The Swap Window

The FS/2 frame window has a swap control in the titlebar that is used to resize the display to a Swap window for quick, convenient monitoring of memory resources when FS/2 is not in use for other functions. The default position of the Swap window is the lower left corner of the Desktop. However, it saves its position and may be placed anywhere on the Desktop. The Swap window is sized such that only the swap window information is viewable. It may be resized in length but not height.

The Swap Display Update Frequency control on the Controls Setup tab of the Settings notebook (page 2_3) is used to adjust the update interval. Setting the update interval to 0 disables the data monitor (default is 20 seconds).

If enabled, the swap window alternately displays the following at the set update interval:

• SwapSize - The size of the swapper.dat file if greater than the boot swap size.
• DriveFree - The amount of free space that is available for swapper.dat growth if less than 64MB.
• AvailMem - The amount of virtual memory available if less than 128MB.
• MemSize - The amount of free physical memory.
• WorkFree - A special WorkFree memory parameter if free memory is less that 64MB.

Single LMB clicks in the left end of the message window will manually cycle the monitor through all parameters whether enabled or not.

The amount of available memory on a system equals roughly the amount of free RAM plus the amount of free space remaining on the volume which contains the SWAPPER.DAT file. The volume used is specified in the SWAPPATH statement of the CONFIG.SYS file.

The WorkFree parameter is a calculated summation of the free ram and free swap file space. The latter is the amount of allocated swap file space not currently in use. These numbers are not guaranteed to be accurate. However, the display does serve its intended purpose. The WorkFree number shows the proximity to swap file growth. The swap file will typically increase anytime this number decreases to between 1 and 2 Mb.

Additionally, the amount of available memory is monitored, providing a message and audible warning when the amount falls below a preset level. The settings for the available memory warning level is also on the Controls Setup page of the Settings notebook.

There are two click ways to toggle the FS/2 window to the Swap window using the mouse; double click in the left end of the Message window of the Data Panel at the bottom of the display or use the Swap control on the frame window title bar. To restore the display, double click again in the message window of the swap window or use the Swap control restore button. Use of the Swap control is recommended.

To keyboard toggle between the FS/2 window and the Swap window, use the Ctrl+F9 keys. Focus must be in the FS/2 window.

The FS/2 frame window may be maximized or minimized from the Swap window in the same manner as if it were restored.

FS/2 is essentially not using any CPU time in this mode but is occupying all of its normal memory resources.

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