[comp.sys.apple] A new Z-Link!

dcw@athena.mit.edu (David C. Whitney) (04/18/89)

OK, I just sent the new Z-Link to comp.binaries.apple2. It encompasses
several bug fixes and a few little updates. First, the updates:

1) the CLEAR key on the GS keypad (which equates to ^X) will clear the
input while entering a filename.

2) There is an auto-macro that runs spontaneously at startup. The
macro OA-ESC is automatically run right after Z-Link loads the config
file at bootup. It does not run that macro just after loading a config
file in general (I can fix that, though if there's a demand).
Obviously, if there is no macro definition for OA-ESC, then nothing
interesting happens.

3) Other modifiers on the GS keyboard are stored in the macro
definition. Now, a plain captial A that you type with the caps lock
key down is *different* from a capital A typed with the shift key. The
modifiers that are of interest now are Closed Apple, Shift, Control,
and Keypad (the key is on the keypad). Note that this added feature
will cause headaches for people who use the same config file on their
//e's and //GS's as one can't produce the 'shift key is down'
modifier. Be careful.

4) the macro buffer is now 2k big. That's double of before. Note that
this means that any config file you have sitting about won't load into
Z-Link. Run macro.update to extract your macros out of older config
files.

Bug fixes:

1) xmodem xfer is more reliable. I noticed that Z-Link would fall
apart if it tried to send a file that was a multiple of 8k big. That's
fixed. Other parts of the xmodem xfer section work more smoothly now.
Please point out any anomolies.

2) the famous scroll bug in the vt100 emulation has been killed. A few
people sent me capture sessions, and they now do not exhibit odd
behavior.

3) general vt100 nastiness has been fixed up. Note that I'm almost
always tweaking the vt100 emulator. At any random time, I may come out
with graphics chars (to a limited sense) support.


The six parts posted compose a ShrinkIt file which contains:
Z.LINK.SYSTEM	(Z-Link)
Z.LINK.EDIT	(the macro editor)
Z.LINK.DOC.AW	(doc file in AppleWorks format)
Z.LINK.DOC.TXT	(doc file in plain text format)
MACRO.UPDATE	(simple utility to extract macros out of older config files)
VT220.CONFIG	(a vt220 keyboard macro set. Designed by Grant Delaney)
VT220.MAP.AW	(the mapping of the macros in VT220.CONFIG. Written by others)
Z.LINK.ICONS	(my neato icon for Z-Link. For GS people only. Copy the file
		 to */icons.)


The docs have changed slightly. Even is you think you know what's
going on, PLEASE READ THE DOC FILE before you send me mail telling me
this or that doesn't do what you expect.

As always, send bug reports directly to me - don't post them to the
net. If you find a bug the the terminal emulator, then capture the
session that causes the bug to appear and send me a copy of the
capture file (prefer it if you BinSCII it first). This is the very
best way for me to figure out and cure the bug quickly.

Have fun.


Dave Whitney	A junior in Computer Science at MIT
dcw@athena.mit.edu  ...!bloom-beacon!athena.mit.edu!dcw  dcw@goldilocks.mit.edu
I wrote Z-Link & BinSCII. Send me bug reports. I use a //GS. Send me Tech Info.
"This is MIT. Collect and 3rd party calls will not be accepted at this number."

aash@ms.uky.edu (aash) (04/19/89)

In article <10679@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> dcw@athena.mit.edu (David C. Whitney) writes:
>OK, I just sent the new Z-Link to comp.binaries.apple2. It encompasses
>several bug fixes and a few little updates. 


For us dusty archiver types, does this new Zlink 
have a new version number?


aash


-- 
aash
aash@ms.uky.edu  (archive at 128.163.128.6)
{backbone site|rutgers|uunet}!ukma!aash
"Cleaning woman?!?  CLEANING WOMAN?!?!?!?"

dcw@athena.mit.edu (David C. Whitney) (04/22/89)

It doens't have a version number per se, rather it has a creation
time-stamp. When I assemble the source, the current time is slipped
into the startup screen. The more recent the date, the more recent the
copy.

I didn't do version numbers in Z-Link because a) I'm updating it ALL THE TIME
and b) I don't know quite how to play the version number game.

Therefore, the current verion is something like 4/20/89 (I actually forget).


Dave Whitney	A junior in Computer Science at MIT
dcw@athena.mit.edu  ...!bloom-beacon!athena.mit.edu!dcw  dcw@goldilocks.mit.edu
I wrote Z-Link & BinSCII. Send me bug reports. I use a //GS. Send me Tech Info.
"This is MIT. Collect and 3rd party calls will not be accepted at this number."