Monster Media 1996 #14/Monster Media No. 14 (April 1996) (Monster Media, Inc.).ISO/pcboard/pcbck321.zip/WHATS.NEW

Text File | 1996-02-28 | 16KB | 340 lines

REMEMBER: You must rerun SETUP after installing a new version!

Version 3.21 (02-28-96)
  Bug Fixes:
    PCBCheck now reports only one error message (instead of 4-5) when the
      PCBCHECK.INI file is an old version
    Removed conflict between "add file to archive" and "convert all archives
      to ZIP" features
    "Convert to ZIP" used to extract some files twice, resulting in a
      warning condition from ARJ (because files were overwritten)

Version 3.20 (02-01-96)
  New Features:
    Privileged users can now be exempt from age checking and type checking

  Bug Fixes:
    If the first line of a FILE_ID.DIZ was blank and PCBCheck was set to
      remove blank lines, it included fragments of the default description

  Changes:
    Added a new file, PCBCHECK.HLP, for use by SETUP

Version 3.10 (11-08-95)
  New Features:
    Created the concept of "privileged users", users who can be specified
      by name to be exempt from certain checks
    Privileged users can now be exempted from duplicate checking
    Can remove high ASCII codes from imported descriptions (useful in
      removing frames, etc...)
    Configurable through setup to remove PCBoard @-codes from imported
      descriptions (will remove @ color codes, and some potentially dangerous
      @-codes)
    Can remove |-color codes from imported descriptions
    RAR is now a fully supported archiver, including: autodetection and
      setup of RAR by SETUP, auto-fill-in of RAR parameters by SETUP
      if you enter RAR manually as an archiver, detection of out of memory
      and disk full RAR error returns by PCBCheck.  Note that RAR is a
      memory PIG.  Unless you have >600K free when starting PCBoard and
      have PCBoard set to swap out on shells, it probably won't work in
      PCBCheck (it works really well under PCBoard for OS/2 or PCBoard for
      DOS in a VDM.

  Bug Fixes:
    Fixed up @-code removal a bit
    If PCBCheck 3.03 was run with an invalid filename it would pause 10
      seconds on exit, as if unregistered, even with a key present
    PCBCheck is now compatible with older versions of PCBoard (test from
      15.22 back to 15.0).

Version 3.03 (10-01-95)
  Changes:
    This version is being distributed primarily to give registered users
      time to move to the new key system before the release of 3.10 which
      will support ONLY the new system - whereas this version supports
      new and old

  New Features:
    The PCBoard @-code stripping now strips @X color codes from the
      FILE_ID.DIZ

  Bug Fixes:
    PCBCheck was running the PCBDupe plugin on TESTed files which is
      incorrect behavior because TESTed files then failed because they
      failed duplicate checking


Version 3.02 (9-18-95)
  Bug Fixes:
    Cleaned up some of the default ARJ and LZH switches to enhance security
      and remove an error introduced in 3.00 in which ARJ would occasionally
      display a prompt for the sysop during processing.  To take advantage
      of these changes you must instruct SETUP not to use ARJ or LZH, then
      reenter it to have SETUP fill in the new default switches.
    Modified setup to allow long archiver parameter strings (to accomodate
      the above changes)
    In non-graphics mode with ANSI cursor repositioning enabled, PCBCheck
      3.00 and 3.01 displayed the ANSI color & graphic background before
      switching into black and white non-graphics mode

Version 3.01 (9-5-95)
  Bug Fixes:
    PCBCheck would try (unsuccessfully) to convert embedded ARJ's, etc...
      to ZIPs.
    Tried adding a slight delay at the end of PCBCheck (after its done
      writing but before it "gives up" the port) to ensure all data has
      been written

  Changed:
    Improved the robustness of error checking in the INI reading/writing
      routines used by SETUP so SETUP should tell you if it was unable to
      write the INI file
    Made the INI writing routines used by SETUP faster so writing the INI
      file should never take more than a couple seconds now

Version 3.00 (8-21-95)
  New Features:
    Redesigned SETUP quite a bit:
      Archiver menu now allows adding/deleting archivers (essential to new
        no-PCC design)
      Archiver page now allows entering info that used to be stored in
        PCC modules
      Virus page allows manual entry of up to 5 virus scanners (automatically
        fills in parameters for SCAN and F-PROT)
    PCBCheck can reject archives which contain an empty FILE_ID.DIZ file
    PCBCheck can remove ANSI codes (including color codes, keyboard
      remapping, cursor control, etc...) from descriptions imported from
      FILE_ID.DIZ or DESC.SDI description files
    PCBCheck removes some PCBoard @-codes from imported descriptions
    Remote output can be suppressed
    Can send mail to user giving the PCBCheck reason for file failure
    New support for PCBCheck "plugins" (such as PCBCheck Duplicate Monitor)
    PCBCheck talks directly to the OS/2 comm drivers instead of needing a
      FOSSIL driver under PCBoard for OS/2

  Changes:
    PCC files are gone, archiver info is now dynamically entered through
      SETUP and stored in the INI
    PCBCHECK.CFG file is gone, info is now stored in text PCBCHECK.INI file
      (for easier addon application support and easier upgrade transitions
      within PCBCheck)
    PCBCheck no longer offers an "archive master type" rather offers a
      "convert to zip" feature (ZIP was the only possible master type in
      past versions anyway)
    Removed 3-second delay after PCBCheck runs

  Bug Fixes:
    PCBCheck and SETUP were both rewritten and reorganized in large chunks,
      primarily to make them more modular and sharing more code to promote
      cross-platform possibilities and make addons more feasible.  In the
      process I encountered and fixed at least a dozen small quirks which
      may have manifested themselves in strange errors.
    Big modifications to the port detection and graphics mode detection code
      to make PCBCheck more compatible with PCBoard for OS/2.
    Fixed a problem in which files uploaded offline weren't properly
      deleted

Version 2.50 (05/26/95)

  New Features:
    Redesigned SETUP interface with added menus (might make it easier to
      use, might just make it take longer to get where you want.  Anyway,
      its more like the PCBoard we all know and love)
    Wildcards (* and ?) can now be used in the "file to test" field of
      PCBCheck.  In either LOCAL or OFFLINE mode, this allows PCBCheck to
      test or simulate uploading large batches of files.
    PCBCheck now includes a lookup table for error messages so when error
      messages are mailed/log they will include a short description in
      addition to the unintuitive error number

Version 2.41 (5/12/95)
  Bug Fix:
    Changes in the date checking in 2.40 caused date checking to behave
      incorrectly with small numbers of files -- fixed.

Version 2.40 (5/02/95)

  New Features:
    Sysops can now specify the PCBoard mail name of the sysop who is in
      charge of the file areas so mail to sysop will be properly directed
    PCBCheck output (error messages) can be directed to the CALLER file
    Reason for file failure can be appended to CALLER file

  Changed:
    Reorganized testing scheme so even non-recognized, non-archive uploads
      are scanned for viruses if virus scanning is enabled
    Increased size of file counter (previously if a few hundred files in
      an archive were newer than the acceptable date, the new percentage
      became inaccurate.  The limit is now much higher).

Version 2.32 (3/23/95)
  Bug Fixes:
    Corrected a problem in which SETUP would not allow users to select
      to fail uploads without descriptions

Version 2.31 (3/19/95) (Not released to the public)
  Bug Fixes:
    Corrected a problem which caused embedded archives with short names
      to fail
    Corrected spacing problems on non-ANSI displays
    Redesigned non-ANSI screen to not use ASCII characters abover 127

Version 2.30 (3/06/95)
  New Features:
    Allows failing of uploads if a FILE_ID.DIZ or other description file
      is not present

  Bug Fixes:
    TESTing a file while logged on locally may have resulted in an error
      in previous versions
    Fixed yet another bug in date testing: newest/oldest dates were
      inaccurate if no files existed in root directory of archive
    Warp-friendlier

  Changes:
    Decreased delay when PCBCheck finishes checking, adding 'Leaving
      PCBCheck message'

Version 2.21 (10/13/94)
  Bug Fixes:
    New virus routines in 2.20 didn't always properly detect viruses

  Changes:
    Redesigned FILE_ID.DIZ not to use high ASCII characters because
      of user requests

Version 2.20 (09/20/94)
  Bug Fixes:
    Adapted PCBoard 'TEST' support to work with 15.2 betas (the parameter
      passing was changed on me)
    Archives with nothing in the root directory may have failed date
      checking previously
    Some incorrect RAM drive handling on certain failing ZIPs was fixed

  Changes:
    Reordered testing order in PCBCheck so the very first thing done is
      importing the FILE_ID.DIZ (that way the FILE_ID.DIZ is almost
      certain to be imported, even if PCBCheck or the upload fails)
    Better PKZIP and ARJ error handling should make less -35 errors
    F-Prot and McAfee's SCAN support is now automatic and built-in.  Note
      that changes in SETUP (running SETUP should properly import your
      old virus scanning settings, even if you previously used F-Prot,
      Scan, or a different scanner)
    Should now include subdirectories in archives in the date/age/total files
      scan - leading to more correct results (particularly if the root
      directory of an archive was empty or sparsely populated)
    Dropped 'REFRESH' mode because PCBFiler now allows direct importing of
      FILE_ID.DIZ (in 15.2 betas)

Version 2.11 (07/08/94)

  New Features:
    Now autodetects FOSSIL compatible ports set up as COMM-DRV ports

  Bug Fixes:
    Memory management bug prevented proper removal of work directory
      if archive contained a large number of subdirectories
    Converting all archives to a master type no longer interferes with
      non-archive file recognition
    If a RAM disk filled up PCBCheck correctly moved operations to the
      hard drive, but still reported an error (though the file passed)
    Remote background text color may have been displayed incorrectly for some
      color scheme (.SCR) files
    Eliminated possible conflict between converting archive types and
      offline uploading (which would've also interfered with REFRESH)

Version 2.10 (06/27/94)

  New Features:
    FOSSIL communications support
    Sysops can limit FILE_ID.DIZ import length
    Blank lines can be removed from imported descriptions (FILE_ID.DIZ)
    DESC.SDI support (kind of)

  Bug Fixes:
    New swapping routines should fix problems where an unreasonable error level was
      returned by PKUNZIP.
    Once again improved the odds of a corrupt archive being failed instead
      of being treated as a program error
    Resolved header problems which caused mail which should have been sent
      to the sysop to be sent to PCBCheck
    Last line of a FILE_ID.DIZ may have been cutoff previously
    Add files to archive should now work (previously it had troubles finding
      the file it was supposed to add)
    Fixed RAM disk support (PCBCheck didn't always switch over to the hard
      drive when the RAM disk became full, rather it sometimes returned
      an error message)

Version 2.0b (04/15/94)

  Changes:
    Mail sent by PCBCheck now bears the return address 'PCBCheck' rather
      than 'SYSOP' in case sysops don't read mail from themselves
    PCBCheck will remove blank lines from the FILE_ID.DIZ (sometimes)

  Bug Fixes:
    Registered users need not be so careful about method of key entry
      (you'd know if it affected you)
    PCBCheck now properly fails files, rather than interpreting some
      corrupt files as external program failures
    If the archive already contains the file to be 'added' PCBCheck will
      not add it a second time

Version 2.0a (04/07/94)

  Bug Fixes:
    PCBCheck tried to delete files from the delete files list if they
      occurred anywhere in the path- no real harm done, just inconvenient
    Fixed some pointer problems which caused random errors
    No more -37 errors on attempts to delete files from archives
    Multiple acceptable non-archives didn't always work in 2.0
      (NOTE: the above bug caused lockups during the archive detection
      phase on some configurations)
    Accepted non-archives will include 'OK' notation on testing line

Version 2.0  (04/01/94)

  New Features:
    PCBCheck can change the format (archive type) of recognized archive
      uploads to one master type (only with PCBoard 15.1+)
    PCBCheck will now test embedded archives as deeply as possible
    PCBCheck's date checking will now check ALL the dates in a file to
      see if a set percentage of the files are newer than the
      specified date (more accurate then 'newest date' comparisons)
    A trashcan list can be used to reject uploads with bad filenames
    New OFFLINE mode allows PCBCheck to check files while PCBoard isn't
      running (like local mode) but also moves them to the UPLOAD directory
      and imports the description (same effect as a local upload!)
    PCBCheck can now append the oldest file date to description
    PCBCHECK.EXE should be SIGNIFICANTLY smaller.  No, it was not
      compressed (PKLITE-type) in any way.  Rather both PCBCheck and
      SETUP were rewritten and HIGHLY optimized
    Archives can now have non-standard extensions and still be detected
    SETUP can now modify any configuration file (not just PCBCHECK.CFG)
    Redesigned SETUP program and reorganized pages
    PCBCheck can now support color schemes other than the default
    You can choose which SCR file to use as a background from SETUP
    PCBCheck can now delete named files from archives
    You can now instruct PCBCheck to allow unrecognized files to pass
    The '?' wildcard can be used in the acceptable non-archive extension list
    PCBCheck now has a built-in PCBoard mail engine
    PCBCheck can send mail to the sysop to notify him of uploads which
      failed virus checking
    PCBCheck can send mail to the sysop to notify him of PCBCheck internal
      (or external) errors
    SETUP can shell to your DOS editor in either PC-DOS or MS-DOS or your
      VDM QBASIC editor in OS/2 to edit KEYWORDS.PCB, TRASHCAN.PCB, and
      DELETE.PCB from within SETUP

  Bug Fixes:
    The user entered description should appear on the remote screen under
      description now (previously only the descriptions from FILE_ID.DIZ's
      were displayed remotely)
    ATTACHed uploads are now scanned for viruses and date checked, etc...
      though if they are unrecognized they will still pass (same criteria
      as if you have instructed PCBCheck to accept all files).

As version 2.0 was considered a complete rewrite, the WHATS.NEW list
for versions after 2.0 will not contain change made in versions 1.X.