Author Topic: IDEA: WinCovers (Read 57962 times)

Uncle John · « **on:** June 01, 2006, 05:10 PM »

The idea is to prevent users of a PC making changes to the settings of an application.

For example, the following picture shows the Windows Calculator in the default Scientific view:

This picture shows Windows Calculator with some WinCovers added:

calculator with WinCovers.JPG

The "covers" prevent users altering selected calculator settings.

nudone · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2006, 05:35 PM »

are your images working, Uncle John?

(they don't appear to be there in my browser.)

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2006, 05:36 PM »

i see them ok - it's an interesting idea.. is the intended use to prevent yourself from changing stuff, or prevent others from modifying stuff you don't want them to?

Veign · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2006, 06:15 PM »

I don't see the pictures either

(using Firefox)

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2006, 06:18 PM »

it's probably an issue with firefox, since the images are non-standard links
http://f3.yahoofs.co...jpg?phop2fEB9u00Navh
http://f3.yahoofs.co...jpg?phop2fEBFZLPpbFh

anyone want to recommend a better image uploader site for uncle john;
alternatively john you can just upload and attach images to posts.

skrommel · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2006, 06:48 PM »

I can't see the images either.

Skrommel

app103 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2006, 07:07 PM »

anyone want to recommend a better image uploader site for uncle john;
alternatively john you can just upload and attach images to posts.
-mouser (June 01, 2006, 06:18 PM)

http://www.imageshack.us

You don't need an account and they have a tool that will put the option to upload an image right on the context menu of explorer, if you would like that better (I do).

nudone · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2006, 02:30 AM »

i'm using maxthon (internet explorer engine) and can't see the pictures so it's not just a firefox issue.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2006, 03:00 AM »

I'm using opera, and right now i can't see them too. But the curious part is that yesterday i could!

Uncle John · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2006, 03:06 AM »

Sorry.....Should be able to see the pictures now.

skrommel · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2006, 03:35 AM »

Do you want the actual covers, or is graying/disabling OK? If so I could extend NoClose for this use.

Covers could be needed for non-standard controls, though.

Skrommel

Uncle John · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2006, 04:08 AM »

Covers would be better since users would not be tempted to ask "What does this button do?"
I'm thinking of a situation where you are training a user to use an application. First you take them through the basic features. Then the intermediate features. And then the advanced features. It would help for them to not have distractions as they progress through each stage.

skrommel · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2006, 01:24 PM »

How about hiding them all together?

Skrommel

Uncle John · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2006, 04:48 PM »

That's even more ambitious.
I suspect this utility will be very popular so the extra programming involved would be worthwhile.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Johathan Swift

Uncle John · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2006, 05:06 PM »

FYI. I've talked about this idea with a lot of programmers in the past and they all say it can't be done.

Rover · « **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2006, 12:17 AM »

The best will be when you ask about it after it's done, and they'll tell you it can't be.

When I was programming for a living.... I won't bore you with the details... They always say you can't do that, especially after you've just done it.

nudone · « **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2006, 02:27 AM »

my suspicion is that skrommel already knows how to do it

skrommel · « **Reply #17 on:** June 03, 2006, 07:33 PM »

Default windows controls is no problem at all.

I'm thinking Alt-LClick to remove, Alt-LDrag to cover.

Skrommel

Uncle John · « **Reply #18 on:** June 03, 2006, 11:21 PM »

That's pretty impressive.

Can you extend the functionality to cover buttons too?

Example:

calculator minus logic.JPG

Uncle John · « **Reply #19 on:** June 03, 2006, 11:29 PM »

BTW The reason I chose the calculator as an example is that it is available to everyone.

The sort of application I really had in mind was Multisim.

Multisim without covers:

Multisim with covers:

multisim plus wincovers.JPG

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** June 04, 2006, 01:36 AM »

i can see how that would be useful for teaching students..

Uncle John · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2006, 06:31 PM »

If I remember correctly, programmers I've talked to in the past suggest that the Windows API won't allow for this sort functionality.

I don't know that much about the Windows API but I can't see why each rectangular "WinCover" couldn't be a blank "Window" object. This would prevent the button underneath being clicked.

Is there a flaw in my logic?

nite_monkey · « **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2006, 12:17 PM »

sweet idea man! Ok now jimmy push the next button...uh excuse me mrs. bing bong...yes jimmy?...uh wheres the next button...ok who put white out all over the screen?!...its not white out, its WINCOVER!!!...Sweet gimmie!...it hasn't been made yet...aw poo.

Uncle John · « **Reply #23 on:** June 06, 2006, 04:02 PM »

It's more like, "OK, lets add a 10 Ohm resistor to the string and see how that effects things". Meanwhile half your class of 12 students are distracted with all sorts of other things such as personalizing their desktop background, screensavers, email etc, etc.

I can use the XP shared computer toolkit ( http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/default.mspx , http://www.tweakxp.com/Article37921.aspx ) to address a lot of these distractions but it doesn't address the operation of controls at the application level.

Uncle John · « **Reply #24 on:** June 12, 2006, 06:52 AM »

Wow, "CutAway" seems to have the potential to achieve the desired results if it can be made to work reliably.