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ABOUT.CDP
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1991-02-27
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26KB
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The latest shareware release of CDPSW (CDPSW16G) features a new
manual, BIGMAN.CDP, complete with a table of contents which we hope will be
helpful. Also, the screen colors have been changed to darker hues, which
we hope will be easier on the eyes. If you get the registered version of CDP,
you will be able to choose whatever colors you like. There are no actual
changes to the program.
This file contains 3 sections about CDP which were formerly separate
files, in an effort to simplify the CDP package.
SECTION I
History and Revisions
---------------------
CDP was originally distributed through regular retail stores in
July, 1987, under the name of Directory Assistance (DA), advertised in
magazines such as PC WORLD, sold in stores such as Fry's, reviewed
(favorably) in PC Magazine (June 28,1988, p. 46). The current CDP is vastly
better!
It was always a better product than its competition, but the
distribution was poorly planned. The product as released was weakened by
suppression of features deemed too sophisticated for targeted users, and
inclusion of features with what marketers call "sizzle", even though they
had no proper place in CDP.
CDP is better than its competition. We invite comparisons.
The shareware version, CDPSW, was first put on a BBS in March, 1990.
Features and Fixes since Shareware Release
------------------------------------------
03/19/90
VIEW enhancements:
AltB - Works as a GOTO BEGINNING MARKED FILE key.
If you are in VIEW, CDP will stay in VIEW in the
same mode (ASCII or HEX) that VIEW currently has.
AltN - Works as GOTO NEXT MARKED FILE.
The above keystrokes are extremely convenient for easily viewing in
quick succession all the files marked by a FIND command. They operate either
outside or inside VIEW. Once you enter VIEW, they stay in VIEW.
nG - In VIEW only, nG will move you to line n of the file.
A or C - These keystrokes drop an anchor at the current line.
B or D - B goes to where anchor A was dropped. D goes to C.
03/31/90
Allowed the DOS PRINT command to work with CDP. CDP by design
prevented other TSRs (which Print is) from coming up when CDP is running,
on the basis that they might mess up CDP.
We have relented on this idea, hoping no one will be foolish enough
to bring up another TSR when CDP is doing something on the disk actively
(simply bringing up another TSR harms nothing). Note that you can bring CDP
up while another program is active on the disk; CDP can perform disk actions
anytime that you bring it up. It will not interfere with disk operations of
another program. CDP waits until everything is safe before it comes up. Most
other TSRs cannot do this safely.
If you run Print BEFORE running CDP, Print can continue spooling
while CDP is up. However, if Print is installed AFTER CDP is installed, it
cannot spool while CDP is up because CDP may have swapped Print out of memory.
So run Print before you run CDP if you wish to spool stuff to the printer
while CDP is up.
-----------------------
04/11/90
In the past, CDP deliberately refused to attempt to switch DOS
directories (alt-D) or execute a program (alt-X,P,W or ctrl-X,P,W) when the
success of the operation was not clear. Technically, this situation occured
when the current PSP of the system was higher than that of either copy of CDP
that was running.
If that were not the case, it indicated that some other program was
running at the DOS command line level. If CDP attempted to issue a command,
that command might be dumped into the middle of an active program. No harm
would occur since the program involved simply would not recognize the command
given. But some people might not understand WHY the effort was ineffective;
or be alarmed at the reaction of the surprised program receiving the string.
No longer! CDP will now go ahead and attempt the operation. After
all, the danger of harm occurring is virtually nil; and the user really should
know whether he is at the DOS level or in the middle of WordPiddle. The gain
in utility outweighs occasional harmless startlement to a careless or
forgetful user.
-----------------------
Version 1.4
04/28/90
Several minor bugs were fixed. CDP would not pop up correctly over
CGA bit-graphics mode. The bug was a direct result of adding the shareware
screens to CDP (originally a store-distributed product - see above).
A second "bug" was that CDP failed to recognize the GREY ENTER key
as the ENTER key, mistaking it for ctrl-M, the hot key for the MOVE function.
Perhaps CDP should simply ignore the key, since it seems very stupid to have
two ENTER keys on the same keyboard; but CDP now recognizes it as being the
same as the key that by sensible people is called the <CR> key or the RETURN
key.
A fix was also made to the length of the string allowed for
invocation of a Word Processor (SetUp in the Xecute menu or SET CDPEDIT=
in DOS). The maximum length of such a string is 39 characters. But CDP
formerly got confused at strings longer than 20 or so when the alt-W command
was used to invoke a word processor. Please note that you need not add
.EXE or .COM or .BAT when specifying the command; nor specify the disk and
path. Give the string EXACTLY AS YOU WOULD TYPE IT ON THE DOS COMMAND LINE.
-----------------------
Version 1.5
05/11/90
This version differs from 1.4 in the following 2 respects only.
The name of the hidden scratch file used during swapping on the
disk has been changed from DASWAPQP.FXK to CDPSWPQP.FXK.
A fix peculiar to DOS 4.0 and 4.01 has been made. Actually, it
accommodates what can only be called a bug in DOS; and version 1.3 was
correct with respect to this problem, which occurred only after 1.3 was
changed to make its interface with DOS 4.? totally consistent. After the
change was made, DOS 4.0 and 4.01 VDISK & RAMDRIVE would not work.
Apparently, IBM and MicroSoft did not change the drivers for those ramdisks
to be consistent with the drivers for physical disks. If you don't use DOS
4.?, this fix is irrelevant.
-----------------------
06/02/90
Version 1.6
This version corrects a bug that prevented CDP from finding its
help when the CDP*.EXE file was stored on a disk with 4096-byte clusters,
the pre-AT cluster size on many hard disks. No code was changed in CDP
itself. The batch file that built CDP was changed to pad out CDP's actual
code to a multiple of 4096 bytes before "sticking" the help and shareware
screens to it. As a result, the size of CDP.EXE and CDPSW.EXE is actually
decreased by 2048 bytes, and the size of CDPW2.EXE increased by 2048 bytes.
This results in smaller CDPSW??.ZIP and CDP-PACK.EXE files also.
06/21/90
One other fix was for the sub-sub-standard use of CDP from a ram disk
of only 256 bytes per cluster. CDP could not find its help in that case.
-----------------------
10/17/90
Version 430
This version breaks the previous version number sequence. It starts
with 43 because it supports 43-line video mode on an EGA as its default mode.
That is to say, if the mode is 25 lines, CDP will change the mode to 43 lines
while it is up.
There are other new features in this version as well. See the file
VERS-501.ME for complete details about the additions in this new version.
-----------------------
12/28/90
Version 500
This version does 50 lines on a VGA monitor.
-----------------------
01/17/91
Versions 431 & 501
These versions allow CDP to operate on disks containing more than
2800 files, the former maximum.
Because of memory limitations CDP can still keep track of only 2800
files at a time, but by the use of a DOS SET statement, directories may be
selected which CDP is to EXCLUDE from consideration. CDP simply behaves as
if those directories did not exist; EXCEPT that the actual space that they
and their files occupy is inviolate, and will not be used in any fashion
by CDP.