CIEX (c) 1993, 1994 - VERSION CHANGE DESCRIPTION September 1994, New Line Software, Inc. ----------------------------------------- This file provides a complete history of major releases of the CIEX interpreter since the original release, CIEX Version 2.0 for DOS, in January 1993. Information contained herein is provided to assist users of previous CIEX versions in the upgrading of script files to run with this new version. New CIEX users are referred to the README file, containing a detailed description of this CIEX release. SUMMARY OF CHANGES SINCE THE LAST RELEASE ----------------------------------------- Version 2.3.5 is the first release of CIEX to be widely disseminated by BBS and online services. Significantly, it is the first release to introduce a notable grammatical change since CIEX Version 2.0. Due to many requests by users, the width and height arguments of the "box" and "screen -select" commands have been adjusted in Version 2.3.5 to represent the actual number of columns and lines used by box figures, instead of the number of lines and columns offset from the box origin. This means that pre-version 2.3.5 scripts which use the "box" command will draw slightly smaller boxes in this new release of CIEX. For compatibility with previous scripts, the CIEX Version 2.3.5 interpreter includes the "select -boxspan" command, which accepts a single argument of either "offset" or "normal". Pre-version 2.3.5 script files should be modified to include the command "select -boxspan offset" at the beginning of scripts. The "select -boxspan" command will be maintained in future CIEX releases, however will not be documented outside of this file. Except for the above change, pre-version 2.3.5 scripts should operate with minor or no significant modifications necessary. DESCRIPTION OF ALL VERSIONS ---------------------------- CIEX VERSION 2.3.5 First release of CIEX to be widely distributed on BBS and online services. This version includes a major change to "width" and "height" specifications used in "box" and "screen -select" commands, so that these arguments reflect the actual number of lines and columns required by the box figure. For compatibility with earlier scripts, programmers may use the "sel -boxspan offset | normal" command at the start of pre-version 2.3.5 scripts. (This special statement is provided strictly as a compatibility aid, and should not be otherwise used.) CIEX VERSION 2.3.4 This version provides cosmetic changes to a few error messages, and changes the CDEX optional debugger to allow special breakpoints to be retained until cleared with the "stop -clear" command. Also, this version allows multiple ASCII characters to be output using the "echo -ascii" command, and fixes a long standing problem with the "source -bind" command, which previously caused errors when a non-bound source file called a bound callpoint. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.3.3 (Not widely distributed.) This version reduces the about of memory required to run the program, and reduces the executable program size by approximately 5 K Bytes through modifications to the extensible user interface library. This version also supports more consistent messages with regard to "Unknown command option" messages, fixes a problem related to the CDEX program's inability to step over "if -cmd" and "while -cmd" statements, and modifies the way that command arguments (in particular variable views) are passed to source files. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.3.2 First release of CIEX to be distributed by ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals.) This version fixes several minor bugs in the text-graphic interface, related to the drawing of line elements and their intersections. Also, this version is the first to document the usage of slice operations (i.e. line specifications) to the "set -file" and "for -file" commands, and includes cosmetic changes to several error messages to make them more consistent. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.3.1 Initial release of CIEX 2.3, incorporating mouse locator interface commands, the CDEX interactive debugger, and several new command options. This release includes many new run-time syntax checks, including notification of changes to pathnames while the CIEX interpreter executes, and a major fix to the "if -cmd" and "while -cmd" statements, which previously prevented their indiscriminate usage. This release also adds several items to the "list -status" listing, adds the "screen -ansi" list facility, incorporates the new "call -class" command option, and adds the "is exec" property test. The interactive mode prompt for this release has been changed to "ciex>", to enhance product identification. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.2 (Not widely distributed.) This version supplies several obscure bug fixes, mainly related to interrupt and exception handling, and implements several features to optimize execution speed. This release also fixes several misspelled error messages, adds compression to screen dumps created with the "screen -list" command, and defines the new "echoblock -screen" command to places a block of text on the text-graphic display. Numerous other underlying changes, needed to support a debug interface, have also been added. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.1 This version provides several additions to error handling, including a device handler to intercept device errors related to disks and communication ports. Also, this version fixes one notable bug related to range checking of input arguments to text-graphic commands, which could garble a screen when negative lengths were specified as arguments. This version also adds multiple changes to the extensible CIEX interface and Language Development Call Library, which has caused the extensibility feature of the program to diverge significantly from the original Unix source code port. Otherwise, this version has no significant compatibility problem with the previous version. CIEX VERSION 2.0, January 1993 First CIEX distribution for DOS systems. Nationally advertised and test marketed, the release consists of a source code port from the original CIEX interpreter, executing on Unix platforms. All aspects of the ported program are identical to the previous program, with the following notable exceptions: many underlying changes have been necessary to port the program to a DOS file system; several changes have been made to text-graphic commands to effectively work with CGA, VGA and EGA terminal types; several changes have been made related to "list" options; the Unix "set -key" command has been renamed "read" to simplify grammar. CIEX VERSION 1.0, March, 1991 First version of the CIEX Command Interface Executive program, supported on Alliant Concentrix, HP Apollo, DecStation, HP 3000, Harris Night Hawk, Sun-OS, Sun Solaris, and Ultrix environments. ----------------------------------------- For more information, please call or write NLS, Inc. NLS, Inc. New Line Software P.O. Box 3433 Englewood, CO 80155 OFFICES AT: 7348 S. Alton Way, Unit I Englewood, CO 80112 PHONE: 1-800-441-2931, FAX: 1-303-771-0836 In Denver, and outside of USA: 1-303-741-6594