home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- JP Software
-
- 4DOS 5.5 rev B ==> 5.5 rev C Patch Documentation
-
- December 20, 1994
-
-
- Copyright 1994, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved. Published by JP
- Software Inc., P.O. Box 1470, E. Arlington, MA 02174 USA, (617)
- 646-3975. 4DOS is a registered trademark of JP Software Inc.
-
-
- This file explains how to install the 4DOS 5.5 rev C patch.
-
- To use the patch, you must have:
-
- * JP Software's PATCH.EXE program. This program is in a separate
- file, PATCH.ZIP on CompuServe, or 4DPATCH.ZIP on bulletin boards
- and the Internet. [* See note below.]
-
- * A copy of 4DOS 5.5 rev B. The simplest way to check your
- revision level is to use the 4DOS VER /R command.
-
- If you find you have rev A of 4DOS 5.5, you must download an
- additional patch file to update your current copy of 4DOS to rev B
- before you can apply this latest rev C patch. To update from rev A
- to rev B you need the patch file 4D25B.ZIP; This file should be
- available from the same place where you got this rev C file.
-
- To use this patch, copy the 4DOS55C.RTP file to the directory where your
- 4DOS version 5.5 files are stored. Make sure JP Software's PATCH.EXE is
- in the same directory, or in a directory on your PATH, then enter the
- command:
-
- patch 4dos55c
-
- This patch converts 4DOS 5.5 rev B to version 5.5 rev C. It modifies
- only 4DOS.COM, all other files are unchanged from rev B. Branding (name
- and serial number) information in your 4DOS.COM file will be preserved
- in the modified file.
-
- If you want to test 4DOS.COM to make sure the patch worked, restart
- 4DOS, then use the VER /R command. This command will report "4DOS
- Revision B" (if the patch did not work) or "4DOS Revision C" (if it did
- work).
-
- If you are short on disk space and receive a message that there is not
- enough space to perform the patch, you can use a command like this to
- reduce the disk space required:
-
- patch /noundo 4dos55c
-
- This will make recovery slightly more difficult in the unlikely event of
- a power failure or similar problem during the patch process, but will
- reduce the disk space required to perform the patch.
-
-
- [* JP Software's PATCH.EXE is the version 1.10 patch program from the
- .RTPatch patch software sold by PocketSoft Inc. If you have a copy of
- PATCH.EXE version 1.10 or later from another company which also uses
- .RTPatch to update its software, you can use it with JP Software
- patches. However, we recommend that you do NOT use version 2.0 of
- PATCH.EXE under OS/2. When PATCH.EXE 2.0 is used under OS/2 it patches
- the files properly, but does not correctly update the dates and times of
- the patched files.]
-
-
- 4DOS version 5.5 rev C includes the following changes to version 5.5
- rev B:
-
- General Feature Changes:
-
- * Changed the version string to use the country-defined decimal
- character, so IF tests on the version level will work properly.
-
- * Comparisons like "if %_date == 12-20-94 ..." now work as they
- did in 5.0. Note that even though these tests now work, this
- approach is not recommended. To test two strings quotes should
- be used around the strings. Otherwise the fact that the strings
- begin with digits may cause them to be interpreted as numbers.
-
- * Fixed a problem with an @@ key alias turning off echoing for
- subsequent @ key aliases.
-
- * Fixed a problem with numeric color names with values greater than
- 7 when BRI or BLI was not used). Also, the "ON" is now optional.
-
- * Fixed a problem with numeric comparisons where one had a decimal
- component and the other didn't (e.g., "if 2 == 2.0").
-
- * Truncated the description length returned by @DESCRIPT and
- DESCRIBE to a maximum of 255 characters, to avoid line length
- problems. DIR and SELECT can still display longer descriptions,
- you just can't go over 255 characters on the command line (as
- always).
-
- * Worked around a bug in NCACHE and SMARTDRV 4.0, which were
- destroying the internal command list (usually affecting PUSHD and
- POPD) if SDFlush=Yes was used.
-
-
- Variable and Function Changes:
-
- * @ALIAS: Now truncates aliases greater than the maximum line size
- (255 in DOS, 1023 in OS/2 & NT) to avoid line length errors.
-
- * @ATTRIB: Fixed a problem with not matching against all the
- specified attributes.
-
- * @EVAL: Fixed a problem which was truncating the returned value.
-
- * @FILEREAD in binary mode will now properly terminate the input
- string.
-
- * @INT and @NUMERIC now do more exhaustive testing.
-
-
- Batch File Changes:
-
- * Fixed a problem with ESC not working with SETDOS /Y1 (the ESC
- should have been equivalent to an 'R').
-
- * Fixed a problem with the batch file line (used in error messages)
- not getting updated inside command groups or line continuations
- (where the previous line ended in an escape character).
-
-
- Command Changes:
-
- * ?: Fixed a problem with a "?..." command being executed even if
- it was inside an IFF block where the condition was false. Also
- fixed a problem when the command following a "?" was an alias.
-
- * ?: The "?" command can now be redirected or piped; using
- redirection or piping will no longer cause "?" to be interpreted
- as a batch prompt command.
-
- * ALIAS: Added a check for UNKNOWN_CMD alias loops.
-
- * DIR: Fixed case problems with SETDOS /U1 and the /F and /L
- switches.
-
- * DO: Fixed an obscure problem if you do a LEAVE in a DO UNTIL, in
- the same loop pass where DO would have terminated anyway.
-
- * DRAWBOX: Slowed down the ZOOM option on fast systems so you can
- actually see it.
-
- * EXCEPT: Fixed a problem with ranges.
-
- * FFIND: Fixed a bug where FFIND would loop endlessly if there was
- a match on the last line of a file, with no terminating CR/LF,
- and a bug in the /E option. Also, FFIND will no longer return
- the "." and ".." directories.
-
- * LIST: Now supports files with CR's only (no LF's). LIST should
- now display files properly whether lines are terminated by CR,
- LF, or CR/LF.
-
- * SELECT: Fixed a problem with calling up LIST within SELECT, then
- hitting ^C in LIST and again when you return to SELECT. Also
- fixed an occasional problem with garbage on the SELECT header
- line after doing a LIST from within SELECT.
-