New Product Announcement From Martin Technologies March 23, 1994 revision Greg Martin, the author of OverLay()*, and the co-author of ExoSpace* and ProVision:Windows* is proud to announce the arrival of ClipXMS, the XMS/EMS memory solution for Clipper 5. ClipXMS allows real-mode Clipper applications to use XMS (extended) memory, freeing Clipper from its total dependence on EMS (expanded) memory. Just link ClipXMS into your application and end your worries about your user's computer configuration. Every memory manager configuration is compatible with Clipper when using ClipXMS. End your user's CONFIG.SYS nightmares with ClipXMS! Benefits of ClipXMS include: ---------------------------- 1) Allows Clipper 5 to transparently use either XMS or EMS memory. 2) No more end-user configuration worries. Every memory manager configuration is compatible with Clipper using ClipXMS. 3) Lets the end-user disable EMS memory, potentially freeing up more DOS memory for your Clipper application by allowing your user to move more device drivers and other TSRs into upper memory. 4) Compatible with all linkers including Blinker 3.0's dual mode. (Please note that ClipXMS is compatible with, but does not benefit protected mode programs linked with ExoSpace and Blinker 3.0) 5) Can substantially increase performance of your Clipper application on 2 MB 286 computers using the HIMEM.SYS driver. 6) Inform users when they have no XMS/EMS memory manager installed. XMS and EMS Memory ------------------ All IBM compatible computers except those using the original 8088 microprocessor can have expanded or extended memory. Clipper 5 is limited to using only expanded memory, therefore, if a computer is not properly configured it may have megabytes of extended memory that are not usable by your Clipper applications. The result can be very slow program operation especially in larger applications. When you link in ClipXMS, as long as the computer's CONFIG.SYS loads a memory manager such as HIMEM.SYS, QEMM, or 386MAX, your Clipper application can use any available extended or expanded memory. If no memory manager is present, ClipXMS will not be able to use any available extended memory. In that case, ClipXMS does include the ClipXMS() function which allows your program to alert the user if they have extended memory available, but have not installed a memory manager. An important side effect of using ClipXMS is that your users no longer have to configure their computers for EMS (expanded) memory. This frees up 64K of high memory allowing your users to load more device drivers and TSRs into high memory, thereby freeing up more DOS memory for your Clipper application. Protected and Dual Mode ----------------------- ClipXMS is compatible with ExoSpace and Blinker 3's protected mode, but ClipXMS does not benefit protected mode programs because protected mode programs are able to use XMS (extended) memory directly by themselves. If you do link ClipXMS into a protected mode program, your program will run exactly as it did without ClipXMS. Compatibility with protected mode is important if you are using Blinker 3's dual mode. When you link ClipXMS into a Blinker 3 dual mode program, ClipXMS will not interfere when the program runs in protected mode, but ClipXMS will kick in when the program runs in real mode allowing your real mode program to use XMS memory directly. ClipXMS is in no way a replacement for protected mode nor does it compete in anyway with ExoSpace or Blinker 3.0's protected mode. The reasons people use protected mode (faster execution of large programs, getting rid of VMM errors, linking in more third party libraries and C/ASM code, and creating larger applications) are not reasons for using ClipXMS. On the contrary, the purpose behind ClipXMS is to allow real-mode Clipper applications to run under a wider variety of computer configurations by supporting both XMS and EMS memory. Using ClipXMS means less worries and problems with the end-user's computer configuration, but it doesn't solve any of the problems that protected mode solves. ClipXMS can help real-mode programs run faster on computers that have only XMS memory (such as most 2 MB 286 computers, or 386/486 computers that do not load an EMS driver at startup). Swapping to disk is noticeably slower then swapping to XMS/EMS memory and, in those situations, ClipXMS can dramatically speed up real-mode Clipper programs. The ClipXMS() Function ---------------------- ClipXMS includes a function named ClipXMS() that you can call from your Clipper program. This function can tell you among other things whether your Clipper program is using EMS or XMS memory or is running in protected mode, and how much EMS and XMS memory was available at startup. This function even informs you if the computer the program is running on does not have a memory manager loaded, but has available extended memory. Thus, you can inform the user they can get better performance by using a memory manager. Release Date ------------ ClipXMS is scheduled for commercial release the first week in April. The list price has been set at $99 (plus shipping). On the release date, Martin Technologies will post ordering information. In the meantime, please post any questions to CompuServe ID 73707,3450. In Europe you can contact: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � Adress: Tel.:+49-40-7661290 � � SOFTSOL GmbH Fax :+49-40-7665664 � � Neue Str.35a BBS :+49-40-7665527 � � 21073 Hamburg CIS : 100112,3401 � � Germany Fido: 2:240/5300 � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 for availability About the Author ---------------- Greg Martin has been providing add-on tools for the Clipper community for over five years. His first commercial add-on, OverLay()*, a memory swapper, has been a lifesaver to thousands of Clipper developers. He also co-authored ExoSpace* and ProVision:Windows*. Although he is no longer associated with any of those products, he is very proud of his previous work. He expects his new company, Martin Technologies, will be providing many more very useful tools such as ClipXMS to the Clipper community. *Trademark Information --------------------- ClipXMS is a trademark of Martin Technologies; CA-Clipper/ExoSpace is a trademark of Computer Associates International, Inc.; OverLay() and ProVision:Windows are trademarks of SofDesign International, Inc.; all other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.