NewtCase Package Manager	
Demo Version
(C)1995-6 Innovative Computer Solutions, All Rights Reserved
Written by Dan Rowley, Documentation by Tom Collins

Overview

In addition to adding new features to the Extras Drawer, the Package Manager provides an alternate interface for managing your packages.  When installed, your Extras Drawer lets you freeze and thaw packages in groups and launch frozen packages.  With the Package Manager installed, you can display more packages, select groups of packages easier, and show detailed information on every package in the Extras Drawer.

This is a Demo version of the Package Manager.  It will expire 30-days after you install it.  Package Manager is part of the NewtCase 3.0 utility suite distributed by PelicanWare.  For more information on NewtCase, call 503/221-1148, e-mail pelican@newts.com, or go to <http://www.newts.com/newton/nc30.html>.

	Freezing and Thawing

A key component of NewtCase is the ability to freeze and thaw packages.  This feature is a part of the Newton OS that must be enabled through a program like NewtCase.

For users of previous versions of NewtCase, freezing is similar to the archives in v1.x and quick archives in v2.x.

For those of you who are new to NewtCase, hereÕs an overview of freezing and why itÕs important.

Freezing a package is the same as taking it off-line or disabling it.  When itÕs frozen, any features it adds to the Newton (e.g., Find, Assist, Printing) are not available.  The two main benefits of freezing packages are that they no longer use any heap space, and they canÕt conflict with other software on your Newton.

Without NewtCase, frozen packages had to be thawed (re-activated) before you could use them.  With NewtCase installed though, you can use frozen packages as if they were active.  Tap on a frozen package in the Extras Drawer or the QuickPicker, and NewtCase will thaw it, launch it, and then re-freeze it when youÕre done.

So, if you have packages that you rarely use, packages that use a lot of heap, or packages that conflict with each other, you should consider freezing them.

Installation

You should install the Package Manager on your Internal store.

Extras Drawer Enhancements

When the Package Manager is installed, it affects the behavior of the Extras Drawer.  

*	Enables the freeze/thaw feature of the Newton OS (see Freezing section for more information).

*	Frozen packages will appear grayed out with a mini-snowflake instead of being replaced by a snowflake.

*	The Extras Drawer will launch frozen packages instead of thawing them when tapped.

*	You can freeze or thaw a group of packages by selecting them and choosing ÒFreeze/ThawÓ from the routing menu.

*	Note that when freezing a group of packages it may take some time for the icons to change in the Extras Drawer.

*	Frozen packages now remember their folder setting when thawed.

Instructions

When you first launch the Package Manager, it will display all packages on all stores.  Frozen packages will appear in a bold italic typeface

Scroll the list with the arrows at the bottom of the screen.  Select and deselect packages by tapping on them.  You can select a range of packages by tapping and dragging from the first package to the last package in the range.  Even though the packages may not immediately highlight, the Package Manager remembers what you have selected and will highlight the packages as processing time allows.  You can also use the None and All buttons to clear the selection or select all packages in the current list.

Restricting the package list

Use the folder tab at the top of the list to show packages in a particular set or on a particular store.

Use the Show button to limit the list based on whether a package is frozen or active.

Routing

All routing options are performed on the currently selected package(s). 

PLEASE NOTE:  This can include packages in the list that have scrolled off the screen.  This differs from the Extras Drawer which clears the selection when you scroll to a new page.

The top half of the Routing menu lists available transports for your package.  The MessagePad has two built-in transports, Beam Packages and Mail.  If you have any additional transports installed that support packages, they will appear in the list with Beam and Mail.  Tapping on a routing option will transport the selected packages.

Freeze allows you to deinstall a package without removing it from your MessagePad.

Thaw is the opposite of Freeze.  It will take a frozen package and reinstall it.

Delete will permanently remove the package from your Newton.

Get Info provides detailed information on the currently selected package or, if a group of packages are selected, summary information for the group.  When getting info on a single package, you can set or clear the backup flag that determines whether or not a package is backed up.  A check mark in the box indicates that the package is included in backups.  If youÕre missing packages in your backups, verify that this flag has been set.

Filing

All filing options are performed on the currently selected package(s).

The filing slip lets you set the current folder for the selected packages.  In addition, you can create a new folder, or edit the current folder.  You can also use the filing slip to move a package to another store.

Information/Help

About displays information about NewtCase Package Manager (NCPM).

Show/hide package sizes allows you to display package sizes in the package list.  This will slow the list down a little.

Use small/large list font allows you to choose the font size for the package list.

Install package to <storename> temporarily changes the default store to the one you selected and launches the Connect package to download a package from your computer.

Technical Information

See the introduction to freezing and thawing at the beginning of the manual.

If you remove Package Manager, you will lose the enhancements it makes to the Extras Drawer.

Without Package Manager, the Newton OS will put a thawed package in its original folder, even if you change its location while frozen.

Innovative Computer Solutions / (602) 970-1032
1075 N. Miller Rd. #142 / Scottsdale, Arizona USA 85257-4612
Dan Rowley/dan@newts.com/CIS: 74777,2620
Tom Collins/dan@newts.com/CIS: 75460,2121
