I got the @#$% news already!

[beerslayer]

Hi, all - just installed Avast! 4 and it seems to be working ok so far, except for one annoyance:

Every time I open the Avast! console window ("Start avast! Antivirus" from the tray icon's context menu), it shows me the "Avast! News" in the splash screen advising me, yet again, that I really should update to 4.1.268.  I already *have* 4.1.268, and I'm sick of seeing this news.

What I'd like, in order:
1) Option to disable the splash screen entirely.

        If this is not possible, then

2) Option to disable news display in splash screen.

        If this is not possible, then

3) At the very least, don't show me the same @#$% news again that I've already seen 20 times!

If I really want the news again, there's already an option in the console's context menu to display it.

Other than this, I'm impressed so far.  Only time will tell how stable it is and how nicely it plays with other stuff I have running, but thanks for making it available!

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

[Vlk]

Hmm, interesting. Never thought such a thing could make anyone angry...

Anyway, the way it behaves by default is that it shows each news for one week. You can override this behavior by changing an entry in the avast4.ini file (located in <avast>\data). The relevant entry is called iNews_Days and is to be present in the [Splash] section. The default value is 7 (i.e. one week). To change it to e.g. one day, you'd have something like this in your INI file:

[Splash]
iNews_Days=1

To answer your additional questions:

1) Option to disable the splash screen entirely.

No problem at all. Instead of running ashAvast.exe (to which the avast! shortcut normally points) you can directly run ashSimpl.exe (the Simple UI) or ashEnhcd.exe (the Enhanced UI, provided you have the Pro Edition).

2) Option to disable news display in splash screen.

I believe setting iNews_Days to zero should do the trick.

Also, you can disable memory/registry scan during the display of the splash screen by checking the appropriate box in program settings.


Hope this answers your questions,
Vlk

[beerslayer]

Hmm, interesting. Never thought such a thing could make anyone angry...

'Angry' isn't the right word.  Perhaps 'exasperated' would be better... it really is annoying to be told over and over and over again that one should do what one has already done!

Anyway, the way it behaves by default is that it shows each news for one week. You can override this behavior by changing an entry in the avast4.ini file (located in <avast>\data). The relevant entry is called iNews_Days and is to be present in the [Splash] section. The default value is 7 (i.e. one week). To change it to e.g. one day, you'd have something like this in your INI file:

[Splash]
iNews_Days=1

Cool.  I can tell I'm gonna have to spend some time digging through the .ini file at some point.  I hope it (the .ini file) is well-documented somewhere...

For the record, I don't mind seeing any given news item *once* at startup.  I just object to seeing the same one over and over and over again, especially when I've already upgraded.

To answer your additional questions:

1) Option to disable the splash screen entirely.

No problem at all. Instead of running ashAvast.exe (to which the avast! shortcut normally points) you can directly run ashSimpl.exe (the Simple UI) or ashEnhcd.exe (the Enhanced UI, provided you have the Pro Edition).

OK, but... how many average users would figure this out on their own?

Also, if I do this, do I lose the option of performing the memory test on startup?

2) Option to disable news display in splash screen.

I believe setting iNews_Days to zero should do the trick.

OK, I'll give it a try.

Also, you can disable memory/registry scan during the display of the splash screen by checking the appropriate box in program settings.

Already found this.  But thanks.

Actually, I think it only prevents the memory scan from running... it does not prevent the line which mentions the memory scan from being displayed in the splash screen.

Hope this answers your questions,
Vlk

Answer all you want... I'll make more of them...  

Thanks again for publishing this as freeware!  I've been impressed with it so far.  If someday my finances improve sufficiently, I'll happily spring for the Pro version (so long as my system remains stable, that is...)

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

[MWassef]

Anyway, the way it behaves by default is that it shows each news for one week. You can override this behavior by changing an entry in the avast4.ini file (located in <avast>\data). The relevant entry is called iNews_Days and is to be present in the [Splash] section. The default value is 7 (i.e. one week). To change it to e.g. one day, you'd have something like this in your INI file:

[Splash]
iNews_Days=1

Vlk, the entry called "iNews_Days" does not exist in the file avast4.ini of the 4.1.268 version that I use.  
So, I added it to the splash section and it worked fine.
 
Just thought you should know it...