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VIz
Copyright (c) 1989-1992, FM de Monasterio
Licensed Material - All rights reserved
Revision 4.24.0
Revision 4.24: *MS-DOS/DR-DOS/386 BIOSes/386MAX error fixes*
-------------
An incorrect DOS version could be obtained in previous VIz revisions for MS-
DOS 5 revision B, and DR-DOS 5 and 6 due to some atypical values returned by
these operating systems if the new get version function introduced in MS-DOS
5.0 is called; these system bugs are now avoided.
An error in the memory manager 386MAX.SYS (Qualitas), version 6.00 and 6.01,
returns incorrect results when a DOS function is called to determine whether
MS-/PC-DOS 5 is linked to the upper memory. The error, which is now avoided,
voids selfloading into upper memory when using prior VIz releases.
Changes were also made to avoid a bug in AMI 386 BIOS and in AST Premier 386
BIOS, which can crash the system when changing cursor size. The mouse driver
state is now saved prior to the Status/Usage/Help display and then restored,
if sufficient RAM is available.
Revision 4.23: *Error Fixes*
-------------
Corrected a problem triggering run-time errors (floating point not loaded)
in some utilities accessing DOS services via INT 21h due to the incomplete
restoration of the flag register during DOS redirection checks. Corrected
error in restoring the screen attributes when returning to a graphics mode
screen either from the Status Help panel or as a result of switch /M.
Revision 4.22: *DOS Tabs/Video Timing*
-------------
Corrected improper implementation of the 8-space tab expansion of DOS that
resulted in column misalignment in DEBUG listings, 'DIR /W' listings, etc.
Added a (brief) video-text timing service to the Status/Usage/Help display
panel via key <F3> or <T>, and mouse button marked 'Test.' Corrected code
so that the ANSI.SYS of MS-DOS 5.0 (which added new attribute bits) can be
detected without error when installed. Modified mouse services to use less
space. Resident code was slightly changed in the 486+ release. Nonresident
code was tightened further in the 386+ release. Corrected error forcing a
color menu selection after /C-.
Revision 4.21: *DOS-Redirection Compatible*
-------------
The acceleration of DOS video text output is now controlled by switches /Z
and /X. As before, /Z± controls whether the DOS text output to the StdOut
device is processed by the StdOut [/Z-] or by VIz [/Z+]. Now, /X± controls
whether the DOS video output processed by VIz can [/X+] or cannot [/X-] be
redirected to another device or file. (In Revision 4.20 or earlier, switch
/Z+ always interfered with the redirection of DOS output.) The change has
increased the resident size by 16 bytes and has decreased the acceleration
of DOS video output to 90-95% of that provided by Revision 4.20. Note that
/Z+ is now the default if switch /Z± is not specified during installation.
Because /X+ is also the default status for switch /X±, a transparent video
acceleration is achieved if neither switch is selected on installation.
Changed XMS calls to avoid DOS 2.x problems with multiplex interrupt. The
keypress detection service during the Status/Help displays was simplified,
and the mouse services trimmed. Fixed bug in cursor position when exiting
display of switch /C? with noncriical messages enabled.
Revision 4.20: *MS-DOS 5.0 Aware*
-------------
Modified the upper-memory self-loading service of switch H, and the global
DOS enviroment service of switch E to be compatible with DOS 5. Prior VIz
Revisions executed under DOS 5.0 are: (1) unable to self-load in the upper
memory when UMBs allocation is controlled by DOS (DOS=UMB), instead of the
XMS manager, and (2) unable to create the 'VIZ' variable in the global DOS
environment when DOS 5.0 has been installed in the High Memory Area rather
than low conventional memory. Fixed error in the implementation of the 35
line font in the 386+ release. Added option of a UMB-load marker in lower
memory.
Revision 4.17: *Error Fixes*
-------------
Fixed error in the Status/Usage/Help display panel. Added further changes
for 386 code optimization. Fixed error in 14-line font in 486 release.
Revision 4.16: *Hercules Support*
-------------
Added further routines for support of HERCULES (HGC and HGC+) cards. Fixed
harmless error in the ANSI module that resulted in error message if switch
/A+ was issued before switch /A- after the installation of the module. The
updating of resident parameters was improved. Added more video support for
14-line (VGA) or 12-line (EGA) screen displays. Fixed mouse bug introduced
in Revision 4.12.
Revision 4.15: *Upgrade Warning*
-------------
Corrected assembler (phase?) error which resulted in a wrong memory segment
override, an error that had unpredictable effects on the DOS shell when the
accelerator module alone was resident. ** Users with Revision 4.12 or higher
should upgrade even if problems have not been experienced ***
Acceleration module optimization for the 486 release. Corrected apparently
harmless error in the nonresident component (cursor position update). Fixed
bug affecting the proper updating of screens with more than 25 lines. Added
12-line, 28-line and 35-line screen fonts via switch F, which now accepts a
2-digit decimal number between 12 and 50 (/Fn) and can be used to enforce a
given font size. Corrected (486) CPU flags error when testing for processor
type with 286+ machines, which affected behavior when an invalid switch was
selected. Added switch S2 to enable/disable the <Ctrl><NumLock> combination
(the <Pause> key in PS/2s and COMPAQs) that can crash a LAN if pressed on a
LAN server. Switch S1 now enables/disables the <PrtSc> key, which can also
crash a system if the printer is not on line when this key is pressed. The
default condition of switch N is now /N- (nonfatal messages are displayed);
this change can be neutralized by selecting /N+ on installation. Corrected
error in the status display for switch S1 (old switch S) in the status/Help
panel. Byte or word OUT commands can now be tested by entering 'VIZ /?H' to
see if the cursor appears at the screen center; this service supersedes the
TESTOUT.EXE utility.
Revision 4.14: *Minor Changes*
-------------
ANSI module optimization for the 486 release. Corrected pointer error that
trashed part of the Status display in video modes other than 80 columns and
corrected display of the current video mode. The Status/Help display panel
attributes in MCGA/VGA monochrome mode were adjusted to improve readability
of the text.
Revision 4.13: *486 Release*
-------------
The self-loading into high memory has been improved for a faster processing
when dealing with the XMS manager. The user can now request a minimum high
memory bound above which the program should load itself (if an upper-memory
block is available above the limit). This helps to avoid high-memory areas
that have slow a memory access time. (The utility TIMEM.EXE can be used to
measure access times.) Real mode 486 release introduced.
Revision 4.12: *Mouse Support*
-------------
The Usage/Status/Help panel was reorganized for clarity; mouse support was
added to facilitate the various displays. On-line Help text was added and
some non-resident video display routines were improved.
Revision 4.10: *Minor Changes*
-------------
Resident was changed to permit use of self-modifying code to increase video
acceleration performance, including the ANSI filter. Both resident and non
resident routines have also been improved for faster operation in 086, 286,
and 386+ processors.
Revision 4.03: *Environment variable input*
-------------
The DOS environment variable 'VIZ' can now be directly updated or created in
the (master) DOS environment by means of switch /E. Unlike the SET command,
which modifies the default environment block (whether it is the global [i.e.
that used by the initial copy of COMMAND.COM] or a local one [i.e. that used
by a secondary copy]), switch /E always modifies the global DOS environment.
This allows to modify the environment variable even when 'shelling out' from
any application, in which case the SET command would not be useful to modify
the environment block. Resident and non-resident 386-specific code has been
tightened in the 386 release. A minor bug in single-digit octal input (/Bn)
has been fixed. ANSI performance has been improved a little more.
Revision 4.02: *UMB Self-Loading*
-------------
Direct high-memory loading introduced. Switch /L allows the resident code to
be installed directly in high memory (i.e. at conventional memory between 640
KB and 1,024 KB [1 MB]). This avoids not only the initial load sizing of the
program by some (386) memory managers, but also the need to have available up
to 64 KB of free high memory to install a resident of less than 1 KB. An EXE
format has been reintroduced as it provides better file compression.
Revision 4.01: *Minor Changes*
-------------
Further tightening of resident code to improve acceleration performance in 32
bit bus 386+ machines.
Revision 4.00: *386 Release*
-------------
Real mode 386 release introduced. See VIZ.DAT for comparisons with 16-bit and
32-bit bus machines. Fixed problem in cursor positioning when first installed
without initial scrolling of the screen.
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│ Trademarked names are the property of the respective owners │
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Earlier revisions news removed
[END]
