Short: BattClock Watchdog 1.6 Author: T.Heinrich@t-online.de (Thomas Heinrich) Uploader: T Heinrich t-online de (Thomas Heinrich) Type: util/time Version: 1.6 Replaces: RTWatch#? Requires: OS2.04+, hardware clock Architecture: m68k-amigaos RealTimeWatch V1.4 - fixes a stupid bug with option LOGFILE RealTimeWatch V1.5 - fixes a stupid bug with unused Request RealTimeWatch V1.6 - cleaned up code, uses logfile more efficiently ******************************** * NOW OPTIMIZED FOR MC68020+ ! * * DOES NOT WORK WITH OLDER CPU * ******************************** Ever experienced a program mashing your hardware clock ? Ever tried to use the V43 picture.datatype afterwards ? Ever wondered, why your picture viewer refuses to work ? Ever clicked on a ToolManager dock without a result ? All this happened, after upgrading to a faster processor ? Well, that's what happened to me ! I bought a Cyberstorm 60/50, and of course, most of the programs I own work fine, except some freeware animation players and picture viewers, that do not only show pictures, but change your system time now and then. Well, new processor, new problems, I know that (I'm using an Amiga since Summer 1988). I looked around for a tool, that may fix this problem, but found none. Not on the AmiNet-CD's, at least. So I decided to write one on my own (sounds somewhat familiar... :) What it is: ----------- RealTimeWatch is a watchdog for your battery backed-up clock. You definitely need one to use this program, as it checks for it and, of course, exits gracefully (Alert() ;^), if you don't have one... What it does: ------------- It reads the battclock every second (may be set in a range of 1 to 60 seconds by commandline option) and compares the value to the previously read value. If that shows a difference of more than 90 minutes (remember, during summer, they steal 60 minutes of your precious sleep; you should adjust your clock then), it informs you and lets you · RESTORE the time to the previous value · RESET the time to January, 1st 1978 ;^) · ACCEPT that your system time has changed Luckily, if your clock gets mashed up, it is a matter of years, normally. So I can safely check for a tiny 90 minutes difference. What it can NOT do: ------------------- It can't set the time very accurately, but that is a matter of some seconds, and the checking intervall you specify, although this is taken into account when restoring the clock. Obviously, if the program that mashes your clock, hangs afterwards, or even crashes the machine, there is no time for "RealTimeWatch" (that's the actual name of the program) to show up and let you interfere. RealTimeWatch provides an optional logfile to set the time again, if you reboot. However, you may lose some hours, depending on your last reboot... What YOU should do: ------------------- READ THE DOCS BEFORE USING THE PROGRAM ! By the way, it is FREEWARE ! And, sorry, only a command line version. It should be started early (after SetPatch) in the startup-sequence, anyway ! Have fun, Thomas "Hoin" Heinrich.