Programmer 7500/MAX_PROGRAMMERS.iso/INFO/ASMUTL/PC370.ZIP/READ.ME

Text File | 1987-06-07 | 5.9 KB | 118 lines

                                  6365 - 32 Avenue North
                                  St. Petersburg, Florida 33710
                                  June 6, 1987

PC/370 Users


Welcome to PC/370 System Release 2.0.  This release is the first freeware
release since 1.2 in July 1986.  Release 2 contains the following major
functional changes:

  1.  All 370 programs now run in virtual address spaces up to 512k.  For
      example, SIEVE.ALC is a demo 370 program which uses a 100,000 byte
      table to calculate prime numbers.  Execute RUN.BAT to assemble, link
      and execute SIEVE.  SIEVE prints relative benchmark timings for
      different MS-DOS systems.  On a PS/2 Model 50, SIEVE takes about 40
      seconds executing about 15,000 370 instructions per second.  On a
      Compaq 386, SIEVE takes about 20 seconds executing 25,000 instructions
      per second (or 0.025 MIPS).

  2.  Multiple 370 and 8086 programs can be dynamically loaded and executed.
      Modules can be executed within the same address space or executed in
      separate address spaces with memory protection via attach and detach
      supervisor calls.  See TEST25ML.ALC for example of the program
      management options.

  3.  Each address space now contains a standard 370 low memory prefix to
      support supervisor, program, and external interrupt facilities when
      running 370 programs in problem state mode.  With this facility, it
      is now possible to develop multiple operating system shells for
      PC/370 programs including VM, VSE, and MVS.  MVS.ALC shell is now
      included with WTO/WTOR, GMAIN/FMAIN, TIMER, and SIO channel program
      simulator.  Also for simple external interrupt handler, see CLOCK.ALC.

  4.  The PC/370 file management support has been rewritten using MS-DOS
      file handle interface to support full pathing and relative byte addressing
      of files.  See TESTIO.ALC for example of how to read and write sequential
      and random files.  See TESTFCB.ALC for example of how to still use old
      FCB type file access.

  5.  The PC/370 assembler and linkage editor have been converted from COM
      to EXE format programs and now support much larger 370 programs with
      over 1000 labels and up to 50,000 bytes of 370 object code.

  6.  The ASSIST facility has been enhanced with the ability to redirect I/O
      to the console.

  7.  The SEE.ALC full screen text editor has been modified to use dynamic
      address space memory with direct addressing  instead of cross memory
      access to free MS-DOS memory required in release 1.2.

  8.  The following release 1.2 bugs have been fixed:

      a.  DSECT's with anything but DS instructions caused problems due
          to bad code being generated.
      b.  ENTRY sysmbols can now be referenced within same source module.
      c.  BXH and BXLE now handle negative index values correctly.
      d.  Trace and PSW address of instruction which is target of EX
          is now correct.
      e.  EQU's preceeding first CSECT caused zero length blank CSECT
          error.

  9.  The PC/370 documentation has been expanded to cover new features
      and add additional information frequently requested by users.
      Distribution now requires 2 360KB floppy diskettes instead of one.

VTOC.DOC lists each file with one line description.
For additional information, SEE PC370.DOC and other DOC files.
To run all the demo and test programs use RUN.BAT.
To print any file, use PRINTDOC. To sysgen MVS and run demo MVS program
use RUNMVS.BAT.

I wish to thank Jacques Roy, Mike Pfaff, and James Gannon for the testing
of beta versions of release 2 in the last few months.  Their extra efforts
have been greatly appreciated.  Please send documentation on any errors and
suggested improvements for release 2.0.   I hope to include floating point
via 80x87 plus macros in future releases.  Jacques Roy (418-871-2225) is
working on a macro preprocessor written in ALC which will be available in
the future also.

Hope you enjoy PC/370 release 2.0!

Don Higgins

ps:  Release 2.0A fixes the following release 2.0 errors:

      1.  Freemain SVC 11 created bad FQE when area between two
          existing free areas was released and there was a third
          higher address FQE chained to second FQE.  See TESTMM.alc for
          new test of this condition.  Infrequent but serious error.

      2.  No error was indcated when bad RBA caused random read or write
          to fail.  SYNAD exit is now taken if RBA points beyond available
          disk space causing 0 length read or write.  See TESTIO.ALC for
          new test of this condition.  Hard to debug without error flag.

      3.  Fix for EQU's preceeding first CSECT causing 0 length blank CSECT.
          This bug was in release 1.2 also.  This bug could have remained
          for ever since I ALWAYS put my EQU's at end.

     Release 2.0A now has the following additional programs:

      1.  DEMOHATS - old release 1.0 demo just for fun.
      2.  DEMOAST1 - release 1.2 ASSIST demo.
      3.  DEMOAST2 - release 1.2 ASSIST demo.
      4.  DEMOAST3 - new ASSIST demo to verify default ouput file.
      5.  DEMOAST4 - new ASSIST demo to verify file redirection facility.
      6.  PRINTDOC - print text file with TITLE and EJECT commands.
      7.  DEMOSRC  - old release 1.0 demo to list file record counts.
      8.  TESTMM   - test GETMAIN/FREEMAIN memory managment
      9.  DEMO8Q   - old 8 queen chess program with recursive logic
     10.  MVS      - MVS shell with SVC, program, and external int. handlers.
     11.  IGC0011  - MVS type 4 timer svc
     12.  IGC1013  - MVS type 4 ABEND formatted dump load module (just regs now)
     13.  INS0156  - MVS SIO channel program simulator
     14.  DEMOMVS  - MVS demo program with WTO/WTOR, GMAIN/FMAIN, SIO CCW's etc.
     15.  RUNMVS   - MVS sysgen and run demo