tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) (10/30/90)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Windows newsgroups
2. Free Windows applications
3. Getting Windows video drivers
4. Using a mail server instead of ftp
5. Windows memory requirements
6. Standard mode vs. 386 enhanced mode
7. Running Windows 2.x applications
8. DOS in a window
9. Environment space in DOS sessions
10. Lotus 1-2-3 under Windows
11. DesqView/386 with Windows
12. Protected-mode software vs. Windows
13. Windows, MKS Korn shell and switchar
14. Windows network compatability
15. Using COM3 or COM4 from Windows
16. Accessing the mouse in DOS sessions
17. Using TSRs for DOS sessions
18. 256 colours in Windows
19. Windows communications programs
20. Changing an application's icon
21. Creating new icons
22. Icon and bitmap directories
23. Installing new fonts
24. FaceLift, ATM and TrueType
25. Converting a GIF or MS-Paint file to a bitmap
26. Using a bitmap as wallpaper
27. Topics in the comp.windows.ms.programmer companion posting
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Why are there two newsgroups for windows?
>> comp.windows.ms.programmer is for discussion about developing
Windows software. It is not intended for discussions about
Windows software or for questions about the Foobar SVGA drivers.
comp.windows.ms is for any Windows discussions that do not concern
development of Windows software.
2. Are there free Windows applications available? How can I get them?
>> Yes, there are quite a few. Of course, there is always CompuServe
(which has a LOT of them) and your local BBS, but for us net.junkies
the Windows Heaven is located at cica.cica.indiana.edu, and is
accessed using a program called "ftp". This program is accessible
from most Internet sites, but is not usable through uucp links. If
you do have ftp available to you, follow the instructions below to
connect to cica; do not type in the // comments!
$ ftp cica.cica.indiana.edu // make connection
Connected to ... blah blah blah // cica responds
Userid (user@cica): ftp // enter "ftp" as userid
Password: real_userid@site // enter your own userid
ftp> tenex // for binary transfers
ftp> cd /pub/pc/win3 // where the goodies are
ftp> get ls-lR // get the current index
ftp> quit // we're done
$ _
Of course, you can get multiple files at a time -- read the ftp man
page for more information. Please do not access cica.cica.indiana.edu
between 8am and 6pm EST to prevent overloading the system.
Remember that shareware is not free: register the software you use to
encourage the development of more low-cost software.
3. Are there Windows drivers available for my Frobozz Super VGA Turbo X
clone display card?
>> First, unless the card is one of the major brands (ATI, Orchid, Paradise,
Video-7) find out which chipset the card has, either by looking at the
manual or the card itself. Then check the /pub/pc/win3/video directory
at cica for the appropriate driver. The generic SVGA driver will let
you use 800x600x16 on just about any SVGA card as long as you can find
out the appropriate video mode number. Finally, if you get desperate,
you could call up your video card manufacturer/vendor and ask them why
the drivers were not included with the card, and to send them to you.
4. Is it possible to use a mail server instead of ftp?
>> Yes, [There's a generalized way to get ftp stuff by mail --- could
someone else fill this in?]
--------------------
5. How much memory do I need to run Windows?
>> The more the better! You can run in real mode with 640K (assuming you
don't have a lot of device drivers or TSRs), but many large applications
will run *very* slowly. Standard mode requires 1 MB, but 2 MB is much
better. For 386 enhanced mode, you need a minimum of 2 MB. However, you
should really have 3-4 MB available for good 386 enhanced mode performance,
especially if you wish to run several DOS sessions. In addition to the
memory above, you might wish to have a disk cache (such as SmartDrive,
included with Windows) to improve Windows performance.
6. Is there any advantage to running in standard mode instead of 386
enhanced mode?
>> Yes -- speed. Windows run substantially faster in standard mode than
in 386 enhanced mode. You lose virtual memory, but if you have suf-
ficient physical memory and don't have a need to run DOS applications,
you may be happier in standard mode. Do remember, though, that some
applications require protected mode (wdeb386 is one example).
7. Can I run Windows 2.x applications in 3.0?
>> Yes. If you run in real mode, the applications behave just like in
2.x, but have somewhat less memory available to them. If the
applications are "well-behaved", they will also run in standard and
386 enhanced modes, but Windows will first warn you with a "nag"
message that the application wasn't written for Windows 3.0. If you
run a ill-behaned application in standard or 386 enhanced mode, the
application will likely crash with Unrecoverable Application Error.
If you have a 2.x application that runs well in all modes, you can
mark it Windows 3.0-compatible using either the mark3.exe (?) or
the nonag.exe utility. Both are available freely by ftp.
8. Can I run DOS in a window?
>> Strictly speaking, you're running DOS even when you're in Windows.
However, you can a command.com session from Windows. In real mode,
you are limited to a single session. In standard mode, you can have
multiple sessions, but they must still run full-screen. In 386 enhan-
ced mode, you can have multiple sessions, and they can run in a window.
You can control the starting up in a window vs. full-screen by setting
up a .pif file for the program (command.com or otherwise). You can also
switch the state by press Alt-Enter.
9. Why do I run out of environment space when I run a batch file in a DOS
session?
>> When Windows starts up a DOS session, it by default gives it an environ-
ment of 224 bytes, or the space required to hold your current environment,
whichever is larger. If you need more space, there are two methods of
circumventing this. In order of desirability:
1. Use a .pif file for each DOS application you run. In this you can
specify the environment size by using the /e:nnn option (see your DOS
manual). You will need a separate DOS file for each program. (You
can, however, just create a command.pif with a suitable /e:nnn, and
then specify in the win.ini a line such as
[Extensions]
bat=command.pif ^.ksh
With this, you can create batch file icons freely, and still get the
options specified in command.pif.
2. Specify a dummy variable such as DUMMY1=xxxxx.... before starting
up Windows. Then, as the first thing in each DOS session, do
set DUMMY1=
to reclaim the space used by DUMMY1 for other environment variables.
10. Does Lotus 1-2-3 work under Windows?
>> Versions 1.x, 2.x and 3.1 run in all modes, but do not support any of
the features of the Windows environment. For all intents and purposes,
version 3.0 doesn't run under Windows. [Buy Excel or WingZ instead! --ed.]
11. Can I use DesqView/386 with Windows?
>> You can use versions 5.0 and below with real-mode Windows only. Version
5.1 provides a new XMS driver for Windows, which allows Windows to run
in standard and enhanced modes under QEMM/386.
12. Why won't my protected-mode software run under Windows?
>> Most protected-mode applications currently on the market uses an
extended-memory interface called VCPI (Virtual Control Program
Interface), which is incompatible with Windows' DPMI (DOS Protected
Mode Interface (?)). Microsoft went against an established standard
in choosing DPMI, but there are valid technical reasons why VCPI was
not chosen for Windows. At this point, you have three choices:
1. Run your protected-mode software under DOS. This means that
you must NOT use Windows or SmartDrive before running your VCPI
software, and may require you to have two different config.sys
files.
2. Plead with your software developer to develop a Windows-compatible
version. They should already be working on it anyway, given the
momentum that Windows 3.0 has.
3. Buy DesqView/386, which provides VCPI. You'll be able to run you
software in one DesqView session and Windows in another.
13. Why can't I use Windows from the MKS Korn shell?
>> There are two possible problems. First, with versions up to and inclu-
ding 3.2b of the MKS Toolkit, the use of login.exe precludes the use of
Windows 3.0 in any but the real mode. To avoid this, have your machine
boot directly into the Korn shell or command.com.
Second, somebody at Microsoft had a brain fade, and Windows gets confused
if it is started with a forward slash path. Thnus, if you simply type
"win" in Korn shell, the shell invokes Windows with something like
"c:/usr/windows/win.com"
and Windows doesn't know where to find itself! To cure this, specify an
alias for Windows: I use
alias -x win="c:\\usr\\windows\\win.com"
Note that the double backslashes are necessary for the Korn shell.
--------------------
14. Which networks are compatible with Windows 3.0?
>> The follwoing are known to work; see also networks.txt in your Windows
directory
Network earliest version
-------------- ----------------
3Com 3 Plus 1.0
3Com 3+Open 1.0
Banyan Vines 4.0
IBM PC LAN 1.1
LAN Manager 1.0
LANtastic 2.57 [server can not use enhanced mode]
Novell Netware 3.01
PC-NFS ?.?
15. How can I use COM3 or COM4 from a Windows communication package?
>> This is a generally a problem only in 386 enhanced mode. To use these
ports, you will need to tell WIndows where they are located; the
instructions for doing this can be found in the Windows readme file
sysini2.txt, which should be located in your Windows directory. In
summary, what you need to do is tell Windows what memory addresses and
interrupts (IRQs) your COM3 and COM4 ports use.
16. Why doesn't my mouse work in a DOS window?
>> If you are running a DOS application in a window, Windows will retain
control of the mouse for cutting and pasting. You can use a mouse in
a full-screen DOS session if you install a mouse driver by running
mouse.com (either before starting Windows, or inside the DOS session),
or by including 'device=mouse.sys' in your config.sys file.
17. Why don't my TSRs work in DOS sessions?
>> You should never install any TSRs before entering Windows. Install them
when you start up your DOS sessions from Windows.
18. Can I use 256 colours in Windows?
>> Yes, given two caveats: First, your display card and its driver must
support 256 colours. Second, your application must know about 256
colours, as this requires palette switching and some additional
programming. Most applications currently on the market only support
16 colours. In order to get 256 colours, your video card will need
at least 256K (for 640x400), 512K (for 800x600) or 768K (for 1024x768)
of RAM. 256-colour drivers are also much slower than 16-bit drivers.
19. Are there any good communication programs for Windows?
>> Well, maybe. There is not yet a consensus about any of the current
products. There are a number of free or shareware ones: Terminal
(included with Windows), WinQVT, Unicom and WinKermit, but all have
their problems and lack in some features. All of them are also
available on cica. Commercial packages include DynaComm ("big brother"
of Terminal), MicroPhone, CrossTalk for Windows and Wincomm. Again,
none of them stands out as the perfect choice, although several have
shown promise.
--------------------
20. How do I change the icon for a program?
>> Choose the item in Program Manager, and then select File Properties.
Click on "Icon...", and then enter the name of the file containing
the new icon. If the icon file is a DLL containing multiple icons,
you can cycle through the icons by clicking "Next Icon". Click
"OK", and then "OK" again. You can also use icons from other programs
by the same method: just specify the name of the .exe file instead of
an icon or DLL file.
The icon that is displayed by the application when it is minimized
is controlled by the application. It is not possible to change that.
21. Can I create my own icons?
>> Yes. You can use either IconDraw (shareware) or SDKPaint (a part of
the Windows SDK). Simply draw your icon, and save it as an ".ico" file.
22. Do I have to keep my icons and bitmaps in the Windows directory?
>> Bitmaps have to be kept in the Windows directory. Icons may be
kept anywhere; it may be convenient to create an ICON subdirectory
under the Windows directory.
23. I installed some more fonts using Control Panel. Why can't I access
them in Word for Windows (or another application)?
>> Word for Windows shows in its font menu the fonts currently available
for the selected *output* device, not the *display* device. You can
still use, say, vector fonts that you installed, by typing the name
of the font in the edit box. Windows will draw vector fonts on the
output device without problems -- you may or may not like the results.
In some cases, you may also need to force the application to refresh
its output device font list. The easiest way to do this is to do File
Printer Setup, click Setup, then click OK, and finally OK again.
24. Do Bitstream FaceLift, Adobe Type Manager (ATM) and TrueType really
work? Are they worth the money?
>> Yes, they work -- except for TrueType, which is not yet available. Both
ATM and FaceLift also have some problems with Ami Professional, which
does strange things with its screen fonts. On the whole, FaceLift
will support more applications and output devices than ATM, but the
difference may not be significant. FaceLift also lets you generate
soft fonts for the LaserJet series (for faster printing); ATM does
not give you that option. Both provide high-quality fonts and much
better WYSIWYG at the cost of somewhat slower screen updates and
slightly slower printing.
And at street prices not much above $50, yes, both of them are worth
the money you'll pay for them.
25. How can I convert a GIF or MS-Paint file to a .bmp to use it as a
wallpaper in Windows?
>> You can save a .msp file as a .bmp from Windows Paint. You can convert
a .gif file to a .bmp using the gif2bmp utility from cica.
26. Why won't my .bmp wallpaper display correctly?
>> Well, it could be a number of reasons. The most likely are:
1. Your .bmp file is corrupted. Try reading it into Windows Paint
to verify that it is readable.
2. You are trying to display 256 colors with a 16-color video driver.
3. You have insufficient memory to display the bitmap. A 600x800x16
bitmap requires 256K of memory; 1024x768x256 would require 768K!
--------------------
6. Topics in the comp.windows.ms.programmer companion posting
>> 1. Windows newsgroups
2. Windows devvelopment tools
3. Windows debuggers
4. Windows extended memory handling
5. Windows screen printspfeifer@hpavla.AVO.HP.COM (Mark Pfeifer) (10/31/90)
>/ hpavla:comp.windows.ms / tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) / 2:42 pm Oct 29, 1990 / >18. Can I use 256 colours in Windows? > >>> Yes, given two caveats: First, your display card and its driver must > support 256 colours. Second, your application must know about 256 > colours, as this requires palette switching and some additional > programming. Most applications currently on the market only support > 16 colours. In order to get 256 colours, your video card will need > at least 256K (for 640x400), 512K (for 800x600) or 768K (for 1024x768) > of RAM. 256-colour drivers are also much slower than 16-bit drivers. ______________ I think this should read 16 _color_ drivers. Mark
marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) (10/31/90)
tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) writes:
A great faq for Windows. I think we all owe Tom a huge favor for this.
Is there such thing as a net.medal we can give him?
Thanks Tom!!!
--
Marshall L. Buhl, Jr. EMAIL: marshall@seri.gov
Senior Computer Missionary VOICE: (303)231-1014
Wind Research Branch 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401-3393
Solar Energy Research Institute Solar - safe energy for a healthy future