[comp.sys.zenith.z100] THEY'VE UPDATED THE LIM EMS 4.0 SPEC!

dick@plx.UUCP (Dick Flanagan) (11/02/87)

Now available via standard anonymous FTP from SIMTEL20...

Filename			Type	 Bytes	 CRC

Directory PD1:<MSDOS.SYSUTL>
LIMEMS41.ARC.1			BINARY	135522  FA92H

I received the following letter and attachment from Intel:

=================================================================

October 20, 1987


Dear LIM EMS Developer,

Thank you for choosing to support the Lotus, Intel, and Microsoft
(LIM) Expanded Memory Specification EMS, version 4.0.

The contents of this package include the complete LIM EMS 4.0
Developer's Kit, including the final updated LIM EMS 4.0 spec-
ification.

If you received a LIM EMS 4.0 specification before this, please
check to make sure you have the most current information.

The most current specification has the part number "300275-005"
on the back cover.  If your specifications' number is "300275-
004," discard it and use the enclosed version.

The following functions have changed:

   >  Function 4  - Allocate Pages.

   >  Function 27 - Allocate Standard Pages and Allocate Raw
                    Pages.

   > Function 28  - Alternate Map Register Set.

Details of changes in the functions are attached on the following
page.

The current version of the Intel Expanded Memory Manager
(EMM.SYS) supports the changes in the functions listed.

If you have developed a product that supports LIM EMS 4.0, please
contact me at (503) 629-7337 so that I may list your product on
our LIM EMS 4.0 compatibility literature.

Sincerely,


/signed/
Timothy Dowling
Above Board Product Manager

Enclosure
TD:KM

=================================================================

                     CHANGES IN LIM EMS 4.0


The following functions have been modified to ensure com-
patibility with several applications written to previous versions
of the Expanded Memory Specification:

Function 4:  Allocate Pages

   The original 4.0 specification allowed the allocation of zero
   pages to a handle; this revision disallows this condition. 
   Rather than testing to see if an allocation of zero pages was
   being attempted, several expanded memory applications written
   to LIM EMS 3.X would attempt to allocate zero pages and then
   rely on the error returned.  In the original EMS version 4.0
   allocating zero pages was not an error.  When these applica-
   tions were run with a memory manager based on EMS 4.0, they
   malfunctioned under certain conditions.  Consequently, the
   specification was modified to disallow the allocation of zero
   pages in order to be compatible with these older applications.

Function 27:  Allocate Standard Pages & Allocate Raw Pages

   Because allocation of zero pages is a desirable feature, this
   function has been modified to provide this capability for both
   Standard & Raw logical pages.  Since this did not previously
   exist in version 3.X of the specification, there won't be
   compatibility problems with allocating zero pages.


The descriptions of the below functions, including their boundary
conditions and status, have been enhanced:

Function  7:  Get Version
Function 16:  Get/Set Partial Page Map
Function 17:  Map/Unmap Multiple Handle Pages
Function 22:  Alter Page Map & Jump
Function 23:  Alter Page Map & Call
Function 28:  Alternate Map Register Set


A few programming tips for developers have also been added to the
specification at large.

The current version of the expanded memory manager which Intel is
shipping supports THIS version of the specification.

=================================================================

(Wouldn't you know it?  Just when I thought I was done!!!!!!!)

Dick

-- 
Dick Flanagan, W6OLD                          I'll take a drug test when
UUCP:  ...!ucbvax!sun!plx!dick                Reagan takes an IQ test.
GEnie: FLANAGAN