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Query about the clock/date display. I've read the other posts in the Forum (as I always do first) and although this has been raised I could not find the answer.

VA comes with the 'display format'/'User defined' preselected. However I don't like the format. I remember from RISC OS 3 that you can even have text in this 'box'. I also remember (hopefully correctly) that it can be changed using 'OK' but it is only temporary. There is no 'set' button. It is I think set by 'saving' the !Boot file! According to the manual this causes huge problems and should not be done.

Question is that somewhere deep in the OS must be a file that holds the 'format' but where?

To find the Alarm display format settings, look at the RO3 user guide -> Index -> A -> Alarm -> Display format (or at the bottom of p323 in the printed user guide).

Once you've got the Alarm display as you want it, set up the desktop with all other applications etc that you wish to load at start-up, then click <Menu> over the Task icon, look for the 'Desktop boot' option, follow across to the right and click OK on 'Save boot file'.

Fingers crossed, that should save your Alarm display settings (in alarm$options in the Desktop file).

HTH, Mike Nicholl
pp T.O.M.S.

No, No, No, and I repeat, NO. At no point should you *ever under any circumstances even if the world is ending* save a Desktop Boot file. This system has thankfully been removed from versions of RISC OS above 4.03. The Desktop Boot File system falls over with a universal boot sequence. For example: if you save a desktop boot file on a VirtualRPC-SA, then on the next RISC OS re-boot you will get loads of error messages as RISC OS tries to load each app that's installed on the iconbar twice. In addition every app that's been seen in the session prior to the Desktop Boot file being saved will be booted. So, if you had an app on removable media you will get error messages.

If you do want to set up an Obey file with the Alarm options then that's fine. Under RISC OS 4 this Obey file should be put in !Boot.Choices.Boot Tasks

Remember Kids, Desktop Boot files, just say no, no, just say no...

WHOOPS!! Sorry everyone, 'umble apologies all round.

(That comes of leaving an engineer on his own, without a competent adult. You just can't get the staff can you...)

Jim Nottingham
pp T.O.M.S.

Hopefully said warning will be in the next issue of 'VirtualRPC in Use'?

I've sorted it and here's how. If you are a nervous user you may not want to.

Goto Alarm>Setup and change the 'User defined' to your preferred format. Details in the RISC OS 3 User Guide/Applications Guide paper edition second part page 137. Click OK.
Goto Edit>Create>Text
Goto Task>Desktop boot>Save boot file (DO NOT SAVE). Drag the icon to Edit Text window
Goto Edit>Create>Obey
Copy the two lines (somewhere at the end of the boot file) 'Set Alarm$Options etc' and 'Run Resources:$.Apps.!Alarm' to Edit Obey window. (Add comments if you want).
Save the Obey file (I called mine MYCLOCK) to !Boot.Choices.Boot.Tasks.
Close the Edit windows.
Next time you 'Boot' up VA you should still have your own time/date format!

An excellent set of instructions. Glad you have sorted the problem out.