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\author{APM Manual pages}
\title{Current Alerts:}
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\section{Preamble}
The Mini filestore has been moved around quite extensively recently and there
is evidence that it is now showing signs of distress. The disc cannot be locked
for transit and the steady accumulation of bad blocks is probably a result.

This device is our only development filestore and it will be extremely annoying
if it becomes unusable. I am exploring ways of providing an alternative but
this will take time (and money!). \hspace{ 0.3 in} Meanwhile I think we should start to regard
the mini filestore as a non-portable device. \hspace{ 0.2 in} Anyone who has projects
which involve moving it please see me first and we'll see if there is an
alternative. \hspace{ 4.1 in} JHB

With a bit of luck we should also be able to arrange a \{semi-\}permanent 2M Ether
connection for it.

\section{Recent Alerts}
\subsection{01/04/85 Removal of support for V0 (FE00) object files - RWT}

Phase 1 has been completed.
- The size of the old external dictionary has been reduced to almost zero.
- The old Imp library is no longer loaded.
- The old floating point library is no longer loaded.
- The old graphics package is no longer loaded.

- About 20 kbytes less of memory are wasted.
- A warning is printed when an attempt is made to run a non-FE02 object file.
 The programs will still be run, but will fail if they
 - attempt to access any of the old extracodes which have been withdrawn,
 - attempt to reference externals.

HELP VIEW:EXTRACODES for a list of extracode entry points.
In due course all the ones in the old list will be withdrawn.
If you experience difficulties, tell RWT.
You can boot up a pre-April version of the system from FMAC:OSYS.

\subsection{22/03/85 Changes in file backup - updated 25/03}

Too much material is being being backed up and the backup process is being
"flooded out". \hspace{ 0.2 in} In order to cut down the amount of material being backed up,
the proposal is that compilers should be modified to create .MOB and .LIS files
with the backup bit UNSET. \hspace{ 0.2 in} This will probably happen around 1 April along with
everything else. Any objections to me please. \hspace{ 1.9 in} JHB

To be more specific, applications of all types will make all derived files
vulnerable, thus...

IMP, Pascal \& 'C' will generate vulnerable object \& list files as will M6809,
Z80, M68000 assemblers. \hspace{ 0.2 in} ESDL will generate vulnerable intermediate files and
.LIS files.

\subsection{08/03/85 Changes to level1(.5) graphics support - FRED}

When the version 0 imp support disappear the which level 1 graphics are accessed
will change. FMACS:FRAME and INC:FRAME.IMP have been deleted. The system
procedures installed by GRAFPACK will no longer be available from 1 April 1985.
They are replaced by two modules, LEVEL1:GRAPH and LEVEL1:EXTGRAPH which
are already installed at boot time. An include file to spec the routines they
provide is available in LEVEL1:GRAPHINC.IMP. This also contains a brief
description of each of the routines. The names of some routines are different
to those in the 'FRAME' include files. This is to overcome some of the name
clashes between EDWIN, MATHS.INC and FRAME.

\subsection{21/02/85 V0 IMP and System freeze - JHB}

Version 0 IMP object modules will cease to be supported from 1 April 1985. This
will remove pressure on memory and simplifies the system. The consequence of
this is that anything compiled with IMP before about November 1984 or OIMP
thereafter will have to be recompiled if it is to be runnable after 1 April.
You can list your Version 0 object modules using the command NIMPED. Would the
owners of directories IPLOG,GAMES,SCRIBE,G\_GKS1,SIMULA,SIMENV,STNCL,OCCAM,WM\_NEW
\& UCSD please note this especially.

The APM operating system will 'Freeze' from 1 July. From that date bug fixes
be performed strictly at the discretion of the APM support group and will be
restricted to those bugs which cannot be circumvented. No modifications to the
system will be contemplated until further notice. The reason for this slightly
drastic step is to free off effort to give serious consideration to the next
generation of APM operating system.
A lengthy debate on the available operating system options is going on in NEWS.

\subsection{20/02/85 News System - RMM,FDC}

This is a method for disseminating information about various topics. The
command ReadNews is self explanatory. If you are NOT on a Visual 200 first say:

\hspace*{ 0.2 in} Terminal=wy75 \hspace{ 0.4 in} for Wyse 75
\\ \hspace*{ 0.2 in} Terminal=VT220 \hspace{ 0.3 in} for Digital VT220
\\ \hspace*{ 0.2 in} Terminal=Visual55 for Visual 55
\\ \hspace*{ 0.2 in} Terminal=Visual200 for restoring to Visual 200

HELP NEWS for more information

\subsection{20/02/85 PRINT: New qualifier -LJ added.}
\hspace*{ 0.8 in} The repertoire is now:
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} -MH Machine halls printer (default)
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} -OP Black O/P printer
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} -LJ HP Laser Jet printer (don't everybody use it, or else
\\ \hspace*{ 1.1 in} there may be calls for restricting access to it like
\\ \hspace*{ 1.1 in} there are for Kate's laser printer)

\subsection{12/02/85 WTLIB: VTLIB adapted for Wyse 75 terminals}
\hspace*{ 0.8 in} An experimental version of WTLIB is now available which will
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} work with VECCE, the compilers, HELP. To use it, you should
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} PRELOAD L:WTLIB.MOB \hspace{ 0.2 in} and/or INSTALL L:WTLIB, preferably in
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} the customisation file relevant to the machine you are using
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} Known deficiencies: programs (such as Vecce and Help) which
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} assume that the graphics character subset looks like that of
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} the Visual 200 will appear to output rubbish.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} Programs like Help which use TESTSYMBOL rather than READSYMBOL
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} may be confused by what they get when cursor keys etc are used.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} Please report anything else to RWT.


\subsection{08/02/85 Loose ends}
\hspace*{ 0.8 in} Commands TAKEIN, REMEMBER, PRELOAD, VSWOP, V200, GS \& PAMSET will be
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} recompiled under the new compiler first thing Monday.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} The directory EPROM: has been recompiled.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} M68000 and ASS commands will use the copy of the assembler in
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} ASSEM: not FMAC: as at present.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} SUPPORT FOR THE OLD COMPILER WILL BE ABANDONED ASAP, Probably at
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} Easter. If you have old object modules, make sure you recompile them
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} in good time. Use the command NIMPED-OLD to itemise such files. JHB


\subsection{01/02/85 LINK}
\hspace*{ 0.8 in} HELP LINK for details of a new command \hspace{ 1.5 in} RWT.

\subsection{15/01/85 All assemblers etc. in ASSEM: have moved to the new compiler.}
\hspace*{ 0.8 in} Please report any problems to JHB. Old versions are accessible
\\ \hspace*{ 0.8 in} as ASSEM:$<$whatever$>$.OLD.

\subsection{14/01/85 Dummy version of XECCE for use with compilers}

Non-fans of ECCE may care to INSTALL UTILS:ZEROECCE.
This will prevent the roughly 30k of XECCE and VTLIB being wheeled in
each time you invoke the Imp or Pascal compilers.

\subsection{19/11/84 I1.5, S1.5 and S10M are now in MAINT:}

\hspace*{ 0.7 in} ADEMO: is a bit of a mess just now. I propose to spring-clean it
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} and try to put better info. in the menu, which will become a HELP
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} tree. (HELP DEMOS will get at it as well). Anyone with strong views
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} please see me. \hspace{ 3.3 in} JHB.

\subsection{19/10/84 Library and program environment changes (new IMP/Pascal):}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} 1. System include files are held in the directory INC.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} INC:UTIL.IMP (replacing I:UTIL.INC) and INC:UTIL.PAS contain
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} some general utility definitions.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} 2. File system failures (eg when opening files) are signalled by
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} event 3 rather than event 9, which is now reserved for EOF.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} Non-numeric input for READ is signalled as event 4 rather than 3.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} 3. Heap support via NEW and DISPOSE is now provided by the system.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} 4. CLIPARAM is now pre-defined to the compilers (and should not be
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} declared as external);
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} DATE, TIME, TEST SYMBOL and SET TERMINAL MODE are NOT pre-defined,
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} but are included in INC:UTIL.xxx.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} 5. EVENT\_SUBEVENT is no longer accepted as a synonym for EVENT\_SUB.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} 6. HELP IMP for further information about IMP, including added
\\ \hspace*{ 0.9 in} language facilities, new warnings, and compile-time options.

\subsection{18/10/84 Move of printer from old filestore}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} The Machine Halls printer has been removed from the OLD filestore
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} and connected directly to the VAX. This does not affect VAX users
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} but gives better service to APM users. \hspace{ 0.2 in} The PRINT and VPRINT
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} commands have been replaced by a new PRINT command. This takes
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} parameters FILENAME and an optional qualifier -OP for files for the
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} Block O/P printer or -MH for the Machine Halls printer. \hspace{ 0.5 in} JHB

\subsection{16/10/84 New DIARY command}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} A new command DIARY is available. HELP DIARY gives full details.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} Comments and suggestions to RMM.


\section{Old Alerts}
\subsection{25/09/84 Visual 200 emulator for graphics screens}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} A Visual 200 emulator for Level 1 Graphics is available. The command
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} V200EM redirects subsequent terminal output to the graphics screen.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} The command V200 may be used to revert to normal operation, i.e.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} output to the terminal, and the command VSWOP may be used to switch
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} between the two. The emulator gets confused by other (non-EDWIN)
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} graphics programs.

\subsection{11/06/84 IE, EDWIN, FILESTORES}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} The file ALERT:IE.TXT has details of recent (on going?) IE changes.


\subsection{05/04/84 Implications of V2 compilers}
 Users should be aware of the following implications of the impending
 switch to the new operating system and IMP Compiler 2.0.
 1. The remainder of the command line (parameters) will no longer be
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} available for reading on entry to programs -- use CLIPARAM
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} or the higher-level PAM exclusively.
 2. There will be system support for heap allocation and this should be
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} used in preference to any current temporary implementations.
 3. The interfaces described in HELP LIB will be preserved in general,
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} but users should continue to note that the low-level ethernet
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} procedures are interim and likely to be changed.
 4. in IMP:
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} (a) the \%spec($<$address$>$) form will be dropped -- use @$<$address$>$,
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} (available now in 1.9)
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} (b) there are changes in register usage which could affect machine-code
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} programs.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} (c) Event 9 will be reserved for (normal) end-of-input exclusively;
\\ \hspace*{ 0.6 in} other file access failures will be signalled as Event 3 or 4
 5. Anyone relying on undocumented features and wanting to register
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} a need for similar capabilities in the new system -- Mail RWT or HMD.

\subsection{13/02/84 Software Front Pannel (CS3 "TRY system")}

\hspace*{ 0.7 in} Neither string resolution nor SUBSTRING are available when
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} the Software Front Panel invoked by the TRY command is used.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} A copy of the code for these can be found in the file I:STRINGS.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} Help SFP, and look at section "Environmental considerations", for
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} what you can and cannot use.


\subsection{29/11/83 IMP and Vecce changes}

\hspace*{ 0.3 in} A number of minor changes have been made to the IMP compiler (TIMP)
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} and a few additions have been made to the standard editor (Vecce):-
 1. A single depression of ENTER moves between Data-entry mode and Command-
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} entry mode. A double depression from Data-entry mode moves between
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} replacement and insertion as the form of Data-entry.
 2. The HOME key is defined as a new command 'H' which 'homes' in the
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} direction of the last cursor movement; experiment to determine
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} exact effect.
 3. The HOME key has a further use: if it is used following a sequence of
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} characters typed in Data-entry mode, the sequence is erased from the
\\ \hspace*{ 0.3 in} screen and interpreted as a command instead.
 4. The numeric keypad '0' is defined as F!
\\ \hspace*{ 1.1 in} with Convert Function as F"

\subsection{03/11/83 New Imp compiler}
\hspace*{ 0.7 in} A new IMP compiler has been introduced and is accessed by the
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} command TIMP. This is version 1.9 which is designed to ease
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} the transfer to version 2.0 (due shortly) which requires
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} changes in the run-time environment. Users are asked to
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} check all existing programs against this compiler, since
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} re-compilation will be required when V2.0 is introduced.
\\ \hspace*{ 0.7 in} HELP IMP for further details.


\subsection{**END**}


\vspace{.75in} view:Alert printed on 09/02/89 at 17.18

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