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Joe's OS/2 Tips.
Number 9
Written by Joseph Mckinnon (61:560/0@Worldnet)
(3:640/830@fidonet)
Downloaded from Proteus OS/2.
Phone +61-7-800-3521
Hours 24 hours a day
Speeds 300-14400, MNP.
==========================================================================
Introduction
Welcome to my 9th tips! Never thought I'd get past the first couple.
Anyway, this issue is the continuation of Software Reviews, and other
goodies.
Index
1. More File Managers
2. Config.sys Updates
3. Those Mysterious OS/2 Progs
4. CatsEye/X (SPECIAL OFFER TOO!)
5. MAJOR NEWS.
6. Caching Controllers.
7. My IBM Flame.
8. CALLING ALL DEVELOPERS!
==========================================================================
1. MORE FILE MANAGERS
1.1 The Norton Commander for OS/2
DOS lovers will be happy, Windows users will feel at home. OS/2
longtime users maybe disappointed with this initial release, but what
can we expect from a ver 1.0?
PROs
Nortons is a very easy to learn system, and is an ideal file
management tool for your Desktop. It's has a reasonable
performance with most functions.
It is easy to configure, unlike some of the other, previous
reviewed, packages.
You can select a file and drag it's object to the Desktop as
either a copy or a move....The drawbacks are that new users will
get confused as to what a Program Object and File Object are all
about. Essentially a File Object is a Direct link of the file to
the WPS, hence if you delete the File Object, you delete the file
(NASTY!).
Although I have only been playing with NC/2 for a few days, I have
yet to spot any serious errors, and this is on top of the March 2.1
beta (6.498).
CONs
Established OS/2 users (like self) will find Norton's Commander a
bit 'old-hat', that is many of us have customized our systems to
perform likewise, without buying extras.
I can't seem to be able to Associate file types, so that when I
click on a particular file, it will not load the associated
program.....Maybe this will be in a Norton's Desktop for OS/2?
It's Norton Menu subprogram is a novel idea, but lacks speed, and
utilizes a file called MENU.INI. NC/2 doesn't recognize, this when
clicked on, hence I feel that this cripples it's usage
slightly.....but maybe the next version will be more thought out.
Features (A Quick Summary - as there have been so many already on
this product.)
- WPS program. (32 bit)
- High speed scrolling
- Either, 2 windows for 2 directories or a nice graphical Tree
and sub directory display.
- On-line Help
- Small in Size (317k on my drive)
- has it's own user definable Program Menu.
- drop and Drag operation.
- Multi-Threaded, allowing quick directory updates.
SUGGESTIONS
This being a commercial package, I believe that I should add my
own personal views about how I'd like to see this product progress
into a new version.
- changing the idea of Drop and Drag so that it creates a
program object that refers to the program, rather than actually
moving the file from it's original location to the desktop
directories. This will stop unintentional file deletions. I
made this mistake, before I realized what NC/2 had done, as I
expected it to create a program object, not a file object.
- The Fonts and Colours changes effected by OS/2 Palette tools,
should be made permanent. As this is a very convenient method
to customize an OS/2 WPS program.
- Allowing Associating file types, so that it knows what to do
with files like INFs etc.
- Keeping the directory tree structure files on one partition.
SUMMING UP.
This is a very well-behaved OS/2 program, with heaps of promise
for the next version. I hope Symantec's programmers make the
program more configurationally designed, along the lines of
DirMan (see Tips 8).
SPECIAL THANKS
A BIG thanks to Kirsten Cooke, from Symantec Australia, for
supplying me with a copy of Norton's Commander for OS/2, for this
review. And I hope this is a sign to all of the DOS (concreted)
companies that OS/2 is a viable platform, and will prompt them
to produce OS/2 versions. Maybe a nice multi-threaded,
trustworthy backup program, at a bargain basement price.
1.2 InspectA
Programmed by David Nugent
Proposed Release Date is 10th May 1993.
I am proud to announce the arrival of InspectA to the land OS/2.
David has produced a first class program which will solve many
people's nightmares, from Archive viewing to BBS file maintenance.
Although text based, you can still control InspectA with your mouse,
in either a window or a full screen.
Features (Too Many to name)
- You can map your keyboard to perform any function you prefer.
e.g. on my system I have the program detaching background
tasks such as file indexing etc. for the BBS.
- You can use the FILES option, on the configuration program, to
associate different file types to different viewers/programs
NICE FEATURE and very powerful.
- BBS file maintenance is made easy, tag the files you want to
move/delete/re-archive and (by selecting the functions you want)
inspector will do all the hard work, from moving the files to
correcting the specified file listings (i.e., you can specify
which file listings should be edited, rather than defaulting to
FILES.BBS).
- All the usual file maintenance features are present.
- Multi-window views of different directories.
- Very good on-line help.
- You can look into mail packets and read them! This great for
BBS systems. PLUS there are a HOST of other useful BBS Sysop tools.
- Every Window is definable, from having just the name of the
file, to all the details.
- Virtually every de/compressor known is included in the sample
files. With the many features you'd find in Shez (from DOS
land) and more.
- Aussie Made! It Proves it, Australia does has at least one
programmer, who programs for the Best OS in the
world.
What more can I say!!......It has managed to solve many of my needs
for a total OS/2 system, from a quick file manager to the Sysop tools
it has replaced. Take a look at it, you will enjoy it. PROMISE!
The following is how to contact the author of InspectA, and the
support site in Europe.
Australia and the US
Unique Computing Pty Limited
Netmail from any FidoNet BBS: 3:632/348@fidonet(PEP)
3:632/103@fidonet (V32b)
Netmail from any IntlNet BBS: 58:4100/1@intlnet
Via Internet: davidn@csource.oz.au
davidn%csource.oz.au@munnari.oz.au
davidn@csource.cec.edu.au
Via our support BBS: +61-3-792-3507 PEP
or: +61-3-794-7949 V32b
Post: P.O. Box 352,
Doveton,
Victoria, Australia 3177.
Europe and the UK:
Ruud De Bruin
Netmail from any FidoNet BBS: 2:281/603@fidonet (HST,V32b)
Via Internet: ruud.de.bruin@triplets.wlink.nl
CompuServe ID: 100024,2672
BBS: +31-79-424553 HST V32b
Post: Columbusrede 17,
2725 KL Zoetermeer,
The Netherlands.
ONCE, InspectA is released Officially, I shall have it available for
Fidonet file request under the magic name INSPECTA.
==========================================================================
2 More Config.sys Statements
In an earlier Tip, I recommended to save at least 200 k of RAM with
the PRINTMONBUFSIZE statement....Well I made a mistake, yes you can
save 200 bytes, not K. (Now how do I get egg off my chin?)
RESTARTOBJECTS
Is an interesting option for your CONFIG.SYS file. Very useful
if you have unexpected TRAPS/Crashes/Blackouts, is to be able to
control the default startup of OS/2.
RESTARTOBJECTS=YES
DEFAULT Action!
Will Restart all objects open at time of a System shutdown,
including the start-up folder. I Don't particularly like this
function when testing new programs or betas, as when OS/2 gets
into a grove and continually dislikes an add-on(or option) and
crashes, you often get into a very repetitive re-booting
process. Until either the program that was causing the problem
is terminated or until you fix the problem.
RESTARTOBJECTS=NO
Great when testing unknown programs and OS/2 betas. Also
stops the Start-up folder activities.
RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY
As it sounds, only restarts the STARTUP folder's contents.
RESTARTOBJECTS=REBOOTONLY
Restarts any processes after a Ctrl-Alt-Del.
RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY,REBOOTONLY
The most useful setup for continually used systems, which have no
known bad software, and where the occasional problem occurs, or
where the operator insists on a Ctrl-Atl-Del to
restart/shutdown OS/2 (yes there are many people around the
world who do this, despite the warnings)
You can have other Combos, but those are less commonly used.
==========================================================================
3. Mysterious OS/2 programs.
3.1 SYSLEVEL
Produces a very detailed report on the current version of which IBM
based software your using. I say IBM based, as no one else seems
to use this feature to provide information about their programs
.....it's a good idea, as it would give you an idea of what
version level your running and which patches you have installed
......here is my first screen sample to look at.
D:\OS2\INSTALL\SYSLEVEL.GRE
IBM OS/2 32-bit Graphics Engine
Version 2.10 Component ID 562107701
Type 0
Current CSD level: XR02010
Prior CSD level: XR02010
D:\OS2\INSTALL\SYSLEVEL.OS2
IBM OS/2 Base Operating System
Version 2.10 Component ID 562107701
Type 0
Current CSD level: XR02010
Prior CSD level: XR02010
As you can see, this gives you some very valuable details about
my system, from where it's installed to what CSD level etc..
PSTAT
Gives very detailed information about what processes are currently
running behind the senses on your system. This command, without
options, will give details about what processes are using
which DLLs and how many threads etc.. For the more advanced OS/2
user, you can select which threads to diagnose and get what parts,
of OS/2, are being used --- very useful in tracking down unknown system
problems, so that you can point the finger at some nasty bug in
either the software or the OS.
==========================================================================
4. CatsEye/X
I have just received a new video card for use on my system. It's
an XGA/2 card, which is designed using the XGA/2 chipset from
IBM.
Features
- VGA Compatibility (VESA)
- 132-Column Text Modes
- Map Masking
- Fast text drawing
- Task Switching - Designed to work with GUIs for fast task
switching, especially OS/2.
- Hardware sprites - 64*64 pixels
- Bus Mastering
- Co Processor
supports
- Pixel-Block Transfers (PixBlt)
- Line Drawing
- Area Filling
- Logical and Arithmetic Mixing
- Map Masking and Scissoring (Clipping)
- X,Y Axis Addressing
- 1 Meg VRAM
- Improves System performance, by releasing the CPU for more
important tasks, quicker than standard Video cards.
- Since XGA is a Video standard, (plus the VESA VGA support on
this single card) there is no cause to worry about available
drivers....eg S3 and ATI users are still waiting for a generic
driver for their 'flyers' in OS/2.
- The card will diagnose your Monitor's ID signal, and
corresponding select the correct resolutions for your monitor
type. The drawbacks are that many clone monitors both don't
send the correct ID and some can't respond to XGA's demands
for refresh rates. These problems can be addressed by
either experimenting with the supplied Monitor files or by
hard-switching the card.
At present there are only 2 versions of the card, ISA and MCA
(IBM), but there is an VESA Local BUS version in testing now.
From reports, that I have read in news conferences on internet,
the VLB version is only 25% faster than the ISA version, but this
was an early prototype.
I can only comment on this card in relation to a Tseng Labs 4000
card (Mega Eva/2 - ISA Version only). At 1024*768 (with 256
colours) the Tseng card was hard pushed to do anything with speed.
Try it yourself, even with 486 systems you can visibly notice the
lack of performance, and on my 386DX-40 you can actually watch the
methods of drawing folders(even when already opened). The
CatsEye/X at same resolution is instant in swapping windows
(already open). At the lower resolutions, the Tseng performs
with an acceptable level on my system, but XGA/2 pushes the video
speeds through the roof, and this is with the card in 64k colour
mode!
So if have been in the search for a fast, quality video upgrade,
consider the XGA as a possible alternative, since the XGA
standard is here to stay. There will not be different XGA
standards, as IBM is licensing it's chips out to developers.
Whereas, in the past, the same developers had to clone IBM's ideas,
and often they made mistakes. Every Major software package
supplies XGA drivers, plus even if they don't, this card is fully
VESA SVGA capable.
I am very impressed with this card, so impressed that I am going
to offer to AUSTRALIAN users/readers a special Discount offer on
this card. $450 Including Tax, plus freight charges (normally
about $10), to contact me, look at the end of this file.
==========================================================================
5. MAJOR NEWS.
5.1 3 Million Sold.
According to the Internet news group comp.os.os2.advocacy, OS/2 has
sold in excess of 3 million copies in one year, since the release of
2.0! Now that must mean to all serious OS/2 users and developers
that we Deserve better treatment from major companies.
So lets get together and attack the companies which have
brilliant products but don't provide OS/2 versions/drivers.
EG
ATI
Gravis UltraSound
Hayes ESP cards
Turtle Beach products
Borland (I know they have 2 products)
5.2 Borland's C/C++ Compiler
The long awaited compiler, from Borland, has finally shipped. To
date I have noticed that my code, from their DOS 3.1 version,
compiles with no major dramas. I have also thrown various C code
at it, and I have found, with minimal changes, I can get
applications to run (and I'm no real programmer!) The IDE
interface is good, but I have yet to find a useful method in
changing it's HELP Fonts to a larger, more readable size. As
this shipped before version 2.1 shipped, Borland doesn't
guarantee it to run correctly under any OS/2 betas....Although I
have had no dramas with the March Beta (6.498).
There have been some problems reported with the help manager,
which is known to Borland, and I expect some form of correction
to be released soon.....otherwise, the news conferences seem to
be very impressed with this product. I was.
DRAWBACKS - full install takes approximately 23 meg of your drive,
the linker , TLINK, eats RAM and swap space fast, so have at least
six meg clear on your swap drive path, especially if you are only
running 8 meg of RAM.
BORLAND learnt a very important lesson with this release, don't
underestimate demand for a genuine OS/2 product. Borland was
caught with their pants down, as demand for this product has
surpassed the available supply. I had to wait 4 weeks after the
initial week of release, as Borland Australia sold out their
reserves in the first week of release!
I hope this gives them the faith to port (and I mean port) some
of their other products to the OS/2 platform. Sure, I know ports
aren't the best way, but having a native OS/2 application is
better than a DOS or WINDOWS one.....plus, would give Borland the
idea of how their products would be received before they went
through, and started a comprehensive recoding effort to take
advantage of OS/2 features.
I would love to have Paradox, Quattro Pro and Objectvision
recoded to take advantage of their new compiler.
[That's Idea, Joe's Wish List For OS/2]
==========================================================================
6. Caching Controllers.
Of Late, I have been reading how some people claim that caching
controllers don't give OS/2 a boost in performance. I'd like to
dispel these rumors, half-truths.
I own a Promise Technology IDE Caching controller which I have
installed with 2 meg. On this limited level I have noticed that when
opening several OS/2 CMD_Line sessions, the 2nd one and so on load
VERY Fast. My BBS, which once knocked the stuffing out of my drive when
scanning for files is now silent, as the file indexes and message
indexes are all in the cache's memory. I feel that people who claim
that these cards are nonperformance, should go and check their setup,
as you have probably got OS/2 caches (IFS and DISKCACHE statements)
grabbing their 'normal' requirements, and have Lazy writes still on.
I have found that by reducing the cache to minimal size (64k) and
turning off OS/2 Lazy Writes my controller performs a lot better,
than any software cache. Also, by limiting the memory reserved for
the OS/2 cache, you increase your available RAM for real applications.
I have also heard of performance gains with DTP SCSI controllers
and other caching controllers. So I state again, check your setup,
especially the card, as you may have configured the card to not cache
the drives, or other silly mistakes.
Hence for anyone who runs disk intensive applications, such as
Database stuff( or generally most things) you'll find great benefits in
buying and using a caching controller....But make sure there are
suitable drivers/support for OS/2, as there are a few 'oddballs'
which have no standard interface, so when OS/2 tries to access them
they don't go. The biggest drawback with the Promise Tech range is
that their software is DOS based, but the only time you require it
is to re-format/partition your drives (rare). Otherwise the card,
at cold-boot-time, defaults to correct caching operation.
==========================================================================
7. My IBM Flame.
Recently, I've noticed that the comments I made in a previous
tips about IBM Australia's attitudes have seemed become known in IBM,
as the service I now receive is much better than before. Maybe they
got an encouraging pat from IBM America, or IBM's new Head-Huncho has
started to scare them into results. Either way, keep improving
IBM Australia.
==========================================================================
8. CALLING ALL DEVELOPERS
If you'd like to have your product reviewed by me, please send
them to me.....If you are a shareware developer, I'd like to help
your product (like David's InspectA), so please give me your latest
version, and if it's crippled (shareware version) please send me a
real version. Thanks, see below for details to contact me.
==========================================================================
The Close.
Wow, talk about waffling on!
Yes it's the end of this edition, next edition will be 2.1, more info
on Borland's compiler, plus more Graphics cards.
DEVELOPERS don't forget to supply me with your efforts for reviews.
And with the release of number 10, I shall be introducing a new
format, INF. This will be called JoesBook, as this will be a summary
of all 10 into one large Text and INF file.
If you wish to contact me, about various topics I have covered, or if
you have suggestions, the easy method is via a message in one of the
following mail networks in their OS/2 area.
WORLDNET 61:6700/1
FIDONET 3:640/830
INTERNET josephm@tmxbris.mhs.oz.au
Or via SNAIL MAIL
Joe's OS/2 Tips
540 Johnson Road
Forestdale, QLD, Australia, 4118.
Or via the BBS
+61-7-800-3521
Hours 0700-0215 Australian Eastern Standard Time
1200-14.4k baud rates.
Or Via VOICE
+61-7-800-4447
Most times I am around the phone, but the answering machine will take
care of you otherwise. Sorry, I can't afford to return an international
call.
DISCLAIMER
Although I know a lot about OS/2, I am no expert. Therefore
information I may pass-on in these tips maybe bogus on some setups.
All of my knowledge of OS/2 has come from personal experience with
both my own experiments and my clients.