The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-386-Vol-2of3.iso/b/bibnet30.zip/REVISION.HST

Text File | 1993-01-05 | 16KB | 394 lines

      REVISION HISTORY of BIBL/NET

3.01  Fixed problems with default file names.
      Fixed inability to create a BIX file under
       release 3.0 (yikes!)
      Fixed problem with import function.

3.00  New database structure. BIBL 8.0 and BIBL/NET 3.0
      now share same structure...databases may be moved
      freely between systems (although single-user and
      network version of BIBL use a different indexing
      algorithm). Rebuild your index when moving a
      *.DAT and *.IX file from one version of the
      program to another!

      Added mouse support to note field editing.

      Added ability to move cursor to a specific spot
      in a record by clicking twice on the spot...a
      big help for making subsequent edits.

      Additional RAM freed during Shell to DOS.  Will
      use XMS memory if available at the workstation.
      Previously, BIBL/NET would use EMS if found but
      could not manage XMS swapping.  Order now is
      EMS if available, if not, then XMS, if that's
      not found (or not in sufficient supply), the
      virtual memory (disk) is used.

      Expanded "white space" on data entry / edit
      screen. More room between fields...making it
      a bit easier to move about (particularly with
      a mouse).

      New internal file viewer added. This one can look
      at files of any size.  You probably won't have need
      for it, but this viewer also supports HEX viewing
      (just press ALT-H). Press F1 for help with commands
      when using the built-in viewer.

      Up to 1000 matches now possible (previously, the
      system would gather up to 800 matches before
      display). Due to memory savings realized elsewhere,
      we've increased this limit to 1000.

      Changed indexing structure and number of indexed
      fields...to improve performance and reduce disk
      space requirements. Now BIBL/NET maintains 4
      indexes instead of 5. Gone is the subject index.
      It wasn't used for much, and was taking 30+
      bytes per record.  Removing it will speed up
      redindexing, import, and global changes. While
      the index for the subject field has been
      removed, you can still search by subject. See
      BIBLNET.DOC for complete information on which
      fields are indexed.

      Improved support for renamed fields on search
      screen (popup window where query is entered).

2.82  Reduced stack requirement by a few
      thousand bytes...

2.81  Fixed bug with User-Selects option under
      Export. If you accepted the USERLIST.TXT
      default for your export file name, BIBL/NET
      bombed with a run-time error of 3...if
      you gave the file a name of your own
      choosing, everything was fine.  Fixed it.
      You can now accept the default name shown
      and it will be written to the user's
      export directory.

2.80  Added built-in wordprocessor for the note
      field.  Doing so caused rearranging the
      data entry/editing screen. You now have
      word-wrap within the note field editor!

      Added online help during data entry/editing
      process

      Bug fix. When editing a record that was part
      of a set of matches from a search, saving
      the record sometimes took you to a random
      spot within the set of matches once the
      changed record was filed.


2.73  Fixed bug under Boolean search with dumping
      results to disk. ALL records were going to
      disk, not just the matches.  Yes, technically
      speaking the function worked--that is, the
      matching records were written to disk--but
      the rest of the database wasn't supposed to
      go there too!

      Also fixed bug with the function that was
      writing the file to the server, not the
      user's export path.

2.72  minor tweak

2.71  Added ability to limit FULL SEARCH and BOOLEAN
      SEARCH to whole-word matches.  If you want to
      restrict a match to a whole word (text with a
      space on either end), then append a /w to your
      search term(s).

      Expanded possible matches on searches to 800
      (from 650).

      Changed action key on search menu for Keyword
      field from D to a K (reflecting the change in
      name from Descriptor to Keyword). Should have
      made this change with release 2.55!

      Reduced number of records per database from
      2 billion to 5 million.  This was done to
      enable BIBL/NET to store more in-memory keys
      during operation--since the btree is smaller
      (6 levels deep instead of 8).

2.70  Introduced CLONING during data entry.
      If you finish entering a new record and want to copy
      it to yet another new record (in instances where you
      have two to enter that differ only slightly), you can
      press C to Clone the data...then edit the changes in
      the new record.  This is similar to the "carry forward"
      feature in dBASE.

      A few other minor changes made to the program.

2.62  Changed name of help info from BIBL.HLP
      to BIBLNET.HLP.

      "Show close matches" function (activated
      when you don't get a match on an indexed
      search, reworked. Speed increased and
      disk accesses reduced.


2.61  Fixed a few quirks in User-Selects export
      option (particularly formats C and E).

      BIBL/NET now returns to the path where
      BIBLNET.EXE resides before exiting. Before,
      if a user was using a PRIVATE database,
      BIBL/NET would exit back to the private
      directory when the program was terminated.

      Verify keys/subject window reworked a bit.

2.60  Now User-Selects export option offers ability
      to select the order in which fields will
      appear in reports.  New option for output
      format (tabs between fields and a hard return
      after each record).

2.57  Under export, BIBL/NET now correctly limits user
      to entering just a file name for the export
      file it will create.  The Export Path defined
      in the User's security record will be added
      so that files are directed to that user's
      private area (either on the server or their
      local disk).

      New option added user export--User Defined.
      You can now say what fields to include in
      a report and sort on one of 3 fields (author,
      title or subject).  Option C will output
      each record on a single line (with a hard
      return between records). This should be
      very helpful for word processing.

2.56  Message appears as BIBL/NET is filing a record
      after an edit. After watching this process on
      a huge database (and a very slow network), we
      realized a status message would be helpful

2.55  BIBL/NET now rereads record from disk once "edit"
      option is selected. This was done to help user
      learn quickly whether or not a record was
      deleted between the time it was first displayed
      and then later selected for editing (pressing E
      when record was displayed).

      If a given field in a record is empty, the
      field label doesn't display.  This helps
      keep the screen from looking too busy on
      records where only a few fields are
      used.

      If file is locked when you select it from the
      DATABASE selection menu, you'll be returned
      to the selection menu instead of being dropped
      back to the DOS prompt.

      You can now change the display label for
      DESCRIPTOR field as well. Descriptor is now
      called Keywords, the default label is 'Keys:'

      Cleaned up support for field relabelling
      during global change function. BIBL/NET was
      reporting default field names, not the ones
      you might reassign. Everything worked fine
      but the onscreen information was confusing.

2.54  Added 'Automatic' switch to global find & replace.
      After reviewing a couple of changes (to insure that
      BIBL/NET is changing what you expected to be changed)
      you can press A for AUTOMATIC. The system will
      automatically make any remaining changes without
      pausing for your review.

      SHELL to DOS now frees up more memory.

      BIX file creation now goes to USER'S PRIVATE DIRECTORY
      under all conditions. You can not write it to the
      directory where BIBLNET.EXE resides.

2.53  Several fixes to BIBL/NET operations

      When attempting to access a locked file (reindexing
      underway, etc), BIBL/NET now returns you to the
      database selection menu -- rather than exiting to
      DOS with a message about trying later.

      Bibliography generation of Labelled format (creation
      of a BIX file) will now correctly write to the
      user's export directory. Previously, it was writing
      this file to the server directory. If the user didn't
      have creation rights, BIBL/NET bombed with a
      run-time error (#5, File access denied).

2.52  Reworked the way BIBL/NET displays records under
      indexed searching (author, title, subject and
      or descriptor). Now BIBL/NET collects all matches
      and displays them as a set. You can move freely
      about the set (by pressing F (forward), B (back)
      or J (jump to a particular record).  As a result
      of this implementation, BIBL/NET is limited to
      displaying the first 650 matches for a given
      search.

2.51  Fixed incomplete implementation of label changing
      via a DBL file. Now search menu and export menu
      reflect changes made in a DBL file.

2.50  Improved searching algorithm for non-indexed searches.

     Major reworking of PUBLISHER, LOCATION, FULL and
     BOOLEAN search function (all non-indexed searches).
     Gone are the klunky "End of File Reached" messages
     and the blinking 'wait' as BIBL searched...

     BIBL now runs through the entire database looking for
     matches before showing you any matching records.  By
     gathering all matches ahead of time, we've cut out the
     long delays that often accompanied moving back and
     forth between matches--BIBL no longer has to search
     for each additional match, but 'knows' where all the
     matching records are.  If your database has more than
     a couple hundred records, you'll immediately
     notice the improvement. Changing the search algorithm
     also enabled the addition of a JUMP command to these
     searches.  Once the set of matches has been
     collected, you can JUMP from one match to any other,
     if desired. Sequential movement through the matches
     (Forward & Backward) is still supported.

     Another improvement here is the ability to
     edit records that are a part of the matching
     set...without having BIBL return you to the
     search menu once the change has been filed!

     The one drawback to this new algorithm is that
     BIBL must limit your match set to no more than
     600 records.  If you conduct a search that
     results in more than 600 matches, only the
     first 600 will be shown. You'll receive a
     "match limit exceeded for this search"
     message...which indicates you should narrow
     your search.

     This limit was imposed to keep from imposing
     a serious RAM requirement on users who rely
     more on indexed retrieval.

     BIBL now requires approximately that 462K of
     RAM be free at the DOS prompt when BIBL
     loads.




2.44  Registered version only:

      If your workstation has at least 320K of EMS memory
      available, BIBL/NET will use it for in-memory
      storage of index buffers.  If you have a large
      database (1000+ records), using an EMS equipped
      workstation to rebuild the index will show
      very dramatic (100-200%) speed improvements.

      Registered and SHAREWARE:

      Improved handling of mouse. Double clicking on file names
      now works as you'd expect.

      Improved variety of video supported.

      Minor changes throughout the program.

      Added memory check during loading of BIBL/NET. If you
      don't have 63K of free RAM after the program loads
      then BIBL/NET will halt with an appropriate error
      message.

      If you workstation has EMS memory available, BIBL/NET
      will now use it for index storage, leaving more RAM
      free to the program.

2.43  Minor internal change to facilitate testing. If you're
      attached to a server, but not logged in, you can still
      run BIBL/NET on your local harddisk..and enter your
      user name. Previously (under 2.30 - 2.42) if you weren't
      logged into the net, you could only access the program
      in read-only (security level 0) mode.

      Improved support for label changes (didn't work exactly
      as advertised in 2.42).

2.42  Registered version:

      Added ability to change labels for fields in a database.

      Registered & Shareware:

      Added support for the VALUE field.

2.41  Verify function during add/edit now checks subject
      as well as descriptor.

2.40  Rebuild Index function will now purge deleted records
      if desired. Remember that if you'll soon be adding
      records, there's no need to purge deleted records
      (as BIBL/NET will reuse them before adding empty
      records to your database).

      BIBL/NET status bar display changed a bit. Easier to see
      if you're in a private or networked database from the
      status bar.

2.30 - BIBL/NET now picks up user name from NETWARE...so you
       only see the password screen if your NOVELL login name
       is in the BNETSEC database.  Simplifies sign-on for
       validated users and speeds things up for the
       general public (security level 0 users)

       Network information screen expanded.  Now reports
       Capture status and your Netware connection number
       along with a general redesign of the screen's layout

       Security level 0 users no longer receive unauthorized
       function when trying to edit/delete/transfer or
       save records.  Options are merely inactive.

2.20 - FIX to shareware version. Registered version not affected
2.10 - Major improvement in speed of reindexing.
2.01 - Minor fix in handling of private databases. BIBL/NET
       no longer hangs if user logs in and selects a private
       database that was stored on a local workstation but
       user is accessing system from another workstation
       that does not contain the private (export) directory
       recorded within the BIBL/NET security table.
2.00 - database structure changed to match single-user version
       of BIBL. Note field expanded to 10 lines. New Add/Edit
       data entry functions. Numerous tweaks to improve
       performance and clean up minor quirks in earlier
       releases. Descriptor field now supports 9 terms.
1.05 - fixed bug in index rebuild during a global change.
1.04 - fixed bibliography production so output will go to
       user's private directory.
1.03 - changed systemwide status bar. BIBL/NET now reports
       whether you're logged into a [P]rivate (personal)
       or [N]etwork (public) database.
1.02 - added capability for personal databases for security level
       3, 4 or 5 users.  Personal databases are stored in the
       drive/subdirectory the user points BIBL to via the
       User Export Directory variable in the security database.
       A few tweaks in other areas of the program. Added
       a few more installation instructions.
1.01 - Initial release.