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1984-11-23
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≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡ E R R A T A ≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡ (11/23/84)
Program updates are made more often than the updates to the
user's guide can keep up with. In order to keep you better
informed, this file contains information related to corrections
or updates to the user's guide as well as notification of what
problems were identified and fixed for the version of the program
that is on this diskette.
Please refer to the users guide and the BATDOC.BAT file for
information about Extended Batch Language commands and operation.
For an example of the capabilities of 'EBL', execute the BATDEMO.BAT
file by just typing "BATDEMO" at the DOS prompt.
====================================================================
THE FOLLOWING LIST OF PROGRAM CORRECTIONS ARE FOR REFERENCE ONLY. The
fundamental operation of the program has not changed. Please refer to
the manual for examples of how Extended Batch Language can be used.
====================================================================
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PROGRAM CORRECTIONS/CHANGES (for version 2.00b of EBL)
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1. TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE INITIAL LOGO: If the special
SIZE option is used when BAT is first invoked, it will also
signal the initial logo screen to be reduced in size. This
initial logo screen is used to present the user supported
concept. In addition, it will not wait for a key-press to
continue. The SIZE option is created by making the first
executed BAT statement:
BAT * [decimal size] [comment]
The [decimal size] is a number representing the amount of
space to reserve for a keyboard stack area. The default is 512
bytes. This is described further in section 4.1 on page 8 of the
users guide. For example use:
BAT * 512 = stack size & reduces logo size.
2. The initial logo screen describing the user supported
concept had a 'Press any key to continue...'. If a key was
pressed to advance past this screen, the key was sensed only and
not actually read in. Therefore, the key remained in the
keyboard buffer and sometimes interfered with programs following
BAT in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If a key is pressed, it is actually
removed from the keyboard buffer now.
3. The stack status variable %Q gave incorrect information
as to the source of the next character. Previously, information
was said to come from the stack if the stack was not empty. No
attention was paid however to see if the stack was enabled
(STACK.ON). Now, information is said to come from the stack if
both the stack is not empty and the stack is enabled. This will
now correctly represent the status of the SOURCE of the next
keyboard character.
4. The READ function did not echo the keyboard characters to
the screen if the stack was not empty and the STACK.OFF command
was used. This is no longer the case. In all cases when the
READ command reads characters from the keyboard, they will be
echoed to the display. Note that the echo will still be
suppressed if characters are read from the keyboard stack
instead.
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PROGRAM CORRECTIONS/CHANGES (for version 2.01 of EBL)
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1. Added code to speed up CALL/GOTO for large files.
2. Changed stack interface to BIOS to fix bug with multimate/filecmd.
3. Fixed CLS so won't erase background color with ANSI.SYS installed.
4. Made character I/O go to directly to BIOS (not DOS) to allow attributes
in spite of the way ANSI.SYS device driver traps and removes
prewritten screen attributes.
5. 'Eagle' DOS 1.25 compatible now.
6. Pressing Ctrl-break will now make the stack pointer for CALL and RETURN
commands into an empty stack condition.
7. Added attributes to help messages.
8. Fixed bug in CALL commands immediately after a DOS command in order
to properly save the code location for a RETURN command.
9. When in TRACE.ON mode, the trace messages on a color display are
green. Messages from program are white. Users with a monochrome
monitor will not see any difference.
10. Message space has been optimized so that overall code size is smaller.
11. Fixed bug in stacking an F1 key by itself.
12. Protected stack further from invalid function key codes or time delay
codes.
13. When putting screen attributes within the text under a BEGTYPE
command, the use of ESC characters (used with ANSI.SYS) in
the text are exclusive of the built in \0F style attribute
codes! Do not mix, use only one.
14. Changed values of extended INT16 (kbd) functions so won't
interfere with PROKEY. Prokey will now coexist with
Extended Batch Language as long as the following patch
is applied to Prokey. The following text describes the
necessary changes.
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PROKEY PATCH for versions 2.12 or 2.13 of PROKEY.
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IF YOU ARE USING PROKEY *BEFORE* VERSION 3.0, it must be patched to
work with Extended Batch Language. Prokey verion 3.0 and higher DO NOT
need patching and will co-exist with EBL without modification.
Early versions of Prokey were written without regard for allowing
other software to access the keyboard interrupt chain (INT16). EBL
uses it for the stack, and Prokey uses it to simulate keystrokes. The
following patch will trick Prokey into thinking that no other software
is using the interrupt chain. As always, keep a copy of the original
before patching. If you don't understand how to use Debug, find a
friend (maybe someone at your local PC Club) who does.
<<<For PROKEY Version 2.12>>> <<<For PROKEY Version 2.13>>>
A>RENAME PROKEY.EXE PROKEY.E A>RENAME PROKEY.EXE PROKEY.E
A>DEBUG PROKEY.E A>DEBUG PROKEY.E
-E 2A60 -E 2DC0
xxxx:2A60 5A.26 xxxx:2DC0 5A.26
-W -W
Writing 3280 bytes Writing 3600 bytes
-q -q
A>RENAME PROKEY.E PROKEY.EXE A>RENAME PROKEY.E PROKEY.EXE
A> A>
PLEASE NOTE: You must also use EBL version 2.01 or better. Also,
initially as your system starts up, you MUST have EBL loaded FIRST and
Prokey loaded SECOND in your AUTOEXEC.BAT. The following is OK:
BAT * 512
PROKEY /I
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PROGRAM CORRECTIONS/CHANGES (for version 2.02 and 2.03 of EBL)
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1. A bug was found in the interface between EBL and DOS. When
EBL transfers control back to DOS, it also passes any
variables that have been modified (%0 to %9). The
problem found with this interface is seen only on
certain configurations of systems. The symptoms seen
in the system are completely unrelated to EBL and may
even show up as random errors with OTHER programs!
If you suspect problems with another program, you may wish
to switch to this new 2.03 version of EBL which removes this
rare and random problem with DOS.
2. Because of problems with INT25 in DOS (disk read) which will
not work in some networks and when the DOS 'ASSIGN'
command is used, there is now a way to avoid this
interrupt. This interrupt is only used in the STATEOF
command. The new format for this command is:
STATEOF [filename] [drive.list]
The [drive.list] option is new. This token is a list of
diskette drive letters which are to be searched for the
specified [filename]. For example, a [drive.list] of
ACD will search disk drives A:, C:, and D: in that order.
If a diskette is not in drive A:, DOS will request that
the user insert one and say "Abort, Retry, Ignore".
That is, only the drive letters listed in [drive.list]
will be searched and ALL MUST BE INSERTED AND READY.
If the [drive.list] option is not used, the old method
of searching drives A:, B:, C:, and D: will be used and
if a diskette is not inserted or ready, it will be
ignored. Do not omit this option if you are using the
STATEOF command with the DOS 'ASSIGN' statement or in a
network environment.
All errors and return codes for the STATEOF command are
the same. Note that now the STATEOF command can also
search expanded drive lettering (E:, F:, etc...) by using
the [drive.list] option with these respective letters.
3. The new version of DOS 3.0 is also supported with this and
all future levels of EBL (ver 2.02 and higher). Please
note that this early version of EBL does not support
nested batch files under DOS 3.0 as it is in 2.0. In
other words, a second level of command processor cannot
be loaded to run another (nested) level of batch files.
I am currently looking at ways to fix this limitation
within DOS 3.0 and will notify everyone when I have a
version which allows nesting under DOS 3.0.
4. The version 2.03 of EBL contains all the changes that were in effect
for earlier versions with one exception. The keystrokes that are
emitted during a stacking operation are now much more complete.
Specifically, the scan codes for all ASCII characters are included
with the keystroke. This change was made because some programs were
found to be looking for specific scan code values from the IBM-PC
instead of true ASCII values.
The effect of this change is to allow STACK and BEGSTACK statements to
be used with a wider range of programs. Multi-mate is an example of a
program that will now work properly with these EBL statements. It is
expected that there may be other programs which will now work with the
keyboard stack within EBL.
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GENERAL INFORMATION .........
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A bug in DOS version 2.0 and 2.1 has been identified which can cause
problems if you try to use the variables %0 to %9 in an AUTOEXEC.BAT
The following AUTOEXEC.BAT file will give bad results or bomb:
BAT * 512
BAT %1 = ABC
REM ABC CHARACTERS COME OUT LIKE %1
By restarting the file by hand, there won't be a problem. As a fix, you
can have EBL restart it automatically by doing the following:
BAT * 512
BAT IF %Q = K STACK AUTOEXEC | STACK | EXIT
BAT STACK.PURGE
BAT %1 = ABC
REM ABC CHARACTERS COME OUT LIKE %1
It turns out that DOS version 2 supplies invalid pointers to EBL for the
%0-%9 variables only during an AUTOEXEC. The locations DOS supplies
get overwritten by DOS during it's execution. In some systems, it will
hang. Hopefully, next versions of DOS won't have this problem.