°±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±± °°±±±°ÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞ±±± °°±±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±±±±±±°ÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±± °°±°ÞÞ±±°°±±°ÞÞ±±±±±±°ÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ°ÞÞÞ±±±±± °°±°ÞÞ±±±±±±°ÞÞ±±±±±±°ÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞ±±±± °°±°ÞÞ±±±±±±°ÞÞ±±°Þ±±°ÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞ°°±±±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±±±°ÞÞÞ±± °°±°°ÞÞ±±ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±±°ÞÞ±±±±°ÞÞ±±±±±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ±°ÞÞ°ÞÞ°°ÞÞ±± °°±±°°ÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞ±±±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞ±°ÞÞÞÞÞÞ±±°ÞÞÞÞ±±± °°±±±°°°°±±°°°°°°°±±°°°°±±±°°°°±±±±°°°°°°±±°°°°°°±±±°°°°±±±± °°°±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±± °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Volume 2, Number 14 28 July 1992 (c) Daniel Do‡ekal, All Rights Reserved The BBS Clipper magazine, published SEMIWEEKLY, every FRIDAY Some of the material used comes from scanning CLIPPER echoes which are carried in various BBS throughout the World. These Echoes are very often the source of the most often asked Questions and Answers about Clipper. Other material, which is fully signed or abbreviated is the copyright of the appropriate persons. The publisher is not responsible for other authors submissions.... Published material is not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Redaction: Publisher...................................Daniel Docekal Chief editor ...............................Daniel Docekal Language editor .................................Dave Wall Table of Contents 1. ARTICLES ............................................................... 1 WHY Patches, it's for nothing .......................................... 1 Why update IPX/NETX/ODI? ............................................... 7 Hitch Hikers Guide To The Net (11) ..................................... 11 2. ANOMALIES .............................................................. 14 ANOMALIES reports and commets .......................................... 14 3. CLIPPER NET ............................................................ 15 Index of described files in Clipper BBS Magazine ....................... 15 4. CLIPBBS ................................................................ 17 CLIPBBS distribution ................................................... 17 CLIPBBS, how to write an article!!! .................................... 19 - - - - - CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 1 28 Jul 1992 =============================================================================== ARTICLES =============================================================================== WHY Patches, it's for nothing.. by Daniel Docekal Long time discussion between relation of Novell Netware and Clipper programs (and actually any other programs) moved me finally to write article about Novell Netware Patches. Basic question is in this case - Are they needed or not? Is it wise to install them on 3.11 server or just ignore them? In most cases firms installing Novell Netware know nearly NOTHING about some NetWire Novell Support, updates available for utilities, operating system and any other add-in software or hardware. Installers of Novell Netware are unfortunately in most cases satisfied with just loading server with Novell installation floppies, building up some case of very simple login script system and that's all. All technical care normally ends here. Something like requirement of patches for Netware 3.11 or latest revision of IPX/NETX/ODI is something very far from knowledge of installers. This situation is typicall for Europe because of lack of knowledge and good sources of informations about Novell, it may be better in U.S.A, but that's something i cannot comment because i don't have practical experience from there. PATCHES will be subject of this first article from serie related to Novell/Clipper and in generall Novell/application subjects. Following article will come to talk about IPX/NETX/ODI support for workstation which is also very important in any case. PATCHES are released by Novell randomly very soon after releasing of any revision of operating system. PATCHES are released only because ALL boxes with Novell Netware floppies are untouched and NEVER updated with latest revision of software. PATCHES of Novell Netware 3.11 how we should call them in full name are available from Compuserver NOVLIB or via Novell Authorized Dealers and via Novell Support Program (very expensive one). Just one simple archive file called 311PTx.ZIP where is coming to be sequential number of patch set. Latest one was 311PT7.ZIP at time of writing of this article. The same exist as 310PTx.ZIP for 3.10 version of Netware, but that should be off interest in this case because is far better switch 3.10 Netware immediately to 3.11 than to play with patches to make it working. PATCHES are loaded and resident on server. Not all of them are required for all situations of course, but there is nothing bad on fact to load them ALL at once if someone doesn't want to thing. But not loading them at all can be VERY big mistake. There is document supplied with patches (311PT7.DOC in our case) which is describing complete installation and meaning of all files. It should be enough to read it to understand WHY those patches are so important. As usual most from us are lazy to read long texts, therefore i will just try to pick up CLIPPER/APPLICATIONs related patches which have good meaning and importance. ASNCRDFX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem that may occur when multiple threads do ³ asyncrhonous reads. It is possible for a thread to read data that was CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 2 28 Jul 1992 ³ written by another thread. This problem has been known to occur with the ³ Btrieve.nlm application if a Btrieve data file page size is not 512, ³ 1024, 2048 or 4096 bytes. If the page size is not one of these sizes, the ÀÄdata file may become corrupt. What it means? Simple. IF your application is using BTRIEVE or any from BTRIEVE related libraries for Clipper, this patch can be of importance for you. If this patch is NOT loaded what can happend is - DATA CORRUPTION. Therefore DO NOT blame your CLIPPER until this PATCH is loaded and active..... BIGRFIX NLM ³ This patch allows the OS to prevent "read" requests larger than 512K from ³ overrunning the stack. This problem has been known to occur when loading ÀÄlarge NLMs. Meaning? Rare occurence but it can. Playing with .NLMs on your server? Load this patch otherwise it CAN end badly as usual. Novell just made error in stack allocation and if stack is overrunning? What will happen with server after stack is pushing values somewhere in programs? This PATCH is not so important for normal live. CROPNFX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem found when a client makes a request to create ³ or open a file. When a user makes a CreateOpenFile request, the server ³ creates the file, but the server's reply to the user gets lost. The ³ client then makes a second request to create the file, but since it has ³ already been created, the user gets the error message: ³ ³ "file already created." ³ ³ Additionally, when a client request is made to open a file, the server ³ opens the file, but its response to the client is lost. The client makes ³ a second request to open the file, and the server opens the file a second ³ time. This scenario can result in the server keeping the file open while ³ the user thinks it has been closed. This problem becomes apparent when ³ the user attempts to delete the file and receives the error message: ³ ÀÄ "File in use." Having trouble with files not being opened or program refusing delete files? Not seeing a reason for this. As usual, it can be one from bugs in Novell Netware Operating system. Until this patch is loaded noone can tell if it's your program or Novell who is making troubles. Solution is simple as usual, just load this patch and be sure about fixed System problem. DIRLPFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem in NetWare 386 v3.11 that results in an ³ infinite loop when the DOS DIR command is used in a subdirectory where ³ more than 65,535 files exist. This loop will also occur with the ÀÄFindFirst and FindNext DOS function calls. Hanging Clipper application which is processing thousands of files in one directory can have this reason. Bug in Netware which will manifest in very rare condition (who has more than 65535 files in one directory) CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 3 28 Jul 1992 but it can. My application (FAX/TELEX package) can make this number of files in two weeks in some installations... DOTFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes the problem of multiple directories of the same name ³ being created at the SYS: (root) level. Currently, if the user creates ³ directories ending in two dots: ".." (e.g. "STATS.."), multiple ³ directories of the same name will be created. A directory listing using ³ DIR will show multiple directories of the same name. For example: ³ ³ >DIR ³ ³ STATS ³ STATS ³ STATS ³ ³ DOTFIX.NLM fixes the problem so that if the user tries to create ³ directories with the same name, the error message "Unable to create ÀÄdirectory" appears. Looks funny, isn't? Who will try to create directory named "STATS..", believe me, users will do it not only once. And what will happend? Your disk will get trashed, structure will be wrong and your files from your application will be lost, your program will act like mad because will see strange things with his directories... EAINFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem with Extended Attributes when two or more work ³ stations execute XCOPY multiple times. The result is that after about ³ ten minutes the server will ABEND with the message: ³ ÀÄ"Free called with a memory block that has an invalid resource tag.". Absolutely for sure is XCOPY command used often in your network, maybe even your Clipper program can call it via RUN command. If not, then very often users can use this command. What about two users using it at the same time, it can happend very often. Is it good to lost server (and lot of data) only because not loaded patch? FATFIX NLM º This patch fixes a problem with TurboFAT and FAT corruption in general, ÈÍwhen multiple workstations randomly access large database files. ÚÄ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VERY IMPORTANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ä¿ ³ ³ ³ Believe or not, database desctructions and missing data can be related ³ ³ to Novell Operating system. In case or LARGE database files (but we all ³ ³ have large files often) corruption of FAT and TurboFAT (File Allocation ³ ³ Table) can occur just because more stations are accessing data. What ³ ³ will be after this corruption? Some parts of file will point to some ³ ³ other places then it should and your data are gone. This PATCH is VERY, ³ ³ VERY IMPORTANT ONE and there shouldn't be a server without this PATCH. ³ ³ ³ ÀÄ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VERY IMPORTANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ÄÙ GETQFIX NLM CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 4 28 Jul 1992 ³ This patch fixes a problem which caused a large number of deleted .SRV ÀÄfiles in the queue subdirectories in SYS:SYSTEM. Not so much important of course, until your Clipper application is responsible for creating hundreths of printed outputs daily. In this case will server be VERY busy with keeping ALL of them in DELETED state and later with purging HUNDRETHS of them. Problem is that queue manager is just forgetting to PURGE those files from system, it's just DELETING them without cleaning.... GETSEFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem found when more than 31 security equivalences ³ for a user or group ID are set up. This can result in a system hang ÀÄwhich may be accompanied by a message indicating a "multiple abend". For sure, all of us know that securities are never enough for customers to protect their data. What about group which has more than 31 defined securities (access security to files or directories). Is it worth to have abend on server? I don't think so, it's time to load another patch. GNSFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem found when rebooting and attempting to get a ³ connection to the file server. If all of the connections are in use, ³ (e.g. 20 for the 20-user version, 50 for the 50-user version, etc.), and ³ one of the users reboots, the user will not be able to log back in to the ³ server. This problem will only occur if there is only one network. If ³ the user is on an internet, a re-connection will be possible. ³ ³ The problem is that once a user reboots, his connection is not terminated ÀÄat the server until a time out limit is reached (usually 15 minutes). Having trouble after crash of your CLipper code to get back to network from workstation? Don't let customer blame your CLipper program and don't try look too hard - just install this patch because Novell has small bug in this area also... HTFXFX NLM ³ Corrects a problem when using disk block sizes larger than 4K and cache ³ buffer sizes larger than 4K. If a block was read from the redirection ³ area while copying a file in the above circumstance, it could cause the ÀÄdestination block to become corrupted. It's hard to expect that someone will use block larger than 4K in making Netware Volumes, but it can also be. In case of running Clipper application it's nothing special to have corrupted database files during copying them without apparent reason. But here is reason, another small trouble of Network Operation system which can be solved by patch... NCPSPFIX NLM ³ This patch prevents a zero-length WriteToSpool NCP from being processed. ³ This problem has been known to cause an ABEND:GENERAL PROTECTION ÀÄPROCESSOR EXCEPTION and corrupt an entire volume. Rare to happend again, but to have corrupted entire volume only because someone was using WriteToSpool (writing to Spool is usual way of working with Spool...)? Install patch, problem is out... CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 5 28 Jul 1992 SPXFIX1 NLM ³ This patch corrects problems for certain applications that may hang due ÀÄto lost ECB's. SPX fix, as you may know, IPX/SPX is method of communication used between server and workstation. Even this communication is not errors free. This one is fixing HANGING of applications, who knows if your Clipper program is not the one hanging because of this patch not installed. SPXFSFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem that results in a file server GPI in the ³ SPXFindSession. This ABEND is known to occur when using Madge "Smart IPX" ³ Token Ring drivers. ³ ³ The problem is caused by a connect request SPX packet which arrives at ³ the server without the system bit being set. This causes the server to ³ look up the session with ID = FFFF (session ID for system packets), but ³ since the system bit isn't set, the server looks in the session table for ³ a client with a corresponding ID. This causes SPXFindSession to look ÀÄbeyond the end of memory, resulting in a GPI ABEND. This is of course only for TokenRing, but it's very often used in our networks. Do we want ABEND of server because of mistake in SPX communication? I have already several application which are using SPX for sending data between programs. That's why i'm loading this patch always. SYNCTIME NLM ³ This patch forces the server's date/time to be synchronized to the ³ hardware's clock at specified intervals. These NLM's eliminate the ³ gradual loss of time experienced by the server due to "missed" clock ÀÄticks while the server is in real mode. Most from our applications are time related. Because we develop mail, telx and fax gateway, time and date is cruicial element in processing. It's well known that 386/486 servers are running out of time sync (behind in most cases) and that's also why this patch is out. It's taking care of reading time from CMOS clock instead of keeping the one made by BIOS... TTSFIX NLM ³ TTSFIX.NLM fixes a bug encountered when certain applications execute ³ explicit TTS, and file locking is also used. This results in an ÀÄapplication hang at the workstation, and a GPPE ABEND at the file server. Playing with TTS and Clipper? It can lead in even crash of complete server. Not because of Clipper, but because of Bug in Novell Netware. Because exetucing explicit TTS and use file locking is nothing unusual in Clipper. UNKFIX NLM ³ This patch fixes a problem which was causes an ABEND on a 3.11 FILE ³ SERVER. This is caused by entering a complete file name of a valid ³ NetWare file at the file server console. This file may be located on any ³ of the server's search paths. ³ ³ FOR EXAMPLE: typing "MONITOR.NLM" at the console instead of "LOAD ³ MONITOR.NLM" will cause the above condition. Typing "MONITOR" without the CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 6 28 Jul 1992 ÀÄ.NLM extension will not cause the ABEND. Nothing bad, just little problem in command parser of console of server. it's also kind of mistake which EVERYONE can make, even maintenance technician can forget to type LOAD for .NLM file and succesfully crash your server during workign hours. Prevent it? Just load this patch. XMCFIX NLM ³ This patch corrects a problem with utilities that use the SPX protocol to ³ maintain communication with the server. Typically the client will loose ³ the connection to the server and the following message will be displayed: ³ ³ "No more response buffers available" ³ ³ The most common occurrence is with a remote printer(RPRINTER.EXE) loosing ³ it's connection to the print server(PSERVER.NLM), but it may happen with ÀÄother utilities. This is second most important SPX patch, without it, our SPX related software can work very bad. After loading it? Problem went away... That's all from patches which are in interest of CLipper programmers (and in generall in programmers of any applications). There are some other patches which were not mentioned because of relation to other problems. In case of interest, write to me or just get patches and look for yourself. .DD. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 7 28 Jul 1992 Why update IPX/NETX/ODI? by Daniel Docekal Second article related to Clipper/NOVELL or anyway Applications/Novell subjects. This time it's going to explain WHY it's very clever to have LATEST version of IPX, NETX or ODI programs installed at your workstations. Few words at beginning. Novell Netware workstation can be based on TWO ways of accesing Novell Server. First way is the OLD one which is slowly moved out from activity by Novell and it's called IPX/NETX. Second way is DOS ODI driver way which is the one having future. In general it looks like this: First way Second way IPX.COM LSL.COM This is for hardware xxxxx.COM IPXODI.COM NETX.EXE NETX.EXE This is for software IPX.COM is by special program generated (LINKED in reality with Novell own linker) program consisting from IPX.OBJ and driver.OBJ which is highly related to hardware. EVERY network card _MUST_ have own driver.OBJ which is responsible for IPX.OBJ ability to comunicate with hardware. DOS ODI solution is going over this LINKING process by releasing driver.COM modules which is enough to just start AFTER loading LSL.COM (interface) and before loading IPXODI (interface). NETX.EXE is needed in both cases (can be EMSNETX, XMSNETX or BNETX). There are of course releases of several versions of IPX.OBJ and NETX.EXE (or others as mentioned). Novell Netware distribution floppies contain MOST RECENT version at moment of they creation - which is ALWAYS _the_ _old_ one at moment of using them. Why is it so important to use updated drives? For the same reason as is important to use Novell Netware Operating System patches. Novell is slowly fixing problems discovered in different versions and revisions of Shells (that's how all those can be named) and also releases new services required by newer software. Typicall example is MS WINDOWS 3.1 which will _NOT_ run unless it will have NEW version of IPX.OBJ. Some services used in MS WINDOWS Netware engine are not present in older versions of IPX... The same CAN be valid about Clipper. Small history of Novell Netware SHELL files is maybe good, it will be extended with Clipper related informations. All problems written together with some version of Shell should be take as FIXED in given revision, all Clipper possible related are marked with (*) sign: 5-8-90 3.01 Rev. A That's where history is starting 6-6-90 3.01 Rev. B Problems with hanging of SiteLock software corrected 3.01 Rev. C NEVER released Shell with those corrections: - slow performance by using /PS option - MS Windows directory problems of XMS/EMSNETx - Print Configuration codes not sent in EMSNETx - Errors of handling LPT - Problems with FAKE ROOTs - XMS/EMSNETx causing hang of 286servers CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 8 28 Jul 1992 9-7-90 3.01 Rev. D Public release of Rev. C named as Rev. D 9-18-90 3.01 Rev. D Problems of #command in login script corrected 11-27-90 3.01 Rev. E Dos service "TrueName" is returning WRONG data (*) Microsoft Link cannot link large nr. of files (*) Error in rename function (*) Errors when using X.25 connection for logout Remote boot troubles in ELS Netware Enabled file caching in EMS/XMSNETx (*) 2-06-91 3.02 File caching problems in XMTNETx (*) Speed of file caching improved (*) Hanging application using EMS/XMS with EMS/XMSNETX (*) CACHE BUFFERS=0 is now switching caching off (*) Truncated output to printer (*) Added DOS NAME and ENVIRONMENT PAD parameters (*) 7-18-91 3.21 Generic shell NETX.COM is created from NOW Before it was NET3.COM, NET4.COM, NET5.COM ... /PS option can cause random machine hangs (*) /C option added for NET.CFG file locating (*) Added EMS memory handle names support (*) Fixed problem denying access to shared file (*) Corrected "call 5" functions Resolved problem of Btrieve corruptions (*) Fixed Cache problem with DiskFull error (*) Fixed DOS NAME hanging when EMS/XMSNETX used (*) LOAD HIGH in DOS 5.0 is working properly now (*) ATTRIB was unable find Hidden dir's on network (*) 7-31-91 3.22 Corrected remote boot in DOS 5.0 2-11-92 3.26 ÚÄ¿Corrected problem with certain database ³!³applications which issue the commit file command ³!³the file was NOT properly updated on the file ÀÄÙserver disk (*) Corrected DOS NAME problem with EMS/XMSNETX Corrected garbage characters from CAPTURE.EXE (*) Corrected unreseting of COMSPEC after unload (*) Corrected network errors when using /PS (*) Added check to FILES=x and FILE HANDLES=y not exceeding 254 in sum (x+y) (*) From this VERY SHORT review of long text file supplied wiht Shell revisions (file DOSUPn.ZIP available in NETWIRE/NOVLIB on Compuserver or from Novell Authorized dealers and support sites) can give ENOUGH information to thing about problems of Clipper application. IMPORTANT. _ANY_ Shell of version prior to 3.26 can cause improper updates for your database files. Therefore it's very important to have LATEST version of Shell (at least 3.26 which is latest NOW). In general can be made this list of important problems and their relation to Shells: File destruction 3.26 3.21 3.02 File handles missing 3.26 Slow application 3.26 Printing problems 3.26 3.02 3.01 Directories/attributes 3.21 Disk Full problems 3.21 Refusing file access 3.21 3.01 CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 9 28 Jul 1992 Machine hangs 3.21 3.02 3.01 Network errors 3.26 It's obvious that for example Shell's ov revision prior 3.21 will NOT work properly with Clipper and EMSNETX combination because of numerous problems with EMS handling and not Name support for EMS. It's obvious that Shell's of revision prior to 3.26 will make problems for Clipper applications using COMMIT commands or dbcommit() functions. Next question of our issue should be what is better, IPX/NETX or DOS ODI combination. From point of view of Novell is answer very simple, Novell is NOT making any NEW approvals of IPX versions of drivers for network cards, therefore card manufacturers are forced to start using DOS ODI equivalents. It's far better to switch to DOSODI than to stay with IPX/NETX because it offer more possibilites: - configuration of DOS ODI is via TEXT file which can be changed in any TEXT editor without need to run WSGEN and LINK new driver (as it is with IPX) - four cards in one computer can be handled by ONE DOS-ODI combination and only driver.COM program must be loaded for different cards. Even different methods (IPX/SPX against TCP/IP, or Ethernet against TokenRing) can coexist in one computer, therefore access to MORE network with different method of connection can be made - ALL programs from DOS ODI set can be LOADED and UNLOADED, therefore freeing of memory of computer of configuration change can be done WITHOUT rebooting computer. - DOS ODI programs can be loaded high without troubles (not always true about IPX.COM) - udpating of all programs is very easy, just copy new .COM file over, there is no need for generating new IPX.COM with special linker and floppies - no need for separated IPX.COM for EVERY different configuration possibility of network card, all is written in NET.CFG configuration file - nearly impossible configuration combination in IPX are available in .COM driver of DOS ODI. Even unsupported IRQ numbers are available for let say NE2000 compatible card which is allowing IRQ10 till IRQ15 to use. There is NOT any difference between functionality of computer with IPX and computer with LSL/driver/IPXODI. Speed is the same and from personal experience are DOS ODI drivers less hardware dependent and are more nice for all other drivers in your system. Latest questions should be related to EMSNETX, XMSNETX, NETX or BNETX. Those are four special versions of Shell for Novell Netware. First three are one of kind and last one is different special. EMSNETX, XMSNETX and NETX are standard Netware Shell programs which are allowing access of server services and resources after loading IPX or DOS ODI files. Difference between them is only little: EMSNETX is loading part of itself in EMS PAGE FRAME and therefore is using less from conventional memory. There can be problem with Clipper which is linked by BLINKER because Caching/Overlaying mechanism of Clipper and PAGE FRAME ON option of Blinker will cause problem. It's something reported by Blinker Inc. company, but it's still CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 10 28 Jul 1992 somethign that i cannot say it's fully true. I have PAGE FRAME ON in my BLINKER 1.51 script and if i boot with EMSNETX everything works fine as with BNETX or NETX. But it can be system dependent, EMS driver dependent (QEMM in my case) or anything. XMSNETX is loading part of itself in available XMS memory and therefore is using less from conventional memory. It _cannot_ be used in DOS 5.0 when DOS=HIGH is used, therefore it's out of importance in DOS 5.0 beause is better to have DOS=HIGH than XMSNETx (memory saving is bigger for DOS=HIGH). Both EMS/XMSNETX are of course SLOWER then standard NETX and CAN be cause of ANY problems, therefore if looking for troubles with workstation first try to NOT load EMSNETX nor XMSNETX NETX is just standard Shell loading itself into conventional memory. Nothing more to tell because nothign more needed to know. Can be loaded high without any problems (slowing thing down a bit, but can save some 50KB of memory or so). BNETX is another chapter. Nearly ago Netware started using Burst Mode Shell as decsription for Shell which can (when needed) request BIGGER data block through network. Bigger than standard given by Network protocol. It can of course help in case of COPYing or MOVing _big_ files because overhead of network protocol can be minimized. BNETX is of course using MORE memory for additional buffers required to store those BIG packets, but can make communication faster for 30% in LAN and even 300% in WAN (in very good case, because overhead there is very high and transfer speed slow). BNETX is released ONLY as conventional memory Shell because issue here is SPEED and EMS/XMS versions are REALLY slower. I'm succesfully loading it HIGH and it's still faster (for about 10%) in our office LAN but i cannot recommend use it on workstations for serious use, our experiences are that workstations can hang when BNETX is used and Clipper applications are used. Also Workstations can hang in other software, therefore it's not something to blame on Clipper, rather to blame NetWare for not yet very tested software. But it's terrible new and nobody has experiences with it yet on veyr high level. Therefore final recommendation? 1) Use _ALWAYS_ latest versions of IPX.OBJ and NETX.COM 2) Use DOS ODI, it's easier and more following Novell 3) Use NETX.COM and load it high if wanted memory saving .DD. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 11 28 Jul 1992 Hitch Hikers Guide To The Net Episode 11 - Life, The Net, and Everything Part 1 (Xaphod, Rod, Gillian, and Arnold Lint have just received the 'Video Testament' - a scripture said to contain the answer to Life, the Net, and Everything.) Rod: Well, go on, read it. Arnold Lint: Do you think we should? Xaphod: Yah, why not. Martin: I can think of a few reasons. Gillian: Quiet, we're going to find out what it all means. Aren't you the least bit excited. Martin: (droning sarcastically) Oh yes, I can hardly contain myself. Xaphod: Never mind him, lets read this amazingly amazing book. (They open the book and it speaks to them.) Book: Hark, who goest there. Rod: Uh, who are you? Book: I . . . am the Video Testament. The compendium of all knowledge and smart stuff from the mythical age of Kubla Konthemasus. You may call me . . . Ralph. [***************************************************************************** "The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Net" has this to say about the mythical ruler Kubla Konthemasus: He was reported to be from Austria or Germany. He was supposed to be short and have a funny little mustache. He was supposed to have died in 1945 and then be reborn in Argentina. His followers looked upon him as a sort of Messiah, who would lead them to the land of Silk and Money. All of this is, of course, purely hypothetical; as were Konthemasus' friends Herman (Hermie) McGoering, and Crazy Joe Stalinson. *****************************************************************************] Xaphod: Ralph? Ralph: Well, what do you expect? Rod: Well, not Ralph. Gillian: Can you tell us . . . Ralph: The answer to Life, the Net, and Everything. Gillian: . . . why yes. Arnold Lint: That's amazing. Xaphod: To you it would be. Rod: Tell us what it all means. Ralph: You won't like it. Martin: That's no surprise. Xaphod: Just ignore him. Ralph: Well, it all began sometime in the 1950's. A group of very wealthy and powerful men assembled in Argentina under the guidance of a man calling himself Kubla Konthemasus. This group of magnates were from various political affiliations - Nazis, Communists, Capitalists, and Urologists. They all liked money and wanted to rule the world. They also realized that TV was going to be the tool that would give them the leverage they needed. CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 12 28 Jul 1992 Xaphod: I don't like the way this is starting to sound. Rod: Me neither. Ralph: I warned you. Martin: You should have listened to him. Arnold Lint: Go on. Ralph: Well, they began to infiltrate the TV industry. Soon they not only owned huge percentages of each network, but had also emplaced their own people into many of the creative positions at each network. Then they began to manipulate things. They decided to cast the world in an image that they could easily control. So each little kid on TV was either predictably (and sickeningly) nice and helpful, or predictably always getting into trouble. Women were either predictably aggressive or predictably obtuse. You see, they set up patterns of behavior that they could count on. Once they could predict and control how the public would react to something, they could do whatever they wanted. Whenever they wanted to do something really tricky (like when they took over the Mid-East oil fields in the late 70's and early 80's) they made sure to get the country thinking their way before hand with a massive TV bombardment. If it was a topic that they knew nobody would go for no matter how they publicized it, they flooded the airways with those sickening human emotion type TV-movies. Things like "Plight of the Forgotten Children" or "Why is Daddy always angry?". The kind of stuff that makes you want to blow lunch. Rod: Wow, that's amazing. Xaphod: Yah. Ralph: Their greatest triumph was getting a president elected. Their plan was simple. They made sure that the east coast was for their candidate, leaving the west coast alone. Then, on election day, the TV 'predictions' claimed their candidate to be a sure winner. Due to the time difference, all the people on the west coast thought the election was over anyway and didn't even bother to vote. Xaphod: Wow, imagine getting a president elected by manipulating the media. Ralph: And guess what . . . he was an actor Gillian: What a coincidence. Rod: Yah, imagine that. Martin: Doesn't surprise me . . . I expect such things from humans. Arnold Lint: But what does all this have to do with the Net? Gillian: Yah, controlling TV is great but most people in the Net are far too dedicated to their work to partake of anything as tacky as TV. We're all thoroughly dedicated professionals. (If it were possible for an android to suppress a burst of uncontrollable laughter, that is what Martin could now be described as doing.) Rod: Yah what about the Net|? Ralph: Well . . . ******************** End Of Part 11 ******************** CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 13 28 Jul 1992 What are the interests of this Neo-Nazi-Communist-Capitalist organization in the Net? The answer will surprise you - unless you're a great stupid twit. To find out more . . . Tune in next time . . . same Net-time . . . same Net-channel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 14 28 Jul 1992 =============================================================================== ANOMALIES =============================================================================== ANOMALIES and their comments This part of Clipper BBS Magazine is dedicated to all discovered anomalies and comments about them in Clipper products. Because Nantucket is still unable to give own bug and anomalies reports (as actually did in past with Summer 87 version) is very handy to have results of many investigations done on many user places. I'm also doing my own investigatings, because i'm always very good when someting has hidden problems. Everything what i buy will first show all problems and then all normal things. This amazing part of my live is sometime making me crazy, but for testing of programs it's great . Daniel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 15 28 Jul 1992 =============================================================================== CLIPPER NET =============================================================================== Following is COMPLETE list of all published file descriptions in Clipper BBS magazine in previous numbers. Purpose of this index list is to allow anybody find needed file descriptions in growing number of described files. Short description after name will give first possible close image about file. Number enclosed in "[]" will mean number of Clipper BBS magazine. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³FileName ³Src ³Description ³Where ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ACCESS.ARJ ³Cln ³Source of speed testing program ³[1-06]³ ³ACH2TB.ARJ ³Cln ³Convert ACHOICE to TBROWSE ³[1-05]³ ³ACHOO2.ARJ ³Cln ³Replacement of ACHOICE with GET possibilites ³[1-06]³ ³ADHOC302.ARJ ³Cln ³Summer 87 inteligent report program ³[1-04]³ ³ASCPOS.ARJ ³Cln ³replacement of ASC(substr(cString,nPosition,1)) ³[1-11]³ ³BARNTX.ARJ ³Cln ³Displaying bar indication during indexing ³[1-13]³ ³BLOCK.ARJ ³Cln ³Tetris game written in Cliper (-->Clipper !!) ³[1-19]³ ³BUTTON.ARJ ³Cln ³@GET in form of BUTTON ³[1-14]³ ³CALC14.ARJ ³Cln ³PoPup Calculator ³[1-08]³ ³CIVMIL.ARJ ³Cln ³Upgrade of Civil->Military time conversion ³[1-19]³ ³CL5103.ARJ ³Cln ³Report of 5.01 anomaly number 3 ³[1-04]³ ³CL5REP6.ARJ ³Cln ³5.01 replacement of REPORT command ³[1-04]³ ³CLIP110.ARJ ³Cln ³Clipper Documentor program ³[1-05]³ ³CLIPFPCX.ARJ ³Cln ³Fast .PCX displayer for CLipper ³[1-15]³ ³CLIPLINK.ARJ ³Cbs ³Complete text of R.Donnay about linkers ³[1-04]³ ³CLIPPLUS.ZIP ³Cln ³Object extension for CLIPPER 5.0 ³[1-14]³ ³CLIPSQL.ARJ ³Cln ³Demo of complete SQL library for CLipper ³[1-05]³ ³CLIPWARN.AJ ³Cln ³Semaphore for convert WARNING: into ERRORLEVEL ³[1-11]³ ³CLPFON.ARJ ³Cln ³Set of fonts for EXPAND.LIB from author ³[1-03]³ ³COMET.ARJ ³Cln ³Demo version of communication library ³[1-19]³ ³COND.ARJ ³Cln ³Builder of conditional indexes like SUBNTX ³[1-03]³ ³CWDEMO.ARJ ³Cln ³Classworks lib written in CLASS(Y) ³[1-13]³ ³DBSCN2.ARJ ³Cln ³Screen designer generator ³[1-05]³ ³DIAL.CLN ³Cln ³Dialer with using of FOPEN() ³[1-07]³ ³DOC111.ARJ ³Cln ³Documentor, newer version ³[1-08]³ ³DTF102.ARJ ³Cln ³.DBT files replacement, fully functional ³[1-14]³ ³ENDADD.ARJ ³Cln ³replacement of incrementing last char of string ³[1-11]³ ³GETKEY.ARJ ³Cln ³Input oriented library, wordprocessing ³[1-12]³ ³GETPP.ARJ ³Cln ³Modified GETSYS.PRG well documented ³[1-19]³ ³GSR151.ARJ ³Cln ³Global Search and replace for programmers ³[1-07]³ ³HGLASS.ZIP ³Cln ³Hour glass for indication of index progression ³[1-04]³ ³HILITO.ARJ ³Cln ³Highlighting of keywords on screen ³[1-19]³ ³HOTKEY.ARJ ³Cln ³Makin unique hot key letter for every arrat el. ³[1-14]³ ³INDXSL.ARJ ³Cln ³User Fields selection builder for index generate³[1-03]³ ³IOBASYS9.ARJ ³Cln ³Demo of S87 library and calling Clipper from C ³[1-03]³ ³IS.ARJ ³Cln ³Several c sources of ISxxxx functions ³[1-11]³ ³JG2.ARJ ³Cln ³Jumping between GET statements in READ ³[1-08]³ ³KF_LOKUP.ARJ ³Cln ³Set of program for database relations ³[1-07]³ ³LUTLIB.ARJ ³Cln ³Another Clipper library ³[1-08]³ ³MK30.ARJ ³Cln ³Mouse library demo version ³[1-03]³ ³MOVEGETS.ARJ ³Cln ³GETSYS change for moving between gets via VALID ³[1-03]³ CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 16 28 Jul 1992 ³MSWIN.ARJ ³Cln ³Detection of Windows mode when running Clipper ³[1-14]³ ³NFDESC2.ARJ ³Cln ³NanForum library description list ³[1-06]³ ³NFLIB2.ARJ ³Cln ³NanForum library main file ³[1-06]³ ³NFSRC2.ARJ ³Cln ³NanForum library Source files ³[1-06]³ ³NOTATION.ARJ ³Cln ³Complete text of article about hungarian notat. ³[1-04]³ ³NTXBAR.ARJ ³Cln ³Bar of indexing via system interrupts ³[1-19]³ ³OCLIP.ARJ ³Cln ³Object extension, real (not #define/command) ³[1-12]³ ³OOPSCL5.ARJ ³Cln ³Another version of pseudo objects ³[1-07]³ ³PACKUP.ARJ ³Cln ³ASM source of PACK/UNPACK replacement SCRSAVE.. ³[1-04]³ ³PARTIDX3.ARJ ³Cln ³Partial indexing ³[1-12]³ ³PAT1.ARJ ³Cln ³CIX NanForum Libraryy PATCH ³[1-07]³ ³PAT2-2.ARJ ³Cln ³Fix for FLOPTST.ASM in Nanforum Library ³[1-13]³ ³PAT2-3.ARJ ³Cln ³TBWHILE improvement for Nanforum libray ³[1-14]³ ³PAT2-4.ARJ ³Cln ³FT_PEGS() patch for NFLIB ³[1-15]³ ³PAT2-5.ARJ ³Cln ³FT_TEMPFIL() patch for NFLIB ³[1-16]³ ³POPUPCAL.ARJ ³Cln ³Popup calender ³[1-05]³ ³POSTPRNT.ARJ ³Cln ³Postscript printing from inside of Clipper ³[1-14]³ ³POWER10.ARJ ³Cln ³French library ³[1-07]³ ³PRINTSUP.AJR ³Cln ³Low level BIOS routines for printing ³[1-11]³ ³QS20F.ARJ ³Cln ³Screen designer, demo, looks very good ³[1-11]³ ³READPW.ARJ ³Cln ³GETSYS change for password invisible reader ³[1-03]³ ³SCANCODE.ARJ ³Cln ³Database with scan codes ³[1-07]³ ³SCRSAVE.ARJ ³Cln ³Screen AntiBurning utility (inactivity snake) ³[1-05]³ ³SEGUE.ARJ ³Cln ³Novell library - demo ³[1-15]³ ³SHADO.ARJ ³Cln ³Creating shadow on screen ³[1-14]³ ³SHELP50A.ARJ ³Cln ³SuperHelp for Clipper ³[1-07]³ ³SHOWANSI.ARJ ³Cln ³Displaying a ANSI from inside CLIPPER no ANSI.SY³[1-15]³ ³SNAP497.ARJ ³Cln ³Beta version of SNAP, partially compatible to 5 ³[1-12]³ ³SNAP50.ARJ ³Cln ³dBASE/CLIPPER documentor supporting 5.01 little ³[1-15]³ ³SOUND.ARJ ³Cln ³Multiple TONE() used as one SOUND function ³[1-06]³ ³STATUS.ARJ ³Cln ³Timer interrupt hooked status indicator ³[1-12]³ ³SUPER160.ARJ ³Cln ³SUPER.LIB for Summer87 ³[1-13]³ ³SYMBOL.ARJ ³Cln ³Dumper of symbol tables of Summer87 .EXE ³[1-03]³ ³TBUNIQUE.ARJ ³Cln ³Browsing unique without unique index ³[1-12]³ ³TBWHL4.ARJ ³Cln ³WHILE browsing using TBROWSE, well commented ³[1-06]³ ³TICKER.ARJ ³Cln ³Real Time Clock, interrupt driven on screen ³[1-12]³ ³VOICE200.ARJ ³Cln ³VOICE synthetizing library for Clipper ³[1-13]³ ³VSIX711.ARJ ³Cln ³Vernon Six Clipper utilities and library ³[1-05]³ ³VSIX800.ARJ ³Cln ³Vernon's library, lot of functions ³[1-12]³ ³WIPEV11.EXE ³Cln ³VERY good screen manipulation library ³[1-11]³ ³ZIP2BAR.ARJ ³Cln ³Printing BAR (USPS) code on EPSON printer ³[1-15]³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Src can be: Cln File is accesible on ClipperNet Cbs File is accesible in HQ BBS of CLipper BBS Magazine ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 17 28 Jul 1992 =============================================================================== CLIPBBS =============================================================================== CLIPBBS Distribution CLIPBBS is special magazine about CLIPPER and CLIPPERing (or about another related problems and xBASE languages). This magazine is for free and articles aren't honored. Nobody can make a profit from the distribution of this magazine. CLIPBBS can be freely downloaded and uploaded to any BBS or any other public system without changes of original contents or number of files in original archive (kind of archive can be changed, but we are sup- porting ARJ archive because is best and smallest). If you are interested in CLIPBBS and would like to become a DISTRIBUTION site, contact publisher on 2:285/608@fidonet or 27:1331/4412@signet or just call to 31-10-4157141 (BBS, working 18:00->08:00, top is V32b) or voice to 31-10-4843870 in both cases asking for DANIEL (Docekal). A BIG NEWS is that also Compuserve messages are welcome: Daniel Docekal, 100064,2343 Distribution sites: Clipper BBS Home system ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ NETCONSULT BBS, SYSOP Daniel Docekal, phone 31-10-4157141 Daily 18:00 till 08:00 (GMT+1), sat+sun whole day Modem speed 1200, 2400, 9600, 12000, 14400 (V32b) 2:285/608@fidonet.org United Kingdom ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Welsh Wizard, SYSOP Dave Wall, phone 44-656-79477 Daily whole day, modem speed HST Italy ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Lady Bright BBS, SYSOP Gianni Bragante, Phone: +39-15-8353153 20:00-08:00 monday to friday, from saturday 13:00 to 08:00 monday 24h/24h holydays, 300-9600 baud v21,v22,v32,v42bis 2:334/307@fidonet.org United States of America ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ The Southern Clipper, SYSOP Jerry Pults, phone 1-405-789-2078 Daily whole day, modem speed HST The New Way BBS, SYSOP Tom Held, phone, 1-602-459-2412 Daily 24hours, 1:309/1@Fidonet.org, 8:902/6@RBBS-Net Canada ³ CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 18 28 Jul 1992 ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ SYSOP Gordon Kennet, phone 1-604-599-4451 Daily 24houts, 2400bps V42b, 1:153/931@fidonet.org WORLDWIDE ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Clipper File Distrubution Network (ClipperNet, area CL-DOC) Various systems around whole world ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIPBBS 2-14 Page 19 28 Jul 1992 How to write articles in CLIPBBS? Submission of articles to CLIPBBS is really easy: Maximum of 78 characters per line, as long or as short as you like ASCII text. Choose from the list of extension which most describes your text, or just name it .ART as ARTicle and send it to publisher or to any distribution site via modem to BBS or with mailer as file attach. Article will come automatically appear in the next free issue. Extensions are: Articles (anything) .ART Software .SOF News .NEW Question and Answers .Q&A ANOMALIES and their comments .ANO Letters to editors .LET Advertisement .ADV Wanted .WAN Comments .CMS DUMP from conferences .DMP Clipper Net .CLN That's all at the moment, there will probably be changes later, as the magazine evolves. If you have any ideas for a new section of CLIPBBS, please tell us, or just write an article about it. Daniel, publisher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------