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1995-06-20
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**************************************************************************
* Changes in Zap between versions 1.20 and 1.30 *
**************************************************************************
This file documents the changes in Zap between versions 1.20 and 1.30. It
also indicates my future plans for Zap and how to contact me with
suggestions.
[I wrote this lot over a month ago, and have been waiting for Acorn to
allocate Olly Betts a SWI number for the latest version of his line editor
module since then. After going to all the trouble of hacking around not
having a SWI number, it arrived yeasterday :-) ]
Changes 1.20-1.30
-----------------
Once again I'm afraid I haven't had time to make all the changes I'd hoped
to. The changes I have made are not very closely related to the previous
changes file either! I am currently writing up my thesis, and so haven't much
spare time. It's better that I get this release out now rather than having it
delayed indefinitely ......
Main changes:
* Zap should now be fully Risc PC compatible - it now uses dynamic areas on
Risc OS 3.5 for storing files and cached fonts to reduce the time taken
to page Zap in and out of memory. Also, it can grab other dynamic areas
for examination.
* Zap extension modes are now loaded `on the fly' and only when needed. This
reduces the start up time and means that all modes are accessible without
having to alter the !Run file or reload Zap. Commands are treated
similarly. The file 'External' stores the details.
* Zap can now use user-designed bitmap fonts of any size. In particular
8x16 fonts are supplied for high resolution modes, producing a much
smoother finish. A large supply of other sized bitmaps are also provided.
3rd party changes:
* New line editor (v2.67) - thanks to Olly Betts.
* A new assembler mode `Sasm' has been provided for David Holden's assembler
of the same name - thanks to James Freeman.
* Two modes to assist the composition of email have been added. Ant Skelton's
MailMode is for use with SMTP/NNTP. Miles Sabin's Email mode is for use
with !TTFN or !QEdit.
* Darren Salt provides a structure for handling filters, and provides filters
to sort a region or format the text in a region (centering,
justifying etc).
* A colour Latex mode has been added by Elliott Hughes, also a word count
command.
* A ZapSetup application - see the options menu - thanks to Matthew Wilcox.
* A nice little module to hide the pointer when you type - thanks to
Martin Ebourne (once again :-). Loaded by default in the !Run file.
Comment it out if you don't like it.
Many of the other modules have been updated to fix bugs and include new
features. Please have a browse around the Help files in the third party
directory!
Misc Changes:
* Zap now supports Emacs style automatic backups: If the directory a file is
saved into contains a directory called ~ (or more generally ~<num>) then
instead of just overwriting the file, it is moved into the ~ directory
before the new copy is saved. Use of multiple ~ directories - eg ~1 ~2
~3 cause multiple backups.
* Speeded up the redraw for 32 thousand and 16 million colour modes.
Also, Zap redraw now contains optimised code for 8*16 fonts as well
as 8*8 fonts.
* Taskwindows now uses the task name of the child task for the title.
Use taskwindow -name to set this.
* Zap's !Boot file now sets up an alias for the Taskwindow command to ensure
that taskwindows which cause Zap to be loaded are now started correctly.
* Increased number of modes Zap can have loaded from 16 to 32.
* You can now specify a list of Zap commands to be executed when a file of
a given type is loaded. In the keys file use the syntax
<mode name>:<first command>:<second command> etc
* Throwback mode now only moves the cursor when adding entries if the cursor
is at the end of the file.
* Command to iconise the current window added.
* If a file has not been altered when saved, then its date stamp is
now preserved.
* Configuration files are now pointed to by System Variables - eg Zap$Keys
to enable `multiple-configurations' easily. A new program !ZapSetup by
Matthew Wilcox can be used to change these.
* Commands which take a byte parameter can now have Ascii letters specified.
Eg Char 'A' instead of Char &65.
* The file type menu now offers a list of all known types again.
* Shift-dragging a file into a window now inserts the name of the file
followed by a space instead of a return.
* scSpace now removes excess space from around the cursor (emacs M-space).
* Changing auto-width mode now updates the window and changing width
automatically switches off auto-width.
* Files with no write access now marked as read only.
* Added support for files with 10,13 line endings. (like the DOS support)
* Oscli now uses the command executed as the window title.
* Wimptask command added for spawning other tasks.
* The minibuffer now has a history buffer associated with it. Up arrow
recalls previous lines etc. This will be added to other windows as well
in due course. NB You need version 1.27 of Olly's LineEditor module
to be loaded for this to work!
Docs changes:
* Zap_WhichMode has changed.
* Added e_openwindow mode entry point to enable 3rd party panes.
* Added pre and post data transfer saving messages (e_init,8)
* Added command table service call for unrecognised wimp messages.
Bug fixes (that should be):
* Toggling the window now preserves the y scroll offset.
* Listing of functions in Basic and Bastxt modes.
* Search:
\+ and \- now work properly.
No longer gets 'stuck' in code mode and basic mode.
Searching backwards now works properly.
Jumping between files by F7 now works.
Escape now works in code mode.
Search as you type now accepts shift-space as space.
* The Oscli command now ignores null strings.
* Errors on loading a file now cause the file to be discarded and the memory
freed.
* Data transfer:
Saving desktop boot file to Zap now works.
Should now put *'s in the right places when saving from one window
to another.
* Taskwindows:
Can now change width without a crash!
Taskwindows now work ok with the view split.
Ctrl-Tab is no longer `swallowed'.
* File attributes preserved when a file is saved.
* cK, move with mouse, cK no longer yanks as a single block.
* Format text now works when the paragraph ends right at the end of a line.
* !Edit type tabs now treat ()'s as normal characters.
* Indenting with wordwrap on and full unsplittable lines no longer crashes.
* SWI names without quotes around them now assemble properly in Code mode.
* The main menu can now include separators and be opened at the right height.
* Text being entered backwards at cursor bug now fixed.
* Search as you type doesn't complain about mismatched brackets any more.
Bugs still present:
* The Computer Concepts Turbo driver bug still hasn't been fixed - beware!
I now know how to fix it but haven't yet got around to it. The bug is
actually in the Turbo drivers printing of background objects. I believe
Computer Concepts will be offering a fix soon.
* Quick outline fonts still have lots of problems. I've sorted out the
bitmaps, but haven't had time to sort out the outline fonts yet.
* Taskwindows - copying large amounts of text into a task window still
fails. Also, quitting lots of taskwindows at once. The taskwindow module
doesn't like receiving multiple wimp messages!
Thanks to the following for help/suggestions/donations/bug reports:
P.Allen, M.Anwar, M.Astley, B.Avison, M.Avison, J.Aylett, R.Betz,
M.Ben-Gershon, O.Betts, C.Booker, M.Borcherds, S.Borrill, B.Brand, T.Browse,
B.Brunswick, N.Carson, D.Cass, C.Cepurneek, P.Colmer, A.Corey, M.Corley,
J.Coxhead, N.Craig-Wood, G.Crow, R.Darlington, J.Davidson, M.Dorey,
M.Ebourne, F.Elisei, A.Finch, J.Freeman, M.Geddes, I.Giblin, D.Gilbert,
S.Glass, D.Good, M.Grainger, P.Greenham, Z.Gunnar, R.Hallas, B.Harris,
P.Hazel, P.Hedderly, J.Hendrix, G.Heslington, B.Hogan, D.Holden, T.Houghton,
D.Howe, E.Hughes, T.Hughes, M.Hughes, P.Ingram, R.Johnson, H.Klingspohr,
C.Latham, D.Layfield, T.Leddi, G.Lee, G.S.Long :-), P.Long, M.Lukat,
C.Marshall, J.Marten, C.Manning, G.McCaughan, A.McMurry, P.McTiernan,
A.Merritt, S.Monesi, P.Moore, D.Murphy, E.Naish, T.Olsson, J.Ovesen,
I.Palmer, D.Pottage, O.Reinert, A.Raab, T.Roddis, C.Rodliffe, H.Rogers,
M.Sabin, G.Saliaris, D.Salt, K.Sangrar, B.Scattergood, K.Schlichting,
O.Schoen, A.Skelton, J.Smith, N.A.Smith, R.L.Smith, A.Southgate,
C.Syntichakis, G.Taylor, L.Taylor, A.Thoukydides, C.Turnbull, J.Tytgat, E.van
de Pol, J.Veness, D.Wagenaar, J.Wallace, R.Watts, P.Wheatley, M. Wilcox,
T.Willemse, M.Williams, R.Wilson, M.Wooding, Wookey, D.Xanthakis, D.Yule,
and all members of the:
OXFORD ACORN USER GROUP
web page: http://www.linc.ox.ac.uk/~aug/
ftp site: misc.linc.ox.ac.uk (directory /aug)
email: aug@misc.linc.ox.ac.uk
Proposed changes 1.30-1.40
--------------------------
Er ... well, this is probably the same list as for the last release :-) To be
honest I'm not at all sure how much time I will have to work on Zap so can't
promise anything. Hopefully there will be a release late October as usual but
there may not be many major changes. I believe Martin Ebourne has great
things planner for his C mode over the summer though.
Let's put it this way. These are the things I'd like to do .... :-)
League 1.
* Changing the ~ backups so they preserve a time delay between the files
when you have multiple directories.
* Regular auto saving of files and proper handling of exceptions.
* Fixing the problems with fast anti-aliased fonts.
* Different font styles (eg italic/bold) associated with each colour.
* Proper colouring in both basic modes (PROC's and Assembler etc).
* Colouring in throwback mode (highlighting match etc).
* Explicit support of OLE.
* Mechanism for specifying in a file which mode it should be loaded into etc.
* Totally redo the help file - which hasn't been updated properly for ages
anyway. Add a hypertext like Zap help mode and/or use StrongHelp.
League 2. [been on the suggestions list for the last n releases :-( ].
* Global folding - don't hold your breath!
* Adjust drag for resizing minibuffer.
* A CR<->LF command.
* Reconnect taskwindow command.
* Option to load dual edits in Read Only mode.
* Adjust on title of file removes whole throwback of that file.
* Function to expand tabs to spaces.
* Bracket matching in basic mode.
* Have a option to run a list of Zap commands in the first few lines of a
text file, when the file is loaded.
* Indication in title when taskwindow still linked.
* Search and replace confined to region.
* Count option in search and replace.
* Update cursor posn when GotoBox open.
* Edit tabs should stop at ('s (also word plus/minus).
* Configurable pixel indent from lhs of window.
* Variable line number column width.
* Cycle window (all window) + move next one to top commands.
* Create a new window in mode/filetype via minibuffer.
* Separate commands for swap case of a char and region?
* Option to have the goto/search dboxes behaving as messydos - ie, first
put the old choice in the dbox, but remove it if the user starts to type
over it.
* Grungy repainting of cursor in margin borders to be improved.
* Update menu shortcuts when basemap changes.
* Want click on window with minibuffer open -> minibuffer.
* Configurable string sent to printer at end of quickprint.
* Completion of commands in the minibuffer.
* Dynamic entry of instructions in code mode.
Suggestions/Contacting me
-------------------------
If you wish to contact me with suggestions or bug reports then my address is
in the Copyright file. I'm afraid that this address is only valid until about
July. I'm not sure where I'll be after that.
If your suggestion concerns one of the extension modes (eg C mode) or
template files, or one of the other things in the 3rdParty directory not
written by me, then please write to the author concerned, and not to me
(unless you have trouble getting through). All their addresses are in the
3rdParty.ReadMe file. If you have trouble getting through to me then try
Martin Ebourne, he knows lots about writing extension modes :-) [and will
probably know where I've moved to.]