Amiga ISO Collection

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Amiga ISO Collection / AmigaUtilCD1.iso / Database / VIDEOMAX.LHA / videomaxe444 / docs / Manual.txt < prev

Wrap

Text File | 1994-10-25 | 55.5 KB | 1,375 lines

Document VideoMaxe Manual *************************** * VideoMaxe Manual * *************************** VideoMaxe Release 04.44 © Stephan Sürken 1994 Closed on 25 Oct 1994 (E) This "VideoMaxe Manual" is in english, but the "VideoMaxe Documentation" may be available in different languages. Try `Documentation'. (D) Dieses "VideoMaxe Handbuch" ist in Englisch, aber die "VideoMaxe Dokumentation" ist auch in Deutsch verfügbar. Siehe `Documentation'. ########################################################################## # The complete release documentation includes any "README" files in the # # main directory and the following files: # # # #-o Docs/Manual.txt (Docs/Manual.guide, respectively) # # # # This file. Includes often changing/environmental information and # # is therefore in English only. # # # #-o Docs/Documentation_X.txt (Docs/Documentation_X.guide, respectively) # # # # The proper documentation. X stands for an abbreviation for a # # language (e.g.: X=E => language=English, X=D => language=Deutsch). # # These guide files can be used as online help files in VideoMaxe. # ########################################################################## 0. Important ************* 0.1. Copyright & legal stuff ============================= All releases of VideoMaxe are (c) Copyright Stephan Sürken 1989-94. All versions of VMConvert are (c) Copyright Stephan Sürken 1992-94. The whole package is SHAREWARE, that means you may distribute it freely (if you stick to the terms below) but if you really USE it, you must send me a donation for registration. A registration is valid for all VideoMaxe releases with the same 'main-version' (currently 4); that means if you register now, you have the right to get all updates + passwords for all releases up to version number 04.99. Practically (as I fear I won't find so many improvements to justify a main version 5) your registration will be valid unlimited... Without the password, you will not be able to create own mask entry lists (but you can use the delivered examples) and some nerving requesters will show up now and then. However, even without the password you can work properly with VideoMaxe -- but _please_ don't forget to register if you really like it :-). Registered users will be informed of major updates (e.g. from 04.10 to 04.20). See `How to register'. IF YOU DISTRIBUTE VideoMaxe, you MUST copy the whole original archive. Exceptions: o You may leave out the foreign software packages (see below) -- but if you do so, you must include a new, own README file that says what changes you did to the archive. o You may freely distribute separately both documentation files "VideoMaxe.doc" or "VideoMaxe.guide" if you let them unchanged. IF YOU DISTRIBUTE VideoMaxe you MUST NOT demand more than your costs have been to copy it. Especially, you MUST NOT sell it for more than five (5) US Dollar or five (5) DM (or an equivalent in other currencies). This limit is obligatory for all Public Domain dealers. The program may be included in Public Domain Series, especially in Fred Fishs Amiga Disk Library. The program may in no way whatsoever be used commercially without the author's permission. However, I am not responsible for any damages this program might do. Though it is tested thoroughly, I can't guarantee that the program will perform exactly as decribed. The program must neither be used nor copied by any extremely right wing organisations or persons. Foreign software products ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1) The Installer software (c)Commodore You need the installer to run the multi-purpose VideoMaxe installation script. It comes with the original OS 2.1+ distribution and is located on the "Install" disk. You have to copy that program "Installer" from the "Install" disk to your "c:" directory (or anywhere in your WB path). (2) The AmigaGuide software (c)Commodore The two files 'AmigaGuide' (& its icon) and 'amigaguide.library' are included in this archive in the 'Tools' directory. Please note: AmigaGuide, AmigaGuide.info, amigaguide.library, WDisplay, WDisplay.info (c) Copyright 1991-93 Commodore-Amiga, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and distributed under license from Commodore. AMIGAGUIDE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED. The 'amigaguide.library' will be installed via the installer script if necessary with a new installation. However, simply copy the file 'amigaguide.library' to your 'libs:' directory if you want to do it yourself. Copy the file 'AmigaGuide' to your 'SYS:Utilities' directory (which is the recommended installation). For both files please check first if you haven't got a more recent version already installed! You need 'AmigaGuide' and the 'amigaguide.library', respectively, to view the doc files 'XXX.guide' and to utilise the VideoMaxe online help. 0.2. Release Notes =================== VideoMaxe 04.40, © Stephan Sürken. Needs VideoMaxe.catalog 12. Please read the file "ThisRelease.txt" in the release directory. See `Bugs' and `Changes' for innovations. Compiled with M2Amiga, Release 4.3. Program is reentrant, creates a min stack of 20000 Byte automatically. A needed but not existing library causes an program assertion with an "Arts" error message; the locale and amigaguide libraries are optional. Wit the asl library v37 or worse you won't be able to use the screen mode requester. All run time checks are off to make the program fast - so, unfortunately some (unknown) bugs might lead to a system crash instead of a fine M2Amiga assert message... 0.3. How to register ===================== Lesen Sie auch die Datei "LiesMich.txt" für Registrierung!! Note that any earnest usage of VideoMaxe leads to the necessity to register. Especially, you MUST NOT use the 'limited' VideoMaxe without registration longer than one month. You can register and thus obtain the password by sending me a shareware donation of 30,- Deutsche Mark or 20,- US Dollar or an equivalence in other currencies. Practically, the procedure should be like this: 1st: Contact me, indicating that you want to register. Tell me your full name & address & what version of VideoMaxe you use. E-Mail appreciated. 2nd: Transmit the money, in what way ever you think it's appropriate (cash in snail mail, transfer to my bank account, cheque, etc.). Please identify yourself sufficiently, so that I can find out who sent me the money... Certainly, you may combine 1st & 2nd, e.g. in one snail mail... If you have done so, you are a registered user. I will then contact you & give you the password(s). NOTE that you will not get an update then. See `How to get updates'. Certainly, you may combine registering & getting an update, e.g. in one snail mail... See `The Author' for addresses. See `Copyright & legal stuff' for your rights & advantages as registered user. See `Documentation' for how to employ the password. 0.4. How to get updates ======================== Lesen Sie auch die Datei "LiesMich.txt" für Updates!! There are two ways to get an update of VideoMaxe: o Look out for PD Series or any other place were PD resp. ShareWare is open for the public. Hints: I will always upload the newest version to the _AmiNet_. I will always ask A.P.S. to include the newest version on a _TIME_ PD disk. I will always ask Fred to include the newest version on a _Fish_ PD disk. o Send to me via snail mail: - A disk (3.5" DD) - an sufficiently stamped return-envelope (international answering formular appreciated; innerhalb Deutschlands 2,- DM Porto) - 10,- DM/Dollar (for my endeavour) [- 30,- DM/20,- Dollar additionally, ONLY if you simultaneously want to] [ register. See `How to register'. ] I will the return the return-envelope with the newest version. 0.5. Rise from VideoMaxe 03.XX to 04.XX ======================================== If you have used VideoMaxe 03.XX, you can update your project and your "Treiber"-files. This is done by the CLI-tool "VMConvert", residing in the "Tools" directory of the original archive. It can convert VideoMaxe 03.XX projects and VideoMaxe 03.XX "Treiber"-files to the current format. Do this conversions with the multiple use installer script "InstallVM" in the original archive. Please start this up and read its help texts for details. Refer to VMConvert`s documentation (if existing) if you want to use it from Shell ("VMConvert ?" will show up the syntax). 0.6. Rise from VideoMaxe 04.20 to 04.30 ======================================== If you have used VideoMaxe 04.00-04.20, you can update your mask list, project, video recorder and printer preferences files. VideoMaxe preferences files cannot be updated and layout preferences files haven't changed their format. The conversion is done by the CLI-tool "VMConvert", residing in the "Tools" directory of the original archive. Do this conversions with the multiple use installer script "InstallVM" in the original archive. Please start this up and read its help texts for details. Refer to VMConvert`s documentation (if existing) if you want to use it from Shell ("VMConvert ?" will show up the syntax). 0.7. Odds & Ends ================= o locale.library 38.24 (31.3.92) I used that library while coding the localization of VideoMaxe and I nearly got mad (thinking I would do sth wrong) as the oc_version tag in its opening procedure (which asures you that the right catalog version is opened) would not work. I did help myself out by storing the catalog version as a string the iff catalog files themselves. When I got version 38.27 of the library, it DID work, and so I dropped that special version check since VideoMaxe 04.31+. So if you should have problems opening your language catalog, be sure to use the locale library 38.27 or better. Note: Stefan Becker's "Toolmanager" had exactly the same problem... o The default (program-coded) and standard (installed) layout preferences open a PAL screen, 640x256. If you can't open a PAL screen however, you will get an error message on startup; simply ignore this messages, open on the system`s default public screen, change the layout preferences in VideoMaxe to your wishes & "Save" it (see bug `-(13)'). o If you however see texts in VideoMaxe that begin with a "(*) ", this indicates that in the catalog file you use this text had not yet been translated into the language of the catalog in question. This should not occur however. o Some words to the catalog file and menu/gadget shortcuts. There are some applications that strictly follow the style guide: They define for every window everything new and use the suggested names for the strings (i.e. XXX_MENU for menus or XXX_GAD for gadget text). This is simply needed if you want to define shortcuts for gadgets and menus in the catalog, BUT: 1st: you get monster names to differentiate the different window names, i.e. like MSG_TRANSFERPANEL_ABORT_ENTIRE_TRANSFER_GAD_STR from Olaf Barthel`s Term. 2nd: you get a damn lot of strings! E.g. Term`s source default strings file is about 200 K big! As these default strings must be hard-coded, that means 100 - 200 K more code (depending on the compliler`s optimization) only for the text!! And think about all the translaters that have to translate these strings... So, this is the reason why I will not define shortcuts via the catalog file. I will even try 2 reduce the number of needed strings by their intelligent combination. 1. Installation **************** 1.1. Requirements ================== To be able to run (this version of) VideoMaxe on your computer you must have an Amiga with Kick 2.04+ (37.175+) and WB 2.x+ (37+). 1.2. Accomplish installation ============================= I recommend to use the multiple use installer script "InstallVM" in the original archive; read its help texts for details. If you really want to do it by hand, read the `Documentation', understand it and do it yourself; you may however - as the original archive is runable as it is - simply copy the whole directory to your hard disk. 2. Documentation ***************** Please read the corresponding text file or klick on the corresponding gadget if you are hypertexting. Note that for the latter the correct file must be in the same directory as the this manual. Until now, the following languages are available: @{"English" link "Documentation_E.guide/main"} Text file: Documentation_E.txt @{"Deutsch" link "Documentation_D.guide/main"} Textdatei: Documentation_D.txt 3. History *********** This chapter consists of two parts, namely `Changes' and `Bugs'. The first contains changes (improvements, additions, minor bugs) made in newer releases. It also includes links to the bugs in the second chapter. The second part covers all major bugs found (and mostly solved) in various releases of VideoMaxe. The only interesting part for the user are the unsolved bugs there. 3.1. Changes ============= Starting programming in 1989, releasing a first version openly in 1990 (02.11). Starting here with the last 1.3 release. "Date" is always the final compilation date. The more "o" are preceding the text, the more important is the change. 3.1.1. Release 03.24 --------------------- Date: 22 May 1992 This is the last version of VideoMaxe for WB 1.3. Refer to the 03.24 documents for details. 3.1.2. Release 04.00_beta -------------------------- Date: 25 Feb 1993 Initial 4.00 version. Had the remark not to use it as it was a beta version and might be (and was...:.) bogus. Though successor of VideoMaxe 03.XX, so much changes have been made that it is in fact a new program with completely new documentation required. oo Added all the numberless fabulous features the 04 versions of VideoMaxe!!! oo All file formats changed. Opportunity to update project and video recorder (old "Treiber"-) files. Bugs fixed: % 3.1.3. Release 04.10 --------------------- Date: 16 Apr 1993 Major bug fix release. First non-beta 04 version. o Changed "VM:Prefs" to "VM:Config" (style guide). Bugs fixed: `-(1)', `-(2)', `-(3)', `-(4)', `-(5)', `-(6)', `-(7)', `-(8)', `-(11)'. 3.1.4. Release 04.11 --------------------- Date: 26 Apr 1993 Minor bug fix release. Done this mainly because of the embarrassing bug `-(12)'. o some minor bug fixes o you do not have to press "TAB" or "ENTER" to really read the search texts in the search title and the search tape windows; that was really irritating sometimes. Some gadget position have changed as well... o added french catalog. Thanks Leif! Bugs fixed: `-(12)'. 3.1.5. Release 04.12 --------------------- Date: 06 May 1993 Minor bug fix release, fixing bug `-(13)' that irritated some american NTSC-only-machine users... o Improved documentation. Bugs fixed: `-(13)'. 3.1.6. Release 04.20 --------------------- Date: 16 Sep 1993 Major update release. o Finally found bug why program crashed when dragging a file onto VideoMaxe's application icon. Now you`re able to drag project, VideoMaxe preference and layout preference files onto VideoMaxe's application icon in iconification mode. o Comparing strings now with the localized compare from the locale library (collate 2). No longer capitalize the title's strings for exactly that reason. o Won`t save icon now if there is already one existing when saving a file. Saved icons will now have a no fixed icon position. o Redrawed all VideoMaxe icons. o Created in-program-code for the default layout window shapes. This will let VideoMaxe`s default pal layout look much better (try it in the layout preferences window, before all windows were as big as the screen). Useful when the "VM:Config/LO.prefs" file however couldn`t be loaded. oo Every project now contains a clipped title list, accessable in the project window. o Completed the documentation, writing my fingers down to rather short sticks oo Finally wrote an installer script. Will now do minor updates, new installation, full version decoding, file updating o No longer automatically capitalizing rubric names. This will however not lead to compatibility problems, as these strings were actually saved big and not only internally computed. o Added shortcuts for important menus. oo Put "Public screen?" and "Shanghai windows?" flags to work. o Slight change needed in "Search for title" because of no longer capitalizing title's key strings: "Search for full text" will now regard case sense, only "Search for pattern" will not. Embedded same behaviour into "Search for tape". o new catalog file created (version 3). German updating, French updating by Leif Kornstaedt (Thanks, Leif!). oo Finally dropped the coded/light version schnick-schnack. Now you can simply edit the password in the vm prefs, and according to its correctness some features are blocked or not... Bugs fixed: `-(9)', `-(14)', `-(15)', `-(16)', `-(17)', `-(18)', `-(19)', `-(20)', `-(21)'. 3.1.7. Release 04.30 --------------------- (Beta release) Date: 24 Nov 1993 oo Severe intern structure change, discovering a number of smaller bugs (producing some other smaller bugs... :+) oo Re-thought VideoMaxe string output. (1) New VIEW output for mask, rubric, tape, title, project. Is shown in every id-output (e.g. lists). (2) New INFO output for rubric, tape, title, project. Info for rubric, tape, title in: project window. Info for project in: project list window Will provide prefs to handle what infos to display. (3) For all these strings you now can adjust wether to take texts or symbols (VideoMaxe prefs) as identification for the shown values. As for point (1), creating and showing lists will be somewhat slower... oo Introduced DYNAMIC STRINGS! That means that any string may be as long as you like!! oo Added mask special window. No fun these long menus... oo Finally produced a statistics window worth its name. o Will take own allocation procedures now, no longer the standard M2Amiga ones. This & the new dynamic string feature leads to the following run time memory improvements for a test VideoMaxe project file with 209 Titles: V4.20 V4.30 (standard heap) (own heap) Memory needed 128.608 99.848 89.696 Bytes oo No more fussing about with TAB/ENTER to really read the data of integer/string gadgets. Now the data always will be read from the gadgets when required. oo File formats have changed: -Mask list files changed, update with vmconvert -Project files changed, update with vmconvert -Video recorder files changed, update with vmconvert -Printer preferences files changed, update with vmconvert -VideoMaxe preferences files changed, can't be updated -Layout preferences files unchanged o many smaller & bigger changes concerning the outfit of the windows o improved window close up routine(s) due to halted window... oo some oddities concerning the tab cycle feature for gadtool gadgets removed (used to recalc some values & then redraw the gadget in question, which caused the gadget to deactivate...). Now, the redraw procedure will check the gadget for activation, the redraw it and activates it again in case. o VideoMaxe prefs. and its window changed to the new necessities. o prt. prefs and its window changed to the new necessities. Three new flags for the prt. prefs. o spaces of time now in Hours, Minutes, Seconds. (proper release) Date: 13 Jan 1994 o several beta bugs fixed. o removed some harmeless bugs in some windows processings that forgot to deallocate some data. Additionally, the deallocation procedure will now be done with the window in question blocked until all is deallocated, and then the window is closed. That clears up some confusion that came up when the underlaying window was re-activated though VideoMaxe was still working on the deallocation (especially project window -> project list window). o The standard gadget "OK" is now named "Use". That seems to tell more... oo Implemented "next gadget activation" with [RETURN] (mainly because some guy insisted the style guide says so...). o Included Commodores 'Installer' & 'AmigaGuide' to the archive. o added a _provisional_ 'Help' menu to project list window. However, this will only execute the online help string of the VideoMaxe preferences - please don't change that string as this somewhat curious. As adjusted when VM comes, it will call: run sys:utilities/AmigaGuide vm:docs/VideoMaxe.guide The call will open VideoMaxe.guide asynchronosly. No guarantees whether this will work on your installations are made... oo Localized the installer script. English and German available. o Project window: title list no longer recalculated after title search (was rather senseless), no automatic flip to "all titles" mode after inserting a new title (rather senseless, too). Active tape/rubric are now taken as defaults for new titles. oo Excluded limitations in serach title window for non-registered users. Added an nerving requester for unregistered users. oo Re-thought the 'search title' routine. Now no more odd results (due to some unclarities whether to use the titles name or the modified titles name (articles omitted) in search [binary search]). Added "AddAllMatching..."-feature, suggested by Lothar Mai. o Dyn. string max block size limited to 100 (range now {1..100}). o Time space length: zero values are no longer shown. E.g. "23 Minutes" instead of "0 Hours, 23 Minutes, 0 Seconds". "0 Seconds" instead of "0 Hours, 0 Minutes, 0 Seconds" (!!). o Fixed bug: When printing, the VideoMaxe defaults for info text verbosity were used (not those values of the printer config of the project (respectively changed project's prt. conf.))... o The project window will now initially display the 1st tape instead of the full title list. o Added pattern gadget to the file requesters, defaulting to "~(#?.info)". Bugs fixed: `-(23)', `-(24)', `-(25)'. 3.1.8. Release 04.33 --------------------- Date: 01 May 1994 o The title view strings are now entirely created when loading a project, not everytime they are needed. This will cost some more loading time & memory, but will enormeously improve the time to create the display title lists in the project window (e.g. when changing the list type). This was really embarassing sometimes, especially for me, running an old 68000 still.... o Project window wouldn't redisplay title list after a window size change. Fixed. oo Display status of the project window (active list, title, tape, rubric, prt. config number) is now silently saved with a project, thus you will always return to the situation when you left the window... Clipped title list will be silently saved now, too -- not exactly the _list_, but all titles of the list; its _order_ of titles may be different. Suggested by Andre Scherin. o Title window: tape & rubric will now be shown as view text - as it shold be. o The width of the rubric & tape gadgets in the project & title window will now be calculated relative to the window width - they no longer have a constant width per font. Thus, you may make more text visible in these gadgets by increasing the window width. oo Added split & merge facilities for projects!!! See the "project list"'s special menu. o Print: Now you can adjust the start & ending when printing a list. Requested by several users. o Removed special check for correct catalog version. See `Odds & Ends'. o Title editor: You can now calculate a new titles length by typing its end counter position. Suggested by Lothar Mai. oo The error, info, question and about windows are now easy system requesters. Advantages: The windows look somewhat better, have always the correct size to read the contents properly, less program code is needed. As consequence, these window's shape is not saved anymore. o Registered users won't see the 'About' window on startup any more. Unregistered users will see the whole 'About' window now as nerving requester instead of the small info window... o Included two WB tool types: - PUBSCREEN - defines own public screen name - DEFPROJECT - defines a default project to be loaded on startup o The project spool information will now have impact on the spool info display in the tape info window (as it should be...). o New catalog version (6) needed. Updated the german catalog. French catalog updated by Leif Kornstaedt. Thanks! o Updated the docs, preparation for mult. languages: Docs/Manual.txt english VideoMaxe Manual with "changing" information. Docs/Documentation_X.txt VideoMaxe Documentation in language X. Its guide file will be used as online help file. In the VideoMaxe prefs. you can now adjust that file name -- no real online help yet, but with "Specials.Help" in the project list window that file will tried to be started with "SYS:Utilities/AmigaGuide"... o Improved the hard-coded layout default...& VideoMaxe default... o You can now adjust the online help file - the program "sys:utilities/ amigaguide" will be executed with that file as argument when you select "Help". STILL provisional!! oo New data type MEMO added. o Mask entry window: Improved data restorage when changing data type. o Project window: will now redisplay tape/title info text after "MaskSpecials". o Added (telling!?) appendices for the release files: PROJECTS : pj MASKLISTS : ml VIDEORECORDER : vcr PRINTER PREFERENCES : prp VIDEOMAXE PREFERENCES: vmp LAYOUT PREFERENCES : lop o Fixed: tape/rubric wouldn't redisplay after search for title. o Search for title window: all found title are shown now while we are busy searching "all matching" titles... Bugs fixed: `-(10)', `-(26)', `-(27)', `-(28)'. 3.1.9. Release 04.40 --------------------- Date: 08 Jul 1994 o "Clear clipped title list" would not have effect on project save operation. Fixed. o View text of a by a "used spaces suggest" modified title would not be recalculated. Fixed. o Project window: Incorrectness when switching to the clipped list via the mx gadget while having a title active that is _not_ in the clipped list (false active title was displayed...). Fixed. o Project window: Would not react to doubleklick correctly when you have a "good" display mode (eg. Super72:SuperHighRes) with a "bad" Amiga (eg. an old A500 like mine), as the windows redisplaying routines would cost too much time. Solved. o Project window will now always ask for more mem on ram panic (instead of an error & exit...) oo Added ONLINE HELP. Simply press HELP in any window and the docs for that window will pop up. o Will now run without the locale library (=> WB/Kick 2.04+). o Installer script will now install amigaguide library. oo Improved printing: o using less hazardous printer commands (!) o too long strings (texts, memos, view texts, etc.) will no longer be cut to fit into one line, but printed fully o printer preferences may hold two "Condensed" pitches now (15 or 17). o you can change the "Use abbr." flag now locally for printing o no longer initializing the printer before printing, adding a gadget to do that manually into the printer window. o Added one more flag to the prt.prefs.! See in the `documentation' for more details. o Finally added a color editor.... o Removed the "Forget active values?" requests in the printer preferences, mask list and video recorder windows that did pop up when opening a file. These were more annoying than helpful... o Improved editing in printer preferences window (copy configs...) o Print window will now initially have the projects active prt. config as default. o Some intern integrity checks will now be left out (in the final compilation) to gain speed. o Added menu to set window (all, nothing, negated). o Info texts: - Added abbreviations for the spool info: used time (>|), rest time (|<) and counter (OOOO). - Counter will no longer contain decimal point. - Changed abbr. "XX's" to "XXs". o The "choose" windows won't redisplay list after window size change. Fixed. o Project window: Added a "zero check" special. o Title window: increased number of chars for title length minutes to 3 (instead of 2) - so you might now type 110 Minutes instead of 1 Hour, 50 Minutes.... o Project window: Added safety-check before actually performing "Start values". o Project list window: Added load & save menu items for both config files. Suggested, no, strongly demanded by Lothar XYZ. oo Removed vicious suggestion bug. See `-(29)'. o Layout prefs: Added "Use WB screen mode?"-flag and possibility to enter the public screen name of VideoMaxe. o VideoMaxe prefs: icreased max Possible dyn. string add size to 300 (was 100). o Moved spool info adjustments from project to video recorder (where it belongs). Unfortunately, [and that's why I hesitated implementing it] I had to change the project and vcr file formats - you can certainly update your files with the VMConvert tool; so: oo File formats have changed: -Project files changed, update with vmconvert -Video recorder files changed, update with vmconvert oo Added german documentation (& online help...:-). Bug fixed: `-(29)'. 3.1.10. Release 04.41 ---------------------- Date: 13 Aug 1994 o Project window: New shortcut Amiga-P for "Specials.Print.Active Title List". o Project window: New shortcut Amiga-K for "Title.Copy active title". o Project window: New menu item "Title.locked" (shortcut Amiga *). o Project window: Fixed a small display bug that would sometimes set the active rubric/tape to NIL. oo New standard gadgets "#" (choose one entry out of a list) and "I" (adjust info text verbosity): - Project window: Added "#"-Gadgets to tape & rubric (eliminating the corresponding menu items "choose"). Added "I"-Gadget to tape, rubric & title. - Main window: Added "I"-Gadget to project. - Statistics window: Added "I"-Gadgets to project, tape, rubric & title (eliminating the corresponding menu items). o Main window: Added gadget for default project file name; added standard menu "Load" for projects. o Choose window: Added menu item "Specials.Show" (Shortcut Amiga ?) (instead of showing the entry via mouse-click). o Added help for choose window. o Improved the "Zero check" routine. oo Added new mask entry type "Set": - search routine will hunt for the in-set objects strings! - search routine will now always hunt for the mask entry names of true boolean mask entries! - updated mask entry & mask entry list window. Bug fixed: `-(30)'. 3.1.11. Release 04.42 ---------------------- Date: 17 Aug 1994 This release is the same as 04.41, except it has the following bug fix: Bug fixed: `-(31)'. 3.1.12. Release 04.43 ---------------------- Date: 18 Sep 1994 oo Better layout using bevel boxes. o Suggestion window: Added "Use" and "Cancel" standard gadgets. o Show tape window now draws with the gadget font (instead of the screen font). o Project list window: new gadgets "Quit" & "Iconify"; unused gadgets removed. oo Added priority setting for (unlocked) titles. Thus you should get much better (sorted) used space suggestion lists. o Added view strings for suggestions. 3.1.13. Release 04.44 ---------------------- Date: 25 Oct 1994 o Layout Default: Mask entry and string window adapted to the new bboxes... o Project merge & split: Defaults are active projects now. oo No need to assign VM: any more. See documentation (Startup). o Added new Length window, suggestion previewer. Bug fixed: `-(33)'. `-(34)'. 3.2. Bugs ========== This chapter covers all major bugs found in various releases of VideoMaxe. The only interesting part for the user are the unsolved bugs here. Bugs are found in programs in multiple ways; there are small bugs, funny and ugly bugs, and, of course, there are bugs not even Commodore knows where they came from. But now for something completely different: o The bugs listed beneath are KNOWN bugs only (well, what else...); thus, that list is not complete in what way soever. o Furthermore, it may be that even some known "bugs" do not occur in the list. For one thing, they may be too "small" so that I decided not to mention them (and there are many of these, mentioned as "done minor bug fixes" in "Changes"). The other thing is that I might not consider some "strange" behaviour as "bug", though other may do. And here's the list: Convention: +(<bugNo>) = Bug number <bugNo> is not yet fixed -(<bugNo>) = Bug number <bugNo> is fixed in current version 3.2.1. -(1) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Everywhere Situation : More than one window is open Error : The IDCMP-Port of the unactive window is not blocked Ok since : 04.10 Notes : This isn`t really a "bug", I simply haven`t implemented that yet. So watch out if VideoMaxe does not react... 3.2.2. -(2) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Reopening VideoMaxe (from iconification) Situation : Not enough free (chip) ram available Error : VideoMaxe will assert (so all previously loaded (and perhaps changed) projects will be lost) Ok since : 04.10 3.2.3. -(3) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Save project Situation : A loaded project`s path+filename is longer than 80 chars and you select the menu item "Save" Error : The complete filename will be cut off and the project will be tried to save to that wrong name; this might cause an error (that`s the best case) or the project might be saved to that wrong name. This latter behaviour is _VERY_ ugly, as it may overwrite (without further request) an already existing file that coincidentially has exactly this name... Ok since : 04.10 Notes : Fortunately, the worst case situation described above is not very probable 3.2.4. -(4) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Project Situation : Use one of the special mask operations Error : VideoMaxe does not recognize the project to be changed Ok since : 04.10 3.2.5. -(5) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Project Situation : Change the active list via the mx-gadget while there is no active title Error : VideoMaxe will not refresh the spool information even if the selection of the new list provides an active title Ok since : 04.10 3.2.6. -(6) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Main Situation : Starting up VideoMaxe Error : First, the about information is shown and then the args are loaded; this should be the other way round Ok since : 04.10 3.2.7. -(7) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Copied Title Situation : The title window starts with the advice to to copy a title Error : ALL information is copied while it is very unuseful to copy the date information; it should have the value of the current time Ok since : 04.10 Notes : I will add the pre-text "Copy of " to the name of the title as well (and will think about other values useful to copy or not) 3.2.8. -(8) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Everywhere Situation : Closing a window Error : In this situation VideoMaxe should get both the normal window sizes & the zoomed window sizes. Somehow this goes astray. Ok since : 04.10 3.2.9. -(9) ------------ In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Everywhere Situation : Intuition`s window refresh (caused by window size change) Error : After this operation the window will refresh its frame each time the right mouse button is pressed Ok since : 04.20 Notes : This can be _very_ annoying if you have more of those windows, as the refreshing steals your time. Obviously my refreshing procedure is innocent, so why is this??? 3.2.10. -(10) -------------- In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Everywhere Situation : You`ve choosed a proportional gadget font in the layout preferences Error : The gadget real time calculations will be (slightly) wrong Ok since : 04.33 3.2.11. -(11) -------------- In version : 04.00_beta (08.03.93) Location : Project list -> Project Situation : Ram-Cloning a project Error : Titles are inserted in alphabetical order. As the titles are managed in a binary tree as well (and I haven`t implemented AVL-Trees...), the tree of the cloned project becomes a linear list. Employing the recursive search procs (and these are used in the copying routine itself) then very likely leads to a stack overflow error... Ok since : 04.10 Notes : The titles are now inserted according to the tape title lists as it should be (and is handled saving projects). Thus, I hope to have the best chance to get an more or less balanced tree. 3.2.12. -(12) -------------- In version : 04.10 Location : Suggest Situation : Choosing a suggestion for used spaces that does fully overplay (at least one) title (indicated by only one ">") Error : VideoMaxe will Assert with an error message that can only be understood by me :+). Ok since : 04.11 Notes : There were three words missing in the source after I had slightly changed the meaning of a datatype :-|. It was something like "AND (end <> NIL)"... 3.2.13. -(13) -------------- In version : 04.11 Location : Starting up VideoMaxe Situation : Can`t open the screen though enough memory available (e.g. because of an unexistent screen mode). Error : VideoMaxe will give the error message "Not enough memory available!" instead of "Can`t open screen!". Furthermore, VideoMaxe will not try to open a screen with another (available) screen mode. Ok since : 04.12 Notes : Reported to me by Matt Simmons. In fact, you might get trouble if you want to START VideoMaxe of Releases 04.11- on a pure NTSC machine (though certainly the programs runs with any screen mode), as you can`t change the preloaded layout preferences file. 3.2.14. -(14) -------------- In version : 04.00 Location : Starting up VideoMaxe Situation : A library VideoMaxe needs is not available. Error : The program SHOULD assert with the dos exit code FAILED (but one should not believe an compilers manual...). The program DOES mostly assert with an ILLEGAL INSTRUCTION ALERT however. Ok since : 04.20 Notes : As M2Amiga automatically opens the used libraries, I`ve no chance to explicitely test all needed libraries - the runtime system is doing that for me (with this noted bug...). _I_ can`t correct this but will now link a run time file that at least shows which library could not be opened (though code will thus increase). 3.2.15. -(15) ---------------- In version : 04.12 Location : Print routine Situation : Printing with certain printer drivers (e.g. EpsonX) Error : Printer device will produce an error when initializing the printer (though the used commands are known to the driver); this will let VideoMaxe cancel the print job. Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Obviously no failure of my print routine. I did the following to improve VideoMaxe failure handling: o survey the printer device error flag after every ANSI command sent to it and + display any _known_ error as plain text with the last used ANSI command + display any unknown error with the last used ANSI command + let the user decide after any of those errors if he wants to cancel, proceed or proceed & ignore the following errors 3.2.16. -(16) -------------- In version : 04.12 Location : Startup Situation : Starting VideoMaxe up from Workbench with VM: not assigned. Error : VideoMaxe will not automatically assign VM: to the current directory. Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Did look for the cli-structure only... 3.2.17. -(17) -------------- In version : 04.10 Location : Saving a project to a project file. Situation : Save (not "Save as") a NEW project. Error : Access to NIL: as no default file name present - program asserts Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Never done this, discovered by chance!! Now ignoring such call. 3.2.18. -(18) -------------- In version : 04.12 Location : Startup VideoMaxe Situation : Supply a layout preferences file as argument Error : Won't open the correct screen Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Simply corrected the order of the startup sequence. Rather foolish error... 3.2.19. -(19) -------------- In version : 04.12 Location : Delete a title Situation : U wanta delete a title with length zero Error : Won`t be able to do that if it is not last on tape. Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Sure you should be able to delete a title with length zero any time. In fact, you could not delete such titles at all if they weren`t last on tape...now you can. 3.2.20. -(20) -------------- In version : 04.12 Location : Release package Situation : - Error : An absolutely senseless file "Install.bat" was included. Ok since : 04.20 Notes : No idea how that file got there... 3.2.21. -(21) -------------- In version : 04.00 Location : Startup Situation : Old catalog loaded Error : String mixup Ok since : 04.20 Notes : Delivered OC_Version with zero, because nothing else would work with OpenCatalog. A bug in M2Amiga? Now testing for version differently. 3.2.22. -(22) -------------- In version : 04.20 Location : Project window Situation : Leaving it via OK or DELETE Error : Exec list not deallocated => ram loss Ok since : 04.21 3.2.23. -(23) -------------- In version : 04.20 Location : Tape window Situation : Typing a 4-digit number into the length gadget Error : Integer overflow (Arts.Assert) Ok since : 04.30 3.2.24. -(24) -------------- In version : 04.20 Location : Leaving VideoMaxe Situation : The VideoMaxe screen is public & guest windows are open on it. Error (I leave that to your machine) Ok since : 04.30 Note : Well, I simply forgot to change my Screen-CloseUp procedure when introducing public screen; the old Screen-CloseUp handled it like a custom screen and tried to close all windows on it...very embarassing... 3.2.25. -(25) -------------- In version : 04.20 Location : Title window Situation : Changing an existing title via OK (resp. USE) with: o the change won't be applyable due to any reason(s) (so an error _should_ occur...) o you have bad luck because some intern pointer is set this way and not the other...:-( Error : Stack overflow because of corrupt binary title tree may occur. Ok since : 04.30 Note : If the above mentioned circumstances are matched (what is rather rare & thus kept me from recognizing this bug for so long..), the intern binary title tree will be corrupted. This *may* lead to a stack overflow because of an infinitive loop - but only if the corrupted part of the tree is requested by the program. So: Though this bug is rather rare & even if it occurs, it mostly won't show -- I have found it. I am a hero. 3.2.26. -(26) -------------- In version : 04.30 Location : All menus Situation : Running VideoMaxe under OS 3.0 Error : The Amiga Shortcuts are not present. Ok since : 04.33 Note : Thanks to Christoph Feck for the hint. 3.2.27. -(27) -------------- In version : 04.30 Location : All cycle gadgets Situation : Running VideoMaxe with a bigger CPU than 68000 (??) Error : Text panic in the cycle gadgets. Ok since : 04.33 Note : (I) THE BUG: The cycle gadgets were created with ng.label = ADDRESS(CycleLabelAddressArray); ng.flags = placetextIn; which is certainly bogus as this will try to display the string array as a text (!) and inside the cycle gadget (!). (II) On my machine (A500, Kick 37.175, WB 38.36), everything was fine - never saw anything but correct cycle gadgets as I planned them. (III) Reports said, that on machines with the same software (Kick 37.175, WB 38.36) but running with better processors (e.g. with a turbo-card), the bug DID occur. As for this point, I did not think AT ALL of a bug like it actually was, but that something with the text-addresses would go wrong using higher processors. Thus, either the reports have been wrong, or we are confronting another miracle in the world of computing... (IV) A hint by Andreas Raquet guided me to the bug. Thanks! 3.2.28. -(28) -------------- In version : 04.30 Location : Layout preferences window Situation : Loading a preferences file from disk, then try to choose a font. Error : The GURU might make a little visit, due to corrupt font name addresses :-(. Ok since : 04.33 3.2.29. -(29) -------------- In version : 04.30 Location : Accept used space suggestion in the title window Situation : It's a used space suggestion that would overplay even the last title on a tape. Error : The program would assert...***SORRY*** Ok since : 04.40 Note : What a bug - one of the kind: hard to make, great effect, easy to correct. 3.2.30. -(30) -------------- In version : 04.40- Location : Accept used space suggestion in the title window. Situation : It is a used space suggestion that would change the first title of the all title list (!). Error : The program would assert...***SORRY*** Ok since : 04.41 Note : Appeared quite seldom, but very arksome (?) if. After searching 4 h (!) for the solution for the mystery, I found out that I solely had to change a constant to a variable parameter... 3.2.31. -(31) -------------- In version : 04.41- Location : Starting up VideoMaxe. Situation : Program won't work with asl library version 37-. Error : Program showed memory error, though in fact the asl library wasn't good enough... Ok since : 04.42 Note : Using asl library version 37-, you won't be able to use the screen mode requester. 3.2.32. +(32) -------------- In version : 04.42- Location : Saving any file. Situation : Using the file name to "ram:<NonExistingFile>". Error : Very strange error message: "File not found". Ok since : - Note : After this error there will be a such zero-length file an the ram: device. You may then save it to that name... 3.2.33. -(33) -------------- In version : 04.43- Location : Starting up VideoMaxe. Situation : "VM:" is not assigned. Error : VideoMaxe would try to open some configurations BEFORE assigning "VM:" to the program's dir. Ok since : 04.44 3.2.34. -(34) -------------- In version : 04.43 Location : Title view strings. Situation : Sometimes, on some machines - not on mine :) Error : VideoMaxe would mess up the title view strings. Ok since : 04.44 4. Troubleshooting & Hints *************************** 4.0. VideoMaxe always starts up in the 'unregistered' mode! ============================================================ => 1st: You are not registered. Please read the manual how to register! 2nd: You haven't saved the prefs with the password! Type in the password in the VideoMaxe preferences window and DON'T FORGET to choose "Save"!! 4.1. VideoMaxe always shows odd 'screen open errors' when starting up! ======================================================================= => There's a false screen mode (= a screen mode unable to display on your system) adjusted in the layout preferences. Choose your preferred screen mode in the layout preferences window and DON'T FORGET to choose "Save"!! 4.2. How can I quickly find a free place on my tapes for a spontaneous recording? ================================================================================== => Choose "New title" in the project window, fill in the titles length with your wishes and choose "Get suggestion". Leave the title window via "Cancel" if you don't want to store that spontaneous recording... 4.3. While printing, VideoMaxe shows 'Unsupported printer command' error? Can I print anyhow? ============================================================================================== => 1st: I use the standard ANSI printer codes (see your OS manual). If this error occurs, this means that your in the Amiga prefrences adjusted printer driver can't translate the command. Normally this should mean that the printer belonging to the driver does not support that command, but -- at least with the original commodore drivers (sorry) -- everything is possible. 2nd: Yes. Don't cancel the printing and choose 'Ignore following errors'. Thus the non-supported commands will be ignored. However, I can't guarantee for the output, then....try it! 4.4. Some info/view texts are running out of their gadgets! ============================================================ => 1st: Select "Use abbreviations?" in the VideoMaxe preferences window. Thus abbreviations are used to make the info/view texts shorter. 2nd: Choose a smaller gadget font in the layout preferences. 3rd: Try to increase the width of the gadget in question by increasing the width of its window. 4th: Choose less information to be displayed if you can renounce some information. 4.5. How can I delete a title that is not last title of its tape? ================================================================== => 1st: Not at all, as you would corrupt that tape unless the title's length is zero. Mark the title as 'unlocked', so it is free to be overplayed. 2nd: If you however urgently want to delete the title (as you did an error inserting it. for example), simply change its length to zero first and then delete it. 4.6. I inserted a title on a wrong tape! ========================================= => Choose "Copy active title" and insert that copy correctly. Then delete the wrong original. 5. Thanks to... **************** Jens Stumpe for painting the title picture. Leif Tobias Kornstaedt for the French translation. All registered users! All the engaged and productive PD/Share-programmers out there! 6. The Author ************** The author is me and I am the author. |-----------------------------------------------------------| | ADDRESS | |···························································| | Stephan Sürken | | Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 34 A 161 | | D-67663 Kaiserslautern | |-----------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------| | E-MAIL (InterNet) | |···························································| | s_suerke@informatik.uni-kl.de | |-----------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------| | BANK ACCOUNT | |···························································| | o Stadtsparkasse Kaiserslautern, FRG | | o Bankleitzahl (BLZ) : 540 501 10 | | - Bildschirmtext (BTX) : *966750# | | - SWIFT-Code : KLTS DE 55 BiC | | o Account-Number/Konto-Nummer: 128 029 758 | |-----------------------------------------------------------| Enjoy! -Stephan