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ID:L3 Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3
Quarterdeck Technical Note
by Stan Young
Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3 is one of a new generation of DOS applications that use
what has become known as "DOS extender technology." DOS extenders allow DOS
applications to access extended memory on either 286 or 386 based machines.
Normally, "Protected mode" programs, which make use of extended memory for
both data and program code could be a problem for DESQview. But since Lotus
Release 3 follows the Virtual Control Program Interface (VCPI) standard, it
is compatible with DESQview and can actually take advantage of the memory
management provided by our 386 expanded memory manager, QEMM-386, which also
supports the VCPI.
First here are a few notes on the specifics of setup on given hardware:
On 286 Machines
Extended Memory Requirement:
Lotus specifies 384K extended as the minimum. However, if you have a large
amount of DOS memory and perhaps some expanded memory available, the figure
may be much lower. We have loaded Lotus 3 on a machine with a 1 Meg expanded
memory board and 128K of extended memory where our QEXT.SYS driver was
already using 64K of the extended. If you have 384K or more of extended
memory, there are no special considerations except to load QEXT.SYS first in
your CONFIG.SYS file and to avoid using up the free extended memory with a
cache or VDISK.
Expanded Memory Systems:
On 286 machines with expanded memory, Lotus recommends disabling the expanded
memory and converting it to extended memory. However, our tests show that 1-
2-3 Rel. 3 sees Conventional, Extended and/or Expanded memory as memory that
it can use. As long as you have a 600K total of free conventional, plus
extended memory, it seems that 1-2-3 can use expanded for the rest. This may
be of considerable benefit to DESQview users who run a range of programs in
addition to 1-2-3.
Running Multiple Copies of "DOS Extended" programs:
Versions of DESQview prior to 2.26 limit you to running one program that uses
extended memory at a time on a 286. However, if you have DESQview 2.26 or
above and the program you are running allocates extended memory using XMS
(Extended Memory Specification) as 1-2-3 version 3.0 and above do, this
limitation does not apply. Assuming you have enough extended memory
available, it is possible to run multiple Lotus 3 programs, or Lotus 3 with
other DOS extended programs, as long as they allocate their memory using XMS
calls. Naturally, you can run Lotus 3 along side other programs that use
conventional or expanded memory.
Writes directly to screen:
1-2-3 Release 3 writes directly to screen, often in graphics mode, and the
DESQview loader for the previous version of 1-2-3 cannot be used. You must
have the window configured to "Writes directly to screen" = Y. 1-2-3 cannot
be run in a small window or in background on a 286 without bleeding through
to foreground screens.
On 386 Machines
Outside of DESQview:
Outside of DESQview on a 386, Release 3 can allocate ALL of its memory from
QEMM. There is no need to reserve ANY extended memory for Lotus Release 3.
In fact, Release 3 will use either reserved extended memory OR memory from
the QEMM memory pool, but not both. So if you are reserving any extended
memory using the "EXT" parameter to QEMM to support disk caches, or VDISKs,
be sure that all of the memory is used by these utilities. Otherwise, it
will be wasted.
At this point, it is worth noting that all the memory that Lotus Release 3
allocates from the QEMM memory pool is used as extended memory, not expanded
memory. This is because both Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3 and QEMM support the VCPI.
The use of the memory, once allocated, does not demand any of the normal
overhead to support expanded memory paging. It becomes linear memory to
1-2-3.
Inside DESQview:
Windowing 1-2-3 Release 3.0: On EGA and VGA displays, using the default
Lotus configuration, you cannot run Release 3 in a small window. The default
configuration sets Lotus up to run in graphics mode and it writes directly to
screen from protected mode. DESQview 386 cannot virtualize protected mode
graphics as it can standard DOS graphics. If you want Release 3 to run in a
small window, configure a video driver set that looks for both a CGA driver
and the EGA or VGA driver. The CGA driver will run the standard spreadsheet
display in text mode, which can be virtualized. Since Lotus allows you to
switch video drivers on the fly by typing "/", "W (orksheet)", "W (indow)",
"D (isplay)", and selecting a driver, it is possible to start with a default
graphics or text display and switch the display when you either want
graphics, or want windowing.
1-2-3 Release 3.1: Release 3.1 cannot be run in a small window whether it is
running in graphics or text mode.
Special Notes for All Systems
1. Avoid "Closing" the window: It is important when running Lotus 1-2-3
Release 3 in DESQview on either a 286 or 386 to avoid closing the window,
with the DESQview "Close Window" command. If you do, the memory it was using
cannot be recovered. This is because the memory is not used as expanded
memory and once Lotus has it, it is no longer under the control of QEMM or
DESQview. Therefore, you need to exit Lotus Release 3 in the normal fashion
so it can deallocate the memory it is using. It is recommended when running
in DESQview that the Lotus Release 3 window ALWAYS have the "Allow Close
Window command" option set to "N." If you close the window on 1-2-3 Release
3, you must close out your programs, quit DESQview and reboot your machine to
recover the memory.
2. Screen blank: Lotus Release 3 blanks the screen in protected mode after
displaying its registration screen. This will cause the entire screen to go
blank for several seconds, even on a 386, while 1-2-3 loads. This is normal.
Don't assume your machine has hung up and reboot. It will eventually load
and the screen will be restored.
3. Refreshing the screen: Sometimes DESQview may not be able to restore the
1-2-3 screen fully when you switch away and return to 1-2-3. If this
happens, you can restore the Lotus screen by reselecting the current video
driver as described above.
4. Release 3.1: If you are running 1-2-3 Release 3.1, you should run the
DESQview Change a Program and be sure that "Keyboard Conflict" is set to 8.
This was not required with Release 3.0, where the keyboard conflict was 0.
Release 3.1's keyboard handling is ill-behaved and will quickly appear to
hang the system when run with a Keyboard Conflict setting other than 8.
Also, you should avoid the use of DESQview's Mark & Transfer feature with
Lotus Release 3.1 due to keyboard handling problems.
Some users of 3.1 also report that it seems to write to the monochrome video
memory area, even on systems with color displays and that this area must be
excluded from use by their memory manager. On a system using QEMM, this
would be done by adding the parameter "X=B000-B7FF" as a parameter to QEMM.
This parameter does not seem to be required in all cases, however.
Configuring the DESQview Setup
The following is a captured Change a Program screen with settings that seem
to work well for Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3 in most configurations. Note: For
Release 3.0, Virtualize text/graphics can be set to "N" and Keyboard
Conflict should be set to "0".
Change a Program
Program Name............: 1-2-3 Rel. 3
Keys to Use on Open Menu: L3 Memory Size (in K): 360
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program...: 123.EXE
Parameters:
Directory.: {location of 123 files}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Options:
Writes text directly to screen.......: [Y]
Displays graphics information........: [Y]
Virtualize text/graphics (Y,N,T).....: [N]
Uses serial ports (Y,N,1,2)..........: [N]
Requires floppy diskette.............: [N]
Change a Program Advanced Options
System Memory (in K).......: 0 Maximum Program Memory Size (in K)..: 640
Script Buffer Size.......: 1000 Maximum Expanded Memory Size (in K): 1312
Text Pages: 1 Graphics Pages: 1 Initial Mode: Interrupts: 00 to FF
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Window Position:
Maximum Height: 25 Starting Height: Starting Row...:
Maximum Width.: 80 Starting Width.: Starting Column:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shared Program
Pathname..:
Data......:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Close on exit (Y,N,blank)......: [Y] Uses its own colors..............: [Y]
Allow Close Window command.....: [N] Runs in background (Y,N,blank)...: [ ]
Uses math coprocessor..........: [Y] Keyboard conflict (0-F)..........: [8]
Share CPU when foreground......: [Y] Share EGA when foreground/zoomed.: [Y]
Can be swapped out (Y,N,blank).: [ ] Protection level (0-3)...........: [0]
Copyright (C) 1990 by Quarterdeck Office Systems
* * * E N D O F F I L E * * *