OS/2 Shareware BBS: 9 Archive/09-Archive.zip/afe30.zip/WHATSNEW.30

Text File | 1995-12-16 | 9KB | 203 lines

WHAT'S NEW in AFE 3.0

Alternate One & Two Abstract

These two options allow you to create associations within AFE.  These
associations are connected with the View button.  The last two pages
of the settings notebook (you'll need to hit the down arrows to see the
two bottom tabs) each have four boxes where you may enter filename
extensions.  It is not neccessary to fill all four boxes. The pages
also have (each) a box to enter the full filespec for an executable to
which you want to associate these filetypes.  You should also specify what
type of program this is, as AFE starts the session differently depending
on the program type.  The choices are OS/2 PM, OS/2 text mode, DOS text
(run in a window), DOS full screen, Windows (run in a seamless window).

Alternate One & Two Operation

The operation is the same as if you are opening an archive to view a
member file with the text file or INF file viewers.  However, when a file
type is selected which has an associated executable (in the AFE settings
notebook), the executable is launched from its home directory and the
filename is parsed to it.

Limitations: This works very well with OS/2 PM programs and some OS/2 text
mode programs (those that will take a straight filename on the command
line).

DOS programs are hit and miss.  I do know that at least a few DOS programs
I've tried, I was able to successfully launch a windowed or full screen
session and have the file loaded into it.

If you cannot run Windows programs seamlessly, you probably don't even
want to try an association here. I was able to launch Word for Windows and
Excel very nicely, and got the files loaded in.  Even if you have FastStart
enabled in your WIN-OS2 setup, AFE will launch its own Windows support.
I normally launch Windows programs from a program object that points to the
executable file.  I have these objects set to share (not set for separate
sessions) WIN-OS2 support.  I found that upon exiting the session launched
by AFE, I would get an error message that led me to believe that the windows
session I launched wasn't shutting down cleanly, although there were no
apparent side effects.  I was able to get rid of this by changing one
setting in the setup of the executable object, itself,  "Separate session".
This did not effect the normal operation (sharing WIN-OS2 code) of the
program when it was launched from the program object rather than the
executable file.  Later, I found that I could launch and exit GWS for
Windows without any problems or changes.

Final Note on Alternate One & Two

This feature was added to make it easy to view a file within an archive,
something other than a text file or INF file.  It works fine with PMJPEG
which is a PM program.  As far as other types of programs, it is hit or
miss.  The primary thing is that the program would have to be capable of
starting and loading the file from the command line as in:

         PMJPEG f:\gif\944stp.gif


File Scan feature Abstract:

Until now, AFE supported opening/scanning archive type files, only.  With
this release, AFE now has a File Scan feature that allows you to point AFE
at a target directory and virus scan all files in that directory.
Optionally, AFE will scan subdirectories of the target, as well.  An added
benefit to this is that if you point AFE to the root directory of any
drive, the entire drive will be scanned.  Note that if an archive file is
encountered, AFE will not open (uncompress) that file before scanning.
OS2SCAN may or may not detect a virus in a member file under these
conditions.  You should utilize AFE's Arc Scan function to virus scan an
archive file properly.


Arc Scan Function:

The former V-Scan and M/V-Scan functions have been merged in this release.
Start either by pressing the Arc Scan button.  If a single archive file is
selected, the former V-Scan function is performed, and when successfully
completed, the archive file is left open awaiting the next operation upon
it, as chosen by the user.

If multiple archive files are selected, or the ALL button is pushed, the
former M/V-Scan function is performed.  Upon completion of opening/scanning
of all archive files chosen, the user is returned to the top level of AFE.


File Scan Function:

Upon pressing the File Scan button, the user is presented with a file list
displaying the directory that was previously designated as the
"Scan Directory" in the settings notebook.  The user may change to a
different directory by the usual means, and AFE will remember whatever
directory is chosen last in this function as the Scan Directory for the
duration of this AFE session.  (Exception: when the settings notebook
is brought up, AFE re-reads the defaults from the INI file)  Whatever
directory is displayed becomes the target directory of the scan.  A single
click of the mouse in the file list window has no effect.

The virus scan is started by clicking the OK button.  A double click of the
mouse in the file window has the same effect as pressing the OK button.  If
the user had turned "Scan Subs" on in the settings notebook, subdirectories
of the target are also scanned.

If no viruses are detected, AFE reports this on the status bar below the
directory window.  A press of the OK button will clear the status bar and
allow the user to select another directory for scanning.  Alternatively,
pressing the Cancel button exits the File Scan function and returns the
user to the top level of AFE.

If a virus is detected, the user is notified on the status bar and the
scan report created by OS2SCAN is displayed by the internal viewer or
an external viewer as defined by the user on the Viewer page of the
settings notebook.  The user may dismiss the notification via the OK
button and return to the top level of AFE.


WHAT'S NEW in AFE 2.6

COMPRESSION OPTION:

Extra compression is now an option.  On the ARJ and ZIP Executable
pages of the Settings notebook you may now choose whether you wish to
use extra compression options or not.  By default, the extra compression
options WILL NOT BE USED.  Note that LH2 and ZOO for OS/2 do not offer
extra compression options.

Until now, by default AFE used extra compression options of both
ZIP (-9 option) and ARJ (-jm1 option).  I've found that there is a
significant speed difference on my machine  (486DX50, 20Mb RAM) by not
using the extra compression options.  And the difference in archive size
is not that significant.  My test archive contains a good mix of
executable files and text files.

With the extra compression turned on, ZIP was 140% slower, and produced
a file only 3/10 of 1% smaller.

With extra compression turned on (-jm1 rather than -m2), ARJ was 80%
slower and produced a file only 4/10 of 1% smaller.

M/V-Scan ALL OPTION:

When you press the M/V-Scan button, you are presented a list of files
in you ARC Directory.  When that directory is not empty, the OK button
now changes to ALL, so that you no longer have to select every file one
by one if you wish to scan them all.  Keep in mind, that as always, the
M/V-Scan and V-Scan options in AFE are for opening and scanning archive
file only!  This means that if your M/V-Scan selection includes a file
that is not an archive, you will get an error message when AFE attempts
to open it (as before).


WHAT'S NEW IN AFE 2.52

Corrected a bug that caused unregistered version to not start up properly
when started by association (double click of archive file) or drag-drop.


WHAT'S NEW IN AFE 2.51

We now call OS2SCAN with the NOEXPIRE switch.  Note: YOU MUST BE RUNNING
OS2SCAN VERSION 2.22 (OSC-222e.ZIP) OR LATER.  The current version is 2.24.

Upgraded to VX-REXX 2.1c


WHAT'S NEW in AFE 2.5

Internal File Browser:

Added a primative PM internal file browser.  If the user does not have a
PM file browser of his own, putting a 0 (zero) in the entry field of the
settings notebook (Viewer Executable tab) will cause the internal browser
to be used.  This is called for both viewing archive's member textfiles
and the scan report, should a virus be detected.

The browser is started on a separate thread from the main program.  Many
instances of the browser can be supported.  It may be left open even after
the parent archive is dismissed as the browser does not keep the file open,
but displays a memory image.

Unlike calling an external browser, if AFE is quit, the browser(s) is
killed.

The display is 80 characters wide by 20 lines.  If a line exceeds 80
characters, it is automatically wrapped.  We use OS/2's 10 point System
Monospaced font and assume that the user has not removed it from the host.

Standard PM navigation keys are supported, ie; Page Up, Page Down, Ctrl-End,
Ctrl-Home, etc.  The view may also be scrolled with the mouse and scroll-
bar.  The view may be minimized.  Exiting the browser may be accomplished
via double-click of the top left icon, or Alt and C.

Bug Fix:

Found a bug probably introduced in 2.4, where I changed the name of one of
my objects.  The bug bit when the user tried to open a true archive file
whose file extension did not match the standard mask (zip, zoo, arj, lzh).
When a successful test of the archive type was achieved and the subroutine
was called to change the caption to "Opening archivename", AFE would
abruptly exit.

This is repaired in version 2.5