DesTerm V3.01 Release Notes Release notes for DesTerm v3.01 =============================== Contents: 1. Bug fixes since v3.00 2. Additions Since 3.00 3. Known problems with 3.01 (and 3.00 for that matter) 4. What I'm working on 5. About CMD partitions and directories Bug fixes since v3.00 --------------------- - Device 14 no longer scanned during the BOOT process. The Xetec GOLD printer interface (located at device 14) caused the drive detection routine to fail. - The 1351 Mouse operates much more like it should. NOTE: In my machine, the rear-port tends to think that the right button is always pressed. This may be a bug, or simply my machine. - Long filenames for transfers. Filenames longer than 16 characters are now truncated and won't crash the machine. - Setup program now saves acceptible PREFS.SET files. The SETUP3.00 (now SETUP) program used to create PREFS.SET files that were deadly to DesTerm. It now saves acceptable files. - Booting from a CMD subdirectory now works the way it should. A bad default configuration caused CMD subdirectories to be ignored. - The built-in user-port RS232 code is no longer broken. A minor error in my zero-page allocation map caused timer values to get stomped on. - VT102 emulation improved. A minor error (well, quite an amazingly bad screwup on my part) caused the window mode to almost completely fail. It's much better now. - 30 second dial wait was more like 3 seconds. Initial PREFS.SET had an invalid value for the default value (30 seconds). This initial value has now been calmed down. - Default upload directory The upload directory is now used as it should be - it used to be ignored, causing uploads only to be made from the 'last accessed' directory. - TOD Problems caused loader to fail. The DESBOOT3.00 program uses one of the CIA the TOD clocks to figure out how fast the CPU is going. A very common fault with the C128 is for the TOD functions of the CIA to go haywire (most often caused by a blown fuse in the power supply -- be careful, there's two fuses!). The boot program will now work even with a bad TOD... - Stronger detection of 1.8432Mhz vs 3.6864Mhz crystals in swiftlinks. Some people have replaced the stock crystal in their Swiftlinks with a 1.8432Mhz crystal (thus allowing 115K without buying a Turbo-232 -- although 38400 is no longer available). DesTerm 3.00 attempted this detection - but was fooled by SCPUs and perhaps PAL machines. The new version uses clock-speed independent code to figure the clock speed out. - Uploads not using the correct drive. An error in the pattern matching routines caused several parts of DesTerm to not used the correct drive (uploads, most notably). Uploads now use the correct drive. Additions Since 3.00 -------------------- - VT52 emulation. vt52.emu & vt52.eky Not tested very much really. - Commodore Colour Graphics emulation - 40 column: ccg40.emu & ccg40.eky - 80 column: ccg80.emu & ccg80.eky These emulations are first run attempts. I'm sure that many problems are just waiting to be found. Known problems with 3.01 (and 3.00 for that matter) --------------------------------------------------- - I have some software timing loops in various parts of the code. This code sometimes causes problems in the following areas: - Speed detection: PAL machines may display a slightly incorrect speed. - Swiftlink Crystal detection: SuperCPU and PAL machines may detect a 1.8432 Mhz crystal when a 3.6864 Mhz crystal is present. - as noted previously, I have taken steps to fix the above problems - but has only been tested on my machines (but hey, the old code worked on my machines, too!) - There is currently no way of associating a terminal emulation (and other stuff) with a telephone number. - The buffer send (and function keys) don't quite do the correct translations necessary when in Commodore Emulation mode. The fix is quite straightforward but involves several areas of the code - so I've decided to release the code as is - so that the major bug fixes can be tested. What I'm working on ------------------- - Zmodem send. - Assigning 'configuration profiles' for each telephone number. - Support for user-port printers. - A Chat mode terminal emulator. - Scripting. - Eventually, I'll only not check device 14 on boot if a Xetec is known to be present. - I have one set of 'CPU speed dependent' routines left. I'll get rid of them soon to allow SCPU machines to take full advantage. About CMD partitions and directories ------------------------------------ Notes: ====== - CMD define partition '0' as the 'currently selected' partition. - CMD define a filename with no path information as being in the 'currently selected' directory. When DesTerm first loads its configuration files, it has no notion of the drive designations ('cos it hasn't loaded them yet). Thus, it relies on the fact that the 'current drive' and 'current directory' are set to where the configuration files can be found. The default configuration for all the drives ALSO sets the partition to '0' - since no assumptions about drive layout would be wise. As soon as the configuration file has been loaded, all of the drive definitions come into play. It is absolutely VITAL that the first thing that you do is to fully configure the various DesTerm drives to the proper partition and proper path. Then save these settings using 'Save Settings' in the 'User Settings' menu. The most common problem that people have reported when using CMD drives is due to the fact that they hadn't properly set the partition on the various drives that DesTerm supplies. For example: Drive A: (DesTerm Drive) 0: Drive B: (Download Drive) 2://downloads Drive C: (Upload Drive) 3://uploads Here, whenever drive B is accessed, partition 2 would be made the 'current partition'. When drive A is accessed, the partition and directory aren't changed (0 is the current partition, and no path). Thus, any configuration files saved by DesTerm will be put in the wrong place (and any of the DesTern modules won't be found). To correct the situation, A: shoubd be defined more fully: Drive A: (DesTerm Drive) 2://desterm If you wish to pick the 'root' directory of any particular partition, then it should be explicity set with '//'. Page Contents last updated: 24-May-1998 This page and its contents ((C)) 1996-1998, Matthew E. Desmond