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1987-01-15
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December 5, 1986
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Hello, and welcome. This archive contains Version 2.0 of the C Spot Run
C Add-On Library. If you have a copy of version 1.0 you are excused from
the following explanatory paragraph.
C Spot Run is a collection of routines, utilities, and programming aids
for C programmers, and is centered around MS/PC-DOS, IBM-PC's, and
compatibles. The collection is rather well documented and is distributed,
for the most part, in OBJect code form. (Source code is available in
exchange for a $50 dollar contribution.) A more complete description of
the library can be found in the beginning of the manual.
This release of the library has a quite a few new functions, an improved
CheckC, a new manual, quite a few bug fixes (which doesn't say much for
the first version), a new issue of the support newsletter, and a slightly
better educated author. However, contrary to what I was so naive as to
believe when I released the first version, I have discovered that the library
is not now and never will be complete. The possibilities are endless, and
I hope some of you can help me explore them.
Most of my comments and 'news' can be found in the newsletter, but as I've
been writing it for so long I don't remember what all I said there, nor do
I feel like reading it, which would tempt me to rewrite it. Regardless, I
have some comments I can share here.
Concerning the Manual: Writing the descriptions for all of the routines
in the library is a VERY boring job, involving lots of referece to printouts,
file dates, argument sequence, etc. Thus you may find the descriptions weak,
and very often the example will show little more than the calling sequence.
(When I work on the manual I'm rarely in the mood to write 25 individual
example programs.) So, if anyone of you would like to improve the examples
significantly, you are welcome to try, and if you succeed I'll register you
and send you the source code. (It's incredibly easy to give this stuff
away when the cost to mail a disk is around $1.50....) I suggest you call
me first so someone doesn't beat you to it and waste your time. (But then
I can't imagine why anyone would want to do it after the third example....)
Concerning User Response: I was pleasantly suprised at the number of
responses, by phone, mail, and BBS, and I welcome many more. However, I
didn't get ANY 'User Response Forms' in return. I appreciate all the people
who called with comments, and those who answered the BBS questionaire, but
I can't seem to keep track of the comments and other data. Thus, now that
I am reasonably organized, (I now keep the source code disk apart from the
working subdirectory on the HD so I can respond to orders immediately, and
I use a data base to track 'contact' names and addresses), I will place
anyone who sends in a User Response Form, or calls voice and leaves a name,
address, and comments, onto a mailing list. (And anyone who includes a stamp
(I use mailing labels, so I don't need SASEs) will have my sincerest
grattitude. I'm only a hobbiest, you know....)
Concerning this Package Remaining Shareware: I've heard horror stories of
shareware authors who made 45 cents in 3 years, and dream stories about guys
who went full time making thousands. I've made more than 45 cents, but not
quite thousands. The point is that I want to keep this package shareware,
I think the reasons are in the newsletter, but I don't want to pour hundreds
of hours of work down the drain. This package will remain shareware as long
as somebody new registers once in a while, to pay for my phone bill and
compiler updates.
Concerning Other Compilers: Not now, but soon. Get on the mailing list and
you'll hear about it. (I already have people volunteered to do it for most
major PC compilers.) Also, this version is compiled with MSC 3.0. I already
have 4.0, which the next version will be compiled with, but I am not quite
ready to recompile the entire package. Microsoft assures me that 4.0 users
will be able to use the library as it is now, compiled with 3.0.
Concerning a Screen Editor/Code Generator: After I get this released and off
of my back I will be working with Dennis L. Raney (author of SE, more info
to follow) on this program. Suggestions welcomed.
For those of you wondering what SE is, it is a Turbo Pascal program that
generates source code for colorful screens in ANSI, Turbo Pascal, BASIC,
and C (using CSR's screen routines.) The input functions are severely
limited, and don't work at all with C. However the program is great for
designing title screens or prototypes, and is lots of fun to play with. It
is available for download on various BBSs in addition to the Pinelands.
(Look for Screen Edit version 2.0, SE20.ARC.)
January 10, 1987
----------------
Ok, I think its good enough to release. (In other words, I don't want to
type another function description or line of code for a year.) Some final
comments.... This is version 2.0 because due to the large number of new
functions there may be some structural bugs I don't know of in the input or
something. (I hope not.) A version number like 1.1 gives the impression that
all the bugs of 1.0 were fixed, but there are so many new things here that
totally new bugs could have arrived.... I think I mentioned above that I've
been writing this for a long time. I believe I started the newsletter in
August, not to mention that modifications to the source started within weeks
of the first release. The result is a little overlap with function duty,
some outdated news both here and in the newsletter, and a few weak spots
in documentation and overall design. (I made some bad choices in the
original design, and the correction strategy involves new functions to
do mostly the same things as the old ones, which will remain in the library
for compatibility.).... I'm planning on attending a Microsoft Windows
Developers Seminar at the end of this month, and I'm anticipating some of
the rumored C compilers 'for the masses,' like 'Turbo C' or 'Quick C.' I
feel that these new 'frontiers' will present a need for specialized routines
and tools. However this is just speculation, I don't know what they will
involve. If anyone would like to discuss it, feel free to call me.
In conclusion, I suggest you read the newsletter enclosed, and print out the
documentation with the command COPY CSPOTRUN.DOC PRN. (Note: You may
consider looking at the docs with a DOS program before printing them if you
are not sure you'll be using the library. Also, when printing be sure you
are at the top of a page before starting, and have enough paper for the
documentation which is about 210+ pages long. (I suggest a three ring
binder.)) Feel free to contact me as follows for discussion of CSR, the C
language, your favorite compiler, or pizza toppings.
Bob Pritchett
New Dimension Software
23 Pawtucket Dr.
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Voice: (609) 424-2595
Data: (609) 354-9259 (300-2400B)
January 15, 1987
----------------
Oh no! The CheckC and FLine utilities were accidentally excluded from
version 2.0! They are included in this, version 2.0a, and are distributed
in CSRUPDT1.ARC. (The documentation does not change.) My apologies for
the inconvenience.