Free Floating-Point Utilities
-----------------------------
Merry Christmas from Meridian Audio Ltd!!

This file accompanies two utilities: P-ZAP.EXE and P-STAT.EXE

P-ZAP
----------------------------------------------------------------------
P-ZAP is a DOS program that can be run in batch files.
 
1 Copy it to a directory in your path like c:\ or c:\dos
2 Run it from the command line with one of the options below.
	/off 		turns the fpu off
	/on 		turns the fpu on
	/status 	indicates the state of the fpu
	/flip 		reverses the state (i.e. on to off or vice-versa)

For example, if you always want to disable the fpu put the following line
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT

P-ZAP /OFF

How does it work?
-----------------
P-ZAP allows you to change the flag in the BIOS that indicates
the presence of a numeric co-processor (fpu in 486 or Pentium (TM)).
Well-behaved programs check for the fpu and if it is not there
perform floating-point operations in software. This can make the program run slower
- but you get the right answer. In many applications the speed hit is not discernable.

It works with programs like Microsoft Excel and a variety of Windows(TM) programs.
It will not help with programs that do not use the BIOS to find the fpu or
with programs that require a coprocessor (like Matlab (TM)).

Run it and see if it gets the right answers for you.

NOTE ABOUT WINDOWS!
-------------------
You must run P-ZAP BEFORE starting Windows(TM). Windows creates its own
copy of the BIOS data. I have not found a way to modify the status from
inside Windows. However, P-STAT tells you what Windows provides.


P-STAT
-------------------------------------------------------

P-STAT.EXE is a Windows(TM) program that is written in Visual Basic 3.0 (TM).

It requires two other files:
	VBASM.DLL (supplied)
	VBRUN300.DLL (widely available)

1 Copy all three to your Windows directory (like c:\windows)
2 Add it to a Group and Run

P-STAT runs minimized and indicates whether the fpu flag is on or off.
Double-click the icon to see if the division is working 
correctly - as described below.
If you run it on a 486, it indicates good division with fpu on or off.


Testing a Pentium FPU
---------------------

There have been many tests shown on the Internet Intel Newsgroup.
P-STAT uses this one

	A = 4.1 - 1.1
	B = 699306 * A
	Result = 699306 - B/A

Pentium shows Result = 42.66666667
The correct answer is 0

Try it in Excel with and without the fpu enabled.
Do note however that Excel stores previous results
so to see what is actually happening you have to force
a recalculation (e.g.  by changing the numbers to and fro).

DISCLAIMERS
________________________________________________
These utilities are provided for interest and free use.
The author is not implying that these utilities fix the
fpu problem in a Pentium (TM); but simply give peace of mind
by forcing some programs to give a more correct answer.

The author and Meridian Audio Ltd accept no liability
whatsoever for consequential or any other damage or inconvenience.

No warranty is given or implied.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. CHECK THE RESULTS

DISTRIBUTION
------------------------------------------------
Please copy this freely: pass it on to as many places
as you can. 

OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHT
-------------------------------------------------
Version 1.0
(c) 1994 J. R. Stuart

jrs@meridian.win-uk.net
CompuServe 100016,1574

MERIDAN PLUG
-------------------------------------------------

P-ZAP and P-STAT are FreeWare, given to the computing world by:

Bob Stuart
Meridian Audio Ltd   
Makers of the World's best Digital Audio:
CD Players, DSP loudspeakers and DSP Home Theatre.

Want to know more? Write for details:

14 Clifton Road, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE18 7EJ, England
	or
3800 Camp Creek Parkway
Building 2400 Suite 112
Atlanta GA 30331
USA