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- ============
- PGPShell 3.2
- ============
-
- PGPShell v3.2 has been updated to be compatible with the MIT PGP v2.6
- and Mathew's clever v2.6ui version. It is still compatible with PGP
- v2.3a for those who are not interested in the 'licensing wars' of late
- and want to stick to the tried and true.
-
- In addition to the compatibility update, I've improved on several
- other things:
-
- * new directory dialogue improvements which allow you to choose
- files across directories and drives (and with a mouse)
-
- * ability to load and switch among several PGP keyring files
- located along PGPPATH. Good for viewing your secret key ring
- and your public key ring while in PGPShell
-
- * the use of 4 new config variables located in PGP's CONFIG.TXT,
- three of which are PGP-specific and the fourth the MyName var.
- The three PGP-specific configuration items allow you to
- customize PGPShell by choosing a particular key ring file at
- startup, your own third-party text editor rather than the
- internal one, and a default text message directory to choose
- text files from.
-
- * debugging of some strange code, including a complete rewrite
- of keyring information loading into the KMS. A few users
- reported seeing only garbage in the KMS, so improved error
- correcting should correct this problem.
-
- * PGPShell now sends the entire UserID to PGP for processing.
- This problem popped up when more than one UserID shared the
- same first and last name, e.g., "Steve Jones." Now PGPShell
- will send: "Steve Jones <jones@domain.com>" to ensure that
- the correct key is being acted upon.
-
-
-
- PGPShell 3.1
- ============
-
- PGPShell version 3.0 was a complete from-the-ground-up rewrite of the
- successful, yet clumsy version 2.2. While it was a drastic improvement
- (design and otherwise) over previous versions, some serious bugs worked
- their way in there. Version 3.1 takes care of them all and has some
- extra bells and whistles thrown in as well.
-
- o In MS-DOS ver 6.0+ with the double-space option enabled,
- the FAT table is organized differently. Some of my assembly
- routines conflicted with DOS/double-space and locked up the
- computer (cold, dead complete lockup...) Resorted to tried
- and true methods and squashed this bug.
-
- o Improved and made exception handling more robust, especially
- in the opening key data gathering. PGPShell now displays an
- error message in lieu of the Key Management Screen if key
- data was not gathered properly. Now the only lock-up can
- occur if the PGP key ring is corrupted, which requires the
- user type "pgp -kc" at the DOS prompt. (May or may not clear
- up the problem.)
-
- o PGPShell now supports full UserIDs, instead of last names only,
- so that if before "Smith" was sent to PGP (and PGP complained
- that there were two Smith's) the full "Robert S. Smith" is now
- sent.
-
- o Fixed the overly restrictive requirement that the PGP.EXE file
- exist in the PGPPATH. PGPShell now searches the entire path
- *and* the PGPPATH for the PGP.EXE file enabling users to keep
- the executable in one place and the data files in another.
-
- o PGPSHELL.EXE can now be run from anywhere in the path, not just
- from the current directory. PGPShell still requires that the
- PGP DOS environment variable PGPPATH be set though, because it
- will look there for the output files that it uses to display
- the key ring.
-
- o Fixed several small glitches in the PGPShell Editor. The Editor
- no longer rejects valid DOS file names. Also fixed a backspace
- bug and a wordwrap glitch.
-
- o When entering the Key Management Screen (KMS) information is
- instantly displayed without pressing a key. Also, scrolling
- with the mouse or arrow keys updates the key information
- automatically.
-
- o Put in a CRC routine to ensure greater confidence in the
- executable. Now you can type "PGPSHELL CRC" to get the CRC
- checksum.
-
-
- What I Want to Do in the Very Near Future, (or What I Would Have
- Done, Had I Had More Time Over Spring Break...)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- o Add support for an external string table for all error
- messages and help screens rather than hard coding them in
- the executable. This will facilitate translation of PGPShell
- into languages other than English. (Perhaps my wife will
- volunteer for the Spanish translation...)
-
- o Add support for an external text editor to use in lieu of the
- PGPShell Editor 1.0a. That way those still stuck on edlin
- can go for it!
-
- I'll try to get to these two things in particular this summer
- (Jun 94). Those of you who are bi/tri/multi-lingual (!) and would
- like to see PGPShell translated into a particular language, please
- send me the translation! To do it, go through PGPShell and write
- down the title of the help screen (or error message) and the text
- after that in the translated language. Don't worry about the line
- count, I'll pad the lines if need be *unless* it is longer than
- will fit in the box. It can be shorter than the English text, but
- it can't be longer or the message will get truncated!
-
- All programs have a couple of bugs hanging around... Don't keep 'em
- to yourself! Let me know about them so that I can make PGPShell even
- better than ever. Don't assume someone else already wrote about it,
- because odds are they didn't. You can e-mail me at:
-
- still@rintintin.colorado.edu
-
- or leave a [C]omment to me as the sysop of the Hieroglyphic Voodoo
- Machine BBS at +1 303 443 2457 (V.32bis N81) 24 hours a day. Enjoy!
-