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WHATS.NEW
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1991-09-26
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This file contains information about new features of Unity that
may not be documented in the disk manual or the printed manual.
3.3.1
- Fixed a bug when using conditionals and interence rules
together, specifically, under 3.3.0 the following would fail:
#IFDEF debug
MYFILE.EXE : MYFILE.OBJ TEST.OBJ
#ELSE
MYFILE.EXE : MYFILE.OBJ
#ENDIF
When checking to see if an inference rule is was required the
line following the dependency is check to see if it is blank.
The above to lists are followed by a conditional and not a
blank line. Now, a check is made for a blank line, #ELSE,
#ELSEIF, and #ENDIF.
3.3.0
- After a compile or assemble, all error messages without
filenames (if any) will be displayed first in a scrollable
window, then the first error message with a filename will be
displayed.
- Now supports inference rules in project files. For those of
you not familar, an inference rule is a way of setting the
command list for a given target and source extension and
having all the commands executed automatically. See the
manual for additional information.
- You can now separate file lists with a command (,) or plus (+)
when making dependency lists. This is in addition to the space
and tab supported in previous version. This was added to support
certain linkers (such as PLINK) with the %L variable which don't
work with a space as the separater.
- Fixed a bug that would cause the program to crash on returning
from a shell if the UNITY.VID was not found at startup. This
meant unregistered versions would always crash after a DOS
shell since video device drivers are not supported without
registration.
- You can now define string macros from the Program/Symbols menu
selection. For example, typing BASE=MYFILE defines the symbol
$(BASE).
- You can now define string macros in the environment. For
example, at the DOS prompt you can type:
SET $(ASM)=assemble /m %%B%%N
Note the use of two percent characters. DOS replaces double
percents with a single percent when typing at the DOS prompt.
Then environment is always checked last so macros defined in
the project file or with Program/Symbols will take precedence.
- Unity now gives up time to Desqview more often. Since I
started actually using Desqview I've been able to fine tune
settings that were originally implemented using pure theory.
When there are no keystrokes pending Unity will give up nearly
all the available time to Desqview.
- Removed the Pick Error command. It was buggy and not all that
useful.
- New beg screen. Looks "spiffy". I know, who cares.
Version 3.2.1
- When a compile error is detected, all the files are kept open
instead of closing all files except the one with the error.
If the number of open files is at the limit (currently 6
windows) one file will be closed to make room for the new
file. After switching to or loading the first error file the
screen will be ZOOMED so the errant file fills the screen.
- Added a DesqView Video Mode option. Set this to the video
mode you desire when running under DesqView. This option was
added because of DesqView's limited video mode support. The
default mode is 25x80.
- Because of the previous change (DesqView Mode), the format of
the configuration file has changed. Included is UCONVERT.EXE
which will convert old format UNITY.CFG files to the new
format. Simply execute UCONVERT.EXE while in the same
subdirectory as a configuration file.
- I forgot to mention this, as of version 3.1.0 Unity only
requires expanded memory LIM 3.2, not LIM 4.0 as in previous
versions.
- Now, if you change the fixed tab size, the new tab size will
be used in the current window.
- Fixed the cursor so that it would be hidden on the file pick
lists (Utilities/Directory, etc).
- Added the variable %COMSPEC for use in project files. This
can be used to execute the command processor, for example:
#WINDOW %COMSPEC DEL %B%N.BAK
- Took out compression of the help text. It wasn't being
compressed all that much but took up about 10k of code and
data space.
- Added the Shift Block Left and Shift Block Right commands.
These are set to ShiftF7 and ShiftF8 by default (also AltLft
and AltRgt if an enhanced keyboard is detected). Useful when
changing the indent levels of a block of source code.
- Fixed a bug where EMS swapping was disabled if there was
sufficient XMS memory available for the swap but it was
disabled from the "sWapping" menu.
- Added the #BUILDON and #BUILDOFF directives for use in project
files. #BUILDON causes all subseqent files to be treated as
if they are out of date while #BUILDOFF switches back to the
default mode of testing the date stamp of files to decide if a
recompile is in order.
- Changed project code so that a dependency list is retained
until a blank line is reached. Previously, a project
directive such as #ELSE or #ENDIF would cause the dependency
list to be cleared.
Version 3.2.0
- Users of QEMM, 386^MAX, or other memory managent programs
should no longer have a problem with Unity.
- Unity now traps compiler messages that are displayed using the
BIOS and redirects them using the standard output device. This
should fix problems with programs such as Clipper and Realia
Cobol which partially use the BIOS for displaying messages.
- When parsing project files, command line options, such as %N had
to be in upper case (%n wouldn't work). This has been fixed.
- The timed delay is entirely gone. You must now press a random
function key to get by the startup screen. This is the least
offensive type of "annoy-ware".
- There was a slight bug that could cause your screen to switch
to the second display on some occassions.
- Unity now uses device drivers to handle special video modes.
However, I've decided to only include special device drivers
with registered copies. Without registering you can only get
the standard 80x25 mode. With registration you will receive
the following device drivers:
EGA : 80x25, 80x43
VGA : 80x25, 80x28, 80x50
TRIDENT VGA : 80x25, 80x28, 80x30, 80x43, 80x50, 80x60,
132x25, 132x30, 132x43, 132x60
Registering will also include the assembler source code to
these drivers and documentation of the format so you could
modify them for other specialized video cards. Additional
video device drivers will be included when they are written.
Version 3.1.2
- Now completely supports an external configuration file. When
you use the SAVE DEFAULTS option you are given the choice of
saving to a configuration file or modifying the EXE. The
configuration file is automatically read on startup.
- You can now have the editor save your files at specified
intervals. You can select time range (0 to 255 minutes)
that specifies how long to wait before automatically saving
modified files. Setting the timer to zero (0) disables
autosave. The default timer interval is 0 (disabled). The
files will only be saved if there has been at least 30 seconds
of keyboard inactivity. Note, if you use the GetCfg program
provided with version 3.1.1 it will set the timer to 1 minute.
The first thing you should do is set it to a more reasonable
value.
- The old autosave option, which specified if all files should
be saved before a compile or just the current file, is no
longer supported. Now all files are always automatically
saved before invoking a compiler-type tool.
- Added support for the VGA 28 line mode. This is experimental and
may get removed in future versions if it causes too many problems.
- Added the #VAR project file directive and the associated $(name)
string macros. This allows you to define a string at the start
of a project file and have it automatically inserted in the proper
locations. Consult UNITY.DOC for additional details on this very
powerful feature.
- You can specify where the support files are located by declaring the
environmental variable UNITY=. It uses the same format as the PATH=
variable, for example:
SET UNITY=C:\PASCAL;C:\UNITY
Support file searches are now made in the following order:
1. The current directory
2. Each path specified by the UNITY= environmental variable.
3. The path specified by the Home Directory setting in
the Options submenu.
4. The subdirectory where the UNITY.EXE is located (DOS 3.x
and later, only).
5. Each path specified by the PATH= environmental variable.
Files searched for using this specification are:
UNITY.HLP
UNITY.MAC
UNITY.CFG
All error filters
All compilers and tools
- Fixed a minor bug where the error message returned when an execution
failed was not properly set which resulted in unusual error messages.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the editing of program names before being
executed.
- Modified the execution code so that an attempt will be made to execute
a program even if no swapping modes are enabled. Memory availability
will be limited so it may not work with large programs.
- The 10 second delay has been reduced to a mere 5 seconds. If you still
think this is too much you can always register and get the brand program
which will remove the delay and advertisment on all versions of Unity.
- When the help file is created it is now compressed. Other than
using a smaller help file this change should be completely
transparent.
Version 3.1.1
- If your system is equipped with dual monitors the compiler
messages will be sent to the second monitor instead of in
a window of the first monitor. The second monitor is the
one not active when you first execute UNITY.
Dual display mode can be disabled from the menu (Options,
Display, Dual) if it causes any conflicts with other software
such as DesqView. Be sure to save your configuration
(Options, Save) after changing the mode if you wish to make it
permanent. Dual Display is enabled by default.
- GETCFG.EXE and PUTCFG.EXE have been added to ease the transition
from version 3.1.0 (don't use it on an older version!). GETCFG
reads the configuration from UNITY.EXE and stores it in UNITY.CFG.
PUTCFG.EXE reads the contents of UNITY.CFG and writes it to
UNITY.EXE. To use, simply type GETCFG<cr>, making sure that the
older version is in the current directory. Aftwards, put the
new version in current directory and type PUTCFG<cr>.
- You can now edit the full program name and command line when
doing an "Execute". This makes it possible to locate programs
that are compiled to other than the default directory.
- The '%D' command line option has been added. It will be
replaced by the filename (no path or extension) of the primary
file. If the primary file has not been specified the default
file name (no path or extension) will be used. This was added
to allow debuggers and other tools to be passed the correct
file name.
- A minor bug was removed that made it impossible to enter lower
case letters for command line options in UINST.EXE.
- When you load a file to edit, if a project file of the same name
exists in the same directory it will be selected as the primary
file automatically.
- A new project directive command has been added. #WINDOW works
exactly the same as the #SHELL command except it will attempt
to keep the output of the program in the execution window as
if it were installed as a compiler tool. Programs that skip
the standard output device can not be executed with this command.
Version 3.1.0
- You asked for it, swapping to disk has now been implemented. By
default this feature is disabled. You must supply a drive
letter to enable this feature. It is highly recommended that
you limit disk swapping to a RAM disk. Physical disks, even
fast hard drives, tend to be a bit on the sluggish side and
can greatly reduce the speed of a large project file which may
require multiple disk swaps.
- The "mEmory" menu option (under Options) has been changed to
"sWapping". Note the use of the letter "W" instead of "S" as
the selection character. This is to avoid conflict with the
"Save setup" menu option.
- You can now specify a full path for tools when you install
them with UINST. This will allow Unity to find programs that
are not on the PATH.
- The "G" option is now ignored when doing a normal text search.
The "global" option is only used when doing Search and Replace
or Search and Apply Macro.