tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) (10/30/90)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Windows newsgroups
2. Windows development tools
3. Windows debuggers
4. Windows extended memory handling
5. Windows screen prints
6. Topics in the comp.windows.ms companion posting
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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.
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2. What tools can I use to develop software for Windows?
>> There are a number of options, which are summarized below:
1. Use the Microsoft Windows SDK (Software Development Kit). This is
a necessity for heavy-duty application development. The SDK is
designed for Microsoft C 5.1/6.0 and Microsoft Macro Assembler 5.1,
but it is possible to use it with other compilers, such as Zortech
C++ (but not including the Borland compilers). If you plan to use
a non-Microsoft compiler, call Microsoft Technical Support to
obtain the free Supplemental Compiler Utilities disk.
2. Use Actor. Actor is an object-oriented programming environment,
with syntax resembling C. It allows quick development of programs
and/or prototypes, and compiles into an "image" file. This must
be distributed along with actor.exe; however, it is possible to
combine these into a single .exe if you have the Whitewater
Resource Toolkit.
3. Use Smalltalk/V. Does anyone know anything about this?
4. Use ToolBook. This is a HyperCard-like development environment
for Windows -- the DayBook demo included with Windows 3.0 is a
ToolBook application. Development work is rapid, but at least
the current versions run very sluggishly, even on 386/25s. There
is a conversion utility available to convert HyperCard stacks
into ToolBook programs.
5. Use W:CASE or WIndowsMAKER, both of which generate C code for
Windows. This will still require the use of the SDK.
Q: What debuggers can I use for Windows development?
A: First of all, if you use Actor, Smalltalk or ToolBook, you're limited
to the debugging tools built into those packages. If you are using
C, C++ or another conventional language with Windows SDK, you have
several choices.
1. In real mode, you are limited to SYMDEB, which is pretty basic. It
also requires the use of a second monitor (monochrome for most
machines, 8514/A for MCA machines) or a serial terminal. SYMDEB
is included with the Windows SDK.
2. In standard mode, you can also use Codeview for Windows (CVW), or
Logitech's announced-but-not-yet-shipping MultiScope. CVW, which
is similar to the DOS version of Codeview, requires a secondary
monitor; a serial terminal can not be used. CVW is included with
the Windows SDK; MultiScope is a separate product.
3. If you have a 386, you have an additional option of using WDEB386,
which provides some further debugging features over CVW, at the
expense of an antiquated user interface. WDEB386, which is included
with the SDK, will work wither with a secondary monitor or a serial
terminal.
4. What does Windows do with my extended memory? After I run Windows,
Norton SI reports that I don't have any extended memory. Is this
a bug?
>> No, it's not a bug. Windows uses a memory-management system known
as DPMI, which requires applications to access extended memory
using a mechanism known as "XMS". This mechanism is implemented in
himem.sys. If you have device=himem.sys in your config.sys, the
first XMS call (by Windows or SmartDrive, for example) will transfer
control of the extended memory to himem.sys, and thus make it in-
accessible to non-XMS applications.
5. How can I take a snapshot of my Windows screen?
>> Simple -- just pres PrtScr, and Windows will copy the image to the
clipboard, from where you can paste it into your favourite application.
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6. Topics in the comp.windows.ms companion posting
>> 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, 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