

				PHOCA

		  A Social MUCK client for Winsock

			     Version 0.2
			    Date: 8/11/95

Phoca is a MUCK/MUD/MOO/M<whatever> Windows Winsock client for SLIP/PPP
Internet connections. It is oriented towards social interaction rather
than fighting and all future expansion of this program will reflect
the same.

Before I get asked the inevitable question: 'Phoca' is the Genus name
of true seals (as opposed to sea lions). 



			   Features of V0.1
			   ----------------

*	'World' description files can be created, edited, saved and 
	loaded from disk. All current world settings and the scroll
	back buffers are saved to disk on exit of the program.

*	Status lights give you information on connections. Attempting
	to connect to a dead MUD will NOT hang your system for  
	minutes as other clients frequently do.

*	Logging to file.

*	Local Echo, Word Wrap control.

*	Watch word or phrase highlighting.

*	Gag word or phrase censoring.

*	User definable quick buttons for frequently used commands or 
	sequences of commands.

*	Compass like keypad for directional commands.



			Features added to V0.2
			----------------------

*	Screen text, watch text and highlighted text colors are user
	definable.

*	Font and font size are user definable.

*	Scroll back buffer size can be adjusted. Buffer can also be
	cleared.

*	Triggers.

*	Various usability fixes, etc.:
	-	Flickering of scroll back buffer greatly reduced.
	-	Splash screen added.
	-	[Tab] instantly moves you to user input window.
	-	Window size really fixed at 640x480 now.
	-	Entries to watch/gag/trigger lists are now moveable.
	-	Session options saved when changing mucks as well as
		exiting program.
	-	User input window cleared after text is sent to host.

*	(Hot key macros were NOT implemented and are currently on hold,
	 sorry)
	


		Features in the process of being added
		--------------------------------------

*	A REAL HELP FILE!

*	Disk to host data transfers for uploading complex building
	commands, etc.

*	Sound alarms.

*	Cut/Paste and printing. (1)

*	Dynamic resizing of the window. (Currently 'fixed' at 640x480) (1)

*	Multiple world support in a single launch of the program. (1)

(1)	Although Phoca versions < 1.0 will forever remain freeware. These 
	features to be added will only be available in the 1.0 
	$20 version available later this year.




			Installing and Running Phoca
			----------------------------
Although Phoca 0.2 is in beta it is already a fully featured client.
I have taken pains to test it as thoroughly as possible but I'm sure you
may find a bug or two! E-Mail me at my address at the end of this file
and I will take care of BUGS it ASAP. Anyone who is instrumental in helping
me with suggestions on User Interface or Debugging will receive the 
commercial version free when available.

PHOCA.ZIP contains a single EXE, one example world file with a .MCK 
extension and this README. Unzip the file into a new directory, launch 
your SLIP dialer and connect to your service, run Phoca. That's it!




		     Quick and Dirty First Connection
		     --------------------------------

Click on the New Page tool bar button (left most next to the Open File
button) or FILE, NEW WORLD. Fill out MUD name, numeric or verbal IP 
address, and port and click on OK. Then click on the Connect button 
(fourth from left on the tool bar) The status light should turn yellow. 
If the address was good and the sight is up you will connect and the
status light will turn green. You can click on FILE,SAVE AS to save this 
session or you will be prompted to do so when you exit Phoca.



			  Menu Item Descriptions
			  ----------------------

Menu Item: FILE, NEW WORLD
Tool Bar: New Page Button, #1 from left

Brings up a new world dialog. You enter the MUD name, address (numeric 
OR verbal) and port and click OK. A new world session is created with
default settings. You should probably click on FILE,SAVE_AS before
doing anything else.



Menu Item: FILE, OPEN WORLD
Tool Bar: Open File Button, #2 from left

Opens a previously saved world file.



Menu Item: FILE, EDIT WORLD
Tool Bar: None.

Allows you to edit the world file that is currently loaded. This 
includes the world name, IP address and port. The address and port
will be in effect the next time you press the connect button.



Menu Item: FILE, SAVE WORLD
Tool Bar: Disk Button, #3 from left

Saves the currently loaded world to the same file name it was loaded from.



Menu Item: FILE, SAVE WORLD AS
Tool Bar: None

Saves the currently loaded world to any file name you choose. (The only
way to save a newly created world.



Menu Item: FILE, CONNECT TO WORLD
Tool Bar: Net Connect button, #4 from left

Attempts to connect to the IP address and port of the currently loaded 
world. The status light will turn yellow to indicate a connection attempt
is being made, and turn green when connected.



Menu Item: FILE, DISCONNECT FROM WORLD
Tool Bar: Net Disconnect button, #5 from left

Disconnects you from the loaded world. The status light will turn red.



Menu Item: FILE, START LOGGING TO DISK
Tool Bar: Text To Disk button, #4 from right

Start logging all incoming and outgoing text to disk. If you select a
file that already exists then new text will be appended to the end of it.
NOTE: Disconnecting from a world does not stop the logging but exiting
      the Phoca or connecting to a new world does.



Menu Item: FILE, STOP LOGGING TO DISK
Tool Bar: Stop Text To Disk button, #3 from right

Stops the logging and closes log file.



Menu Item: FILE, PRINT/PRINT PREVIEW
Not yet implemented.



Menu Item: FILE, EXIT
Tool Bar: Exit button, #2 from right

Exits Phoca, closes any log files, saves  back scroll buffers and world
settings. I included an exit button on the tool bar 'cuz I hate double
clicking and traversing menus :)



Menu Item: EDIT, CUT/COPY/PASTE
Not yet implemented.



Menu Item: VIEW, TOOLBAR
Tool Bar: None

Hides the tool bar. But doesn't give you any more lines on incoming
text so why even have this?



Menu Item: OPTIONS, LOCAL ECHO
Tool Bar: None

Turns on/off local echo of user input. When off you will not see an
echo of your input that is sent to the host system. If the host
system is lagged then there will be a pause between hitting enter
and seeing any response in the main text window. Some people find
this uncomfortable and prefer that echo be on. 

This includes user input being logged to a file. If echo is off then
your input is not logged.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, WORD WRAP
Tool Bar: None

Turns on/off word wrap. Text is wrapped according to the width of
the font. A smaller font will get you more characters and lines
of text.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, WATCH HIGHLIGHTING
Tool Bar: None

Turns on/off highlighting of sentences containing words or phrases
you define in a watch list. See OPTIONS, EDIT WATCH WORDS



Menu Item: OPTIONS, NO NOISE
Tool Bar: None

If WATCH HIGHLIGHTING is on then you can also select NO NOISE. You
will then ONLY see sentences which have a watch word or phrase in 
them. You will have to carefully edit you watch list so as not
to miss anything that's directed to you.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, GAGGING
Tool Bar: None

Turns on/off gagging. Sentences with words or phrases that are 
listed in your gag list will be 'censored'. They will not appear at
all in the main viewing window or back scroll buffer. 



Menu Item: OPTIONS, GAGS OVER WATCHES
Tool Bar: None

What happens when you have a sentence with a watch word AND a gag
word? Well, if Gags Over Watches is selected than even if there is 
a watch word in the sentence then it will still be gagged. If it's
not selected than gagging will still be in effect unless there is
a watch word in the sentence.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, TRIGGERS
Tool Bar: None

Turns triggers on and off. Triggers are automatic responses to an
incoming word or phrase. i.e. "Jane has arrived" might trigger
a "hug Jane" response. See OPTIONS, EDIT TRIGGERS



Menu Item: OPTIONS, QUICK BUTTONS...
Tool Bar: Button button, #8 from right

Brings up a dialog to edit the quick buttons. Select the button
you want to edit and, well it's pretty self explanatory...



Menu Item: OPTIONS, WATCH WORDS...
Tool Bar: Binoculars button, #7 from right

Brings up a dialog to edit the watch words or phrases. Sentences 
with words or phrases that are listed in your watch list will be 
highlighted. 

You may double click on an existing gag word to edit it or 
click on insert to create a new one. There is a limit of 200
different watch words or phrases in this list.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, GAG WORDS...
Tool Bar: Gag button, #6 from right

Brings up a dialog to edit the gag words or phrases. Sentences 
with words or phrases that are listed in your gag list will be 
'censored'. They will not appear at all in the main viewing 
window, disk log or back scroll buffer. 

You may double click on an existing gag word to edit it or 
click on insert to create a new one. There is a limit of 200
different gag words or phrases in this list.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, TRIGGERS...
Tool Bar: Trigger button, #5 from right

Brings up a dialog to edit the list of triggers. Triggers
come in two parts. The trigger word or phrase, i.e. "Jane has
arrived" and the trigger response, i.e. "Hug Jane". 

You may double click on an existing trigger to edit it or 
click on insert to create a new one. There is a limit of 200
different triggers in this list.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, COLORS...
Tool Bar: None

Click on this option to bring up a color selection dialog.
There is example text at the top which may be clicked on to
choose for a color change. Then click on the color selection
boxes below. 

You may also custom define colors. This can be a bit strange
due to the standard window color picker but here's the steps
from the 'Colors...' dialog:
	1) Click on 'Define Custom Colors'.
	2) Click on one of the 16 colors under the 'Custom
	   Colors' label. These are the same colors as on the
	   previous dialog.
	3) Use the controls on the right to create a new color.
	4) Click on the 'Add to Custom Colors' button.
	5) Repeat for as many new colors as you want and click
	   on OK to keep or Cancel to discard changes.



Menu Item: OPTIONS, Font...
Tool Bar: None

Brings up the 'Choose Font' dialog. You can use any font that
is installed on your system. Smaller fonts will get you more
lines of text and more characters per line. 

NOTE:	This changes the font in the entire scroll back buffer
	so a large buffer and/or a slower machine may take a
	few seconds to complete the change.




That's all for now... Thanks and enjoy!

Larry Adams
farallon@crash.cts.com
ftp.cts.com /pub/farallon








