AnyClock version 2.0 for 1999.

This is an analog and digital clock display program.  The clock can use any 256 color BMP for its clock face and can be customized for hands, digital displays, phase displays, alarms and sounds.  Many preset configurations are included or you can save your own custom clock designs.

For Win95/98 only

This program is freeware.

By Patrick Dugan (patrickd@ipa.net) or (patrickd@usti.com)

The clock program was written because I wanted an analog clock display to which I could apply any clock face.  The clock options to move the hands, resize, change color, etc. came slightly later and then came alarms and sounds.  Eventually the options included digital and phase displays.  When you use a new clock face you must create a BMP file that is 256 colors and no more than 3 meg in size.  You can also use the wallpaper background as the "clock face" so the hands and digital displays can appear by themselves.  Obviously the clock faces are left up to you.  I supplied a few faces and sounds but the idea is that you will want to create your own.  Company logos, team logos, watch and clock prototyping, advertisements,  loved ones' faces, etc. are just some uses to which it can be put.

If you wish to reach me via email write to:

patrickd@ipa.net or patrickd@usti.com

INSTALLATION
After unzipping the files start the SETUP.EXE program.  It will install Anyclock for you and supplies a link in your Start Menu under Programs.  The configuration files (those that end with ccf) were orignally created using "C:\PROGRAM FILES\ANYCLOCK" as the default directory.  If you install the files into a directory other than "C:\PROGRAM FILES\ANYCLOCK" you might wish to modify the directories within the ccf files. A program named AConvert will assist you in making mass changes to your *.ccf files.   Refer to the help file after installing for further information on using that program.  To uninstall the program go to your control panel screen and choose "Add Remove Programs" and select AnyClock.

USING
When AnyClock first starts it uses default clock face and settings.   Once the clock appears on your screen simply right-click on the clock and a menu window will appear. If you double click the clock face it will hide the clock. Clicking the tray icon will bring the clock back and right clicking the tray icon will bring up the menu.

You should refer to the online help file (anyclock.hlp) that comes with this installation for complete instructions on using AnyClock.


Version History:

2.0
January 6, 1999
Corrected an issue with some computers using a different date format than the program was expecting and it was causing (again) an "invalid date" error on some computers when using the moon phase.  Added two new "internet time" hands,  two "internet time" digital displays and one "AM/PM" indicator.  Redesigned some of the windows a little to make better use of limited space.  

A few new hands and digital displays have been added to AnyClock that utilize the "internet time" standard.  This standard makes the time display the same regardless of location and divides the day into one thousand "beats".   For more information about "internet time" you should browse the internet for "internet time" and/or "beat time."  Typically the time is displayed using the "@" symbol in front.  For example, "@500" would be around noon in Biel, Switzerland.  This standard was proposed by a watch company in Biel, Switzerland and it uses that location as the new meridian for time keeping.  

1.9
December 8, 1998
Corrected a “back door” with the ALock program where you could bring up the options screen by right clicking the tray icon when it should have been locked out.  The moon phase code uses a slash character as the date separator and is invalid as a date format in Europe.  I am now forcing the program to use only one format style and ignore the system wide preferences.  Added a “Spelling” window to allow changes in the spelling for days of the week and months of the year.  This will allow the display to usable with other languages.

1.8
November 30, 1998
Added new "Phase Displays" that show current moon phase and day/night phase.  Cleared up a bug regarding the position of digital displays when in mirrored mode.    Made changes to the help file to break apart the various sections so they can be covered in more detail and not be crowded together.

1.7
September 12, 1998
A few minor changes.  A few numeric fields for hand settings were allowing invalid negative values for hand placement.  Fixed (again) some transparent settings not staying where they were set.  Adjusting the location of the hour hand would affect other hands.  Removed the "Sec On Top" option and replaced with a new "Order" column on the far right of the "Hand Display" screen to allow sorting of the hands in any order you desire.  A few configuration files were pointing to the wrong directory were fixed.  Added a new hand style for rectangular hands.  Added a case setting for the day and month digital displays to allow lower, none or upper case letters.

1.6a
September 8, 1998
Made several bug fixes.  Fixed a problem with the second colon in the digital display did not display correctly when viewed in reverse.  Fixed a problem with the program "forgetting" the transparent background setting for some of the digital displays.  Fixed the hour digital display would sometimes
show the hour incorrectly.  Reduced the screen size for the digital displays as it was larger than a 640 width screen and would be truncated when viewed.  Reduced the size of the clock face screen.  Added a 24 hour  hand setting for military time pieces. Added "Ignore Screen Boundary" option in "Clock Face" screen to allow Win98 multi-monitor support.  Added a few new clocks.

1.6
September 2, 1998
Whew!  Added a lot of new features.  Added hands for day of the week, day of the month, and month of the year.  Added digital displays for hour, minute, second, Month and year.  Now has two different hand styles.  You can set the system clock within the program.  The various screens have been cleaned up and reduced in size.  They did not lose any functionality, but in some cases gained many new options.  The new digital screen (replaces the date screen) can now allow a clock or watch that is digital in appearance.

1.5
August 21, 1998
Added a "smooth" ability so the hands can display by smoothly moving around the dial rather than "jumping" from tic mark to tic mark. Cleaned up the various windows so they can display the lettering correctly regardless of the system fonts you are using. Added a "lock" ability so that if the program is "locked" you cannot right click the clock face for options.  This allows manager types to set configurations and then they cannot easily be tampered.  I say "easily" because the program that accompanies AnyClock called ALock.exe allows you to "lock" and "unlock" the options menu.  As long as the users do not get the program then they cannot tamper with the settings.  Fixed a bug when you minimize the clock then restore it as soon as you moved the mouse over the clock the clock would "latch" onto the mouse and you had to click it back down.

1.4
February 9, 1998
Some clock configurations were initially designed on a large screen mode and consequently became "un-seeable" on smaller screen sizes.  The clock is now designed to move itself back into view if it finds itself "off screen."  Added transparency to clock face and date
backgrounds.  Added mirror function so clock can be viewed completely backwards as though viewed in a mirror.  Improved/simplified the color selection for hands and date backgrounds. Added a "chime hour once" so you can choose to ring number of hours or chime only one time.

1.3
Never generally released
Made a few changes to allow mirror functions and keep clock from appearing "off screen."

1.2a
January 20, 1998
Correcting some of the font saving problems.  Also corrected the sound if a "tick tock"
sound was playing you would not hear the alarm.  Also "tick tock" sound wouldn't play on
each second it was playing too fast.

1.2
January 2, 1998
Placed the WAV sound playing event into a thread.  What that means is the clock's hands
do not stop while the sound plays.  Added a "hands extend" feature that keeps or removes
the "tails" present on each hand.

1.0
May 15 1997
First version.  Allowed any clock face to be applied to an analog clock.  Lots of features
to allow a lot of customizing of the clock.


