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Amiga Format CD41 (1999-06)(Future Publishing)(GB)[!][issue 1999-07].iso
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-seriously_amiga-
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verscheck
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readme.english
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1999-04-19
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VersCheck
=========
The program VersCheck is freeware.
LEGAL:
======
All copyright's reserved by Michaela Pruess.
You have only permission for non-commercial use of this tool.
The Aminet has permission to publish this file on all
Aminet-sites, Aminet-mirror's and Aminet-CD's.
This software is provided as-is, without warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied. In no event will the authoress be
liable for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages
or data loss resulting from the use or application of this software.
The entire risk as to the results and performance of this software
is assumed by the user. Furthermore, the contents of the archive
cannot be altered in any way, although the archive itself can be
transmitted electronically via BBS systems or the Internet.
Important!
----------
This program use lot of stack. If the stack is to small, a GURU
is the answer (or not, with thank's to MCP).
The stackusage is variable, for big directorytree's more stack
will need as for small trees.
I think, 10000 upto 20000 is enough.
Copyright
---------
The program is copyright by
Michaela Pruess
Berlin
eMail: Michaela@Flagranti.net
Support, actual versions, other projects:
-----------------------------------------
WWW: http://www.flagranti.net/amiga
The program is written in C with vbcc 0.7.
You will find the latest version of this and other project from me
on me homepage.
Install:
--------
Copy the program in any directory you like.
To use the comparesystem:
Go in the directory that include the path "scripts" with the
comparelists and start the program from this directory.
Use as versionlister/-checker:
You can put the program to any location and start it from
all positions you like.
Read the manual ReadMe.locale to use language-texts.
Third party products:
---------------------
VersCheck uses some third party producs:
1.) Command VERSION from AmigaDOS. BE CAREFULLY with the
"better replacements". They often read only the $VER-
string, the original read much more.
2.) ppc.library (if exists) to find informations about
installed PowerPC-CPU(s) and info's about them.
Original by Phase5.
(Emulation by Frank Wille *not testet* yet).
3.) mmu.library V0.24+ (is exists) to find informations about
MMUs.
Original by Thor, see AmiNet
PPC-User read 'Known errors', please.
4.) reqtools.library for requesters.
Copyright by © Nico François and Magnus Holmgren.
If a library not exist, the check will skipped and no info's
printed. If a library can not work (mmu.library) the info's
also skipped.
If there is no version-command it can't be used for
compare/information. This will reduce the change to identify
and/or find versioninformations.
Programfunctions and background
-------------------------------
The program searches "$VER:"-string and split them. It also run the
command 'version' and split the output, too.
The program do not sort. It scan's the filesystem and compare
direct all entries (function ExAll() is used!). No sort make it
faster, except systems with many files.
The outputdata is useable for many things. But in first order it
will be used to compare it with the Lib-, DT- and Device-check.
I found the idea behind the checksystms very good and I see the
time and energy for catalog and support this lists.
But there is a problem, with is very komplex and it is very difficult
to correct by cli-scripts, ARexx or other batchbased systems.
Most problem will be found by older libs. Versionnumbers like
"1.-1", wrong or funny strings at the position of the name and
versionnumbers that called x.x, V x.x or Vx.x!
This program "tried" to identify this data and compare the result with the
comparedata. "Tried" while I only can test and check the data with my
system. So the identifying will not be perfect in the first version
but this will be better from version to version.
If the output really shit (sorry), please send me a copy of the files
that produce the wrong output. Please contact me first, if the files
are not freely distribtable. In this case it is better send me a cut
from the file. Otherwise the copy is piratesoft and I don't will become
such software.
Future
------
Better compare, errorcorrection and new functions. If you wish a special
function for any useage, let it me know.
The program DVC, that do parts of this tests in the past, includes
functions that I never will missing. E.g. testing of files for there
version. A requester ask for install the file. The problem is, DVC is
not longer 100% actual. And I missing functions like installing new
file automaticly (by backup the actual files). I also missing a switch
that skip older files by default. So I will create a copyfunction
like DVC with more and better features.
To identify files only by extensions is also a problem from DVC. A
readme, named xxx.library, will be copied to libs:, not lly usefull.
More datatypes should be identified.
Known Bugs
----------
The actual mmu.library will not work on PPC-systems and so on such
systems the MMU can't be displayed.
The author has no information about the mmu-useage on ppc-systems
and Phase-5 don't cooperate. Because the help of Haage & Partner
this problem is only temporary.
Problem with other programs
---------------------------
At my tests the system stops at bigger directory's. Reasons:
1.) Output in a KingCon-CLI-window (CON: and AUX: remapped to KingCon).
Reason unknown, bit same problem appears by use of vim and other
programs. A long time this problem don't exist, then it comes up.
I think it is a problem between KingCon und another unknown software.
To do: Using verbose-mode (-v) fix the problem (I don't know why)
2.) System full stops at testing mpegavideo.datatype.
Reason is the command c:version. I don't know why, but the command
crashes. I'm not shure, but I think it is a hardwareproblem at my
system.
To do: The problem will not appear if the directory that will be tested
is into a Ram-disk (Rad-disk).
After installation of WarpOS and decrunching all files on Sys: the
check works. I'm not shure why. But I think decrunching the files
is the right way. WHY ANYBODY CRUNCHING ANYTHING? The prices of
harddisk are low and crunched files are slow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Attachment for compare with LibGuide, DTypesGuide und DevsGuide: ---
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The compare:
------------
Any file is identified by the "magic number". The "magic number"
are the first 4 bytes (evetually 8, but I this case 4 are enough)
of a binary file. On this a file can be identified, e.g. an
Amigaprogram, a MS-Dos-Program and so on.! Libraries, devices and
datatypes have all the code for 'executable amigaprogram'. So only
files with this 'magic number' are tested in the moment.
So a textfile, called "Libs:Irgendwas.Library" will not be tested!
The filetypes ELF/EHF (PowerUP/WarpOS) from ppc can only be checked
by using the '-x'-option.
The extensions ".library", ".device" oder ".datatype" will be also
tested. If nessesary this will be expanded. (e.g. MUI 'mcc' and
'mcp'). If the checkguides will test more things I will change this
for them.
For the header the mmu.library and the ppc.library will be used.
If they are not installed, the part will be ignored.
The versioncompare will done numeric, the version is splitt into
th 2 or 3 parts from X.Y(.Z). The numeric values will be corrected.
Versions like 1.-1 gives Version 1, Revision 1.
ToDo:
-----
- Caracters between name and version add to name.
I found two or three libraries that will need this.
- Alternative search for versionnumber [search '(DATUM)'] for
very bad programmed things. I know only one file.
- Identify versionstrash like "%ld" etc.! Only one file known.