20 June 1989 This release of Matlab incorporates a number of new features, as well as a substantial number of bug fixes. New for this release: 1. Workbench startup 2. Polar Plots 3. Contour Plots 4. Enhanced Plot buffer control 5. Algorithmic plot display generation, permitting use of any Amiga display that has been properly defined to the system. 6. Plot batch mode now works correctly. A number of bugs in Diglib that would cause erratic operation have been fixed. Workbench Startup: By default, this release of Matlab will use the CON: device and open a 640 by 200 window on the workbench when started from workbench. Upon startup, Matlab will look for a file called MATCONFIG.SYS in the current directory (the directory that Matlab is in). If it finds the file, it will open the window that is described there. If the file does not exist, it will open the default window. This way, you may open a window with CON: or NEWCON: or whatever else is available. I use ConMan, so opening a CON: window is OK with me. I have included in this package the executables of the subroutines and the startup code that I developed to provide workbench startup for Fortran. Sorry...the source is not available pending publication of a magazine article in Amazing Computing. This Workbench startup code is generally useful and will work with any fortran program on the amiga, so long as you compile it using Absoft Fortran v 2.3. To use it, you must use the init.sc module that I provide instead of the one provided on the L: directory of the Fortran distribution disk. You must install the WBEND subroutine as the last executable statement ahead of the END statement in the main program. If you want a window to do I/O in, you must CALL STDOPN('etc') before you try to do I/O. The module WBSTRT.SUB will obtain for you the address of the workbench startup message. Check the Main program for Matlab to get examples of syntax. Watch Amazing Computing for full details. This release still needs 1 meg to do plots. I experimented with overlays for a bit and gave it up...too much overhead and performance penalty. The plot batch mode now works correctly. Thus, from Matlab, you may enter the command PLOT(X,'my plot definition file') and expect it to work correctly. It is therefore possible to completely automate the procedure of data manipulation/plotting using the EXEC command and expect it to work. This is the last free release of Matlab. I have incurred significant systems costs to develop the package to this extent, and I need to recoup some of those costs. The article in Amazing will help, but I'm still out a bundle. The next release, at some point in the indefinite future, will be commercial. I plan a full intuition interface (in C) as well as a printer driver that will use the maximum resolution of your preferences printer. It will probably be slow, but I'll do the best I can. I will also add 1 and two dimensional FFTs, convolutions, numerical integration, and numerical differentiation. 19 Jan 1989 This is the 19 January 1989 release of Amiga Matlab. This release includes extensive plot support. It is now possible to do all types of X-Y plots, as well as 3-D plots and histograms. Polar plots and contour plots are in the works and will be available within two months. Plot definitions may be stored to disk and recalled at any time. In principle, it should be possible to execute a batch file when matlab starts and generate a graph using a stored definition, but I am having trouble makeing the batch option of Plot work correctly. I have encountered what seems to be a problem with the Absoft run time library. I am working on it and hope to solve the problem soon. This release, as provided, makes some use of overlays. If you have a 512K system, you will be able to run matlab without problem, however you will not be able to do any plotting. For plots, you need one meg. Also, the version posted on bulletin boards contains no source. This file is quite large enough for uploading at 1200 baud as it is. If you get the disk from me, you get matlab source but not diglib source. Why not? Insufficient space on one disk. If you want the whole shooting match, all source, diglib and matlab, send me 2 disks. If you are already on my list as having provided $5.00 for costs, you need send only the disks... I will fill them and send them back. I recommend you wait until late March or April, however, because by then contour plots and polar plots will be implemented. Also, that will be the last free release. Subsequent releases will be shareware and I will not release the source without a contribution. When we go shareware, I will be providing a 68020/68881 version of the program. Effective immediately, I will no longer provide a hard copy of the manual. A kind soul provided me with a disk based copy which I am now distributing with the package. (Thanks, Capt. Strovink). For the planned April release, I will provide two versions: one fully compiled and linked for those who have the memory, and a heavily overlayed version to enable 512K users to do plots. At present, I have not had the time to rearrange the program. A note to my European friends: this release of Amiga Matlab does not support PAL displays. I will provide that support in the April release. This release, and the next one, will use CLI interface only. I do intend to add Workbench support, as well as a windowing editor and pull down menus, but I have currently chosen to focus on functionality instead of frills. Accordingly, you will make plot choices from text menus. I think, however, that you will be quite pleased. I am not aware of any other package for the Amiga that provides this degree of functionality. Jim Locker SofTech Inc. 4443 N. Hyland Ave Dayton Oh 45424 (513) 429 2771 days, Mon to Fri