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- ------------------------------
- ======= 4FILES VERSION HISTORY =======
- ------------------------------
-
- =============================== Larry Edwards
- ALL COMMENTS ON 4FILES WELCOME: Hand-Crafted Software
- =============================== Box 6001 Sitka, Ak 99835 USA
-
- 907-747-8996 or CIS ID#: 72037,3607
- ===================================
-
- NOMENCLATURE
- ------------ The numbering of 4FILES versions has gotten a bit confusing and
- inconsistent for various reasons. The convention described here will now be
- followed, and some history is also given. As 4FILES began to approach the
- capabilities promised for V-2.0 through incremental additions, I didn't want
- to call it 1.x anymore, but considering the promises for 2.0, it didn't seem
- right to call it that either. So, beginning in August I made a few "2M.x"
- releases, in which 2M stands for "2-Minus" (close to version 2.0, but not
- quite). 2M.D and 2M.E were the public releases in this series, and beta
- testers and registered users got addtional variants. Having made a quantum
- step beyond these releases and needing another non-2.0 designation, version 2N
- was released on October 14 as a distribution to ASP disk vendor and BBS
- members. After further hard work over the intervening week, the 2P release is
- now being made. What was planned to be version 2.0 will be released as 3.0
- when ready , and everyone promised the 2.0 upgrade will get that version.
- Meanwhile, 2-Minus and its successors will continue to be number 2.P, 2.R,
- etc.
-
- Releases on BBSs will appear as 4FILES2P.ZIP, 4FILES2R.ZIP, 4FILES30.ZIP,
- 4FILES31.ZIP, etc. Since CompuServ supports only six character filenames,
- releases there will be 4F-2P.ZIP, etc.
-
- 2.P6
- ====
-
- a) Changed so a proper cursor will show on exit to 4DOS 4.0.
-
-
- 2.P5 (11/15/91)
- ===============
- a) Correction made to selection of KP-5 key or Scroll-Lock depending on
- keyboard type.
-
- b) Problem of blank floppies being shown as "view only" corrected.
-
- c) Method of finding the previous keyboard buffer improved.
-
- d) Further improvements to internal command line generation.
-
-
- 2.P (Oct/21/91) & Version 2.N (Oct/14/91) (For compatibility see 4F-READ.ME)
- =========================================
- 2.P has no features in addition to those in 2.N (there was not 2."oh"), but
- has a completely rewritten and much faster routine for decyphering
- DESCRIPT.ION files and matching notes to files in the listing. In some
- cases, program loading and directory changes will now be 2-3 times faster.
- The INT-9 keyboard handler was rewritten for smaller size, and a the search
- feature was corrected to work properly on 83-key keyboards. Also, any excess
- spaces are now removed from user-generated or internally-generated command
- lines, for compatibility with QEdit.
-
-
- NEW FEATURES AND FIXES:
- -----------------------
- a) In 2-M.d and 2-M.e I absent mindedly assigned <SCL-LK> to reverse the file
- searching direction, forgetting that on 83-key keyboards it plays a *key*
- role in directory navigation (like <G*> on other boards). This nav feature
- was therefore disabled on 83's. For 83's only, the search reverse key is now
- "5" on the Cursor-pad, but on other keyboards it is still <SCL-LK>.
-
- b) COPY, MOVE, and RENAME functions have been added, and are activated by the
- C, M and R keys in File Mode. These functions are very rudimentary, and are
- stop-gaps for your convenience while the hot V-3.0 functions are being
- written.
-
- c) Acceptance of video modes higher than 80x25 are now fully automatic. The
- /V switch is no more, and a new /8 switch will force 80x25 mode for general
- use, or in case you have a video incompatibility. Also, the text cursor
- should now be visible on all video systems.
-
- d) The "create new file" command (generated by hitting <F2> on a ".." or
- subdirectory record) now presents a field for entering the new file names
- rather than a [Y/N] prompt. Multiple filenames and wildcards will work here
- if your editor accepts them.
-
- e) Deleting a single file now requires a double tap of the "Y" key, to avoid
- inadvertent file deletions from Note Mode by, for example, typing "dynamic".
-
- f) The mouse initialization and event handler were totally rewritten for
- smaller size, better performance, improved compatibility.
-
- g) The write-protection routine has been improved and now also includes
- advance detection of disks with full root directories, if the root will be
- the current directory. If the root is full, file and directory creation is
- not allowed, and file editing is not allowed unless DESCRIPT.ION already
- exists. Of course none of this is allowed if the disk is write protected,
- nor in that case are file management operations except copy and move.
-
- h) There is no longer a beep when <G-Minus> is hit in a root directory,
- regardless of the setting of the sound switch in the configuration menu.
-
- i) Cursor bar movement during file deletions has been modified.
-
- j) DESCRIPT.ION can no longer be marked with <F5> or <^F5>.
-
- k) The configuration screen now has context sensitive menus. Home and End
- were added to access the ends of the color selection bar faster. The menu
- can now be entered directly from an "incorrect configuration" error message.
-
- l) A DESCRIPT.ION file containing 35 blank characters was being written when
- leaving blank disks. Corrected.
-
-
- Version 2-Minus.D, released to public users September 24, 1991.
- ==============================================================
- a) The directory listing may now be sorted in several ways, either on-the-fly
- or from the command line. Sorts may be ascending or descending by filename,
- file extension, file size, date/time, by file note. In File Mode type <S>,
- or use the /E /S /T or /N command line switch. /D forces descending order.
- The appropriate field for non-filename sorts is highlighted on-screen.
- Subdirectories are always alpha sorted. See manual for keyboard shortcuts.
-
- b) Utility port command-tail configurations now must have a "$F" entry for
- the current filename to be placed in the tail. This allows you to place the
- filename anywhere you need to in relation to switches.
-
- c) Changes made for easier operation of the configuration menu. made the
-
- e) A problem involving subdirectory names with extensions was corrected.
-
-
- Version 2-Minus.4 Limited released on July 15, 1991.
- =====================================================
- a) Now starts in "file mode", with toggle to notes via <TAB>. <NUM-LK>
- toggles file attributes.
-
- b) File management functions include: New/Kill dir, A/^A, D/^D, Mark and
- Unmark records.
-
- c) ^E and ^E^E command line added. "++" can be appended to command to force
- the display pause after execution of the command is complete (over riding
- the "no pause" configuratin menu switch.
-
- d) Utility ports for both <F3>=WHERE and <F4>=4UNZIP or PKUNZIP now
- provided.
-
- e) Utility ports now have an 11-character field for a command line tail.
-
- f) A 2nd tap on <G*> or <G-Scl-Lck> now displays a drive\path input field.
-
- g) Video detection routine modified to support MONO monitors driven by EGA
- or VGA cards. An improvement was made for older monochrome card
- performance.
-
- h) Mouse support is now internal, for both 2 & 3 button mice.
-
- i) There is now an internal configuration routine, activated with <@-F10>.
-
- j) Sound can be turned off via configuration menu.
-
- k) ^H destructive backspace added.
-
-
- Version 1.6a ..... Released March 21, 1991 as V-1.6.
- ====================================================
- a) "WHERE.EXE" file finder call added; mapped to <F4>.
-
- b) Dates now formatted according to country code, (at request of European
- users). US format is default.
-
-
- Version 1.5 ..... Released March 15, 1991.
- ===========================================
- a) Smaller size, documentation corrected.
-
- b) Logitech mouse external support added to later uploads via 4FILES.DEF &
- 4FILES.MNU.
-
- EARLIER PUBLIC RELEASES: Versions 1.34, 1.33, 1.32, 1.31, 1.2 and 1.1.
- ------------------------ The first release was made in November 1990.