@PARAFILTR ON = @BANNER = Ventura Publisher<190> @APP NOTE = Application Note #3 @NAME = Subjects: EMS Disk caches This application note provides numerous examples of the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files required to run Ventura Publisher. The examples use many different combinations of common EMS drivers, disk caches, XMS drivers, and other system software. All of these configurations have actually been used in real life and were copied directly from real CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT and VP.BAT files. The purpose of this note is to help assure Ventura Publisher users that their system is configured correctly. Most problems related to Ventura Publisher installation result from incorrect CONFIG.SYS and AUTO<->EXEC.BAT parameters. While the exact configuration you require is probably not identical to what you see here, you can probably spot problems with your configuration by looking at examples of configurations which really work. The amount of EMS or extended memory in the computer as well as the type of computer are specified when necessary. Just as a reminder, expanded memory and EMS memory are two words for the same thing. Extended memory, however, is a different animal. Programs which use EMS memory (like Ventura Publisher) typically cannot use extended memory (although Ventura Publisher can use up to 64K of extended memory by using an XMS driver, as explained later in this note). The most common mistake made in configuring computers for Ventura Publisher is to install extra memory as extended memory instead of expanded. We all wish someone had come up with two names that were not so similar. However, we're stuck with extended and expanded (EMS). @HEAD 1 = Example #1 The following AUTO<->EXEC.BAT file shows the proper settings required to place the Super PC Kwik disk cache into EMS memory and reserve 512K of EMS memory for Ventura Publisher. Failure to specify a /R parameter will result in all EMS memory being allocated to the disk cache. As a consequence, no EMS memory will be available to Ventura Publisher. Most other disk cache programs also have parameters which must be specified to make sure that: 1. Expanded (EMS) or extended memory is used for the cache rather than conventional memory. 2. Not all of the expanded (EMS) or extended memory is consumed by the cache. One of the biggest problems many people have when installing Ventura Publisher (especially the Professional Extension) is that they use a disk cache or other program which takes every byte of EMS memory for itself, leaving nothing for Ventura Publisher. You must restrict this usage if Ventura Publisher is to be able to use EMS memory. @TABLE = PATH=C:\BATCH;C:\DOS;C:\ SUPERPCK /A+/R:512 PROMPT $P$G @HEAD 1 = Example #2<197>386MAX<191> This program (available from Qualitas, Inc. of Bethesda Maryland) increases the amount of memory available on 386 computers by using an XMS driver, and also by using certain other areas of memory between 640K and 1024K to load CONFIG.SYS drivers, TSR programs (terminate but stay resident programs), and portions of applications. The combination of both techniques can increase the effective conventional memory area to over 800K in some situations. It can also let you use TSR programs such as Norton Utilities<190> or Sidekick<190> without running out of conventional (640K) memory. You can use this product in several ways. The best way is to let 386MAX place all device drivers, network drivers, and TSR programs into <169>high memory.<170> For example, for the Novell network this is done by placing the following highlighted command in your CONFIG.SYS file: @TABLE = FILES=20 BUFFERS=20 DEVICE=C:\386MAX.SYS and the following highlighted commands in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: @TABLE = 386MAX LOADHIGH IPX.COM NET3 386MAX LOADLOW F: LOGIN HEISKELL All programs between the LOADHIGH and LOADLOW commands will be automatically loaded into high memory, if possible. If your 386 computer does not contain any device drivers, network drivers, or TSR programs, you can use 386MAX to load portions of Xerox Ventura Publisher into high memory. To do this, modify the VP.BAT file as follows: @TABLE = 386MAX OPENHIGH C: CD \VENTURA DRVRMRGR VP %1 /S=SDFVGAH5.VGA/M=01 386MAX CLOSEHIGH The following CONFIG.SYS file shows the proper settings to use 386max in a Compaq 386 computer in conjunction with the CACHE program which Compaq provides. 386max maps the Compaq 386 extended memory into expanded (EMS) memory. Note that the NOHIGH command on the first line is not required for most configurations. You only need this command if the screen display goes blank when loading Ventura Publisher. Also, note that the disk cache is restricted to 512K, thus leaving the remaining EMS memory for Ventura Publisher. @TABLE = DEVICE=C:\386MAX.SYS NOHIGH DEVICE=C:\CACHE.EXE 512 /EXP FILES=20 @HEAD 1 = Example #3 The following CONFIG.SYS file shows the proper settings to use with Quarterdeck's QEMM program which maps 386 extended memory to expanded (EMS) memory. This configuration is a little unusual in that the QEMM driver is configured to leave 512K of extended memory rather than mapping all of it to expanded memory. The Compaq disk cache is then configured to use all of this extended memory. This was done for three reasons. First, some disk caches operate more effectively from extended memory than EMS memory, or may be configured for larger sizes when placed in extended memory than when placed in EMS memory. Second, this method provides an alternative method (compared to some of the previous CONFIG.SYS files) to restrict the amount of memory allocated to other programs and device drivers. All extended memory except for 512K is mapped to expanded memory and all of this expanded memory is available to Ventura Publisher. Third, some programs, most notably Windows 386, require extended rather than expanded (EMS) memory. If you plan to use these programs at the same time as Ventura Publisher, this CONFIG.SYS file provides the proper starting point for your configuration. In these cases, you will want to allocate some memory to Windows and to your disk cache. The total cache memory plus Windows extended memory should be specified in the first line. Next, you should allocate some of this extended memory to the disk cache by specifying the disk cache size on the second line. Clearly, this number must be smaller than the number on the first line in order to leave some extended memory for Windows. The difference between the two numbers is the amount of extended memory available to Windows. Finally, the difference between the total amount of extended memory available and the amount shown on the first line is the amount of EMS memory available to Ventura Publisher. @TABLE = DEVICE=C:\QEMM.SYS EXTMEM=512 DEVICE=C:\CACHE.EXE 512 /EXT FILES=20 @HEAD 1 = Example #4 The following CONFIG.SYS file shows another approach to allocating memory between extended and expanded memory, but in this case the computer is a 286 computer using an Intel Above board. When using the Above Board <197> and when using most other EMS boards <197> you will need to run a setup program which determines the allocation between extended and EMS memory. This program is run once when you first install the board. Thus, unlike the 386 computers, you cannot change the allocation between extended and expanded memory simply by changing parameters in the CONFIG.SYS file. The program for the Intel Above Board that you must run to allocate between extended and expanded (EMS) memory is called SETBOARD. This CONFIG.SYS file assumes that approximately 1800K was allocated by SETBOARD to extended memory. Of this amount, about 64K is taken by the HIMEM.SYS driver. This is an XMS driver which is provided with recent releases of Microsoft Windows. This provides approximately 60K of additional conventional memory to applications which are written to recognize it. Ventura Publisher recognizes XMS memory automatically. The Compaq CACHE.EXE program provides the disk cache, and the Intel EMM.SYS driver installs the EMS memory.<$&anchor 1[v]> @HEAD 1 = How do I know if my configuration is correct? Most configurations fail because the memory is installed as extended rather than expanded (EMS), because some other program has hogged all the EMS memory, or because no memory driver at all was installed in the CONFIG.SYS file. Your problem is, how can you know what's going on? Many of the memory board manufacturers provide a program with their board which scans memory and provides a report on what is found. For instance, Intel provides a program called CHKMEM.EXE, when run, program provides a display similar to that shown in the next figure.<$&anchor2[v]> As you can see, in this instance 512K of the memory was allocated to extended rather than expanded memory. Of the 3584K bytes of expanded memory, most of it (3072K) was already allocated. Only 512K remains for Ventura Publisher. Norton Utilities provides similar information through the SI.EXE program. This program provides a display similar to the one shown at the bottom of the page.<$&anchor 3> Note that this display contains additional information about conventional memory, but does not provide information on how much expanded memory is allocated. Another source of memory information is Ventura Publisher itself. When you run Ventura Publisher, the Desk menu provides a display of EMS memory in use. The SYS= amount shows the total amount of EMS memory consumed by Ventura Publisher's system software plus the amount of EMS memory allocated to other programs prior to running Ventura Publisher. If no other program or device driver has already used EMS memory, then this number will be between 48K and 96K. This represents the amount of system software which Ventura Publisher places into EMS instead of conventional memory, thus making more conventional memory available to your document. If this number is zero, then you don't have EMS memory configured in your computer. The APP= number shows the total amount of EMS memory available for your document. In the base product, this number will always be zero. In the Professional Extension, this will be the amount of EMS memory available after all other programs plus Ventura Publisher's system software have been loaded into EMS memory. If you are using the Professional Extension, the SYS plus the APP amount should equal the total amount of EMS memory installed. Finally, Ventura Publisher contains an undocumented diagnostic menu for use by Xerox Customer Support and for debugging by Ventura Software. It is not generally useful for the user, but it does provide one interesting piece of information that is difficult to find from any other source, namely confirmation that the XMS driver (e.g., HIMEM.SYS) was loaded. To access this hidden menu, point to the word Ventura in the left middle of the Desk menu. The diagnostic menu will appear. On the last line to the right of where it says FARCODE, you will see the word HIMEM.SYS if the XMS driver is installed correctly. If it is not installed, you will instead see numbers. The usual reason why the XMS driver does not install is that no extended memory is available. The XMS driver requires extended, not expanded (EMS) memory. At least 64K of extended memory must be available when you boot the computer in order for the XMS driver to load. @HEAD 1 = Disk caches Many disk caches are available. The ones most frequently mentioned in the press are: EMMCACHE, Lightning, Polyboost, Super Pc Kwik, and VCACHE. In addition, many 386 computers include a disk cache, such as the Compaq 386 CACHE.EXE program. Almost any disk cache should work (the presence of these names here does not imply an endorsement). Super PC Kwik is made by: Multisoft Corporation 18220 S.W. Monte Verdi Blvd. Beaverton, OR 97007 (503)642-7108 Lightning is made by: Personal Computer Support Group 11035 Harry Hines Blvd., Ste. 206 Dallas, TX 75229 (214)351-0564 When using a disk cache, you typically can remove the BUFFERS statement from the CONFIG.SYS file. If you experience performance degradations, include a BUFFERS=5 statement. @HEAD 1 = Summary This short note provides just a few examples; your CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and VP.BAT files will almost certainly look different. However, the key lessons to be learned from the examples in this note are as follows: 1. You must make sure that your configuration correctly maps extended to EMS memory. If your computer contains only extended memory, Ventura Publisher will not use any of it (except for 64K if you use the HIMEM.SYS or other XMS driver). 2. You must make sure that any disk cache or other program installed or run prior to Ventura Publisher does not <169>hog<170> all EMS memory for itself. 3. You can dramatically increase the amount of conventional memory available to Ventura Publisher (and other applications) by using an XMS driver (e.g., HIMEM.SYS) or a program like 386max which combines an extended memory to EMS memory driver, XMS driver, and high-memory mapping functions into one program.