Contents

 MemPro 95 for Windows

Copyright © 1991-1995 Crito P. Philippatos

Disclaimer

Requirements

What does it do?

What is it good for?

What do I do now?

What's the deal?

History

Registration

Important Notes

For Help on Help, Press F1


What does it do?

Memory Display Pro monitors the following: Free memory, number of tasks, percent GDI and User resources, largest contiguous block of heap space.

In addition MemPro 2.0 generates reports on the following: Windows version, Windows mode, CPU type, presence of numeric coprocessor, keyboard type, number of function keys, top-level window list, task database, class database, and the module database..

The height, width, timer interval, font, font size, back color and fore color of the display may be altered. These settings can be saved to WIN.INI and automatically loaded the next time the program is executed.


What is it good for?

Memory Display can be used to check on the amount of memory consumed by your programs and data files. To discover how many tasks are running concurrently (some applications load several). To monitor the resources used by applications (and sometimes not returned). When resources are depleted, it becomes impossible to run more applications! It doesn't matter if you have 32 meg RAM and a huge swap file; Windows will display an out of memory error and tell you to close an application.

MemPro reads the names of top-level windows, including windows that may be hidden and/or not listed in the task list. Also can quickly activate (bring forward) a window covered by other windows.


What's the deal?

Memory Display Professional Edition for Windows {MemPro for short), © 1991-1995 by Crito Philippatos, is a commercial software package. Protected under US and International Copyright laws. This is a fully functional demo. You may freely distribute this unregistered demo. If you use MemPro for 30 days you should register MemPro or delete it. MemPro costs $99.90 for a 10 user workgroup license, that's $9.99 per user. A single user license is available for $29.95 US dollars. Registered users may upgrade to future versions at a discounted rate. NEW YORK RESIDENTS PLEASE ADD 8.25% SALES TAX.

To register, and receive the latest version of the program, send your registration fee to:

Crito P. Philippatos

620 Beverly Road

Brooklyn, NY 11218

Visit the MemPro 95 internet homepage at:

http://tribeca.ios.com/~compvent/mempro95.html

Technical Support:

crito@msn.com


Requirements

IBM AT or 100% compatible, 3 megs RAM free before MS-Windows starts for all the features to be enabled. MemPro 95 is designed for use with: Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11... other versions are not recommended or supported.


Disclaimer

While every reasonable precaution has been taken in the preparation of this computer program and documentation, the author assumes no responsibility for the uses of this material. No warranties are made to the purchaser or any other person or persons, express or implied, concerning the contents of this work, its merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall the author, Crito P. Philippatos, be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or similar damages or for lost data, damaged equipment, or loss of profit.


What do I do now?

The first time MemPro is run it must be configured. A right click will show the configuration window. The button functions are (left to right): Free Memory, # of Tasks and % resources. Start by clicking all three colored buttons. Select the font and size you want. Now pick your colors, try matching the display to the menu bar color. MemPro, by default, positions itself to the right side of where a  maximized window's menu bar would be.


History

MemPro v1.00:

The only version compatible with Windows 3.0

MemPro v1.10:

MemPro 1.1 adds a Pack button for discarding unlocked discardable blocks. Before running large programs, or when the largest block has shrunk, click the button. Version 1.1 uses a new Windows 3.1 API function instead of an undocumented 3.0 function, for determining free resources. A sink/float button has been added to replace the way 1.0 stayed "on top" of other applications. Picture box buttons shrink at 1024x768 and higher resolutions.

MemPro v1.20:

MemPro 1.2 adds a top-level Window List. It is useful for finding hidden application windows and sometimes entire hidden applications. It displays the titles of most visible and hidden windows. Windows without normal titles (like MemPro's configuration window) will not show up in the list.

MemPro v1.25:

Version 1.25 fixes several minor bugs in the handling of fonts. Sizes less than six are ignored, eliminating the zero size bug; and if fonts are removed, MemPro no longer crashes. In addition, v1.25 has been recompiled under the newly released Visual Basic 2.0. Resource use is down 50%, and forms display 33% faster!

MemPro v2.0

Version 2.0 was completely redesign and compiled under Visual Basic 3.0.


Registration

MemPro 95 Registration Form

REQUIRED

( Ms. / Mr.) _______________________________________________

First	MI	Last

_________________________________________________________

Company

_________________________________________________________

Address line 1

_________________________________________________________

Address line 2

____________	___________	_________ - _____

City	State	ZIP Code

_________________________________________________________

Internet E-Mail Address

OPTIONAL

_(____)_______________	_(____)_______________

Facsimile	Telephone

_(____)_______________	________________________

Favorite BBS	Compuserve ID

_________________________________________________________

Computer brand and model

_________________________________________________________

             CPU	Hard Drive            Megs RAM        Screen Resolution

Please rate the following on a scale of 1-10:

________	___________________________________________

Program	Comments

________	___________________________________________

Documentation	Comments

________	___________________________________________

Interface	Comments

Specific comments and suggestions:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________


Top Level Window List

This is a list of the windows currently active on your computer. It is ordered by their overlapping sequence. Hence the first item in the list is the window on the very top of the desktop, the second is just beneath it... and so on.

This list becomes useful if the task display, on MemPro's display bar, indicates more tasks than are visible. You may have installed software that turns on hidden programs; or you may of hidden a program's icon and just forgotten that it was there. In any case, it's nice to know just how many and what kinds of 'cloaked' windows are lurking on your system. To get the exact names of the tasks running click the database button and take a look at the task dB. Once again there may be a few hidden apps running on you system.

NOTE: The difference between the top-level window list and the task dB, is that the task dB gives you a list of the separate programs running on your system; and the window list shows you exactly how many separate windows/forms/dialogs are open. Since it is largely the number of windows open that determines resource use (and what's on them), these two information windows can provide valuable insight when resource tweaking.


DPMI

This window gives you information on the DOS Protected Mode Interface. This screen really only applies if you're running in 386-Enhanced mode. In Windows 3.10, the free pages read-out is of particular importance (especially if you use no swap file). If this number is very low or zero, programs like Microsoft DELTA may lock up. Compacting memory returns pages for use by the system, effectively correcting the problem. Windows 3.11 and 95 do not seem to suffer from the same problem.


Windows System Databases

This MDI (multiple document interface) window allows the end-user to walk the task, class and module lists. These child windows give valuable insight into just what's running on your system. In fact, these are really sneak peeks into how Windows knows what going on, and how it allows applications to share common resources. Unlike other programs that display similar information, MemPro gives you these list items in the exact order they were loaded into memory, rather than in alphabetical order. This gives you additional insight into things like what new modules a particular program loaded, or exactly what order your custom shell loads hidden applications.


General System Info

This window shows general system information related to your current Windows session. Use this as a quick snapshot of how your system is configured before you make Control Panel changes.


Compacting Memory

MANUAL

Windows uses memory much like a hard drive uses storage space. It saves and deletes blocks (memory files) of information. These blocks are classified as discardable and non-discardable (locked). Over time a program's blocks get fragmented. Because of this fragmentation, Windows has to jump around in memory when executing your program. This can slow your entire system down! Compacting memory first unloads discardable blocks, and then packs the remaining blocks down to fill in the small fragmented free blocks of memory. This creates a large block on top so the next program you execute can place its program blocks back to back, helping Windows find the code it needs faster. You may depress the compact button to discard unlocked discardable blocks and compact the remaining locked blocks. In general, manually compact your system before starting large programs or loading large files, such as CAD drawings, spreadsheets, and databases.

AUTO

MemPro automatically sets the auto-compact threshold to 1/10th free memory when it started up. You may wish to increase this number, if you work with small programs or just one large one at a time. Users with 16 megs of RAM or more, may want to increase this number substantially to force MemPro to auto-compact more frequently.

WARNING: Do not set your virtual memory size (swap file size) to a number higher than the one Control Panel recommends! Windows will not create a contiguous block larger than this number. Under low physical memory conditions, doing this will cause MemPro to get caught in a auto-compact loop. If this happens close MemPro, and correct your swap file size in the 386 Enhanced section on Control Panel.


Display Bar Configuration

These buttons allow the end user to alter the display bar functionality and appearance. The three square buttons affect the actual information displayed on the bar.


Important Notes
Important Notes for Windows 3.1x Users

1) If you create a swap file larger than the maximum size specified in the Virtual Memory section of the 386 Enhanced mode settings in Control Panel, DO NOT USE MemPro. Windows will not create a global memory block larger than that number. And as a result, MemPro might get caught in an auto-compact loop.

2) Try to start MemPro in the auto-startup group of Program Manager or in the run= line of WIN.INI. You should however start MemPro after any programs that stay resident for your entire Windows session (such as a virus intercept or cache monitoring program).