path: root/doc/en/index.docbook

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY kappname "&kcpuload;">
  <!ENTITY package "kdeextragear-2">
  <!ENTITY kcpuload "<application>KCPULoad</application>">
  <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
  <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE">
]>

<book lang="&language;">
 <bookinfo>
  <title>The &kcpuload; Handbook</title>

  <authorgroup>
   <author>
    <firstname>Markus</firstname>
    <surname>Gustavsson</surname>
    <affiliation>
     <address><email>[email protected]</email></address>
    </affiliation>
   </author>
   <author>
    <firstname>Ben</firstname>
    <surname>Burton</surname>
    <affiliation>
     <address><email>[email protected]</email></address>
    </affiliation>
   </author>
  </authorgroup>

  <date>16 December 2002</date>
  <releaseinfo>1.99</releaseinfo>

  <abstract>
   <para>
    &kcpuload; is a simple CPU meter which graphs a recent history of
    CPU usage in the system tray.  It has support for SMP and separate
    user/system loads.
   </para>
  </abstract>

  <keywordset>
   <keyword>KDE</keyword>
   <keyword>KCPULoad</keyword>
  </keywordset>
 </bookinfo>

 <chapter id="introduction">
  <title>Introduction</title>

  <para>
   &kcpuload; is a small program for Kicker (the TDE panel). It
   shows a recent history of CPU usage in the form of one or two
   configurable diagrams in the system tray.
   These diagrams have settings for colors and various different styles.
  </para>
  <para>
   Note that it isn't the real system load that is shown, but the percent
   used of the total CPU power, which is calculated from the number of
   CPU ticks between each update.
  </para>
  <para>
   If there is more than one CPU on the system, the combined CPU usage
   from both can be shown, or you can choose to have one separate diagram
   for each CPU.
  </para>
  <para>
   Left click on a diagram to bring up a small information box which
   will show the exact CPU usage in text form.
  </para>
  <para>
   Note that using a slower update interval will give a more stable
   and accurate diagram without flicker.
  </para>
 </chapter>

 <chapter id="configuration">
  <title>Configuration</title>

  <para>
   To configure &kcpuload;, click on the diagram in the system tray
   using your right mouse button.  A configuration menu will appear.
  </para>
  <para>
   The settings chosen in the configuration menu are saved automatically
   to the &kcpuload; configuration file as soon as they are set.  There
   is no need to save the settings manually.
  </para>

  <variablelist>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>SMP (Dual CPU) Support</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      If you don't have an SMP system, none of the SMP options will
      appear in the menu.  If you do, you will be presented with both an
      SMP on/off option at the top of the options menu, and
      (when SMP is turned on) a second color settings menu for the
      second diagram.
     </para>
     <para>
      If you choose to have SMP off, you will only see one diagram
      showing the values from both CPUs combined.  If you choose to
      have SMP on, there will be one diagram for each CPU showing their
      individual loads.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Changing the Update Speed</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Choose <guilabel>Speed</guilabel> from the configuration menu to
      change how frequently the diagram(s) are updated.
      Choose a lower value to get a more responsive diagram.
      Choose a higher value to get a slower but more stable and less
      flickering diagram.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Splitting the System and User Loads</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Enable the <guilabel>Graph Splitting</guilabel> option to have the
      diagram split into an upper
      part and a lower part.  The upper part of the diagram will
      show the user load (the apps you're using on a day-to-day basis).
      The lower part which is a white scale will show the system load
      (which includes daemons and other low level parts of the system
      and kernel).
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Changing Diagram Style</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The <guilabel>Style</guilabel> option in the configuration menu
      will let you change the look of the diagram.  Options include
      a <guilabel>Lines</guilabel> option which only draws a straight line
      across the diagram, a <guilabel>Bars</guilabel> option which draws
      a bar graph, and a <guilabel>Shaded</guilabel> option which shades
      the diagram in a nice black-to-color tone.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Soft Curves</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The <guilabel>Soft Curves</guilabel> option can be used to smooth
      the diagram(s).  This means that diagrams won't show very fast changes,
      but instead move slowly up and down with a little delay on the
      movements.  This feature can make the diagrams look better,
      especially when the update interval is set to a fast flickering rate.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Labels and Grid</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      These options control what is displayed behind the diagram(s).
      The <guilabel>Labels</guilabel> option will turn on small text
      labels in the upper left corner of each diagram showing which
      CPU the diagram represents.
      The <guilabel>Grid</guilabel> option will toggle a background
      grid of horizontal lines.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Changing Diagram Colors</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Each CPU diagram has a corresponding <guilabel>Color</guilabel>
      option in the menu; this can be used to change the color of the
      diagram.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </chapter>

 <chapter id="other-features">
  <title>Other Features</title>

  <variablelist>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Active and Clear</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      These two functions are located at the top of the options menu.
     </para>
     <para>
      The <guilabel>Active</guilabel> option is the power switch
      for the whole program.  This can be used to suspend the diagram
      so that it doesn't measure any readings.
     </para>
     <para>
      The <guilabel>Clear</guilabel> option will erase all readings and
      start afresh with an empty diagram.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Pop-Up Information Dialog</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Left click on one of the diagrams to bring up a small pop-up
      information box.  To hide it, left click on the diagram again,
      or right click on the pop-up itself.
     </para>
     <para>
      While the pop-up is shown, you can move it around with the left
      mouse button.  This pop-up is both sticky and always on top, so
      that you can have it in a corner all the time if you like.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
   <varlistentry>
    <term>Session Management</term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      If &kcpuload; is still running when KDE is shut down, it will
      restart when KDE is restarted.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </chapter>

 <chapter id="credits">
  <title>License</title>

  <para>
   &kcpuload;
  </para>

  <simplelist>
   <member>
   Copyright 1999-2000, Markus Gustavsson <email>[email protected]</email>.
   </member>
   <member>
   Copyright 2002, Ben Burton <email>[email protected]</email>.
   </member>
  </simplelist>

  <para>
   See the &kcpuload; <guilabel>About</guilabel> box for a full list of
   credits.
  </para>

  &underGPL;
 </chapter>

 <appendix id="installation">
  <title>Installation</title>

  <sect1 id="obtaining">
   <title>How to obtain &kcpuload;</title>
   &install.intro.documentation;
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="requirements">
   <title>Requirements</title>
   <para>
    <itemizedlist>
     <listitem><para>
      A Linux system (using kernel 2.2 or newer) or a BSD system;
     </para></listitem>
     <listitem><para>
      The Qt and the KDE libraries;
     </para></listitem>
     <listitem><para>
      A running TDE panel (Kicker).
     </para></listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
   </para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="compilation">
   <title>Compilation and Installation</title>
   &install.compile.documentation;
  </sect1>
 </appendix>
</book>