLib"' command into it.

Next, choose the Control tab, and choose the platform radio button you're currently wanting to set the resizer properties for. Use Mac OSX, or Win XP(and all Win32), or Other (for Linux, or Mac OS9). Now, press the arrow button to go to 'Pointer' mode. You can now resize controls and set their behaviors. Be sure and click the Set Layout Props button when you are finished editing a single control.

Each time you click the Set Layout Props button, Layout Manager builds it's own 'on resizeStack' handler at the top of the card/stack script you previously designated when adding the library. If you don't want Layout Manager to replace it's own scripts, then edit the comments next to the resizeStack handler and then the next time Layout Manager builds a resizeStack script it will insert it above your custom version. You only then need to cut/paste the auto-generated scripts into your own 'on resizeStack' handler.

One of the added benefits of taking this approach, is the developer has full control over the resizeStack handler and can modify it to suit special situations.

See the help file with the stack to learn more. NOTE: this is a tool I use a lot in my projects and as Richard Gaskin once mentioned the difference between a tool and an application being:

the fact you can possibly get the tool to do it right, whereas an application you cannot possibly get it to do it wrong. As such, this is not supported. It works fine for me, your mileage may vary.

Note: Thanks Ken Ray for script help.

Simple plugin which allows you to compress and decompress the topstack or files.

Here's a nifty plugin for MacOSX users only. It will allow you to navigate to a folder, view the hidden files, change their visibility, and their name. Soon, I hope to add file permission settings along with some copy file/folder capabilities.

The altFldHeader is a group control which is automatically linked to a field and creates a column header button for each tabStop in the field. The user can resize the stack window and the column buttons and linked field columns will resize proportionally automatically. Users can also interactively place the cursor between buttons, click and drag to resize a column. Columns can be set with a minimum size which they can shrink to or can be locked to a given size.

Installation and configuration is a snap, using simple configuration wizards. In addition, you can designate the number of columns you wish to display in the field. Sometimes it is desirable to put 'hidden' data on extra columns at the end of a row.

Features:

• The Field Header buttons can be enabled to do sorts etc..
• Realtime column tracking can be on or off.
• Minimum Field widths can be set.
• Header and Field resize with stack
• Specified Fields can be set to never resize
• Hidden columns to the right can still be used to hold data not in view
• Multiple copies of altFldHeader on the same card
• Unlimited number of columns possible (or so it seems;-)

How to use:

It's actually very simple to use:

Just copy the group to your stack, then click on it while pressing the shift-key. It will prompt you to autoconfigure itself using a configuration wizard. If you wish to configure individual columns, you can mouseClick alt-Key (option-Key for Mac) to invoke the individual column setup wizard. If you wish to add or delete columns, just mouseClick the ctrl-key to invoke the column management wizard. All of the auto-configuration wizards are disabled in the standalone so you never have to worry about your users invoking them.

This plugin fixes the unicode copy/paste problem in the Rev 2.5 engine. You'll need to click the button above to convert the clipboard so it can be pasted into other apps like NotePad and Thunderbird. XP only

builder by Chipp Walters with stack scripts by Ken Ray

What does this do?

This plugin creates a stack with images and menutext and scripts which you can use as your own custom popup menu. It was created so that popup menus can have images associated with them. Check it out!

altGroupMgr

altGroupMgr is a plugin to help manage groups in multiple card stacks. When launched from the altPluginToolbar, it works as a palette targeting the topStack. When the Auto Refresh Group List is checked, the Group List is automatically regenerated when going from card to card in the topStack. The columns for the Group List are:

Origin Cd - This is the first instance of the group found in the stack. While multiple cards may share a group, it is only necessary to list the first instance of it.

On Current Cd? - YES if this group is placed on the current card of the topStack. No if it is not.

GroupID - The ID of the Group

Group Name - The short name of the Group

Clicking on a group selects it. If the group is already on the current card it will blink it a couple of times on the card so you can see it. You can then choose to remove it from the card by clicking the Remove Selected Grp from Cd button. Remember, there is no UNDO! If the group is not on the current card, you can choose to PLACE it there by clicking the Place Selected Grp on Cd button.