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- CHAPTER 9 RELEASE HISTORY AND FUTURE PLANS
-
-
- Release History of D86
-
- All releases include bug fixes.
-
- V2.15 August 1986. Initial public release of the MSDOS version
- of D86. The last previous version ran under the Xenix
- operating system on the Altos series of computers.
- Upgrades from that previous version included:
-
- * easier command invocation syntax; default input files
-
- * on-line help facility
-
- * trapping program exit
-
- * usage of IBM function keys
-
- V2.16 August 1986. Slight upgrade. The only new feature is the
- ability to make forward references in patch-memory mode.
-
- V2.18 November 1986. Added the "O" command, to trap INT 33
- calls.
-
- V2.19 Test release in conjunction with A86 V2.90 test release
-
- V2.22 April 1987. Release in conjunction with A86 V3.00. Added
- support for new 286 and NEC-specific instructions. Added
- "F" command, to find memory strings marked by the new
- Shift-F7 command. Added recognition of IP register
- specification. Added the floating point window. Added
- disassembly of RET operand to jump instructions.
-
- V2.23 June 1987. Added support for Sanyo 55x computers.
-
- V2.24 June 1987. Added support for Tandy 2000 computers.
-
- V3.09 August 1987. Major upgrade-- first product-quality
- release. Added:
-
- * support for EXE files, some support for BAT files
-
- * second disassembly window
-
- * extended memory display window
-
- * floating point memory display types
-
- * control keys for paging the memory display window
-
- * status window
-
- * backwards paging of disassembly
-
- * Up-Arrow goes to previous instruction, not byte
-
- * W command to write program and symbols to disk
- 9-2
-
- * enhanced HOME key, and ctrl-E go-to-end key
-
- * Ctrl-T set top-of-stack key
-
- * fix for setup of FCB blocks in the program's PSP
-
- * fix for stepping and G from INT, PUSHF, floating
- instructions
-
- * change of -V to +V, for A86 syntax compatibility
-
- V3.10 September 1987. Trap INT 020 and INT 027.
-
- V3.11 November 1987.
-
- V3.12 February 1988. Interface with the new SYM file format of
- A86. D86 will now correctly input all older versions of
- SYM files as well.
-
- V3.13 March 1988. Made memory management more flexible, so D86
- requires less memory to run.
-
- V3.14 March 1988.
-
- V3.15 May 1988. Added data breakpoint for 386-based machines,
- available to registered users only.
-
- V3.17 June 1988. Added support for the Zenith Z-100.
-
- V3.18 July 1988. Added MAPD86 tool for registered users only.
-
-
- Future Plans
-
- I'd like to thank all of you who have supported A86 and D86 so
- far with your registrations. Your support has allowed me to
- spend most of the past year improving my products, and I will
- continue to work on them.
-
- D86 is still a fair amount short of my ultimate vision for it. In
- the coming year, I hope to add more debugger commands and
- function keys. Some commands I have in mind are:
-
- * save and play back keyboard scripts
-
- * save and switch to/from the program's full screen
-
- * expression arithmetic (and indirection) in all operands
-
- * interrupt a running program from the keyboard
-
- * conditional and multiple-count trapping
-
- * do more kinds of memory searches
-
- * gateway to DOS, with EXIT back to debugging session
- 9-3
-
- I am eager to hear your ideas for what you'd like to see in terms
- of expanded features. I will consider all requests.
-
-