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READ.ME
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1989-10-06
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Supplemental Notes for RAP Release
Version 1.01, May 1989
Guide to files on this disk
READ.ME This file
RAP.EXE The RAP interpreter
SMALLRAP.EXE The SmallRAP interpreter
LARGERAP.EXE The LargeRAP interpreter
MENUCOL.RAP A sample program (see below)
KEYMENU.RAP A sample program (see below)
UPDATES.LST List of updates to RAP since version 0.8
COMMON.RAP A compacted version of the COMMON subroutine library
COMMON.SRC Complete RAP source code for the subroutine library
COMMON.HST Maintenance history of COMMON.RAP
HELPGEN.EXE The program to generate help (.HLP) files
DEMO.RAP A program to demonstrate some COMMON.RAP functions
REFORMAT.RAP The sample program explained in Chapter 4 of book
REFORMAT.TXT Source help file for sample program
REFORMAT.HLP Help file for sample program
REFORMAT.PTP The PTP program executed by the sample RAP program
REFORMAT.BAT A batch file to run the sample program
BARU.ITX A sample data file for use with sample program
Further notes about files on this disk
1. The RAP programming language and the three versions of its interpreter
are documented in full in The RAP Programming Language, by Richard A.
Strangfeld (Dallas, TX: Summer Institute of Linguistics, 1988, 258 pp.)
2. This disk contains two advanced sample programs. The first, MENUCOL.RAP,
shows use of the advanced menu-option features together with ANSI screen
codes. The second, KEYMENU.RAP, uses the as command, special keys, ANSI
codes, an array, and the xi command to provide a different kind of menu.
These are both advanced examples; we don't suggest that you study them un-
til you are comfortable with the more straightforward examples in the book.
3. Readers who have used previous versions of RAP are strongly encouraged
to read UPDATES.LST. It describes all bug fixes and enhancements since
the release of version 1.00. It also describes the many feature changes
that were made in bringing the widely used pre-release version 0.8 to the
published standard of version 1.00.
4. The remaining files on the disk relate to the COMMON subroutine library.
It is fully documented in A Common Subroutine Library for RAP Programmers,
by Kirk H. Parker and Gary F. Simons (Dallas, TX: Summer Institute of
Linguistics, 1988, 102 pp.).
5. COMMON.SRC is executable RAP code. it is the fully commented version of
the subroutine library. COMMON.RAP has all of the comments stripped out
and all of the .define'd constants substituted in order to make it load
more quickly.
6. The current version of HELPGEN.EXE has a maximum input file size of about
45K. This version does NOT detect multiple instances of the same topic
name. As the output file is being generated, each topic name is written
to standard output. This can be redirected to a file, sorted, and then
checked for duplicates.
Features added to RAP
1. Before starting RAP, you may optionally set the screen type with the DOS
environment variable SCREENTYPE. If this variable exists and has the
value IBM, ANSI, or SHARP, $screentype will be set accordingly without
the normal screen test. The command-line options /ibm, /ansi, and
/sharp still override this. This applies only to normal and LargeRAP.
Text display really is a lot faster with the IBM screentype than with the
ANSI, if you don't need special ANSI screen control.
2. You need not use a double equals sign as a comparison operator. RAP now
accepts a single equals. Saying if #n = 99 is the same as if #n == 99.
This change has one drawback: the formerly-illegal assignment statement
#a = #b = #c is now legal, and it doesn't do what some might expect.
It does NOT set both #a and #b to match #c. Instead, it works just like
#a = #b == #c always did. It compares #b with #c, and sets #a to 1 if
they are equal and 0 if they are not.
RAP documentation changes
1. The following error messages were not described in the documentation:
File not open for writing
This means what it says. If you open a file in read-only mode (which is
the default), you can't write to it without closing and opening it again.
Invalid or non-open file number
In a close, read, rewind, seek, or write operation, you must specify the
descriptor of a file that you have opened with *open. This message means
you have not done so, or you have closed the file in the meantime.
Runaway string recursion
In the unusual situation where a string variable has been assigned a value
identical to its name, evaluation of a string containing that variable
could put RAP in a loop. RAP replaces the name, then sees the newly
placed name and replaces it, and so on. To prevent an infinite loop,
RAP counts the number of times it makes replacements in a given string
evaluation. When the number gets large, RAP concludes it has the
situation described, and stops with an error message.
Unable to killf <filename>
This message appears when a killf fails. The most common causes are a
badly formed filename, a nonexistent file, a name of a directory instead
of a file, or a write-protected file.
Known bugs in RAP
1. If the asterisk is left off the procedure name in a "numeric function"
or "string function" statement, RAP does not diagnose the problem very
well. It reports something like "Unexpected unknown", among other things.
This is only a problem when your RAP program has the error mentioned, but
it's still less helpful than we'd like.
2. Contrary to the documentation, the menu facility does not automatically
repeat after executing a help-group. You need to put in an explicit
repeat statement at the end of the help-group.
Registration
There is a registration form packaged with the RAP books and disk. If
you fill it out and send it in, we'll be able to keep you informed of
improvements and bug fixes. If you don't, we'll never know you're there.
Please do send it in.
If the form is missing, just drop us a note at the address below. We'll
need to know the kind of computer you're using, which version of MS-DOS,
how much memory you have, the disk format you use, and your return
address.
Academic Computing -- RAP development
Summer Institute of Linguistics
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd.
Dallas, TX 75236
If you have this disk but don't have the books, you can get them from
the Academic Book Center at the same address. The retail price for the
set of two books with accompanying diskette including the latest version
of the software is $36.
Bug reports, etc.
We do appreciate feedback in the form of suggested improvements, bug
reports, comments, corrections, suggestions, as well as sample programs
you've developed that may be worth distributing further. Please direct
them to the address above.
Thank you. Have fun!