Puppeteer
				
	An object that provides remote control of other applications.

Key Features:

	- command line access to NeXTSTEP applications
	
	- can be used to provide an API to other apps
	
	- useful wherever repetitive GUI actions are performed
	
	- Puppeteer is a shareware object. The example code is free.
	
This package demonstrates the use of the Puppeteer object. The purpose of Puppeteer is to post events (eg keystrokes, mouse clicks) to another application. Using Puppeteer it is easy to build programs that provide command line access to NeXTSTEP applications.

Puppeteer is useful for anyone who does repetitive work with a NeXTSTEP application. It is designed to overcome the shortcoming of having to control applications solely through the User Interface.

Puppeteer is a shareware object. Some demonstration programs are provided complete with source code. As a special offer, until the end of 1993, free registration will be given in exchange for any program that uses Puppeteer and is deemed useful. The aim is to build up a set of Puppeteer programs to be supplied with future releases. If anyone has any specific requirements, I will be glad to help.

This release of Puppeteer is only for black hardware running release 3.0. Future releases will include support for NS/FIP.

I
Contents of this release:

This release consists of a library containing the Puppeteer object together with the related WindowInfo object (lib/PuppetLib.a), documentation of these two objects in the doc directory, the associated header files in the include directory and some example programs in the bin and src directories.

Example programs:

One demo application and four example command line programs are provided. The command line programs consist of websterPuppet to use the Webster application to return a definition of a word; terminalPuppet which outputs a file's contents a line at a time with pauses to a terminal application (or any other application); previewPuppet which asks the Preview application to print a file and clicks the Portrait/Landscape button before doing so and preferencesPuppet which clicks the Public Window Server switch in the Preferences application. See src/README.rtf for further details.

More example programs can be written upon request.

Registration:

Puppeteer is shareware. The object will output a reminder message every sixteen times it is run. If you like this object and the associated programs and you wish to register, please send $25 to:

			Dave Griffiths
			Primitive Software Ltd
			12 Cornstall Buildings
			St Leonards Street
			Stamford
			Linconshire PE9 2HW
			UK

Upon registration you will receive a new version of Puppeteer that doesn't produce reminder messages and you will receive at regular intervals the latest set of example programs. If you have any questions you can contact me at dave@prim.demon.co.uk, or call +44 780 62202.