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- 10/01/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- .PATCH27 for a current list of patches to MultiLink release 2.07:
-
-
- Patches for MultiLink release 2.07
-
- Updated 07/31/84
-
-
- Problem: User wants to use Shift-Fn instead of Alt-Fn key
- combinations to access the various partitions.
-
- Solution: Patch MultiLink as follows:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 1166 54 (was 68)
- -e 116b 5c (was 70)
- -e 1170 5d (was 71)
- -e 1176 53 (was 67)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: Eagle 1600-series computer running PC-DOS locks up when
- trying to print.
-
- Solution: Patch MultiLink as follows:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 1f8a 74 (was 75)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: RBBS-PC (bulletin board system) crashes occasionally
- when running under MultiLink.
-
- Comments: The following suggestions are based on information supplied
- by Tom Mack, co-developer of RBBS, who is successfully and
- happily running RBBS release 12.2B under MultiLink 2.07.
-
- Solution: Avoid the use of MLSLICE. Do NOT include a terminal type
- or baud rate with the parameters for the type-9 (RBBS)
- partition. And finally, leave Sysop Paging off. One or
- two of the following patches may also be applicable.
-
-
- Problem: KnowledgeMan, running in a background partition with MLVIDRAM,
- crashes with a "memory allocation error" upon exit to DOS.
-
- Comment: This is a bug in KnowledgeMan; it writes beyond the 4000-byte
- area of video RAM used for text displays. The fix is to
- increase the size of MLVIDRAM, which also requires patching
- MLINK.COM.
-
- Solution: Retrieve the file KMVIDRAM.COM and the latest MLVIDFIX.COM
- from The Software Link's BBS at 404/451-7180. Replace your
- MLVIDRAM.COM with KMVIDRAM.COM. Also, apply the following
- patches to your MLINK.COM. Do NOT use this version of
- MLVIDRAM with the old MLINK, or vice versa!
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e edc 10 (was 0f)
- -e ee2 10 (was 0f)
- -e eef 10 (was 0f)
- -e ef7 10 (was 0f)
- -e efc 10 (was 0f)
- -e f32 10 (was 0f)
- -e f53 10 (was 0f)
- -e f5c 10 (was 0f)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: User does not wish MultiLink to intercept printer I/O
- requests.
-
- Comment: This patch is required for a PC-Net server machine.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 3332 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -e 333e 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: FORMAT command results in "track 0 bad" error, or MLVIDFIX
- gives strange results.
-
- Comments: A limitation of the PC's DMA feature prevents disk I/O transfers
- across a 64K RAM boundary. Since MultiLink permits memory
- allocations in 1K increments, it is possible to allocate a
- partition so that certain programs that perform block transfers
- of disk data (such as FORMAT and VIDFIX) do not work correctly.
-
- Solution: Perform an MLUTIL MAP function and note the starting addresses
- for each partition, which are expressed in hexadecimal
- segment form. Reallocate your partitions so as to avoid
- addresses like xFxx, xExx, and xDxx; these fall just below
- a 64K boundary and are far more likely to cause problems
- than starting addresses like x0xx, x1xx, etc. See Figure 1
- in your MultiLink manual to help you decide on the new
- allocations, and note that changing a partition's allocation
- by 4K will change the following partition's start address
- by hex 100.
-
-
- Problem: Users with monochrome video experience system lockup or
- other unpredictable results when switching partitions
- (Alt-Fn) with certain hardware/software combinations.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 08a4 f3 a4 ba ff 03 c3
- -e 12c9 e9 d8 f5
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: Volkswriter screens are formatted incorrectly in background.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 0894 89 84 94 00 26 a1 50 04 89 84 86 00 e9 43 05
- -e 0de2 e9 af fa 90
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: Running two or more Compiled BASIC programs which use
- the runtime subroutines at the same time can cause a
- system crash.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 7f6 24 (was 02)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: Running two applications which are processor-intensive
- at the same time and at equal priority, one of them may
- use all available processor time at the expense of the
- other.
-
- Solution: Retrieve a fixed version of MLSLICE.COM from The
- Software Link's bulletin board at 404/252-9438.
-
-
- Problem: Maynard hard disk does not work with MultiLink.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 3464 e3 (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: User does not wish MultiLink to intercept IRQ3
- interrupts.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e e47 eb (Was 74)
- -e 334a 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -e 3464 ef (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: User does not wish MultiLink to intercept IRQ4
- interrupts.
-
- Comments: MultiLink must be patched accordingly. The patch at 3464
- assumes that IRQ3 *is* used by MultiLink; if you apply the
- preceding patch also, then plug in "ff" instead of "f7"
- at this location.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e e72 eb (Was 74)
- -e 3356 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -e 3464 f7 (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
-
- Problem: User wishes shorter time slices when tasks of equal
- priority are sharing processing time.
-
- Comments: The default value of 1 corresponds to about 1/9 second
- per task. Patch in 0 for 1/18 second, as shown below:
-
- Solution: The patch is as follows:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 2473 00 (Was 01)
- -w
- -q
-
-
- Problem: MultiLink's use of interrupt 7F conflicts with a user's
- application.
-
- Comments: Microsoft Word is the only known example of this. The
- following patches change MultiLink to use interrupt 7D.
-
- Solution: Several programs have to be patched. You must first get
- the new version of MLSLICE.COM as described above. Then,
- patch as follows:
-
- A>debug mlslice.com
- -e 0107 f6 (was FE)
- -e 01bd f6 (was FE)
- -e 01d5 f6 (was FE)
- -e 01ed f6 (was FE)
- -e 0204 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 0b24 7d (was 7F)
- -e 0bb4 7d (was 7F)
- -e 2d5b f6 (was FE)
- -e 3271 f4 (was FC)
- -e 3278 f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlutil.com
- -e 0104 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlspool.com
- -e 025c f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlprint.com
- -e 0104 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlvidram.com
- -e 1175 f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- Also, locate the following statement in MLBBS:
- MLSEG!=PEEK(&H1FE)+256*PEEK(&H1FF)
- and change it to:
- MLSEG!=PEEK(&H1F6)+256*PEEK(&H1F7)
-
- 04/26/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- After months of work, MultiLink release 2.07 is finally available!
- The following new features are included:
-
- PC-DOS 2.10 PC-DOS 2.10 is now supported.
-
- Print Spooler Disk files may be used as intermediate storage
- for printed reports. Reports may be classified by
- disposition, priority, and printing requirements.
- Includes mainframe-style control of printing
- operations that is far superior to any other
- hardware or software spooler on the market.
- NO EXTRA CHARGE!!! DOS 2.00 or 2.10 only.
-
- Keyboard Enhancer MLKEY command supports redefinition of
- keys at either the console or a CRT terminal.
-
- ANSI.SYS This device driver which is included with PC-DOS 2.00
- and 2.10 is now supported.
-
- ANSI TERMINALS Terminal type 8 has been added to support CRT
- terminals that communicate with ANSI protocols.
-
- MLUTIL.COM This program was added as a convenient way to run special
- MultiLink functions at command level and can be
- incorporated into a .BAT file. Included is
- a function used to send string information to
- a serial port, and a function used to display
- information pertaining to MultiLink memory usage,
- ports, terminal types, baud rates and priorities.
-
- MLTV910 MLTV910.COM (formerly TV910.COM) now supports
- reverse video. Bugs have been fixed.
-
- Performance MultiLink now switches between tasks more
- frequently, giving a faster response
- to keyboard entry.
-
- Documentation The files README, MLBBSDOC.DOC and MLPARMS have
- been removed from the disk, and their information
- has been incorporated into this documentation.
- The documentation has been completely rewritten.
-
- Shipments will begin on Tuesday, May 1st.
-
- 01/30/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The Revelation relational database system has been added to our list of
- supported software. See .FIXLIST. Also, Tom Mack, a contributor to
- the development of RBBS-PC, has informed us that MultiLink release 2.06
- has resolved ALL OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS in the compatibility of these two
- products. An ecstatic Tom says, "You have the finest product I've ever
- seen!"
-
- 01/24/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The file MLPCTALK.DOC contains instructions for modifying PC-TALK for
- more effective operation under MultiLink.
-
- 01/20/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- We have a new manager of sales and customer support: Gary Robertson,
- formerly of MSA and Peachtree Software. We expect that this will
- improve the quality of our service greatly, at the same time freeing
- up more time for R&D.
-
- 01/03/84 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- MultiLink release 2.06 is completed, and is scheduled to begin distri-
- bution January 9. This is a major release, with several important new
- features. A summary follows:
-
- * The bulletin board (MLBBS) now supports XMODEM uploads and downloads.
- This popular file transfer method is also called Christensen protocol.
-
- * Support for Lotus 1-2-3 at the terminals! A breakthrough in software
- technology, the new VIDRAM and VIDFIX commands pave the way for
- support of many or most other programs that directly access video RAM.
- Type .FIXLIST for the latest list!
-
- * Character attributes can now be used with certain terminals. The ADDS
- Viewpoint supports inverse video, and Televideo users can have
- low-intensity characters (or if the entire screen is inverse video,
- a low-intensity background for selected screen positions). This is a
- much-needed improvement for applications like WordStar and Lotus.
-
- * Greatly improved efficiency in running popular communications soft-
- ware under MultiLink. Now you can run PC-Talk in a background par-
- tition with relatively little degradation of other tasks!
-
- * A choice of 8 different priorities for each task! FAST and SLOW
- commands are abolished, and a PRI command is added.
-
- * Specialized but important features for advanced users: e.g., a "Timed
- Wait" feature, and the ability for MultiLink to abort a program and
- return to DOS if the carrier signal is lost. Information is now
- available for checking and patching many parameters, both system-
- wide and partition-related: buffer sizes, default operation modes,
- default priorities, and many others.
-
- 11/20/83 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Type ".COMMINFO" for notes regarding the use of communications packages
- (such as PC-Talk or RBBS-PC) under MultiLink.
-
- 11/11/83 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- We have documented the modifications to Quadram's Dual Async Card for
- supporting 3 or 4 serial ports on your PC; type ".DACINFO". Also, if
- you are interested in exploring MultiLink internals, type ".MLPARMS"
- for a description of user-accessible parameters.
-
- 10/31/83 -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- MultiLink release 2.05 is now available. The following improvements have
- been made:
-
- * Support for Davong's Multi-OS hard disk interface.
- * Faster terminal screen handling.
- *ABORTED*
-
- 27 minutes remaining.
- Enter command (with leading period):
-
- >.PATCH27
-
- Patches for MultiLink release 2.07
-
- Updated 07/02/84
-
-
-
- Problem: FORMAT command results in "track 0 bad" error, or MLVIDFIX
- gives strange results.
-
- Comments: A limitation of the PC's DMA feature prevents disk I/O transfers
- across a 64K RAM boundary. Since MultiLink permits memory
- allocations in 1K increments, it is possible to allocate a
- partition so that certain programs that perform block transfers
- of disk data (such as FORMAT and VIDFIX) do not work correctly.
-
- Solution: Perform an MLUTIL MAP function and note the starting addresses
- for each partition, which are expressed in hexadecimal
- segment form. Reallocate your partitions so as to avoid
- addresses like xFxx, xExx, and xDxx; these fall just below
- a 64K boundary and are far more likely to cause problems
- than starting addresses like x0xx, x1xx, etc. See Figure 1
- in your MultiLink manual to help you decide on the new
- allocations, and note that changing a partition's allocation
- by 4K will change the following partition's start address
- by hex 100.
-
-
-
- Problem: Users with monochrome video experience system lockup or
- other unpredictable results when switching partitions
- (Alt-Fn) with certain hardware/software combinations.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 08a4 f3 a4 ba ff 03 c3
- -e 12c9 e9 d8 f5
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: Volkswriter screens are formatted incorrectly in background.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 0894 89 84 94 00 26 a1 50 04 89 84 86 00 e9 43 05
- -e 0de2 e9 af fa 90
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: Running two or more Compiled BASIC programs which use
- the runtime subroutines at the same time can cause a
- system crash.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch to MLINK.COM:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 7f6 24 (was 02)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: Running two applications which are processor-intensive
- at the same time and at equal priority, one of them may
- use all available processor time at the expense of the
- other.
-
- Solution: Retrieve a fixed version of MLSLICE.COM from The
- Software Link's bulletin board at 404/252-9438.
-
-
-
- Problem: Maynard hard disk does not work with MultiLink.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 3464 e3 (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: User does not wish MultiLink to intercept IRQ3
- interrupts.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e e47 eb (Was 74)
- -e 334a 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -e 3464 ef (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: User does not wish MultiLink to intercept IRQ4
- interrupts.
-
- Comments: MultiLink must be patched accordingly. The patch at 3464
- assumes that IRQ3 *is* used by MultiLink; if you apply the
- preceding patch also, then plug in "ff" instead of "f7"
- at this location.
-
- Solution: Apply the following patch:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e e72 eb (Was 74)
- -e 3356 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 (12 NOP's)
- -e 3464 f7 (Was C3)
- -e 34b6 eb (Was 74)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: User wishes shorter time slices when tasks of equal
- priority are sharing processing time.
-
- Comments: The default value of 1 corresponds to about 1/9 second
- per task. Patch in 0 for 1/18 second, as shown below:
-
- Solution: The patch is as follows:
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 2473 00 (Was 01)
- -w
- -q
-
-
-
- Problem: MultiLink's use of interrupt 7F conflicts with a user's
- application.
-
- Comments: Microsoft Word is the only known example of this. The
- following patches change MultiLink to use interrupt 7D.
-
- Solution: Several programs have to be patched. You must first get
- the new version of MLSLICE.COM as described above. Then,
- patch as follows:
-
- A>debug mlslice.com
- -e 0107 f6 (was FE)
- -e 01bd f6 (was FE)
- -e 01d5 f6 (was FE)
- -e 01ed f6 (was FE)
- -e 0204 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlink.com
- -e 0b24 7d (was 7F)
- -e 0bb4 7d (was 7F)
- -e 2d5b f6 (was FE)
- -e 3271 f4 (was FC)
- -e 3278 f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlutil.com
- -e 0104 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlspool.com
- -e 025c f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlprint.com
- -e 0104 7d (was 7F)
- -w
- -q
-
- A>debug mlvidram.com
- -e 1175 f6 (was FE)
- -w
- -q
-
- Also, locate the following statement in MLBBS:
- MLSEG!=PEEK(&H1FE)+256*PEEK(&H1FF)
- and change it to:
- MLSEG!=PEEK(&H1F6)+256*PEEK(&H1F7)
-
- 26 minutes remaining.
- Enter command (with leading period):
-
- >
- END OF TRANSFER - PRESS ENTER TO RETURN TO MENU
- &H1F7)
-
- 26 minutes remaining.
- Enter command (with le