
This file contains important information about each release of PTerm,
please read it carefully before running PTerm as much of the
information pertains to known bugs and limitations for each release.


04bp22:
=======

     o  This release is sort of an 'emergency' release to get those
        using NT 3.5, buil 807, up and running again. I have 
        built it using my evolving source, and while there are no
        specific bug fixes or enhancements, there are bound to
        be some randomly introduced bug fixes, and new bugs. I 
        will be making an official release sometime in the near
        future.

     o  PLEASE READ THE FIRST BULLET UNDER 04BP19 BELOW CONCERNING
        THE PLACEMENT OF CTL3D32.DLL!

     o  Note that use of the AFFIN.DLL is no longer necessary under
        NT 3.5 (build 807), and can be safely deleted from your 
        system (as far as PTerm is concerned).


04bp19:
=======

     o  Added 3D look to dialogs through the use of CTL3D32.DLL. This
        DLL is included in the distribution. It is VERY important that
        only ONE copy of this DLL be in your path, and that place
        should be \winnt\system32. So, copy this DLL there and delete
        it from your PTerm directory.
        
     o  Added optional "Delete files after uploading". When the select
        files for uploading dialog box pops up, you will notice a 
        checkbox on the right side marked "Delete". If you check this,
        after finishing an upload, you will be presented with a list
        box containing the paths to all the files just uploaded. Select
        the files you want to delete, then click the Delete button. You
        are then asked if you wish to delete the files. I put this in
        because I like to delete my QWK packet replies just after 
        uploading them.
        
     o  Instead of automatically renaming existing files during a
        zmodem download, there is now an option to turn this on or
        off in the File Transfers setup dialog.
        
     o  Added an option in the Communications Setup dialog for 
        silencing the BEL character. This option, if enabled, simply
        filters out all incoming CTRL-G characters -- instead it
        flashes PTerm's window to let you know the system is beeping
        at you. I added this because my wife just had our first child, 
        and I found that the noise created by an aborted file transfer
        was a little unnerving to our daughter.

     o  As I illuded to when I first wrote the manual for PTerm
        (pterm.txt), I was afraid PTerm would not work on an SMP 
        (multiple processor) machine, and, well, it doesn't. Until 
        I can work this problem out, I have coded PTerm such that
        all threads are forced to run on the first processor. To 
        facitiltate this, I use some functions MS provides in the
        file AFFIN.DLL (included with this release). Under Daytona,
        AFFIN.DLL will not be necessary. If you are still running
        Windows NT 3.1, copy AFFIN.DLL into your \winnt\system32
        directory. Note, all this means that PTerm should now run
        properly on you machine no matter how many processors you
        have, because PTerm pretends there is only one.
        
     o  The option to convert Backspace to Delete did not work at all
        in the last version of PTerm. I inadvertently optimized it out
        (is was impossible for the code which handled this to ever
        execute, one hell of an optimization!). It now works. Also, if
        you have this option enabled, it will be indicated in PTerm's
        title bar with the string "bs->del". I also added some code to
        handle CTRL-BACKSPACE. This key changes depending on whether
        you have BS->DEL enabled -- if you do, then CTRL-BS outputs
        a backspace, if you don't, then it outputs a delete. Those
        of you who need this will understand why I did it -- those
        who don't, nevermind. ;-)

     o  All other bugs and limitations listed below still apply!


I have started the early stages of a GUI version of PTerm. There is a
large bump to get over, but once I get a GUI version with mostly the
same functionality as the console version, I will be looking for beta
testers, and will let everyone know. This is at best several months
away. This version of PTerm will be shareware (as opposed to freeware).

     
     
04bp15:
=======

     o  Added support for the (ALT-GR) characters on international
        keyboards. Thanks to Henry Gessau for modifying my keyboard
        input routine to handle this addition. I have been using it
        for well over a month now and it has not introduced any 
        problems on my non-international keyboard. If any of the
        international users out there find problems, please let me
        know.

     o  Other small non-visible bug fixes.


04bp13:
=======

     o  The YModem upload bug has been fixed! Well, I hope it has. I
        tested by uploading some files to about 4 systems (including
        CIS), and all went well. I even uploaded a 1.7 Meg
        uncompressed executable, with the final throughput being 1610
        cps at 14.4K baud, not too bad. On compressed files, I was
        getting about 1060 cps. If you experience any strangeness with
        the YModem uploading, please let me know!

     o  The problems with the communications setup dialog have been
        fixed, sorry for the inconvience!

     o  The problem where the capture path would get clobbered after
        canceling out of the Open Capture file dialog has been fixed.

     o  If, after hitting ALT-X to exit PTerm, you were to hit ALT-X
        again (while PTerm is deintializing the Modem), you would more
        than likely crash PTerm -- this has been fixed...

     o  You can now send a break signal by pressing CTRL-BREAK. I set
        the duration of the break to 250 milliseconds (1/4 second), if
        that turns out to be a problem please let me know and I will
        tweak it some...

     o  Read the section in PTERM.TXT called "Sound" for information
        on the new wav file feature of PTerm.


All other bugs and limitations listed below for 04bp10 still apply!

       

04bp10:
=======

I am releasing this version with a several known bugs, and I'm sure many
more unknown bugs. Many of the bugs which were present in the first two
releases have been killed, but I am sure there are more, including these:

     o  YModem uploading is broken. I have been delaying this release for
        sometime while I try to fix this bug. I am very close, but did not
        want to delay this release any longer with this being the only
        major [known] bug left. Downloading has worked great for me
        however. When I get the uploading fixed, I will release a patch
        version -- hopefully not too long after I make this release.

     o  *Very* young and untested CIS Quick-B code has been included in
        this version PTerm. I have had a couple of sucessful downloads
        with this code, but have not even attempted an upload. This code
        will get better in future releases, for now you should probably
        pretend its not there (unless you like experimenting).

     o  ANSI aupport may still be a bit weak. I have come to find out
        that it will be nearly (if not completely) impossible to fully
        implement VT100/220 emulation while PTerm remains a console
        application. As such, this will be the last _major_ release of
        PTerm as a console application -- PTerm will be going full GUI at
        some point in the future. I will continue to make patch releases
        of this version however. But, don't expect the VT100 support in
        the console version to get much better. ANSI color support seems
        to work great, but when calling Unix boxes with VT100 emulation
        PTerm can get baffled pretty quickly.


Well, them's the major ones I have found so far. Please report others
to me as necessary.

Some 'features' to watch out for:

     o  The TELNET support is still VERY young, and several facets are
        still being worked out. Please report any problems you have with
        this! If you really need a solid telnet for NT, get WinQVT for
        Windows NT.

     o  Once PTERM quits, it closes the serial port, and if the modem on
        this serial port is currently connected to somewhere, that
        connection will be lost (since closing the serial port drops
        DTR). You may be able to prevent this by setting your modem to
        always hold DTR high, but this will have the side effect of
        preventing ALT-H from hanging up the connection. Note that if you
        try to exit PTerm while on line, PTerm will ask if you want to
        hang up and exit, if you say no you are left online and PTerm does
        not exit.

